Various Artists - Be Yourself: A Tribute to Graham Nash's Songs for Beginners Review

As a member of the Hollies, as a solo artist, and especially as one-third of Crosby Stills & Nash, Graham Nash has exerted a strong influence on late-2000s indie rock, acting as a touchstone to scores of earnest young folkies pushing harmonies to the forefront of rustic Americana. Although he was never quite as pervasive as Brian Wilson, Ian Curtis, or Bruce Springsteen-- indie's holy triumvirate of the last decade-- Nash's music has inspired pretty much any recent harmonizing group. In retrospect, it seems inevitable that artists would rally around Nash and especially his 1971 solo debut, Songs for Beginners, his most sustained and personal effort. Grassroots Records and (((folkYEAH!))) Presents have organized a track-by-track tribute to that album, choosing the usual suspects to cover Nash's post-hippie compositions: Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold, Vetiver, Alela Diane, and Mariee Sioux, among others.

Out of either reverence or timidity, most of them stick pretty close to the originals. Covering "Better Days", Brendan Benson of the Raconteurs even retains Nash's eerie organ theme, which re-creates the same ominous atmosphere. The best track, unsurprisingly, may be the one that takes the most liberties: Bonnie "Prince" Billy translates "Simple Man" into Spanish ("Hombre Sencillo") and recasts it as a mariachi tune. More than simply a stunt, it proves startlingly effective, as Oldham trusts Nash's plaintive hook to make sense in any language.

A controlled singer who stood out even in CSN&Y, Nash was also one of the better songwriters to rise out of Woodstock Nation, with a good ear for conflating the personal with the political. That makes "Military Madness", the opening track on Songs for Beginners as well as Be Yourself, such a compelling song. It may be a peacenik anthem, but Nash anchors it in the story of his own birth: "In an upstairs room in Blackpool, by the side of a northern sea," he sings, "the army had my father, and my mother was having me." On their cover, Port O'Brien and the Papercuts emphasize those autobiographical details as singer Van Pierszalowski injects the song with a palpable sadness, as if he's actively trying to keep from growing jaded and cynical....full text As a member of the Hollies, as a solo artist, and especially as one-third of Crosby Stills & Nash, Graham Nash has exerted a strong influence on late-2000s indie rock, acting as a touchstone to scores of earnest young folkies pushing harmonies to the forefront of rustic Americana. Although he was never quite as pervasive as Brian Wilson, Ian Curtis, or Bruce Springsteen-- indie's holy triumvirate of the last decade-- Nash's music has inspired pretty much any recent harmonizing group. In retrospect, it seems inevitable that artists would rally around Nash and especially his 1971 solo debut, Songs for Beginners, his most sustained and personal effort. Grassroots Records and (((folkYEAH!))) Presents have organized a track-by-track tribute to that album, choosing the usual suspects to cover Nash's post-hippie compositions: Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold, Vetiver, Alela Diane, and Mariee Sioux, among others.

Out of either reverence or timidity, most of them stick pretty close to the originals. Covering "Better Days", Brendan Benson of the Raconteurs even retains Nash's eerie organ theme, which re-creates the same ominous atmosphere. The best track, unsurprisingly, may be the one that takes the most liberties: Bonnie "Prince" Billy translates "Simple Man" into Spanish ("Hombre Sencillo") and recasts it as a mariachi tune. More than simply a stunt, it proves startlingly effective, as Oldham trusts Nash's plaintive hook to make sense in any language.

A controlled singer who stood out even in CSN&Y, Nash was also one of the better songwriters to rise out of Woodstock Nation, with a good ear for conflating the personal with the political. That makes "Military Madness", the opening track on Songs for Beginners as well as Be Yourself, such a compelling song. It may be a peacenik anthem, but Nash anchors it in the story of his own birth: "In an upstairs room in Blackpool, by the side of a northern sea," he sings, "the army had my father, and my mother was having me." On their cover, Port O'Brien and the Papercuts emphasize those autobiographical details as singer Van Pierszalowski injects the song with a palpable sadness, as if he's actively trying to keep from growing jaded and cynical....full text [February 9, 2010, San Francisco, CA] Legendary singer-songwriter Graham Nash's emotionally charged solo debut Songs For Beginners was first released in 1971 and came on the heels of a temporary split with his CSN band mates, David Crosby and Stephen Stills, and a permanent break with his then-love, Joni Mitchell. The album was a hit, climbing to #15 on the Billboard chart and introducing the now-classic songs “Military Madness,” “Simple Man,” “Used To Be A King,” and the Top 40 single “Chicago.” Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Graham Nash first rose to stardom with British Invasion hit-makers The Hollies. He went on to co-found the rock super groups Crosby, Stills & Nash and CSN&Y and remains active with both configurations. Throughout it all, Nash has pursued an acclaimed solo career, beginning with the 1971 gem Songs for Beginners. The songs from this classic have stood the almighty test of time and have been covered by a long list of music makers across the globe.

Now, flash forward to 2010, Nile Nash & Britt Govea of (((folkYEAH!))) presents have assembled an all-star line-up of contemporary music leaders such as Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Robin Pecknold (of Fleet Foxes), Brendan Benson (of The Raconteurs), Vetiver, Alela Diane, Sleepy Sun, Mariee Sioux & Greg Weeks (from Espers), Port O Brien with The Papercuts, The Moore Brothers and Graham’s own daughter, Nile Nash. All of these contemporary artists have come together to honor and celebrate Graham’s first solo LP, Songs For Beginners. The artists put a unique spin on each song, making it his or her own while also honoring the timeless vibe of the original recordings. Some stay true to the arrangements that Graham and his Bay Area musician pals laid down in 1970, while others go for a completely fresh reinterpretation. Each track is sure to delight and introduce these already epic and timeless songs to a new generation of music lovers. This tribute LP, titled “Be Yourself: A Tribute To Graham Nash’s Songs For Beginners”, will be released via Grass Roots Records in Spring 2010.

All of the songs on this inspired collection were recorded between May and October of 2009. A few selections from Graham’s classic second solo release Wild Tales have also been recorded; Jonathan Rice handles “On The Line”, Tyson Vogel (of Two Gallants) takes “Hey You (Looking At The Moon)” to another place, and Jonathan Wilson (of Chris Robinson’s Wooden Family, Jenny Lewis, Elvis Costello) featuring an all-star Laurel Canyon line-up recreates the now-classic Wild Tales jam “And So It Goes (Music Gets You High)”....full text