Buffalo Springfield Again is the second album byBuffalo Springfield, released onAtco Records in October 1967. The album features some of the group's best-known songs, including "Mr. Soul", "Bluebird", "Expecting to Fly" and "Rock & Roll Woman", all of which were released as singles. In contrast to the band's hastily madedebut album, recording forAgain took place over a protracted nine-month span and was fraught with dysfunction, with each member eventually producing his own material largely independent of one another.
Several factors may have contributed to the slow pace of the recording sessions, including that bassistBruce Palmer had been deported in January and had re-entered theUnited States illegally to continue working with the band, and guitaristNeil Young had quit and rejoined the group on several occasions, notably absent for the band's appearance at the famedMonterey Pop Festival whereDavid Crosby substituted in his place at the request of guitaristStephen Stills.[18][19]
The album features the first recordings of songs written by guitaristRichie Furay, who had not contributed any material to the band's debut album. Also unlike the previous record, which had been recorded in its entirety by the band proper, session musicians appeared on various tracks as indicated on the album's inner sleeve. Palmer's deportation issues necessitated the contributions of outside bass players. During one of the times that Young had left the band, he had booked a studio to record "Expecting to Fly," with session musicians under the impression it was for a Neil Young solo project rather than for Buffalo Springfield.[20]Phil SpectorWrecking Crew associateJack Nitzsche provided themusical arrangements for "Expecting to Fly"; it does not feature any members of the Springfield. Nitzsche would continue to work with Young through the early 1970s on bothhis solo debut album and his best-sellingHarvest, also becoming a member of Young's backing bandsCrazy Horse andThe Stray Gators.
The album includes an earlycountry rock track by Furay, "A Child's Claim to Fame." The track "Rock & Roll Woman" allegedly includes vocals by Crosby, who also allegedly had a hand in its composition; whether true or not, Stills acknowledges the genesis of the song was from jamming with Crosby.[21]Cash Box said of "Rock & Roll Woman" that it's a "mid-tempo rock ballad" and that "throaty vocals with a shimmering group backing are spiced with some outstanding guitar showing."[22]Record World called "Rock & Roll Woman" an "imaginative, different rock song."[23] Young's extended piece "Broken Arrow" begins with audience applause (taken not from a Buffalo Springfield show, but rather from a concert by theBeatles) and the opening of "Mr. Soul" (which opens the album) recorded live in the studio. The back cover of the album includes a lengthy list of people thanked as influence and inspiration, some of whom are musicians who contributed but were unaccredited. The album is dedicated toBarry Friedman, and listed as a York/Pala production. The album wasremastered forcompact disc inHDCD and reissued on June 24, 1997.
Producers – Brian Stone (Track 1), Charles Greene (Track 1), Neil Young (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 9, 10), Stephen Stills (Tracks 3, 5, 6, 9),Ahmet Ertegun (Tracks 3, 5), Jack Nitzsche (Track 4), Jim Messina (Track 6), Richie Furay (Track 7), Dewey Martin (Track 8)
Recording engineers – Bruce Tergesen (Track 1), Ross Myerling (Tracks 2, 6),Jim Messina (Tracks 2, 6, 8, 9, 10), James Hilton (Track 3),Bruce Botnick (Tracks 4, 5), William Brittan (Track 7), Bill Lazarus (Tracks 7, 10), Tom May (Track 10)
^^ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe.ISBN978-0-7893-2074-2.
