STEPHEN STILLS/2 2401.013 (-71) BRAZIL

In my world his 1970 debute remains as one of the better albums released that period  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/10/stephen-stills-2401004-70-uk.html  . The songwriting, performance and stunning guest list together created something that reached beyond the vinyl surface and turned it into a concept, an all time classic. With that in mind this follow-up, released seven months later, was a small disappoinment. Not bad by any means, but lacking some of the magic I got from the former. Not sure why. The songwriting mostly high quality, the guest list may be shorter but still including names as David Crosby, Eric Clapton, Nils Lofgren and Billy Preston and the performances are great. Mayhaps my expectations were so high after his former masterpiece there was no chance matching them whatever he'd done. However that may be I do get a bunch of very enjoyable songs - "Change Partners", "Sugar Baby", "Singin' Call" and "Marianne" - and even if the rest doesn't turn me on that much it's still more than sufficiant. As a modern cognizant vinyl collector I should probably struggle to find a first press Atlantic US (SD 7206) or UK plum (240 1013) copy, but this Brazil one has such good audio I see no immediate need for update. Though having stereo label, "estereo" on rear sleeve and a stereo sticker on front there's not much stereo to it, most of the time mono with just occational tiny two-channel effects, but it's still big, bouncy, balanced and wide and very enjoyable listening. First had label as shown here, heavy vinyl and thin fully laminated cover. (ZHÄ*) (SÖMI*)