David Crosby ‘laughter’ (1971)
In 1971, Crosby released his fully atmospheric solo debut album, If I Was Backed by members of the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, as well as Joni Mitchell, who joined in on the song’s backup harmonies.・Could Only Remember My Name” was released. Crosby sings about a failed spiritual quest — “I found nothing but shadowy reflections I’ve seen” — and Jerry Garcia’s pedal steel guitar hovers above him and embraces.
David Crosby “Orleans” (1971)
An eerie coral of vocal harmonies carries the names of French places in this exquisite miniature. Then the guitar counterpoint takes over, sketching the melody once and then fading away.
David Crosby “I can’t get hold of anything” (2014)
“Holding On to Nothing” hints at more than Crosby’s lifelong admiration for Mitchell, with its softly strummed eccentric chords and asymmetrical melody. From “Croz,” his return to working on a solo album for the first time in 20 years, “Holding On to Nothing” meditates on time, longing, melancholy, and tenacity, feeling like “a stranger just passing by.”
David Crosby “We Below” (2016)
On the song “Lighthouse,” the album that kicked off Crosby’s longtime collaboration with Snarky Puppy’s Michael League, Crosby gazes into the vast distance between stars and wonder. But gradually, layer by layer, the guitar patterns and vocals drift and interlock, suggesting otherwise.
David Crosby “Curved Air” (2017)
Even in his later years, Crosby was experimenting with new approaches. Written with his son James Raymond, “Curved Air” is briskly percussive and rhythmically unpredictable, with flamenco-like handclaps and a bassline that speaks to him. The lyrics hope for “a little traction here/A little solid ground,” but as the melody bounces around, Crosby is utterly sure.
David Crosby, Michael League, Becca Stevens, Michelle Willis “Balance on the pin” (2018)
Written with members of the Lighthouse band, “Balanced on a Pin” ponders fragility and death. For most of the song, his only accompaniment is solitary guitar picking, pausing his voice over the inevitability of silence.