Stephen Stills and Judy Collins - Everybody Knows Album Review
Stephen Stills and Judy Collins have an interesting history with one another. Besides properly dating, both of them were used in each other’s musical productions and influences. Now, the two artists have come together to create another album, one that provides an interesting and relaxing blast from the past.
In a surprising endeavor, these two actually have managed to craft a wonderful album that could be classified as a personal ballad, even a serenade. This style isn’t uncommon for both Stills and Collins, as this is what most of their music has originated from. It’s a pleasant surprise to listen to it in an era of rehashing and remaking — it’s pulled right out of the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young era and this album is a perfect contender for comparison. The instrumentation and lyrics are fresh and familiar in a perfect balance, giving a unique album that we’ve heard before.
Everybody Knows is a testament to older rock as a genre — the instrumentation that has gone into it is an interesting mesh of both old and new. The new mixing is done with old instruments in a way that makes it sound like it was produced back in the 1970s, with a new sense of modern flair to go along with it. As per the norm of Stills and Collins, the instrumentation is a combination of vocals and guitar. Stills and Collins in particular are able to make their voices harmonize perfectly with the percussion, as well as the guitar tracks that they can provide. They also sound perfect together. From a production standpoint, it’s a match made in heaven.
The lyrical content varies from melancholic to celebratory. It’s a trait that is pulled from this era. From the implications of loneliness and death, to the positive outlook at experiencing life in the present, Stills and Collins are an effective and clever writing team. The voices to the music, as mentioned, evoke a certain layer of emotion after each listen. One can focus on the music, the lyrics and the voices themselves.
Unfortunately, this album is not one that is able to be understood on the first listen. It requires two, three or even four hearings to understand the full essence of the project. For some, that might be a bit of a difficult task as they might not be able to see the visual standpoint of Stills and Collins on the initial listen.
Stephen Stills and Judy Collins are both renowned professionals in their genre and have crafted another wonderful piece to add to their discography. It is both a mellow and interesting album on the ears and a saddening and joyful piece of writing. Except for the necessity to listen more than once on this piece, the duo have crafted an album that rounds out all the edges of what constitutes a fun and interesting piece. Perfect for a natural relaxing setting or for casual listening, Everybody Knows is an album that is a well-rounded piece of music.
Rating: 6/10
Jack Grossman is a sophomore majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jackdgrossman@gmail.com.
