Search - Richie Havens :: Stonehenge

Still Beautiful After All These Years

03/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The man and the music. A true legend and this is Richie Havens at his best. Amazing voice and songs, and a serene and peaceful quality to the production. Highly recommended!!"

Havens' 1970 masterpiece

Phil S. | USA | 04/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"More production that usual for this American Folk music "treasure" - I surmise Richie Havens himself wouldn't be comfortable with that tried but true (pause) cliche, but this trove has it all: some of his most melodic and personal statements, all completely believable: "Open Our Eyes", "Ring Around The Moon", "There's A Hole In The Future", among others here have an inescapable pull, resonant now for four decades.

His world view is universal, if you will, and the final, the long (for its' time) at 7:58 "Shouldn't All The World Be Dancing?", is a sentiment which critics could make careers at, by mocking the song title as naive and tired, but Havens makes it a near-desperate plea for understanding and unity. Different voices weave in and out of the kaleidoscope, and it may be considered a modified rapp.

Havens, along with Mitchell, and Safa, represents the very best of that Monterey-to-Woodstock era. Although this '70 work follows that period, there is no sense of resignation in any track. In any note."