# Croz

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2014 studio album by David Crosby

Croz Studio album by David Crosby Released January 28, 2014 Recorded October 2011–October 2013 Genre Rock Length 47:03 Label Blue Castle Records Producer Daniel Garcia David Crosby James Raymond David Crosby chronology Voyage (2006) Croz (2014) Lighthouse (2016)

***Croz*** is the fourth [studio album](/source/Studio_album) by American musician [David Crosby](/source/David_Crosby). The album was released on January 28, 2014, by Blue Castle Records.[1][2] It was Crosby's first studio album in over 20 years; his previous release was 1993's *[Thousand Roads](/source/Thousand_Roads)*.[3]

## Background

In a November 2013, interview with *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)*, [David Crosby](/source/David_Crosby) spoke about the album, saying: "I wanted to challenge myself. Most guys my age would have done a covers record or duets on old material. This won't be a huge hit. It'll probably sell nineteen copies. I don't think kids are gonna dig it, but I'm not making it for them. I'm making it for me. I have this stuff that I need to get off my chest."[4] He also spoke about why they decided to release the album independently, saying: "We didn't have any money. None. We could have gone and gotten a deal, but everybody in the music business is very leery about the big companies and what kind of lifespan they might have. Most people are doing it on their own, so that's what we did."[4]

In the same interview, he explained that "If She Called" was inspired by a group of prostitutes that he saw near his hotel in Belgium, saying: "It was cold out and they had these skinny legs. They were trying to entice these drunk animals to fuck them. It was so gross, man. So sad. I imagined these girls had come from Kosovo or some place really hideous and they were working their way west, trying to get their way out of the horror show that happened in the middle of Europe. But that's all imaginary. Mostly, I started thinking about where they hide their heart, their soul, their spirit when they're doing it. How do they disassociate? You can be damn sure they do."[4]

He also spoke about what "Set That Baggage Down" was inspired by, saying: "That's a thing you learn in AA. I went there for about fourteen and half years. You have to look at what got you there. You have to look at the mistakes, and I made some horrific ones, and then you have to learn from them, figure out how to not wind up there again. You have to set that baggage down and walk on. If you spend all your life looking over your shoulder at the things you did wrong, you're gonna walk smack into a tree."[4] He also spoke about how he got [Mark Knopfler](/source/Mark_Knopfler) to play guitar on "What's Broken", saying: "That was a huge piece of generosity on Mark's part. We sent him the song and he just fucking killed it. He did me a huge favor and we don't even know each other. He's just brilliant." He went on to explain how he got [Wynton Marsalis](/source/Wynton_Marsalis) to play trumpet on "Holding on to Nothing", saying: "He's a consummate musician. "I took a chance and asked him and he just said, 'Yeah, send me the tape.' What he played was just beautiful. He has tone for days."[4]

In a January 2014, interview with *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))* he spoke about recording the album, saying: "We decided we were making a record, and, God, it's been the most wonderful experience. I don't know how we pulled it off, 'cause we don't have any money. Actually, I do know how we pulled it off; my son has a studio (the Bamboom Room in Altadena, Calif.) he built into his garage, and I would go down and sleep there on his fold-out couch and we would work on it. It took us about two and a half years to do it."[5] He also spoke about the songs on the album he wrote with his son James Raymond, saying: "He brings chemistry. These songs, we worked a lot on them, man, on things like 'The Clearing' or 'Dangerous Night'...There's probably six different sets of words to 'Dangerous Night' and four or five sets to 'Find a Heart,' different iterations of words that we kept going back and forth, 'This isn't good enough' or 'This really, really opens up another place for us to go. Let's look there.' It's such an alive process. The communication is so good between James and I. It's...well, the evidence is there before you" on the album."[5]

## Critical reception

Professional ratings Aggregate scores Source Rating Metacritic 71/100[6] Review scores Source Rating AllMusic [7] The Arts Desk [8] Drowned in Sound 6/10[9] The Independent [10] musicOMH [11] The Oakland Press [12] The Observer [13] Q [14] Uncut 8/10[15] USA Today [16]

*Croz* was met with generally positive reviews from [music critics](/source/Music_criticism). At [Metacritic](/source/Metacritic), which assigns a [normalized](/source/Standard_score) rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an [average](/source/Weighted_mean) score of 71, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 11 reviews.[6] [Stephen Thomas Erlewine](/source/Stephen_Thomas_Erlewine) of [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) gave the album three and a half stars out of five, saying "That *Croz* prefers certainty to the untrammeled melancholy of *[If I Could Only Remember My Name](/source/If_I_Could_Only_Remember_My_Name)* is a reflection of where he stands in 2014: he's aware he's building upon a past he sometimes pines for, yet he's restless enough to forage ahead into new territory, but only when he's surrounded by cozy, familiar settings."[7] Molloy Woodcraft of *[The Observer](/source/The_Observer)* gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Recorded at his son's home studio, David Crosby's first solo studio album in two decades has a pleasingly jazzy feel, the arrangements full of blocky piano chords and big string bass which, with Crosby's much-envied harmonies, create a pleasant fug."[13] Andy Gill *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)* gave the album three out of five stars, saying "It’s been 20 years since David Crosby’s last solo offering, but *Croz* finds his fire undimmed, and his freak flag still proudly flying, if slightly tattered."[10] Aaron Lavery of [Drowned in Sound](/source/Drowned_in_Sound) gave the album a six out ten, saying "Anyone expecting a Bowie-esque return to centre stage or a fiery riposte in the style of Neil Young will be disappointed – but Crosby has never been a master of reinvention or an instinctive musical wanderer. If you’re looking for a neat musical reminder that David Crosby is one of the most influential men of his era – and can still sparkle with some of that same musical magic today, *Croz* is a worthy listen."[9]

Jerry Shriver of *[USA Today](/source/USA_Today)* gave the album three out of four stars, writing that Crosby "crafts a soul-baring, poetic and mostly engaging work that will please longtime fans."[16] [Gary Graff](/source/Gary_Graff) of *[The Oakland Press](/source/The_Oakland_Press)* gave the album three out of four stars, stating that the "11 tracks [are] laced with tasteful intricacies and nuanced sonics that sound just fine up front but reveal more layers with each successive listen."[12] David Welsh of [musicOMH](/source/MusicOMH) gave the album three out of five stars, saying "*Croz*, like its maker, is something of a curiosity. In an aural sense, it’s perfectly proficient yet frequently bland. Thematically, there is little light and an awful lot of shade. It’ll never go down as a classic of the Crosby canon, yet it is quite unlike anything else he’s ever done. Perhaps it’s best summed up in four simple words – one for the purists."[11]

## Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "What's Broken" James Raymond 3:48 2. "Time I Have" David Crosby 3:49 3. "Holding On to Nothing" David Crosby, Sterling Price 3:41 4. "The Clearing" James Raymond 4:00 5. "Radio" David Crosby, James Raymond 3:45 6. "Slice of Time" David Crosby, Marcus Eaton, James Raymond 4:16 7. "Set That Baggage Down" David Crosby, Shane Fontayne 4:01 8. "If She Called" David Crosby 4:59 9. "Dangerous Night" David Crosby, James Raymond 5:57 10. "Morning Falling" David Crosby, James Raymond 3:41 11. "Find a Heart" David Crosby, Marcus Eaton, James Raymond 5:04

## Personnel

- [David Crosby](/source/David_Crosby) – vocals, electric guitar (8)

- James Raymond – acoustic piano (1, 2, 5, 6, 9–11), [Fender Rhodes](/source/Fender_Rhodes) (1, 3, 11), synthesizers (1, 4–6, 9–11), synth bass (1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10), virtual pedal steel (1), percussion programming (1), backing vocals (2, 5, 9), drum programming (4, 7, 9, 10), [sampled electric guitar](/source/Sampling_(music)) (4), sampled acoustic guitar (4, 10)

- Todd Caldwell – [Hammond B3 organ](/source/Hammond_B3_organ) (2)

- [Mark Knopfler](/source/Mark_Knopfler) – electric guitar (1), guitar solo (1)

- [Marcus Eaton](/source/Marcus_Eaton) – acoustic guitar (1–7, 9, 11), backing vocals (1, 2, 4–7, 9, 11), electric guitar (4), [electric sitar](/source/Electric_sitar) (4), acoustic 12-string guitar (8)

- [Shane Fontayne](/source/Shane_Fontayne) – electric guitar (2, 4, 6, 7, 9), bass guitar (7), percussion (7), backing vocals (7)

- Kevin McCormick – bass guitar (2, 6), [fretless bass](/source/Fretless_bass) (3)

- [Leland Sklar](/source/Leland_Sklar) – bass guitar (11)

- [Steve DiStanislao](/source/Steve_DiStanislao) – drums (1, 2, 4–6, 9, 11), percussion (2, 4, 11)

- [Wynton Marsalis](/source/Wynton_Marsalis) – trumpet (3)

- [Steve Tavaglione](/source/Steve_Tavaglione) – [EWI](/source/EWI_(musical_instrument)) (10), soprano saxophone (11)

## Production

- Producers – Daniel Garcia, David Crosby and James Raymond.

- Recorded and Mixed by Daniel Garcia

- Additional Engineers – Bil Lane, Eddy Santos, Glen Suravech and Rich Tosi.

- Additional recording (B3 organ) on Track 2 – Kevin Madigan

- Additional recording (trumpet) on Track 3 – Jeffrey Jones

- Recorded at The Bamboom Room (Altadena, CA); Radio Hill Recorders (Los Angeles, CA); Rumor Mill Recording (Santa Ynez, CA); [Groove Masters](/source/Groove_Masters) (Santa Monica, CA); Jazz At Lincoln Center (New York, NY).

- Mastered by [Doug Sax](/source/Doug_Sax) and Robert Hadley at The Mastering Lab (Ojai, CA).

- Art Direction and Design – Brian Porizek

- Photography – Daniel Garcia, Marcus Eaton and Buzz Person.

## Charts

Chart (2014) Peak position Spanish Albums (Promusicae)[17] 97 US Billboard 200[18] 36

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["iTunes - Music - Croz by David Crosby"](https://music.apple.com/us/album/croz/741198290). [iTunes](/source/ITunes). August 14, 1941. Retrieved December 31, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Croz: Music"](https://www.amazon.com/Croz-David-Crosby/dp/B00GRHVIGU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388503355&sr=8-1&keywords=david+crosby+croz). *Amazon*. Retrieved December 31, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [""CROZ," David Crosby's First Solo Studio Album in 20 years, Set for Release in January"](http://www.davidcrosby.com/news/2013/11/%E2%80%9Ccroz%E2%80%9D-david-crosby%E2%80%99s-first-solo-studio-album-20-years-set-release-january). David Crosby. Retrieved December 31, 2013.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-rollingstone1_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-rollingstone1_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-rollingstone1_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-rollingstone1_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-rollingstone1_4-4) Andy Greene (November 5, 2013). ["David Crosby Announces New Solo Album 'Croz' | Music News"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171013013124/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/david-crosby-returns-to-solo-career-announces-new-album-croz-20131105). Rolling Stone. Archived from [the original](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/david-crosby-returns-to-solo-career-announces-new-album-croz-20131105) on October 13, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-billboard1_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-billboard1_5-1) ["David Crosby Amazed He Pulled Off 'Croz,' First Solo Album in 20 Years"](http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5885459/david-crosby-croz-solo-album). Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-metacritic1_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-metacritic1_6-1) ["Croz Reviews"](http://www.metacritic.com/music/croz/david-crosby). Metacritic. January 24, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-allmusic1_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-allmusic1_7-1) [Erlewine, Stephen Thomas](/source/Stephen_Thomas_Erlewine) (January 27, 2014). ["Croz - David Crosby : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/croz-mw0002602120). AllMusic. Retrieved January 29, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Tyler, Kieron (January 23, 2014). ["CD: David Crosby – Croz"](https://theartsdesk.com/new-music/cd-david-crosby-%E2%80%93-croz). *[The Arts Desk](/source/The_Arts_Desk)*. Retrieved October 21, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-drownedinsound1_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-drownedinsound1_9-1) Lavery, Aaron (January 21, 2014). ["Album Review: David Crosby - Croz"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140127035107/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18043/reviews/4147338). Drowned in Sound. Archived from [the original](http://www.drownedinsound.com/releases/18043/reviews/4147338) on January 27, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-independent1_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-independent1_10-1) Gill, Andy (January 25, 2014). ["Album reviews: Asgeir, Sheryl Crow, Drowners, Bill Callahan, David Crosby, Snowbird - Reviews - Music"](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-reviews-asgeir-sheryl-crow-drowners-bill-callahan-david-crosby-snowbird-9081133.html). *The Independent*. Retrieved January 29, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-musicomh1_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-musicomh1_11-1) Welsh, David (January 22, 2014). ["David Crosby – Croz"](http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/david-crosby-croz). musicOMH. Retrieved May 3, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-theoaklandpress1_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-theoaklandpress1_12-1) [Graff, Gary](/source/Gary_Graff) (January 27, 2014). ["The Listening Room: David Crosby, the Autumn Defense and more"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304004122/http://www.theoaklandpress.com/arts-and-entertainment/20140127/the-listening-room-david-crosby-the-autumn-defense-and-more). *The Oakland Press*. Archived from [the original](http://www.theoaklandpress.com/arts-and-entertainment/20140127/the-listening-room-david-crosby-the-autumn-defense-and-more) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-theguardian1_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-theguardian1_13-1) Woodcraft, Molloy (January 26, 2014). ["David Crosby: Croz – review"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jan/26/david-crosby-croz-review). *The Observer*. Retrieved January 29, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** A hauntingly quiet triumph, Croz gets under your skin and stays there. [Apr 2014, p.114]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Rather than the '80s rock Oh Yes I Can or the guest-strewn covers of 1993's Thousand Roads, this frequently lovely, folky album instead recalls the ease and space of that debut [1971's If Only I Could Remember My Name]. [Feb 2014, p.73]

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-usatoday1_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-usatoday1_16-1) Jerry, Shriver (January 27, 2014). ["Album of the week: David Crosby's 'Croz'"](https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/reviews/2014/01/27/croz-timeless-tenor-returns-/4947251/). *USA Today*. Retrieved January 29, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Spain_David_Crosby_17-0)** "[Spanishcharts.com – David Crosby – Croz](https://spanishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=David+Crosby&titel=Croz&cat=a)". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Billboard200_David_Crosby_18-0)** "[David Crosby Chart History (*Billboard* 200)](https://www.billboard.com/artist/David-Crosby/chart-history/TLP)". *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Retrieved February 7, 2014.

v t e David Crosby Studio albums If I Could Only Remember My Name Oh Yes I Can Thousand Roads CPR (with CPR) Just Like Gravity (with CPR) Croz Lighthouse Sky Trails Here If You Listen For Free Box set Voyage Live albums It's All Coming Back to Me Now... King Biscuit Flower Hour Live at Cuesta College (with CPR) Live at the Wiltern (with CPR) Live at the Capitol Theater Related articles The Byrds CPR (band) Crosby & Nash Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young David Crosby: Remember My Name "Hero"

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