Today's Hot Platter, the self-titled debut record by Crazy Horse, is one of those great pieces of vinyl that fell through the cracks of public consciousness when it was first released in 1970.

Crazy Horse, orignally known as The Rockets, consisted of Danny Whitten, Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina.  The band first gained notoriety when they provided the backing for Neil Young on his 1969 album, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.  In 1970, they became friends with guitarist Nils Lofgren and producer Jack Nitzsche who would go on to help them craft their own record shortly after sessions for Young's After The Gold Rush album were completed.

Guitarist Danny Whitten was the band's most accomplished songwriter and this record stands a solid evidence of his musical talent.  His singular vocal style and song lyrics would give Crazy HOrse their own identity aside from being Neil Young's back-up group.  Whitten's developing heroin addiction would later cause him to be fired from Crazy Horse and he subsequently overdosed in 1972.  His death would provide Neil Young with the inspiration for the dark themes on his Tonight's The Night album.

Whitten's legacy is served well by this album which captures a wide variety of sounds; the gorgeous ballad "I Don't Want To Talk About It", the hard edged rock of "Beggar's Day", the sprightly country hoedown vibe of "Dance Dance Dance" and "Downtown"--- it simmers along like big ol' pot of stick-to-yer-ribs stew.

While this record is sadly out of print, you can get a good idea of the magic of Crazy Horse by checking out the