Croz was David Crosby’s first solo album since 1993’s Thousand Roads and it discovers Crosby in a different place than he was 20 plus years prior. One major difference is that his main musical collaborator and muse is now his son James Raymond, who was reunited with Crosby in the early 1990s. The highly talented and sympathetic Raymond co-writes, plays and co-produces the LP with his father.

The results are a laid back and jazzy affair, brimming with sparkling acoustic guitars and beautifully symmetrical harmonies. While the husky power of Crosby’s early voice may have slightly patinaed over time, it is still the perfect navigator of unique chord changes and features his innate ability to create an exclusively special vocal blend with anyone he performs with remains. Croz contains a moody and concentrated looseness in which Crosby smoothly layers a number of timeless vocal performances.

James Raymond has brought in a few musicians in addition to his own efforts, yet even with the new blood, the LP still sounds and remains uniquely Crosby. His son surely has the key to pulling out the best performances from his old man, as well as highlighting his strengths. In addition to the younger contemporary group of backing musicians helping out, Crosby’s folk, jazz, and psychedelic sides all flash their reflections in the glass of the recording. His ocean breeze melodies still swell buoyantly and his joyous creativity is undiminished.

From the sneaky opening of “What’s Broken,” which shifts on a pulsing bass and beautifully circular Mark Knopfler guitar contribution, through the rolling orchestrated folk of “Morning Falling,” Croz navigates a cross-section of the influences Crosby has used as touchstones throughout his career. “Holding On To Nothing” features a welcome appearance by Wynton Marsalis, “Slice of Time” harkens back to Crosby’s mid-1970s work and “Radio” deals with Crosby’s favorite subject, the sea.

“If She Called” is a true highlight, a shimmering quintessential slice of Crosby: slightly weird, with a transparent melody that moves like mist through a spotlight. The song, similarly to Crosby’s best, breathes organically, moves naturally and is composed dynamically of moments of silence.

The record closes perfectly with the morphing time signatures of “Find a Heart.” Rock veteran Leland Sklar makes a welcome appearance on this song, adding his usual heady bass lines. When the song reaches full blossom over its chunky groove, beaming wordless vocal lines and horn blasts fire off over the churning rhythm, bringing the album to a dizzying conclusion.

Croz is the creation of an artist becoming comfortable with his legacy, and one who chooses to make music because he is moved to do it. The sympathetic instrumentation and signature Crosby vocal arrangements are the strengths of the record. Meanwhile, the natural collaboration with his son strengthened Crosby’s resolve, resulting in an organic and finely crafted album. The intricacies to be discovered within are many and reveal themselves even a decade later.