We've reached the last installment! After taking a crooked path in the 2000s following his 90s comeback, Neil Young jumped back on the Horse in the 2010s and did great work in his garage band mode. I also happened to tune back into his music around this time, going to see the 2011 Jonathan Demme-directed documentary Journeys in the theater. I enjoyed seeing him going back to where he was born in Ontario as well as the live footage from Massey Hall. His newer material sounded pretty vital, so I was willing to put a toe back in. In the last decade or so Young has had some moments of brilliance, but his political commitments have not translated well to song. Nevertheless, he has kept regularly putting out music and changing things up. It seems that he has remembered his admonition that rust never sleeps. He has put out multiple good albums in his 70s, which is something I don't think other legacy artists can say.
Americana, 2012 with Crazy Horse
Some people poo-poo covers records, but I don't. They can help legacy artists who have hit a rut rediscover the things that inspired them. Bob Dylan has done this multiple times, with his folk covers records in the 90s and his jazz standards covers in the 21st century. After both his songwriting found a new lease on life. On this record Young gets back on the Horse and plays old folk songs with a lot of clash and bash, similar to what Springsteen did on The Seeger Sessions. Folk music is not somber guys emoting in cafes, it's music for hoe-downs and shindigs, something both Young and Springsteen understand. Man I had some fun with this record! Crazy Horse bring their chaotic energy and Young seems to be having a blast. Sometimes things get a little too sloppy and require a dash of polish, but overall this is a good time.
Rating: Four Neils
Psychedelic Pill, 2012 with Crazy Horse
Going back to his roots certainly inspired Young because this is definitely his best album since the 90s. By the way, does anybody remember buying music on iTunes? For a short period in my life I had the misbegotten idea to cut back on physical media, but hadn't yet started streaming. I would buy not only songs, but whole albums on iTunes. I bought this one after reading a rave from a critic I trusted. I really enjoyed it at the time, struck by how gonzo Young and the Horse got with their extended workouts. In many respects, this is the sequel to Ragged Glory, and just as good. The difficulties in his marriage and approaching mortality come in at different points, most brilliantly in "Ramada Inn." That song is one good enough to go into his pantheon. It's a song about aging, marriage, and alcoholism and completely unsparing. It stretches past fifteen minutes, but is not the longest song on the album. That honor goes to the almost 28 minute long "Driftin' Back." The Horse is in loose jam mode here, and if you go in understanding that you will enjoy this record. Not all 28 minutes of "Driftin' Back" are captivating, but the point is to just sort of lay back and lose yourself. After all, that's what the best psychedelic music can do. "Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream" in the words of one of the genre's pioneering tracks. As with Ragged Glory, Psychedelic Pill references the 60s while still sounding fresh. That Young was able to cut a record like this at age 66 is pretty damn impressive.
Rating: Five Neils
A Letter Home, 2014
Here were have another covers album. As noted above, these are too often maligned. Interpreting a song is well can be harder than writing a new one. The concept here is that Young is using a restored 1947 recording booth in Jack White's studio. It makes these songs sound like outtakes from Harry Smith's Anthology of Folk Music. I have to admit, I enjoyed the effect and Young seems like he's having some fun here. Unlike Americana, these are not traditional folk songs but songs written by modern folkie songwriters. The takes on fellow Canadian Gordon Lightfoot's songs are especially strong, as well as a very heartfelt version of Tim Hardin's "Reason to Believe." Knowing that Young's marriage to Pegi Young was falling apart at the time gives it even more power. Ultimately this album is a gimmick, but a worthwhile one.
Rating; Four Neils
Storytone, 2014
One of my favorite things about writing this series has been the many "what the fuck?!?" moments and this was the biggest I've had since Landing on Water. I had done zero research on this one beforehand and when I heard the orchestral strings swelling in my car on the way to the dentist I indeed exclaimed "what the fuck?!?" These songs are performed with big bands and orchestras, some of them reflecting his romance with his current wife Darryl Hannah. (Pegi, who he had recently divorced, was instrumental in starting the Bridge School and was a musical artist in her own right. She sadly passed away five years ago.) There's nothing more foolish in this world than an old man in love with a younger woman and that might explain how this whole thing happened. The thing is...I kinda like it in moments. The preachy hippie environmental songs are grating but some of the music here is effective vocal pop. The biggest issue, as with most of Young's genre experiments, is that his voice is not suited to the material. His voice is pretty singular and weird and vocal pop of this traditional variety requires smooth crooning. Despite the ridiculousness of this album I didn't completely hate it.
Rating: Three Neils
The Monsanto Years, 2015 with Promise of the Real
Uh-oh, Neil is getting back into Living With War territory again. I appreciate his passion for environmental causes but that does not always work musically. Promise of the Real is backing him on this one, doing Crazy Horse slop with but some more youthful vim and vigor behind it. That helps carry some of these tracks, at least. The lyrics though? Woof. They are didactic to the point of ridiculousness, like a blog being sung aloud. Again, I mostly agree with Young's critique of big agribusiness! At the same time, some of the hard-rocking, energetic songs get torpedoed by the clunkiness of the words. Greendale made similar points, but benefitted from from having a story structure to hang Young's ideas on. Despite it not being very good, I once again must commend Young for refusing to be predictable and for being someone who actually cares about the state of the world today.
Rating: Two Neils
Earth, 2016 with Promise of the Real
This is yet another live album, coming from his tour off of The Monsanto Years. As I've mentioned before, his political rants sound less shrill in the live format. I also appreciate a couple of deep cuts from the past being thrown in here, like "Western Hero" and "Vampire Blues." Promise of the Real plays with heart and Young's passion for environmentalism give these live versions some immediacy. As I've said before, however, the songs just aren't that good. "People Want to Hear About Love"'s charms do come off well here, though.
Rating: Three Neils
Peace Trail, 2016
Young takes a step back with this one, recording with just himself and studio musicians on drum and bass. It's produced by Rick Rubin, the king of late-career legacy artist records. The songs have an immediate sound to them, even if some land better than others. Unlike his last three albums, I was not waiting for this one to end. At the same time, it did not really stick with me much, either. The lyrics are not quite as didactic this time, but a song like "Terrorist Suicide Hang Gliders"....well just look at the title. Like a lot of music of this era, it feels thrown together. I keep wondering what kinds of albums Young would be making if he took his time and concentrated on making one really good one instead of four okay ones. I think about Bob Dylan, whose recent Rough and Rowdy Ways is a masterpiece. Then again, if Young wasn't flying by the seat of his pants, it just wouldn't be a Neil Young record anymore.
Rating: Three and a half Neils
The Visitor, 2017 with Promise of the Real
Young is back with Promise of the Real, and back in political mode again, too. Like the last album he did with them the musical backing gives the songs punch, but the songs themselves aren't much to write home about. This time they aren't quite as cringe, though. I also really dug the gonzo "Carnival" where Young sings like an evil, deranged carny. (Not everyone seems to think the same lol.) The problem is that this just feels like more of the same. Young has impressed me with his ability to shift shapes, but things are getting pretty boring. Lucky for us, he's about to do what he always does when looking for inspiration: ride the Horse.
Rating: Two and a half Neils
Colorado, 2019 with Crazy Horse
Young gets back on the Horse, but with Nils Lofgren taking over from Poncho Sampedro, who had to retire due to arthritis in his hands. (For a Falstaffian guy like him this just seems cruel.) Lofgren might too good at playing guitar to be in the Horse, but he doesn’t let that on here. After a lot of meh albums with a couple of yikes thrown in this album is a blessing. Befitting the album’s title and Young’s new home, there’s a real Western feel to this one. He lets the preachiness come in only a little on songs like “Shut It Down” and “Rainbow of Colors.” For the most part these songs are more personal and profound. In Young’s late career I wish he cut all his albums with the Horse because that’s when he is clearly at his best.
Rating: Four Neils
The Times, 2020
Colorado marked a return to Young's Crazy Horse mode, and here he is in acoustic folkie mode. Conceptually, this is pretty slight. The Times is an EP of some intimate live performances of older songs. Some of these are warhorses we've heard before, but on their own terms, these are fine renditions. I also have to give it bonus points for containing "Campaigner." The rendition of "Little Wing" is beautiful.
Rating: Four Neils
Barn, 2021 with Crazy Horse
Young covers similar ground here but does it even better. He manages with “Human Race” to make a good political song that happens to have some ridiculously scorching guitar work, some of the best of his whole career. Lofgren also provides some piano touches of the kind he did on many of the classic 70s records, giving Crazy Horse a new dimension. On this album, the political content goes down easier because the songs can hold up to the words. The lyrics on “Canerican” might be cringe, but the song rocks so hard that you can forget about it. Young's late career is all about spontaneity and capturing moments in time, and this along with Psychedelic Pill do that the best. Barn is really worth your time.
Rating: Four and a half Neils
Noise and Flowers, 2022 with Promise of the Real
Now that I am getting near the end of this project I am feeling weary. I thought I knew all the albums I had to cover, then I noticed that this one existed. "Not another live album!" I groaned to myself. Then I saw it was not with the Horse and I was even more disappointed. However, this one pleasantly surprised me due to its song selections. I get the feeling that Promise of the Real pushed Young to play some of their favorite deep cuts. It's great to hear them play the likes of "On the Beach" and "Winterlong." Not all of these renditions are memorable, but at least he's not doing the blog posts masquerading as songs that he cut in the studio.
Rating: Three and a half Neils
World Record, 2022 with Crazy Horse
In the past five years Young has stayed on the Horse more times than at any point in his career. It's easy to see why, since almost all of his best records in the 21st century have come with them. He wants to keep things free and loose, and his old compatriots know exactly how to make that work. Barn had a lot of hype when it came out, but I hadn't heard anything about this one, so my expectations were not as high. Turns out this is just about as good. Instead of recording in a barn in Colorado, Young and the Horse are at Rick Rubin's Shangri-La studio in Malibu. Having Rubin at the helm keeps the shagginess from being self-indulgent, it's a great blend of fun and craft. As I mentioned before, Nils Lofgren adds a lot to Crazy Horse, especially on piano. Despite having an ace producer, Young is still in the loose jammy mode of recent Crazy Horse records. This works best with the stunning 15 minute "Chevrolet." The one knock on this record is that the lyrics to his earth worship songs are pretty ponderous. As with Barn, the smash and crash of the Horse provides ample distraction. In this respect, Young is like the singer of an 80s hardcore band.
This is a strange one, since it's Young collaborating very loosely with the members of Crazy Horse. All the songs except one are theirs. I wasn't sure whether to include this one or not, but figured I might as well. The members of the Horse aren't the greatest singers, but there's a lot of heart in these tracks. Young's contribution is an intimate acoustic version of "Song of the Seasons" from Barn. The music here is not the Crazy Horse garage jam, but mostly ballads with a folk tinge. Not great, but I appreciated hearing the members of the Horse step out from the background.
Rating: Three Neils
Rating: Four and a half Neils
Before and After, 2023
This is a strange album, mostly just Young performing stripped-down versions of some of his older songs. I guess if Taylor Swift can do it, why not him? For the most part these are deep cuts, and I like how it feels like I am being invited to hear a songwriter think through his back pages. I also appreciate him doing some of these songs on piano rather than guitar, a throwback to his early 70s live recordings. His voice falters at times, but I find it endearing. Listening to all of this music has given me such a deep appreciation for Young's tenacity. The man is almost 80, yet he's constantly releasing new music and refusing to stick with anything resembling a formula.
Rating: Four Neils
F##in' Up, 2024
I just listened to this album today, the day of its official release. I find it fitting to end my look at this artist's long and winding catalog with a brand new release in its moment of freshness. It's another live album, this time coming from a small private concert last year. I was initially skeptical, but right from the first notes I realized I had no reason to doubt. Young is back on the Horse, performing reworked versions of songs from Ragged Glory. What blows my mind is how inspiring and fresh this sounds, and how his takes on this material are just as strong as the live tracks over thirty years ago from Weld and Way Down in the Rust Bucket. This album is credited to "Neil and the Horse" since the backing band is the new Crazy Horse plus Lukas Nelson from Promise of the Real. The Horse still bucks and broncs and Young gets some otherworldly sounds from Old Black. His voice has gotten weak, but he keeps with his recent trend of embracing noise as a way to make up for it. The gambit is more than successful.
Rating: Four and a half Neils
I am going to write something summing up my thoughts on this experience, but the main thing I'm struck by is that after listening to all these albums for over a month...I still want to listen to more Neil Young! I am not sure there is another legacy musical artist who has managed to be this prolific and wide-ranging into such old age. Long may you run, sir.
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