Neil Young (Official Thread)

[Jonny Come Lately]

I'm really starting to get into Neil's music now, as far as solo artists go I think it's him and Bob Dylan above all others. I'd certainly struggle to think of any others who can match their longevity and versatility.

Although I had heard of him, and had heard 'Heart Of Gold' on radio a couple of times, my first real exposure to Neil Young was via a BBC programme showing various artists performing acoustic songs, which included Neil performing Heart Of Gold. I hadn't really paid much attention to it before, but this time I was impressed and soon downloaded the song. I subsequently went on to get the complete Harvest album - Heart Of Gold remains a favourite, though I also love 'Out On The Weekend', 'Old Man' and the heart-wrenching 'The Needle And The Damage Done'.

I bought 'After The Gold Rush' soon after, too - another excellent album, 'Tell Me Why', 'Southern Man' and 'When You Dance I Can Really Love' are my favourites there, but I think it's rewarding to listen to it from start to finish.

A good friend of my dad's is a big Neil Young fan and having recently discussed his music, this morning I received a CD in the post from him labelled 'Neil Young'. I placed the disc into my computer and transferred the files to my music library - once I had opened the folder I saw that the following albums had been added to my collection:
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Zuma
Live Rust
Rust Never Sleeps
Freedom
Harvest Moon
Sleeps With Angels
Unplugged
Greendale

9 albums, and a total of 99 songs - needless to say I'm very pleased with his generosity! This seems like a good selection of different musical styles too. Out of these so far I've only listened to Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and Zuma, but I'm definitely liking what I've heard so far. I have to say I do like both the country/folk and rock sides of his work, with and without Crazy Horse.

 

[Jonny Come Lately]

Having been to see Neil Young and Crazy Horse at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on Sunday evening I thought I'd share my experiences with you, especially as it's the first rock concert I've ever attended. Boy, what a great show!

The setlist was as follows:
Love And Only Love
Goin' Home
Days That Used To Be
After the Gold Rush
Love to Burn
Separate Ways
Don't Cry No Tears
Blowin' In The Wind (acoustic Bob Dylan cover)
Heart Of Gold (acoustic)
Barstool Blues
Psychedelic Pill
Rockin' In The Free World
Who's Gonna Stand Up and Save the Earth
Encore:
Like A Hurricane

I must admit none of the first three tracks were familiar to me prior to the concert, but I was impressed by the intensity of the guitar playing, especially by Young himself, who played his black Gibson for the opening two epic hard rockers. The concert sound was great. Neil Young also sounded, to my ears at least, as he always has - he might not be the finest technical singer around but he has a great emotional range, from sounding beautifully yearning to a furious rage.

After the Gold Rush was rearranged - I didn't recognise it until Neil started singing - with Neil playing a semi-acoustic guitar (I think - please correct me if I have this wrong) rather than the traditional piano, albeit with a harmonica solo as on Live Rust but not the original. I really liked this, it made the song fresh but the message still resonated.

The next three songs maintained the high standards - I was rather pleased to hear Don't Cry No Tears, one of my favourite songs from Zuma, and another which featured the semi-acoustic. He then performed two acoustic songs without Crazy Horse, the first of which was a well done cover of Blowin' In The Wind (when he got the acoustic guitar out, I must admit I thought he'd play The Needle and the Damage Done, but then I noticed the harmonica). The second was an excellent stripped-back rendition of Heart Of Gold.

Barstool Blues and Psychedelic Pill marked a return to heavier rock, with the latter also featuring some rather nifty rotating light effects (these were kept to a minimum throughout most of the show but were very effective when they were employed). The electric Rockin' In The Free World was a definite highlight (I grinned as soon as I heard the opening chords), it sounded brilliant with the guitars absolutely filling the venue, and it is a song which works as a stadium anthem without losing its meaning. It was also given several false endings! Who's Gonna Stand Up and Save the Earth I believe is a brand new song, where Neil did hold back in his views on the world but nonetheless it was very well performed and again, it sounded big.

Like A Hurricane was a fantastic encore, with Neil quite literally playing until the strings on his guitar were wrecked, with Frank Sampredo hammering the organ/synthesiser (which came down from the 'sky' above the stage specifically for this song) - the epic extended guitar culminating in an ending that sounded like, well, like a hurricane!

Overall I thought the concert was terrific (my Dad also loved it) and it seemed to fly by, including the longest songs such as Love And Only Love and Like A Hurricane. I thought the guitar playing by Sampredo, but especially Young himself, was fantastic with the rhythm section (where Rick Rosas substituted for Billy Talbot) and the backing singers all adding to the epic sound.

 

[Sharp Dressed Man]

especially as it's the first rock concert I've ever attended

That's one hell of a place to start, Jonny. Great concert review - I really enjoyed reading it. I have been a fan of Neil since I was a kid, but I have never seen him live

Has anyone heard his latest album "A Letter Home"? It's a very surreal album. It was recorded in a refurbished 1947 Voice-o-Graph vinyl recording booth. The end result sounds like a really old record. I think it's a fun experience and gives the album a certain atmospheric charm, but I have a feeling that a lot of people will hate it.

I'd be curious to hear some opinions!

 

[Jonny Come Lately]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed reading my review! It was absolutely terrific, it was such a great first rock concert experience.

Coincidentally this morning I found a video of the performance of Like A Hurricane at the concert, this gives a good taste of the sound of most of the concert on top of being a first rate band performance:

Like A Hurricane - live in Liverpool 13/7/14


If I find any other songs from the show I'll post them on here too.

I haven't heard his latest album, but the idea of making the album sound like a really old record sounds like the Neil Young we know and love - making the music he wants no matter what the people think.

 

[METALPRIEST]

25 Years Ago

Freedom

​

 

[Sharp Dressed Man]

Well, well, well..... Neil has one more album, his 35th, coming out this year.

Neil Young has divulged more details of his upcoming studio album, Storytone. The legendary songwriter’s 35th album to date will arrive on November 4th through Reprise Records. The album’s artwork is above, and the 10-song tracklist is below.

As our Chris Coplan noted upon the album’s initial announcement, Storytone serves as the aesthetic counterpart to Young’s other 2014 release: Whereas A Letter Home was recorded in lo-fi (using Jack White’s Voice-O-Graph booth), the forthcoming LP sees Young performing alongside a 92-piece orchestra and choir.

Storytone will also be available as a two-disc deluxe edition featuring solo recordings of all 10 album tracks. A vinyl version will be out on December 16th.

Track list:

"Plastic Flowers"
"Who's Gonna Stand Up"
"I Want to Drive My Car"
"Glimmer"
"Say Hello to Chicago"
"Tumbleweed"
"Like You Used to Do"
"I'm Glad I Found You"
"When I Watch You Sleeping"
"All Those Dreams"

 

[Musikwala]

35th album, wow! And most bands struggle to release more than 15 albums or so during their career.

 

[rollingstoned]

My favorite Neil Young song:

 

[rollingstoned]

Great performance of Neil Young & Pearl Jam back in 1993!

 

[Sharp Dressed Man]

35th album, wow! And most bands struggle to release more than 15 albums or so during their career.

...and that's without counting his works with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young!