So Neil Young has got a new album out, and I'm sort of on the fence about whether I ought to buy it or not. The thing with Neil is that it's either a slam-dunk work of genius or a middling affair with a few highlights. And I can't remember anything after 1994's "Sleeps With Angels" that really deserves the former description.
"Prairie Wind"? Ehhh. "Are You Passionate?" It's fun to hear him teaming up with Booker T and the MGs, but that's about it. "Living With War" and "Greendale"? Intriguing but shoddy. You have to enjoy any outing he has with the lovably sloppy Crazy Horse, but with the exception of a few singles here and there, I haven't heard an entire piece of work from him in years that I thought stood on the shoulders of such second-wind classics as "Freedom," "Ragged Glory" or "Harvest Moon."
The new disc, "Chrome Dreams II," supposedly has this massively long tune called "Ordinary People" that people say is a must-have. But you know what? I've been listening to "Down By The River," "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Love And Only Love" for years. I've heard the Crazy Horse guitar jams...I bought that freaky live two-disc set, "Year of the Horse." I've helped this guy pay his mortgage and I want one more full-blown album classic before he lays the guitar down!
Who am I kidding? I'll buy the new disc sooner rather than later.
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1 comment:
after one listen it's not bad. some solid tunes. as for 'ordinary people', i knew nothing going in, liked the tune and after about 6 minutes looked at my ipod to see what was up, saw 10 minutes left, thought, "well, i do hafta order breakfast".
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