I’m not sure what has happened with Neil Young as far as his songwriting goes. It goes a long way back for me at this stage. But something went awry. There is no subtext, no nuance, it’s just “the sky is blue and it’s windy today”, or as you cite above in “let’s roll again.” Everything is just stated point blank, but maybe he feels that it is the best option to be understood? I really don’t know, but it’s been 25 years at least since I was moved by a song of his.
Have to agree with all of this. It's the first time I've stopped myself from buying one of his records in at least 10 years, and I've even paid ridiculously high prices for official albums that are just bootlegs in very poor quality that he's dumped on the market without improving the sound (and that I've owned for years and stopped listening to, since there were 20 better recordings from the same tour, etc.)
David: Thanks for the comment. I like a lot of Neil’s music and am writing a book about it. But calling out your daughter and grandchildren in a song just seems like an awful, selfish thing to do. Maybe you’re ok with it. And if you’re putting out a record that you know all sorts of people will automatically buy, I don’t think you ought to copy ones you already wrote. But that’s me.
Hi John: he’s a selfish dude for sure. I think that has played out his whole musical career it seems. Like a lot of superstars, he lives a completely different reality from most. Croz called him out on it and they never reconciled. I can’t defend him on the daughter issue anymore than I can her. Maybe we can get more clarity when your book comes out. One thing for sure some of his music is nothing but transcendent.
Thank you for writing what needed to be said. I’ve read a few reviews that try to make it better than it is. Rob Sheffield rates it “Good”. It’s not. The Amber Jean stuff is sad and embarrassing, I feel bad for her. Of course I have tickets to see Neil when he comes to town, I want to wear a “Team Amber Jean” tshirt. Probably be kicked out. Silver Eagle is bad, Let’s Roll Again is worse.
I agree with Frank Moore that the album is derivative but I disagree that it’s mediocre, it’s bad.
Wow. Too personal a review, I find this. Repetitively so, stating criticisms like you’re some fucking marriage and family counselor no one asked to give gratuitous opinions. You could have written that the album is mediocre and derivative and you did not like it in a paragraph and spared us the barbs. I give the review a thumbs down.
I’m not sure what has happened with Neil Young as far as his songwriting goes. It goes a long way back for me at this stage. But something went awry. There is no subtext, no nuance, it’s just “the sky is blue and it’s windy today”, or as you cite above in “let’s roll again.” Everything is just stated point blank, but maybe he feels that it is the best option to be understood? I really don’t know, but it’s been 25 years at least since I was moved by a song of his.
Have to agree with all of this. It's the first time I've stopped myself from buying one of his records in at least 10 years, and I've even paid ridiculously high prices for official albums that are just bootlegs in very poor quality that he's dumped on the market without improving the sound (and that I've owned for years and stopped listening to, since there were 20 better recordings from the same tour, etc.)
Damn if we don’t always expect our guitar heroes to always be more than mere human beings
Agreed. And you can start with “Driftin’ Back”.
David: Thanks for the comment. I like a lot of Neil’s music and am writing a book about it. But calling out your daughter and grandchildren in a song just seems like an awful, selfish thing to do. Maybe you’re ok with it. And if you’re putting out a record that you know all sorts of people will automatically buy, I don’t think you ought to copy ones you already wrote. But that’s me.
Hi John: he’s a selfish dude for sure. I think that has played out his whole musical career it seems. Like a lot of superstars, he lives a completely different reality from most. Croz called him out on it and they never reconciled. I can’t defend him on the daughter issue anymore than I can her. Maybe we can get more clarity when your book comes out. One thing for sure some of his music is nothing but transcendent.
Thank you for writing what needed to be said. I’ve read a few reviews that try to make it better than it is. Rob Sheffield rates it “Good”. It’s not. The Amber Jean stuff is sad and embarrassing, I feel bad for her. Of course I have tickets to see Neil when he comes to town, I want to wear a “Team Amber Jean” tshirt. Probably be kicked out. Silver Eagle is bad, Let’s Roll Again is worse.
I agree with Frank Moore that the album is derivative but I disagree that it’s mediocre, it’s bad.
Wow. Too personal a review, I find this. Repetitively so, stating criticisms like you’re some fucking marriage and family counselor no one asked to give gratuitous opinions. You could have written that the album is mediocre and derivative and you did not like it in a paragraph and spared us the barbs. I give the review a thumbs down.