Neil Young - A Treasure (07/07/2011)
Frankly, Neil Young’s new albums over the last decade have been quite disappointing. This lack of attention to new material can perhaps partly be explained, and indeed excused, by the release of the much anticipated Archives Performances Series. In addition to unearthing never before released studio outtakes and alternative cuts, the live component of the project has explored some of the many phases of Young’s impressive career, from his early folk days, to the grunge days of the 1970s through his full-circle return to folk music.
The latest installment in the Archives Performance Series, A Treasure, explores one of the least known periods of Young’s extensive career. This release comes from a series of concerts throughout America between 1984 and 1985. Young was engaged in a vicious lawsuit with label owner David Geffen, who was suing Young for making “musically uncharacteristic”. For a true artist such as Young, this proved to be as much of a celebration as an indictment, and went out on this tour to show how really “musically uncharacteristic” he could be.
Young chose to rebel against his grunge and rocker image, assembled an incredibly talented group of session musicians and undertook a tour of America that saw him snub large arenas to take to fairs and rural theaters to play his own brand of country music. The resultant live album presented here is very enjoyable release and further testimony to the true musical talent of Neil Young.
Young’s talent as a songwriter truly shines through in the lyrics to this album. It’s not just the music that makes this a “country album”, but also important are the words. The common country themes of loss and regret are found in It Might Have Been, while the reinterpretation of the Young-penned Buffalo Springfield song Flying On The Ground Is Wrong is filled with the melancholic sadness that categorises the genre. Let Your Fingers Do The Walking is also a wonderfully crafted song, turning what have the potential to be cheesy lyrics (“I’m a disconnected number now/and you’re a private line”) into a tongue in cheek, yet moving, ballad.
For me the standout of this album is the previously unreleased Amber Jean, the album’s opener. The lyrics are very good, but it’s the music that really makes this song. There’s a terrific combination of the fiddle and banjo, while the bass provides a rollicking beat. What holds the song together, however, is the beautiful slide guitar of Ben Keith. This highlights the talent of the International Harvester band that Neil Young has assembled. Not content to just assemble a country band, Young gathers together one of the most well-credentialed and talented backing bands ever. Even for those listeners who aren’t country fans, the musicianship is truly awe-inspiring.
While casual Young fans may lament the absence of the more popular Young hits that were played on the tour, such as Heart of Gold, Helpless and Comes a Time, the omission of these songs allows for some unreleased and under-acknowledged songs to truly shine. The previously released songs mostly come from underappreciated Young albums from the early 1980’s, so hopefully this album will prompt some listeners to give these a deserved listen. Having said that the version of Are Your Ready for the Country, from Young’s legendary Harvest album, far betters the version on the original record, replacing the sparseness and tepidness of the original with a fierce urgency and passion, leaving the listener to wonder how the classic Young songs would sound with this country treatment.
Overall, this album is definitely worth a listen. For country fans, this is as good a live country album as you’ll hear. For Neil Young fans, this album provides a chance to see Young at his most passionate, innovative and talented. For those who are neither, it is a great opportunity to experience an underappreciated music form as demonstrated by a true musical genius.
Mitchell Robertson
The latest installment in the Archives Performance Series, A Treasure, explores one of the least known periods of Young’s extensive career. This release comes from a series of concerts throughout America between 1984 and 1985. Young was engaged in a vicious lawsuit with label owner David Geffen, who was suing Young for making “musically uncharacteristic”. For a true artist such as Young, this proved to be as much of a celebration as an indictment, and went out on this tour to show how really “musically uncharacteristic” he could be.
Young chose to rebel against his grunge and rocker image, assembled an incredibly talented group of session musicians and undertook a tour of America that saw him snub large arenas to take to fairs and rural theaters to play his own brand of country music. The resultant live album presented here is very enjoyable release and further testimony to the true musical talent of Neil Young.
Young’s talent as a songwriter truly shines through in the lyrics to this album. It’s not just the music that makes this a “country album”, but also important are the words. The common country themes of loss and regret are found in It Might Have Been, while the reinterpretation of the Young-penned Buffalo Springfield song Flying On The Ground Is Wrong is filled with the melancholic sadness that categorises the genre. Let Your Fingers Do The Walking is also a wonderfully crafted song, turning what have the potential to be cheesy lyrics (“I’m a disconnected number now/and you’re a private line”) into a tongue in cheek, yet moving, ballad.
For me the standout of this album is the previously unreleased Amber Jean, the album’s opener. The lyrics are very good, but it’s the music that really makes this song. There’s a terrific combination of the fiddle and banjo, while the bass provides a rollicking beat. What holds the song together, however, is the beautiful slide guitar of Ben Keith. This highlights the talent of the International Harvester band that Neil Young has assembled. Not content to just assemble a country band, Young gathers together one of the most well-credentialed and talented backing bands ever. Even for those listeners who aren’t country fans, the musicianship is truly awe-inspiring.
While casual Young fans may lament the absence of the more popular Young hits that were played on the tour, such as Heart of Gold, Helpless and Comes a Time, the omission of these songs allows for some unreleased and under-acknowledged songs to truly shine. The previously released songs mostly come from underappreciated Young albums from the early 1980’s, so hopefully this album will prompt some listeners to give these a deserved listen. Having said that the version of Are Your Ready for the Country, from Young’s legendary Harvest album, far betters the version on the original record, replacing the sparseness and tepidness of the original with a fierce urgency and passion, leaving the listener to wonder how the classic Young songs would sound with this country treatment.
Overall, this album is definitely worth a listen. For country fans, this is as good a live country album as you’ll hear. For Neil Young fans, this album provides a chance to see Young at his most passionate, innovative and talented. For those who are neither, it is a great opportunity to experience an underappreciated music form as demonstrated by a true musical genius.
Mitchell Robertson