What Happened to Neil Young's New Release ???

National Public Radio in the U.S. talked about the album and played a few snippits. They said that he threw it together in two weeks time, and it sounds like it. Lots of complaints about the U.S., lots of his old guitar tricks, nothing new or deep enough to be thought provoking, and an orchestra.

I heard the NPR review as well, and they did not characterize the album as having been "thrown together". The reviewer said that while these were not the best songs Neil has ever written, with some of them going on perhaps a wee bit too long, he still enjoyed the album. His most significant point, and the summation of his review, was a disbelief that the most passionate musical commentary about the current state of the US had to come from a Canadian.

I heard the NPR piece and Boa2's description is the more accurate.

My own personal opinion is that the excerpts played did sound like songs that were hurriedly put together.

Nevertheless, I salute Neil Young for having the guts to take a stance in this age of artistic cowardice. It's very reminiscent of CSNY rushing "Ohio" to the airwaves in May 1970 because of the Kent State outrage. I was in college then and this event and "Ohio" as a call to action mobilized my campus.

Bravo,Neil!

It's being streamed on his web site: http://www.neilyoung.com/

I admire his willingness to take a stand, but don't particularly like this release. I prefer his Praire Wind, Harvest style releases

Kent State
May 4, 1970

Jackson State
2 weeks later

Neil Young has been "with it" a long time.