Neil Young & Crazy Horse are back doing what they do, under the radar as usual
Decade after decade, no matter what's in vogue, Neil Young remains resolutely himself—and his new album revels in the simple pleasures of his music
Music Features Neil Young
You’d think this would be Neil Young’s moment. The past couple of years have seen a popular resurgence of the kind of soulful Americana at which he’s long excelled, from Waxahatchee to Big Thief and back again. Yet aside from the occasional mention of his influence on these modern purveyors of his sound, there’s relatively little fanfare surrounding his new album with Crazy Horse, simply titled Barn. (Yes, it was recorded in an old converted barn deep in the Rockies.) Wherefore the adulation due one of the greats?
There are likely two main reasons why Young hasn’t seemed to engender the kind of latter-day renaissance that some of his contemporaries have enjoyed, like Joni Mitchell or Jackson Browne. One is simply that he’s never really gone away. Where others artists have had their lost-in-the-wilderness years, Young has simply kept plugging along, chasing his own muse while steadfastly ignoring trends and cultural climate, probably to his commercial detriment (not that he cares). The other reason is more prosaic: His output has been unevenly received, to put it bluntly.
His debut album—“a sketchy template for the rest of his career,” as The A.V. Club describes it in a primer on the artist—contains most of the hallmarks of his style, by “combining solemn folk-rock, symphonic pop, and fuzzed-out stompers with a stinging, adenoidal tenor full of sinewy vulnerability.” But while he hit creative highs in the ’70s, he lost a lot of audience goodwill during his flop-filled ’80s experiments, before rebounding with a string of great releases in the ’90s, especially the landmark album Harvest Moon.
The 21st century has seen him slide into the role of elder statesman with a kind of outsider-art rep. He’s the oddball musician who’d turn up on The Colbert Report or The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon to goof around, probably coming across more like a character than a deeply fêted artist, to any young viewers unfamiliar with his work. To be fair, he fed this reputation, releasing a string of unusual and sometimes baffling albums, most notably angry, protest-inflected concept records like Greendale and The Monsanto Years.
Barn, by any standard, is vintage Young: a collection of raw and often engaging tracks that—depending on your point of view—either continue his tradition of inspired lo-fi roots-rock excellence, or deliver another round of underproduced and underwritten songs before he’s on to the next project. Both perspectives are arguably true; his best numbers are often buried amid some dross, and his workhorse mentality means there’s more to sift through than a newbie could possibly hope to tackle in a month, let alone a day. (We’re at more than 40 studio albums and counting.)
But Barn might actually be one of the most accessible entry points to his music in quite some time. (For the curious, we have a Power Hour that attempts to do the same.) While a black cloud of darkness seemed to loom over much of Colorado, the 2019 album from Neil Young and his longtime intermittent backing band, Crazy Horse, there’s a more peaceful and reflective mindset that dominates this new one. Sure, he’s still got a couple tracks that blur the line between righteous protest and grumpy old rant (especially the squalling barnburner “Human Race”), but those are the exceptions to the rule—and the rule sounds as inviting as a frosty pint at your favorite dive bar.
Opener “Song Of The Seasons” delivers the Neil Young most people likely know best: A simple, sweet harmonica melody, leading into a genteel rhythm and acoustic guitar matched to his warbly tenor, crooning about nature’s beauty. But it leads straight into “Heading West,” a distorted, spacious rocker that conjures memories of his mid-’90s Mirrorball days. Followed by the rambling 3/4 blues of “Change Ain’t Never Gonna” and the jagged simplicity of “Canerican” (practically a statement of purpose for his mindset all these years), it’s as representative a cross-section of his work as you can get—or rather, it’s as close as you could come to such a thing from his work with Crazy Horse.
They sound like a seasoned bar band, for good and ill. The album can lean into elements of Young’s work that are less in vogue at the moment (especially on amiable toss-offs like “Shape of You”), but it also has a spare epic (“Welcome Back”) that would fit right at home on a split 7" with Phoebe Bridgers.
These songs embody the evolution of Young’s work with his most acclaimed collaborators; the accompanying documentary of the same name, which captures the recording of the album, reinforces this vibe. Filmed by his wife Daryl Hannah, the process comes across like old friends strapping on some instruments and getting loose, worrying less about getting the recording right than whether it feels right in the moment. At times, it plays like a more pastoral version of the making-of doc that accompanied Bruce Springsteen’s Letter To You.
And yes, some of that comes paired with lyrics that can make the listener cringe a bit, depending on your capacity for unvarnished earnestness. A couplet like “When you’re angry and you’re lashing out / Don’t forget love,” from closer “Don’t Forget Love,” is only a hair’s breadth away from something Daniel Tiger might sing to your 3 year old. He’s just saying what he thinks, and if it’s a bit graceless in its honesty, well, so is Young at times.
And maybe that’s what keeps him from being venerated like other long-running rockers: He doesn’t have the poetry of a Dylan, or the populist instincts of a Springsteen. He wants to convey fundamental thoughts with music that often evades the accessibility of his peers, and if you find it clumsy or raw, he couldn’t care less. As always, Young is chasing his muse, and displaying the unforced results for all to hear.
53 Comments
Well this excites me. I never pass a Crazy Horse collaboration.
Fuck and yes. Was front row at a Neil and Crazy Horse show at ACL about 8 years ago. Those old bastards can still blow the roof off. Have seen Neil with Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real as a backing group 4 times in last 3-4 years, and they are a fantastic mix. But nothing beats Neil and The Horse. Nothing.
But nothing beats Neil and The Horse. Nothing.
I’m not going to argue too much but my wife and I saw Neil and the Neil at the Hippodrome theater for his one man show (about several/many years ago?) and it was just as spine tingling as any Neil and the Horse show I’ve been to.
Was so excited to see Neil and CH at the first Lockn’(2013) but then the dude from CH broke his hand, the tour was cancelled and I haven’t had the chance to see them since.
The older I get the more samey Neil’s music tends to sound. Maybe it’s just me…
It’s not just you. I have serious nostalgia with Neil Young – he reminds me of my Dad, but if it wasn’t for that I’d probably be over him by now. One of the best shows I ever attended was Sonic Youth and Neil Young.
Ok good…I’m kind of weird in that I’m over 40 and am always looking for different music, so music I hear a lot can get boring, but Neil’s stuff has all been that way since his ‘90s days with Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth. One of the Sirius channels has been playing him for the new album release and I just can’t listen to more than a couple songs…3 if one of them is Cowgirl in the Sand. Nothing against him and the people who like his new stuff of course, it’s just not for me I think. I’ve been heavy into ‘70s European prog rock/jazz lately so I just think I’m looking for more than what Neil does.
‘70s European prog rock/jazz Care to elaborate?
Yeah check this out:Terminal Passage has a load of good stuff:https://www.youtube.com/c/TerminalPassage
Thanks!
Enjoy! If I had that Muckefuck album on vinyl it’d be half worn out by now.
So much of his stuff is so overplayed that it can have a huge sameness to it. My picks if it helps get you over 3: Homegrown, Come on Baby Let’s Go Downtown, Good to See You, Downtown (w Pearl Jam), Alabama, and LA. That’s pretty much all of his stuff I have on spotify..in addition to Cowgirl 🙂
I can’t recommend Live Rust enough. It’s basically a greatest hits (up to 1979) with Crazy Horse backing. Probably the definitive version of Like a Hurricane. Check it out, you might have some additions to your list.
1991 right? I saw that tour
That’s the one!
I saw Neil Young and Crazy Horse in Seattle in 1991 with Divin’ N Cryin’ and Sonic Youth. Definitely somewhere in the top ten concerts I ever saw.
It’s not just you, people have been saying that for a while, and he doesn’t seem bothered by it:I think that’s from 1996.
Yeah Neil dgaf about much, good for him really.
I mean, Young had his big comeback like 30 years ago, when he roared back to relevance as the “godfather of grunge” after spending the 80s dicking around in genre-dabbling and squabbling with David Geffen. I’m not sure an artist can get 3 eras of being essential to the zeitgeist in one career, unless you’re Sinatra or somebody.
Damn, his quest to remain relevant and essential to the zeitgeist was an utter failure.
I’m sensing internet snark on this one. Just in case it isn’t I’ll try one of those fixed it for ya’s:
Damn, his quest to remain give a shit about being relevant and essential to the zeitgeist was an utter failure a complete success.
I was sure he became a Republican shitbird at some point
Bite your tongue!
I’m relieved as hell. He’s one of the last of these guys who hasn’t gone shitbird
I mean, he thinks he’s kind of crazy, but not in a political way.
See above.
Yikes, I must have blocked that.
No the worst thing he did was divorce Peggy.
Wut? Jesus no. Divorcing Peggy and marrying Darryl Hannah about his biggest misstep. Although he remains active with Peggy in their historical charitable efforts since then. He fucking sued Trump for using his music!
I’m not sure how he remains active with Pegi in their charitable efforts since she’s dead.
Fuck me. I forgot. It’s been a rough couple of years. Thanks for the correction.
He said nice things about Reagan in the 80s but he gets really pissed now if you bring that up
He was pro-Reagan for a while, then he wasn’t. It wasn’t taken well at the time, and it shouldn’t have been.
He did in the early 80s – kind of – and then came back by the end of the decade.
Yup.
THAT’S the reason he’s not having any more of a resurgence than Eric Clapton, they share the same politics and beliefs.
He did briefly try on a pro Reagan Republican Shitbird costume in 1983-85. It was weird, but he was a weird guy in the 80s.
What?! No, say it ain’t so.Arlo Guthrie became a Republican. Said: “I became a registered Republican about five or six years ago because to have a successful democracy you have to have at least two parties, and one of them was failing miserably. We had enough good Democrats. We needed a few more good Republicans. We needed a loyal opposition.”
Breaking Mike Nesmith of the Monkees has passed away.
https://www.tmz.com/2021/12/10/michael-nesmith-monkees-singer-dead-dies/I’m so old that I remember one of the first music videos I ever saw was, Mike Nesmith – Sunset Sam. Around 1979and then there was one…
It would be nice if this time it sounds like it took him longer to write the songs than it does to play them. That’s been a bit of a problem for somewhere around 25 years now.
How long do you think it took him to write “Tonight’s the Night”? I’m guessing they’re about the same from what I’ve read about both so far.
Hasn’t that pretty much been his career?
If he wrote the songs on “Rust Never Sleeps” in 45 minutes he was on a considerable hot streak. Now you get shit about how much he loves his electric car and a burning-hot, off-key cover of “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain.”
I mean, I am a fan and all and I’m a bit jealous he can churn out songs as he can while it takes me months to write a song that was “inspired” by a Neil Young lick.
He’s also know for weird stuff like inviting people to play on an album and insisting they play an instrument they’ve never touched before.
Or recording someone while they are warming up or learning the song. I forget her name who sang on “Round and Round” said she warmed up for a few minutes and then to the booth “Hey Neil, I’m ready to take one!” He answered “I think we got it, come hear it!”
Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m a fan, too. One of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen in my life was him and Crazy Horse at Madison Square Garden on the “Ragged Glory” tour. I mean, it was just roaring, raucous rock & roll, from beginning to end. I listen to his best albums from around 1970 until 1993 or so, a whole lot. But I’ve never seen another great popular artist who’s decided his central goal is suddenly to seem “unknowable,” actual quality be damned. He’s cranked out tons of garbage at this point. The only reason he doesn’t get the same kind of heat that McCartney does in relation to the dwindling quality of his output is that McCartney (whose best stuff, once again, I practically worship) is Mr. Showbiz and Young is Mr. Abides By No Law. It’s just a cooler form of garbage. Of course, there are exceptions here and there for both of them. But it appears that all Neil Young is concerned with, and for a very long time now, is people saying, “Neil Young just doesn’t care what anyone thinks, man!” And he’s badly shortchanged his gifts in the process. It’s sad to me. It really is. My god- “Powderfinger” is one of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard in my life! And he’s written about thirty or forty others that are in the ballpark (“Ohio” is monumental.) But now, it’s…um…it’s a lot different. Let’s put it that way.
That is too weird. Powderfinger is the very lick I was referring to in my previous comment!
But anyway, I pretty much agree with you. Mr. Young’s “who gives a fuck what they think” is simultaneously admirable and frustrating. Fuck it, I’d trade careers with him!
Have you ever heard “Cocaine Eyes” off of an e.p. he did in the early 90’s? Check that out.
That song’s on the Neil Young and the Restless album, which absolutely melts the speakers.
I’m listening to the album thanks to this article and yikes, “Canerican” is not a very good song.
How about “Caesarian”?
Bite your tongue! I love the Shocking Pinks.
How do you feel about Trans?
It’s okay. Certainly not my favorite but anything Neil Young does is at least interesting and always worth further listening.I think he is always sincere when stretching out to genres he isn’t associated with and he always wants to grow as an artist.
I, for one, am more than happy that Neil Young doesn’t sound like Phoebe Bridgers.