Appreciate the honest review, with a bit of the ol' Creem vibe sneaking in - but like you say, more sarcasm than snark.
I've considered myself a major Neil fan since I got "Harvest" when it came out in 1972. I've stuck with him through thick & thin, and I actually like some of his less-than-popular LPs like "Everybody's Rockin'" and "Landing On Water." I've also seen him live many times and he rarely disappoints on that front.
That said, the last Neil album I truly got into was "Psychedelic Pill" which is quite a while ago now. . . I give every new outing a chance and inevitably shelve it after one or two listens. I've been sorely disappointed in the 'new' Crazy Horse and their last few efforts. And as far as all the archive stuff he's putting out - I love the vintage live material ("Way Down In The Rust Bucket" is phenomenal) but there have been so many "unreleased albums" recently that are usually just slightly different than the released versions, I find myself overwhelmed and ultimately, uninterested.
I think I like the *idea* of Neil Young these days more than anything he's doing musically - though I still respect him as an artist, flawed & unpredictable as he is.
This is the best Substack you've ever written. Sarcasm fits you. Look for more stuff to point at and laugh. I would love to read you on the panic in the streets over McCartney's Wings.
Thanks Lucian. I used to live on snark, but if you like the sarcasm, I'll keep bringing it--when appropriate, and explained. Music criticism has gotten very soft, writers--at the Times, or New Yorker, or any other mainstream outlet, have lost their nerve. I'm tired of reading it, time I went back to writing it. Appreciate the support, as always.
Appreciate the honest review, with a bit of the ol' Creem vibe sneaking in - but like you say, more sarcasm than snark.
I've considered myself a major Neil fan since I got "Harvest" when it came out in 1972. I've stuck with him through thick & thin, and I actually like some of his less-than-popular LPs like "Everybody's Rockin'" and "Landing On Water." I've also seen him live many times and he rarely disappoints on that front.
That said, the last Neil album I truly got into was "Psychedelic Pill" which is quite a while ago now. . . I give every new outing a chance and inevitably shelve it after one or two listens. I've been sorely disappointed in the 'new' Crazy Horse and their last few efforts. And as far as all the archive stuff he's putting out - I love the vintage live material ("Way Down In The Rust Bucket" is phenomenal) but there have been so many "unreleased albums" recently that are usually just slightly different than the released versions, I find myself overwhelmed and ultimately, uninterested.
I think I like the *idea* of Neil Young these days more than anything he's doing musically - though I still respect him as an artist, flawed & unpredictable as he is.
Agree, Hugh. I pay for his archives, but often forget to visit!
Well done, sir. Well done.
This is the best Substack you've ever written. Sarcasm fits you. Look for more stuff to point at and laugh. I would love to read you on the panic in the streets over McCartney's Wings.
Thanks Lucian. I used to live on snark, but if you like the sarcasm, I'll keep bringing it--when appropriate, and explained. Music criticism has gotten very soft, writers--at the Times, or New Yorker, or any other mainstream outlet, have lost their nerve. I'm tired of reading it, time I went back to writing it. Appreciate the support, as always.