Record Review 19: Neil Young: Chrome Dreams II

Soooooo... what does a real fan of Neil's have to say about yet another Neil Young CD? Neil turns 62 on November 12th. Including his Buffalo Springfield and CSNY albums he has now put out 50 (that does not include 6 live albums and three compilations) albums over those 62 years. I think maybe...maybe with the exception of Dylan, no one has that body of work. During that time...for the last thirty years and certainly since “Rust Never Sleeps” Neil has been jesus (little j) in the holy trinity of Mike Becker’s rock pantheon along with Dylan and Elvis Costello. His body of work is overwhelming and even as a fan I would argue inconsistent and often frustrating but he has struggled mightily, kept playing whatever was interesting him at the time and kept himself relevant.

So. Chrome Dreams. When you hear the first song :Beautiful Bluebird” you have a fear that we are going to be suffering through (for me at least) another “Prairie Wind” attempt to recreate one of his seminal albums “Harvest.” “Harvest” was a moment in time frozen and one of the things that made it so brilliant was the change of pace it represented from California rocker to Nashville tune-smith. He went the opposite way here from when Dylan went electric at the Newport Folk festival and it was brilliant. He was also at the very height of his creative game and all attempts to recreate “Harvest” (including in reverse order “Prairie Wind”, “Silver and Gold” and “Old Ways”) have been major disappointments. Between the mournful harmonica and the starting lyrics regarding his pickup and bluebird and then the chorus... well I threw up in my mouth a little.

The banjo picking which starts “Boxcar” reminds me of his early, eerie non-hit “Turnstiles” from “On The Beach” or even “Captain Kennedy” from Hawks and Doves and here the CD starts to pick up. This is a good tune and Neil is not mailing it in which is comforting. (At this point I picked up typing a brilliant review which I failed to save so from here on is an attempt at reenactment...it was brilliant though...I swear!) Boxcar rocks and then we move on to “Ordinary People” which clocks in at over 18 minutes. This is classic Neil ranting that we have all come to cherish. It is a picture of America and politics and all that is right and wrong....with horns. “Shining Light” moves towards weak and gay and trite. Once again it could be a bad “Harvest Moon” out take. Skip it other then listening for his voice which is...sweet.

“The Believer” picks up again with a little reggae one drop thing but once again it is just his voice, he mentions songbirds and church bells and being a believer in a girl (stealing from the Monkees?) Other then the cheesy background vocals it works. “Spirit Road” is next and it just kicks ass bringing up “Zuma” road songs and all that is grand and glorious about being a Neil Young fan. It has to be hard to rock hard at 60 plus years but this tune delivers... and then delivers again. It is a song that makes you miss Crazy Horse but it stands alone and is the best tune the CD hands down.

“Dirty Old Man” is self explanatory. it rocks more like “Fuckin Up” or “Welfare Mothers” and frankly that works but then he goes into “Ever After” which other then it’s steel guitar offers me almost nothing. I would argue that he is struggling with the slow paced country songs on this CD. Some of my favorite Neil has been in this genre but this is not it. The tune is much more interesting then the lyrics and though the playing is flawless it is flawed by silly back ground humming and just feels mailed in.

“No Hidden Path” seems self indulgent at 14 minutes after the earlier 18 minute cut. You get the feeling he is trying to deliver a “Cowgirl In The Sand”/”Down by the River” one two punch that is hard to deliver when you are out of your twenties. Still...though long...this song rocks and it is worth repeated listening. The CD topples in on itself with “The Way” which seems like an Omaha..indie rock children's sing along. I am sure it is heartfelt and comes from somewhere beautiful but jeez. On the same album as “Spirit Highway” you need to give me this. I really hate it and it is a downer.
All and all this is a good CD. It has the requisite 3 songs that make it worthwhile and since it is Neil it is always worthwhile even while your wading through the average stuff which I am very harsh about it is still great. You grade harder because it is Neil. I do not worry...i do not think it will hurt his self image.

8 Slingers On The 10 Scale