Reviews (page 6 of 11)
# Album Name: After the Gold Rush # Artist: Neil Young # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Really good opening to the album with Tell me why and Gold rush. Only Love can break your heart. Probably THE standout song on the album. Some fantastic melody, guitar and piano work on Southern Man. Quality song. the first half of the album is very good and it takes a bit of a dip. But overall its a very good album. # Top Tunes: Tell me why / Gold rush / Love can break your heart / Southern man / Dont let it bring you down # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Amazing! I listen it before many times
8/10
Listening to this cuz I forgot to. Tell Me Why is a good acoustic song, with nice CSNY style harmonies. Don’t know why it’s the opener tho, cuz it seems like it fits better in the middle of the album After the Gold Rush is an amazing song. Don’t have much to say cuz I heard it before and I liked it a lot. Next is Only Love Can Break Your Heart. Very breezy country rock song. I like it! Southern Man is a banger. Fuck Lynyrd Skynyrd from hating it. I’m from Georgia and that song goes hard. Fuck people who simp for the confederacy. Black people deserve reparations. Killer guitar solo Next is Till the Morning Comes. A pretty simple songs with only a few minutes, but it’s pretty catchy and breezy Next is Oh Lonesome Me, which is a cover of an old country song. It’s alright, but this song has the weird quirk of being mixed in mono instead of stereo. I dunno if that’s a problem with the version on Apple Music or a deliberate choice. That harmonica tho. Next is Don’t Let it Bring You Down. Pretty good acoustic rock song. He called trucks “lorries” in the first verse, which is weird cuz they aren’t called lorries in America or even Canada. Nice shift from minor to major in the end Next is Birds. Another piano ballad like After the Gold Rush. I think the metaphor of a bird flying away relating to someone breaking up with a woman was something Lynyrd Skynyrd nicked with Freebird. Very beautiful. Next is When you Dance I Can Really Love. Reminds me of his earlier song Cinnamon Girl. Also has a piano part that reminds me of the one in I Wanna Be Your Dog by The Stooges. Next is I Beleive in You. This was recording during the same sessions as Oh Lonesome Me, but it isn’t mono like that, so that raises more questions about it. Very good ballad tho. Finally is Cripple Creek Ferry. This isn’t as good as the other songs in the album. It’s a cheesy song about a boat. Sounds like they didn’t take it seriously since it’s only around a minute long.
So good!
Southern maaan
Classic!
An old favorite, since the 70s. Each of these tracks has significance to me. What a great album.
A great Neil Young album. Doesn't quite rise to the level of Harvest for me, but that's a really high bar to clear from one of greatest songwriters of all time.
4.5/5
Pure Young. Slow burners and rock god moments.
8/10
Good.
Definitely one of my favourites from Neil Young so far. I definitely think he showcases how great of a vocalist he is on this album more than any of the others I have heard, as well and having some of his most interesting and diverse instrumentals.
For some reason, when I saw I was generated this album, I thought that Neil Young was Lou Reed so I had completely wrong expectations. Thankfully, I enjoy Neil Young’s music far more, so it was a pleasant surprise. His voice is lovely and soft, which goes nicely with the calming folk music. He has certainly had rockier music on other albums, but I think I might prefer this more sedate version of him. This album was very warming.
Pushed to 4 by Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Пойдёт
Liked it
This is a very good album, and Young would go on to record a truly great one two years later. Sad cranky Canadian hippie country guitar rock. What’s not to like?
Leukste album tot nu, echt goed om naar te luisteren
Really liked it more than I thought I would. Neil has been in my life a bit more recently for whatever reason.
Great variety of beautiful folk rock songs. Some songs are a bit too short with slightly wasted potential. His voice really shines through on songs such as tell me why and after the gold rush.
I…actually liked a Neil Young album?
I wasn't keen on this in the first couple tracks but it picks up. I think it's because of Young's quite shrill voice, which is front and centre, that I found off-putting on the title track. That's not to say I don't like his singing, I generally do on the rest of the album. He kind of reminds me of Chris Goss a little bit, especially on Don't Let It Bring You Down too The variety in sounds and instrumentation prevents the album from becoming stale but none of it feels out of place. The guitar playing is inventive and Young plays some nice, catchy licks Might need to come back to this later, really enjoying it Highlights: Don't Let It Bring You Down, Til The Morning Comes, Southern Man
I like this one better than Rust Never Sleeps. Although "My, My, Hey Hey" is my favorite song from these albums. I need to do some more Neil listening to fully appreciate him. I'll keep this one spinning again for sure.
I only recognized Southern Man. I think I would like this album much more if someone else did the vocals. It does have some good melodies. This is especially true in the title track -- great melody, but man, those vocals. Still, in spite of the vocals I can't help getting into this album.
J’aime bien Mr Neil, sans capoter dessus. En lisant les commentaires, qui clament qu’After The Gold Rush est sont Magnum Opus, ma hype est montée un peu trop haut. Trompez vous pas, c’est un bon album, mais ça va pas te faire immédiatement aimer Neil Younglors de l’écoute.
Clarse
Something about Neil young’s music draws me in. Distinctive voice, great melodies, meaningful lyrics. I like this a lot.
It's Neil Young. I love Neil Young.
Good album!! Neil young is one of the goats
This is a great album. I was verging on like 3.5 until I realized I had saved over half the songs to listen to again later. I’ve never been a huge fan of his voice but the songs I end up liking I really like. I don’t know how often I’ll sit and re-listen in its entirety but it’s clearly a very well done album. Special shout out to When You Dance I Can Really Love. I had never heard it before and I’m so happy I finally have.
Not bad Neil Young. I'm not a huge fan of his work but this album is pretty good, it has a few big hits and some other nice songs. Makes me feel kind of smart listening to this.
Exquisite vocal performances and impassioned songwriting made this one of my favourites so far. Only Love Can Break Your Heart is the stand out track, and holds nostalgic significance for me. Such a heavy and beautiful concept, expertly delivered. It's sacrilege to say, but I also love St Etienne’s cover. Other highlights are After The Gold Rush, great piano on that one, Southern Man has a jerky guitar solo that goes off the rails, and I Believe In You is another triumph in songwriting. I don't even mind the little incident tracks, nice breaks between the ballads.
Despite never listening really loved this album. I’m a fan of Youngs singing style and it comes to the fore in ‘Southern Man’ which is a great song that feels full of raw emotion, and given the subject it should be.
I really enjoyed this today - When You Dance You Can Really Love was my favourite track
Oh Neil. You can take a sad song and make it sadder. You can take a high voice and make it higher. Listened to this one the day after Trunp won the 2024 election. Lots to ruminate on and this album had some songs that really worked for that. It's soo close to a 5, probably a 4.4. But Till The Morning Comes and I Believe In You are filler no matter how you slice it. Damn if After the Goldrush and Southern Man aren't two of the best songs ever written. Cool story about a failed screenplay breaking the writer's block wide open and creating an amazing song and album. Saved Songs: - After the Gold Rush - Southern Man - Birds
The album kept me entertained throughout with continuous new songs standing out for e. The title track and Only love can break your heart are the real standout tracks for me. Beautifully constructed folk album. I would not mind owning this
Decent album. Not my favorite Neil Young, but not bad. “Southern Man” is such a great song, and definitely the standout track, but there are a lot of other really good songs here too. While not my favorite, this is still so enjoyable to listen to.
Tough to hate.
Good album. Good Neil Young album.
Cool.
I thought this was just a line from Kacey Musgraves from Space Cowboy. Yes this album is slow at times and kind of basic, but I think others would describe that as stripped in some sense. All recorded in a basement kind of allows for that. I normally don't like those types of albums but this is an exception. Also glad to see this on the top 100 on apple. Again, not a perfect album, but I can see the heart behind it with some great lyrics that aren't hidden behind a ton of production.
Okay, not terrible, a few good ones, but not perfect
This is a pretty good album; nice blend of styles ranging from older CSNY to leaning into more of his later rock style.
B+
Enjoyed it, would listen again.
Amazing record. I always fall into a comfortable place when I listen to this
Ha! I just rated a Silver Jews album and talked about artists with voices that some may find jarring... or just terrible. I know a lot of people who feel that way about Neil Young but I really enjoy him.
Really solid album. I felt like the only song Neil truly showed off his guitar skills was "Southern Man" but overall I enjoyed most tracks.
It’s Neil Young!
Findi sehr spassig zum lose, gueti Morge Hintergrundmusig wo mer doch no ab und zue guet herelost. Es klar 3.5, aber git no credits für sini durezogni high-pitched stimm
Neil young … geil sound Zwar die zwei beste lieder nöd uf dem album. Aber begnadete künstler mit schöne tracks. Holt mich ab. Thömps öp
neil young fucker you‘ve done it again ya cheeky bastard morge früeh im zug inezoge und im büro gad nomal eini nachegleit, ketchup mayo bravo
Really picks up around Southern Man
Surprised me. Sneaks up on you as well through the album. Thought it sounded pretty generic at first but surprising poignant. I am on a comedown though, so that could have an impact. Did not expect Neil Young to have that kinda vocal style either. Always knew he was a legend politically, but never bothered to listen to his music. Good shit. 7.5 / 10 Best track/s: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, When You Dance I Can Really Love
A hall of fame album from a hall of fame artist. A real beauty, eh.
Now this is more like it! While I enjoyed the desolate and lonely paintings of Young's 'On the Beach', this album trumps it with just how much more personable it is. The 35 minutes here flew by, with every song boasting its own set of highlights. The piano ballad 'Birds' is one of my favorites here, with its lyrics offering a positive outlook on a crumbling relationship. 'After the Gold Rush', like 'Birds', evokes images of nature with Neil detailing his intricate connections to it. But, I cannot talk about this album without mentioning the undisputed highlight, and my new favorite Neil Young song, 'Southern Man'. It's a weird song for Lynyrd Skynyrd to feel the need to respond to with 'Sweet Home, Alabama', considering Neil's clear criticisms of the racist aspects of the South. You can still be prideful of your particular region without getting angry at rightful criticisms of its muddy history and conservative attitudes leading to continuing rejections of growth and change. Heck, Randy Newman on a recent listen was able to do it while also being a Southerner himself. Anyways, this particular song also sounds quite different than most songs here, except maybe 'When You Dance I Can Really Love' which also goes in a more outwardly rock direction. It was an unexpected sonic switch-up here - one that I dug. All the more traditional country-folk tracks are just so enjoyable - I loved 'Tell Me Why', 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart', and 'Oh, Lonesome Me'. I've only listened to two Neil Young records thus far, but I'm not sure if he'll be able to top this one for me - it's too damn good.
Really strong 4 but not quite a 5. Every song is a sing-along
- Ich mag das Album sehr - Ich finde es recht fascettenreich: Klassische Akustik-Folk Songs wie „Tell Me Why“, Pianolastige Balladen wie „After The Goldrush“, Rockigere Stücke wie „Southern Man“ oder auch so ein quirky Beatleesquer Song wie „Till The Morning Comes“ - Insgesamt ist das album eher low-tempo, aber das stört mich nicht - Lyrisch ist das Album toll - Der Titeltrack ist ein wunderschöner Song - „Southern Man“ ist vielleicht auch Leuten ein Begriff, die sich mit Neil Young nicht so viel auseinandersetzen: Der Song adressiert die Sklaverei und Rassentrennung in den Südstaaten. Lynyrd Skynyrd haben das als Angriff auf den gesamten Süden der USA empfunden und so heißt es doch in Sweet Home Alabama: „I hope Neil Young will remember, a SOUTHERN MAN don‘t need him around anyhow.“ Es wurde ein jahrelanger Disput gemunkelt, der sich wohl irgendwann gelegt hat. Neil ist schließlich sogar schon einige male in Lynrd Skynrd Tshirt aufgetreten. - Insgesamt einfach ein cooles und entspanntes Album, das ich immer wieder gerne höre. Rating: 4-4,25/5
My first of many Neil Young albums. I liked this one. It has a some great songs and I like listening to him and his Music.
Interesting listen. I really liked some of them, but did not love everything.
A classic. Love uncle Neil.
It sounds like a Neil Young album and that's not a bad thing. Fave: Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
Not one of his albums I'm particularly familiar with - quite a revelation to hear "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and realize the Saint Etienne version is a cover! It's got everything I love about Neil Young going on, so I reckon with more listens it would rise to a 5, but we'll stick with 4 for now. Fave tracks - as well as "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", "Don't Let It Bring You Down" and "When You Dance, I Can Really Love You" stood out...
Heard before. Good.
Really enjoyable album. I know a lot of Young fans would count this as his best or at the very least near the top. Maybe it's because this was somehow a first listen for me but it doesn't top Harvest for me. I can't quite give it 5 stars today but I think it could grow on me even more with future listens.
81% Best: Only Love Can Break Your Heart; Southern Man; Birds; When You Dance You Can Really Love Must-Hear? Sure
I know I’m supposed to get over how hard it is to listen to his voice. Sometimes it really gets to me, but it’s easier in cases Iike this, when the songs are just really really good. I’m typically not a slower-song cat, but they open up really nicely on multiple listens. I can see how so many folks were pissed off by “Southern Man,” because it’s a totally crashing jam.
Neil Young's voice gets a little whiny and annoying, but man the song writing and harmonies are pretty great. Thankfully most of the songs have harmonies throughout. Overall a super solid album, I liked it a lot.
Good for sadness
How was Young supposed to follow up Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere? This is how. This is no play-it-safe unadventurous sequel. In fact in many ways this contrasts his (technically second, but first genuinely great) ‘first album’, in that the track lengths are shorter and there’s less instrumentation, instead relying much more heavily on songwriting. That sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? A follow-up to a beloved country rock album has less music, and less rock. But it works, and it works tremendously. Even if the best song is undoubtedly Southern Man, with its song length doubling many other tracks, it is of course not about each track individually but about the overall listening experience. And here, you couldn’t wish for much more. If anything, you could not disagree to this album being just so lovely and warm. It certainly has punch in the aforementioned Southern Man, but the rest of the album is much better than a punch. It feels like Young is giving the listener a 35-minute hug.
Neil is a great writer and he's written at least 4 great songs for this album. Not his best, but really good stuff.
Young knows how to sound emotional, and the emotions run the gamut on this album.
good album
God knows I love neil young but I'm not sure I can fully get behind it Still awesome though. Southern Man rocks. Lynrd Skynyrd can shut it
I only know Neil Young from CSNY and his hits, so this was new to me. I didn't really know what his sound was. On my first go around I didn't like it too much, to be honest, but after a re-listen, reading along with the lyrics, I enjoyed it very much.
Neil Young is alright, not nearly as good as he thinks himself to be but decent enough. Surprised to be able to listen this on Spotify since I remember Neil saying he was going to pull his music from Spotify during his major tantrum over Joe Rogan a few years ago. Probably forgotten that he had sold a lot of the rights to his music to an investment fund and so had only limited control over it.
Keep on rockin' in the free world, Neil! No notes
Quite enjoyable poppy folk.
Not much to say except really solid album full of Neil Young, total comfort music. This is really solid classic rock with some nice tones being explored. Looking forward to revisit more.
Neil Young's voice is really abrasive to me. On this album it sounds like Kermit the Frog mixed with a small child. It sucks because everything else about Neil Young's music is right up my alley and is also very good. I really really want to love Neil, but I always just get stuck on his voice. It pulls me out of any immersion I get from the story of his songs or appreciation of talent and skill of the instrumentalists. Maybe one day I'll be able to listen to an album of his and not get distracted by his voice, but today is not that day. That aside, it's an excellent album. The songs are interesting from a lyric and instrumental standpoint, and there's a ton of variation between the songs that no songs sound too similar to each other. Favorite Song(s): Southern Man, Cripple Creek Ferry
Yeah, a begrudging thumbs up.
Tight. Southern Man is a phenomenal song to rage too. The rest of it has nice weird rockers and weird soft stuff, very much on brand. I like when you dance, don't let it bring out down, only love... But. Southern man. Mr Young a master of the d minor blazer. Not like the d major (controversial?) Sweet home. When will you pay them back? - folks, who think they are serious people, will dance all around themselves to say why it's not a legitimate question, or why it's not young's to ask. It is a legitimate question, but I've done the south extensively and expect those greasy cocksucker sons of slavers will never answer.
This is my second Neil Young album for this project, and another one I haven't heard before. I think the only ones I knew before were Harvest and Harvest Moon, then On the Beach and now this. He's a helluva songwriter, and I find his music very comforting.
Það er eitthvað svo gott við þetta. Hrátt, flutningslega og tilfinningalega.
Songs. So many great songs. Some would become classics and continue to grow for years to come. Others capture a moment in time.
Recognized it as early '70s pretty early on
Very solid, but the title track’s vocals are very annoying which lost it a star.
Solid.
Neil young is great, a few bangers on here but ultimately won’t be listening to the whole thing again
Neil Young. Ennit. 4.4
This album is perhaps the most definitive evidence that despite the naysayers, Neil Young can absolutely sing, he just has a unique cadence as well as a roundabout way of getting across his emotions. This album is mostly just pretty, with hints of that regular ol' rock 'n' roll edge sprinkled throughout its short runtime, but I would call this album mostly a ballads album. Now, Young is talented when it comes to making those types of songs, and it is why I prefer his solo works over those with Crazy Horse, but I'll admit I was a tad fatigued by the sound, and was happy it ended pretty quickly. Otherwise, I could've seen this album not sitting with me quite as well, but instead I was happily whisked away into a somber lullaby, and when everything swelled into a climactic piano paring or even a rock song, it was all the more mesmerizing. I think it could just stand to cut some of the fat, such as the oddball finale, and I'd say the ballad after ballad approach can lead to the idea well feeling a tad dry, but this album still earns its title as one of Young's best, even if it isn't my favorite.
Superbe album, Nowhere Man est une piste incroyable ! Ça fait du bien de découvrir autre chose de Neil Young que l’incontournable Harvest, quelle énergie ; ça c’est du bon rock ! Noté 4 ici mais plus proche d’un 4.5.
First song absolutely had me jaw-dropped from its quality in the melodies, harmonies and pure emotion. It couldn't quite keep up but wow I fell in love with Neil Young.
4.5/5
Really opens up on the second side, becomes something special.
Good
I feel like Neil Young is a 'love him or hate him' kind of musician. I love his voice, always have. Super unique. And while the whole acoustic singer/songwriter, vaguely county, vaguely folk genre isn't really my cup of tea, I do really like most of his music, particularly the more rock-oriented stuff. Oddly, I've always hated Crosby Stills Nash & Young. Anyway, for this album specifically, there's a lot to like if you can get on with the vocals. And I know that not everyone can. But the songs are pretty brilliant. Neil Young has always been a great lyricist and this album has some of his best. Great guitar work too, particularly on Southern Man. Funny how Lynyrd Skynyrd totally missed the point of that song. Or maybe they didn't and were just like 'fuck off this is how we like it' which seems a little more likely. I'm totally in Camp Neil on that one.... But this album is super short which is kind of a bummer, would be nice to have just another two or three songs. 3.5/5 rounding up because 3 seems too low.
oh i know this album already and i love it:)
Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming Sayin' something about a queen There were peasants singin' and drummers drumming And the archer split the tree There was a fanfare blowin' to the sun That was floating on the breeze Look at mother nature on the run in the nineteen seventies I was lyin' in a burned-out basement With a full moon in my eyes I was hopin' for replacement When the sun burst through the sky There was a band playin' in my head And I felt like getting high I was thinkin' about what a friend had said I was hopin' it was a lie Thinkin' about what a friend had said I was hopin' it was a lie Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships lying In the yellow haze of the sun There were children crying and colors flying All around the chosen ones All in a dream, all in a dream The loading had begun Flyin' mother nature's silver seed To a new home in the sun Flyin' mother nature's silver seed To a new home Fucking hippies, man. Anyway, its a pretty good album. 4/5
I am not a fan of Neil Youngs voice I guess. Southern Man is a powerful song but When You Dance I Can Really Love You is probably the song I most liked and was surprised about. The songwriting and musicianship is there, I just cannot get past the voice.
In my first Neil Young review, I wrote that even though I didn’t particularly like that album, it showed me that there was probably a Neil Young album that I would like. I think that is this album.
It has taken me 44 years but I finally get it.
His best one by a considerable margin, in my opinion. The first half of this is really good. Trails off in the second half, but even that's still listenable. Should be the final Neil Young album, I think? Can't believe I had to listen to 8 of these, fucking hell.
One of those albums where it’s a delight to sing along or whistle along to. This is a weird one for me, because I never thought it would become a five-star album for me, but it has. I mean, the dude sings like a muppet. I’m kinda sitting here scratching my thick monkey cranium and trying to figure out why I like Neil Young but dislike Bruce Springsteen.
It's beautiful, Neil Young isn't for everyone, but it's for me.
Was kind of busy working while listening to this one so I didn't write up any notes on it but I thought it was really enjoyable. My impression was that it was a 4 but I'm guessing if I actually paid more attention to the lyrics and songwriting that it would probably be a 5.
Neil Young is a treasure. His song writing is always poignant, his voice is somber but never sad. He always feels authentic. This album always feels like a turning point for Neil, where he really starts to become well rounded in his writing. Songs about love and social issues. I also love how he breaks away from just folk or acoustic songs to start incorporating more electric guitar. Some songs really rock and get loud. This is a great album. Some of my favorite Neil Young songs.
The Americana/country rock music that emerged in the early 1970s sounded equally new and old (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Band, the Laurel Canyon artists, etc), and Neil Young fit right in. I get it, his voice can be a deal breaker, but if you like Neil at all, this is probably right in your wheelhouse. I happen to like the music enough to get past his voice. This is probably the best example of Neil Young from this era.
I really enjoyed this album. It has that slow feel like Elliott Smith but a lot more pop-ish, which I feel might get tiring after a while. But there were a few standouts like Birds that I think I'll be adding to my playlist. Overall enjoyed this a lot and will definitely revisit some songs.
Fantastic set of songs. The opening sequence ending with “Southern Man” is really strong. And “Southern Man” in particular is tremendous. Very powerful and rocks hard. “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” is another great song. The piano has a sort of cinematic sound to it. Love that riff on “When You Dance I Can Really Love.” And the jamming in the back half of the song is great. I wouldn’t mind even more jamming on this album. The band is great. 4.5
No one plays a minor chord quite like Neil Young. I don't know why, but sometimes he'll have a song with a chord progression in it and instead of an expected major chord, he'll throw a minor chord right at you and make you feel things. It happens pretty quickly on this album (7 seconds in) and his beautiful vocal melody on top really makes your ears focus on the speakers of whatever device you are listening too. I love this first track, it gets going right away, and then blossoms beautifully with more and more volume and voices. I'm so into the saturation/distortion on his voice on "Southern Man" that cuts right through the buttery smooth vocal harmonies beside it. Such a cool sound. Now that I think of it, halfway into this album I'm realizing that the vocal parts are really the highlight. Solid release, with many memorable moments.
Enjoyed.
I have mixed feelings about this album. It’s got some really good songs, and there’s not really anything on here I dislike. At the same time, for an album with 11 tracks and a runtime of only 34 minutes, it somehow manages to drag a little. Maybe that’s because most of the songs are slower tempo. There are also times where Young’s higher pitch gets a bit grating. It grew on me after a second listen, but it’s not my favorite Neil Young album. It definitely has a more mellow vibe than some of his other stuff, which isn’t bad but requires a certain mood to enjoy. The only song I knew from this album going in was “Southern Man.” Before his feud with Spotify, Young was famous for his feud with Lynrd Skynrd, who did not take kindly to this song (resulting in the famous anti-Neil Young lyrics in “Sweet Home Alabama”). With its multiple long electric guitar solos and relatively uptempo feeling compared to most of the songs on this album, it feels kind of out of place. It’s probably my favorite song on the album and is a classic for a reason. My other favorites are “Don’t Let It Bring You Down,” which in addition to really interesting lyrics has a crazy good bass line, and “When You Dance I Can Really Love,” the only other uptempo song. Am I the only one who feels like Ben Folds ripped off “After the Gold Rush” for “Brick” after hearing this album? Or that Bread kind of ripped off “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” when they did “Everything I Own”? I think I initially would’ve given this a 3, but after another listen I’ll give it a 4/5.
A quiet, raw, and honest album, laying the groundwork for who knows how many earnest singer-songwriters. The songs are pretty excellent and the focus and vision are clear. I hate to be prissy about this, but the number one issue is that Neil’s shrieky singing voice is just never going to be my cup of tea… I got over that issue with Bob Dylan, but I can’t get all the way there with him. I also think Neil’s hard rock side isn’t perfectly integrated—Southern Man is great, but When You Dance is a mismatch. Summing up, it’s a well-written and sometimes beautiful album, even if the performances aren’t always my favorite. Best song: Southern Man
I love this album. More diverse than expected, all to the good. I think it’s the ballads that resonate with me, all uniquely Neil. “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” is beautiful, and reminds me in the chorus a bit like a Motown ‘60s cut. At first that may have you go “huh?” until you learn that Neil started his career in a band signed to Motown that included Rick James… which blows my mind. Thinking of those two in the same band…crazy! And just when you think he’s gonna lull you into a mellow mood with the ballads, he hits with “Southern Man” which is just so damn good. Apparently Lynard Skynard was so butt-hurt that their beloved South was being called out for entrenched racism by Neil, they wrote “Sweet Home Alabama” as a retort. Great art pushing and challenging us, helping to create more great art. 🤔🤔🤔Overall, I think this is one of Neil’s best albums, right up there with Harvest and his other gems. Also picked up an original vinyl copy at Goodwill for $2 that sounds fantastic. Nice!!! 😎😎😎
Best Neil Young, classic after classic all in a row. Would be a 5 if there was any justice in the world.
Classic Neil young 4*
I do not like Neil Young, but this one is good. Opening track, After the Gold Rush, Southern Man, all excellent... But the in-between is very hit-or-miss, and they missed for me. 4/5 because I want to be true to myself, but I can see why others would rate it as perfect.
Young has grown on me over the years that i've been randomly listening to him in spots. It's a great concise folk-rock album,one of the better ones i can remember from him.
Fantastic Neil.
4.4
My second Neil Young album on this list. This one is a bit more rock than the last one, heading towards that grungier style that he did later that I prefer. This is a solid album though.
Excellent
Excellent. Already in my library.
Hadn't heard this album before; listened to it a couple of times, but these are definitely first impressions: I'm really glad Neil Young found fame and success; he's anathema to today's talent show driven perfect voices; but like Dylan, he's not about sing star perfection; there's so much soul in his stories, and like so many albums of this era - there's so much to uncover in the mix alone. These songs have a weight to them, even when he's singing about Fairies. Oh. Ferries. Still, I've made my point.
Solid Neil album.
Country folk rock de Young. Un 4.
Beautiful album. Not quite a 5 for me but v close
I've heard of Neil Young before but never listened one of his albums. This one is actually pretty great. The use of acoustic and electric guitar is nice and his vocals are great. For me, there are some duds keeping it away from a 5/5.
Always got time for Neil Young, this is an excellent album. Although I do prefer the Saint Etienne version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
I really enjoyed this album, more than I thought I would. And more than some of his other work from the late 80s.
It's not Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, but it's still peak Neil Young.
Another good album by Neil Young. The more I listen to his discography (which appears aplenty on this list), the more I like his voice, which is very specific and unique. I love Southern Man, there's a really good cover of it by Inter Arma, but original is just an insanely good song. Really enjoyable, I think I should have a closer look at other records by Neil soon.
It's a beautiful album tbh, but I don't think anything special about it
4.5
Neil's best album
Classic after classic. Although I bet Eeyore has this album on repeat .
It's the combination of folk production mixed with poetic lyrics that is quintessential Neil Young. Perhaps his best.
Was skeptical of his voice when the song After the Gold Rush came on, but the album grew on me.
The GOAT
I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. Not sure if this makes me an official Neil Young fan, but I enjoyed this a lot.
Seems I really quite like Neil Young, I had suspected so.
I'm so glad I can listen to this on Spotify. Also I really wasn't familiar with any of the songs, which was a surprise. It's great!
This man is amazing.
Not my favorite of his but a few really great songs.
classic neil young
Pretty great, even if not the biggest fan of Neil's voice. The instrumental are very good.
Amazing album, an all-time classic! I wasn't aware that I would like this album that much.
Some very great hits on this one.
Gotta love Neil. His albums are never quite 5 star for me, but usually worthy of 4. Southern Man is a classic.
Listened to it on a long drive and it was good vibes
Listened to this while playing Glass Road solo. I lost pretty hard. Great soundtrack to my defeat...would recommend others lose to this album as well.
Brilliant album. I really loved this and can listen to it on repeat. Favourite song: Only love can break your heart and Southern Man Least favourite: everything is worth a listen Album artwork: Great cover
This is my fourth Neil Young album to review (not counting one with Crazy Horse and one with CSNY). So far, I’ve been found the albums of his that I’ve reviewed to be pretty middle of the road, but I had really high hopes for this one, since it’s so well-reviewed. Unfortunately, this was yet another Neil Young album that landed middle-of-the-road with me. Neil Young is a talented songwriter, and those skills really shine on this album, just like plenty of his other works. The lyrics on this album cover so many topics, and a lot of them still feel relevant today. I think my favorite lyrics though are on “Southern Man.” Living in Texas, these lyrics really hit home, as the war on “critical race theory” rages on. When Neil isn’t singing about the political landscape of the late seventies, his songs of heartache and lost love convey emotional pain and loneliness in his unique way. The music on this album supplements the songwriting well; there’s nothing too crazy here, but the simple arrangements are pleasant to listen to. The title track was probably my favorite off the album when it comes to the music. I loved the piano melody, and the flugelhorn coming in towards the end of the song added some great depth. I really enjoyed the vocal harmonies throughout the album as well. I wrote this review the day after having been assigned the album, and as I wrote this, I skipped back through the album, and since yesterday, it’s grown on me quite a bit. Yesterday, I just didn’t really enjoy listening to it much, even though I could appreciate it, but today, it’s really hitting home with me. I was going to give this three stars, but I think it deserves four stars.
I really enjoyed “After the Gold Rush” and “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” but the rest of the album was just alright.
Excellent folk rock music
Best falsetto in the land
Good songs. I just wish someone else sang them. Favorite song: Don't let it bring you down.
Strong album. Personal Standouts are Southern Man, Don't Let It Bring You Down, and When You Dance You Can Really Love.
This is probably my first full Neil Young album. He's not really known where I'm from (Eastern Europe) and his music seems very American to me (ok, North American since he's obviously Canadian). I like it but seeing such enthusiastic reviews here I realized I probably don't get the full context. That's fine, I think we have a lot of amazing sung poetry music here in my country so this album doesn't really stand out that much to me. The things I enjoyed the most: - the minimalist production on the first three tracks where you only get like two-three instruments per track and no bass or drums and then suddenly there's this little horn part on the title track. It's just lovely. You wish it'd come back more, but the fact that it's so brief makes it special; - Only Love Can Break Your Heart - prior to today I've only heard the St Etienne version and always loved it - this one is great too and I'll appreciate the St Etienne cover even more now; - the roughness of the Southern Man - I've read that Neil Young was later trying to say that he went too far but I just love how he poured his heart out in this one. Especially the part with the distorted vocals and then the guitar solo is just nasty and feels so grungy. I love how towards the end it's just one dissonant chord on repeat - perfection; - The rest of the album is much lighter which is good I guess since it really pushes out the roughness of the Southern Man into the spotlight. I Believe in You is also very pretty and helps with keeping things interesting until the end of the album. Overall, it's a 4 from me but I can totally understand how it might be a 5 for some people. I'm really thankful for this challenge that it exposes me to such interesting music I probably would have never picked up on my own.
Neil Young Top demais
Being forced to listen to Neil Young has changed my opinion. Do I think a lot of his songs are annoying as hell? Yes. Do I think he overdoes the nasal singing? Yes. But some of his music is pretty solid, and I like it. 3.5 stars.
I know this one. Great album.
Love it. Neil Young really has music and lyrics coming together perfectly here.
Way better than I thought it would be
Neil young created a formula for his music to always kind of work. He uses his higher pitched voice and songs about some introspective things at a low or medium tempo. It’s really how most of his music goes but he executes it quite well. This album may not be as upbeat as others but it’s still great to listen to. 7.8/10
Ein typisches FolkRockAlbum von Neil Young im Stile von "Harvest". Sehr melodisch, keine Experimente, aber sehr genau arrangiert und produziert. Ein in sich stimmiges Album. Manchmal findet man einige Anleihen von seinen Songs, aber das stört nicht. "Only Love can Break your Heart" ist sowohl gesanglich als auch kompositorisch ein Meisterwerk.
Almost a 5
Not my favorite Neil Young, but some complete bangers here. I'm partial to Neil in 80s and 90s, but the early stuff is iconic.
Neil Young is always a solid pick for me. And "After The Gold Rush" is a very well crafted round album without fails. Favourite songs: "Southern Man", "When You Dance I Can Really Love"
Neil Young ain't bad.
If all this 1001 Albums project gave me was a better understanding of Neil Young I'd be grateful. Neil Young is a yin yang. The more exposure I get the more I'm blown away by his ability to drift between soft and heavy. I can see more and more why he's up there with Dylan.
4.49
Extremely good with a huge variety of high-quality cuts, with a range that reaches from the lovely to the outraged, from the edgy to the authentically mellow and therapeutically serene. NY"s putting it all out there / wearing heart on sleeve works very well here, largely a result of the control he seems to exude and the clear purpose of every song. His voices makes the despair and heartbreak sound somehow triumphant, the confronting and moving past it. One wants to say "minor masterpiece" but the qualifier may not be necessary.
listened 3x. 3.6/5 a few solid ones.
The turning point from the hippy 60s into the cynical 70s produced a lot of great music and this album is no exception. I was more familiar with Dolly Parton’s version of the title track than the original, but it’s still as bafflingly obtuse as ever. “Oh, Lonesome Me” is a masterpiece of self pity and staying in, but the highlight is “Southern Man” - a blistering attack on racism in the Deep South with some rocking guitar work.
Another solid album from Neil Young. I always like how he navigates between stripped down folk and more "high voltage" rock, even though the former is more present than the later. Southern Man is a banger!
Great album!
Tell Me Why 3.5 After the Gold Rush 3.7 Only Love Can Break Your Heart 4 Southern Man 4.5 Till the Morning Comes 3.3 Oh, Lonesome Me 3.5 Don't Let It Bring You Down 3.6 Birds 3.4 When You Dance I Can Really Love 3.7 I Believe In You 3.5 Cripple Creek Ferry 3.4 Score: 3.645454545
I’ve always had a bit of a blind spot for Neil for some reason. Glad to jump in with this one. Really good.
Some absolute gems, but forgot how many odd filler songs were in here.
I’m glad he’s back on Spotify I can now Appreciate this album today than having to use YouTube. Personally I prefer harvest but this is still a great album, deserves to be on the list, and one of his best.
4/5
"Birds" is a forgotten favorite of mine -- I'm glad this album helped me rediscover it!
I'm happy that Neil Young read my review of Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and decided to put his music back on Spotify. I didn't know it was because of Joe Rogan and now I respect him more. I thought he just wanted to get paid more from Spotify. Anyway, I can listen to this on Spotify now! Neil Young has one of the most unique male singing voices. It sometimes sounds like he's putting it on, like it could be a joke, but he's dead serious. Of course he comes from a musical time in which it was fashionable for men to sing falsetto. Anyway it's in full force on this album and I actually love it. Damn Southern Man... I wish the lyrics to this were different because it's a damn good song! Not that I don't like the lyrics, but I almost wish this one had lyrics that I wanted to sing along with. The message is strong though and the music is great. The guitar solos in this song are delicious. Till the morning comessssssss flugelhorn solo.
Surprised so much of one artist in this list. I keep discovering more Neil Young here. Purely to describe what it does for this one listener, it feels intimate and personal , it dies a kind of soothing thing like his other albums. Good song writing and the first time he's reminded me of Horse With No Name. There are very recognisable oft-covered songs here which means others like the lyrics and lyricism of his stories and they are in the eternal themes, with languor and longing, (to my Mars Attacks tuned ear that sensitive to irony and humour readily) some self aware humour mixed with patios, I think. Either that or it's easy to take the piss with his songs, and I like taking it lightly and letting it put a smirk on my face while it chills me out. Cause we need to laugh and Neil Young stokes a funny bone for me at times. Enjoyed. Ok some slow songs to skip. But good
I've been teetering on the 4/5 edge here for a while. I'm a big fan of NY, and I have a feeling this maybe my favourite of his albums, but something keeps me from confidently giving this a 5. Don't Let It Bring You Down is transcendently brilliant, and the rest of the album is solid, but doesn't really come close to that level. Fave Tracks: Tell Me Why, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Don't Let It Bring You Down 4.4/5
Neil Young's work benefits so much from the musical input of CSN, but this is still a solid album, mainly for its poetry.
Paljon parempi albumi Youngia
My most commonly written things....'not what I expected' and '1 I missed'. Both apply to this. Straight up folky, political rock. Unmissable. 'After the Goldrush', 'Only love can break your heart' and the exceptional and scathing'Southern Man' are sublime.
Great album. Thank God they never made this movie. Sounds like the worst screenplay ever. But if it inspired Neil to write these songs, Amen.
Neil Young - After the Gold Rush An album inspired by an unpublished screenplay written by Al (Dean Stockwell) from Quantum Leap. 4/5
4 stars, classic stuff here.
Good
And just like that...weird to get these all in a row, and just as I was writing him off a bit, I realize he had another album akin to Harvest in him.
Ryan Adams would do a great cover of this album.
Quite sweet and poignant. I'd never normally listen to stuff like this but I enjoyed it. The lyrics to Southern Man stuck out in particular.
Twas a good one
‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’, ‘Southern Man’, ‘Don’t Let It Bring You Down’, ‘When You Dance I Can Really Love’ and so on. If you can get past Neil Young’s voice, there is a lot to enjoy here.
This was strange and I liked it. I’m excited to spend more time with Mr. Young when he comes back to Spotify. Title track was the standout but this seems like one to listen to in full. Liked the pared down sound.
Great lyrics and song writing. Never really been the biggest fan of Young’s voice but you gotta hand it to him he wrote great songs
Classic Neil, was surprised how many tracks I knew already :)
Wow, what deep and meaningful songs. Neil Young expresses emotion and storytelling through all aspects of his musicianship. I really enjoyed the worlds each song built. Not one bad song on the album.
Not available on Spotify Canada, Neil Young is Canadian, so maybe it's assumed that if you don't already own it, then you don't deserve it. Canadians are very proud of one-of-their-own who does good. Some things are sacred in Canada: Hockey, The Camp fires at the lake, that we can no longer have due to forest fire risk, Neil Young and The Tragically Hip. Dust off those CD's baby - Spotify no bueno
Like it
One week later and I get the next album in Neil Young's discography. I've dragged my feet on writing this review, and I think it's because after 3 albums now I think I really like Neil Young but don't love him. He's clearly super talented, his albums are consistently solid for me, the music style is right up my alley, but I feel like there's something missing that holds it back from really hitting for me. I think this was probably my favorite album of the 3 of his that I've listened to, but I can't push myself to give it a 5. It's really good, pretty much the entire album is consistently solid, something just is holding me back. I feel like this review is overly negative for an album that I really enjoyed. The first three songs are all really strong, "Southern Man" comes out of nowhere with a heavy-hitter about racism, "Till the Morning Comes" follows it up with a really short light song to pick things back up. The back half is a little weaker but it's pretty consistent quality top to bottom. I really did like this, I promise. Also apparently the cover image was shot in front of the NYU Law School (and then they did the weird solarizing the image thing since it was blurry). Favorite song: Only Love Can Break Your Heart Other: Tell Me Why, After the Gold Rush, Southern Man, Till the Morning Comes, Don't Let It Bring You Down, Birds, When You Dance You Can Really Love, I Believe in You 3/8/24
I really like Neil Young. This wasn't as good as harvest but still some great tracks here.
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Not as big a fan of his voice but I love the lyrics and instrumentation.
Enjoyed most of the songs. His voice is a bit too high to find enjoyable in some songs though. 4/5
I really enjoyed this album and I know there is more to it if I dissected it. Easy to pick it as a 4 but it doesn't meet my 5 criteria, perhaps I should investigate more early 70's folk
I liked it. It quite sounded like CSNY, so no surprise I liked it. "Southern Man" might be my recommendation. And how can a Canadian sound more like "USA" than some musicians from the States?
I am so pleased to listen to Neil Young finally. This grew on me, and I found after three listens I enjoyed it a lot more. I will be returning.
Great songwriting and tunes that either take you down memory lane or provoke deep thought about our future on earth.
Neil Young is great. Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
Really liked this album. Good blend of Folk and Rock including some absolute classics.
I have not heard this album but I do know Neil Young by name. I thought he was a country singer but I’m not sure how I would describe the genre that he does. Nevertheless his voice shocked me but I found the album somewhat enjoyable. I liked: Southern man, When you dance I can really love, and Tell me why. I recognized Don’t let it bring you down from Greta van fleet using the audio. I will listen again.
Really liked this. I know some find Neil’s voice grating but I’m not one of them. There’s a few bangers on this record. I can see myself returning to this. 4.5/5
Had to listen around ads on YouTube, so maybe I would give it higher if I could get the full experience.
first song was ok but then the second song....my god. why is his voice so fAWKING annoying what the fck girl nice easy listening album. just wish he had a slightly nicer voice
I preferred Tonights the Night, but this has some absolute corkers on it. It’s a bit more straightforward for me compared to the latter, but the lyrics are a lot more refined here. I forget how incredible his lyrics are until I listen to him. I guess that’s my downfall with Neil Young: I never go ‘I really fancy a bit of Neil Young today’. Whenever I do hear him, I think he’s great, I just dont love him like others do and I dont think I ever properly will. After The Goldrush / Only Love / Dont Let it Bring You Down were my highlights. Also just realised Dont Let it Bring You Down by Q and not U was a cover.
Not heard this album before.... I assume harvest will pop up eventually! He's got a really distinctive gentle sounding voice. Selfishly annoyed I can't add any of it to a Spotify playlist! Think the first half Is stronger than the latter but some really nice sounding songs here: Tell me why After the gold rush Only love can break your heart Southern man I'll be back
4 per track. Everything on the album is good to great except Till the Morning Comes
First thing to get out of the way - Neil Young's voice. I like Neil Young, but there is no denying that sometimes his voice sounds not unlike Richard Dreyfuss doing a Kermit impression, but most of the time it works. Second thing - Neil Young's principles meaning that his work is not available on Spotify, making me fuck around with YouTube and it's shitty ads. OK, beyond that this is a really good album. Some great stuff such as Southern Man, but also some less good, like Cripple Creek Ferry. The good hugely outweighs the leas good, and this is going to be one I keep coming back to. I do think Harvest is better, though.
Lög til 2 til 4 eru svakaleg þrenna, hin 8 eru fín. Mér finnst Harvest betri, en þessi er vel áheyrileg.
Solid record!
Such a great album, and the ones that are the best here are some of his best in his whole catalogue, including my all-time favourite NY song 'Don't Let It Bring You Down'. A timeless album.
Great Neil Young album.
It’s Neil, and I’ve already talked about how great he is several times throughout this project. He’s great, he’s prolific, he’s our man! This album is essential listening. I just wish the list maker knew that Canada’s music scene and contribution to the world is more than just Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and Leonard Cohen. We have Bryan Adams too y’know? Hello! Hahaha omg j/k. He sux. But The Hip, BNL, The Guess Who, Bruce Cockburn, BTO, Blue Rodeo, Sloan… I could go on and on. I just want anyone who reads this to do a bit more Canadian musical discovery than what’s been selected to represent us on this list. We love Neil, we live for Neil, but there’s so much more than Neil. BTW - this isn’t my favourite of his, but there’s lots of staple songs to enjoy here. It’s been a pleasant revisit for a Friday listen; it has wrought the existential paradigm shift I didn’t know I needed today.
Maybe it's because I grew up with the children's movies he sung on but I just can't take this seriously. When I picture the scenarios he is singing about I see Woody and other characters from Toy Story.
This album made me nostalgic for an era I never lived in and although I didn't find certain tracks more or less appealing than others, I felt like it all flowed seamlessly together.
to me it’s inspiring that he‘s doesn‘t sound like the best vocalist but his singing still sounds confident and great
This was actually pretty good and quite enjoyable. I'd revisit this more if it was available on my streaming platform of choice. 4/5
Big Neil Young fan
Pleasantly surprised. Young’s voice isn’t as “strange” as people made it out to be.
Jesus, this wonderful album! Young's first recording with harmonica. He's bringing "Helpless" to CSN&Y at the same time he's recording this. Nils just pounding the piano on Southern Man. When you Dance needs to be played louder that I did first listen
The title track is good. Southern Man is like a better Alabama. I don't understand why I liked this so much. but I really enjoyed this.
Relaxing
Solid album so far. Feel like I need to pay more attention to the lyrics, like it has a powerful message that I’m totally missing on this listen through.
Side 1 was five starts all the way. I was excited to have found the Neil Young solo album I could point to and claim as a triumph. I’ve always had an appreciation for him, yet a solo album that is five star worthy has alluded me. I thought tonight was the night. Then side 2 happened and while it was good, none of the tracks lived up to side 1. And I’m left wondering when I’ll find the Neil Young solo album that knocks my socks off from start to finish. Hopefully it’s coming soon.
Simply one of the best examples of folk and pop rock blended into a heartfelt, anthemic album. Neil is a personal favorite of mine and I have strong familiar roots to his music. I'll admit he's not of the best folk artists or pop artist and some of his songs fall flat on this albo. But I still consider it an amazing album.
Heart of fart
Only Love Can Break Your Heart is a masterpiece
I had been meaning to listen to Neil Young for a long time, and I was not disappointed. A cool mix of folk and rock, just didn't particularly amaze me at any point. Solid 4 stars.
Melancholy with a bit of a burn and some beautiful guitar work. A stellar, total mood of an album featuring some of the best songs of Neil Young's career. Really, this is a genre and era-defining album, in all the best ways. "Southern Man" doesn't quite fit tonally with the other songs, but it's so, so brutally good. Fave Songs: Birds; Southern Man; Only Love Can Break Your Heart; Don't Let It Bring You Down; After the Gold Rush; I Believe in You; Tell Me Why
Good body of work by 'Neil the Whiner'. I prefer his songs done as a cover by other artists instead of his nasally voice, but the song writing is solid.
Love it
A beautiful album with his classic sound, a number of known songs and would be happy to listen again.
Probably be 5 stars if Neil Young didn’t have such a weird voice (sorry Neil)
Neil Young is outstanding and I love the way he keeps evolving. This album is from early in his journey yet it reflects a maturity and clarity he brought to his music from the beginning. I love this album. So many memorable, beautiful, and superbly performed songs. And what a writer. I love when artists truly have their own voice.
The title track is one of my favourite songs of all time. I've no idea what it's about, but it seems sad and gives me the feels. The other big singles, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, and Southern Man are also great. I'd never heard the album tracks before. They're all good, but only Don't Let It Bring You Down stood out from the crowd. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: After The Gold Rush Date listened: 09/01/24
I really liked "Birds," the rest of the album was okay. Chill music to listen to, but I didn't love his voice in some of the songs...too high!
After The Gold Rush // Only Love Can Break Your Heart // Southern Man //
this motherfucker can not sing.. aina on epäilyjä youngmanin albumeista... onko kakkosta kolmosta tulossa... ei saisi epäillä.. aina tulee taattua laattua vaikka muutama laulu pettäisi..mahtava albumi.. pojanvinkuna.. apinankiekuna .... hei hei.. Cripple Creekin lautta Juosta läpi Ulkonevat puut Mene Cripple Creek -lautalle... unfarmathobable lyricism... southern man
*Listening Note* It's not currently available on Spotify, but you can easily find playlists of the whole album on youtube. I had previously eschewed Neil Young because I find his nasal singing voice offputting. However, this album from singing to songwriting is a real treat.
I've always like Neil Young - listening to After The Gold Rush completely just reinforces that view. I especially liked Birds (don't remember that one) and Cripple Creek Ferry. And backups from Nils Lofgren and CSN add to the overall strong album.
OK, this is the Neil Young I can appreciate. This album is filled with songs I enjoy and when you consider the album as a whole it's a great listen. I was hypercritical of Neil last time, and now maybe I'm a little overly generous with 4 stars but it's a 3 star average so it works out.
I listened to this when I was younger but it had been a while. I couldn't listen on Spotify because of political Neil young boycotting them. I love Neil but wouldn't it make more sense to make your music available to get your message out to more people? Also, this album has a lot of slower songs that are solid but the whole album is worth it for Southern Man. That's a banger.
I listened to this a few years ago for the first time and it didn’t do much for me. I just gave it another listen because this website asked me to. I get it now
I would've rated this a 5 because the music is spectacular, but every once in a while I need to pause and rub my ears a little as Neil's voice can sometimes grate in large quantities.
Not what I expected. never actually listen to Neil young that much. alot more sad.
I went to this one after listening to an album which (at least to me) felt like Neil Young wannabes. I love Neil Young, I really do. There are so many great songs on this album. Ones that will make your hair stand on end: "Southern Man," "After The Gold Rush" "Don't Let It Bring You Down" But with it are some songs that are... okay. "I Believe In You" has probably one of the weakest singing Neil has done in his early years. He really needed the backing of at least Stills, but maybe more on that one. "When You Dance I Can Really Love" is one with some weaker lyrics, too. "I've got something to tell you, you make it show. Let me come over, I know you know..." What? Neil Young has a body of work that is just stunning, and "Harvest" maybe would be the early album I would turn to. This one has... a couple of clunkers that make the album really good, but just not (in my eyes) a classic. Sorry, Neil. Not a 5-star recommendation for me. The weaker songs just pull it down.
Whenever I listen to this, I think of many things, the beauty of the music and lyrics and how unfortunate it is that Neil Young did both, how mad Lynard Skynyrd were about one song, and how the Jimmy Fallon skit where he, as Neil Young, sings a cover of Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair" on his Late Night show still lives rent free in my head 13 years later... Oh well, time to hop up out the bed, turn my swag on.
A really great album Southern Man feels like one of the most powerful songs ever recorded just perfection in sound and execution. Kinda wish the second half had another anchor but this is a great one.
Well what can I say that about this man that I haven't already? Not a lot. The album, on the other hand I can comment anew on. Its much more polished than the other one and has several superb tracks including the title track. A truly beautiful song (though if you struggle with his voice, you would do well to check out the Renaissance cover version). I think its the lyrics that do it for me. (That's why I'm such a fan of Roy Harper.) Don't let it bring you down they sound so deep but when you really listen to them they don't quite make sense, and I love that in a lyric. Anyway, down to business. Even with all its good points, I don't think it is quite a 5. So mid to high 4 it is. ps If there is not anything by Mr Harper in this list then I shall consider the whole process null and void.
I love this album
Very good but loses marks for inaccessibility. I'm not made of money.
Kind of a timeless sound, very easy listen. There is a reason Neil Young is quoted as a major influence to so many modern artists. Very much enjoyed this!
When we had Harvest I think I labelled that as my favourite NY album. Now that I listen to this one I'm wondering if I need to revisit that. I still have the vinyl copies of both. The title song, and Southern Man are two of my favourite NY songs overall. Interestingly, the two singles, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and "When You Dance I Can Really Love", are probably the two songs I care for least. On balance Harvest still gets the nod for fave.
Side One is full of signature Neil young songs but side two isn't as strong. It's interesting this was released a year after the rocker "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere", starting a pattern of swinging from acoustic to rock and back again that is one of his hallmarks.
I really don't like country and folk, but my oh my, nobody does it quite like Neil Young. His music and especially his song-writing transcends all other mere mortals and so called superstar musicians. He legitimately can claim to be one of the all-time GOATS and this is also one of his best albums. This record starts out swinging and the first four songs are killers, culminating with the epic Southern Man. It lags a bit in the middle but finishes strong with Don't let it Bring you down and When you dance and I believe in you. There's a tiny bit of filler here so it gets dinged a bit in my rating for that.
I like Neil Young’s voice, but really can’t stand too much of his lead guitar playing. I like the folky and altcountry vibes. Kinda stripped down and minimal. Couple of the songs had cool CSNY style harmonies. 3.5
Finally got around to it lol. This was tough cause I love his songwriting but it’s just really hard for me to get past his voice sometimes. Birds is pretty. The rock moments are cool like when you dance. Idk 3.5-4
first listen good album
This album on a rainy day after a breakup feels like an automatic 72-hour hold.
Easy listening - but lyrics interesting. Like some of the minor key changes. Had on while working.
There are some seriously strong songs on this album. A pretty pared back production. Not keen on his vocals but they do work well on the biting social commentaries and the harmonies.
Rock. Folk. Country.
Like it
One of Neil’s best! Very sensitive and sentimental in the way Neil does best
shwäg
Really good
The highs are high, but there are some forgettable songs.
Back to back Hemmer Hall of Fame albums.
Not on spotify
i like this dude. cheers neil young
I'm not much of a Neil Young fan, but this was solid.
It would not play so I found other music by him and it was good
Listened Before? N This is a great album! I'm not really partial to Young's voice, but the lyricism and tone are top-notch. It's just a shame you can't listen to it on Spotify right now. I hope they get their issues worked out because I'd love to add it to my library. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Southern Man (hopefully in the future)
11/21/23 10:00 S Tier————————— Only Love Can Break Your Heart Southern Man Tell Me Why After The Gold Rush A Tier————————— When You Dance I Can Really Love Don’t Let It Bring You Down Birds I believe In You Oh, Lonesome Me B Tier————————— Till The Morning Comes Cripple Creek Ferry
Neil does it well
Lots of pretty songs.
Country folk rock de Young. Un 4.
Like an old friend
👍 was pretty entertaining
Great album, though his voice is sometimes hard to listen to
3.9
Rob and i bought the CD and played it in the car on our way too Saxon mill