Reviews (page 8 of 13)
I'm torn between liking the music and being annoyed by his voice
Don't mind it but don't love it either
Was ok.
Wow. This album hits a lot of feels. I would be afraid to listen to this after a breakup. Or maybe that's the best time? Fabulous emotion.
Thisiat has taught me that I rwally like Neil Young. Not sure how to feel about that...
Only on this bitch of an earth do we get 2 Neil Young albums in a week. How many is it now in total? How many of his albums are on this list?? Not including CSN&Y, I like their stuff a lot more in general. I'm done airing my grievances, how's the album? It's marginally better. The best songs are sadly the ones that utilize the CSN&Y harmonization, heard on the closer "Cripple Creek Ferry". "Tell Me Why" is a well written song with a vocal melody that just makes sense, I like the way it moves up and down. There's a slight bit more variety on here too, like the Springsteenish piano on the title track. But that's about where the good ends. There's still a bit too much pathetic woe-is-me going on here, and I swear his voice is even more shrill on this project. JUST barely does enough to get 3 stars
Good album
3.5 stars. Not my favorite Neil Young, was a little boring and sounded too much the same. Felt like it needed variety and different pacing. Standout was "Birds".
This is a genuinely good folk album and I appreciate its quality. Simple music done well with good lyrics. But I am not a fan of Neil Young’s vocals and its pacing is a bit too ponderous, even for folk. So while I know it’s good it’s not really for me.
4/5 I appreciate the varied genre of songs
Young Neil shows why he deserves a spot in the band The folk rock artist provides a very gentle experience and presents surprisingly hopeful, despite sounding like that
Very good
115/1089 - What an awful voice. At least it was a short album.
Boring whiny voice that just don't work for me, brother.
tender, ragged and wise
When I saw Neil Young on the cover I was expecting hard rock, not soft country ballads. I usually don't like country but this one was enjoyable. There was some guitar noodling as to be expected from Neil Young. But it didn't happen often enough for it to be annoying. Only 4 stars because its still absolutely not my kind of music. Still another record I'd add to my collection. Fav tracks: Southern Man, Till the Morning Comes, When You Dance You Can Really Love Least fav tracks: After the Gold Rush
i get why this is important but on some of these tracks neil sounds like a muppet fr
****
Classic 4
Just brilliant. I think I have always disrespected Neil Young for no particular reason. It wasn't even a dislike, it was just a lack of acknowledgement of his brilliance. This album is total bait for me. Reminds me a lot of Joanna Sternberg's album 'I've Got Me', which I have listened to a lot in the past couple months (and is also a brilliant and painful breakup album)
I actually really like some of the songs on this album, and I wish I like Neil Young more (he’s playing at Glastonbury this year after all), but I just find his voice a bit grating. I guess it’s like marmite.
Hard to get into after previously getting a Jimi Hendrix album Mellow and mournful. Some good songs but didn’t grab me as much as I thought it would
Not a fan
Love Neil Young and love this classic album!
Hate this. Third Neil Young album and its not getting better….
again, quivery voice. ugh
Not as good as Harvest or Rust Never Sleeps but still really good.
Didn’t know so much material from Neil Young, only his hits. it’s actually pretty great. Good vibes and his high pitchy voice is strangely soothing
Another fantastic album from Young.
they call him 0011 0 interesting musical ideas 0 good vocal performances 11 boring songs is neil young a lyrics merchant ⁉️
Once again, a transitional work from a great artist, but one with a ton of promise. The genesis of “Harvest” is here while Neil toys with some country in his compositions, and he’s keeping everything relatively short compared to some of the deeper jams with Crazy Horse. There’s some absolute gems on this album but it’s definitely not his best and leaves a bit to be desired.
heaviest album oat
MORE NEIL YOUNG I THINK THIS IS THE FOURTH NEIL YOUNG ALBUM IVE HAD. PLEASE STOP THIS MADNESS
Wasn't as into this as Harvest, there are some good songs but there's also more here I didn't like. Lots of songs with a drone that doesn't do the album any favours. Still good but wouldn't really listen to the majority again.
After being converted to Neil Young by listening to “Harvest”, I wanted more. “After The Gold Rush” is his other famous album, but it doesn’t quite reach the same heights. Nearly, but not quite. It’s a 4.5 star album I think. Having said that, I enjoyed it a lot more than I remembered! And there are some classic songs on here.
A 70’s classic…. Did not enjoy much as previous listens to though….
This may be the 50th Neil Young album on this project, or I may be dramatic. You choose. After the Gold Rush is Neil Young's typical genres, folk and country, and shows exactly why he's so talented. He creates an easy album that can increase the tempo to be jaunty or sentimental. His songwriting and lyrics are great and evocative, as always. Some aspects, like the higher voice Young used in the title track, were unappealing to me, but I eased into it over time.
Here's the thing. I definitely support Neil Young being on this list. And I can even understand why he has so many albums on here. But I am getting tired at this point. And this album felt very mid, especially to someone who is tired of Neil Young -- it was very ballady and very sleepy. The thing about Neil Young is that usually what I deem to be his worst is still miles better than a lot of what pops up on this project. So Neil Young, take your 3 and get out of here. I hope I've churned through the majority (if not all) of your albums on here.
Nice album, feels comfortable
Some good some dull
Really great, poignant album, enjoyable all the way through.
Perfect album
Sometimes Neil's voice is very whiney And grating to me. And that definitely how I felt the first bit of the album. It gets better. But he sounds so whiney for the first big chunk of this album.
Pretty good. Neil Young's continues to be weird, though it definitely grows on me the more I listen to it. Some of these songs were much better than others
Thanks Neil, ya bastard
HELL YEA BROTHER!!!! NEIL FUCKIN YOUNG My fave Neil album probs. Thanks dad for making me a sad country rock boy
Mmmmm, I feel this shit I’m my BONES, good to have a banger album I was unfamiliar with pop up again
Muppet voiced poet for a generation.
Mined out
The dude is a great songwriter, but sometimes the cartoonish vocals make me feel like I’m listening to an SNL parody.
Great Album.
"That's a hell of a question, isn't it? I don't understand it. It sounds like gibberish to me. I stopped singing that song because when I get to that line I go, what the fuck am I talking about? You know, I don't edit my songs. I knew something was happening at the time that I wrote it to make that right, but I can't remember what it is and it doesn't apply to what I'm doing now. "I Am a Child" is like that. What is the color when black is burnt? It's a charcoal kind of color, I guess, but what the fuck does that mean? I ask myself over and over, what the fuck am I talking about?"
This one is so, so good. Rocker Neil is my favourite Neil but this is max power Unrocker Neil, and it rules. Love the way it’s produced, got that thing that makes it sound like you’re actually in a room with a kinda fucked up guy playing songs that are always about to fall apart but never really do. And the guy is Neil Young.
Edellisestä kuuntelusta ainakin 10 vuotta. Olipa kiva muistutus, todella hyvä levy. Tullut kuunneltua enimmäkseen Harvestia.
Good
Not a folk music fan but lyrically, I can appreciate Neil Young. In its time, I can see this being an important album. His voice is like Tom Waits, it’s either off putting from the beginning and you tap out or you come to appreciate the emotion that drives it.
I’m a big fan of jazz, so this album was very pleasant to listen to.
A very relaxing but also at times melancholy album. I like the melodies and production, and Neil’s unique vocals. Would listen again.
Neil Young does it right
Damn I do not get the love this mans music gets
Uncrowded arrangements all grainy and fragile. Simple melodies that will go down easy and stay with you forever. This record is stunning.
I enjoyed this one very much
I got Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere fairly early into this adventure and when that blew me away, I took it upon myself to dig into some of Neil’s stuff on my own. That included On the Beach, Harvest, Harvest Moon, and admiring how fucking good his score is for Dead Man. The research also included this album, which knocked my damn socks not only off but down the block. Every song works, the lyrics are substantial, and it’s short enough that repeat listens are accessible enough — undoubtedly a favorite musical discovery for 2025, including Mr. Young’s discography in general. Guy rules.
Pretty nice, some unique stuff and a good experience to listen to. Would enjoy this while actively listening or while chilling out.
Great album. Don't know about all-timer, but great album.
Honestly, never really liked his music.
3.8
waow, of course
Just wish it was longer
Simple, spare melodies and moving lyrics - just a beautiful album.
Some of these songs are among the most beautiful on this entire list. But some of them set your teeth on edge, and that's what loses a star.
The first half of this album had me certain that I was not going to be giving it a very good rating. I found some of the high vocals to be hard to listen to, and I wasn't really vibing with any of the songs. However, my entire view shifted on the second half. From there, I really enjoyed all of the songs. They were beautiful and soothing, with Birds being my favorite track of the album. I will definitely revisit this album at some point, but with how little I enjoyed the first few songs I couldn't rate it above a 3 upon my first couple of listens.
This is my first Neil Young album that I've listened to. This album was an easy listen...especially if you're just cruising down a winding highway.
Great record
Based powerful incredible wonder
When I was in college, Dana Carvey had a comedy special (can't remember what it was called) where he did a bit called "Every Neil Young Song You've Ever Heard" and proceeded to do a dead on perfect Neil Young impression with the following song lyrics: "Dead dog dying in a ditch, cigarette smoker has an itch. Secret whores with ancient vices, Lucky's has the lowest prices. I'm getting higher...getting higherrrrrrrrrr....end the world." Still one of my favorite bits. I have absolutely no idea where I'm going with this. I guess this is fine. I don't really love Neil Young and his voice hurts my ears most of the time.
Not a huge Neil Young fan great songwriter, but his voice generally grates on me. With that being said, this was an enjoyable album.
It’s fine, just fine. Explains every Neil Young fan, something for you and your sweetie. When he uses a guitar effect it’s gonna be noticeable. Whatever.
Absolute classic..but he has at least ten Better releases
This was my first real listen to Neil Young, and After the Gold Rush hit differently than I expected. The whole album feels kind of dreamy but heavy at the same time, like you're floating through someone's memories. His voice isn't perfect, but that's what makes it feel so real. His voice felt very raw in a sense. The lyric "Look at Mother Nature on the run in the 1970s"stuck out for me. It just felt weirdly relevant, but also distant. Overall I found the vocals with the melody very poetic and in the moment. Felt rather personal at points, but still very wholesome. The melodies are simple but emotional. Soft piano, slow guitar, nothing too polished, and it honestly made me feel a little sad in a way I didn’t expect. It reminded me of other old bands who just wrote music straight from the gut without trying to be anything fancy. After hearing this, I get why people say Neil Young a great musician. As he deffo had a long lasting impression on me. Knowing how to rate this is really hard, so 5 would be my overall score, having felt the album both, emotionally and personally. (edited)
4 - good album all the way through
Sort of old country album - decent if in that mood
It was alright, it's the 70's and it's Neil Young... not my cup of tea but not offensive
Like thinking to yourself that lady is hot. Then they turn around and its some soft guy with a beard. Your disappointed. So much promise. You made an error. No harm done I guess. Didn't know Neil before and still wont...I must walk away. Sorry. To be serious a second it's like Mickey mouse having an orgasim. An articulate Mickey mouse I might add.
So unfortunately my issue is that I just can't stand this much of Neil Young's voice. It's a shame because a lot of the tracks on this album are well written, excellently performed, and stunningly recorded and produced. Case in point: "southern man" which is a great track but by the time I got to it I'd already had enough Neil and still had ⅔ of the album left to go. Hardest one to rate so far because I think it's a good album, I just don't like it.
Too slow/low energy
Didn't blow my dick off like Harvest did
Good classics, not my usual genre but a few songs added to my general playlist
This album was probably mind-blowing in 1970. In 2025, it's still really solid. Neil Young's voice takes some getting used to. Great guitar solos. Really enjoyed "Don't Let It Bring You Down" and "When You Dance I Can Really Love."
Overall impression: unique vocals, simple instrumentation, and nice mix of upbeat and slower songs. Not my favorite voice, though. Tell Me Why: Twangy guitar, simple instrumentation, different than a lot of what I listen to. His voice sounds young, too. After the Gold Rush: Novel to hear an artist pushing towards the edge of their range. I like that this song has a story to it. Modern songs don't do as much storytelling, which is a bit of shame. When You Were Young: Vaguely familiar, maybe? Nice vocal harmonies. Southern Man: Liking guitar on this one. First song with drums? Favorite song so far, I think. Till the Morning Comes: Meh, not a big fan. Oh, Lonesome Me: Child of Kermit and John Denver? Is that you? Don't Let It Bring You Down: Okay I'd really like someone to cover this who isn't Neil Young, because the songs are fun but his voice is just not up my alley. Birds: Such a different tone, both vocally and lyrically. Short but so sweet. When You Dance I Can Really Love: Fun title for a fun, upbeat song. I Believe in You: I believe in falling asleep at 5pm in the office, because that's what this song is doing to me. Cripple Creek Ferry: Very random song - kinda like it because of that.
Excellent songwriting. Neil's falsetto can get to be a bit much after a while, especially without harmonies. Southern Man Only Love Can Break Your Heart I Believe In You
Neil Young is going to come out of this exercise the big winner. Whether it’s CSNY, Buffalo Springfield or his early solo career, it’s all as good as it gets. This one might be his peak. It’s more cogent than his previous record, none of the valleys, also fewer high highs. Neil’s style is all very soft and easy while always maintaining an edge. His edge is what separates him from James Taylor or other soft rock/folk singers. Love Neil Young!
This is my favorite version of Neil. Say what you will about his guitar playing (I think I called him incompetent in another review) but the man can write a haunting melody that makes even the most abstract and, by his own admission, meaningless lyrics sound haunting and profound. Reading the wikipedia where he makes fun of his own lyrics was very entertaining.
One of the truly perfect 5 out of 5s that I can think of. Lots of these songs dont fit unless theyre with the album (which I love). Vocal harmonies with Stills and Danny Witten are amazing. The stripped down songs arent boring. The recordings are raw and have plenty of artifacts The 60s are somehow still alive in the 70s. 35 mins of beauty & rock. Maybe Neils best album. I might put this at the top of the first 205 albums we've rated. Alright, ill stop. Its just going to be a tough act to follow
I love CSNY, but had never been totally sold on Neil solo. My objections: voice is harsh - sounds nice in the CSNY harmonies - guitar playing is so-so, songs are meandering and sometimes dull. Everybody Knows This is Nowhere didn't completely win me over for these reasons. This album is different. The edge in Neil's voice is what makes these songs work. The slow, pensive ballads are where Neil and this album shine - the melodies are actually interesting and memorable. Title track is my favorite, and interesting story behind Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Joni and Graham). Most importantly, he's figured out how to take that choppy guitar solo style and make it build and work for the songs. I love it. I know I use this as a point of reference a lot, but the solo on Southern Man reminds me alot of Tweedy's guitar work on some of Wilco's longer songs like At Least That's What She Said, Spiders, or Handshake Drugs. Tweedy is also not an stellar guitar player, but has a unique voice that works in the context. In fact, this whole album reminds me alot of A Ghost is Born, one of my favorites. Can confidently say I've found a new go-to album - one of those that makes this exercise worth it.
I still hate Neil Young, but this is better than most of his other solo work. Highlights: "When You Dance I Can Really Love", the horn solo in "After the Gold Rush" Lows: His voice is the worst part. Especially on "Southern Man". Fucking awful.
Nice and chill.
A five-star musician. A five-star storyteller. But so lecturey. So judgy. Mr. Fucking Knowitall over here.
Oh man what an amazing album! He’s the Man for sure.
Amazing album
num sei
nao aguento mais rock pqp cade os psytrance os hiphop os
The more Neil Young albums I get the less I like him. They all sound the same.
13/1001 Back to back Neil Young album and 3rd in the first 13 albums. I don’t hate this guy, but I don’t want to hear him again at least until I’m in the 100s. (I know between CSN&Y, Buffalo Springfield and all his other work he has 9 albums on this list, that seems excessive). I feel the same about this album as the last 2 NY albums, and most likely the next 6, its not bad music, just not my vibe and his voice is too whiny. The very first note out of his mouth on this album was pitch perfect annoying whine Young. He doesn’t always hold the overly nasally pitch, and it made for a stronger song. He’s writes good lyrics, far above most. Props to Neil for a long career of making music people love and having meaning in his lyrics. Now please, give me something else for the next several weeks, actually months.
Not in my top 5 Neil albums. But still a very good one and sets the mood for a chill evening.
Another Neil Young record ? well I prefer this one a lot more than "On the beach" but I just think his music and his singing just aren't my thing. 5,5/10
While it was OK, I didn't find it earth shattering nor exceptional in any way. A pity: I wanted to like this album.
He's obviously a gifted songwriter. Those high notes though, yikes. Southern Man was the highlight.
есть Нил Янг и хорошо
Uuugghhh….what a whiney little bitch
All time greatness. Not a bad tune on it
Neeeeiiiiillllll
.25 .5 .5 0 .75
So chli folk Musig. Chli langwiilig. Stecht ned so use. Aber Guete vibe
I did not like his voice
Regret not listening to this whole thing earlier in life.
Prime Neil Young. I like the down-tempo songs more than the upbeat ones here (Southern Man doesn't really do it for me). I'd happily listen to this any time.
Mehh, ikke så spennende album egt., blir litt for gammelt. Koselig men ikke spesielt bra imo.
I wasn't familiar with your game Neil Young. First half of the album is very strong.
Prefer when Neil is rockin
I mean it was fine. But I didn't feel any particular way about it.
It was ok, I can understand why people like it, it just wasn’t my cup of tea
The musicianship, the lyrics, the themes. Cheers Neil
Love Neil Young. Definitely one of his best albums. I like the first side better than the second side. But I think this was the height of his songwriting time.
Highlights: Southern Man, Don’t let it bring you down
Disco chill. Para escuchar tranquilamente. La voz de Neil Young es peculiar. No es un disco que despertó demasiado, un álbum en su mayoría plano.
Really decent. It flew by and I enjoyed quite a few of the songs.
Solid
Love it
tell me why meega schöne folk country whatever super. harmonies im refrain schöön. old enough to repaint and young eniugh to sell seiter? heavy. after the goldrush er het sone höööchi stimm hey. chönti biitz nervig werde de klang. aber s lied isch super. only love can break your heart hani etz es biiitz schnulzig gfunde ich ha chli meh dreck erwartet vom neil young? southern man en antirassismus song endlich chli dreck! super! ich bi etz aber allgemein eeehner enttüscht s plätscheret echli vor sich hii. dont let it bring you down isch cool. börds seehr cute aber wieder sochli whiny. when you dance i can really love het chli de neil young blues rock time gmacht woni erwartet han. aber finds sust echt chli zu whiny. cripple creek ferry au wieder CSNY-harmonies und so finds echt sehr schön aber han insgesamt viel meh kreativs und so erwartet. biiitz enttüscht defür dass de neil young sone riese legende isch.
knie jung najaaa risstmi na nüt misini falsetto erinneret mich ad flaming lips es bizli hahahaha OHHHHH HUERE SCHÖN isch das 1 oboe? (obö) ahh nei es flüghorn hahahaha funny ja de rest hani ener langwilig gfunde ahh only love can break your heart kenntmer ja so mega! sehrsehr schön southern man isch ja en INSANE BANGER hans scho auscho ghört aber scho laang nümme hmm sither laufts echli. ischmer alles chli zu ruhig und langsam ja s isch für mich ähnlich wie crosby nash etc., eig scho schön aber für min gschmack rchli z wenig sputhern man und only love ziehnds ufes knapps 4i.
Great album! I forgot how many good songs were on this one! I do like harvest moon best but this is still great! And it's good little album just runs through it but in a good way!
good, but not great
2.5
starts so good and ends good but not as good
There are some great songs on here, but I am afraid I just can’t with that voice. It takes away from the songwriting and I have to deduct one point for that. I imagine there are interpretations of these songs I would enjoy much more than Neil’s versions
The vocalist's tone doesn't suit my taste, but I definitely liked the lyrics.
Not a big fan of Neil Young's voice, so listening to it for the full album was a bit of a struggle. I think I would've liked the songs more with a different voice, and preferred the ones where he was harmonized/paired with less grating vocals. Highlights: Southern Man, When You Dance Overall: 2/5
He sucks
Southern man Old man
A pleasant, slightly melancholic album, 7 out of 10.
Loved it. Appreciate his voice isn't for everyone, but this is surely an album to hear before you die. After the gold rush, only live can break your heart and southern man are 3 great songs in succession.
‘Critics were not immediately impressed; the 1970 review in Rolling Stone magazine by Langdon Winner was negative, with Winner feeling that, "none of the songs here rise above the uniformly dull surface." ‘ Agreed
Good stuff, occasionally the crooning gets a little much for me but there’s also a ton of great harmony. Top 3 cripple creek ferry, southern man, birds
Ik weet het niet zo goed met Neil zijn stem. Soms klinkt het drama, soms klinkt het fantastisch? Maar jezus, wat gaat de gitaar LOS op Southern Man! Moddervette solo, een piano speler is ook gek aan het gaan, supervet nummer zeg. Ik weet niet zo goed wat ik van dit album vind. Het is kort, het is prettig om te luisteren, ik irriteer me eigenlijk geen moment, maar vind het ook niet super bijzonder ofzo? Ik vind het een prima album, irriteer me geen moment er aan en Southern Man is absoluut een super vet nummer. De eerste helft van het album is absoluut het sterkst, daarna vlakt het toch best wel weer een beetje af. Best knap dat er in een album van 40 minuten toch nog zo'n verschil in de 2 helften kan zitten? FAVO: Only love can break your heart, Southern Man
A little whiny for my taste. Overall better than initially expected. The album seems to get better as it goes on.
Another pretty easy 5 star Neil Young album from this generator. This is such a songwriting masterclass. This is Neil near his very best and most methodical while making things feel completely organic and heartfelt. There’s an earnestness to Young’s voice here that only makes these songs stronger and more unique. Some of these songs feel like they could snap at any moment. After The Gold Rush is in the conversation for greatest Side-A of an album ever. The whole record is pretty remarkable and a wonderful mix of light, shade, beauty, thoughtfulness and brutal honesty. But, man, Side-A is so brilliant. 9+/10
Neil Young is one of those artists I really don’t like as a person, and I honestly want to hate his music just as much, but I have to admit, a lot of his albums I’ve heard so far have been pretty good. Throughout his career, he’s jumped all over the place musically, from country to folk to rock to hard rock, and believe it or not, he even released a synth-pop album in the ‘80s. This one, though, is much calmer, with lots of fingerpicked acoustic guitar, but what really stood out to me was the piano work. Another thing that caught my attention was just how young his voice sounds here compared to how it evolved later in his career and all the way up until now.
Лёгкая ненапряжная, вероятно много смысла в словах. Не зашло 3/10 ещё раз не хотела бы прослушать
Really really enjoyed. Solid all the way through. 9/10
Not sure if this is actually the case, but is sounds to me like young Neil is singing the vocal track, then overdubbing it so that he harmonizes with himself for a lot of this album. It's especially prevalent on the "When you dance I can really love" song. For me, the thing I like the least about his music is his voice. But somehow, when you double it it gets better. I wonder if that trick works anywhere else in life... Shitty cat? Get another. Bland slice of pizza? why not have two? I've tried this trick with guitar ownership and it doesn't seem to work. I keep buying guitars but my skill doesn't seem to be improving.
I don't know what to think about this guy. We sang his songs, back in the day, he has written some great songs over the years. But that voice ...
Probably Neil Young's most famous solo album - just good folk rock/country rock, the songwriting really stands out. I'm not very fond of his voice, though (but the backing vocals are great). I love Don't Let It Bring You Down, so I'll round it up to 4 but it's a 7/10 album for me.
Couldn’t really get into it should probably give it another listen
Bueno
liked it sm!!
1970, l’année de ma naissance. Le point zéro de mon existence, et accessoirement, l'année où Neil Young a décidé de poser ses couilles sur la table avec « After the Gold Rush ». On est dans le cadre du projet « 1001 Albums », et là, on s’attaque à un monument. Pas un truc qu’on écoute distraitement en faisant ses courses chez l’épicier du coin. Non, on parle d’un disque qui se respire, qui se vit, et qui te hante. Enregistré en grande partie dans le sous-sol de sa maison à Topanga Canyon, Neil Young, le "Loner", s’est affranchi des productions léchées pour nous livrer un truc brut, presque lo-fi avant l’heure. Pour un mec comme moi qui vibre sur des textures abrasives ou des expérimentations bruitistes, ce côté « bricolé dans une cave » me parle énormément. On sent l'humidité des murs, on entend le craquement du bois et le souffle de l'ampli. C’est une prod’ qui ne triche pas. Young a même poussé le vice jusqu’à demander à Nils Lofgren, alors gamin de 18 ans et guitariste de génie, de se mettre au piano... juste parce qu'il voulait ce jeu un peu maladroit, peu conventionnel, qui colle parfaitement à l'humeur du disque. C’est ce genre de choix qui sépare les artistes des artisans de la soupe radiophonique. Musicalement, c’est un mélange de folk éthéré, de country terreuse et de rock bien nerveux. Mais attention, on n'est pas chez les cow-boys de fête foraine car ici, la country est mélancolique, hantée. La voix de Neil, ce fausset fragile qui semble toujours sur le point de se briser, est l’instrument ultime. Sur des morceaux comme le titre éponyme, il nous balance des visions énigmatiques de vaisseaux spatiaux emportant les élus loin d’une Terre dévastée. En 1970, il parlait déjà de la perte, de l’environnement qui part en vrille et de la condition humaine. On est en 2026, et bordel, rien n'a changé. Ses paroles sont d’une actualité qui fout la trouille, surtout quand on regarde ce qui se passe de l'autre côté de l'Atlantique. Et puis, il y a la hargne et on ne peut pas parler d'« After the Gold Rush » sans évoquer la morsure électrique de « Southern Man ». C’est Neil qui pose ses couilles sur la table et qui dénonce le racisme crasse du Sud des États-Unis. C’est violent, c’est viscéral, et ça grince comme une porte de grange mal huilée. C’est ce Neil-là que j’aime, celui qui préfigure le grunge, celui qui influencera Kurt Cobain et toute la bande de Seattle. C’est du rock qui a des choses à dire, qui ne se contente pas de remplir l’espace sonore entre deux pubs. C’est cette dualité entre la douceur acoustique la plus totale et l'agression électrique qui rend cet album indispensable. « After the Gold Rush » est un album intemporel et on y revient toujours, que ce soit pour se rassurer ou pour se mettre un coup de pied au cul. C’est un disque de transition, le pont parfait entre les sixties utopiques et les seventies qui commençaient déjà à puer la désillusion. C’est le constat d’un monde qui change, pour le meilleur et surtout pour le pire. Neil regarde les ruines de la « Gold Rush » et il nous dit : « Voilà ce qu'il reste quand la fête est finie ». C’est triste, c’est beau, et c’est d’une puissance émotionnelle que peu d’artistes ont réussi à égaler depuis. C’est le genre d’album qui justifie à lui seul l’existence de cette liste des « 1001 albums ». Je lui donne un solide 4 sur 5 - c’est un chef-d'œuvre, aucun doute là-dessus - si je ne lui mets pas 5, c’est peut-être parce que mon cœur de disquaire aigri garde toujours une place pour les trucs encore plus radicaux, plus sales. Mais ne vous y trompez pas : c'est une note de patron. C'est un disque que tout être humain doté d'une paire d'oreilles fonctionnelle et d'un minimum de sensibilité devrait posséder. Neil Young a réussi ici le tour de force de créer un album qui semble avoir été enregistré hier soir dans ta cuisine. C’est intime, c’est brut, c’est imparfait, et c’est pour ça que c’est parfait. C’est le paradoxe Neil Young. « After the Gold Rush », c'est la bande-son idéale pour regarder le monde brûler tout en buvant un vieux whisky au fond d'un garage. C'est l'album de ma naissance, et je ne pouvais pas rêver mieux comme héritage musical.
Classic feel good record here. Neil Young is a treasure. Favorites: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Don’t Let It Bring You Down, When You Dance I Can Really Love
All time
Just bored me to death
It's ok considering other stuff he has on this list. I didn't like it that much, but I didn't hate it.
It took a second listen for the first couple of songs to click with me but after that I really enjoyed this one. It was nice to learn what Lynyrd Skynyrd were referring to in regards to Southern Man.
10/03/2025 I have no real feelings for this album.
Hesitated to give another 5 stars so soon but I have to be honest and follow my heart! This is always going to be a 5 star album for me, along with several of the great Mr Young’s others. I just love it. It’s so comforting and warm to me. It makes me think of my mum and of Canada and of the beginning of summertime and of tall wheat and juicy corn and campfires and swimming and newspapers and birds. Favourite tracks are Tell Me Why, Southern Man and Cripple Creek Ferry.
As a kid, I used to roll my eyes every time Dad would put on this album. Us siblings would all join in complaining about Neil's wobbly whiny voice. But I'll be damned, I think my Dad was on to something. Just a great collection of moving, lyrical songs. Southern Man is such a tune.
Not bad. Couldn't really get into the tone of his voice on this one
I'll admit that I heard the Saint Etienne version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart before the Neil version.
In political times like this, we need to double down on Canadian national treasures.
Very happy here. I've heard the radio Neil young plenty over the years and I never really got it. But now I do. I love his voice. It's very unique and they way it's layered is perfect. I got half th album saved. So much good stuff. A couple hit hits but some great more b side type stuff. It's very simple but honestly the sonics of his voice are plenty great for me
The more Neil Young I get, the more I become a fan. This wasn't quite as good as other two albums I've had already on this list, but still a solid effort. There's a lot less rock on this album than his previous album, and more soft piano ballads. Not that that's a bad thing, he can clearly do both. I don't think Young sounds whiny at all like a lot of people says he does, he sounds great on this album. In fact, on the title track, I think he sounds rather lovely. It's easily best track on the album, and is quite hauntingly beautiful. 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' is another really nice song. A decent effort from Neil Young who seems to be consistently good but nothing phenomenal. This album was slightly "meh" in places but also had some very good highlights.
Couple of hits, not my jam 2.5
Not my favorite Neil, but he’s the man!
I really enjoyed this! Looking at the track list before listening I felt like I only knew a few songs, but that turned out to be wrong. I ended up knowing almost every track on this record. As a Canadian, I am a little biased but I think Neil Young is excellent. His voice can be a little grating, but he often has great backup singers and he writes great lyrics. A highlight for me was actually the song "Birds" which made me really emotional, it had me almost shedding tears while making dinner.
The more Neil I get here the more his music grows on me. The vocals are still the weak spot for me but I felt this album was better, and great songwriting.
Why does bro sound like Shoresy
hi so freaking good i love this 🥹😊💖😣💖😊 every track is amazing i especially love: only love can break your heart oh lonesome me & when you dance i can really love but everything is so perfect still so
Classic rock is classic. Some of it is also heartbreaking.
Thoughts before listening: This is peak era Neil Young and contains some of his most enduring songs. Like all of Neil's albums in this era there is a mix of introspective, delicate acoustic songs and rockers. Review: Yeah if you're a fan of Neil Young (I am) then this is quintessential listening. It largely stays in a folky lane with Neil's high pitched warble and lyrics being the main attraction, but Neil cranks it up to 10 with "Southern Man's" politically driven hard rock and guitar solos. I love this album and am giving it 5-stars.
Neil Young's After the Gold Rush peered out at me from my parents much neglected record collection with its memorable black and white cover art with gilded lettering. Though I probably sought out the 1960s folk rock of supergroup: Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young) instead of the solo work of Daryl Hannah's other half. His voice is nasal and verging on Tiny Tim territory, like a choir boy castrato with hippie idealism. Folk songs about "mother nature" being "on the run in the 1970s" until an alien invasion signals the second coming. This is the album that contains most of the well-known Neil Young songs: "Tell Me Why," "Southern Man," "Only Love Can Break Your Heart," "Cripple Creek Ferry."
I don’t know why it took me so long to figure out this was Neil Young, the young of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young because I have listened to their music for much of my life. 70s music was such a vibe, very chilled and I’ve added a few to my playlist
Oh, the anticipation! - Will this album be any different than all. the. other. Neil. Young. albums. on this list? I usually can listen to a Neil Young song exactly for as long as it takes for him to start singing - the whiny voice is just more than I can bear. So this album is already off to a bad start, because on the opener Tell Me Why, the intro is exactly 2 seconds long. OK, skipping this track. Track 2 - After the Gold Rush manages to hold my interest for a respectable 10 seconds until I am confronted with the same dilemma: the song sounds as if it coud be good, but is immediately ruined by THE WHINE. I come to the conclusion that each and every track will have Young singing on it at some point, and so I'm skipping the entire album. What were those people in the 70s thinking? .... or smoking ... ? 2/5
I’m not the biggest Neil Young fan but there are plenty of his songs which I would put on my greatest hits top 200 compilation. Two of these, Only Love Can Break Your Heart and the title track are on this album. So by that metric this is probably my favourite of his albums. Apart from these two songs there is also a lot to like on this album and listening today I concluded that there was not one duff track on it. 4/5 2/3/25
Easy listen, nice sound
No doubt that Southern Man is a powerful song. I like "Birds" too and "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", and "When You Dance I Can Really Love". Overall a good 4 album, I'm just not a huge fan of his vocals but appreciate the song writing for sure.
This would be a 5 star album if it wasn't for Neil Young's cartoonish voice. It's hard to believe that's someone's real voice. Beyond that, the songwriting is great and the performances (with the exception of the aforementioned vocals) are fantastic. 4 stars
love this album hey, hey, cripple creek ferry
Kurt cobain cited Neil as inspiration and now I see why
Some interesting tunes. Nice folk vibe
This one really surprised me. Great album, breezy. Left me wanting more. Some tracks feel a bit Bowie inspired but that’s me being nit picky if I wanted to criticize this album. Loved the first track Tell Me Why and Southern Man. Started the album just repeating track one over and over.
When I heard the first track on the album, I thought: 'My goodness, another whiny whine'. I was about to quit, but gave the album another chance. It wasn't bad. But in between, I like Neil Young's music. His voice and his music always walk the line between annoying and pleasant. I don't think there are so few albums in the world that this should be one of the 1000 best. But overall it was nice to have heard it. 3/5
Några riktigt bra låtar, men lite tråkigt i längden.
harvest through zuma was a great run, after the gold rush doesn't do much for me unfortunately
Good
One of the best albums of all time
I can ignore the poor technical singing but unfortunately I don't find his singing particular emotive either. It isn't bad, just doesn't appeal to me because of this.
4/5
Meh, I can't deal with his voice. I looked up to see who the lady was singing After the Gold Rush (it was him). I was able to finish the album, but I wouldn't listen to it again.
I believe in you is my favorite track
Þetta hreyfði því miður ekki mikið við mér. Southern man samt flott lag.
Fínn Njáll.
I know that Neil Young has lots (perhaps the most?) entries on this list. I have said many times that I don’t believe artists should have multiple entries on the list unless the entry depicts a different sound/structure/aspect to their music. I’m not sure After the gold rush qualifies as a change of style/sound, but I love it all the same!
Sorry, I just don’t vibe with you Neil
good album, enjoyed the country folk sound and Southern Man
frábær. besta rólega plata piltsins unga.
Probably the best Neil album I’ve heard on the list so far. God knows I’ve had a bunch.
I remember hearing the title track of this album when I was in the back of my friend’s car. His dad was driving and it came on the radio. I immediately had to know who it was because it stirred something in me. I bought the album and learned every song by heart. It’s still as compelling today. From the heartfelt “Tell me Why” to the rocking “southern man” to the pretty little ditty of “cripple creek ferry” this album has a lot to like.
I did struggle with this one. The first time I listened at work it was uninteresting. I had to play it a second time at home with no distractions, and it was a little better. Not an album I would play often.
One of those albums I didn't know until middle age, which is probably about when you should start listening to Neil Young. One of the albums that just stands above others.
nice warm sound. didn't like how long some of the songs got
bros voice kinda annoying on some songs. I'm sure this a top album of all time or something but his voice makes me want to scooter ankle myself at those parts. Southern man a nice song tho. 2/5
Hard to pick one but possibly my favorite Neil Young album
I can’t get used to the annoying voice
Ja vrij rustig, niet echt mijn ding merkte ik
This was excellent. Many great songs.
Ugh. Another Neil Young whiny slog fest. He's so divisive. I know people who absolutely love Neil Young by himself, in Crazy Horse, in Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Every time, I give him a chance and just don't get on with it. It always strikes me as slow and whiny. I get it, the political commentary is good, but the music just sucks to me. I didn’t hate it, so that’s plus one.
Sweet
I quite enjoyed this one, had a nice vibe to it. Nothing really stood out but overall a decent album.
For some reason I thought Neil Young was more rocky than this. Some good songs and he nails the folk sound pretty much with an obvious talent for songwriting. But….that….voice😬
It’s a nice album, but for me doesn’t hit the heights of his albums which sandwich this one (both 5* albums for sure). Just a little too laid back and country to get my pulse really racing.
Another banger from Neil, he can't stop
I don’t hate Neil Young. I just don’t like listening to him sing. This is very good. Just really wish someone else handled vocals.
I love this album
Another classic from Uncle Neil. One of his most highly regarded albums and it’s not hard to see why. This is peak Neil solo career, one of my all time favorites.
Didn’t realise before now how distinctive his voice was. Enjoyed this a lot more than the crazy horse one. Again, feel like with proper listening over time could become a fave but avoiding this pre Glasto.
For now, this is the best Young album I got. Still don't like his voice, but this album is quite enjoyable.
Seminal early Young. Evocative of a loss of innocence and the instrumental embellishments of horn and piano throughout are very welcome and add texture and some complexity. 4⭐️
One or two good ones, but overall meh
Needed to listen to more Neil Young all my life.. love his bittersweet folk style
Absolutely shit. Worst album i've ever heard. Neil Young's voice is so fkn bad! rating: ⭐ [1/100]
NY just bringing the jams. This one is no exception. Good stuff. 4/5
wow - really liked this, didn't expect to
A classic album from Neil Young. Not as good as Harvest, in my opinion, and suffers from feeling too short. Some great tracks and a few less great fillers.
Voice is mid
Same old boring folk music that this website has to offer, except this time, the singer has a squeaky voice and lyrics that he forces to be meaningful.
Ganz großes Kino. Frühwerk einer absoluten Legende. Dafür gern die doppelte Punktzahl.
- To be blunt, Young's tenor is simply beautiful--melodic, but raw, it always pops. - Thought-provoking, often borderline confusing (some illicit substances definitely pushed some of these lyric), and typically engrossing. - It did not steal me away the whole time, but there are moments when you can just forget yourself and flow with it.
Good album
Better than some of the other Neil Young solo albums. Still just not a big fan of his. He had a couple of good songs on here.
I’m not a big fan of him but he did a good enough job to stay at a 3
Look I like Neil Young and I will die on this hill. His voice is fine, sounds best on the tracks with the harmonies. The instruments sound great, it really does sound like an album some dudes just kinda recorded in someone's house which I dig. The lyrics are solid, good storytelling. He's quite the character and I like that. This album does a solid job of showing that.
ugggggghhhhh. his voice. I just can't get past his voice.
- ..... it's Neil ... -
With this being my second Neil Young album, I've come to the conclusion that he's a bit like Bob Dylan. Brilliant song writer but his voice can be kind of annoying. He sounds good on some songs but not so much on others. Overall, a good album that occassionally was let down by Neil's voice being a bit annoying
He should have been a poet rather than a poet who sings like Mr. Hankey.
Don’t mind the voice.
Some of his greatest songs here. This album still holds up among his absolute best.
Decent enough Neil Young album, but didn't feel there were any particular stand out songs. He's done much better work IMHO.
Great album. Sitting on a porch in the rain type beat. Delish.
this was nice to listen to, not really my taste but i can appreciate it
Folksy Neil. I tend to lean more towards the crunchy electric guitar, melancholy-side. But I like this too.
I got this one right after Rust Never Sleeps on this list, so cool to compare them in that way. I didn't think I'd like the latter more than this album, but I have to say that after a full listen of each, Rust Never Sleeps is more consistently good, whereas After the Gold Rush has some slow bits that come off a bit whiney for my liking. Perhaps that's why I've always seen Neil Young as an amazing song writer, but not necessarily as a great album maker. The high points are super high--Southern Man, After the Gold Rush. Then lots of forgettable filler.
Half dozen tracks were recognizable if not singable.
Solid outing.
This is a solid album but doesn't really stand out in any way. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I'll really be coming back to it. Best Songs: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Southern Man, Don't Let It Bring You Down Worst Songs: I Believe in You
Okok
Country Folk und Rock, nichts was mich richtig begeistert aber kann man mal hören. 3/5
Хороший такой, акустический, много гитары, голос мне не очень понравился, но парочка хороших песен есть.
Going into this not being familiar with most of Young's work, I found this to be decent. I like the musical styling and the lyrics, but i would say that Young's voice is like Bob Dylan in that it has to be your cup of tea to really enjoy. For me, Neil Young is a great songwriter, but his voice is an acquired taste that i have not acquired at this time.
Nog meer vintage Neil. Wederom quasi-diepzinnige teksten met precies genoeg begeleiding bij 's mans kenmerkende stem. En opnieuw kan ik deze folkrock weer goed hebben. Geen uitschieters maar wel een sfeervolle bedoening.
Neil prikkelt inmiddels de nieuwsgierigheid. Wat heeft hij nu voor voor mij in petto? Het is met name een rustige plaat. Nauwelijks fratsen, gewoon zingen. Devplaat toont Neil zijn kwaliteit, maar is ook wat saai.
Wat valt er nog over de beste man te zeggen na zoveel albums? Dit vind ik samen met Harvest zijn beste periode. Kleine liedjes, die hij vaak zonder (al te veel) ondersteuning van anderen brengt, waardoor ze misschien nog wel krachtiger zijn als dat er een hele begeleidende band achter zou staan. En als er dan een begeleidende band bij is, zoals bij Southern Man, dan rockt het zoals de beste nummers op latere platen. Aangezien er teveel platen van Neil Young in staan, kan er maar 1 album de 5 sterren krijgen en dat kreeg Harvest al. Dus houden we het op een keurige 4.
The second time I've heard "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" in a week! And this version is just as good as the Saint Etienne cover. Maybe Young's best album as well? Bittersweet but kind of hard at the same time.
Neil Youngs drittes Soloalbum After the Gold Rush wurde 1970 veröffentlicht und zeigt ihn als vielseitigen Songwriter zwischen Folk, Rock und Country. Eingespielt wurde das Album in mehreren Studios, darunter Youngs eigenes Heimstudio in Topanga Canyon sowie die berühmten Sound City Studios in Los Angeles. Der kanadische Musiker präsentiert hier eine Mischung aus introspektiven Balladen und raueren Rockstücken. Besonders hervorzuheben sind das titelgebende After the Gold Rush, das mit seinem melancholischen Klavierspiel und surrealen Texten beeindruckt, sowie Southern Man, ein kritischer Song über Rassismus in den Südstaaten der USA. Auch Only Love Can Break Your Heart sticht als gefühlvolle Ballade hervor. Das Album gilt als Meilenstein in Youngs Karriere. Es verbindet persönliche, oft rätselhafte Texte mit abwechslungsreichen Arrangements und einer warmen, organischen Produktion.
Neil Young baaaaby
Gorgeous with every track.
Neil Young shows off his range with the folksy rock ballads here while also foreshadowing the "grunge" rock he became more known for. I like it all and really enjoyed this album. Southern Man is such a jam and a cool way to break through from the folksy/melancholy start. The guitar solo towards the end just slaps. Other than that song, there weren't many standouts that could push this to a 5 for me. I'll list Tell Me Why and When You Dance I Can Really Love as honorable mentions. Solid 4.
Great classic album
One of my favorite albums of all time
I hate
Suffering. I have found out what genre I don't like, and it's called Neil Young. The best I have to say is that some of the instrumentals with the guitar in it are good, but then Neil starts singing and everything is ruined. Hell is a Cripple Creek Ferry.
Songs with words that "actually mean something" only matter if they don't send you off to snoozeville.
Not his best work but there’s some good stuff here
surprisingly lit af like i didn’t think id like country stuff at all but this kinda felt like soft rock a bit. felt quite emotional definitely went hard
Weak 3
Two of my fav Neil tracks are on here, the title track and “Don’t let it bring you down”. Along with the other obvious hits it is a strong album, but not enough to round up for me. 3.5/5
Another day. Another Neil album. While definitely better than “Tonight’s The Night”, the number of his albums being included in this list is bordering on silly.
One of my fave Neil albums, I think this whole album is solid and has several of his best on it
Turns out I’m prob not that much of a Neil Young fan. Southern Man is nice but the rest didn’t really tickle my weiner. 2.75
Def getting heavy on Neil Young… I like this and rated it 4 previously so I’m sticking with it. No much else to say. It’s Neil! 3.75/5
While Crosby, Stills and Nash were on their own separate rolls, Neil Young decided he would rather not be upstaged and crafted his rendition of a sweeping mini-epic that gathered together subjects such as love, heartbreak, segregation, eventual disillusionment and nostalgia. After the Gold Rush sees Neil once again improving upon where he left off and leaving behind crumbs that showcased a glimmer of where he would go; a road that would give him further despair, confusion and revelation that will ultimately change him. Favorites: Tell Me Why, After the Gold Rush, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Southern Man, Don't Let It Bring You Down, When You Dance I Can Really Love, I Believe in You.
3/5
Decent album. A few gems. But felt more like background.
Annoying voice on the guy
Two star. Great morning album to wake up to but did not fit my car washing. Sorry I like hard rock more pensive emoji
Neil Young is like a good cup of coffee. You can live without it, right? But why risk it?
It was dull and soulless to me...
Definitely one of Neil Young's better albums, short and sweet. Mid 4.
I tried. I hate his voice Holy cow.
Tough one for me. Has a couple of standouts, but as with anything with Neil...you take the good with the bad. I'm a love and follower of his entire catalog, but this album seems to go in different directions at times. Squeaking in to a four star at 3.59.
Eerily beautiful. The break for silence is fascinating and thoughtful. Lyrics are poetic and profound.
Het algoritme smakt voor de verandering maar weer eens een Nelis Jeugdig plaatje op m'n bord. Het was immers alweer zo'n 24 dagen geleden. Maargoed, we weten dat het zo is dus we accepteren het maar. Zo weet ik ook dat er nog drie Elvis Costello's in het duister op me liggen te wachten. Onze vaste vriend van de show lijkt op dit album wat te experimenteren met z'n kopstem, haast beegeeësque. Het maakt me inmiddels weinig meer uit, ome Nelis krijgt tot nu toe steevast voldoendes en ook deze keer komt het wel goed zo te horen. Zo'n track als 'Southern Man' is smullen geblazen, net als 'Don't Let It Bring You Down'. Ondanks die stem dus. Knap eigenlijk. Qua sfeer (zo werd 'vibe' vroeger genoemd, toen een meeting nog gewoon een vergadering was en een workshop nog een cursus) zit het op dit album echt helemaal goed en mede daardoor is dit misschien wel m'n favoriete Cornelis tot nu toe. Goed geluid, sfeervolle nummers en dat de stem wat typisch is verrast me al lang niet meer. Een speeltijd van 35 minuten is bovendien meer dan keurig. Ik verbaas mezelf, maar ik moet zeggen dat ik zelfs even twijfel over een 5. Ik denk dat de 4 het meest realistisch is, maar het is me inmiddels in ieder geval duidelijk dat je ze een stuk slechter kunt treffen op deze lijst.
Meh. Old country is not my thing.
cool
Not for me unfortunately. Won't be revisiting. 1/5.
Det er neil young
Confirmed. Neil Young is mostly inoffensive, but not great.
That's fine
Easy to see why he is so reveared
Was going to say no notes, 10/10, an all-time favorite (although not my favorite NY solo effort), but instead: 1. Hilary, shoutout number 2 in like less than a week to Mr. Kessler and 7th grade language arts class (will explain this more in the group chat tomorrow) 2. Extremely eerie to listen to this record today specifically (looking at you, Southern Man and Don’t Let It Bring You Down) 3. Damn does NY know how to write about love and heartbreak or what 4. Listened two times in a row because how could I not 😍 alright, Brett out