Rust Never Sleeps

Back when I was in college I used to go to a bar and listen to Neil tunes and do magic tricks for women. There was a bartender there, he was the best. I loved that guy. Some of the best years of my life.

Back when I was in college, there was this dude who would come into the bar I worked at on a Friday night and play fucking 10 Neil Young songs in a row. He would also hit on girls by doing magic tricks. I remember how angry I got every time he made me listen to an hour of Neil Young because I was just trying to have a good time, and he fucking made me listen to this sad, soppy fuck who writes nothing but songs that sound indistinguishable from each other and never seemed to enjoy a happy moment in his entire like. Fuck that guy, and fuck Neil Young. 2/5

Back in the day we girls always went to a bar to dance. Most of the nights just when the evening started to be great this nerdy guy put coins in the jukebox to play at least 5 Neil Young songs in a row. After he spoilt the mood he even tried to hit on us with tricks as "he was a magician". We considered him "Helpless". The only reason we kept returning to this bar was the fact the barman also disliked the guy and told us the drinks were free as long as we kept on rebuffing the guy. Ever since I get thirsty when I listen to a Neil Young song.

Not my favorite Neil Young album, but fuck Joe Rogan.

“Rust Never Sleeps” by Neil Young & Crazy Horse (1979) I’m a big fan of Neil Young, but, interestingly, I’ve never listened to this album, primarily because when I was compiling my Neil Young collection in the late 1990s, I generally stayed away from live albums altogether. So this will be a serious listen with fresh ears. If you’re not already a fan of Neil Young, this album is probably not for you. I would suggest “After the Gold Rush” (1970), “Harvest” (1972), “Harvest Moon” (1992), and “Prairie Wind” (2005) instead. “Rust Never Sleeps” is a reminder that if you fail to pay attention to the encroachment of old age, decay will catch up with you. Neil Young was 33 years old when this album was released. Ha. Now he’s 75 and still rocking (and not in a chair). He’s neither burning out nor fading away. The songs on “Rust Never Sleeps” are ‘sandwiched’ between two versions of the same melody and lyrical theme (the acoustic “My My, Hey Hey” and the electric “Hey Hey, My My”). Message: Rock ‘n Roll endures (even if it’s purveyors don’t). Musically, the live acoustic tracks on “Side One” are quintessential Neil Young, whose acoustic guitar style is characterized by carrying melodies on the lower strings, with the higher strings provide color and chord structure. The electric tracks of “Side 2”, performed with Crazy Horse, haven’t aged well. Ironic, isn’t it? Young’s voice is not very good, especially live, but like Dylan and others, he puts his limited vocal talent to effective use in expressing his poetry. And his poetry is usually very good. The overall effect is like sitting around the campfire listening to a good friend do what he can with voice, guitar, and songs that are important to him. In a September 1980 Playboy interview, a famous rock star was asked, “What do you think of Neil Young’s line ‘It’s better to burn out than fade away”? His answer: “I hate it. It's better to fade away like an old soldier [ref. General Douglas MacArthur’s farewell speech to the U.S. Congress in 1951] than to burn out. If he was talking about burning out like Sid Vicious, forget it. I don't appreciate the worship of dead Sid Vicious or of dead James Dean or dead John Wayne. It's the same thing. Making Sid Vicious a hero, Jim Morrison—it's garbage to me.” That rock star was John Lennon, who was gunned down three months later. Young’s original 1979 lyric was part of a reflection on the rise of Johnny Rotten, with an oblique reference to the 1977 death of Elvis Presley. In April, 1994, Curt Cobain concluded his suicide note with “It’s better to burn out than fade away”. One lesson here is that lyrics can have a life (or death) of their own. They can transcend the expressive experience of the writer. Whether the sentiment of this line conforms with reality or not, it evokes serious consideration in an existential crisis. With songs of protest against injustice that would sound clunky to PETA (“Pocahontas”) and feminists (“Welfare Mothers”), Young seems to be departing that genre for the rock of the aged. On “Rust Never Sleeps”, he hasn’t yet arrived. A little disappointing, by still a good Neil Young album. 3/5

"It's better to burn out than to fade way" is one of the opening lines of this album, and also its thesis. Side A is Young mourning everything - the death of Elvis, his separation from CSN, his feeling that punk rock was overtaking rock n roll - and it's all set to that familiar acoustic and harmonica set. For Side B, he invites Crazy Horse to join him, and it's almost as if he's trying to burn away the rust. There's a symmetry to this thing, almost a chiastic structure. The first and last tracks are the most obvious pieces of evidence for this, but there are other parallels (Pocahontas and Welfare Mothers, for example). The tight structure and evocative imagery is impressive enough, but hey, it also sounds great. What an album. Best track: My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)

I sigh whenever I read Neil Young's name on one of the albums on this list, because I think he is severely overrated. The problem is always the same. The song might start out well enough, but as soon as I hear Neil Young's whining singing voice, I just can't stand to listen any further. Apart from that, on this particular album, I don't care about any of the lyrics, and musically, the songs are nothing to write home about. Must be a 70s thing. Classic Young. 1.5/5

Rust Never Sleeps continues to be a gem of an album, shining brightly for all to see how multi-faceted and lyrically expansive he can Crazy Horse can be. I am grateful to have seen them together at UIC years ago, and to see Neil solo a couple of times as well. Mr. Young goes down as one my fav artists of all time. At least one of his records should have been in our stereo console, but somehow my parents missed him along the way. Maybe a little too punk? Can't imagine them catching Sedan Delivery on this album and knowing what to do with it back then :)

Neil Young is an acquired taste, I admit, but the run of albums he put out from 1969 to 1979 rank among the most consistent and rewarding of any 70’s artist. Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere, After the Gold Rush, Harvest, Time Fades Away, On The Beach, Tonight’s the Night, Zuma…even “lesser” works like American Stars ‘n Bars and Comes A Time were not without career highlights. He was on an unstoppable roll and Rust Never Sleeps is culmination of that period, acting as a bit of a recap of that decades work, but also a glimpse of what was to take over the music world in another decade or so. Split between an acoustic side and an electric side (a fitting encapsulation of Young’s tendencies as a songwriter), Rust is bookended by acoustic and electric versions of the same song, the iconic “My, My, Hey, Hey” and “Hey, Hey, My, My”. The latter features some of the most fuzzed out, grungy riffs ever heard, a good 12 years before the phrase “grunge” hit the cultural zeitgeist. In between the “Hey’s” and “My’s” lie some of Neil Young’s greatest songs: “Thrasher”, the beautiful 12 string acoustic CSN diss-track; “Pocahontas”, a haunting and surreal tale of indigenous genocide, culminating in a meeting between Pocahontas and Marlon Brando at the Astrodome; “Powderfinger”, a dark horse (excuse the pun) candidate for best Neil Young and Crazy Horse song; and “Sedan Delivery”, a rave up alternating between fits of fuzzed out guitar and slower, but still fuzzy, guitar psych. It’s no wonder that Young and Crazy Horse took Sonic Youth on the road for the 1991 Weld tour. The hefty guitar crunch, feedback and guitar interplay on the second half of Rust Never Sleeps shows a shared DNA between the two acts: stylistically and in their uncompromising spirit and artistic visions. If I could travel through time for a concert, a Neil Young and Crazy Horse / Sonic Youth show is near the top of my list of stops. …and while I’m traversing the space-time continuum, my next stop will be 1979 to see the Rust Never Sleeps tour. Neil and the band are formidable here: a lumbering behemoth intent on pummeling anyone in their way. Until I can get my Delorean up to 88 miles per hour, Rust Never Sleeps (and Live Rust) will have to suffice.

One of best rock albums.... EVER. A genius at his prime

This is one of the greatest albums ever made. Let me tell you why in painstaking detail. First of all its fucking Neil Young, the mans the master and you should show some respect, he's been innovating and writing some of the best songs going for over 50 years now. As recently as 2019 I saw him blow Bob Dylan out of the water sharing a stage with him. The man is in his 70's and played for hours in sweltering heat, putting on a show which rocked so hard and was genuinely touching and funny in places without complaint or putting a foot wrong. That's dedication to your craft. Second of all My My, Hey Hey/Hey Hey, My My is one of the most satisfying suites of rock and roll ever made, what a sublime opener and closer. It sets out the mission statement for the acoustic/electric concept so incredibly well but even if one of those two tracks had been on any other album it would have been one of the highlights and he comes up with two variations on the idea that are equally as good as each other? wow. Also the Devo connection (this was written after Young's collaborations with the band, who subsequently did a typically angular version in Young's film Human Highway) gives it some extra mystique and appeal. Also, its better to burn out than to fade away... cmon. Then you get onto Thrasher. An often overlooked part of Neil Young's catalogue but I think its his best song. It feels like the ultimate expression of his love for and lamenting the loss of a certain period of Americana. I find this song so incredibly sad but beautiful and poignant, telling half made up stories and featuring references that you feel like you know from a dream but cant quite place. Its an wonderful rambling warning against globalization and to hold on to things you hold dear. Admittedly the next 3 songs were never going to be number one hits but each is written and executed with signature Neil Young enthusiasm. Then you get to Powderfinger, that first gently strummed electric chord lets you know that the record is going to change from here on. And it delivers, Young's falsetto warbling over the top of this wave of distortion is just so incredibly satisfying in a way that few vocalists have ever managed to pull off. In fact the distorted rhythm guitar tone throughout is night on perfect, its just so full of personality and doesn't cover up any of the detail in the playing while still sounding satisfyingly dirty and heavy. Welfare Mothers features such an amazing call and response chorus and some great guitar work and a brilliant solo which again has a brilliant tone and crucially doesn't outstay its welcome. And boom before you know it you are back at Hey Hey, My My which has one of the ganrliest distorted tones ever. What a record, I love it more every time I listen to it.

This does absolutely nothing for me. My breakfast gave me more emotional resonance.

I just can't ever get into Neil Young's work. His voice just ruins everything.

In which Neil reinvents himself as a punk (which doesn't take much beyond fuzz and volume--he's always been an irascible chap) while slipping in the most lyrical songs of his career. "Welfare mothers make better lovers" and "I searched out my companions / Who were lost in crystal canyons / When the aimless blade of science / Slashed the pearly gates" on the same album, with full commitment to the attitude of both? Masterpiece.

Oh look. Another Neil young. Out of tune out of time self indulgent blah. He’s not untalented. But he’s not anywhere near the talent the critics say. And the good songs here are not well performed. I’ll admit hey hey my my goes as close to being genius as Neil gets. Both versions. But is it better to burn out than to fade away? Neil seems to have done neither. To listen to great Canadian songwriters, try Gordon Lightfoot, Ron Sexsmith, Tom Cochrane, Joni Mitchell, Bare Naked Ladies or a host of others.

3.7 - Impressive as a live recording. The sound mix and quality of performances make it sound like a proper studio album. Lead guitar parts come through powerfully with screaming distortion that gives a paranoid edge to some of the arrangements, especially on "Hey Hey..." Despite the myriad strengths, I think this album is better for diehard fans. Admittedly, I'm not familiar with most of the songs here, and some of them I didn't like on first listen (e.g. "Welfare Mothers", "Sedan Delivery"). Maybe this was one of the SEVEN Neil Young albums that could've been left off this list??

i just don't think i'ma neil young person!

What I'd give to spend another afternoon enjoying this with my dad. Neil will forever be wrapped up in memories of him. The way the crowd is so small and distant at the end... this show must have been MASSIVELY loud.

I never understood the cult of Neil Young. The breathless praise of his undying genius by white boy rock snob types borders on a form of mutual masturbation, rivalled only by the fans of Steely Dan. I kind of like his tendency to turn the amps up REALLY LOUD and refuse to tune the guitars. He doesn't suffer from being overly polite, which is a good thing in rock and roll. But I don't dig his voice, and I really feel like his songwriting is vastly over-rated. I just don't understand the way Powderfinger is praised as though it was the greatest song ever written. Really? And I made the mistake of reading some appraisals of Pocahontas, which waffled on about how the ambiguity of viewpoint creates a casual morality and a surreal a journey through the 17th century to the modern day. I think it is just sloppily written, and don't get me started on how he wants to sleep with Pocahontas "to see how she felt". That's just creepy, dude. Stop it. And I just don't dig the whole "better to burn out than fade away". The sentiment has been around in rock and roll for a long time ("Hope I die before I get old"), but Hey Hey My My is a key text in codifying the idea into the rock cannon. But how much destruction and misery has been wrought in service to burning out? I find it hard to believe Neil really believed it at the time and, as he approaches 80, can he still say this with a straight face? As I get older, I am increasingly uncomfortable with the fetishization of human misery in rock and roll.

I love how its essentially two halves of an album. Going from slow and acoustic to fast and distortion drenched means there's a great build up. Especially towards the end with Sedan Delivery and the final track. Love how Hey Hey, My My also comes back as an electric track in the end. The songs themselves are brilliant and melancholic. Another great Neil young album.

It's better to burn out than to fade away... This album obviously had some influence on Kurt Cobain, which is interesting considering this song is mostly related to the end of rock and roll. This album is really good. Nice mix of live recordings and studio recordings with interesting titles and themes.

I will say that, even though I'm never excited to see yet another Neil Young title show up, I have loved all but one so far. I love the acoustic first side more than the amplified B side but the whole thing is very enjoyable. I'm not sure how many more we need but...

Neil Young. Unique voice, fantastic guitarist (good grief, am I ever so sick of decades of "he's not a great technical guitarist, blah blah blah" -- heaven forbid an artist play the instrument differently), and incredible writer who never stops creating and experimenting. One of a kind. Love him.

Obviously

His songs weave a spell. Such great songwriting, beautiful warm tones to the guitar and harmonica. The band, Crazy Horse, sounds great. Overall, the album gets knocked down a star for me due to the dated-ness of a few of the tunes and lyrical content, and Neil’s unfortunate voice. Still, he’s one of the greats.

This album boasts one of the worst lyrics ever: "It's better to burn out 'cause rust never sleeps." Dull, dull, dull music. Arrangements consist of just strummed guitars--no art or nuance involved whatsoever. Oh, okay, now this is a little better. Ride My Llama at least has some halfway interesting rhythms and chord progressions. Actually, some of these songs aren't bad--there are some decent melodic hooks. The album actually gets better as it goes along. The first two songs were the pits. Neil Young's lead guitar playing on Powderfinger is atrocious. He's totally unconvincing as a rocker. Crazy Horse reveals itself to be a deeply mediocre backing band. 2 stars out of 5 and that's being generous.

never heard before -immediately in love with the first song wow -this is like neil young for phoebe bridgers fans -i enjoy how the album slowly builds, but i heavily prefer the first half of the album -ties up nicely, i like the callback to the first song!!! 4.5/5

Favourite Neil album. Recorded live, this is a fuzzy and chugging folk rock record that feels like a precursor to grunge.

Weird to have this after Ryan Adams, since they're...kind of similar? Crazy how I think Adams is probably technically better in just about every way, but I prefer this - just goes to show it's not all about technical acumen. Anyway, I'm somehow less angry about the 70s guitar here on the back half than I normally would be elsewhere. Maybe Crazy Horse is ok! Pretty cool how it does the front half-back half shape, especially for a live album, plus some absolute bangers. Can't believe this is a live album. This is the first album on this list I went back to and listened again before I hit the review button. Pretty big stuff!

Obra maestra absoluta y disco capital de la historia de la música. Reivindicación total de que el rock daba para más en plena época post punk y New Wave. La mitad acústica emociona y la eléctrica lo revienta todo. Grandes canciones. Maravilloso.

Totally captivated by the 1st half of this album- there's a rough, raw, nostalgic simplicity here, and I can smell the emotion.

I quite enjoyed this! I had only heard a few Neil Young songs, but I knew of his reputation. The Godfater of Grunge, and the guy who got dissed in Sweet Home Alabama. Suffice to say, I prefer Neil to Lynyrd Skynyrd. A couple of the songs on this album were a bit samey, but I enjoyed the rest. There was even a kinda punky song on here, which was a bit of a surprise. I also really liked the guitar work. Neil Young's voice is lovely too!

I want to love Neil Young. I really, really do. But I never really liked his voice. That said, he has incredibly solid songs, musically, lyrically, just across the board good music. This album continues that with fantastic songs. Powderfinger alone just blew me away. If not for my aversion to Young’s voice, I’d probably give it 5 stars, but the best I can do is 4 and feel bad about it.

despite being a relatively big neil young fan, i have not listened to a breadth of his music, including this one. what i really liked about this is that this album has a nice balance between neil's acoustic side and hard rock side, which culminates in the bookended versions of 'my my, hey hey' i also enjoyed the fact that it sort of toes the line between live album and studio album. sometimes it feels like it's a studio album, and then the audience noise starts bleeding in. i know neil young can be a bit divisive, but i tend to land on the positive side rather than the negative, and i greatly enjoyed my time with this one.

Father Grunge with the classic feedback and raw sound, sprinkle on some simple classics...you get what people love or hate. Powderfinger turn up to 11 please. What an interesting catalog. This isn't the best album but has a couple of classic signature sounds from crazy horse. Raw edgy and classic Neil.

Neil Young is like Dave Matthews Band or U2. Insanely popular, gigantic catalog, extremely dedicated fan base, top rated, yet people come out of the woodwork to let you know they hate them because “they suck”. This isn’t Neil’s best album but it’s damn good.

I didn't realize how grungy Neil Young could sound. He must have had a pretty heavy influence on the '90s.

This is a darn good album. I really don’t think I’ve listened to the acoustic side previously Of course I know My My Hey Hey but don’t think I had heard Thrasher before and it’s a mighty fine song. The electric side I know inside out. Powderfinger, Sedan Delivery and HHMM Pt 2 are all classics. I always thought HHMM was released a few years after the Sex Pistols‘ only album (released Q4 1977) but am surprised to find out HHMM was recorded in 1978. I can’t imagine Neil Young fans during that tour having a fucking clue who Johnny Rotten was. There are already at least 2 Neil LPs that I know I’ll be giving 5s to. This wasn’t on that list. It made a valiant effort to elbow its way on but I’m holding my ground.

Classic Neil Young. What can I say that hasn't already been said? He's got a recognizable sound. He's fine.

Bit mad

You can definitely hear how this is a precursor to grunge. Always solid songwriting with Young.

For a Neil Young fan, this has to be a great album. As a casual fan, it's what i would have expected, however there are some rocked up numbers that make it feel like new territory for NY. I guess that makes it a precursor to grunge? It's decent, but not something I'd reach for. 3.7

meh

Not too crazy about it. I like how it's bookended with the same song, but flipped. Otherwise, songs like Pocohontas and Ride My Llama really took me out of it. I like that I couldn't tell if it was live in some parts though.

Neil Young est quand même bien meilleur sans sa bouteille de tequila dans les parages. Les premiers sons acoustiques de Rust Never Sleeps sont tout bonnement excellents mais leur dynamique sera gâchée par l'arrivée des Crazy Horse qui passeront leur temps à hennir et déféquer sur scène. On aurait préféré une meilleure fin.

Alors que cet album démarrait sur les chapeaux de roues, avec un Neil Young extrêmement touchant, nous transportant à l'aide de sa seule voix et de ses instruments, la suite nous a tous laissé sans voix. Mais laissez moi vous expliquer ce qu'il s'est passé. Tout d'abord, il faut savoir que cet album a été enregistré en live dans une petite salle de concert de Nashville. Cette salle de concert présente une particularité, c'est qu'elle est située en pleine campagne, loin de toute civilisation. Alors que tout le monde s'installe dans la salle, se réjouissant d'entendre Neil Young les bercer de sa voix, un homme va commettre une erreur. Cet homme, c'est l'intendant de la salle de concert de Nashville. Ce dernier avait été mis au courant: il faut absolument que tu fermes à double tour la porte menant vers l'exterieur de la salle de concert. Pourtant, équipé de son crayon à papier dissimulé derrière son oreille, il oubliera ce détail qui lui semblait futile, et laissa la porte entrouverte. Après une dizaine de minutes de concert, c'est la que le drame se produit: une horde de chevaux sauvages fit irruption sur la scène au galot, détruisant tout sur son passage. Le bruit des sabots frappant le parquet de la scène camoufle complétement la voix de Neil Young, ainsi que les différents "Huuuuuuh" jetés ici et là par ces chevaux absoluments déchaînés. C'est dans cette panique la plus totale que les 20 dernières minutes de l'enregistrement se dérouleront, laissant un arrière goût amer à cet album, qui démarrait comme expliqué de fort belle manière.

There are some absolute monster jams on this album. It comes right out the gate with a beast of a song (My My, Hey Hey). But it's also Neil Young so there's a lot of whiney navel-gazing and jingle-jangle acoustic guitar which isn't my favorite. The second half of the album is better IMO. It's the "electric" side of the album (remember when albums had 'sides'?) and it has a lot more guts. While the first half is clearly influenced by country music, the second has more of a proto-punk feel that I'm into. Paticularly "Sedan Delivery" is an unsung deep cut for ol' Neil and is so DAMN good this 'Bama boy can almost forgive him for "puttin' her down" because of this one track.

Na 3 albums nog steeds geen neil young fan

harmonica slay but not really my vibe tbh

Well I think I preferred this to previous NY and crazy horse albums but I did again find it a bit samey. Nothing stood out and just felt like tedious dad rock by the end

Please stop recommending hiphop, it is not music...

oh fuck off neil.

Никто не сказал, что альбом состоит из одной песни

Bon, on ne va pas se mentir, dans ce projet interminable des "1001 Albums", il y a des jours où je me traîne, où j'ai l'impression de faire mes devoirs en écoutant des trucs qui ont mal vieilli ou de la soupe tiède. Et puis, il y a des jours comme aujourd'hui. Des jours où je tombe sur une évidence, un truc qui justifie à lui seul que je perde mon temps à écrire sur de la musique au lieu de juste l'écouter en boucle dans le noir. Aujourd'hui, c'est Neil Young, mais attention, pas le Neil Young en mode "Harvest" pour faire pleurer dans les chaumières (même si je respecte). Non, là, c'est le Neil Young avec le Crazy Horse, c'est "Rust Never Sleeps" et nous sommes en 1979. Pour un mec né en 1970 comme moi, 1979, c'est une année charnière, même si à 9 ans, je n'avais pas encore la conscience politique du punk. Mais avec le recul, et toutes ces années passées derrière le comptoir du magasin de disques ou derrière le micro de la radio, je sais ce que cette année représente. C'est le moment où le rock "dinosaure" se prenait un grand coup de pied au cul par les punks. Les Sex Pistols avaient déjà tout cassé, le post-punk commençait à émerger (Joy Division, mes amours !), et les vieux de la vieille, les mecs des années 60, avaient l'air de fossiles. Sauf un, sauf ce putain de Canadien mal peigné avec ses chemises à carreaux et sa Gibson Les Paul noire défoncée. Neil Young, au lieu de faire l'autruche ou de se couper les cheveux pour faire jeune, il a sorti "Rust Never Sleeps". Et bordel, quel titre, "La rouille ne dort jamais" c'est d'un cynisme et d'une lucidité effrayante. C'est l'album de la survie, c'est l'album qui dit aux punks : "Je vous ai compris, je vous respecte, mais je peux faire plus de bruit que vous." L'album est foutu bizarrement, et c'est ce qui fait son génie. C'est un faux live, un concept bâtard enregistré sur scène mais retouché en studio, divisé en deux parties bien distinctes. C'est le Yin et le Yang du larsen. On commence doucement avec la face "folk", celle qui rassure les fans de la première heure. Mais attention, ce n'est pas du folk de feu de camp pour scout niais. C'est sombre avec "My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)" qui ouvre le bal. Rien que pour ces paroles, l'album mérite sa place au panthéon. "It's better to burn out than to fade away". Mieux vaut brûler franchement que de s'éteindre à petit feu. Cette phrase... putain, elle me hante. Quand je bossais chez le disquaire dans les années 90, c'était impossible d'écouter ça sans penser à Kurt Cobain qui l'a citée dans sa lettre d'adieu. Ça donne une gravité, une lourdeur au morceau qui te prend aux tripes. C'est prophétique. Neil Young y parle de Johnny Rotten, il adoube le punk tout en actant la fin de son propre règne de hippie. Il y a "Pocahontas" aussi sur cette face, une merveille de narration un peu barrée comme seul Young sait les pondre. C'est beau, c'est dépouillé. Si l'album n'était que ça, ce serait déjà un excellent disque, un solide 4/5. C'est la facette du Loner que j'apprécie, celle qui sait raconter des histoires tristes avec une voix haut perchée qui te brise le cœur. Mais bon, moi, mes goûts, tu les connais. Je suis un enfant du bruit, de la fureur, du larsen et des drones. J'ai besoin que ça gratte, que ça saigne, que ça fasse mal. C'est là qu'on retourne le vinyle... Et on change de monde. On branche les amplis géants, le Crazy Horse débarque, et là, mes aïeux, c'est la guerre. C'est simple : cette face B, c'est l'acte de naissance du Grunge, dix ans avant tout le monde. C'est la matrice, c'est le son que chercheront à reproduire J Mascis, Thurston Moore, Black Francis et Kurt Cobain toute leur vie. C'est sale, c'est lourd, c'est maladroit, et c'est absolument parfait. Le Crazy Horse, parlons-en deux secondes. Ce n'est pas le groupe le plus technique du monde. Ralph Molina à la batterie, il joue souvent un peu derrière le temps, Billy Talbot à la basse, c'est monolithique. Mais ensemble ? C'est une machine à broyer du silence. C'est lourd comme une chape de plomb, c'est le son du garage poussé à son paroxysme. "Powderfinger", c'est l'hymne. Une histoire de gars qui doit défendre sa famille avec un fusil, ça sent la poudre, la peur et la mort, le tout porté par des solos de guitare qui sont à la fois mélodiques et complètement crades. Neil Young ne joue pas de la guitare, il la torture, il lui arrache des sons qui n'existent pas. Sa "Old Black", cette Gibson modifiée, crache un son fuzzé, compressé, qui semble constamment au bord de la rupture. C'est jouissif. Et puis on arrive à la fin, le miroir de l'ouverture : "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)". La version électrique, la version méchante et la distorsion est tellement forte qu'on a l'impression que les enceintes vont exploser. C'est de la boue sonore, c'est épais, c'est gluant, c'est ce son-là que j'ai cherché toute ma vie d'adulte. C'est ce son-là qui fait le lien entre le classic rock et le noise rock que je vénère. Quand j'entends ça, je comprends pourquoi Sonic Youth a fait une reprise de "Computer Age" plus tard, ou pourquoi ils ont tourné avec lui. Neil Young sur cette face B, il est plus jeune, plus violent et plus pertinent que 99% des groupes de 1979. Il invente le mur du son émotionnel. Je pourrais ergoter sur "Sedan Delivery" qui est un morceau punk avant l'heure, speed et bordélique, ou sur "Welfare Mothers" et ses chœurs de bourrés. Mais l'essentiel n'est pas là. L'essentiel, c'est la cohérence du chaos. C'est un album sur le temps qui passe, sur l'obsolescence, joué par un mec qui refuse de devenir obsolète. C'est un album bipolaire, qui passe de la caresse à la gifle, et qui réussit les deux avec une maestria insolente. Quand je réécoute ça aujourd'hui, je ne trouve pas ça ringard une seule seconde. Au contraire, j'y entends les prémices de tout ce que j'aime, jy entends la liberté totale. Neil Young se fout des modes, il se fout de la technique, il se fout de chanter juste. Il veut juste que ça soit VRAI et bordel, que c'est vrai. C'est un disque charnière pour moi, c'est le moment où j'ai compris qu'on pouvait aimer le folk introspectif ET le déluge électrique sans être schizophrène. C'est le moment où le rock a compris qu'il pouvait vieillir sans devenir pathétique, à condition d'accepter de se mettre en danger. Alors oui, je valide cet album à 100%. La face acoustique est sublime, un 4/5 solide pour la beauté du geste. Mais la face électrique... La face électrique, c'est l'ADN de ma discothèque, c'est ce qui annonce les déflagrations futures. C'est un 5/5 indiscutable. Au final, c'est un putain de bon album. Probablement l'un des trois meilleurs de Neil Young, si ce n'est le meilleur pour ceux qui, comme moi, aiment quand ça sent la sueur et l'électricité statique. La rouille ne dort jamais, et visiblement, le talent de Neil Young non plus. Allez, je retourne écouter "Sedan Delivery" à fond les ballons en faisant chier les voisins.

Neil young no decepciona

This is a really great two-hander, with Young's haunting, perhaps overly-sentimental acoustic folk on one side, and some fantastic driving rock with a full band on the other. His vocals are an acquired taste, but the lyrics and arrangements are superb, impactful and influential.

Great throughout, really appreciate the transition from front to back.

Maybe my favorite In Neil Young album , maybe tied with Harvest

Neil Young, I have so many of his albums, and for good reason. He is amongst the very best from my era, and this is one of his best albums.

Tog en promenad med en av mina mest älskade och lyssnade skiva. Sällan är högsta betyg mer självklart

Peak folk 9/10 2025/1/7

Loved this one! I had heard some of these songs before, but not the album- this one is going to be added to my rotation

Have this album on vinyl- not new to me, but this will always remind me of my dad

wait i loved this one! fabulous album to start off with

Ett av mina favoritalbum överlag. Kan inte bli annat än en 5a

The feels very chill and enjoyable so far. I'd play this on an indie road trip tbh. Very fall hanging out the window vibes. Even the ones I don't like the vibes are still very good. I love 70s rock I'm glad this has so much. Favourite: My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) Least favourite: Sedan Delivery

this one was amazing

19/12/2025 1. my my, hey hey (out of the blue) - heard this one before in the dennis hopper film named after it, but the first time i've properly listened to it by itself. liking the guitar. listened to a few neil young songs before and really love his voice :) also like the live aspect of this album. not sure how i feel about the harmonica though, probably depends what mood i'm in when listening lol. the lyrics are great as well. 2. thrasher - again, guitar, lyrics and vocals are great :) i like the more poetic lyrics and how gentle this song is; after listening to iron maiden and abba the past two days this is an absolute godsend. harmonica at the end reminds me a bit of everybody's talkin. ☆3. ride my llama - loving how picky the start of this song is. not much to say about this one, but loving this so far. i'm liking the more acousting folksy vibe, although i know it switches about halfway through? already love powderfinger so am very excited for that ☆4. pocahontus - before starting, i am slightly concerned what a white canadian man in the 70s has to say about pocahontus. now started, loving the guitar in this. was expecting this album to be a bit sad, but not as melancholic as this, verrrry beautiful. guitar sounds around the middle-ish are great!! loving the more surreal, dreamy lyrics, mixing the past and present. ☆5. sail away - the harmonica is back.... not as grating as certain dylan songs though and i'm in a good mood to deal with it. loving the female backing singer on this one. very tender song, really touching album so far :( quickly becoming a favourite of all time. the live aspect of this really helps the vibe for me. ☆6. powderfinger - already have this song constantly on repeat, been meaning to listen to this album for a while becuase of this song and this is the perfect reason :) listening to it as a part of the album instead of by itself has somehow pushed it up even further in my head. the guitar in this is crazy. love the lyrics, very atmospheric. the backing vocals are really great, especially in the instrumental section with that phenomenal guitar. i know the vocals aren't for everyone, but i love the whiny bits. 7. welfare mothers - immediately a lot more aggressive than i was expecting, especially after the first half of this album, but not complaining at all. the opening reminds me a bit of john i'm only dancing but a looot more punkier. this album is actually crazy why have i been putting off listening to it????? the lyrics aren't as poetic/complex as the rest, but it's such a high bar and the music is so good i actually do not care in the slightest. the guitar throughout, but especially at the end is going to drive me actually insane, this is one of the best albums i have ever listened to. ☆8. sedan delivery - neil young i am so sorry i doubted you when i had to listen to a cover of ohio in gcse history, this is the best thing i have ever heard!!!!!!! oh my god the guitar is so good i am going to explode the solos in this are actually transcendent. loooove the tempo changes. i am very quickly becoming obsessed with neil young. 9. hey hey, my my (into the black) - before listening i do not want this album to end. guitar has been phenomental thoughout and this is no different, loving the distortion and almost-screeching. been reading a few of the reviews on here when adverts came up and i can understand not liking his voice, but i don't understand how this is boring??? already knew i would like this album from knowing powderfinger and my my, hey hey, but this is one of the best things i have ever heard and will be on constant repeat for at least a week lol. i loved all of the songs and it absolutely did not feel like 40 minutes. will be listening to more of his albums/songs as well after i am done with repeating this one. i understand neil young's voice isn't for everyone (as someone who cannot get into tom waits no matter how much i try, sorry lol), but it absolutely works for me, vibes are off the charts, every song is transcendent and i do not want to pick a favourite. bring back non-americans doing americana (i now need to rewatch the last waltz). the favourites on this is basically useless because they are all that good. neil young you will live forever.

No dount

Excellent listen. Neil Young’s influence and impact cannot be overstated. No skips, pure quality

Second time he surprises me with a great album. Makes me keen to pick up my guitar…

Spurred grunge, fuzzed guitars my my Hey hey Thrasher Powderfinger

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background A classic.

Fantastic Powderfinger is a top five Young song.

VERY VERY GOOD!

One of my favorite live albums!!!

Wow so glad I finally have listened to this one. I feel like people who saw him back in this day would have said ''Oh he's much better live'' so I feel like that's what he was trying to capture with this, and it definitely feels a bit less polished, but absolutely for the better in this case. There's such a mix of all amazing stuff on here, it starts more 'folky', which is I think what he does best on his own, but with the rest of the band doing extended jam type songs, is also amazing, and I'm pretty sure the Sedan Delivery song is Neil Young's take on Punk music, which is totally brilliant. also I think the 2 different styles is best summed up by the first and last songs being the same, but totally different instrumentation. His lyrics and songwriting are amazing, had no idea the burn out or fade away came from him, who knows what it's better to do. I love his voice a lot, and its hard to explain how much I just like his music, I feel like if anyone else sang these it wouldn't be nearly as good, there's just something amazing about him that's hard to place. No downsides except... Favourite songs: all but Welfare Mothers (obviously I have no problem with the concept, I don't like the instrumentation). Overall around 9/10

Live tracks and studio musical craftworks at their best!

One of Neil Young’s best albums and that says a lot. The intro/ outro on this album really work to set the tone while still standing on their own as great proto grunge songs. In between the rest of the album charges ahead with a mix of thought out lyrics and often aggressive melody. Top notch

Neil at his peak.

Another all-time Neil classic, packed full of great songs, delivered as live for a real raw punch.

The best!

This is the pinnacle of Crazy Horse in the studio, followed by Live Rust, their true apex, though they did still kick ads live to the bitter end. I love every song, but Pocahontas and Powderfinger and both of the Hey Hey My Mys and ffs everything here is peak Neil in every way

One of my all-time favorites

I loved the progression from more folk sound on A-side to hard rock sound onto the B-side. Def a good exploration of sounds for the time and I can see how this falls into the prototype grunge type genre.

Neil Young is always authentic, original and a great songwriter. Love this album.

Jeg mener å ha lest at Neil Young er den artisten i denne lista med aller flest album. 7/8 eller noe slikt. Dette er det andre albumet vi får og jeg er redd for at når vi er ferdig om noen år så er det Neil Young som fyller våre best likte album i oppsummeringen. For det blir en lett femmer her og. Gleder meg til mer!

A perfect album for me, both sides I have time for. A few cheesy lyrics you always get but this is one of my favourites. Heaps of repeatability. SPUN

Fantastic, busy right now or would write more but I get why Kurt was so inspired. Top tier

Neil's records are all the hell over the place, with total garbage and apex pinnacles. This one is decidedly the latter. Rust Never Sleeps and neither does Neil, raging, imagining, howling against the grisly transience of all good things. 'Thrasher' kept me afloat for a month of my least favourite job ever when I was 19 or 20. Used to debate the meaning of 'Powderfinger' for hours. Love how he borrowed Dylan's structure acoustic/electric but reversed. Brilliant record.

9.3

Great album for today. My first Neil Young album was Harvest when I was 13 years old ( because I had a crush on a boy who sang Heart of Gold)…. Yesterday we went to my nephew’s home. He and his wife have 2 young sons. The ambient low soundtrack they played was Neil Young songs.

Love this album, precursor for other hard rock. My my hey hey

This is such a classic Neil Young and Crazy Horse album. It features two trademark NY ballads in “Pocahontas” and “Powderfinger” that benefit from strong lyrics that leave themselves open to interpretation about their meaning. It has an inscrutably weird song in “Welfare Mothers.” It features excellent guitar crunch and ramshackle Crazy Horse stomp throughout. Then there are the leadoff and closing versions of “Hey Hey, My My,” one accoustic and wistful, sounding like something off of Harvest, the other noisy and fierce, with a beat like a stamping press. Young was simultaneously taking stock of a decade he loomed large over but felt confined by, and pointing toward the future, with tossed-off lyrical references to Johnny Rotten, ominous white boats coming up the river, and the famous line “It’s better to burn out than to fade away.” Reflective, restless, tender and angry, it’s an incredible capstone to a decade of personal and political upheaval, even if it marked the end of a run in which he could scarcely put a foot wrong.

I like how it switches from sad to sadder

This one’s easy! 5:5. I always mistake this for an early career ‘greatest hits’ album, it’s got so many standards on it. And his live versions are perfect! I learned to play guitar with these songs and (to paraphrase) ‘once they’re your songs, you’ll never give them back’. Neil young just provided me with a thanksgiving parenting affirmation when one of my kids told me that he and his roommate were dressing up in Halloween with the roommate being Neil Young and my son as “a crazy horse”!

This is one of my all timers Neil and crazy Horse were on fire and at their peak. After reading your review Mike I might have to rethink my Halloween costume (French mad if you were wondering).

# Album Name: Rust Never Sleeps # Artist: Neil Young # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Absolute banger. Every single track. Loved this record. # Top Tunes: All of it # Would I listen to it again? Yes

Gostei para caralho, muito bom.

Good