Reviews (page 6 of 13)
Effort: good Creativity: satisfactory Musicianship: good Neil shows promise. Sitting next to Crazy Horse has resulted in positive outcomes for both of them. I see no reason for Neil not to pass the second grade and wish him all the best. But seriously, no really bad tracks on here, and quite a few I'm down for. I think I like Neil Young. At least a three. Maybe a four? Oooh. Strong finish with Cowgirl in the Sand. That's a four. Four jangly stars.
This was a good album, particularly on the backend. Starting with Down By the River, it's a long song that has a solid jam on the back end. My favorite is up next with The Losing End (When You're On). It's folksy, country, and just the right flavor of blues for me that is very easy to listen to. Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) and Cowgirl in the Sand were also quite nice. I liked the groove in the last one and I wasn't even bothered with how long winded and endless it seemed.
Some really great songwriting on here, but also some mediocrity.
Good album overall. Great songs here and there.
Pretty good. Down by the river is a stand out. Really interesting and dark grooves. Songs go on for a bit too long but I imagine this would work great in a live setting. 4
Neil drawing a line in the sand with this one... And I'm on Neil's side.
First time listening to a Neil album and it was so lovely. Excellent guitar playing and I love the softness his voice has here. Feels so vulnerable.
Nice album
I didn't enjoy this quite as.much as I thought I would. Some of the songs were a bit forgettable, but the good ones were: - the losing end - down by the river - everybody knows this is nowhere This is either a low 4 or a high 3
More country vibes than I typically like, but really enjoyed this album start to finish.
Just some straight up Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Right down the middle from start to finish. Listen to the fist 30 seconds. Like it or lump it, the next 40 minutes will just reinforce whatever you thought initially.
Sounds like Neil was delirious with a fever when he wrote it (he was) also sounds like what happens when a bunch of guys have to do a school project that's due the next day so they rush through it one night and accidentally crush it (pretty much what happened)
Excellent - this is my sort of music - but not 5 star material. Several very enjoyable songs, but it's not his best work.
I knew the song Cinnamon Girl but the rest of this album was new to me. I enjoyed it. I got lost (in a good way) in Down By The River. Awesome vibe. I think this album would grow on you the more you listened to it. 3.75/5
NOT TOO BAD kinda different but pretty cool 3.5-4/5
Really awesome album! Gave very autumnal vibes, perfect for starting this album listen list in September
I knew a few of the songs and liked them. Very slow and hypnotic.
Neil can't do no wrong.
every time i listen to this guy i like him more
Some good tunes and jam moments.
nice woodsy folksy type album. some of the songs run a little long, but it’s a solid body of work
At times brilliant, but it ends up being a bit too much of folky noodling.
It's Neil Young, so pretty good.
Just some good, folky, rocky country music. There are meaningful lyrics, and pleasing to the ear instrumentals. Nothing feels overly repetitive either. My favourite song from the album is Down By the River.
A great folk rock album. Inspite of the two 9 minutes+ songs and the overall loose instrumentation, it is precise and not at all a drag. Neil Young sings in his signature gentle voice about love and heartbreak (mostly) while the band rocks with a kind of a lazy energy. Down by the river is such a banger. The Losing End was my favourite from the record. It's like the definition of bittersweet. The high pitched strings of Running Dry where also something new to listen in a rock song. Cowgirl in the sand could've been shorter. Overall, it was great.
Приятная музыка, хороший альбом, вернусь послушать ещё раз
First album for me and when I saw what it was I was a bit disappointed it wasn't a really really famous one. But this is going to happen more often than not, so just go in with an open mind and see how it goes. I certainly didn't expect it to sound as hard rock as this, particularly given the year of release. I did think the last two tracks were slightly weaker than the rest. From reading other reviews, I think the general consensus is that people love or hate Neil Young's voice, and I am the former. I really enjoyed this album a lot and am looking forward to hearing more, and not just from Neil Young. Cinnamon Girl was the highlight.
Campfire in the woods Crazy horse is crazy, horse Folk thrives when it’s not just a sad man with an acoustic guitar
Favourite tracks: down by the river; everybody knows this is nowhere; cowgirl in the sand
Neil Young is an artist that took time to grow on me, but by my late twenties, I had become a fan of much of his work. Harvest was the first album I embraced and remains a favorite of mine. From there I explored After The Goldrush and eventually reached this classic Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. “Cinnamon Girl” is the hit off this one and the one I remember most from classic rock stations from my youth. “Round & Round (It Won’t Be Long)” is a favorite of mine. Young’s jangly acoustic guitar on this track puts me in a trance while his story unfolds with rich harmonies and heartfelt vocal delivery. He’s got one of those distinct voices that I didn’t appreciate when I was a kid and now I absolutely love. This album definitely deserves to be on this list, and I was thrilled to revisit it.
I haven't followed all of the incarnations of Neil Young to differentiate what he did as part of Buffalo Springfield; Crazy Horse; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; or even with Pearl Jam. I just know of what I've heard, I like it; even the songs penned by Young and covered by other bands that I know better than his original versions. "Cinnamon Girl" is a justifiable standard on classic rock stations, but I really enjoy the mellower feel of the remainder of the first half, especially the dreamy "Round & Round (It Won't Be Long)." The second half is a bit predictable; the country stylings of "The Losing End (When You're On)" and the minor key dirge of "Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets)" sound familiar, pay homage to the tropes of the genre but never escaping them. The gypsy violin performance on the latter track is an album highlight. We are rewarded for our patience with the closer "Cowgirl in the Sand" when Crazy Horse play an extended jam, and the vocals sound a bit like the Bee Gees trying their hand at rock n' roll. The album has an overall warm sonic coloring. It sounds old, with a tone that some modern musicians attempt to capture in homage to early recording techniques and available equipment. It's a good listen through and through.
Man the 60s production sounds are cool. Down by river is such an epic jam.
It’s another one of those albums that’s so great, that everything that can possibly be said has already been said. But I will say that it is one of the best blends of instrumentation and songwriting I’ve ever heard. Young’s stupendous lyrical ability is elevated to untold heights with the all-encompassing, controlled country rock backing. The words “forty-one minutes” serve no purpose here, as time is irrelevant within this whirlwind of song.
Kicking off with the iconic, always satisfying Cinnamon Girl, this album meddles in some middling tempos and extended jams but ultimately never lets you down, if some rootsy classic rock puts you in the a comfort zone. It may not blow the lid off my day, genre-wise, but this is classic Neil Young. If I need to reach for a predictably dependable experience, without his more experimental or Harvest-era dour-tracks, this one does the trick.
I know this one well.Got on vinyl.
Really liked it, reminded me of pink Floyd - listened twice
No private spotify session used. I like this album, knew a couple of songs from it but had never listened to the album in it's entirety. Has a definite mood to it, though I don' t know when I would want this mood. Smoking some pot in a basement with wood paneling? Road trip when I don't mind if the driver nods off for a bit? Not sure.
I wasn't feeling this at first, but once "Down by the River" hit through the end of the album I was locked in and loving every riff
Never really thought of myself as a Neil Young fan, but I’m realizing through this that I am.
Decent. His guitar playing and voice are weird but I can respect him also.
I really like this - not a huge Neil Younghead but he's really growing on me.
Classic stuff, pretty good. Always hated the one note solo on Down by the River though
Det är så nära ett perfekt album men nånting saknas för mig. Cowgirl in the sand är en av mina favorit låtar någonsin!
++: Down by the River, Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) +: Cinnamon Girl, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Round & Round (It Won't Be Long), The Losing End (When You're On), Cowgirl in the Sand 8,1/10
Neil Young number 7. Comments on this topic have been made. You ever get kind of relieved when you get to the last track of an album, and you're like, "Oh boy, I can get on with my life soon," and then the song goes on and on and on and on and on forever and ever? That said, I liked this one fine.
I find this to be acceptable Neil Young fare.
This project has made me appreciate Neil Young more and I love Cinnamon Girl, but this is the last one by him, right?
4☆/5 08.29.2024
Very nice listen!!
Solid offering, 4
Really enjoyed it, just great music to listen to
Guitars on this go nasty
Guitar soloerne i Down By the River ❤️ Et rigtig fint album der svinger mellem skramlet proto-grunge lyd og folket singer-songwriter sange. Endnu et stort 4 tal
I like it
3.5/5 With fairly weak lyricism/vocal performances, this Young album is not amazing, but it's still a pretty enjoyable listen. There are some interesting melodies in the instrumentals but they can feel quite stale, safe and boring at times, going on too long also. There aren't any stinkers in the tracklist on a positive note, but that's probably not enough to bring me back. Cinnamon Girl 3.5/5 Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere 4/5 Round & Round (It Won't be Long) 3.5/5 Down by the River 4/5 (FAV) The Losing End (When You're On) 3.5/5 (LEAST FAV) Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) 3.5/5 Cowgirl in the Sand 3.5/5
I like this a lot more than the previous album (1990). Maybe because it still sounds so distinctively Neil young with a tad more liveliness?
7/10
Neil Young is one of those odd successes in my opinion. Brilliant song writer and guitarist, and while he's a reliable singer, his voice isn't all that pleasant on the ears. All that said, this is a great record with some of my favorite Neil tracks. Notable songs: Cinnamon Girl, Down by the River (the big single), and the title track. Also check out the different takes on "Cinnamon Girl" by Smashing Pumpkins, Susanna Hoffs/Matthew Sweet, and Type O Negative, and "Down by the River" by Buddy Miles.
I knew most of these songs but had never listened to this album before.
Exactly what one would expect from Neil Young.
Gran comienzo de una larga larga carrera con altibajos. Buenos desarrollos guitarreros.
I've been pretty critical of all of the Neil Young on this list, but honestly this one is pretty great. The instrumentals are the majority of the album, and I enjoyed the rock. Good vibes. 3.7/5 -> 4/5
Five stars for musicianship, originality and lyricism, minus one star for being Canadian.
Great stuff, for a record in 1969 it sounds timeless Listened to it mowing the lawn 4th July 2024
Classic
Fun and messy and great
Few of my favourite tracks on this along with some filler
Cinnamon Girl is the only song I know off the top of my head, but may know some others too. Very different vibe from the previous Soundgarden album.
This was a pretty good album, not really a bad song on it
Third Neil Young album the list has given me. Another solid one. Down by the River is the standout here
This is my second Neil Young album I've gotten and also happens to be his second album. Not as good as "After the Gold Rush" but still a great album. Some songs on it do go on a bit too long. It's nothing crazy, but still a solid album.
everybody knows this is nowhere down by the river the losing end
I LOVE this album. But …. First Neil album I ever listened to and I absolutely fell in love. You wanna hear why they call this man the “Godfather of Grunge”? The minor chords, the one note guitar solos, the somber lyricism. But really it’s his IDGAF attitude. I’m doing shit my way now everybody so strap in. The album FEELS like nowhere. The title track is one of my favorite songs by anybody and then theres Down By The River. Oof. I admit there’s some kinda BS noodling at times but I don’t care. If you want me to put in a Neil Young album this is usually the one . Good shit. And yet after a listen through…. Its songs are not all his best. There’s some filler. 3 1/2 stars but I guess I’m rounding up
Really liked the jamminess of this one. The band sounded really good 👍
This album shows Young's growth as a song writer
Groovy stuff, I enjoyed this one
Enjoyable
first listen i like the music but still am not sold on his vocal style
I really enjoyed this album. Quite more than I thought I would. The songs here all have substance. My only issue is that only two of them really stand out while the rest fade into the background. Otherwise, very nice work here, Neil. 4/5
This album is downright good. Right off the bat- Cinnamon Girl is a great start. The album cover is already setting me up for what I’m about to listen to. This is an album to own. 4.5
4.5/5
Enjoyed the album. Fave song "Down by the River" 4/5
Not my type of music but thos album was amazingly great. I have it but never listen to it like I did today. The songwriting is really good and although its countryish and indie it really is rock as well a great balance of generes. It a solid album very well produced.
This album was a treat. Neil isn't the best singer but it's his unique voice and tone that adds some grittiness to his country rock style. Instrumentally, Neil and the band are so strong, it's a joy to listen to them riff for minutes at a time on several tracks.
In my life, I have been resistant to Neil Young because of the timbre of his voice. But recently, I have been listening to him more and more and feel like I have been unfair to him in the past. This album was really great and it is absolutely clear why he is such a legend of rock ‘n’ roll music.
A couple of anthems and the last couple of song are quality psychedelic rock type tunes.
Really tight bunch of tracks. Down By The River is a classic slovenly rock rumble. Maybe just lacks a certain je ne sais quoi that a 5 star album should have, but very very nice. Fave Tracks: Cinammon Girl, Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, Down By The River 4.4/5
Although it isn't my favorite Neil Young album, it's still a Neil Young album! Cowgirl in the Sand is as solid today as it has been my whole life. Just great.
Sometimes Neil Young’s voice can irritate me. But that wasn’t the case on “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.” Young mostly avoids the gravelly whininess, allowing his songwriting and Crazy Horse’s dynamic backing to shine.
Danny Whitten of Crazy Horse shines brightly in the background. His rhythm guitar dances intricately with Neil Young’s lead while his vocals are subtly better, like on Round & Round (It Won’t Be Long). Cinnamon Girl, Down By The River, and Cowgirl In The Sand are other solid songs. It all sounds so simple yet full at the same time. The guitars get heavy at times (Cowgirl) to balance the more delicate. Good stuff.
Nice
Some great songs on this - very catchy!
Solid album length. Long songs are great but they are very long. Apart from those two the vibes were good. Giving it a low 4.
Listened 2 days ago but forgot to rate, I think I liked it, was great on the road
Starting to like Neil young. This album wasn’t fantastic, but it has its moments
Normally Neil young’s voice grains on me, but this album was great. Really enjoyed it.
Geggjuð, fullt af dóti sem er þess virði að hlusta a
Some incredible tracks on this one (Cowgirl in the Sand, Down By the River), some solid ones (Cinnamon Girl), some I didn’t really care for (Running Dry)- listened through a few times over the past week and I’m definitely going to come back to some of these.
Pretty good
I really liked this. There wasn’t any song that stood out, but I found myself replaying the album as soon as it ended.
Câlisse, j'aime ça Neil Young.
like smoking a joint under an oak tree in the sun
The jam band hater in me doesn't want to like this, but the jazz fan in me appreciates the freedom in the musical experimenting. I realize that doesn't make sense, but it feels right. There's a rawness to the musical talent and experience on this effort that, contextually, was transitional. That feels important and the vibe is right. I like this more than I remember from my college listening days. It appears to have grown on me.
Leuk, is Neil Young country? Is het Folk? Ik hou wel van deze man, leuk album, paar oeie nummers
good solos on down by the river and cowgirl in the sand, like the instrumentals haunting vocals on most songs except cinnamon girl which is nice too 4/5
pretty chill in the background
Started 4/30
7.5/10
An enjoyable listen
Without the extended guitar solos, this would have been a five-star album.
Better than I thought it would be, honestly.
Ea-sy Listening !
Last track is a 5, rest of the album is a 3 for me.
Det jeg helst vil trekke fram med dette albumet er at det faktisk er sanger som varer i over 3 minutter. Forøvrig definitivt et album som nok var nyskapende i sin tid, men som 55 år etter sin utgivelse ikke er like nyskapende.
I’m realizing I should be less critical to some degree. This album is quite good, great guitar work, definitely drags at some points. Hometown treasure of an artist for me, go jets
Short album today, only 7 songs; love some Neil Young and this album did not disappoint. Classic Neil Young sound, not my all time favorite album of his, but still quite good.
I hadn't enjoyed previous Neil Young albums as much as I hoped but I was way more into this one. It sat right with me. Solid tunes in there.
Pretty solid Neil Young, although not as good as Harvest Moon
Classic Neil.
Some great songs…
Definitely want to come back to this one and give it another listen in the future!
Not sure if it was just my mood or the sunny day, but I really loved this album. I also like Neil Young already so I’m a little biased, Harvest Moon is my morning alarm, but this had a really unique sound and style.
It took me at least someone's lifetime to come around to this guy. Didn't care for his stuff at all when I was younger. Then, don't know what happened or when, but at some point it just clicked. Maybe I grew a soul. Anyway, dig it now. Liner note: Did the ~10 min songs *really* need to be ~10 mins tho?
Relatively short tracklist with some long guitar solos to pad it out, but I thoroughly enjoyed everything here. You can hear some country inspiration which I liked.
I've always had this thing for Neil Young but I never go out of my way to listen to him. I do like everything I hear from him so stoked to listen to this album.
This is maybe my favorite Neil Youmg album
I get Neil Young
I love Neil Young so this is a familiar and most-welcome album for me to enjoy. Some iconic tracks on this one. I remember learning "Down By The River" on guitar in my early 20s, one of the very few songs I actually put some work into back then. So great.
7/10. Was good vibes. Calming. But I did get bored at times.
Pretty nice laid back 60's rock
All hail to the Godfather of Grunge! This contains some of Neils best songwriting and the crazy horse sound just can't me matched.
Neil Young songs always have an interesting bridge that take you to the next part of the story. His style isn’t for everyone, but I’m glad it’s for me.
Points for Cinnamon Girl and enjoying his earlier stuff for sure.
Loved this album. The Guitar solo on Down By the River was great. Fun Wikipedia page to follow along with.
8/10
Surprisingly I really liked this.
Everybody Knows this is Nowhere I tend to forget about this album, despite Down by the River being one of my fav Neil songs. I can’t actually remember the last time I listened to this, but must be at least 10 years. Cinnamon Girl - it’s great. The handclaps, the sense of innocence. For some reason the intro always surprises me, I always think it’s at a quicker tempo than it is. Love the little guitar breakdown in the coda EKTIN Always a fav and always loved the harmonies and bouncy rhythm Round and Round I tend to overlook this one but it’s a very sweet low key melody. Down by the River I love this song. I love Buddy Miles version almost as much but this is just so so good. The Losing End I like the loping country feel, but it’s not one of my favourites Running Dry The fiddle is very nice against the slightly sinister traditional folk feel. Again I tend to forget about this song, but it’s great. Cowgirl in the Sand Banger I knew Down by the River was written quickly when he had a fever but I didn’t realise until today that he wrote Cinnamon Girl and Cowgirl in the Sand on the same day when he was delirious with fever too. How does one approach rating this? Alongside the McCartney, Bowie and Lennon albums this is the one of the ‘big’ artists with extensive catalogues, and when you know their other albums so well it’s hard to divorce it from the context of, in this case, what comes after. I think I have to rate in terms of my appreciation of the albums of his I love, so therefore it’s a 4. It’s great, and people have built entire careers on songs not nearly as good as CG, EKTIN, CITS and DBTR, but it’s just that level below my top tier Neil albums. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'm not the biggest Young fan in the word, but this was a solid album
Great album. Definitely want to re listen to Favourite cinnamon girl
pretty good overall
This was pretty good, I was digging a lot of the guitar work. Lots of soulful playing and all around good jams. Doesn’t overstay its welcome. Someone said the hippies, folksters, rockers, and country listeners all come together and sing the praises of Neil Young. It’s true, I’d say, and he does bridge the gap quite well although I’d say far more folk than country. A lot of people seem to not like his voice but his singing fits the songs and his technique is good, or at least he has a good natural vibratto. Reminds me a bit of Willie Nelson but a bit more nasal. Now I just want to go listen to Cortez the Killer.
First, Neil, please let me listen to you on Spotify. Have you not made your riches? Anyway, Cinnamon Girl is decent, I guess I haven't listened to a ton of Neil Young. I like how electronic this album is. I usually don't think of electronic instrumentation with Neil Young. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere is a cool song. The theme of not having a woman or a home to return to is interesting especially in the way he puts it that everybody knows this doesn't exist. Round and Round is slow and sad. The passing of time in one's life is both long and short and full of crying I guess. Down By The River starts with a good little rhythm. Not sure about all the la la las. This guitar solo is sounds fucking cool. This might be my favorite song on here so far. The Losing End didn't do much for me. "Alright Wilson, pick it!" what the fuck was that? Running Dry is slowwww but I like the dreary sound and the violin. Cowgirl in the Sand has a really cool vibe. Digging this one a lot too. Interestingly my favorite songs on this have long instrumental sections. Normally I'd be like get back to the singing and shit but these instrumental bits are so cool and loose and fun. Too bad I'll probably never hear any of these again because Neil doesn't like Spotify.
loved the folk vibes.
Great rock vibes, some amazing guitar solos and some great songs in there. A little sad at times, melancholic maybe. I will need some time to digest it but I think 4 stars.
More Crazy Horse, less Neil Young, please.
Neil Young has been such a comfort listen for me the past few years, this hasn’t been my favourite album of his. Some songs are a bit too weird for me, the last song for example which I found myself checking how long was left multiple times. But there’s some great lyrical and instrumental highs which I really enjoyed. This type of music always makes me feel warmed up and a bit more ok with life lol Stand out songs: Cinnamon girl Round and round (it won’t be long)
I think I just like music too much. This is all just really really good music and I could easily just give this 5 stars and maybe I should but it maybe lacks a little more then what I have heard from others. But on replayability I would listen to this a lot I think, a good vinyl. Going to leave it at 4/5 but would maybe increase in future. Stand Out Songs: Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere Down By The River The Loosing End
Pretty solid slower folky rock. It went on a few tangents with these odd guitar sections, but they weren't always interesting enough to justify the time spent on them
Damn close to 5 stars. Great album.
This is Neil Young's second solo album after Buffalo Springfield (5 years before On The Beach, which was album #16 on this for me). It's really solid overall, and this seems to be the album that really established him. It's a bit twangy (like on "The Losing End"), the guitar work is great from Crazy Horse ("Down by the River" and "Cowgirl in the Sand" are mostly 9-10 minute guitar riffs), "Cinnamon Girl" is a catchy start. Just pretty enjoyable overall. There are a few tracks that are misses for me, and it's a bit somber-sounding at times, but not overly so, and it's just generally strong. He has a great voice and it's an enjoyable listen with a few notable high points. Favorite song: Down by the River Other: Cinnamon Girl, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, The Losing End, Cowgirl in the Sand 2/29/24
I’d give it 3.5 but I can’t so we’ll round up
Would’ve been 5 stars if Neil young wasn’t a pompous Dick who took his music off of streaming platforms. Cinnamon girl is a classic down by the river also a classic
Not a fan
Once again this project has shown me my appreciation for more of the folk/country rock sound that I didn't know I had. I just really liked the more raw sound of the instruments/vocals here and while no tracks stood out to me the sound is cohesive and enjoyable. 7/10
This album isn’t the grandfather of grunge that Young became labeled with at the end of the 80’s. Not a lot of studio (over) production. It seems that the album is what was recorded is what you get when you listen. It's the first album with Crazy Horse. The jams were excellent and provided many musically open spaces in the songs. This allowed for great grooves but also time to attempt to decipher the lyrics. Many of the lyrics have straightforward meanings, but I feel there are alternate meanings to be explored. Thematically, the lyrics touch on loss, fear, hurt, disillusionment, and things just out of reach. This album highlights Young’s tremulous voice and its emotional vulnerability. Style-wise, there are the classic rock highlights, but there is a lot of variety, ranging from rock to folk to country and even psychedelic, none being out of reach for Young. I had to listen to the album a couple of times before writing this, and I feel that my impressions and interpretations of the album will proliferate with repeated listening.
Great folksy, classic rock. Neil hasn’t strayed from his roots throughout his career.
I am not a big Neil Young fan and didn’t enjoy the last album we listened to. But this one is really very good. I can see why this is a must listen. It’s a really good album.
I liked this a lot more than the Neil Young album from 3 days ago. 4 The durdling jam band esque songs grew on me through a 2nd listen.
Love how mellow yet update he is
Favourite songs: Cinnamon Girl, Cowgirl in the Sand, Down By The River, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere Least favourite songs: Running Dry (Requiem For The Rockets) 4/5
Ugh, is this going to make me a Neil Young fan? Probably not fully, but I've always appreciated his songwriting and grungy style. He's also really good to harmonize with--great backing on this whole album.
Classic Neil Young. Good music and lyrics.
Some songs feel like wading into warm water, some feel like bad trips. A little witchy all over.
FUCKIN' ROCKIN. WOOOOOO so many nice solos for sure
Liked this one better than last
👍🏼
Had to go to youtube to find this one again. I gave this one a listen a year or so ago and really enjoyed it. I enjoy the folky/country singer songer writer aspect of it but it has fun grungy guitar and fun/chaotic solos throughout it. It kind of scratches two itches for me and overall it's a fun, and easy listening album that I'll revisit regularly.
Such a great album. I love the fusion of rock and folk. It never feels forced or trite. For me, this record climaxes in the middle with Down By the River. That song just feels like a perfect combination of blues and rock all at once. Its epic, but its also mournful and somber. On either side of if you have Everybody Knows this is Nowhere, which feels a little more lighthearted after Cinnamon Girl, even though it really isn't. Round & Round brings you back to earth and grounds you back into those folk roots, before taking you off again on Down By the River. Before Cowgirl in the Sand takes us out of the album with an epic long psychedelic jam, we're treated with Running Dry, which is such a great homage to celtic folk. Its so good, and ambitious, but it works and is the perfect palette cleanser before Cowgirl in the Sand.
Gear: Meze 109 Pro Mix (2009 Remaster): sämtliche Instrumentierung gut ortbar (insb. "Down by the River"!) - aber teils ein bisschen heiß. (für Neil Young-Verhältnisse erträgliche) Vocals astrein abgemischt. Streicher bei "Running Dry" mutig - aber funktioniert! Musik: überraschend mehr straight forward Rock als Landstreicher-Folk in "Cinnamon Girl" (exzellenter Opener!). "Round & Round" fragil und einfach schön. "Down by the River" Highlight. Album werde ich gerne wieder hören (wenn auch nicht auf Spotify). Wertung: 4/5 (inkl. +1 Hundi auf dem Cover)
first Neil young album, pretty good gonna deep dive now.
Pleasant listening experience
Seems pretty good
Loved it unexpectedly
A fantastic 'loud' album from Mr. Young.
Pretty nice. A bit of folk, a bit of heavy, a lot of what might seem like repetition, but is actually the melody developing at its natural pace.
someone get this man some NyQuil, SHEESH! (7.48/10)
Amazing guitar in one half of songs, Danny Whitten did magic on this album!
Took a while to get to this as it's not on streaming but it was worth the wait, it's got some great stuff that I really enjoyed. He can write a hell of a song. I felt it tailed off a bit in the second half making it a strong 4, rather than scraping a 5.
I knew some of the content of this album but had never listened to the album itself. Nothing surprised me (which is good, because I expected to really like it). I was trying to figure out how to describe Neil Young’s voice but found this quote from Bruce Miroff of Rolling Stone on the Wikipedia page for this album: “perpetually mournful, without being maudlin or pathetic. It hints at a world in which sorrow underlies everything,” That’s a perfect analogy (so I stopped trying to create my own). It starts out with strong guitar and drum rhythm on Cinnamon Girl, which immediately placed me in time and mood for Neil Young. I didn’t love the title song (track 2) but I was fully recommitted with Round & Round. The jam of Down By the River was a little long for me (for a studio album) but I imagine it would be amazing to see live, even if it went on twice as long. Virtually flipping over to Side 2, The Losing End continues strong, leading into Running Dry which has some interesting violin sections. The album ends with Cowgirl in the Sand, with another bundle of long guitar riffs (which I like more than Down By the River.
A pleasant surprise. I've definitely slept on Neil Young over the years. Looking forward to digging further into his works.
Neil Young: always a good choice. I don't know if this is him on guitar or one of the band of Crazy Horse, but they're spectacular.
Love some of these songs.
Soils, cool album, great vibe.
Neil Young is almost always great. I don’t like it as much as his other classics, but it’s still worth listening to.
Cinnamon Girl-Great opener and it's wild how Neil had already nailed the signature muzzy guitar tone. A classic but has never been one of my favorite Young tracks. Everybody Knows This is Nowhere-Not much to say but just good vibes. Round & Round (It Won't Long)-Token acoustic track. But a vibe nonetheless. Probably 2 minutes too long. Down By The River- classic jam track and top 5 song about murdering your partner. Wild that Neil has this and Cowgirl on the Sand on the same album. Honestly, if the whole album was just an extended jam based on this track I'd be okay with it. Might be his best guitar solo. The Losing End (When You're On)-Nice little country ditty. Love the vocal harmonies. Running Dry (Requiem for The Rockets) -Probably my least favorite track on the album but I still dig it. The interplay between the guitar and violin is ace. Cowgirl In The Sand-Damn. Might be my favorite Neil Young Track sounds feels like the whole album had been leading to this. Crazy Horse just provides such a great base for Young to work off of.
This one is really funny to me because the vocals are in such a disparate world from the guitars. I dug it but didn't really love it until the last 2 tracks. I thought adding violin was really cool for the penultimate track and finally felt like the sound gelled in the most satisfying way for the final track.
This kinda sounds like what your mom would get you if you told her you wanted Led Zeppelin for your 13th Birthday in 1969
I hadn’t heard that on in ages. I forgot how talented a musician Neil was in his prime.
A time when it didn't matter if you could sing or not. I love Neil Young - whaddyagonnadoboutit
Cinnamon Girl is such a great song and still holds up. Running Dry is beautiful and may be my favorite from the album. Overall, I enjoyed the album. Probably won’t listen again. 4
Cinnamon Girl. Down By the River. Cowgirl in the Sand. With the original Crazy Horse. Classic Neil.
Cinnamon Girl and Down by the River resonate. Always loved this album overall.
Great guitar solos. Quite fun but a bit repetitive. For my own personal taste 7/10 but objectively deserves more
I think incredibly important for what it helped achieve at the time, a grungy sketched out rock and roll sound that really allowed the improvisation to shine. Knowing that this laid the groundwork for bigger and better things from other bands is huge and merits 4 stars here. A musing: Before hearing this I had thought Crazy Horse was in reference to another, Native American musician, paying homage to the Lakota war leader of the 1800s. I was very disappointed to learn that Crazy Horse is just a group of white guys appropriating the name to serve as Neil Young's backing band (obviously I'm not a Neil Young fan or I would have known this sooner). Neil's fascination with Native American culture is fairly well known, but I can't help but wonder what could have been if he had partnered more prominently with Native American musicians in his songwriting and included them as part of his band.
I’m honestly pleasantly surprised by this album. This was way more my vibe than I expected beforehand. I hope it gets to spotify someday, I’d stream the hell out of this. “Cowgirl in the Sand” is phenomenal as the closing song
I had never listened to the whole thing straight through. Just the hits. Very good, no bad songs.
Very pretty songs. It’s obvious to me how much Neil Young had an influence on the musicians of the early 90s who brought his approach to songwriting and performance into their styles.
Love this album. I like the exploration of genres, like pysch and irish folk songs. It doesn't start the strongest, but it gets better as it goes.
Le pongo un 4 porque me gusta Neil Young. Pero el disco no me ha encantado.
jotai countryn ja rockin välimaaston fiilistelymusaa, aika hyvä
Deuxième album solo de Neil Young, plus électrique, avec peu de morceaux mais qui prennent parfois leur temps, jusqu’à 9 ou 10 minutes. Ensemble assez costaud. “Down by the river” réussi à rester bon malgré ses solos à rallonge, coup de cœur pour “The Losing End (When you’re on)”. Faudra que je le réécoute de temps en temps.
Not my fave NL but still good.
Great guitar riffs. Neil’s iconic vocals.
3/5
Lidt i tvivl om hvad jeg er den eneste der hører her, men jeg elsker den her plade! Mere lang guitarimprov fra Neil Young plz, jeg kan ikke få nok af det
Good songs
I did not know anything about this album before listening. I don’t typically like guitar solos but found myself really nodding along with Down By The River. “It’s the woman in you that makes you want to play this game” 10/10. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album, seemed to be a good mix of rock and folk. May have had one too many guitar solos for my personal taste and found myself losing focusing sometimes, but would listen again!
This is one of my favorite NY albums.
Cinnamon Girl as as opening track. What a way to introduce yourself as an act.
My opinion of this album hinges on the definition of “cinnamon girl” - I’m finding different info online. Is that a particular ethnicity or is a cinnamon girl an exciting, idealized woman of no particular ethnicity? If it’s a particular ethnicity then that’s lame and I’m not a fan. If thats not a racial thing then it’s a fine song and doesn’t taint the album
Really pretty good. Very high quality. Enjoyed that.
pretty good album - 3.7/5. listened 3x
Good raw sound. Sort of an aimless album at times, but isn’t that kind of the point? A clear predecessor to punk, grunge, indie, etc., except for this guy it wasn’t a put-on. Best song: Round & Round?
Classic album!
What a great album, so many classics. Love his unusual guitar playing style. Down by the river Cinnamon girl Cowgirl in the sand One of the best from the 60s
There are so many great songs on this album.
Excellent! Sad songs with incredible guitar craftsmanship. Neil is a lot of things, and an excellent musician is one of them. Some of the songs are a little slower, by my god when he rips he rips. DOWN BY THE RIVERRR, I SHOT MY BAYBAYYY
Some good old fashioned rock and roll. Some of the backing vocals are kind of shrill. Enjoyable guitar playing. I really liked "Running Dry" it had a strong Leonard Cohen vide for me.
Solid but still not quite my style so only a 4. Lyrics are exoteric. A couple cool bass licks (down by the river and cowgirl in the sand)
Alfa.
Put your music back on spotify, nerd.
Not quite Harvest Moon but a solid addition to the Neil Young corpus.
Short & sweet.
Despite feeling like a watered-down Steely Dan in some areas, the proto-grungey sound is great, and harmonies always knock it up another notch for me. BAM.
deli
Sounds classic and holds up pretty well. A few great songs with different styles to keep it fresh.
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, Down By The River, Cowgirl in the Sand
Beetje rock en country gemengd. Veel gitaar. Soms speciale elementen. Casual album. Ben blij het geluisterd te hebben. Ik ga het miss nog ies opzetten, maar niet direct aanraden. Wel goeie solo op cowgirl in the sand
Excellente Folk par moment, manque sur spotify Round&Round
This is the first album not on Spotify. It was alright. I think I’d need to have a whiskey and a record player for it to feel good and relaxing. Not bad though.
A genuinely beautiful voice. Very happy that albums like this are included in the list, broadened my horizon just a little bit and introduced me to an artist I had never heard of. 3.5/5
Neil Young is one of my favorites but i literally havent listened to this album in probably three decades. Down by the River and Cowgirl by the sand are definitely favorites of mine. And i always liked the title track which is a fun, bouncy number.
Big Neil fan. Nice album. Not my favorite, but good.
Le pongo un 4 porque me gusta Neil Young. Pero el disco no me ha encantado.
Impressive, but I don't think I'll be returning to it as often as I'd want to.
yes
ahead of it's time, good album that was a hidden gem, good electric guitar work on the album.
Very impressive instrumental breaks.
This is a pretty good album
The jams that rock are better than the jams that meander.
Once again Can’t listen to Neil Young. Cinnamon Girl is a fave. Oh well.
Gotta love it, gezellig thee gedronken met mn zusje tijdens het luisteren
Currently working nightshift, good music for that time
Good album overall. I've never liked cinnamon girl, and I still don't!
My favourite Neil young album because it has the great blues and riffs but it is more unpredictable, more ambiguous and, in my opinion, more colourful than anything Neil Young has written. (83%)
Cinnamon Girl! knew that one Down by the River, solid solo Cowgirl in the Sand, similar to down by the river
Where’s my joint? Love the jams in this one
Five days ago I said that Stephen Stills' eponymous album was arguably the most enjoyable record so far by any of Crosby, Stills, Nash or Young. This album usurps that statement. Excellent song writing and great performances, with a lot of the tracks entering a prolonged groove or jam but never getting boring. Great vocals, too. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Down by the River Date listened: 26/09/23
-NEIL YOUNG TIMEEEEE -another one not on spotify 😔 -some lovely guitar going on here -round and round is a really soothing song -i really really liked running dry -the guitar parts of all of these songs are really spot on -i really enjoyed listening to this album, especially cowgirl in the sand even though it was so long -having a hard time deciding on three or four stars -but overall i really liked a lot of this album
Solid album. This was a great time for Neil and Crazy Horse but not their best album. I enjoyed it a lot, though.
Not sure what I was expecting, but Cinnamon Girl is a rocking opener. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere is more in line with what I was expecting out of this album, with the heavier acoustic focus. I really like this track, it's very comforting in a folk-y kind of way. I could see myself listening to this while it's raining outside and vibing. Gonna take a few listens to fully process the album I think but it really kicked up for me at Round & Round, and I think Down by the River is beautiful, only beaten out by the absolutely timeless Cowgirl in the Sand. I'm gonna run through this one a couple of times, but Cowgirl in the Sand is probably gonna make my all-time best 70's songs.
Big fan, surprised I haven't heard this before. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere the song even sounds iconic on first listen.
Very sad but melodic music, very nice vibe
Today we are back to Neil Young & Crazy Horses. I’m really starting to see the extent of just how much Neil Young is considered essential listening, although I haven’t always exactly agreed with this sentiment when hearing other albums. That said, I always try to listen to albums with an open mind, so let’s see how this one sounds. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Running Dry (Requiem For The Rockets) I’m fairly confident in saying this is my favourite album so far by Neil Young in his various formats. This had a nice dynamic of rock music from the straight up country rock to the much softer side too. I personally wouldn’t say his voice is amazing, but it works well with the music. I generally preferred to slower tracks, but the titular track was also very good indeed. I had a nice time listening to this. Give it a try.
Not my mainstream kind of music but I could listen to it every once and a while.
This album is actually kinda dope. I get the sense that in the production of this record Neil Young kept it raw. It sounds like there is one rhythm, lead, bass, and drums. There are multiple vocals, but this album gives me a vibe that it is meant to sound like a real band and I think he accomplished that. It bold to only put the rhythm guitar in one head phone like wise with the lead, but listening to this with headphones I actually liked the mix of this album. As for songwriting goes, this is not as good as the songs on Harvest, but they are pretty good folk rock tracks that jam pretty well.
How have I slept on Neil Young for so long?? Fantastic album
Love the Neil Young sound. He's got a really unique and almost mesmerizing voice. Down by the River, Cowgirl in the Sand are really great longer songs.
This album is not listed on spotify
I can't decide how I feel about this album and keep wavering between a 2 and a 4. There are elements of musical genius splattered all over this—smooth and funky riffs on the electric, interesting sequences on the bass, beautiful melodies, haunting vocals and fiddle—but the tracks combined don't necessarily feel like a cohesive piece to me. I feel like perhaps my brain is just missing something. Down by the River and Running Dry are standout favorite tracks for me, with Cowgirl in the Sand as a moderate third. Based on these tracks alone, I think I'll be back to listen to this album several more times... and soon!
I guess I need more Neil Young in my life. I'd never really checked him out, largely because I've heard him live (on TV) a few times in the 2000's and didn't care for the vocals. In his prime, though, he sounds pretty damn good. I liked this album quite a bit. This is the only album so far that's going to get another listen from me (along with some other stuff from Neil, with or without his horse).
Really high quality and a good precursor to Neil Young's best work. Overshadowed by his next three Favorite Tracks: Cinnamon Girl, Everybody Knows 4.5/5
Esperaba algo mas tipo simon and garfunkel, suena muy innovador para la epoca
Neil Young isn't necessarily my favorite, but I like the vibes this album puts out.
Disappointed the album isn't on Spotify, but all songs were great! Better remastering versions of the album than the Prince remaster album.
Really enjoyed this. A nice mix of long, rockier stuff and bits of folky style work as well - the fiddle was a nice breakaway from the main drive of the album. My only real listening to Young before this project was 2006's Living with War which I got into after Andy Kershaw featured it on his Radio 3 programme. There are echos of the guitar riffs from Everybody Knows on that album and it seems familiar as a result perhaps. I certainly preferred this album to the Buffalo Springfield one I got a while back. The rockier side of this I guess.
Awesome! The more I hear of Neil Young the more I’m digging him! Another one to be added to the collection!
Sitting out in the back garden with this playing in the background sounds like a dream. Although I do think some of the songs do lack some sort of oomph as they run for a bit long but this is just a good one to have on whenever you want to relax
Great album from a pure genius. This is not really my favourite genre of music but I still fgind it easy to listen to with some good tracks and some great ones
Yes! This is the NY&CH album I was wanting. Easy 4 here! Love Cinnamon Girl, really dig the extended tracks. Almost a 4.5 but I gotta leave some room up there.
Down by the River, I loved this album!
For me, this is Neil Young's first real album. It combines his love for long jams and acoustic numbers. It feels like this is where Young really flexes his musical muscles and determines what he is capable of in a song. Can he keep the audience's attention for a 9-minute song? If so, how? Neil Young does not follow a template, but this album has 3-4 classic songs and he's worked a lot of his career off what he does so successfully on this album. A must-hear album and given he wrote two of the best songs while having the flu, it makes the album that much better.
I always like Neil Young.
Well, we've done it. We've found the Neil Young album that I dislike the least. I never really realized how much resentment I'd built up towards Neil before this list started shoving his albums down my throat in a seemingly endless stream. As I've said before, it's fine. He's fine. I just don't like his music or his voice, or his personal sense of style, nor do I like the way that I imagine that he smells. This album is pleasant enough, though. It's a pretty early album to be this distortion-heavy, which is cool. The songs are all pleasant enough. Fine. I'll give it a good score. Now leave me alone and stop making me listen to Neil Young 4/5
Undercover
I'm surprised at how much I liked this. I've said numerous times that I can't stand Neil Young's whiny nasal voice, but I enjoyed this entire album. Glad my opinion of him was challenged cause this was good folk rock.
Very good album! I love when I get to listen to something totally new to me and I just immediately vibe with it. Cinnamon Girl was an awesome opener for this one. I thought that the sound of this album was a bit all over, but I kinda liked that in a way. I was a bit disappointed when I opened up the album and saw it had 2 songs that are over 9 minutes long, and while I continue to not be a huge fan of instrumentals, I felt these were done well and I actually did enjoy listening to them. I do have to give special attention to Running Dry, because I absolutely loved that song. Such a sad, haunting sound to it, and that fits with the story of Neil Young apparently stealing the members of the Rockets band. Very interesting story, though kinda fucked up on Neil's part to be honest. Made for a good song. That violin tho. Definitely think this one deserves a 4/5. Happy to have listened.
Great album, well worth a listen
Honestly, a little underwhelming. I love Neil Young, but a lot of this felt very generic. That last song was great, and bumped it up a star, but there’s much better Neil to be had.
Strong 7-track album.
Okay, as we established many times before, I'm not a fan of Neil Young, and first couple songs from this album were just a confirmation of that - quite boring, slow and soulless, at least from my perspective. But then it hit me, two almost 10 minute long songs, "Down By The River" and "Cowgirl In The Sand". Amazing blues-like tracks, with a simple riff and countless melodies and guitar solos layered on in long expositions. I could listen to songs like that for days on end. Neil's vocal, or whoever was singing there, was basically spoiling the song in my opinion, instrumental version would be definitely enough. As for the rest of the album, nothing positive to say. Very difficult position to rate, we have songs from both ends of the spectrum in here. But let's try to look at the positive side as more important, I know those two songs will be implemented in my soundtrack, so final rate must be better than average.
Très bon album folk rock, dommage qu’il ne soit pas sur Spotify
The closer is outstanding, the title track is a top 3 Neil Young song for me. I think I prefer on the beach but I really enjoyed the album, a lot of cool loose guitar solos, very jammy. I'd go a low 4 on this one
Love it
Super good memories!
Classic 2nd album of the grumpy old goat NY....not on Spotify of course...lols Cowgirl in the Sand and Down by the River. Fine fine album...
Wow! Great album! Especially “Cinnamon Girl”!
I thoroughly enjoyed this album.
6th Neil Young album. Some more diversity would really have been appreciated, mister Robert Dimey. As always, I don't mind any of his output too much, but it gets kind of samey and the difference between his best and the rest is huge. As always, rating somewhere between 2.5-3.5. That said, this seems to be one of his best, with Cinnamon Girl, Down By The River and Cowgirl In The Sand all being prime Neil Young. Some excellent guitar work on here.
Great
Some top quality crazy horse this
Some great tracks (the famous ones) with some unreal soloing, but too many hillbilly moments (man's playing a fucking fiddle at one point) to give this 5 stars.
Good
classic, need to listen to this more + rest of Neil Young catalog
Not a huge fan of Neil, but I enjoyed this more than I thought I would!
Great album! "Down by the River" is one of my top Neil Young songs.
Excellent album de Neil Young. Je pense que je n'avais jamais pris le temps de l'écouter au complet, même si j'étais déjà familier avec une bonne partie des chansons.
Classic guitar solos!
This might be Neil’s best, and the first time we really hear him forming what would become the signature style. It’s dirty, but man, Down By the River has some of the best 4 minutes of recorded music maybe ever.
Everybody knows skips are nowhere to be found on this record.