Fred Neil

“Fred Neil is the second album from Fred Neil, a pioneer folk rock musician.” In this one he captures an unwilling child for the photo shoot.

Nice voice, but his stylings are studiously lazy. Grating on the ears. Never heard “Fred Neil” by Fred Neil before, but I did know that Harry Nilsson was disappointed that Neil’s “Everybody’s Talkin’” was chosen for Nilsson to sing as the title song of “Midnight Cowboy”, rather than his own composition, “I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City”. Nilsson’s version of “Everybody’s Talkin’” is much better. Lyrics utterly unpoetic. I remember seeing Fred Neil in the background of some old Bob Dylan footage, never knowing that Dylan actually got started in New York playing backup harmonica for Neil. Interesting reversal. The album “Fred Neil” doesn’t wow me now. I doubt it would have wowed me in 1966. 2/5

Nick Cave meets Neil Young, with hints of David Gray, Johnny Cash, Eels, and St Paul & the Broken Bones, which (let's face it) is a pretty spectacular review. I didn't expect much from this seemingly little known 1960s folk album, but it turns out to be brilliant. A deep, soulful voice singing mournful querying lyrics with engaging, natural melody over evocative music is great. Does what it does perfectly. 4/5.

I thought this was a very good softer, quieter rock album, primarily with Western and folk themes but with some more exotic sounds towards the end of the album. A 4 star rating might not do this one justice, but I don't think it quite rises to the "absolute classic" level of a 5.

Chill classic country vibes, cool.

Something about the way this is recorded makes it sound extra nice. Folky in a good way, not like the mics used were bad or the instruments especially noisy, but that there was real warmth in the space it was being recorded. There is a great spectrum of songs, and a few of them are shining gems: The opener, Faretheewell, and the closing Raga. The other tracks are best when they utilize Neil's low register. There's something that doesn't quite cohere, though that might disappear after further listening.

Comme vous le savez probablement, l'existence de ce générateur a pour unique finalité l'organisation de l'émission "Le Grand Quiz du Générateur" présentée conjointement en direct de Kiev par Nikos et Arthur. La préparation des candidats a déjà commencé avec la création de la playlist officielle sur Spotify. Sachez qu'à chacune de mes séries d'entraînement, le nouveau venu Fred Neil a été trouvé à chacune de ses apparitions. Et sans forcer.

Took me by surprise, a really great subdued and acoustically wonderful endeavor

I don't think I ever would have listened to this on my own, and I'm glad I did. There's a little country in there, and also hear Chris Isaak, which makes complete sense. And a couple of tracks that we know because of more famous singers recording them.

Did you know this guy fucked dolphins? 2.5 stars

Now this is great example of why listening to the 1001 Albums is so worth it. I never heard of Fred Neil and I had no idea what to expect given the album cover, but I'm really glad this is on the list. Here's a guy who invited a young Bob Dylan on stage with him and who influenced Steven Stills, David Crosby, and Joni Mitchell. Wow. Really nice vibe on this album and his voice is outstanding. Great album from start to finish. Everybody's Talkin' became a hit when covered by Harry Nillson in 1969 for the movie Midnight Cowboy. I think the original version on this album is better. His voice is fantastic. Really liked the vibe on songs like I've Got a Secret, Faretheewell, and Green Rocky Road. The Dolphins was a nice chill opener. Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raja has a pretentious name, but it's a cool vibe to end an excellent album.

This is great. Really great. Some great originals, at least one true classic, and some great covers/traditional numbers. I’ve never heard of Fred Neil but his work clearly had a profound influence on Jerry Garcia who would cover many of the same songs with the Dead. This seems an important album in the evolution of folk away from its strict, traditionalist roots and into the realm of free-loving rock and roll. That, and I find Fred’s voice profoundly beautiful. And his original lyrics simple, sweet, and deep. This album has no fat. It carefully captures a watershed moment in the evolution of folk, rock, and Americana. This is one of my favorite discoveries yet.

Oh yeah, I loved this - one of my favorite discoveries from this project so far. Mellow and smooth enough to blend into the background if you're not focusing on it, but rewards attention if you do. Strong opener with "The Dolphins". I'm a sucker for Elizabeth Cotton covers, so loved track 2, and then the quality holds up as the album keeps going, finishing with a psychedelic raga - great stuff! Fave track - "That's the Bag I'm In" for the relatable pessimism...

This album was terrific. Neil has a really sonorous voice and the backing instrumental arrangements are tasteful and creative. Great songs and a really good album.

Country tinged folk rock, was quite enjoyable

Can't believe I have never heard this album. So good. Will add to my vinyl collection.

Great voice, gentle songs.

Smooth and classic. High quality country-folk with some unexpected hits. We enjoyed chilling out to this.

Great record. I had never heard of Fred Neil. Worth a listen.

Brooding folk rock with style.

I actually quite enjoyed this one. Kind of folk rock or country. It was good

Country twang with some class and heart. It was smooth and passionate, undoubtedly enjoyable.

A decent folk record for a rainy day.

Mediocre folk relic tho it's cool to see the original everybody's talking.

Alors que je rencontrais Fred Neil en 1966 peu avant la sortie de son album, voici quelques extraits de nos échanges: ---- Moi: "Eh Fred, comment ça va depuis que tu t'es fait larguer? T'es toujours aussi nul?" Fred Neil: "J'essaye de remonter la pente, et de m'améliorer autant que possible jour après jour" --- Moi: "Eh Fred, j'ai vraiment pas apprécié comment tu m'as parlé l'autre jour, viens un peu tâter de ma salade de coup de poings" Fred: "Je suis désolé je n'avais pas pour intention de te vexer, j'accepte ma punition" ---- Moi: "Eh Fred, t'es vraiment qu'un pauvre type, en plus regarde un peu ce bide, t'as avalé un trombone ou quoi?" Fred: "C'est vrai que je me suis un peu laissé aller recemment, il faut que je me me reprenne en main" ---- Vous l'aurez compris, cet album n'avait aucun caractère.

Not my thing - overrated album in my view (for what *that's* worth). I often felt like the musicians were playing different songs at the same time. +1 because Fred has a pleasant voice. Oh and Harry Nilson did "Everybody's Talkin'" better.

Fred Neil by Fred Neil, what an unexpected delight! The nondescript eponymous title and slightly terrifying album cover would have ensured I kept on flipping if I found this in a record store. How wrong I was to judge Fred by his cover. His gravelly, soulful voice lends itself perfectly to the country-leaning folk instrumentals. The instrumental moments are some of my favourites, especially on the peculiar closer "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" and "Faretheewell (Fred's Tune)". An ode to Murphy's Law, "That's The Bag I'm In" is a cynical, yet humorous gem. Some light reading would reveal that this album was re-released 3 years on (1969) with the title "Everybody's Talkin'", a name befitting the hype this album deserved but likely didn't receive. Top 3: 1. That's The Bag I'm In 2. The Dolphins 3. Everybody's Talkin' Bottom 1: Sweet Cocaine Overall Score: 8.9/10 (rounded to five stars as I can't give this 4.5 stars and 4 wouldn't do it justice)

Could've done without the raga at the end - but I feel churlish starting on a negative note, as almost everything else on this collection is sensational. Superb writing chops, judicious instrumentation and one helluva voice (one of the coolest I've heard in a while) elevate this to the top of tree. I like a lot of folk rock from this era - why hadn't I heard of this one before now? I would feel miffed, but that's overriden by the joy of a new discovery, one that really speaks to me.

Fuck Bob Dylan, this is where it's at. 0/5 album cover though

On arrival me and my partner were nervous but once we saw the other doggers we felt at ease. The road was a bit noisy but other than that a great crowd. Thx Dai and Linz xx

Fantastic…. and a strange link to the man being involved with The Dolphin Project in his later life is a strange link to what my son is interested in…

I had never heard of this guy before but knew a couple of the songs. Wonderful discovery. Thank you!

Solid, quality, true record.

Super atmospheric and vibey. Fred Neil has a fantastic voice. Great folk record

I didn't know what to expect when I saw this cover, but it was NOT this. I can fully understand why the "hippie" artists loved this album. The OG version of "Everybody's Talkin" is far superior to the Nilsson one. If Fred Neil was 10 years younger, had long, flowing locks, and had completely changed the cover art, this album would have made him a huge star.

Oh man, this one hit the spot. I’m a big fan of Bill Callahan and Fred Neil carried that same dry wit delivery that draws me to his music. From the first track, The Dolphins caught my attention immediately, a truly beautiful tune. That’s the Bag I’m In is a top tier blues track, lyrics are just so clever. Excellent rock and twang album here, Neil’s relaxed vocals blend so well well with the skillful harmonica and guitar. This is an exactly the type of album discovery that keeps me excited to carry on with this experiment. 5 stars

What a record! Like Dylan meets Lou Reed but they get a baritone to sing it.

starts off VERY slow and gets better as the album goes on. the last few songs are S tier and the final semi-experimental instrumental track is fantastic. album saved and will be listened to again

Fred Neil performing the soundtrack to inside llewyn davis

I was really enjoying this and then, oh!, there’s the song from Midnight Cowboy and that just made it better. This felt good.

An unsung masterpiece. Got to know Fred Neil through two things: Nilsson's version of "Everybody's Talking" for *Midnight Cowboy*, of course, but also the use of "Dolphins" for a quite memorable scene in the arguably best TV series of all time *The Sopranos*--during which Christopher Moltisanti is high on heroin and tripping in a funfair at night. Those two tracks are the two highlights of the album for sure. But "Badi-Da", " Everything Happens" and "Sweet Cocaine" stellar as well. Such a huge talent, and such a perfect crooning voice. 5/5. Number of albums left to review: 470 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 252 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 120 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 156

This is one of those times that following this list pays off. I had no idea who Fred Neil was before, having always thought Harry Nielson wrote Everybody's Talkin' I spent the day listening to a few of his other albums and this on repeat

So good

this is the bag i'm in. best album i've never heard of that's come up on this list. Anton newcombe has listened to this album a lot of times.

Excellent - Fred Neil's voice in combination with his fine guitar is mesmerising at times and always deeply soulful.

Suena a ponerle CBD al primer café de la mañana. 13 estrellas pachecas.

I LOVE THIS!

I hadn’t heard of Fred Neil before. Apparently he’s a pioneering folk musician, though only achieved notoriety for others covering his songs and being influenced by him. I saw that he was looked up to by the likes of Tim Buckley, Joni Mitchell, Stephen Stills, and David Crosby. After listening to this self-titled album of his, I can certainly hear the legacy. This is folk album led by acoustic guitar with prominent harmonica accompaniment that’s well-played and pleasant to have in the background. You get a good sense of the musicianship from the personnel involved with Fred. This is especially the case for the eight-minute instrumental closer “Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga” in which they took their folk-rock instruments and created an Indian-esque classic instrumental piece of improvisation. Pairing with the good instrumentation are the lyrics in which I get a harrowing sense hardships endured. Whether it’s the narrator being lost in their thoughts on “Everybody’s Talkin’”, the yearning for escapism on “The Dolphins”, or the lower-class and poverty imagery on “That’s the Bag I’m In” and “Everything Happens”, these songs invoke the feeling of being down on your luck and looking for something better in life, even if the framing is rather simplistic. While I get the pathos of this album and it’s well-played, it doesn’t quite go beyond being a decent record. It’s still a 1960s folk record, complete with grainy production that can feel muted in places, and a couple of cover songs added for a longer runtime even if I think they did well with the traditional “Sweet Cocaine”. Still, I had a pleasant time with Fred Neil’s album, and I’m glad to have enjoyed it beyond the historical significance of his influence.

An interesting background character that probably never got as much due as he should have. Great voice and songwriting.

This album turned out to be much better than I expected. Blending elements of country, folk, and rock, it delivers a rich, soulful listening experience that feels timeless. Neil’s deep, resonant voice adds an emotional weight to every track, making it hard not to get drawn in. The album’s mellow vibe shifts into something truly unexpected with its closer, “Cynicrustpetefredjohn.” It’s a wild, chaotic ride that feels like the result of sweet... inspiration, or maybe something stronger. Either way, it’s a bold, unforgettable ending to an album that’s well worth your time.

Better than expected

Eu provavelmente nunca teria ouvido esse álbum por conta própria, mas fico muito feliz por ter dado a chance. Fred Neil é um excelente exemplo de por que vale a pena explorar os 1001 álbuns antes de morrer. A música tem uma suavidade que permite servir de trilha sonora discreta ao fundo, mas, quando você presta atenção, revela camadas emocionais e uma beleza única. Sua voz profunda, transmite letras melancólicas, enquanto as melodias naturais se entrelaçam com a música evocativa, criando uma experiência auditiva que é ao mesmo tempo relaxante e profundamente envolvente.

Didn't know what to expect at all, but that was pretty good.

While I’m not familiar with Fred Neil I am a fan of Harry Nilsson’s version of “Everybody’s Talkin’.” This is the first time I’ve heard the original and I loved it! I kept thinking how contemporary artist Orville Peck has a very similar vocal and writing style as Fred, with obvious Elvis Presley inflections. Overall this is a great folk rock album that I have overlooked throughout the years and I’m glad I get a chance to experience it now for the first time.

What an absolute badass this dude is. Wrote and sang a bunch of awesome early folk songs, wrote songs for Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison, mentored Bob Dylan and David Crosby, wrote a song that won a Grammy ("Everybody's Talkin'" from this album got covered by Harry Nilsson and won the award), and then abruptly quit music and spent 30 years saving dolphins. 10/10 life, no notes. I'd never heard of Fred Neil before, but I'm very into this. I'm a sucker for early folk music in the first place, but this is solid throughout. He's got a deep, powerful voice and it works. Really solid album. Favorite song: Everybody's Talkin' Other: The Dolphins, I've Got A Secret (Didn't We Shake Sugaree), That's The Bag I'm In, Farethewell (Fred's Tune), Sweet Cocaine, Green Rocky Road 11/26/24

who knew!! I LOVE THIS what fun to discover that Fred Neil was behind certain tracks - the originator of what I thought was someone else's song! Really enjoyed the vibe and mood the whole album created and was very impressed by his guitar skills - great album

On first hearing was ready to dismiss and almost turn off, but later sat and gave a more attentive listen and did an almost 180. There is a cool introspective atmosphere, sung with a great vocal that just drew me in.

I must have been sheltered growing up, because I've never heard of Fred Neil until today when this album popped up on my listen for the day. I had no expectations going into this, but overall I'm liking this. Definitely folk music, but with some funky psychedelic guitar work. Very neat. I had no idea Fred Neil wrote Everybody's Talkin', I love the Nilsson version, this one is excellent too. Best song on this album by far. I rated a lot of songs 2 and 3 stars because of how I listen to music, but overall I understand the importance of this album and I believe it should be heard by more people. 4/5

A really nice pick for the plane ride to Shanghai, bit of folk to wake me up, very easy on the ears

I liked a lot. Only knew Everyone’s Talking At Me. All of it is a wonderful easy stroll. Nice vibe.

I absolutely hated his voice at first but by the third song the tunes were so good I was not only over it, but into it!

I really enjoyed this one. I had not heard Fred Neil prior to this, but in reading about him he certainly had an interesting career and life. Everybody’s Talking sounded familiar, and I’ve certainly heard the Harry Nilsson version. It sounds a lot like Leonard Cohen’s debut album to me, which is a very good thing. Well performed, recorded, and written, it’s a great album and one of many nice discoveries on this list for me.

This was a lovely find. I've always like Dolphins as a song. I had no idea about the history behind it. Fred's baritone voice serves it well. The whole album is an exercise in masterful songwriting. The pace feels so out of time with the period. There's no urgency or rush. There's not enough songs about cocaine these days. I love a good old rambling guitar solo, as is the case for the final unpronounceable track.

Excellent album. Neil has a soulful voice which nicely accompanies the simple old-school guitar driven tracks. Reminds me slightly of Johnny Cash. I also loved the huge departure from the rest of the album on the last track which sounded Indian-inspired. Favorite songs were Everybody's Talkin and the finale.

The Indian song is a great ending to the album

I'd never heard of this artist before, despite the fact that I knew at least one of the songs. It's a really solid folk album with great production. The songs are very well-crafted, and the lyrics are easy to digest without being simple or pandering 4/5

Very country

Classic tune on here

A great collection of songs that shows a more melancholic side of folk country. No doubt about Fred Neil's talents as a singer and songwriter but my favourite track is his version of Farethewell in more of a quieter treatment. The two big tracks are obviously The Dolphins and Everybody's talkin. I like the latter more in Nilson's version. He brings a bit more emotion into it which is sometimes a weakness of Neil. His deep voice doesn't suit every song. Combine that with some of the mixing which has very conservatively guitar on your left and the bass on the right. Here they could've done more even at the time the album was recorded. Overall a good album that you definitely should listen to.

Very solid singing. Kind of a different flavor for the times

Good but not my usual thing.

didn’t know what to think at first but very enjoyable. You could see where his influences helped a generation! The song cocaine is hysterical and I just loved it.

Notable tracks: Everybody’s Talkin’, The Dolphins, Sweet Cocaine, That’s The Bag I’m In, Ba-Di-Da

Gewoon argeloos opzetten en luisteren heeft altijd het effect dat je eerst een beetje moet raden naar wat je hoort. Een countryplaat, dacht ik eerst. Maar het zweeft al snel de hippie-kant op, met een ode aan verdovende middelen, en een jamsessie met Indiase instrumenten. Fred was er tijdig bij, in 1966. Opvallendst is Everybody's talkin, dat een paar jaar later een hit werd voor Harry Nilsson, toen het werd gebruikt voor de film Midnight Cowboy. (De overige muziek voor die film is van mijn favoriete filmcomponist John Barry, maar dat terzijde.) Een aardig voorbijkabbelend album, geen idee wat er bijzonder aan is, maar vooruit.

Ik moet hier toch wel even inkomen, maar op een of andere manier pakt het me wel. Het is zeer rustige ingetogen country-achtige folk. Het heeft ook iets van Elvis (meer nog van een andere zanger, maar ik weet even niet welke). Maar de beste man geeft er natuurlijk een onmiskenbaar geluid aan door zijn croonende stem. Het is aan de ene kant melancholisch, maar ik kan me ook helemaal voorstellen dat je het totaal niet gelooft, want het is ook wat kitscherig. Ik kan er wel goed naar luisteren (op de vroege ochtend), het zit voor mij tussen een 3 en een 4 in.

Great

I love it!

I've got a case of the blues, and Fred Neil needs some creativity in naming his albums

First listen this morning. A really beautiful album of folk rock. Neil has a deep resonating voice and impressive guitar stylings that compliment the songs. Haven't really been able to dissect the lyrics but I am planning further listening. Additional listens yielded additional enjoymet. A nearly perfect album of its genre. 4 stars

That's The Bag I'm In is a low-key blues jam. Dude has a voice. I've definitely heard covers of Everybody's Talkin' before. Classic song; great songwriting. Everything Happens is an awesome follow-up. I love the progression here, but wish the guitar noodling at the end wasn't so buried. Kind of a weird outro track, but otherwise this was much more enjoyable than I anticipated. 4 / 5.

Fred Neil

Pretty incredible voice to go along with some really good folk sounding music. Sounds very similar to Johnny Cash which I am completely ok with. Sounded like I should be in a western saloon playing blackjack and five finger fillet with the boys. The last song, which I don't feel like spelling out, was a super trippy song I don't even know how to describe it but it was cool.

I actually thought this was very nice to listen to, and that surprise 10 minute funky track at the end was really cool! No real standouts for me personally (I guess some people really like a song that played during the Sopranos?) but I enjoyed my time with Mr. Neil.

I'd never heard of this guy but this was a nice surprise, I enjoyed this a lot. The last track was a bit odd and out of place but the rest a nice vibe.

Very solid album. Long Black Veil was a little disappointing, though.

Really good album. I throw it on occasionally and I'm always satisfied

I rolled my eyes when the first track started, thinking this was year another 60s era attempt at folk/blues, like so many others on this list. It grew on me as it went along though. One of the better examples I’ve heard on this list so far.

Ah exactly what I needed now

So I had to give this one a second listen. I don't usually listen to this type of music so it took me a bit to get into it. Near the end of the album the bluesy song about a bittersweet relationship with cocaine caught my attention and then the album ends with the absolute banger of a track "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga". Then I looked him up and found out he never really achieved commercial success as a performer and instead moved to Florida to work with the Dolphin Project, helping with the preservation of dolphins. This led me to go back and really listen to the lyrics of the first track "The Dolphins" and really connected with it. TLDR; After a second listen and really paying attention to the lyrics, my rating went up quite a bit.

Could've listened to another 8 minutes of Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga

Didn’t know about him beforehand. Great album, last track seems abit out of place and sounds abit Middle Eastern almost. Nice smooth lyrics, reminds me slightly of Leonard cohen but Fred’s abit more soothing I think.

Good album 💿

Amazing, truly great. Incredible voice

Had me with that first phased guitar chord.

Nice to listen to. Not my particular style but cool to hear a slightly less famous voice from greenwich village folk times.

I'm not usually a folk guy but Fred must've caught me in the right mood, or just drew me in with that smooth voice.

Enjoyed this far more than i thought i would! Learnt a lot from reading about him! Excellent song writer! 3.5

It's an understated record that's so horizontal you could easily doze off listening to it. That said, I do like its stoner folk/country vibe; it's the kind of record we would play in the afternoon in University after a few beers in the Students Union (or perhaps even the early hours) with a bifta or two. 'The Dolphins' and 'Everybody's Talking' are the highlights but the whole album is very listenable.

Very surprised by this one. Liked it a lot

Favorite Tracks: That’s The Bag I’m In Farethewell The Dolphins