This is the quintessential 70s heavy rock sound, it's clear how much it influenced other bands down the road. The music itself is well-packaged and arranged.
As someone who looks to lyrics though, this album -- metaphorically or literally -- doesn't speak to me. The lyrics here (not the singing/voice) are shallow, uninteresting to me.
Nothing here is to suggesting that this album shouldn't be viewed as potentially groundbreaking, it clearly opened the doors for numerous acts in later years. However it's nothing that would be in my rotation too often.
I knew nothing about this artist ahead of time. I subsequently started learning about him as I listened. That said, this review attempts to be objective and not take circumstances into consideration. I'm not familiar with his other albums either so this is taken as a single encapsulation.
Track 1: Vaguely Beatles-esque, crunchier.
Track 2: Jangly acoustic mellow rock, somehow cheerful despite the subject matter
Track 3: Nice arrangement, reminds me of some of the indie rock listen to.
Track 4: Mellow, introspective, the split stereo/dual vocal thing, I've heard a lot, maybe too much from this era.
Track 5: Again, vaguely reminiscent of the Beatles
Track 6: Dude definitely had a cohesive sound on this album. Not sure it is growing on me, maybe?
Track 7: This reminds me of someone and I can't put my finger on it. I cannot shake the Beatles feel though.
Track 8: I can see why this guy was presumably influential (at least insofar as the album is on this list). But at this point the album is starting to lose me.
Track 9: We're back to moody singer-songwriter again. Again, the album is well-produced.
Track 10: Maybe spoke too soon. This does feel different from the rest of the album. Kinda dig it.
Track 11: He's a lyricist. Not sure it's speaking to me. Maybe after repeated listens?
Track 12: Ok kinda feeling this one. IDK if it's because the sound is growing on me, or I just like the groove.
Track 13: Everything on this album is starting to run into itself for me at this point. I'm kinda feeling like "more of the same".
Track 14: I think I'd have to be in the right mood for this album. It would work better then, maybe. I can appreciate the lyricism. Wish it made me "feel" more.
Track 15: I am starting to actually wish there was more variance in this album. "Can't make a sound?" He definitely *has* a sound :). Wish there was.... more.
Track 16: A closer for sure, and different from the rest of the album.
So in the end -- perhaps I was not in the right mood for this album; I can see how it is apparently adored, and why it would be influential for some. Maybe multiple listens would make it stick more for me. Not sure I'd want to do that though. There's undeniably a lot of talent there, just kinda not my cup of tea. It just doesn't connect with me.
I read later that this was recorded in part at Abbey Road Studios. Can definitely hear the ghost of The Beatles in the songs...
I got this one and was a little happy. I am not a Neil Young aficionado but I've always liked his stuff. I'm generally not a huge fan of live albums, but this one seems pretty intimate. It's warm with the occasional cool breeze.
Again, I'm not sure I could name many actual Neil Young albums off the top of my head, besides Harvest Moon, but I always connect with his stuff.
I don't like how many tracks have a fadeout -- maybe ironically, given the aforementioned preference for studio albums -- but the fade atop a live performance sound kinda irks me.
But this album definitely hits pretty well. It's like a well-worn denim jacket. I also think there are better Neil Young albums.
I'd give it 3.5, but since we can't do fractionals, I will give it a 4; it sits above some of the albums I'd consider middling/three-star territory.
Love the varied instrumentation, world music, and of course Simon is a gifted lyricist. I was vaguely familiar with this album but first time listening in its entirety. It's quite enjoyable.
Tribe. US3. De La Soul. Digable Planets. I loved this subgenre, even though it wasn't what I normally listened to back then, nor what my friends were all into.
This album was a breakthrough, and for good reason -- it slaps.
