Neil Young - Neil Young

Released in early 1969, Neil Young's first solo album is essentially an extension of "Broken Arrow" and "Expecting to Fly," his two most inventive contributions to Buffalo Springfield. Jack Nitzsche arranged and produced several of the tracks, fusing haunting strings and even funky female backing vocals to acoustic-oriented songs like "Here We Are in the Years" and "The Old Laughing Lady." "The Loner" is the one song from Neil Young to achieve classic-rock immortality, but "I've Been Waiting for You" is almost as good, and the rambling "Last Trip to Tulsa" presages the dark acoustic epics of On the Beach. Though it's not an essential album, Neil Young-like the man himself-is rarely less than interesting. --Dan Epstein Amazon.com

A Fantastic Beginning

Some might find this recording archaic and dated. I could not disagree more. Personally, I think other words express it best--nostalgic, disillusioned, timeless.

I was a Buffalo Springfield fan during those incredible years, and because of where I lived, I found myself limited to what small record stores had to offer in the 60's. I did not have the chance to hear these songs until 1973.

The music reminds me of certain elements of Buffalo Springfield.

Combinations of keyboard and guitar achieve this on many of the recording's songs, but most importantly, the effect happens not because Neil is somehow imitating a sound like his former band, but it occurs because Neil artistically expresses key elements that were a part of that incredible band's sound.

Listening to the songs takes me back. It reminds me of my youth.

Are there dark elements? Personally, I think all great music and poetry have to have this, because the muse sometimes lurks in shadows. I guess I never liked music that didn't express passion, and that can not happen if a recording is a trite reproduction of any generation's "pop" inclinations. Neil's music has never been that. And that is why I will always be a fan.

Because the recordings on this album affect me like they do, I see it as timeless; I see it as a "must have" purchase.

There is not a single song on the CD that I would not want to hear. It is an incredible view of an icon's emergence into solo work.
July 1, 2008

JAPAN REMASTERED VERSION AVAILABLE

A while back, Warner Brothers Japan re-released 12 Neil Young titles. The surprise was that remastered content appeared for the first time on most of them.

The titles & WB-Japan catalog numbers are:

Neil Young WPCR-75086
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere WPCR-75087
After The Gold Rush WPCR-75088
Harvest WPCR-75089
On The Beach WPCR-75090
Tonight's The Night WPCR-75091
Zuma WPCR-75092
Long May You Run WPCR-75093
American Stars n' Bars WPCR-75094
Comes A Time WPCR-75095
Rust Never Sleeps WPCR-75096
Live Rust WPCR-75097

I picked up most of these, A/B'd them, and found them to be superior to the domestics. However, having purchased the domestic 2002 remasters of "Beach" and "Stars n Bars", I declined the Japan versions of those two titles.

Unfortunately, while the Japan version is remastered, Live Rust is not restored to the original LP's running form, and remains still the bastardized version.

If you own the U.S. versions, and you're a NY fan, I would seriously consider replacing them with these. June 18, 2008

Sometimes the First isn't Always the Best

The first time I heard this album ,I purchased at a thrift,I really didn't have the desire to hear it again.(although did give it a second spin,nope.no go.)I was expecting more on this solo debut from Mr. Young.The problem was with more of the instrumental arrangements than the ingenious writing of Young,maybe looking for more of the acoustic sound,where as on this recording,sounded like everything stuck in the middle of a whirlwind.I'm probably used to hearing songs like Cowgirl in the Sand,my favorite Neil Young composition or albums such as After the Goldrush,American Stars-n-Bars,Rust Never Sleeps and etc..This one folk's is no where near the classic Neil Young we're used to hearing.(keep on rollin' Neil.) May 29, 2008

There are two versions of this album

Just as an informational aside, I've owned this album since it came out and later purchased another on vinyl and eventually on CD. The first cover doesn't have "Neil Young" across the top but only the stark illustration of Neil. I can't remember what possessed me to buy the second LP with the different, current, cover. I was "Neil obsessed" , I think, ever since I saw the Springfield on my birthday in 1967 at Boston's Back Bay Theatre on a bill with The Beach Boys, the Soul Survivors (remember them?) and the Strawberry Alarm Clock, who never made the show. The gig was double-booked that night, they had all played at the Rhode Island Auditorium on the same night, so the show was running late. I digress. My brother liked the country-like material the Springfield were doing, but I loved the look of Neil, hair hanging down, an echo of the leather fringe hanging from his arms and high moccasins, playing his guitar with intensity, battling against Steve Stills break-for-break. Anyway, back to the album in question. The newer version was re-mixed. I read in Rolling Stone that Neil didn't like the original mix. The new one had louder guitar parts (really noticeable on "The Old Laughing Lady" and a few other cuts. Other subtle things as well. I still like the first one better, but it is only on vinyl and I like it better probably more because of familiarity. If it were pristine, I suppose it would be worth money to collectors, but it isn't, and I don't think I'd part with it anyway. This was always my most favorite Neil album of all. These songs got me through a few years and I am eternally grateful to Neil for them. April 16, 2008

Something Special

Man I love this album. I own the original pressing of this one, and have it on CD. What strange magic Neil created on this one. Mood and warmth with a strange saddness. So many great tracks. It is almost forgotten in the shadow of everthing after "Nowhere". You have to go back and listen to the more subtle, truly solo offering from Neil right out of the Springfield era. February 4, 2008

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