In Paignton, England, I bought my first Neil Young album, „After The Goldrush“, when it had just been released. A holiday revelation. I still see the vinyl in the window of the record store, besides an album from British jazz-rock-band Nucleus. In his own scrappy handwriting, I studied the lyrics, and one day later, I was able to sing „Tell Me Why“ along with Neil. We were a great duo. Years ago, when Neil Young finally re-released „Time Fades Away“ on vinyl, there they were again, the lyrics, the scrappy handwriting. I hadn‘t heard the album for decades, but the impact was similarly deep. That record is definitely taking no prisoners, as they say. I don‘t think it could have a more telling cover.
1 – On The Beach – enlightened darkness – *****
2 – Tonight‘s The Night – raging lamento, celebrating life – *****
3 – After The Goldrush – old true love never dies – *****
4 – Comes A Time – one for the heavens – *****
5 – Rust Never Sleeps – four weeks on my turntable in 1979 – *****
6 – Neil Young: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere – *****
7 – Neil Young (his first album) – criminally underrated *****
8 – Harvest – still listen to it without nostalgia, very strange ****1/2
9 – Hitchhiker – one of the most intimate solo recordings ever – ****1/2
10 – Time Fades Away – still a killer today – ****1/2
11 – Live At Massey Hall – intimacy in a wide space – ****1/2
12 – Live Rust – crank up the volume – ****1/2
13 – Le Noise – immersive is the word – ****1/2
14 – Zuma – laid-back, and wild – ****1/2
15 – Psychedelic Pill – Crazy Horse in epic dimensions – ****
16 – Sleeps with Angels – back to the roots – ****
17 – Homegrown – a once buried treasure – ****
18 – Blue Note Café – rough horns and, seriously, blue notes – ****
19 – Re-ac-tor – a very crazy horse, grim humour included – ****
20 – Arc – feedback celebration – ****