Neil Young

[Vacant Horizon]

Tonight's The Night

[nodep5]

I'm a huge Neil fan, but unlike other artists that I obsess over, I'm not an apologist for him. To my ears, the only Neil record that I would strongly argue for since Rust Never Sleeps would be Sleeps With Angels.

 

Just because he doesn't just repackage his past work (which he also does) doesn't mean his "artistic" ventures are credible or relevant. I think a number of his albums are flat out cringe inducing. It also feels like since the early 80's squabble with Geffen Neil kind of holds that over Reprise's head to allow for some of these misadventures. In a way it feels like Neil takes advantage of his die hard/obsessed fan base. Almost like a petulant child that believes his parents should hang every finger painting on the fridge. Some of it just not good.

 

Maybe Neil set the bar so high with everything he touched between 66-79, but to these ears it has been pretty slim pickins ever since. I'm holding out for the original chrome dreams and homegrown stuff.

 

wow that was negative

[suites]

yes, ragged glory can be seen as a classic. i was just thinking of his run from 69-79 that was legendary. good point about the other classic rock acts. recently went to see petty and was hoping to hear a bunch of the new album jammed out live. to no avail. played hit after hit

 

and to the comment above about 'not defending Fork or Passionate?'--hilarious and right on:)

 

Yeah...Petty really frustrates me because he has ability to play a great set each night...but he never even plays 2 hours and does not play any new music.

 

 

I saw the opening night (US) of Greendale and most people in the crowd had no idea he would not be playing the "hits"...they wee pissed. I thought it was great...but it just showed the massive balls he had to sell tickets for 15,000 and then play something nobody ever heard (the album was not even out yet)....now he is playing Solo with like 6 songs anyone heard...that man is the man.

[Analogman]

Yeah...Petty really frustrates me because he has ability to play a great set each night...but he never even plays 2 hours and does not play any new music.

 

 

I saw the opening night (US) of Greendale and most people in the crowd had no idea he would not be playing the "hits"...they wee pissed. I thought it was great...but it just showed the massive balls he had to sell tickets for 15,000 and then play something nobody ever heard (the album was not even out yet)....now he is playing Solo with like 6 songs anyone heard...that man is the man.

 

From the set lists I have seen, Tom Petty has been playing a good bit of the new album this summer.

 

I often think of something that Neil kept saying in Shakey - "they won't play it on the radio anyhow".

[LouieB]

Tonight's The Night

That's a rilly long time ago.............

 

 

LouieB

[hwllo]

hmm...since rust never sleeps i would say

 

Freedom

Ragged Glory

Harvest Moon

Chrome Dreams II

 

are all real solid albums

 

 

Greendale

Prairie Wind

Silver and Gold

Living With War

 

are all pretty good too

 

 

sure he's had some mis-steps, but really i will never fault someone for doing what they want to do when it comes to something like this. i mean christ, the man's put out something like 35 albums! how many artists not named bob dylan can say that?

[ThisIsNowhere]

I guess I'm one of the few that have actually enjoyed most of his post 70's output. Admittadly the 80's were pretty weak for the most part, but Trans and Freedom were both excellent albums. All of his 90's albums were solid, and as far as his 00's albums go most of them were really good. Especially Greendale and Living With War. LWW was his most emotionally raw album since Tonight's the Night (he's almost in tears on a few songs), and Prairie Wind is classic too. Oh and let's not forget about Greendale.

 

It seems like even now, a lot of fans are still expecting a repeat of Harvest or After the Goldrush which is not going to happen, and frankly I don't know if I'd want that either. Not many artists are putting out albums today that are as strong as the ones they made when they were younger, but Neil is and I respect him for it.

[jc4prez]

That's a rilly long time ago.............

 

 

LouieB

 

 

Yup. I just think there have been weak spots in just about everything he has done since then. Obviously there have been a lot of great tracks and some good live material, nothing comes close thought (IMO) to the work done from the Springfield years to Tonight's The Night.

 

On an unrelated note. I really wish he had recorded this new record with Crazy Horse, seems a damn shame that he went heavy again without them.

[Synthesizer Patel]

whilst i think neil young's songs are pretty weak, and some terrible, on this new album, i actually think the worst thing is daniel lanois's production. it sounds so dated to me - if i didn't know it, i'd have thought this album was from the early 90s or recorded on a laptop in someone's bedroom by an old man who thinks they are being up-to-date and interesting, but in reality hasn't listened to progressive music for the last 20 years.

 

as for the last good neil young album, i'd probably say rust never sleeps. he's made interesting albums since then, but nothing i'd care to get punched in the face over whilst defending.

[jc4prez]

recorded on a laptop in someone's bedroom by an old man who thinks they are being up-to-date and interesting, but in reality hasn't listened to progressive music for the last 20 years.

 

 

BINGO

[tinnitus photography]

Tonight's The Night

 

wow.

 

yeah, i'd be hard pressed to find a 'close to good' record among his post-1975 work...i was gonna post a list but figured why feed an obvious troll.

 

Just because he doesn't just repackage his past work (which he also does) doesn't mean his "artistic" ventures are credible or relevant. I think a number of his albums are flat out cringe inducing. It also feels like since the early 80's squabble with Geffen Neil kind of holds that over Reprise's head to allow for some of these misadventures. In a way it feels like Neil takes advantage of his die hard/obsessed fan base. Almost like a petulant child that believes his parents should hang every finger painting on the fridge. Some of it just not good.

 

what makes you think that Neil makes music for his fan base? you are certainly free to dislike it, but projecting motives is a losing strategy.

[Synthesizer Patel]

what makes you think that Neil makes music for his fan base? you are certainly free to dislike it, but projecting motives is a losing strategy.

 

i think the fact that he releases this stuff makes it pretty clear he's doing it for his fan base. who do you think he's releasing it for, then?

like i said in my first post in this thread, i personally wish he would keep this kind of stuff to himself, but he obviously thinks someone wants to listen to it.

[tinnitus photography]

even outsiders like R. Stevie Moore and Jandek release records (and lots of them)...i don't get your line of reasoning...they create things, and release them so that people can experience them and draw their own conclusions. that's how art operates, not in a vacuum. to think that a particular release would be shaped for a specific component of the potential listening population is a stretch, at least for Neil. it's long been established that he does what he wants to.

[jc4prez]

wow.

 

yeah, i'd be hard pressed to find a 'close to good' record among his post-1975 work...i was gonna post a list but figured why feed an obvious troll.

 

 

Right......because I don't have a popular opinion I'm a troll? I don't see your logic. I didn't say the guy hasn't produced some good songs or good albums, I'm just saying I think that was the last "great" record he did. Dare I say, close to perfect.

[tinnitus photography]

Right......because I don't have a popular opinion I'm a troll? I don't see your logic. I didn't say the guy hasn't produced some good songs or good albums, I'm just saying I think that was the last "great" record he did. Dare I say, close to perfect.

 

 

you replied to qualifier 'close to good,' which you now are equating with 'great.'

 

 

make up your mind. they have substantial differences in interpretation.

[Synthesizer Patel]

even outsiders like R. Stevie Moore and Jandek release records (and lots of them)...i don't get your line of reasoning...they create things, and release them so that people can experience them and draw their own conclusions. that's how art operates, not in a vacuum. to think that a particular release would be shaped for a specific component of the potential listening population is a stretch, at least for Neil. it's long been established that he does what he wants to.

 

 

what are you talking about? you said "what makes you think that Neil makes music for his fan base?" and i said because he releases it. what has talking about outsiders got to do with anything - they too release it for their fan base. i think you're having your own inner argument here or something. he releases music for his fan base. that is not the same as saying when he is recording it he's thinking, "hmmm, now what would my fans want me to record next?"

 

i've got a funny feeling this post is not going to solve things . . .

[jc4prez]

you replied to qualifier 'close to good,' which you now are equating with 'great.'

 

 

make up your mind. they have substantial differences in interpretation.

 

 

Okay mom. Tonight's The Night was the last great album he made. "Rust never sleeps" was the last close to good album but some of those songs were five years old already upon release.

 

ETA: Not to mention I don't think that would be an invalid opinion (re:thinking tonight's the night was his last 'close to good album'). Were talking opinions here.

 

Regardless of what I meant, who gives a shit if someone though the records after "tonight's the night" weren't close to good? I can't understand why that would matter to you?

[tinnitus photography]

his fan base is incidental to the records he has released, they are not linked or have any impact on the material he's recorded.

 

neil's career would the be same if he sold a single copy of each release, that his mom bought.

 

Okay mom.

 

don't get smug if you can't handle basic communication.

[jc4prez]

his fan base is incidental to the records he has released, they are not linked or have any impact on the material he's recorded.

 

neil's career would the be same if he sold a single copy of each release, that his mom bought.

 

 

 

don't get smug if you can't handle basic communication.

 

 

I believe you were the one who referred to me as a troll because my response didn't sit well you.

[Synthesizer Patel]

his fan base is incidental to the records he has released, they are not linked or have any impact on the material he's recorded.

 

neil's career would the be same if he sold a single copy of each release, that his mom bought.

 

yeah, i think you've got me on that! cos i'm just in talks right now with daniel lanois to produce my next bedroom recording - i wanted jack nitzche, but he's dead. he's bringing a whole bunch of session musicians with him, though. my mum can't wait to buy her copy!

[tinnitus photography]

Regardless of what I meant, who gives a shit if someone though the records after "tonight's the night" weren't close to good? I can't understand why that would matter to you?

 

'regardless of what i meant'

 

 

I use these boards as a way to kill some time, shoot the shit and talk about music, passionately; i figure others here have invested time and $ into listening, and it's not just ear candy from the radio like the general populace.

 

I also realize that taste is subjective, and even if you truly thing that Neil's last 'close to good' LP was Tonight's The Night, I can vehemently disagree w/ it but I realize I'm not gonna move you off yr position. That's not my intent.

 

Maybe arguing about music online is like dancing about architecture.

[jc4prez]

'regardless of what i meant'

Maybe arguing about music online is like dancing about architecture.

 

 

Could be

 

I was just trying to see why it would make someone a troll for not like his releases there after. I mean I know people who only like the crazy horse stuff and think "Harvest" is pop garbage, so what was all I was saying.

 

Like I said though, he has made lots of great music post Tonight's The Night and FTR I would say "Rust" was the last close to good album.

 

ETA: Your calling me a troll didn't seem like you "realize that taste is subjective"

[tinnitus photography]

perhaps my troll comment was reactionary, but i was prodded by your apparent declaration that these records were not 'close to good'

 

zuma

rust never sleeps

freedom

ragged glory

harvest moon

 

i will totally agree that post-Rust Never Sleeps, the material is not nearly as strong overall as the previous work.

 

 

it was probably including Zuma in that category that got me going. that's my 2nd favorite NY record after OTB (well, probably tied w/ TTN and TFA).

[jc4prez]

perhaps my troll comment was reactionary, but i was prodded by your apparent declaration that these records were not 'close to good'

 

zuma

rust never sleeps

freedom

ragged glory

harvest moon

 

i will totally agree that post-Rust Never Sleeps, the material is not nearly as strong overall as the previous work.

 

 

it was probably including Zuma in that category that got me going. that's my 2nd favorite NY record after OTB (well, probably tied w/ TTN and TFA).

 

Word. I prefer the older recordings of the "rust" stuff. Zuma is indeed a great record.

 

Not a fan of "harvest" although I do like: One Of These Days, Old King and the title track.

 

Ragged Glory had potential but I hate the back up vocals on the record.

[CortezTheKiller]

Ragged Glory had potential but I hate the back up vocals on the record.

Not a fan of Ralph, Billy, and Poncho screaming several feet away from the microphone?

 

Testy today Tim. I like it.