New Album Review: Neil Young & Crazy Horse- World Record

Neil Young & Crazy Horse- World Record

Label: Reprise

Producers: Neil Young and Rick Rubin

On his forty-second studio album, and his now 15th with venerable rock outfit Crazy Horse, the folk-rock icon centers on themes very much in line with the social awareness and protest mentality that has never been far removed from Neil Young’s music, or that of so many artists from his generation. Of course, there’s still plenty, if not more, to bitch and be concerned about now as there was then, and in this instance Young refocuses his attention on matters of an environmental nature. But World Record is as much a love letter to the planet and all it provides, as it is a rally against the ignorance so many humans carry as it relates to concerns like pollution, climate change, and mass urbanization. The musical trappings of the record, produced this go-around by Rick Rubin, are incredibly loose, cozy even in parts, thanks to a mostly acoustic, lounge-like palette that focuses on instruments like pump-organ, accordion, piano, pedal steel, and of course Young’s iconic harmonica. These more muted settings bring out a particularly intimate element of beauty and reflection on tracks like the opening tribute, “Love Earth” or the bittersweet “This Old Planet (Changing Days)”, which almost feels like an elegy to our natural climate. That’s not to say Young doesn’t still find the room to raise the volume in this sonic setting when he needs to really bring out the frustrating anger he feels about where we stand environmentally, as seen on call-to-arms moments like “The World (Is In Trouble Now)” and “Break the Chain”, where the amps come in at least momentarily. However, he also remembers that, depending on your audience, you can get further with peaceful, folksy pleas like the hypnotic “Walkin’ On the Road (To the Future)”, which harken back to some of the haunting but soul-lifting vibes of classic albums like Harvest Moon. Now, why he felt the need to tack on a greasy 15-minute car-rock song at the end with “Chevrolet”, I’m not really sure. Perhaps, there’s a hidden message speaking out against the effects of carbon-emissions from modern-day vehicles lingering underneath. Or perhaps he just felt the knee-jerk indulgence to add a little more hard rock to the proceedings. He’s Neil Young after all; he can do whatever the fuck he wants.

Track Listing:

1. “Love Earth” (Neil Young)
2. “Overhead” (Young)
3. “I Walk With You (Earth Ringtone)” (Young)
4. “This Old Planet (Changing Days)” (Young)
5. “The World (Is In Trouble Now)” (Young)
6. “Break the Chain” (Young)
7. “The Long Day Before” (Young)
8. “Walkin’ on the Road (to the Future)” (Young)
9. “The Wonder Won’t Wait” (Young)
10. “Chevrolet” (Young)
11. “This Old Planet (Reprise)” (Young)