Review: Prairie Wind By Neil Young
Published October 15, 2005
There is very little that you can be certain of any more in this world of ours. Increasingly, things have grown more and more complex; nothing is cut and dried and nothing is as simple as we once thought it was. It's in troubled times like this that a familiar voice is that much more comfortable.
Neil Young may not have the most pleasant voice to come down the pike, but it carries with it a permanence that seems to steady the ever-shifting earth beneath your feet. His newest release, Prairie Wind, is quintessential Neil Young - thoughtful, introspective and replete with the vivid imagery that has made his songs famous.
There has long been something poignant about Mr. Young's work; perhaps it's that almost forlorn falsetto that tinges even the most cheerful song with sadness, that speaks directly to the heart of the listener. Even his highly personal songs, and Prairie Wind is his most personal record in ages, capture universal truths that speak to most people.
Trying to remember what my daddy said Before too much time took his head He said we're going back and I'll show you what I'm talking about Going back to Cyprus River Going back to the old farm house. -- Neil Young, "Prairie Wind", 2005
Even by most people's standards, Mr. Young has had a rough year. Last June, he had to have emergency surgery to deal with a brain aneurysm, and he had only just recovered from that ordeal when his father died. The last couple of years of his father's life had not been easy as he had began to suffer from the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's disease.
Anybody who has had to watch a parent suffer from Alzheimer's immediately understands the line "Before too much time took his head". Connections to the past live in memories, and if the memory disappears, what happens to our past? On the song " Prairie Wind", and the disc for that matter, Neil Young sees himself becoming the older generation that is the connection to the past.
In the song "No Wonder" he uses the past to warn us about our tenuous future. Comparing people who used to hunt for food with oil exploration destroying caribou habitat, he bemoans how selfish people have gotten in their attitudes towards the world. He warns us that the clock is ticking down if we don't do something about our behaviour soon.
One of my favourite tracks on the disc so far is "This Old Guitar". I admit that I have a soft spot for anything Emmylou Harris sings harmonies on, but even without that added bonus, I'd like it for the message it carries. It starts with that oh-so-familiar Neil Young acoustic chord progression that half the world can identify, which leads into the theme of the song perfectly.
Richard Marcus is a long-haired Canadian iconoclast who writes reviews and opines on the world as he sees it at Leap In The Dark and Epic India Magazine.
- Review: Prairie Wind By Neil Young
- Published: October 15, 2005
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Classic Rock and Oldies, Music: Roots Rock, Review
- Writer: Richard Marcus
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Comments on this articleComments
Excuse my skepticism but it seems like every review of this record mentions the personal travails of Neil Young as if to qualifiy the work. Is it still a good album if he had a lovely year? No doubt heroes still exist in rock & roll and no doubt Young has assumed the mythic status of Dylan whom for so long he aspired. Nevertheless, the tune I heard on the radio sounded dull and recycled.
Barry, that's a very good question, and in my opinion the album would have been good if Neil had sat around all year long strumming his guitar without a care in the world.
Butthe content and the themes of the songs would have been different. I was not using his experiences of the past year to justify the quality of the album, but rather to put the nature of the songs into perspective. At least that was my intent. If I had thought the album crap, I would have said so no matter what had happened over the year.
cheers
gypsyman
Can't wait to get this album. What I've heard has been great so far. I have to admit though that I would buy anything Neil puts out. I'm at the point now where I have everything else, so why not another. He rarely disappoints.
Okay, so I'm a pedant, but the Neil Young album is Trans - Transformer is by Lou Reed.
Altho I would love to hear Neil young singing Walk on the Wild Side or vicious!
I was in Wallywrld buying some bleach when I happened by the record rack and remembered reading about the imminent release of this effort.I was was a little disappointed with Silver and Gold and just couldnt get into the Green thing.I was impressed with the packaging which seems enviromentally conscious.I was initially disappointed but you have to listen to this record several times before it nabs you.The man is a genius.I think this effort was genuine.At times I've felt that Neil was in it for the money- and I've loved him like a brother since'72.Timbo
I love this album, it is indeed poignant, thoughtful, and nostalgic. To me, it is a bit reminiscent of "silver and gold", which I also felt was a great album. I think you have to be comfortable with your own sense of vulnerability in order to completely appreciate Neil's music, he's not afraid to put it out there, and he does so, in a straightforward and humble way. As an eight year old, I listened to Neil Young on 8-track tape, and he spoke to my soul even at such a young age. I don't believe that Neil was ever trying to assume the "mythical status" of Bob Dylan. I would never try to compare the two. I don't think Neil did either- to be quite honest. His style has always been his own, and thats what I have always truly loved about Neil Young.
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Very nice review, g-man - you've really caught some of what makes Young special, I think. Haven't had the chance to give this album the attention it deserves yet, but I like what I've heard of it so far.