I haven't heard one lick of this record yet, so I cannot vouch for it's quality in any way. I'm only addressing what became very obvious from Jimmy McDonough's biography of Young.



I find this line of reasoning disconcerting. It seems to imply that the tired mantra of "You're either with us (Bush) or you with the terrorists" actually holds water, and that you can't be pro-America and anti-Bush at the same time. Despite being Canadian by birth, when Young relocated to California in the 1960s, he fell in love with America and was eager to entwine himself within it, almost to the point of a modern day de Tocqueville. Neil Young is a damn fine American, even if this record blows. I don't think his leap from 93 to being staunchly anti-Bush is all that much different from many Americans. It's a widely shared emotion.



Young has plenty of money, and genuinely doesn't seem to be motivated by sheer cash grabs. Also, given Young's tendency to fly off on weird tangents and release some pretty commercially unviable material, buy Lionel Trains or spend TONS of his own money developing all sorts of non-music related projects, I don't think it's all that important for him to sell a bunch of records. He's certainly bombed before.

I know it seems like this could be motivated purely by ego, publicity and profit, and maybe to some degree it is. Maybe Young is pretty pissed off that despite pretty fertile ground for real live protest music, fucking Green Day is carrying the flag. Again, I see how a 60 year old man rocking out about "Impeach the President" seems like a cash grab, but it's not difficult at all to shine the same light on "Sweet Neo-Con".

quick and dirty review

its way too forced and over the top.....

two thumbs down

I mentioned "Highwire" but "Sweet Neo-Con" works just as well.

I just like to mention "Highwire". It still cracks me up that MTV debuted it as The Rolling Stones big political statement on the eve of the first Gulf War.

Dude. Alls I'm saying is he's been writing folk songs/protest songs (whatever you want to call em) for years and years---it's not allll he does, but it's part of what he does----so don't be surprized if he's writing about current events, because that's part of the tradition he comes from, is all. He's been critical of things in the past so why stop now?

"Keep on Rockin' in the Free World"
"This Note's for You" (not the best song, but a "message" song nonetheless)
...I'm sure you people could list more...

I'm not even a hardcore fan. I don't even own anything by him. I'm just really happy he's around doing what he does.

[quote="Dalen"]you should do it in the mirror too, with an old paper towel roll as your mic! [quote]

Something tells me this scene is known in 64% of Obner households. Perhaps even yours... although I suspect there is a spinning air turntable involved.

Yes, it is unseemly to get angry about political cynicism. Cynicism is our cultural spyware protecting us from each other. It is dated to think that collective action can change the world for the good; more justice, more hope. Certainly it is annoying and hypocritical. to adopt prophetic superiority (especially when one is accusing the "other side" of self-righteousness). I am sure there is generation-bound myopia. I admit it all. It is my history, my heart's impulsive, my operating code, my work, my failures. But there remains a trace of one moment when one thought shared seemed to assure that absolutely everything was up for grabs. A young man's flimsy dream... I am sorry that subsequent young men didn't get to have this folly.

In short, what's so funny about peace, love and understanding.

I don't remember "Highwire", so my apologies, Mr. Bloor.