Greendale

[jazzbo]

Okay. . .I'm not sure that I dig the cd itself, the Crazy Horse version of this new "concept album" from Neil. . . .

BUT the video, a live solo performance from Dublin, is a real trip! The same material, but some rambling introductions that almost tell you something about the scope and intent of the work, and some great nearly hypnotic long strumming pieces on two beautiful-sounding Martins. . . . It's a very entertaining listen.

Young seems to be almost going Faulkner here. . . . It's more a novel than a musical work in some important ways!

Edited September 1, 2003 by jazzbo

[AfricaBrass]

I've been listening to this album since it came out. I had seen the acoustic show before I heard the studio album. As a BIG ol' fan of NY's guitar playing (both electric and acoustic), I was happy that the studio version was electric. I love how NY plays electric guitar. I was very influenced in my own guitar playing by him. But for me, the acoustic version seems more poignant. As far as the concept, I'm not completely sold on it, but I've committed myself to listening to this album for a while with VERY open mind.

Nice observation about those Martin guitars. NY has the most amazing guitars. I saw him on the Harvest Moon tour, and he was surrounded by these beautiful acoustic guitars. I just love the way NY strums. He has his own special rhythm.

I've also been listening to the 4 albums that were finally released on cd. I've already said my piece about On the Beach in the other thread, but I'm surprised at how much I've been enjoying the other ones (even ReActor - gasp!). I hadn't spent much time listening to American Stars and Bars before, but I'm especially digging that one. I don't know why, but I like it. Though I wouldn't recommend it to someone who's just getting into Neil Young as their first NY album.

I wish they'd remaster and re-release the rest of his early catalog. Those albums deserve better sound.

:rsmile:

[jazzbo]

I kindof have been out of the Neil Young trip since the end of the seventies; I think Zuma and Time Fades Away would have been the last lps I bought, and I haven't really revisited his work in a long time, though I respect his work and I think he's quite a stylist and I can really support how he's gone through his adult working life. . . .

Likewise I dig his idiosyncratic guitar work, and as much as I like his electric, I like this sort of elder acoustic statesman thing I've seen him on lately, and agree that the way he strums those Martins is quite appealing. I've had a Martin, and I love the deep resonant sound some of them have, and the bright ringing sound some others have. . . . It's a hard taskmaster of an instrument, it's very much a garbage-in-garbage-out machine! The electric set of the cd is good, but I prefer the acoustic version. . . it seems more realized, or rather it seems more the reality that Young had for the material in his heart. . . .

[AfricaBrass]

I too prefer the acoustic version. I think it suits the material better. To me the songs really have a porch feel, by that I mean that is the place where they were made to be performed. It's like sitting on a hot summer night and listening to a story.

I've tried to keep up with all of NY's work, but I prefer his seventies and earlier stuff the most. I like Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere a lot more than Rust Never Sleeps. I've been trying to familiarize myself with his newer albums with a totally open mind. So far, I like the older stuff better, but maybe I'll hear something I've been missing.

:rsmile:

[jazzbo]

Yes, it's definitely a porch-story type of thing. And I haven't pieced it all together, but it's funny and touching too. A nice reorganization of his style. . . .

[DrJ]

I'm looking forward to exploring GREENDALE, haven't yet as I've been so re-immersed in ON THE BEACH lately. But will do so, and appreciate these comments on it.

[Jad]

Greendale has taken over my listening since I bought it earlier this week. I'm not going to say it's his best since (insert favorite classic Neil here), but it's pretty damn good. Lack of a DVD player has prevented me from hearing the acoustic set, and honestly, I resented having to pay a premium price to have it included (I found it on sale though, and snatched it up). However, after reading comments herein, I'm looking forward to giving it a listen.

Grabbed On The Beach on the same spree. Somewhere it passed under my radar on All Things Neil. Glad it's been reissued!

[Tjazz]

Lack of a DVD player has prevented me from hearing the acoustic set, and honestly, I resented having to pay a premium price to have it included (I found it on sale though, and snatched it up).

Premium price??

Costco had it for $12.99.

There are 2 discs (CD & DVD), but I think the list price is same as most single CDs.

($18.99 or $19.99)

Checkout

Deepdiscountcd.com for reasonalbe online prices.

[The Mule]

Curious to hear this myself. I know someone who saw NY perform this at the Greek Theater in LA last month and they were blown away by the show....

[Jad]

Premium price??

Costco had it for $12.99.

There are 2 discs (CD & DVD), but I think the list price is same as most single CDs.

($18.99 or $19.99)

Checkout

Deepdiscountcd.com for reasonalbe online prices.

[AfricaBrass]

I'm still enjoying it. I think it would be worth it even at full price (I bought mine for $11.99 ).

It's really nice to see Neil Young's creative juices flowing. I have to give him a lot of credit for completely going with the concept the way he has. I really sells the story in the acoustic version that I've seen.

The studio version almost seems like a live album to me. It sounds like they recorded a show. NY is off-mike at times. I know he likes to get the raw performance, but this is pretty raw at times. I really do like it though.

:rsmile: