First Review of Neil Young's "LIVING WITH WAR"
The 4 Musketeers
DownWithTyranny!: NEIL YOUNG IS LIVING WITH WAR. CAN HE RESCUE AMERICA, AND THE REST OF THE WORLD, FROM IT? former president of Reprise Records Howie Klein blogs:
"First my biases: I'm prone to love everything Neil records. I feel he's one of the greatest songwriters and musicians of our time.And "What if Al Qaeda blew up the levees?"
If I listen to a song of his and I don't get it, I have long learned that that is because I haven't spent enough time with it and that when I do, I will eventually see what he was trying to do and appreciate it. A second bias, just as strong-- and one regular DWT readers are already very aware of and probably in sync with-- is my abiding mistrust for the Bush Regime and the alarm with which I view what they have done, and continue to do, to the country I love so much. The nexus of these two biases lead to an incredible hour of listening."
UPDATE:
As Neil Young asked in 2006 on "LIVING WITH WAR", so, "What if Al Qaeda blew up the levees?" Good question.
To elaborate precisely on what we term "The Quantum Big Shift". Full Disclosure leads to Awareness. Awareness leads to Consciousness. Consciousness leads to your personal "Quantum Big Shift".
It's about You. And Me. And Us.
More on "The Quantum Big Shift, Full Disclosure, Awareness and Consciousness.".
#WT1sWBWO
Labels: album, neil young, review
by thrasher@PermaLink: 4/19/2006 05:20:00 PM
50 comments
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50 Comments:
ok, i'm an american idiot but I can recognize only Neil & Bob. Help!
Woodie Guthrie and Phil Ochs are the other two.
I'm excited by the review. Even if he is biased, it leaves me confident that I'm gonig to like this... because I'm pretty based when it comes to Neil and Bush too. I can't wait for Neil to put it up on the site. Hopefully it'll be in stores before too long.
I cannot wait for this album....I feel like someone in a desert knowing that a cup of cold water is just ahead....Hope they hurry with the release...but more than that, I hope that political interests won't intervene to prevent its release! Neil Young is one of the greatest musicians of our times..way to go, Neil.
Trust neil to come out with something that challenges the status quo. It keeps it all real. Im really confident that this album will be amazing... we should all get together, buy copies and send them to Bush...
Hugs Neil Young (there is actually someone out there older than me)
Neil Young is a great songwriter and musician and Im sure this album will be his normal high standard,
should it be released????
Archives, what Archives ? Maybe Neil is gonna do like Zappa--"After I'm gone, Pegi, you and Joel can clean out the Closet..."
Surely we CAN have our cake and eat it too...
and finally--why not the Horse ?
i've seen prairie wind a couple of times now and it has rekindled my enthusiasm for neil.
i've never seen him live, and would love to. what's the best way to find out about upcoming concerts nd get good tix?
"why not the Horse ?"
With all due respect to Crazy Horse, I don't think Neil needs them to make noise. These are the guys he made Freedom with, afterall!
And besides that, it sounds like he was in a hurry to get this stuff down. And having just worked with Rick Rosas and Chad Cromwell on Prairie Wind, I'm sure they were alot easier to wrangle in for the project than Crazy Horse would have been.
Open Letter to Neil.
I've been a fan longer than I can remember. This is a HUGE mistake. I'll tell you why. It will be the most divisive thing you could do. Your fans are already hating each other. There will be fights, boo's, and disruption from BOTH sides at all your shows. I know you don't like disruption at your shows.
The focus won't be music, it will be politics. In the end, you will only stain your career. Left or Right, the focus won't be you, it will be the audience and their hatred and intolerance and ignorance of each others politics. You shows won't be safe from either side. Metal detectors will be needed. Protesters everywhere we look. Police barricades-the works.
Your making the mistake of your lifetime. After this letter posts, watch the hatred appear. Name Calling, the Left taunting you to release it. Your tours will NEVER be the same old good time they used to be.
Don't release it! Bury it by the car barn!
Concerned fan
ah go ahead, Neil.... we won't hurt anybody. Most of us can't wait to hear it.
Living with War is causing quite a stir. Stephen Colbert identified Neil in his 'Threatdown' Tuesday night. :)
It's too late to put this one in the vaults. There's too much buzz around it already. He'd just end up looking like a coward.
Whenever I listen to Neil's music, I love to look at my favorite artists paintings.
It helps me understand Neil's music. this is my favorite gallery:
Miro
howie does a fine job elucubrating on LWW. can't wait for it's release!
I'll be lined up at the record store when it opens!
Record stores? Heck, I've got my finger on the trigger wheh the pre-order is announced!
another die-hard neil fan
The way I see it, the aim of neil's songwriting is to translate these ordinary, everyday moments into something transcendental and universally inspiring.
LWW will do just that, i thinks.
thanks Neil, long may you run.
I don't think you people have any idea how this is going to go over.
I don't know where you live, but in "normal" America, we support our troops AND the commander-in-chief no matter what party he's with!
Cutting and Running is not "helping" our troops!
This will have a MAJOR impact on any tours- (unless he just tours the west coast, France & Canada)
Just wait and see.
Neil is changing the world one album at a time...
I would probably guess than Neil doesn't really care anymore how many records he sells or who shows up to see his shows. Remember his records in the 80's? Remember Geffen Records? Maybe he figures that he's been given a gift of voice and platform to express himself.
Anon, with all due respect, Neil was a flower child of the 60s who wrote "Ohio" and "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World." Remeber how he mocke dthe first Bush? "A kinder gentler machine gun hand?" He sings folk country garage rock with a message of love first and foremost. He is a self described aging hippie.
So to claim that this is going to divide Neil's fans is patently ridiculous. It is not going to divide anyone seeing that in my estimation, probably over 99% of his fans support his views on this war. There are simply not a lot of war mongering republians who blindly support the "commander in chief" who listen to Neil. To claim that his politics are going to affect his audience is, well, foolish, given his hiostory as an artisit. If you blindly suuport this president, I feel sorry for for you. But claiming that there is more than 1 fan out of 100 that could live with the inconsitency of supporting this president and loving Neil's art, well that's just downright disingenuous.
And I can only tell you how disturbing it is to read comments from people like anon who first take claim of "normalcy" and then blindly show their support for the 'commander in chief' as if President Bush is some kind of infallible prophet.
Would you support the commander in cheif if he was committing genocide? Is that what normal people do?
The state of this country concerns me. Far too many people are unable to think for themselves
Chili, you're turning mean. You've been taking the "defend the President" side in previous comments. However, this one is just a direct, personal attack against another commenter. Why?
We might have to start calling you "Cold Bowl of Coulter".
Cold Bowl of Chili:
"There ain't no revolution, it's evolution, but every time I'm in Georgia I eat a peach for peace."
-Duane Allman
You should too. Being from Georgia doesn't mean you have to come off as a drunken madman. It makes us look bad. At least change what state you are from. You make me embarassed I'm from Georgia.
Coldbowlofshit, I pity you. I think you are the balding fat one with unresolved sexuality issues. The amount you post also showsyou are jobless, and the way you write, you are clearly the highschool drop out. Take your hatefulness elsewhere.
I personally am looking forward to getting to actually HEAR the new Neil Young album before passing judgment on it. I'm really hoping it's LOUD!!!
I haven't agreed with much of what cold bowl has said. However, if you are posting under the anonymous option, and calling someone "Coldbowlofshit" and then not at least signing your name...well, that's kind of weak, wouldn't you say?
Coldbowl..... I'm Mean?
You attack my name and credibility and I point that out and that makes me mean....I point out the inconstistency of your claims, for example, you have claimed to have 3 or 4 different careers,(energy business, economics, and engineer) and that makes me mean. I point out to all that you don't really read their posts, if you did you wouldn't get so confused.... Saying that Lou said he was some kind of insider when it was really one of the anons..... Now you accuse me of wanting to have a kid shoot me, or you? or wtf are you talking about anyway? You don't even read half of what anyone posts, I NEVER said anything about children or guns or shooting anybody..... I know someone did, but wasn't me. But then, that's what I would expect from you....same kind of crap that worked for Bush and his lackeys, getting folks all confused between Osama and Sadam. and, if you keep repeating the same lies over and over, pretty soon lots of folks believe it! You have learned your lesson well, grasshopper......
there you go again, proving to all what a buffoon you truly are. Oh, sorry, don't mean to be so mean....
Chili:
Don't worry, if I was inspired to personally insult you, I'd definitely take full credit and be far more creative. But in your paranoia, maybe you should not reveal that you are posting as the anon whom I wished their children would shoot with one of their handguns. It was funny, not psychotically off the hook angry, like your list of supposed insults like having birthmarks, being french, having divorced parents or being gay.
The Chili doth protest too much, methinks.
I believe Neil wrote a song about you: "See the lonely boy, out on the weekend, trying to make it pay. Can't relate to joy, he tries to speak and, can't begin to say."
there you go again...... You have no idea, coldbowl. I am a veteran, I work for a combat veteran of Vietnam whose son just returned from Iraq... I thanked him, in fact I thank both of them for their service. I have personally met 3 others who have returned and I THANKED ALL OF THEM.....I know they have gone through hell and it's not their fault that our commander in chief is an idiot. I have sent chewing gum, chapsticks, and cigarrettes to the troops in Iraq (yes, cigarrettes, as an ex-smoker who smoked 30 years, I know how hard it can be on a smoker in a stressful situation) I donated these items to a woman here in my hometown who does this kind of stuff on a fairly regular basis. She has drives and sends stuff to the troops. So, you can say i hate america, but once again, you are wrong...
And I never said anything about handguns, either way.....You can have as many as you want, dude, it's your constitutional right.
What a coward....delete all the idiocy and then say we have closed minds.....
Thank god that nutcase is gone. Don't let the virtual door hit ya on the way out!
"Soldier your eyes, they shine like the sun. I wonder why? Jesus I saw you walking on the river. I don't believe you. You can't deliver...right away. I wonder why?
I am a Canadian. I can't wait to hear Neil's new album. I myself am SICK of the collective American attitude about Canada. Our neighbours to the south generally don't have a clue what we are all about. The US is like a big black shadow just waiting to engulf this land and take our water, oil, lumber and pay next to nothing for it. Neil is taking a stand and trying to do what's right. Even AJ, host of CNNs Showbiz Tonight said after Neil's interview "anybody who feels the themes in this album are motivated by publicity... that's just ridiculous." The civil unrest of the 60s brought profound change to N. America and the world -- why are people so afraid of saying what they really think? Neil is not slamming the soldiers that are dying every day for Bush's war... he is simply exercising his rights as a citizen of the free world. Keep on Rockin Neil.
Chili--You DO know you're an asshole, right ?
Trolls are hard to get rid of...
I was looking at the lyrics to the new album in "Neil's garage"
"Waiting for the call
It may be a Woman
or a black man after all"
Way to go, Neil.You're a brave man.All these fucking racists out there and the Macho men will have a field day talking about "A woman" as President.
Can't wait to hear this album.
Get the fucker out the White house
Ok, coldbowl, I'll respond to your questions, even though you have never really responded in a rational way to ANYTHING I have ever posted.....
As far as the 3 individuals I met casually, after I was introduced and found out that they were veterans, I said, "Thank you for your service." As I do whenever I find out someone is a vet. I didn't pry into their experiences, not my business. As for the son of the man I work for, I told him it was good to have him back safe and sound and then we talked about his motorcycle and where he was going to be stationed next. The only remark that I heard from him regarding the war was that he thought the Iraqis were stubborn and hard-headed and that we were gonna probably be in there "for a long time." He is in Special Forces and he was over there for a year, now he is on a 6 month rotation, 6 mos. here, 6 mos. there, for the duration I guess....
I never claimed to have deep discussions of the war with these guys. I served with LOTS of combat vets (in 75-79 almost every NCO was a combat vet) and I found out a long time ago it's better not to pry about their experiences, if they want to talk to me about it, fine, but if not, fine as well.....
I don't know why I bother to respond to you anyway, you have just been deleting your posts after you realize how imbecelic they make you appear.....
He's from the north
Has never sat on a Southern man's porch
We'll have to deal with the froth and the bait
as we wait
for his debate
But hither and thither;
is no reason
We sit here wondering aloud
Is it Treason?
Oh poor Neil stuck in the 60's
Oh poor Neil at 60
Looking for one last hurrah
To hang his hat on from a far
Tisk, tisk Mr. Can man from the north
Wish we could wisk you…
Dis you…
But, alas I have no stage
No lackeys too page
No cash or Asses too burn
I have to work for a livin and earn
listin to your disin about my girl
Almost causes me to hurl.
God Bless my girl!
Tisk, tisk Mr. Can man from the north.
You feel the sands of time ebbin away?
Wishin for one last day?
You are not Peter Pan man.
Not James Kirk.
Not even close to Kurt.
So stop your disin
For you will always be stuck in a rut
Wishin for the 60’s at 60
Joe Bonanno says: Can not wait to hear this record. I am so proud of neil. Bush is by far the worst president we have ever had and I am glad Neil has the courage to confront the moron.
Well, I only just saw the video, and have not read any of the lyrics, but feel the need to take a shower after having just read some of the posts to the blogs I've read so far. The tenor of the posts can't be what Neil was referring to when he talked about differing with someone's views, and then still being able to sit down and break bread with them. I'm a little concerned about the collective intelligence of these posters, and can only hope they are not representative of all readers of Thashers Wheat.
How can anyone have an informed opinion yet, without hearing the songs first? Because Neil has apparently taken a position one way or the other, that's an invitation for opposing sides to that opinion to savage each other? Wow.
I'll reserve my opinion for after I've heard the songs several times over. Having said this, I will say that it is ludicrous for anyone to hold any of the following opinions: 1) that one has to be a US citizen to express an opinion about realities that effect everyone regardless of who they are or where they live, 2) that to hold an opinion contrary to that of George Bush, or any other president, is grounds for being unamerican, 3) that any president should be followed blindly, 4) that civility should be the first casualty to any disagreement, 5) that one citizen's opinion should serve as the basis for a generalization of that citizens country, or degenerate into the logical equivalent of "so's your mother", and 6) that everything emanating from neil is some final distillation of truth. (I'm just happy that he has provided us all with some much needed grist for the mill).
Everybody take a deep breath, appreciate the ability to have an opinion, and let that opinion grow and expand- after we've all heard the songs.
Greg
Libs (Hate America First crowd) just don't get it. This is only the beginning of the war.
Don’t take anyone’s word about what Islam is about, find out for yourself. Please study the Koran and the teachings of Islam. It will scare you; remember the Satanic Versus? The idea that there is a moderate Islam is a Myth!
The tenants of Islam are clear: Deception, conquest, subjugation and conversation to Islam or death. There is no middle ground, no tolerance in the Islamic religion.
Gays, Women, Christian, Jews, Buddhist, Atheist et al; Wake-up before it is too late.
Libs (Hate America First crowd) just don't get it. This is only the beginning of the war.
Don’t take anyone’s word about what Islam is about, find out for yourself. Please study the Koran and the teachings of Islam. It will scare you; remember the Satanic Versus? The idea that there is a moderate Islam is a Myth!
The tenants of Islam are clear: Deception, conquest, subjugation and conversation to Islam or death. There is no middle ground, no tolerance in the Islamic worldview.
Gays, Women, Christian, Jews, Buddhist, Atheist et al; Wake-up before it is too late.
Read this article on alternative fuel please! You will find it most interesting, it's short & Easy
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/04/27/kennedy_faces_fight_on_cape_wind/
I like reading about alternative fuel, (I have investments in it) and that link doesn't work for me.
Based on two initial listens from the stream at Neil's website this is my somewhat tentative review of Living With War:
Based on two initial listens to the stream at http://www.neilyoung.com
2:53 AM:
I'm a little disapointed.
Here's a quick synopsis of what I wrote at Blogcritics this morning:
I like what he's saying...and posters like Rubberneck may disagree...but I think at a time when our country is as divided as it is, the time is ripe for protest music.
But I expected a lot more musically speaking.
This is kind of like "Mirror Ball" without the great guitar solos. I'm listening to the "Impeach The President" song right now...and the Bush sound bites are pretty cool. But I'm waiting for that great screaming guitar noise to punctuate it...So far it aint there.
Seven songs in. This is more like a Greendale sound. The idea is there. The songs aint.
Personally, my expectations have been turned kind of upside down here. I expected this to be really powerful, where I expected Springsteen's Seeger Sessions to be a disapointment.
So far the opposite is true. "Looking For A Leader" is playing now, and I'm still looking for a great song."O Mary Don't You Weep" from Springsteen's "Seeger Sessions" release says everything Neil's album tries to say without hitting you over the head with it.
And Bruce didn't even write it.
April 28, 2006 6:14 AM
Yup. Definitely a disapointment.
At least on my first official listen, streamed through my computer speakers.
I still applaud Neil for bringing "protest music" back...God knows we need it now like we have at no time since the Nixon years.
But the thing is, for protest music to be truly effective, you need a memorable melody to go with the message. And for the life of me, I can't remember a thing I've just heard. No "Ohio"; No "Southern Man"; hell, no "For What its Worth" (and yes, I know Stephen Stills wrote that one).
Musically this is a slightly louder Greendale.
And again, though I had much lower expectations for it...Springsteen's "Seeger Sessions" hits the mark in all of the ways this tries to without trying nearly as hard.
You can check out the video for "O Mary Dont You Weep" right now at
http://theglenblog.blogspot.com
Glen Boyd is either braindead and or his "heart" is dead. I've been listening to Neil Young's Living with War on Rhapsody, since 7:30A.M. this morning, over and over again. This album is filled with memorable, singable, and catchy songs. It is truly one of the greatest recordings to ever proclaim the need for truth and justice to be done, here in America, now! There are none so blind as those that refuse to see.
Oh yeah, lest I forget Chili and his ilk. Unless you have something positive to add to these posts why don't you take your closed mind, lame brain, dumb ass, good ole boy Republican rantings some where else. Dissent is Patriotic! You can come back after you've figured that out.
Well the old boy said he had another "Hurricane" in him and my goodness what a great album.
Being from the UK i have always had a great fascination for the States and Neil sings about the country it should be.
Mr Bush go get educated !
You see...that's just it. Maybe I've set my expectations too high, but that's exactly what I was looking for...another "Hurricane". Or even another "Ohio". And for the life of me, I just don't hear it.
Don't get me wrong...it's not bad. But it's basically cookie cutter...albeit cranked up to eleven cookie cutter...loud, grungy Neil Young. Which I love.
I think the lyrics are spot on. I just can't find a great tune to match those. After my first listen, I couldn't remember a single song. Not a one of them stuck in my brain.
Which is very much alive Mr. Terry...as is my heart...but thanks for asking.
I'll keep listening. Hopefully this will grow on me. But so far, I'm just not really hearing it.
Damn that was simply amazing!
The lyrics were inspiring. The cranked up guitar made it all the better. Hopefully this album isn't lost to obscurity like so much of his other amazing albums... Go to the home site and give it a listen! Just google 'Neil Young' and it's on Neil's Garage.
Lastly, I really hope others follow suit with protest music. Iraq is a mess and Bush angers me to no end!
I HOPE THIS ALBUM CAN MAKE YOU ALL THINK. Because right now people are killing and being killed and blood is a very hard thing to wash from your hands.
HAHAHHAHAHAHH
read "a concerned fans" post. none of that stuff happened buddy. Instead this album has only channeled support for his politics and music during the concerts. No mass protesters or "barricades" or any of that. Ur quite the idiot.
also the person who said that this album would not sell out his concerts that persons an idiot to. Im going to one this friday in Hershey park and it was near impossible to get tickets at a reasonable price all the regular priced tickets were taken and we had to get some off an internet site.
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