*BREAKING! - New Song: "FORK IN THE ROAD"
UPDATE: See new video "Fork In the Road" - New Video!.
UPDATE: Welcome Uncut.co.uk - News readers! Thanks iFarah!
Listen to New Song: "FORK IN THE ROAD" on Neil's Garage.
Thanks BSM & e2f!
So what can this possibly mean? The new album of Linc-Volt love songs is coming? Part of the soundtrack for the Linc-Volt documentary? Or is it Toast? Or are the Archives still next up? Or the Booker T & DBT CD? Or Harvest Moon Live? Or maybe an Archives hidden track?
isn't this fun!? This is literally another fork in the road....
Actually, we think this upload is an indication that the NYA page update is coming very soon. By driving traffic to the site looking for new song, folks will stumble on the NYA details. But hey. That's just a theory....
by thrasher@PermaLink: 1/07/2009 11:31:00 AM
51 comments
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51 Comments:
What the fork?! C'mon Neil. make up your mind.
j
Hey all,
"Archives Guy.!"Are you still with us?"Have you gotten around to testing Sony BDP S301 yet?If yes what do you think?Hope Archives vol.1 IS coming out Feb.24th if not before.:)Thanks for the work.Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
signed, Mugwump
Fork in the Ditch?
Yours,
Spooner Nife
WOW! Let's have an album of THAT please! Modern Depression-Era rock!
Crissy O
The other car songs featured on tour are decidedly bad, but this "Fork in the Road" song is so distressingly awful that it almost seems like a joke. So hideous that one almost has to laugh at the situation. Would a record company actually listen to this garbage and then agree to release it? At some point, they're going to have to take a stand - right? I'm actually rooting for the record company here.
Seems like there's a "Chrome Dreams III" coming soon, but now it truly is about chrome dreams.
No, I dig this song, it's completely fucked up. Dirty blues crap, really cool. Love the southern sound of the steel guitar.
You have to listen to the chorus part. I hope Neil plays good southern solos on these songs.
in reply to Mugwump-
I don't have a report for you yet on the Sony BDP S301 player. We have tested a similar player, the S300 and it works fine with the V4.0 firmware upgrade.
Both of these models are older, slower, first generation Profile 1.0 players.
Does the S301 have a network connection/ethernet port on it?
-Archives Guy
ps enjoy the new tunes....
neil missed the boat calling the last album chrome dreams II. all the new songs fit that title more perfectly.
Stick a "fork" in him, he's done.
I think I can hear especially in the start there and at the end, with the guitar a melody I have heard in another song (Don`t think it`s by Neil). Does anybody know where I can have this from?
Be the Change and Be the Rain...
Run for Governor or Congress and make laws along with the songs. A song can't change the world. You have the thoughts, power, and means to make a real change.
Hoping for a Better World,
Flowergirl
What a great tune. Love the sound of this one and the way that it moves. I love the way that Neil keeps developing as an artist and that this annoys lots of fairweather fans.
Seems to me that some of the folks posting here don't like change so I have to wonder what they are doing here? Hoping for a rewrite of Like a Hurricane? (I suggest that they listen to "Touch the Night".)
Love this new tune and looking forward to the new album! Release date: January 27th? Title: "Times Fades Away 2" or maybe "Sea Change"?
… nobody can conclude anything else than this: Neil is alive and present on this planet.
That's enough for me.
Peter Dees (Holland)
"I love the way that Neil keeps developing as an artist" Developing? Oh, that's priceless!! And yes - you're a 'true Neil fan'. You love everything he does, or you say so in public anyway - but deep down you know full well that most of his output of late is utter rubbish. You'll never admit that though - that would make you a 'fair-weather fan' wouldn't it?
Please please please change that horrible 'Neil's Garage' theme on his main page. Its absolutely rubbish! It takes too long to load up and looks cheesy. Why can't the options be listed normally along the side of the page instead of scattered around a car?
It's not Sleeps w Angels,it's not Crazy Horse, but that's a good fucked up song, just like a mix between Bite the Bullets and Life in the city. The steel guitar of B. KEith is really cool, there's a good southern rock sound.
I'd like to say RIP, Ron Asheton, too.
What's cool about being a fan of Neil, is that you don't have to like all of his music, but you've got to appreciate his risk taking and many moods. I lean towards the folksie side of Neil, Prarie Wind was sweet. Living with War, a little heavy....but Neil, well he's 100% alright!
I wish the people who are determined to bring the new songs, and Neil, down would post with a signature, would make it look less like 1 saddo trying to change everyone's opinion. Futile to say the least...
I love Fork in the Road. First time I've heard any of the new songs except Light a Candle, which I also loved.
It's just a brilliant rockin' song! I'd love to hear this one live. Or even the full version on a better set of speakers ASAP!!!
Can't wait for this album, I couldn't care if this comes before Archives, it'll be worth it.
I just love new Neil.
Anyway, great start to 2009. Think this year's gonna be an even better year for Neil than 2008. Can feel it already...
Davie from Scotland
Ahhhh That one makes me smile :-) awesome tone and groove..
To Archives Guy,
Thanks for the info.As for the new tunes?I'm diggin' em.
signed,Mugwump
Don't waste time or energy on any of the complaining and moaning people out there that only wants to hear another version of Like a Hurricane or Cinnamon Girl or Sugar Mountain live. Just relax and enjoy the new tunes. They're really exciting.
M
"Stop booeing me. I hate it when they boo me" Bob Dylan
Hey Thrasher i twittered in yesterday for the tune & back for another listen.
The Twitter updates are cool. THANKS!
RubyintheDust
Those who don't like the song aren't necessarily "fair weather fans" or waiting for a new LAH or whatever.
I, myself, like the riff and the feel, but the melodic phrasing seems lazy and awkward. In fact, it's so much so I'm wondering if Neil is doing it on purpose, seeing how he's been so naturally melodically interesting his whole career. It wouldn't surprise me, though at this point I just don't understand it.
Keith
Spin the Black Circle
That's very true: seems to me all of Neils recent output about cars and driving around the great USA is low on melody. High energy and just churning on seem to be getting the upper hand, much like on Living with War. Do you suppose that's the price of making quick, Current Affairs Music? (On the other hand, his old current affair songs had GREAT melodies..)
Living with war have really great melodies. And he wrote songs quicker 40years ago. It's just that you don't like the bluesy, funky, rocky new songs. Pity.
M
It's true, LWW's melodies were strong. There are some new songs that are great as well: Light a Candle, Just Singing A Song, When World's Collide, Fuel Line, Off The Road. Even Hit The Road is catchy. I don't mean to bash the whole bunch. Just seems that Fork in the Road is the weakest (imo) and there are some others that seem lazy as well.
CHRIST, LADIES. LIGHTEN UP...
It's a song sketch. Let him finish it already.
Unlike the anonymous fairweather fan and other contributors I find Neil's recent output to be great. After losing his way in the late 90's he recovered from his drought in fine style with Greendale, Prairie Wind, Living with War and Chrome Dreams II. These albums are full of killer songs and I am looking forward to the LincVolt album.
A true Neil fan.
Hm...truly awful song. And I love "T-bone".
Sure, no mistake: Prairie Wind, Greendale, Chrome Dreams - great songs. It's just that the latest, fuel-friendly bunch of 'em, seem more fun for him to play than to listen to. Neil obviously loves his 2007-2009 band. But the songs(sea change etc) are at times almost, well... boring. But, you never know... wel'll wait and see change)
And about LWW; even Neil said the melodies on that album were a bit dull, because he (not an exact quote) wasn't going to waste his best writing on the topic (Bush, war) but just wanted to get the emotional message out. Which, of course, he did.
Nice trash. Music without fear. Just have a good time. More of this shit pelase.
Red Noise
I agree that "Fork in the Road" has a great groove. The music got it going on. But the lyrics suck. My problem with much of Neil's later output is that it's rushed and/or lazy. In this tune, he unnecessarily repeats "rig" and "school" in successive lines...that's lame.
I'm NOT looking for another "Like a Hurricane". (We've had enough of that, actually, and it shows in the weakness of "Road Rocks, Vol. I - boring). What I've always enjoyed about Neil is his reinventing himself repeatedly. But he's starting to stagnate. If I just wanted more mellow country rock, then "Prairie Wind" would be fine, but it's just a lesser version of things he's already done better.
That's what I love about Neil albums like "Trans" and "Landing on Water" and even "Everybody's Rockin'" - he was exploring, trying something new. This new song is simply another along the lines of "Piece of Crap" and "Dirty Old Man" - Neil can put this stuff out in his sleep. It's not bad, but we've been there before. I'm not a big fan of "Greendale", but at least he had a vision for something and I appreciate it for that.
You can't really blame Neil for coasting after all these years and great tunes. But still, no need to try to justify this new stuff as ranking up there with his best.
Charlie
First:
Neil is in my opinion always reinventing himself, on every record or whatever he releases. You can't really say that he has done the same thing twice. Prairie wind is definitely not the same 'mellow country' he has done before. The acoustic guitarplaying is much more 'folkblues'-oriented, but most of all: COUNTRYFOLK + HORNSECTION, where'd you get that before?
If you don't notice the differences, it's in the ear of the beholder I think.
Second:
Neil's reinventions do not always please us. That's because he finds the reality of the new invention more important than the succes it will or will not have. And that's why he releases it (same reason for releasing the Archives: "just give'em everything: the good, the bad and the ugly").
Those two points are THE reasons why Neil is still alive and present and, if I may say so, why he is one of the few pop icons that really is a true artist.
Last but not least: name me one other artist of this status who delivers new output as much as Neil. The last few years we have had sometimes 2 or 3 items per year or more…I can only be in awe.
Peter Dees (Holland)
I agree with Peter.
Neil is not Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen in lyrics, but he's quite different - more feeling, groove, melody. He has always written songs in 5 minutes. Some of his strongest songs are written in 5 minutes. LWW is a really strong record - you can hear the inspiration. The melodies are top class. The songs Living with War and The Restless Consumer are classics. And the new songs are different. Fork in the Road is much more heavy, driving blues than anytime before. And the songs from New York (except Light a Candle and a couple of others) are much more funky than anything Neil has ever done. I find it interesting. When I listen to these songs, I want to hear them again. And again. And again. That's good music to me.
Like L.a.Times just wrote, in an interview with Van Morrison:
Some artists, of course, make an art out of veering from the script mentality. Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen hold court atop the list of rockers who strive for liberation with every performance. Jazz as a genre also counts spontaneity among its core values, just as gospel at its most inspired seeks something higher through performance.
You could hear Van Morrison drawing on all three traditions when he performed his 1968 album, "Astral Weeks," live for the first time last November at the Hollywood Bowl.
Liberation in every performance - in other words: reinventing himself. Thwe jazz of rock.
M
I Completeley agree with you M.
Neil always alternates strong and emotive songs and albums (such as Sleeps w. Angels) with some cooler things (take The Blue Notes album). But that doesn't mean that it's not good. These car songs are really cool to take the Road, so mission accomplished. There's a fuckin good southern crap sound, and that's "music without fear", to quote Red Noise. On the other side, Light a Candle (wich sounds like The Boss' version of Eyes On the Prize)and Singing a Song are completely different, and maybe they will be recorded for an another album (with The Horse, I hope).
"Searchin' for quality
Havin' to have the very best
Now scroungin' for quantity
Never having' time
To do the test
That's how the story goes..."
I'm just sayin' that Neil's more recent work, over the past decade or so, has, as a body of work, been neither of the quality of his past work nor represented a great departure from things he had done before. And as for being a lyricist, Neil perhaps isn't in the league of Bob Dylan (who hasn't been too shabby in releases lately either, all of which are at a very high caliber, too, ranking with the best of his entire oeuvre), but his older work typically was written by a craftsman - "Words", "Alabama", "Cortez", and so on. Brilliant lyrics combined with always excellent music. I just don't see the same songcraft in this latest song, or in much of his later work.
That's NOT to say that I don't enjoy many songs on most albums; it's just that IMHO less product developed with more care would be more interesting and probably stand the test of time better than the quantity we've been getting lately.
Be honest - how often do you spin "Are You Passionate" or "Silver and Gold" compared to even "Harvest Moon", let alone earlier discs?
Charlie
I agree with Charlie. Basically, Neil's been doing the same Jekyll/Hyde act his whole career(soft acoustic singer vs electric maniac), and sometimes it's just not that great. Personally, I think his acoustic sets 2007/2008are up there among his best: ripe with age. I doubt if the same goes for his eclectris persona.
Just had a listen and it sounds bit like La Grange by ZZ Top with Lou Reed on vocals!
Neil seems to be almost speking the words and they're quite up front on the mix.
Not a classic by any means but a more of a low key vocal style.
Watch the video - absolutely classic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7L7XsHKCVs
This is the best thing Neil has done in a long time. The lyrics are genius! The attitude is perfect! The song grooves along in an oh so fine old style blues.
I'd rather have a great new album than the archives thing at this point. We've waited this long....what's another 6 or 60 months!
How can you people say you dont like this music? It's classic Neil! GOD you people kill me with all the hating and shouts of PLAY OLD SONGS!!! Though Neil's Whole career (1972 on..) he's had to justify to his 'fans' playing new songs. PEOPLE UNDERSTAND NEIL WRITES NEW MUSIC ALL THE TIME AND HE PLAYS THEM!!! Its what he's always done...please, really, ask yourselves: "Am I really a Neil Young FAN?" and think about it...I know your all so quick to judge so think about it. The songs about US you and me and the UNITED STATES and society as a whole...we've come to a fork in the road...which way we gonna go?
I think this music is great...its really rockin' and thats what Neil does...and if we're fans then we should be happy he's still out there doing what he's ALWAYS done. I know I'm thankful (just like I was thankful for being in the front Row for Neil at MSG! Great show..just had to throw that in there)
I quote the man from 1974; "Some of my old songs...I really sung them a lot...I feel like I cant do them justice. That may sound strange to you cause you heard them on a piece of plastic but I've just done them too much like ya ever fall in love with a girl that you've just had too much of? And all the sudden it was gone?" and in 1976.."Oh I still know all those old songs...I still know the changes. I love it when you ask for those old songs but sometimes..its funny cause what keeps ya alive is what kills ya..ya know? Too much of the old shit and it's goodnight."
KEEP DOING WHAT YOUR DOING NEIL...
a record about greed well i think neil knows everything bout greed
hasse sweden
"twas brillig and the slivy toves
did gyre and gimble in the wabe
all mimsy were the burragroves
and the momeraths outgrabe".........bit like "fork in the road" isn't it!
Stop over analysing it and just enjoy the twists and turns,troughs and peaks of shakey's amazing career!
dr dip
that apple in the vidio is the best thing about it id still buy it though im faithfull through and through xx glasgow fan
I love the song, but than again I am a real Neil Young fan. I like the fact that you don't know what you will hear next. Only a real fan can appreciate this. As well this song presents a strong message that few other artists have the guts to release in a song. The man speaks his mind and you got to respect that.
read all the crap.......great album hits the spot it rocks.sums up 2008/2009 financial meltdown where did all the money go?hey bail out the banks and lets print some more
Great CD!!!! Rock on Brother
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