Review of the Moment: Neil Young's 'Storytone' + TONIGHT: Thrasher's Wheat Radio Hour

Neil Young & Brian Wilson
The Bridge School Benefit - 10.25.14
Photo by Jay Blakesberg Photography

As noted earlier -- not surprisingly -- the initial early reviews of Neil Young's latest album 'Storytone' are all over the map.

Here's a comment on First Listen: Neil Young, 'Storytone' : NPR by Mikkelrev:

Yes, this is a beautiful record. It has been a long time since I played a record over and over, and still wanting one more time.

What amazes me when reading TW, is all the holy moralists we have got here these days.

People seem to know everything about Neil and Pegi, about Hannah, about everyone's relationship, and most of all they seem to be justified to make a judgment. And, even more interesting, they evaluate Neil's records and songs from their own moral judgment about his life, his decisions and his relationships. "Oh no, this song is no good because I know this is about Pegi which he left!", "this performance is no good because he made it in front of Pegi!", "this record is a piece of crap because Neil didn't find a girl when he was young, a girl which he should have married and lived together with his whole life, and he should never have thought of another woman, ever!". That is a strange way of evaluating his songs and records. Do you have the same standard when judging a Bob Dylan-song or a Leonard Cohen-song? In that case, all the fantastic Dylan-songs now seems to be pieces of crap all of them, because Dylan was probably not a holy angel all the time. And if you are not a holy angel - and we know! We know everything, always! - then your songs and records are no good.

I'm amazed and surprised, but most of all quite sick and tired, of all these holy angels and moralists that seems to know everything about Neil, and that are justified to make a moral judgment, and evaluate his songs from their own holy moralist judgments.

Keep on, Neil, this record is a gem!

Thanks Mikkelrev for the thoughts. Yes, we too are amazed and surprised, by our fellow Neil fans at times. But never sick and tired because we've got faith in the ordinary rusties.

And -- most importantly -- it's nice to hear you're enjoying the sounds of man not ready to go quietly into the night.

We know this is a delicate topic and have trusted folks to handle sensitively -- which they have for the most part here at TW. As esteemed rustie HarryO remarked on the song "I'm Glad I Found You...":

"the most significant lines in the song are the first two, not the refrain. "So many people don't understand what it's like to be like me, but I'm not different from anyone else." I generally feel like he chooses to express his current state of mind at his shows. I thought it was fine for him to play it, just like it was fine for Pegi to sing "Starting Over" -- bold artistry is great stuff!"

And what else might be going on in Neil world these days? Well, we'll have a bit more to say on all of this tonight, Saturday, November 1 at 9:00 PM EST, on the Thrasher's Wheat Radio Hour from WBKM.org.

Tonight's edition will feature concert highlights from last weekend's annual Bridge School concert, discussion and news.

Tune in details and podcast info @ Thrashers Wheat Radio Hour.


Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Tune in on WBKM.org, Saturdays @ 9P EST

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Charlie Rose Interview with Neil Young - Oct 30, 2014

Charlie Rose has a conversation with Neil Young about his album, Storytone and second memoir, Super Deluxe.

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NEW VIDEO: Neil Young "Who's Gonna Stand Up" at Harvest the Hope #NoKXL Benefit

Here's a new video edit of Neil Young "Who's Gonna Stand Up" at Harvest the Hope #NoKXL Benefit.

The description below is from Bold Nebraska:

In an effort to help Get Out the Vote for Election Day in the U.S. on Nov. 4, Bold Nebraska partnered with Neil Young to release this live concert video of his performance of his new anti-pipeline anthem "Who's Gonna Stand Up" from the Harvest the Hope concert last month.

Voters in Nebraska can find out which candidates oppose Keystone XL and give a damn about protecting our land and water in the New Energy Voter Guide here: http://NEvoter.org

Harvest the Hope took place on a farm in Nebraska that lies both on the proposed path of the Keystone XL pipeline, and crosses the historic Ponca "Trail of Tears." (http://boldnebraska.org/concert)

You can also add your voice to Neil's by sending a handwritten letter to Pres. Barack Obama asking him to reject Keystone XL and protect our land, water and climate for future generations here: http://pipelinefighters.org

More information on Bold Nebraska: http://boldnebraska.org

(Neil is accompanied in performance here by Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, and Micah Nelson).

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Review of the Moment: Neil Young's 'Storytone'

As usual, initial reviews of Neil Young's latest album 'Storytone' are all over the map.

Here's a comment on First Listen: Neil Young, 'Storytone' : NPR by Dan1:

This is as raw and vulnerable as I've seen Neil on any album since at least Harvest Moon and perhaps ever ... his earlier work, even when deeply personal, contained much more obscured lyrics ...

the evolution of his lyrics becoming less abstract has been many years in the making and on this album he lays it out there in an amazingly personal way ... the intimacy in moments on the album is stunning ... few artists are putting themselves out there today, let alone in the second half of their careers ... the two formats is just an amazing bonus ... both are beautiful in their own ways and the album overall is very solid ... the songs also play well live as we saw in Boston/Philly ...

some of the trollish comments are becoming downright offensive ... we all like some of Neil's output more and some less but the deep negativity is inappropriate for a site where fans congregate to share and celebrate Neil prolific output ... Its like, find something you love and go focus on it, do yourself and all of us a favor, if you hate Neil or his output man you're in the wrong place.

I look back on this year and am moved by the two albums Neil has put out, the intimacy of the live solo acoustic shows, and all the other stuff that's been thrown in ... Neil's vitality and vibrancy as an artist is poignant and is a privilege to witness .... Long May He Run ...

one more thing, I loved how on 'A Letter Home' he told his mother he still has a lot of work to do down here ...

Thanks Dan! We're still awaiting our pre-order to listen to the orchestra version in all of it's fullest presentation.

As an aside regarding the troll comments, it just seems to come with the territory. We do find it amusing how folks like your self observe this odd behavior while at the same time we're accused of deleting negative comments here @ TW?! Gee, we must have missed this one, this one and this one. Imagine that... accused of something you didn't do... what type of person would do such a thing???

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HIGHLIGHTS: 2014 Bridge School Benefit Concerts - Pearl Jam, Florence & The Machine, Brian Wilson, Norah Jones, + More

Lukas Nelson, Neil Young, Micah Nelson & Promise Of The Real
Photo by Jay Blakesburg | Facebook
(Click photo to enlarge)
As always, many, many highlights from this past weekend's 28th Annual Bridge School Benefit Concerts (the best being at the final seconds on Sunday night.)

Here are a few, thanks to one of our favorite Rusties, sweet, sweet Joni up in Malibu Heaven. Thanks Joni!!!


"Down by the River" - Neil Young, Norah Jones & Puss N Boots


"Throw Your Hatred Down" - Pearl Jam & Neil Young


"Southern Man" - Neil Young & Florence Welch & The Machine


"California Saga" - Neil Young, Al Jardine & Brian Wilson


"Who's Gonna Stand Up" - Neil Young & Friends

Neil & Pegi + Ben & Friends
Photo by Chuck N. | Rusties | Facebook

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"Mansion on the Hill": Neil Young with Lukas Nelson, Micah Nelson - 10/25/14 Bridge School - YouTube

"Mansion on the Hill" by Neil Young with Lukas Nelson, Micah Nelson at 2014 Bridge School Benefit concert on 10/25/14.

"Around the next turn take a highway to the sun.
Or the rocky road, it really don't matter which one.
I was in a hurry but that don't matter now.
I have to get off this road of tears somehow."

enjoy!

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First Listen: Neil Young, 'Storytone' : NPR

Storytone by Neil Young
(Click photo to enlarge - check out license plate closeup)

Neil Young's newest album Storytone can now be fully streamed on First Listen: NPR. Both Orchestral and Solo versions are available. [NOTE: This stream available in U.S. only. Check specific country media sources for alternative streams.]

Neil Young's newest album Storytone is now set for a November 4, 2014 release and available to pre-order on Amazon.com. (For those keeping track of such things, this will be Neil's only 35th studio album release, not including live, comps, etc. slacker)

Track List:

Plastic Flowers
Who's Gonna Stand Up?
I Want To Drive My Car
Glimmer
Say Hello To Chicago
Tumbleweed
Like You Used To Do
I'm Glad I Found You
When I Watch You Sleeping
All Those Dreams

Storytone was recorded live in the studio with a 92-piece orchestra and choir. Production by The Volume Dealers (Neil Young and Niko Bolas), recorded and mixed by Al Schmitt with additional co-production, arrangements, orchestration, and conducted by Michael Bearden and Chris Walden.

Here's an early review from, Neil fan Eric Thiessen posting on Ruesties | Facebook

Re: Neil Young's new album - Storytone

In a lot of ways, this is Neil's strongest start to finish album since Harvest. Don't laugh, I submit that those days back in 1972 were the last time his muse was this strongly affected by falling in (and out of) love. Writing and singing about love without being too sappy is a difficult thing to do, but Neil manages to successfully dance along that thin, almost invisible line without falling off.

He performs each song twice-once solo and once with the orchestra and each approach is appealing in it's own way-for me, there really is no "better" version. The lyrics mostly give a lot of space to the joyfulness of his new love, while there are also some references to his old love and his standard of late mentions of mankind's mistreatment of Mother Nature.

Sonically, the whole album is a treat, as he goes from his trademark Dylanesque harmonica and acoustic guitar singer/singwriter persona to singing a little jazzed up blues to the starkness of his quavering voice as it is wrapped in a lush coating of violins ala Harvest's A Man needs A Maid.

For me, Storytone is a winner. I bet you might think so too.

Thanks for posting Eric! We're looking forward to comparing the two versions of the release.

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