REVIEW: Neil Young’s "Compelling" Peace Trail

"Words"
Neil Young + Promise of the Real
Telluride, Colorado - 10/1/16
Photo by thrasher

Last year, we compiled a variety of reviews of Neil Young’s Peace Trail which ranged from worthy to unworthy -- maybe not so surprisingly.

We've shared our thoughts as well as those of our dear readers here over the past several weeks as well, for example here and here. Now that the album has been out for a little while, many folks are starting to wake up to its deceptive simple brilliance. Surprise.

Here's a very positive review from Belleville Intelligencer by David Reed:

Neil Young’s 37th studio album is a real gem. There is a lot of breathing room because most of the songs feature just acoustic guitar, bass and drums, with a few treats. It is refreshing to hear Young’s vocals above a relatively open sonic backdrop.

Young tapped legendary session drummer Jim Keltner, who has played with countless icons including Dylan, Clapton, Brian Wilson, the Travelling Wilburys, and solo albums by John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

Bassist Paul Bushnell has an impressive list of credits including recordings with Tim McGraw, Phil Collins, Ron Sexsmith, Michael Buble and Chris Isaak.

The spontaneity and loose chemistry among the trio is clear for all to hear. Keltner’s drumming is subtle, gently ragged and conversational, responding to the nuances of the songs rather than just playing beats. Bushnell’s bass lines are linear and meandering, yet still maintain a solid groove throughout.

By all reports, the album was completed in just four days and most tracks were either first or second takes. Young has a reputation for preferring first takes for their honesty and unpolished directness. For an album of protest songs, that is a good model.

My Pledge is mostly spoken, with Young contributing his own auto-tuned vocal harmony, but the effect is used as a sonic colour, not a corrective tool (thankfully). Young complains that he is “lost in this new generation, left me behind it seems.” He also laments the technology addiction and insincerity of tech zombies being “alone with their heads lookin’ at their hands, lost in the conversation stare. Walkin’ with their eyes lookin’ at the screen, talkin’ like they were really there.”

Can’t Stop Workin’ is autobiographical and lets the listener feel like Young is telling us about his creative process. Like many of his greatest songs, this track bounces gently between two chords. There is a beautifully jarring harmonica solo that sounds like Little Walter playing through Jimmy Page’s Marshall stack.

Indian Givers protests the Dakota Access Pipeline and supports the people of Standing Rock Indian Reservation with scathing lyrics that include lines such as “Now it’s been about 500 years / We keep taking what we gave away ...There’s a battle ragin’ on sacred land / Our brothers and sisters had to take a stand...Big Money goin’ backwards and rippin’ the soil, where graves are scattered...Behind Big Money justice always fails.”

Glass Accident attacks government accountability, but also hints at a broken marriage. Texas Rangers is a bit plodding. Terrorist Suicide Hang-Gliders is a curious commentary on fake news, with a hint of Woody Guthrie and more amped-up harmonica.

John Oaks is a track that sounds like a character description from Young’s Greendale record, but in this case there is commentary on police shootings behind the story.

Other highlights include the mid-tempo groove of Show Me, and the blistering lead guitar and catchy melody of the title track.

My New Robot closes the album and it is the most bizarre track on the record. It starts out sounding like a traditional folk song, but then there are sampled voices (reportedly Alexa, the voice of Amazon’s new Echo device) asking for PIN numbers, card swipes and other online purchase info. The vocoder sounds of the Trans era return with uncomfortable effect. It is an unsettling commentary on the consumerist nature of our society and the awkward affection some people have for computers. Then, the song ends abruptly as the computer voice says “powering off.” Without warning, the album is done.

Times are changing, and Neil Young continues to follow his own path and have his own opinions. Peace Trail is compelling for its directness, simplicity and thought-provoking songwriting. Young’s lead guitar playing is also truly epic. This album demands a few days on repeat.

As we posted in a comment recently on all of the perceptive thoughts:

"Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
album sales, lyric quality, cover art, aging, vocals
This-ism, that-ism, ism ism ism
All we are saying is give peace *trail* a chance
All we are saying is give peace *trail* a chance
All we are saying is give peace *trail* a chance
All we are saying is give peace *trail* a chance"

More reviews of Neil Young’s Peace Trail album.

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