Comment of the Moment: NPR's First Listen: Neil Young & Promise Of The Real, 'The Visitor'

Based on a few "First Listens", fans have a number of thoughts on Neil Young & Promise Of The Real's new album 'The Visitor'.

Here is the TW Comment of the Moment on NPR's First Listen: Neil Young & Promise Of The Real, 'The Visitor' by Scotsman:

"I'll wait until the record is released next week before listening." - Me.

Well, that resolution lasted about 2 minutes. Ha! And of course, first impressions can be misleading, especially with challenging or deep songs. There's more to the picture than meets the eye. It's important to be aware of that.

I'd been looking forward to this record for some time. The two sample tracks (Children Of Destiny and Already Great) didn't exactly blow me away, but the flash of inspiration was there. It just needed to be mined a little deeper. Both felt a little sparse, but were performed well and featured well-arranged backing from POTR. But of course, these songs are just isolated pieces of the jigsaw. They tell us as much about The Visitor as say, Mother Earth does about Ragged Glory.

And just like Peace Trail (an album it shares much in common with), this record is high on fun sounds and vivid colours. That's the first thing I noticed, in both the music and the lyrics. Lyrics which, incidentally, once again see Neil employing the approach I championed months ago: write at greater length, see what happens, see where it takes you. Some verses fly, some fall, and in between flashes of magic happen. Observations and feelings begin to emerge and then take form, to be developed. Which is the whole point; for an artist who has on recent albums so clearly struggled to get into that flow of lyric writing.

And this record isn't always the easiest of listens: the most accessible thing here is Children Of Destiny. The road goes on, getting more rocky with every passing milestone. Despite the colorful and delicate song arrangements, this one is as inaccessible as they get. Choruses are sparse, verses are long, arrangements sprawl around like overhanging trees. This is not a vista to be wowed by; more a jungle that needs to be grappled with to be fully enjoyed.

Other observations? This music has a great spaghetti-western feel to it: in the lyrics, the theatrical vocal delivery, the sparse and spooky musical backing. The rib-tickling creepiness of Carnival. It all combines to give the album a coherent musical theme; except perhaps Children Of Destiny, which itself feels like a Visitor from another album. Promise Of The Real sound fine throughout, playing to their strengths rather than trying too hard to be something they are not. The end result is an engaging musical soundscape where Neil Young generally succeeds in rising to the surface.

I love the sound of Neil's electric guitar, (as always), but I sometimes found myself wishing it had more presence. On Stand Tall, Neil's octave-divided guitar sounds so sublime that it begs to be cranked up in the mix, Eldorado-style; just like his distorto-harmonica did so effectively on Peace Trail. Though perhaps that is something destined for the next Crazy Horse record (and of course, there will always be a next Crazy Horse record).

Will this go down as Neil's "best album in 20 years" (Lukas Nelson)? Only if you completely ignore Greendale and Psychedelic Pill, would be my guess at this point in time. But this new one is certainly one to pay some attention to, to award some of your time. Despite the laid-back arrangements I do feel a sense of urgency on this record, which is always a good thing where Neil is involved: because he tends to rise to the occasion and cram a bit more substance in.

Of course, there will be some suggestion that this is Neil's "last" original album. In the same way that Dylan's ominously-titled "Tempest" raised a few eyebrows. Both artists realise they are likely to be closer to the end than the beginning. But to make an end is to make a beginning, and perhaps the most striking thing about The Visitor is that it sees Neil Young continuing to try something new, to plough new ground.

I've already enjoyed and been surprised by this album; as a complete piece it hasn't blown me away on first listen (no cause for concern; not all albums are intended to do that), and I'm looking forward to hearing it again and seeing what else I discover.

Scotsman.

Thanks -- as always -- Scotsman!

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‘The Visitor’
by Neil Young + Promise of the Real

Neil Young + Promise of the Real new album "The Visitor" is to be released on December 1. Pre-order here

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