NEW ALBUM: ‘The Visitor’ by Neil Young + Promise of the Real; 1st Track “Already Great”
Neil Young has just announced his latest new album will be titled ‘The Visitor’ while sharing the 1st preview track “Already Great”.
"The Visitor" Tracklist: (Thanks Soldier Steve!)
01. Already Great
02. Fly By Night Deal
03. Almost Always
04. Stand Tall
05. Change of Heart
06. Carnival
07. Diggin’ a Hole
08. Children of Destiny ( See Video & Commentary from July)
09. When Bad Got Good
10. Forever
The release date is set for Dec. 1.
The much anticiapated new album has been preceded by a series of tweets from "The Visitor". With Neil Young regularly tweeting cryptic messages, there has been speculation in the "alternative community" that there might be some sort of relationship between the upcoming SpaceX ZUMA payload and "The Visitor".
‘The Visitor’
by Neil Young + Promise of the Real
(***RUST = “Already Great” #MRGA)
Labels: album, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 11/03/2017 11:07:00 AM
49 comments
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49 Comments:
The Visitor Tracklist:
01. Already Great
02. Fly By Night Deal
03. Almost Always
04. Stand Tall
05. Change of Heart
06. Carnival
07. Diggin’ a Hole
08. Children of Destiny
09. When Bad Got Good
10. Forever
Thanks Soldier Steve! updated. Also thanks to Lone Red Rider for track list on another thread earlier!
Another gift from Neil. A nice way to end the year!
Love it.... Funky, relevant, protest music from the master. I can't wait to hear the rest of the album. A cool song to open with. I like the whole vibe of this song, particularly the piano, and the tasteful guitar solo.
Peace.
...... also, a great album cover. Neil ain't done yet, he's still got something to say and thank God he's still here with us to say it!!!
Peace.
Oh dear.
After the dire 'Children of Destiny' now this. Mediocre lyrics - 'I'm Canadian by the way, and I love the USA' and a muddy sound played by average musicians who are only there because one of them is the son of Willie Nelson.
After 'Hitchhiker' this regrettably shows that the muse is not back and in my view will never be so long as Neil ties himself to POTR.
Compare this riposte to Trump with 'Living With War' and it is all too easy to see how the star is fading - Maybe one last burst with Crazy Horse but I am no longer holding my breath.
I'm British by the way and I love the USA too but not Trump who is the worst thing to ever happen to your great country - but then the numpties here voted for Brexit!
And I love Neil's music and most of his output, which is why it is sad to see the decline - but then we all grow old.
Love to all you Thrashers
Two Nelson sons :)
Well, so far after just one listen, the word that immediately comes to mind is: wretched
Other words: sludgy, clunky, un-melodic, amateurish, disappointing, improvised, sloppy, embarrassing.
Hey, I liked Children of Destiny, and it grew on me after repeated listens, and I'll listen to this "song" at least ten times, but I can't imagine it will grow on me too much, if any. In fact, I think I will like it less and less, but one never knows for sure....
My first overwhelming reaction is that it's really, really bad, weaker than most of his recent weaker works like Fork in the Road, etc. After one listen, it seems like a true low point to me, but again, I'll listen to it at least ten times to give it a decent chance.
But, for the first time in a long time (if ever), I'll admit I'm not looking forward to listening again, but I have to, I simply have to. Any new Neil tune requires multiple listens, but this one is really challenging my faith and judgment...
"Take my advice
don't listen to me"
I'm looking forward to another great NY album.
It's alright . . . sounds like he's trying to make his OK songs sound a bit better. It is what it is, lively recording but yeah, bit of an average tune. The tunes are all pretty average now. So spirit and experimentation try to make up. Anyway, it's alright. Can't believe another year of Neil playing with these dudes, I hope he doesn't overdue it and kill himself trying to Rock out with a band that doesn't really deserve the effort. And Children of Destiny is on this album? Oh no
"When Bad Got Good"? It hasn't yet. Just keeps getting worse. I've got a feeling Happy will sing the blues when he hears the rest of this record. At least Neil is still working. Wish he'd let the Horse out of the barn. Oh wait, the barn is gone
Hey, compared to this song, Children of Destiny sounds like Rockin' in the Free World or Like a Hurricane!
"Already Great" is currently terrible...
I've now listened to it four times, and I find myself frowning uncontrollably when listening to it. Almost every Neil song leads me to a smile or a toe-tap, but I can't find anything even remotely nice to say about this song.
Six more listens to go, but maybe an emergency root canal will save me from having to listen again...
"Take my advice
don't listen to me"
I can dig it. Way better than CoD. That song made me cringe with every listen. This reminds me of the B side of Hawks. The vocals are much better than on Monsanto.
To all the above comments, live in the past if you want to, that's your choice. Thank God Neil keeps moving forward
Great song. What were the words someone used above: sludgy, amateurish, improvised, sloppy, that’s why I love NY.
Judging by the first song, it will be a lot better than The Monsanto Years.
Was hoping not to see Children Of Destiny there. Now that is a horrible “song”.
Looking forward to this.
@ Mr. Rickman
@ Robert Bernie
@ Kahuna
I appreciate your opinions and optimism for this song and upcoming album, but what exactly are you listening to and hearing?
The vocals are better? Excuse me, but the vocals are horrific. Neil sounds like he's making it up as he goes. Neil's not singing, he's warbling a minor fairly incoherent rant. There's no melody, no rhythm, no flow, and the background vocals/chorus/whatever it is are even worse.
Hey, I'm not living in the past--I loved Peace Trail and it led me to believe that Neil once again cared about vocals and songwriting and a relaxed but tangible craft. This song has terrible vocals and terrible lyrics, and if there's any craft to it, it's lost on my ears.
Children of Destiny may be a little generic, but it's the work of a professional. This song sounds like it's by a high school band who just got their instruments, fronted by a lead singer who has never sung a song. It's not a song, it's basically three different mini competing experimental sketches, all flawed in significant ways joined together for some reason.
The opening vocals and lyrics are brutally bad, then the song splices and shifts in tempo, pace and tone to an attempted chorus of some sort played at different speed, followed by some haphazard, shambolic and ranting backing vocals.
Historically I appreciate Neil's edgy and daring works, but even at his stoniest, grungiest and sloppiest, he had an overwhelming sense of melody and rhythm. This song is sloppy without purpose, haphazard without craft or reason, off key and jumbled into a mess of purpose, intention and execution.
Of course I've only listened to it five times, so it's possible I'll hear something different in the next few listens, but as of now, wow, it's bad, bad, bad, and I don't mean that in a good way...
"Take my advice
don't listen to me"
@ All - you know, we're sitting here really trying hard to hold off on commenting.
... give the song some air, wait for the full release, etc.
But. But. But, we just can't resist the temptation any longer....
What you guys are really saying is: MNGA.
MNGA = Make Neil Great Again.
And Neil already has his response ready to go...
Neil is -- and always will be -- “Already Great”.
try listening with your "MNGA, Already" hats.
enjoy
peace
And for what it's worth Lukas Nelson
recently characterized this album as Neil's
best album in twenty years
Good call Thrash
Sounds like a World On a String retread, complete with ragged, lumbering verse and tender, lifting chorus. Unfortunately, Neil forgot that between those two things should be carefully tended to lyrics and, I don’t know, a more genuine feeling instrumental? It just doesn’t excite me, but I can’t really blame Neil for keeping on keeping on, especially if it means another round of tours. I still just wish he could avoid using slogans and generalizations for his lyrics and reach a little bit deeper. At least he has possibly moved past the blanket corporate statements. But of course, who am I to critique his work? It can be confusing being a Neil Young fan. Been going through a very rough time emotionally recently, and I returned to Tonight’s The Night after a decently long break from Neil’s work. Got me back on a kick, and it’s good to listen to all the old stuff once more, brings back good memories and keeps me inspired. I won’t ever not call myself a Neil Young fan, no matter what he puts out. Unless he doesn’t put out Archives II, I suppose. Hope everyone could find a little more enjoyment in this track than I did.
-Alex
This comment has been removed by the author.
But Thrasher do you really like it? Do you think it is any good? Just because it is Neil does not mean it is automatically good.
The sooner he and POTR part company is the time that the real Neil will return - Peace Trail or Hitchhiker anybody.
I want what Lukas is smoking. The best album in 20 years. David Briggs is rolling over in his grave trying to get out.This is embarrassing to be a Neil fan.Children Of Destiny & Already Great are horrible peices of music. Ralph,Billy,Poncho what do you think of this nonsense?
Go see them live or miss out. I have seen 2 of their amazing shows together. They are fantastic. Alan in Seattle
A golden rule I follow listening to a new Neil album, listen to the entire album a few times. Albums on first impressions I've thought were not quite Neil, Time Fades Away, TRANS, Everybody's Rockin', Ragged Glory, Old Ways... upon later listens I'v grown to love and appreciate. -- PR
Nobody exited on that cool riff? Verse a little bit like Last Dance. Chorus floats in with the Neilishes minor chord.
Neil-vibrato makes the sound we love. Chorus chords and melody reminds me of handful of song parts we heard before.
Expecting to fly (3/4 part), Lost in space, Neil lyric is more cliche? Slogans? Well, I think for him, he don't see it that way. I think he feels a well known truth as something refreshing and surprising. And necessary. He is no more in need to be Lost in space, in that song he repeats Live with me. Live with Neil.
And by the way, CH could never do this groove. This drummer is more like Kenny Buttrey with more live energy. Maybe more like Johnny Barbata. More Neil cool than Chad Cromwell. Just to remind you there has been some guys in addition to Ralph.
(Jim Keltner, Steve Potts, Levon Helm, Greg Thomas, Karl Himmel, Steve Jordan, Oscar Butterworth, Joe Vitale, George Grantham, Jack Irons, Dewey Martin, Dallas Taylor...)
I'm in agreement with most posters. I tried to get a groove going for this song, but just didn't happen. That's the trend for me for most of Neil's recordings ever since Prairie Wind and Road Rocks. I mean it give it all a chance, and there are occasionally diamonds in the rough but shit.
I don't think Neil could mount the Horse again as they are all long in the tooth. I enjoyed NY and POTR when I saw them live at Red Rocks two July's ago. As much as Neil hates to be an oldies act or self parody, I think the time has come to focus on what made him great. Comes a Time.
Nobody exited on that cool riff? Verse a little bit like Last Dance. Chorus floats in with the Neilishes minor chord.
Neil-vibrato makes the sound we love. Chorus chords and melody reminds me of handful of song parts we heard before.
Expecting to fly (3/4 part), Lost in space, Neil lyric is more cliche? Slogans? Well, I think for him, he don't see it that way. I think he feels a well known truth as something refreshing and surprising. And necessary. He is no more in need to be Lost in space, in that song he repeats Live with me. Live with Neil.
And by the way, CH could never do this groove. This drummer is more like Kenny Buttrey with more live energy. Maybe more like Johnny Barbata. More Neil cool than Chad Cromwell. Just to remind you there has been some guys in addition to Ralph.
(Jim Keltner, Steve Potts, Levon Helm, Greg Thomas, Karl Himmel, Steve Jordan, Oscar Butterworth, Joe Vitale, George Grantham, Jack Irons, Dewey Martin, Dallas Taylor...)
The "MUSE" has left the building.
hope the visitor hasn't come to stay.......
don't need another Fork In The Road.
After 5 or 6 listens, I like it. It seems very creative, like he has always been. He is probably casting his eye at Trump Land post DAPL. The chorus, "Whose Streets? Our Streets" came right out of Black Lives Matter, it seems. I support that. He is telling his own story & negating Trump's campaign slogan. I love hearing his guitar and PotR. I take issue with those who suggest Neil is with this band because Willie's boys are in it. They rock with Neil. They play fantastically well. I can't wait to see them again. I am SO grateful Neil is hitting the road with these guys, some of you naysayers should hit the gig, but wear your depends. You may lose control. Alan in Seattle
Nice! I agree. The song reminds me of his take on things at various stages of his artistry. Alan in Seattle
not even giving it a listen....things that can't go on forever....won't
Nice start then just confusion not too easy to digest, maybe 'live' will have another impact. Do hope the other songs are 'greater'!!!!
peace&love
The long decline continues
I am with Robert, Alan, and seldom logical.
We can cherish the past but we cannot live there.
We have no right as fans to grade NY’s work or to insist that he be the guy we think he was or we want him to be.
For me it is more than enough that he is still here — participating, working, and creating.
I hope the band tours
Surely we all have every right to 'grade' Neil's work - or at least say whether we like it or not and how we think it compares in quality to his other work.
I defy anyone to say that 'Already Great' and 'Children of Destiny' can bear comparison with - well almost anything else by Neil. He has produced some of he most sublime and spirit lifting music it has been our good fortune to hear and sometimes see. And he has also produced some turkeys. but the turkeys are flying far too often now.
Archives 2 and one last album with CH would be fine by me even if he then decided to hang up old Black for Good and all of us can make our journey through the past - he's made enough perfect music to keep us all happy until we die.
I just wish he’d take more time with the lyrics and music even. The last few albums sound like each song was written in 5 minutes and recorded on the first take. I truly LOVED seeing Neil and POTR live. Saw them a few times from the pit. Right up there with the best of shows. But the albums he’s made while with them are so disappointing. I’m grateful to still have Neil around and I guess I will have to accept that live shows are what’s left to look forward to. Not new releases.
I agree that it's really nice to see a cool album cover again. Peace Trail was a new low for 'art' and they've all been horrible since Living with War (except Hitchhiker obviously). The song isn't doing anything for me yet though. It's just so plodding and clunky. I wish they'd listen to 'Mansion on the Hill' ten times before they turn on the tape recorder so they could remind themselves what Grunge is supposed to sound like. It's supposed to rock, not just groan and creak.
@ Keith, I agree and disagree.
As music fans and Neil fans, we certainly have the "right" to grade Neil's work. We've been grading it since day one, be it in terms of album sales, ticket sales, awards, commentaries written, hours and hours spent replaying the same track over and over, and in general terms obsessing over Neil's every new move and statement.
Neil has been both student and teacher, and in our self created classrooms, we have the right and obligation to test and grade Neil's work. When I grade his work, I find myself asking these simple questions:
How does it make me feel?
Do I smile, or laugh, or cry, or fear--am I moved?
Do I want to listen again? And again?
The answers for 40+ years have been: lucky and inspired and peaceful and enraged and interested and hopeful and sympathetic and motivated and introspective and alone and emboldened and a part of. And yes, and yes, and yes...
Neil's best work can rarely be graded solely on lyrical content or musical dynamism or virtuosity. His music has always been uniquely brilliant in its ability to transform varying levels of lyrical depth and singing and playing into a whole that's far greater than the sum of its parts.
This song is just sloppy and rushed and lacking creative passion to my ears. The music is "fine" for a one-off performance or listen, but nothing more. The lyrics and vocals and background vocals detract from the music rather than enhancing it. It's just not a good song. Just my opinion, and in no way am I writing off the whole album--it could be good or even great...
On your other point, I agree that we have no right to insist Neil be the guy we want him to be. That's what has always been great about Neil and being a fan of his. He does his own thing and it's rarely what we expect or what we thought we wanted.
And yes, I am happy Neil's still searching and working and creating, and I hope he tours this summer with the Promise of the Real. His last tours with them have been brilliant and thrilling, and there's no one I'd rather see live. Neil and the Promise bring the intense but casual off-hand brilliance every time!
"Take my advice
don't listen to me"
Thrasher, are you saying we should love everything Neil puts out, just because it is Neil, and he is already great, regardless? The past few albums have been very sloppy, musically and lyrically. It feels like the muse has left the building for good. I love seeing Neil and PoTR live, but this latest album, from the few tracks I have heard, makes me sad. The simplicity of the lyrics and music do not, in my mind, express incredible creativity. I love Neil as much as anyone, but I despair that we will ever hear greatness again from him.
Oh God, don’t even try with thrasher. He finds no wrong with ANYTHING Neil does. I think he has this deranged psycho fan stalker mentality that he’s gonna meet Neil someday and they’re gonna be best friends. If you dare say anything critical of Neil thrasher will slap a stupid label on ya (doubter, 4 percent, and now his new jam “MANGINA”)
Withholding negative and cynical viewpoints isn't required of some of us. It isn't attainable for others of you. In defense of Thrasher, he seems to see the good in most anything Neil Young releases. If he is guilty of that charge, so am I. Guilty as Charged. I love just about anything Neil Young puts out. My personal favorite is the grunge king wailing on Old Black. But I love the acoustic music very nearly as much. I could listen to Neil Young play the electric guitar, with wailing solos ablaze, indefinitely. Some of you forgot that Fork in the Road did contain some fantastic rockers (Johnny Magic, Fuel Line) and an acoustic masterpieces for the ages, to get you through dark times (Light a Candle). Oh, and then there's Neil Young calling out the Bailout like a Prophet, telling Truth like few of the greatest minds of our time are capable of. No credit for our musical hero for calling it like it is? I like the fast grunge on the album, and the rockers and the acoustic numbers. Living with War? RAW… what an awesome album. And you folks don't go for it. You wanted him to stick with Ohio and Campaigner? Hmm.
I love so much of what he puts out. I enjoy Storytone (I prefer the solo acoustic disc). Who's Gonna Stand Up? (and Save the Earth)?! Apparently not many of you hard to please fans. Many of my all time favorite Neil Young albums and tracks have come out in the last 10 years. Some of you want another Silver and Gold. Thats not our guy. He does what he will do. He doesn't make music to please you (thank God).
Go see Promise of the Real play with Neil Young and then talk about how they just don't measure up to anyone else. I love Neil the Environmental Activist, a fighter for Mother Earth. If you don't like it, go take your negativity somewhere else. I am not directing this at ALL who didn't enjoy the new song. I direct this at those who get carried away with negativity and act like Neil should cater to their desires. A great artist doesn't care what you think. Thanks for running this site, Thrasher. It must be hard at times hearing some of this negative stuff. Thank you so much for hanging in there.
The rest of you, go find a worthy artist who we should be paying attention to other than Neil Young and let us in on the incredible secret. Dylan is boring the shit out of me singing from the Sinatra songbook. What a rebel rouser he is nowadays.
Alan in Seattle
Do you really think Neil's chose to work
with POTR because two of them are Willie
Nelsons sons? Give me a break. Maybe listen to a couple shows from 2016 maybe
then you'll get it.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I am perfectly willing to hold my hands up and accept that the following comment says more about me than anything else, but I find myself a little distracted by the handwriting used on the album cover. It is not aesthetically pleasing.
It doesn't seem like Neil's handwriting in the traditional sense (as seen on, say, Peace Train). Three Rs, all of them different; five Es, none of them consistent; two Ss that look nothing like each other. Two different people must have written "The" and "Visitor". It is all a bizarre curiosity.
Thanks to all for the comments. Intriguing -- as always.
Our replies here:
http://neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org/2017/11/comments-of-moment-new-album-visitor-by.html
I like POTR, I like Crazy Horse, I don't like each & every tune Neil's done with either of them but I believe in Neil Young more than any musician in the world. Already Great isn't Sedan Delivery and if you don't like it that's okay but do you like every song by any band? Dylan? The Beatles? Pink Floyd? Little Feat? CSNY? I got here a few days late & read the 11/4 post first so I read the 40+ comments before listening to the song. Maybe that's why I was okay with it but it's 1 song, it's going to be okay. Back away from the ledge. Please.
another album from neil , they just keep coming so quickly.maybe too quick . will still be buying it though .
I'm surprised at the passionately bad reviews, but if Neil wasn't a force of nature, no one would bother. How can you miss the irony of "I'm Canadian by the way?" It's no accident that he started with that. He's back on his game (which he's rarely been off). If you want to criticize him, you could say that "you're the promised land, you're the helping hand" is a little wistful for our times, but Neil's not an old fogey, he says what needs to be said, especially when it comes to protecting Earth and human freedom.
Neil's work has always been intriguing,so no difference now. The real difference is that he has produced an album which is salient and of its time. I have always loved Neil's work, whether poignant ballads or full blown rock as it's been moving and exciting in equal measures. Playing the album at home family members and friends have been fascinated by the variety of sounds and, almost always, angry lyrics. A slow burning gem with diverse genres . Where did the superb "Carnival" and "Change of Heart" burst forth from?
Neil, an old man has given another old man solace and enchantment at the end of a troublesome year in my life and in that of both the USA and UK.
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