"Talkin to The Trees is announced today with our new single, ‘Lets Roll Again’ out there with its video. I hope you like it. I heard Elon was upset about it and called me ‘Neil Old’. Hey, I am the same age as the felon running this country.
In these times, many of us, including me, are stressed by what is happening in America. I sure hope you and your families have found ways of coping. We go out to the demonstrations every weekend and it feels good to stand with fellow Americans and Canadians, who feel the lack of empathy and consideration our felon president is presenting to our people.”
We must stand together. I don’t know where we are going but we are growing every day. I am with you, even if you voted for the president, I am with you. Too many things have been done that are hurting us all. Young families should be thinking about the day before them, and their children, not the days behind and fearing what is happening next to American lives. These are our people. All Americans. All Canadians. This sad moment in our history is Un-American.”
loveneil
The new song is from the upcoming album Talkin To The Trees scheduled for release on June 13, 2025.
bumped comment by JVJ:
ReplyDelete"Aaaaaaannnndddddd it's official! https://youtu.be/DQm2q2KbJL8?si=jLrvudEM1rVt95fp
And, officially, "Let's Roll Again". No surprise there, but I am pleasantly surprised that the song has the same spontaneity that the live version last week had.
Feels like it's true to that NY ethos of getting it out there as fast and as true to the source as he can get. Love the way the Chrome Hearts are developing as a band. It felt like, after the abrupt end to last years NYCH tour and the creation of the Hearts, Neil had mentioned that the band would be a low stakes thing, at least on stage, no epically long sets, a mix of acoustic and mellow electric... and now almost a year later and two singles in, the band seems to have rekindled an energy in him that is inspiring, exciting, and thrilling in equal measure.
Massively stoked to hear how this album comes out... maybe it'll just be The Visitor again (there could be ways worse results!) but something feels special to me... like all the planets in NY's orbit/discography aligning.
Thanks JVJ for dropping the link. Appreciate that as we roll again.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to get the preview last week at the Light Up Blues benefit concert. Song should work pretty well on the concert tour this summer ... especially Europe.
"This land is your land..." Indeed. Wish I could see them live this summer!
ReplyDeleteWell, Pete Seeger is tapping his toe! Thanks, Neil, for trying to kick the dinosaur of an industry in its ass to get them moving.! I’m more hopeful for entrepreneurial driven New Age automobile companies to cut through the bullshit and give us better alternative energy vehicles than EV‘s! Keep filling that old fuel line with new alternative fuels. i’m searching for a heart of hydrogen myself peace. keep on rocking in the free enterprise world!
ReplyDeleteIs "Still Life with Old Black" the cover of the new record or the representation shown in NYA's timeline? Maybe "Still Life" is the back side?
ReplyDeletethe hypocrisy is nauseating
ReplyDeletePresident Trump is a well-known Neil fan & was in the front row for many concerts in years past not just in New York...Neil had no issues taking pictures with him, etc. for years
but now...oh no you don't, Neil...
Tesla is bad because...because why?...wait I thought Neil was all in on electric vehicles...Lincvolt?....hello???
oh I see I see...fall out of line with the Democrats & it's scorched Earth
expose US taxpayer $ being pissed away & suddenly the US federal government is untouchable for criticism?
Is Neil against a cease-fire in Ukraine?
what a sad joke from my favorite songwriter...
Jonathon, Elon Musk did more than "fall out of line with the democrats." He fell out of line with human decency and well-being. We are reaching a turning point, big change is coming, and Trump will finally be flushed like a massive dump.
DeleteThe song made me think of the "good old days" of the Ford Cobra, Ford beating Ferrari, and the all time cool dude Steve McQueen driving a fastback 1967 small block V8 in the movie Bullet. We are cars. I love the song.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who does not like the song is a big loser
ReplyDeleteBridge School friend Jill Sobule has died. I forget what year she played. I do remember she as talented and fun. Rest in Peace.
ReplyDeleteI’m not completely loving this song yet. It reminds me of the Fork in the Road album in a way. I don’t think the lyrics are all that great either, but with Neil, one must reserve judgement until the album drops. The sequencing can make all the difference.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a fairly simple song as well, which is a Neil Young trademark. But as much as I love the “get it down quick and release it” philosophy, I’m just not convinced that the song works for me. This is one case where the video actually helps communicate the intention behind the song.
That being said; I’m still glad he released it, and I look forward to hearing the album in its entirety. I have everything he has ever released from the very beginning, so why wouldn’t I buy this one.
There have been a few albums that had to grow on me over time, but he’s never released an album that I hated either.
Peace to all 🙏
Hi Dan, I was joking! I am assuming you knew that.
DeleteYep😂
DeleteWith all due civility, anyone who doesn't make a distinction between hypocrisy and changes based on new info and evolving circumstances is playing dumb. It's a waste of everyone else's time and energy, but it's what some people would rather do instead of confronting actual problems or, heaven forbid, reflecting on their choices and taking accountability.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the album.
Dan, I agree. Fork in the Road is a good reference point; Monsanto Years would be another. To be fair, my first impression was from an audience video with dodgy sound quality. I got the point, but I'm not sure I caught the groove yet. It'll be an adventure to hear what shape the album takes. I can think of many cases where a song makes more sense, or has better impact, in the full album context.
ReplyDeleteAgreed
DeleteNeil's severe TDS has really made him into a simpleton. "If you're a fascist buy a Tesla?" I remember when Neil was all in on electric cars to help save the planet, but let's trash the one person who has made electric cars reliable and scalable because of his political views?
ReplyDeleteP Murray, you are a big loser!
DeleteEven Richard Nixon has got soul.
DeleteScalable and reliable electric cars have been available before the authoritarian, non-elected agent of repression ever showed up. They are not American built cars though. There is not "one person", not one country, and definitely not one brand of electric cars. Those T-cars are not even especially well made and they don't come cheap either. But that's taken care of, by way of subsidies and / or tariffs for example. The severe Trump diversionary shitflood (TDS) has turned many Americans into simpletons in an increasingly complex world. "You better stop, and look around..." (Jagger/Richards)
ReplyDeleteTrump's skinny budget: electric car charging station construction funding totally eliminated, Biden infrastructure bill gutted. Trump reminds me of a turd floating in a Boston subway toilet after a drunken Bruins game.
DeleteI agree…..many people I see lately here in the U. S. appear to be simply going through their normal routine.
DeleteAll the while we are watching our constitution being dismantled piece by piece. The government police disappearing people off the streets and out of their homes.
The congress, and senate republicans are playing the, hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil game, and simply sitting on their hands while this authoritarian regime continues to destroy the freedoms of their constituents.
Anyone who sits by doing nothing to stop this; is complicit with it. Our very lives depend on taking these evil, and corrupt politicians out of office, and into prison.
Peace to all who stand for freedom 🙏
@ Dan Swan : Agreed. And it doesn’t matter much that Trump’s best idea was going to a Neil Young concert. He is an evil zit on humanity’s ass and we will pop him.
ReplyDeleteYour Brother Alan in Seattle
Normally, on May 4th, this space observes "May The FOUR Be With You".
ReplyDelete55 years ago, on May 4, 1970, a school shooting took place on the campus of Kent State Univ, Ohio w/ Nat'l Guard shooting into a crowd of anti-war protesters. (See Ohio, Kent State & Tin Soldiers
#MayThe4thBeWithYou @CSNofficial @thedavidcrosby @Neilyoung
☮️♥️)
That said, as we careen ahead, what we see and hear is lots of fear -- even in Neil himself. There's a desperation among those who haven't done the work to prepare for the times ahead. If someone isn't coping today, they are in for a world of hurt for what's coming.
It's like there's a spiritual unraveling in the collective consciousness, it would seem. Some folks are feeling disoriented, fragmented, disconnected. Some have gone so negative they are trapped in doom loop of mirrors, echos & shadows.
Others, as we have long suggested, have done the necessary inner work and are prepared, centered and balanced.
stay strong, positive, no fear
peace
ps - we'll just add that Neil is doing what Neil does best on "Let's Roll Again" ... channeling his emotions into song and singing for the people. We ask that folks take a cue, and channel their emotions into what they themselves do best. As opposed to simply doing what a screen tells them to.
ReplyDelete"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.
My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."
~~ John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961
Make cars (electric) in America again and beat China. Isn’t that the current government’s position? If you sing ‘make America great again’ along to the chorus it fits perfectly too.
ReplyDeleteIt's very obvious that the current protection racket figuring as a US government is beating Americans first. If you are not sure about it, talk to you again in a year from now. The bro harem is great at beating a lot of Americans and at making them even sing along. That's not going to change as long as there are enough American simpletons keep talking about "beating" a country that still holds more than 700 billion US$ in US treasury bonds. Of course nobody in China, Japan or Europe is stupid enough to sell off these huge assets at once ...it's just a reminder that with all the whinning by #47 the US owes to the world not vice-versa. Even though China is not a democracy and the people live under the thumb of their party, the vast majority of the Chinese is prepared to endure economic hardships that most spoiled middle class Americans, can't even imagine in their wildest nightmares. For the average person all of this is not about winning, that's why the average person, be it the US citizen, a Chinese or an European, can't win by beating somebody else. The only way out of this mess is to make sure that #47 and his bro harem can't win either.
ReplyDelete…and your actual policy ideas/solutions are Dionys? I am sure you will relish the chance to write another long corrective essay
DeleteAnother Fork in the road....you go your way, I'll go mine. Still 4 dead in Ohio.
ReplyDeleteNow that I've taken a good listen, I have to say the Chrome Hearts are smoking on the album version. Sounds like they had a good time making it. In a typical NY contradiction, you need audio fidelity to properly appreciate the chaos and messiness. (Stray Gators are the classic example of this principle.)
ReplyDeleteThis has more barn than Fork or Monsanto Years, in my opinion and unless I've been misunderstanding the meaning of "more barn" all these years. It doesn't hurt that there's some good, genuine advice embedded in there: "Some days are like that... taste your freedom."
If you're fascist buy a Tesla
ReplyDeleteUntil a couple of months ago there was a regular on this blog justifying his support for #47 by putting forward his belief that he would bring prices down for groceries, rent and energy. Being angry at me for comparing (not equalling) his ideas to widespread attitudes in the late 1930's in Germany he has since left or went into lurkdom. Everybody told the guy that his belief in fairy tales will not work out and it didn't. Now here we have another one believing that jobs in car industry can be brought back to the US and #47 and his bro harem are the right guys to manage that. It escapes my understanding how time and again many Americans fall for this kind of gas-lighting manouevres without realizing that it will just fill the coffers of a rather small group of bros swimming in obscene wealth and taking the axe to public wealth (e.g. health, education, social security) How low have these American believers sunk to beg for crumbles of what is rightfully theirs?
ReplyDeleteWait. Doest Neil Young, (with obscene wealth $200 million+) as per the song this post is about, believe/at least hope car jobs and innovation can come back to America too?
DeleteI'm still here, jerry, don't worry. I don't post anymore because life is too short to argue with strangers on a computer, but believe me, I visit this site every single day. It has truly become a source of great humor for me. Not sure what's funnier, the neverending predictions of doom from you guys, Thrasher's cryptic messages about the upcoming Big Shift, or Neil's songwriting since 2012, but you all never let me down. Regrets about leaving the Democrat herd and voting for Trump? Not for one second. Can't wait to vote for him again in 2028, wink wink.
DeleteEat a peach, Adolf...
Dionys is right about manufacturing jobs. Our economy, the US economy became a service economy in the 1970's (or so). Massive infrastructure has been built up over many years in manufacturing economies all over the world and they are not about to change: we will never be able to match their lower wages. Just think of what it takes to change large scale infrastructure and economic policies. But beyond this, Trump's tariffs never had any plausibility for bringing back manufacturing: this would have to be a wholesale shift. Read any economist (yes, they actually know something). Secondly, Dionys is right again about what Trump promised and why he FAILED. Richie, I call you saying that you just wanted prices to come down, groceries and gas. The prices were on their way down. Trump never could do anything about this and no president can (except in very small ways). Prices are market bound. This just indicates that Trump is a fool. His cabinet are mostly a group of white privileged males (and Bondi, who I think is a man). None of them are qualified for these jobs and we are seeing this in obvious ways. The United States does not deport people to foreign countries without any due process (just one example). Now, David R said that we have no suggestions. Here is one, invest in free child care. Estimates project a savings in the hundreds of billions over twenty years and we will have better educated workers. You see Trumpers, you are forgetting the sacred truth of all great conservatives: we have to invest money to save money. We, or any country, has to INVEST in the people or finally FAIL. It is that simple for policy. Biden was INVESTING in infrastructure, which is investing in our future, which will save money. Trump and his minions are either fools or moral nihilists or both. And Richie, when you say stuff like "some of my best friends are jews" you have to expect hostile responses. And, in my view, Dionys was mild, prudent. In short, grow up and face the truth.
DeleteI never once said "some of my best friends are Jews", not one time. If you care to share what thread that was on, feel free.
DeleteAnd btw, if I did say something like that, I should expect some hostile responses? Why is that exactly?? Is there something wrong with saying you have friends who are Jewish?
The song’s underlying message, as far as I can see, is: if you want to get ahead, invest in cleaner, greener energy solutions. Make something useful, get back in the race. Solve two problems at (ecological and socioeconomic) at once.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, yes, another day of running our sleepy little blog ...
ReplyDeletewishful thinking...
btw, pretty cool to see Anthony sporting a FarmAidian T-shirt in video.
anyways, thanks for trying to keep this site semi-respectable despite some of the juvenile scatological humor (it really doesn't help your position) and the editor's "cryptic" messages (10K+ word explanations from 10+ years ago that predicted exactly what was going to happen. sigh)
anyhoo. new thread @ REACTION: Neil Young's New Song & Video "Lets Roll Again" - neil young and the chrome hearts
please be kind, gentle and civil.
peace
I don't recall you saying that either Richie.
ReplyDeleteSome of Abner's comments recently are a bit beyond the pale for me...
"and Bondi, who I think is a man"
"Anyone who does not like the song is a big loser"
"P Murray, you are a big loser!"
"Trump reminds me of a turd floating in a Boston subway toilet after a drunken Bruins game."
And worst of all in my eyes:
"Daryl Hannah should take up crochet"
I appreciate we are in extraordinary times which must be causing a lot of stress for many folk, but maybe have a few listens to "Don't Forget Love" Abner?
On a more positive note I'd like to say thanks to Dan for his always wise and considered words. And of course to Thrasher for keeping the show on the road.
I wonder ultimately if Neil Youngs politics would not be so contentious if his music had not become frankly so bad. That great late career album we could all agree on is, well Ive concluded, not coming. If this song is anything like one on Sleeps With Angels it is in spirit, and execution, like Piece of Crap. At the time that seemed like a throwaway bit of fun at the end of the record, but it actually set things up for much of the rest of his career. Make it up as you go along environmentalism spewed out in one take.
ReplyDeleteI recently reread a review of Fork in the Road that concluded it was ‘the sound of an immense talent going along in first gear’, and that is exactly what I think of most of his output, including this song, for this last decade or so.
I try to treat music as an overall sensory experience. It’s not just intellectual appreciation; it’s how it sounds and how I feel listening to it. Let’s Roll Again feels like riding down the road on a warm day, windows open, wind in your hair.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn’t touch me in the sublime way, as Love Earth did. But it evokes a mood.
Just to be fair: RC never said anything about Jews, that's right. He said something in the vein of "some of my best friends and neighbours are hispanics". And I believe that this is true. And I also know that this sort of talk was quite common in Germany's 30s when people talked about Jews. And it was I who changed his words by replacing "Hispanics" with "Jews". My intention was to point out, that this kind of speech does not make for an absolution with regards to racist attitudes, politics and their consequences. Apparently RC was very upset, by the reactions he posted in response and still is, as can be seen by the use of the name "Adolf", apparently addressing me, born in 1965 and being a descendant of a grandfather killed by Nazi orders and my widowed grandmother being taken to an operating concentration camp for "correctional purposes". I am not "predicting doom", I just mentioned the observation that #47 made promises that many of his supporters counted on that he did not keep, never intended to keep and will not be able to keep, because the world is not spinning around #47 and not even around the US, his MAGA believers and his bro harem. And that is the true underlying problem, with a very limited and self-centered perspective: it's hard to accept that "arguing with strangers on a computer" might be better than calling them names.
ReplyDeleteI understand "Let's Roll Again" as an attempt of appealing at the honest working man to use his energy on creating something worthwhile. I do not believe that this will be saving the American automotive industry or the world from global warming. And I agree that I've heard many better NY songs. But better NY songs for sure require the muse not being absorbed by the shit flood dished out daily by the MAGA-complex. "Environmentalism spewed out in one take" is a mere consequence of all the political bullshit hurled at those who really care for this unique planet. #47 and his "policies" are a giant waste of time and talent, Neil Young's, mine and yours.
Right on the money as usual and thanks for clearing up the comment confusion. I used some gutter humor because I am tired of the idiotic political views being "hurled" at me, just as I am tired of idiots in trucks trying to drive me off the road because I drive an electric car. No one on this blog seemed to look at my more serious comments about investing in citizens, the only way to move any community forward.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete(Edited)
ReplyDelete@ Abner : I hear 95% of the folks who read TW blog do not comment. So, just saying, I appreciated what you said about investing in the future.
Alcatraz prison to be reopened? Asinine, a perfect example of Trump’s 2nd term.
I am happy that Neil is pissed because that makes for good music & a welcome soundtrack to our huge peaceful revolution. We will throw Trump out because he is fascist and “Un-American.” Study the Constitution please! Have a heart!
Trump is a Racist As proven by thousands of examples. His lies are also racist (“They’re eating the pets.”). His frequent use of the white supremacy dog whistle is appreciated by his KKK fans of course.
Trump is not just an awful person though; He is also a colossal moron. Huge harm will follow his idiotic policy choices & sociopathic personality.
If you don’t see the problem with Trump, you are part of the problem. But his voters are turning on him. Nobody likes to be shot on by a guy who gets his kicks with “renditioning” poor folks / non citizens. Never mind the question of “Who will pick the crops?” It ain’t gonna be lazy white folks.
Thanks for the great new protest songs Neil! I cannot wait to hear it all.
Have a good day, in whatever way you can. And let’s be civil on TW, but that does not mean shaking hands with Nazis. Neil’s Tesla remark just means he is happy to see Musk losing billions by the day, just like the rest of us. Trump has put us in misery, and we like company, we like community here on TW. Protest!!!!! Get out there and hold a sign! It matters!!!!!!
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
I mentioned earlier in the thread how many laughs I get from this site now, and I gotta say that you, sir, are the king in my eyes. You spout on about peace, civility, and love, but you're words come out as incredibly hateful. You never miss an opportunity to call someone who thinks differently from you a racist, Nazi, facist, blah blah blah. Don't go changing, you're the gift that keeps giving.
DeleteAnd also, Trump has put you in misery? Honestly, brother, I think you may have already been there....
Correction: Nobody likes to be shit on…. !
ReplyDeleteRichie Cruz : It’s good to be #1. Glad you are benefitting. But to hate Nazis is a GOOD thing. Your prez wipes his evil poo on every clean & decent thing he encounters. If you are still eating it up, well… he who laughs last thinks slowest.
ReplyDeletePeace & Love are my values. Environmentalism. I am part Jewish but fullly Anti Genocide. Biden & Trump are both complicit, obviously. What about you? Do you have an opinion on the goodness of genocide in Gaza?
It must be tough having one’s musical hero saying all this hippie stuff for you. Hang in there. Trump is quite easy to hate. One must only observe his actions. Deporting even those with green cards.
Cheers mate. -Alan
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAbner, I did try to comment--on the new post--about investing wisely. Dionys is clearly right: Neil is trying to encourage the ingenuity and enterprising, can-do attitude Americans tend to pride ourselves on. He's always been extraordinarily earnest, and I admire it. I'm afflicted with a terminal case of irony. Sometimes my rhetorical questioning obscures the plain meaning of things.
ReplyDeleteRichie : It’s good to be #1. Glad you are benefitting. But to hate Nazis is a GOOD thing. Your prez wipes poo on every clean & decent thing he encounters. If you are still eating it up, well… he who laughs last may think slowest. Peace & Love are my values. Anti Genocide. Biden & Trump both complicit. Save the humans! Health care for ALL! Green Energy Now!
ReplyDeleteStop watching Fox News as an experiment. The protest movement in the US is enormous, tho you won’t see much on the news about it.
But rest assured, Big Change is coming, and planet wrecking idiot kings are running out of time. He is tanking the world economy. Maybe he will turn out to be the greatest environmentalist of all after he crashes the world economy. He is after all a Neil Young fan.
Some of you talk like Neil doesn’t make good records anymore and hasn’t since ___. Well, we are here because we like Neil Young music. Nobody is forcing you to come to TW to deliver the post mortem on Art. If it’s dead to you, you can always push 0ff, and find your little slice of heaven somewhere else. Neil Young is an Environmental Activist. And your king is an idiot who wants to bring back coal & rebuild and reopen Alcatraz prison. Neither will happen.
If you like Trump, you might be a sociopath.
Almost time to hit the next protest.
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
@ Thrasher: Apologies for the fecal references. Somehow it seemed to fit.
ReplyDeleteWhat I had in mind with my comment is that Trump burns bridges with every interaction. He has no trouble ridding US of our many 80 year European & Canadian allies. He has inspired a gigantic boycott against the US, and also put the Dollar in question as the world’s currency. And the world is selling US Treasury notes. The Empire is crumbling.
Trump & Vance have shown contempt for our allies & now we in the US have lost a huge amount of trust. Trump changes his mind so frequently That only his inner circle can benefit from his stock purchase timing tips.
Trump is a grifter, criminal, rapist, cheater, liar, racist, wanna-be Dictator. So many endearing qualities. If you listen to Trump and think it’s good stuff, and then accuse me of being the hater, not Trump? Fox News has got you.
So what about you Richie? Are you for or against the genocide by Israel / IDF of Gaza residents? I want my tax money to go to social support, education, science. It pays to invest in Education. Trump will never understand that partly because he is an uneducated moron. His ex wife said he slept with a copy of Hitler’s Mein Kempf in the bedroom. Hard to imagine him reading any book, but that would be the one.
Richie, if you like what Trump says, you are probably the biggest hater reading these words.
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
I like the generic cover "taking old black to the task" much better than the "still life displaying old black in 3-rail-world" version. The latter maybe would be something if combined with others in the same vein, telling a story in objects.
ReplyDelete