Neil Young’s 38th album, “Colorado”, released on October 25, 2019.
This is the first studio offering from Crazy Horse since 2012’s “Psychedelic Pill”.
The sounds you get these days are often produced so meticulously it’s miraculous there are any musicians left with real soul.
Crazy Horse have soul in spades. This latest offering is about climate change.
More to the point it’s a raw jammy statement of love for the planet; a pro-immigration, pluralistic mission from perhaps rock’s last angry man.
Crazy Horse are:
Neil Young (guitars, vocals, piano, vibes, harmonica), Nils Lofgren (guitars, vocals, pump organ), Ralph Molina (drums, vocals), and Billy Talbot (bass, vocals). They recorded Colorado mostly live in studio in the titular state. Neil Young produced the album with John Hanlon.
- 01 Think of Me
- 02 She Showed Me Love
- 03 Olden Days
- 04 Help Me Lose My Mind
- 05 Green Is Blue
- 06 Shut It Down
- 07 Milky Way
- 08 Eternity
- 09 Rainbow of Colors
- 10 I Do
While none of these new compositions will strike a novice listener as anything hip or catchy they are not meant to be commercial.
These are brilliant musicians laying down jams that are recorded well.
In each piece is expressed wishes, hopes, and dreams of a world that cares about the eternal.
“She Showed Me Love” is an epic jam of 13:36 mins secs in duration.
On vinyl this album is a 3 record set. There is a 7 inch single of ‘Milky Way’ included.
Mr. Young wanted to make an album of lasting value; high quality playback was key.
The musicianship on display here is superlative. “Milky Way” is the first single; “Rainbow Of Colors” will be the second.
Frustration over the lack of universal understanding of the epic problems we face with a climate in decline is resolved in the scorching anger of “Shut It Down”.
The song’s second verse:
Have to shut the whole system down
All around the planet
There’s a blindness that just can’t see
Have to shut the whole system down
They’re all wearing climate change
As cool as they can be
The arrangements are not heavy handed. The delivery is what longtime listeners of this band would expect. A slow churn of political dissent that threatens to boil over.
By the record’s end you want more. In reality you must do your part so there can be more. An eternity of more.
Mr. Young has been recording since 1969. Now in his 50th year as a recording artist he shows no sign of slowing down; not giving in to an apathetic status quo.
He cares deeply for the songs he creates as an artist. His contributions to groups like Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, and Nash are untouchable rock milestones.
Sometimes his solo works have been difficult to translate on first listen. Regardless, you must listen with a close ear, expecting to not get all the meaning within right away.
This album has those qualities. If you do the work you will get the picture. Much more transparent than some of his other works with insightful poetic lyrics in every song.
“Milky Way” is a poem. Universal themes of lost love, longing for connection, and cockeyed optimism are long held hallmarks of musical art. This track embodies all of it.
The repeating verse:
I was sailing in the Milky Way
Losing track of memories
That weren’t that day
Right by her side
As the stars flew by I did collide
With memory but somehow
I survived
And became free
A transient moment in time. Getting lost in the daze of lost/recalled memories and somehow able to move forward stronger.
As the lead single I felt strongly this track represented what the album as a whole says of Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s work.
When a legendary artist releases new music there is a huge weight attached—memory of past glory.
“Colorado” just plainly states that we cannot collide with our past because we risk negating the present; become blind to our future.
According to SPIN magazine there will not be a concert tour this Fall to support the new record. Mr. Young is finishing up editing 15 films!
https://www.spin.com/2019/08/neil-young-crazy-horse-no-tour-15-films/
Neil Young & Crazy Horse will play Winnipeg in February 2020. More dates to follow.
Evan's Gate 
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