Sunday, July 31, 2011

Neil Young--The Archives--Volume 1

Neil Young is massive, physically and artistically. The greatest songwriters in history seem to orbit a secret realm, especially when they are still alive. They escape genres, and ultimately they elude the mainstream. In my personal opinion Young hasn't released a notable album since Prairie Wind. Of course people will disagree with that statement, but when an artist has claimed part of the 20th century cannon, as Neil has, and they continue to release albums consistently each year, then listeners are naturally inclined to narrow their vision. In fact, artists as rare as Young and Dillon, have a dual existence, as bootlegs, unreleased material, and live recordings are issued or re-issued concurrently with their latest efforts. Ergo The Archives Volume 1. There is such a thing as an inconsistent Neil Young (example: Everybody's Rockin'), but his first seven or so albums are infallible. Volume 1 spans these glory days (1963-1972), it's impeccably curated, though some fans will feel that there are too many versions of "Down By The River", still others will complain that there are too few. For the most part, anyone who associates Neil Young with true genius, will wonder how they got on without this document of his music for so long. The box-set comes with 45's and 10 DVD'S, and apparently it regenerates itself with new material via the website. It also has the power to cure a hangover.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Followers