Neil Young News: Boston-Worcester Concert Reviews: 12/13/08

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Boston-Worcester Concert Reviews: 12/13/08

Photo by Tim Bugbee

Hello,
On the road and mobile blogging at the moment but just wanted to drop a quick update.

I guess the Boston show will go down in the tourbook as the "Jackpot" show.

We hit a trifecta -- a hat trick -- a triple play -- 3 first time song performances:
- Cough Up The Bucks - Wall St bailout
- Fuel of the People - alternative energy
- Behind The Wheel - LincVolt love song

We were getting our first live performances of Fuel Line & Light A Candle.

So between the Philly and Boston shows we were also hearing live for the first time for us:
Just Singing A Song
When Worlds Collide
Sea Change

Cortez was simply sublime in it's majesty.

And then Day in a life - a mindblowing & life altering experience.

So in the last 2 days we've had 9 songs that we've never heard live before. It just doesn't get any better to be a Neil fan.

For the doubters of the new songs, we'll just say that sometimes it takes time for them to age and breathe to come into their own. The point being, that pushing ahead into new frontiers is sometimes more inspiring then plowing the same old ground. We like to call it taking a risk. Without risk there is no growth.

And who wouldn't plunk down a few $'s to hear Neil sing @ MSG in NYC -- blocks from Wall St. -- a song about corporate welfare and reckless greed? So we'll cough up the bucks to maybe hear "Cough up the Bucks" again! Afterall, it's only fuckin' money.

So what will Neil have in store for us in NYC tomorrow?

Lastly, there have been so many from the Neil fan communties of Rust, HH, RH, etc that we met up with. Thanks for everyone's encouraging support. It's appreciated.

But a special shout-out to Kathy, Summer of Love & Karen, Love & Affection for letting Thrasher crash on their couches. Love you guys!

We'll try and have more later but we need to hit the road. Got fuel to burn.

Thrasher

Neil Young will be performing tonight at DCU Center, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2008 Fall North American Tour and Concert Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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71 Comments:

At 12/14/2008 02:11:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Just got in from Worcester concert. 2 things stuck out to me 1 - Neil looks and sounds better than he did during last years Continental Tour, and 2- Ben Keith is really starting to look old. His playing was spectaculat as usual, but his shoulders were slumped and he looked real tired. Ben, please get some rest you are invaluable.
At 12/14/2008 02:40:00 AM, Anonymous said...: No doubt a great show! Special all the time Neil is. Highlight was taking my 9 year old son and watching The Silver Eagle roll into the Worcester Centrum and catching a grin in Neil's face.
At 12/14/2008 02:46:00 AM, Anonymous said...: The Worcester show was incredible! Neil's voice is in great shape and it looked like he was really having fun. Not much acoustic, mostly electric. The crowd was singing along, and with the way the lights were on the crowd it reminded me of the cover to "Time Fades Away". "Oh Lonesome Me" was incredible! Now is the time to see Neil Young in concert.
At 12/14/2008 05:14:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Did he really, really play seven new songs?
("Light A Candle", "Cough Up The Bucks", "Fuel Line", "Hit The Road And Go To Town", "Just Singing A Song", "Get Behind The Wheel" and "When Worlds Collide".
At 12/14/2008 08:12:00 AM, Anonymous said...: yep..7 new ones...no 'Sea Change' or 'Unknown Legend' but there is one error on the sugarmtn.org list...'Mother Earth' was played before 'Needle and the Damage Done'
At 12/14/2008 09:32:00 AM, Craig said...: new album before archives :)
At 12/14/2008 10:18:00 AM, lester said...: yes indeed a fantastic show from both wilco and neil at the DCU center in Worcester, MA. Neil highlites- "back to the country", "oh lonesome me" and of course, "a day in the life". I gotta tell you though, some of those new tunes rank up there with the WORST neil tunes I've ever heard. don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of neil's terrible songs. Songs like "t-bone" (reactor), "betty lou's got a new pair of shoes" (shocking pinks), and "computer cowboy" (trans) sound like masterpieces compared to this stuff. Neil's obviously very dedicated to this whole new electric car stuff and energy consumption issue in general...whicj I think is awesome...but trying to work those themes into new songs simply does not work. ...These new tunes sounded preachy, awkward and just plain lame! The choruses and chord progressions were absolutely laughable...I couldn't help but feel like i was listening to the soundtrack of one of those really lame 'after school specials' they used to show on tv in the 80s. I know, I know, it's probably heresy to talk like this on this board...and I'm sure I'll grow to love these songs as much as other neil deep-cut-stinkers- "comin apart at every nail", "rapid transit" and "mideast vacation" but, boy, it was tough to sit there and listen to some of this stuff for the first time....
All in all, though, I was honored to just be there and see the man in person and catch new insight to the raw power and abandonment that's made him remain such a powerful force in today's music world...let's just hope he doesn't put these new songs on an album anytime soon:}

-Rusty Latch
At 12/14/2008 10:21:00 AM, Anonymous said...: please i loved the new stuff.
At 12/14/2008 10:51:00 AM, Anonymous said...: The new songs were cringe inducing, douche chilly messes. But the rest of the show was sublime. Small price to pay for greatness. And Wilco may have been the greatest opeining act Neil has brough on the road, and that says a lot for a guy who has had The Pretenders, Lucinda Williams and Social Distortion opening in the past.
At 12/14/2008 01:11:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I think the new songs generally need some culling- they have overlapping similarities that could probably be wrapped up in tighter and fewer packages. That said, "Singing a Song" was beautiful in it's presentation and almost cinematic lushness, and also as it came after his Linc Volt cluster of new tunes. We're watching an artist at his creative work- he has to put things up there and see how they fly- so it's cool by me.

I thought it was cool and interesting that Anthony Crawford had a more active role than last year. He definitely was in there as the rhythm guitarist for the new songs, and added a youthful presence to to the band.

Spectacular show. Except for some drug/drunk jerks on the floor. Whatta ya gonna do..

Tom
At 12/14/2008 01:12:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Show was great overall, but the majority of the new songs (especially the car-related ones) were so bad that it made me wonder how the band can stand to even play them without a little embarrassment. They were palpably lame, and anyone who declares that "Cough up the Bucks" and "Behind the Wheel" are good songs is living in a sort of denial. If they were played by anyone other the Neiler, they would be laughed at and thrown in the dumpster. Sorry, but let's face the music here.
At 12/14/2008 01:18:00 PM, gmfeld said...: Totally agree with Rusty here. Those new songs were just awful. It's always tough to hear new songs for the first time live, but there's just no getting around that to me, and the 5 others I was with, Cough Up the Bucks, Fuel Line, etc are bad songs to our collective years. And, stringing so many of them together like that took a lot of the wind out of the sails on what was always an enjoyable evening seeing Neil.

That being said, how about Wilco though! An awesome set from one of my favorite bands, gotta be one of the best bands out there doing current music. Tweedy and crew were in fine form throughout. What a choice by Neil to bring Wilco along. For those of you still waiting for Neil to come to town, especially you NYC'ers, don't miss Wilco!
At 12/14/2008 03:37:00 PM, Bob in CT said...: Hello all! Really looking forward to the Neil show tomorrow night at the Garden, NYC. I haven't seen him since the United Palace Theater shows last winter.
The set lists look pretty cool this time,especially A DAY IN THE LIFE, but I'm anxious to hear for myself if these new songs are any good or not. I really hope that they don't suck as much as some of you have said.
BUT, anyway, DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A COOL BAR TO GO TO BEFORE THE MSG SHOWS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A PRE-CONCERT PARTY WITH SOME NEIL PLAYING, OR SOME RUSTIES HANGING OUT? Please post info if you can help. Thanks. Peace all. Rock out Neil, and welcome back to NYC! Bob in CT
At 12/14/2008 04:40:00 PM, Anonymous said...: We all can agree, Neil is one impressive monster on stage. But, the new songs are at best lame and at worst, downright bad. Lyrics are painfully gimmicky. Usually, I welcome anything new, but lord-y.

Just hope that the Archive won't be delayed further, to release these clunker songs on cd.

-Fan
At 12/14/2008 06:08:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Man those songs should never have seen the light of day. Give it up, Neil! They suck! Save us from yet another piece of s#@* album. If I hear one more zombie fan defend those pieces of s@#*, I'm gonna hurl.
At 12/14/2008 06:26:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Hey, don't look here and you won't have to.
At 12/14/2008 06:31:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Let's face, Neil is in a bit of a musical slump as far as new material is concerned. Chrome Dreams 2 - a DUD.

The new songs - a DUD.

i am going to see him in NYC, and i hope he doesnt duplicate the Worcester set list, especially considering how much money i paid for tickets. If you're going to charge an insane amout for tixs, please, please, please Neil - don't experiment with "Piece Of Crap" new material.

i know one thing - Wilco will DELIVER!

C'mon Neil....GET WITH IT!
At 12/14/2008 06:39:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Spoken like a true zombie, 5:26.
At 12/14/2008 06:53:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Well, why stop with CDII? Prairie Wind- DUD except for NO WONDER and Falling off the Face of the Earth.(But, hey, cool cover art.) LWW- DOUBLEDUD. Tell us something we don't know. Donated those profits to vets did ya, Neil? Greeddale- SUPERMEGADUD. Keep your defense of this crap to yourself,foolfans, unless you intend to encourage him to throw still more slop at us.
The last great album was S&G. AYP could've been great if he'd recorded it with Crazy Horse and left off the atrocious Let's Roll and the cheesy female vocals.
Glad to see people finally call Neil on some crap songs. But where were you 5 years ago when there was still hope to turn it around? All he's heard for the last 5 years of sewer songs is how great they are. What do you expect now? This is what you get for sucking up.
At 12/14/2008 06:57:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Hubby and I were at the concert on the 13ths in Worcester. Neil was just amazing and rocked the house down. He never skipped a beat. His new tunes were catchy and reflective of the times we are living in right now. I have been a Neil fan for 30 years, I remember listening to him on vinyl on my parent's living floor, deeply moved by After the Gold Rush, Soldier and so many others. In 30-40 years from now do you truly think that some of the new artists out there will be HALF as good as Neil is today? For those who have commented that his new stuff was lame should be ashamed of yourself? Show the man some respect. I would have liked to have heard Harvest Moon and some tunes from Prairie Wind, but other than that, thought he was spectacular.

JMR
At 12/14/2008 07:04:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I have a lone MSG 12/15 ticket section 46 ticket to sell ... I'm too old to figure out how to use stub-hub or ebay or craig's list but am motivated to sell it before the night of the show so I show up and not have to worry about selling it ... will seriously consider any offer... face value was $275 but again, I'm ready to sell it to less to someone who needs a ticket and is reliable enough to meet me before the show to buy it ... those interested should email me at dan55@wharton.upenn.edu
Thanks!
At 12/14/2008 07:10:00 PM, Anonymous said...: JMR -

i should be ashamed of myself for criticizing Neil's new crop of songs?

GET REAL!

Neil has every right to criticize the current political environment, yet i should be ashamed of myself for saying his new songs, IMHO, STINK?

That, my friend, reeks of HYPOCRISY!
At 12/14/2008 07:17:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I was at the show last night and thougt is was great. I do concede that it is often difficult to hear songs for the first time. I was not a big fan of LWW. I did think the CSN&Y 2006 tour was guite enjoyable. As for PW, CD2 and Greendale I feel they were very good. The Greendale tour was interestig. Who else would have dared?

As for last night: Cortez, Spirit Road and Everybody Knows this is Nowwhere were the highlights. You should all know by now that if you go to see Neil expecting some sort of a greatest hits montage you will be disappointed.
At 12/14/2008 07:24:00 PM, Anonymous said...: It's the tale of the ages. Yet another truly talentedperson gets a bit lazy and a bit overimpressed with their abilities and starts producing inferior product. The sycophant base that has evolved, in no small part because it's the cool thing to do, has not an ounce of discernment and throws laurels for every subsequently produced scrawl or burpp. They start calling talentedperson superhuman. Talented person, who has long harbored such a notion, now indulges it. Talentedperson now thinks their every least effort, every utterance, is deeply meaningful and valuable. Trying is no longer part of their experience. Product deteriorates further. Circle round several times and observe yet another death spiral, done in by ego, laziness and sycophants.
At 12/14/2008 07:27:00 PM, ghostrider said...: So the MSG show is likely to go till midnite, right, with the 8:00 listed start time & Everest & Wilco in front of Neil? Neil not likely to start till near 10:00, Wilco at 9:00?

Or are they lieing about the 8:00 start time, & Everest will go on at 7:30 or so? I've seen MSG pull that kind of crap before.

This is tricky shit for those of us coming in from out of town.
At 12/14/2008 07:31:00 PM, Anonymous said...: You have every right to criticize Neil, but I strongly disagree with a lot of the albums you've criticized. To enjoy Greendale I had to sit and just listen to the whole thing in a sitting once, but after that I really enjoyed the album.

Prairie Wind had some of his best songs lyrically that I've heard in a while. Some of them are better than Harvest Moon's songs to me (Prairie Wind, Falling off the Face of the Earth, No Wonder, The Painter, When god Made Me).

LWW had families and Roger and Out, one of the most emotional songs I've heard. In addition, many of the other songs were very solid.

Chrome Dreams II was mixed. I agree it had some weak new songs, but Spirit Road and No Hidden Path were very good. Dirty Old Man could be placed in his "fun bad songs" with T-Bone.

I agree that the new material I've heard isn't too good. Some that I've heard are average sounding, but some are definitely below average. Although, I haven't heard the songs that came out in the past week or so.

~ Steel Madsen
At 12/14/2008 07:50:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Roger and Out is the ONLY good song on LWW. Sorry man, Greeddale sucks and not for lack of listening. If it was so good, why didn't it sell? The only good songs there were Bandit and Bringing Down Dinner. Agreed, Spirit Road and No Hidden Path were very good, but again, they're the ONLY good songs on CDII. We agree on Falling and NO WONDER, the only really good songs on THAT album. No sacrelege meant but When God Made Me SUCKS. The Painter is endearing but, come on, those lyrics are embarassing. He just hasn't been trying.
His Looking Forward songs were also very good, very good, but that was 8 years ago. And, again, AYP was a classic wantonly destroyed.
At 12/14/2008 07:50:00 PM, sarah said...: I was blown away, Neil was awesome! I'm in love all over again. He was on fire last night.
At 12/14/2008 09:51:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I'm heading to NYC, catching Amtrak in a few hours, hey, I expect 'ol DC-based Thrasher will be on board... right now, I'm listening to the bootleg of his show In Madrid earlier this year, and I'm sitting her hoping this water will boil, hoping indeed that he skips a few of the "new songs" (with Neil, who on god's earth knows when he wrote them) and that he throws in a few more classics like Words (as he did it in Madrid), and hey, if he wants to get political, why not kill two birds with one stone and play that Archives-destined bootleg classic, "interstate" - he can dedicate to the Leader he was looking for since he promises more concrete and asphalt on which Neil can plow his Linc-Volt chrome dreams mobile. anyway, off to MSG, rust on !

-jim
At 12/14/2008 10:15:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Thats not the real archives guy. Will the real archives guy please step up.
- Jessie James
At 12/14/2008 10:35:00 PM, tim bugbee said...: some shots of all the bands:
http://www.prefixmag.com/photos/neil-young-dcu-worcester/
At 12/15/2008 01:24:00 AM, Veg said...: And archives guy makes an appearance, whoah-ho. No, Neil doesn't give a flying fuck what people think of his songs, no, he doesn't give a shit if he puts them on an album and they don't sell.

But I think even Neil will be affected if he puts these new songs out on an album and it gets universally HAMMERED into the ground before anyone even bothers to care about the messages he's trying to send.

Living With War was listenable, good melodies, and the live renditions of many of the songs with CSNY were very alive and much-improved over the album versions (Restless Consumer, Living With War, Families), and hey, it got the message across, and it did get some people talking.

But the fact is, most of these new songs suck hard LIVE. There's nothing he can do in the studio that take the foundations of these songs and make them bearable, he's already laid the groundwork with these god-awful chord progressions and absolutely cheesy wannabe rockabilly/early rock rhythms.

Just Singing A Song and Lighting A Candle are the closest to decent these new songs get. The former is crushed by its own emptiness, it's so lyrically sparse that its just feels immaterial. There's nothing special about it. Lighting A Candle is mediocre, nothing to write home about, but not nearly as bad as the other new tunes.

Maybe Neil is losing the songwriting edge... As a point of comparisons, a few of the road-written tunes of years past, and for fairness, post 1973...

1973 Lonely Weekend
1974 Star of Bethlehem \ Love Art Blues \ Hawaiian Sunrise
1976 Sad Movies
1982 Berlin
1983 Your Love
1985 Interstate
1986 When Your Lonely Heart Breaks / Road of Plenty
1987 American Dream / Name of Love
1988 Ordinary People / Fuckin' Up
1989 Rockin In The Free World
1992 Train Of Love
1993 Change Your Mind
1999 Red Sun

After that, none of them are apparently road-written tunes until 2008 pops up again. Neil's out of practice writing on the spot it would seem. And you've got to admit, none of these new songs remotely stack up with previous "new" introductions while Neil was touring, which is really a bit sad.

More of an observation there than anything, but really, if you claim to like these new songs, you really are in denial. I don't CARE what Neil THINKS about how we feel about them, because guess what, I don't give a flying fuck what HE thinks either, my opinion is my own to express, so this garbage about Neil doing "whatever he wants like he always has" is a total excuse, and it FAILS to excuse bad music. Christ, T-bone is more inspired than this junk.
At 12/15/2008 01:41:00 AM, Bob G said...: Where's the best bar to hang out at before the MSG show that might be playing some Neil, or having a pre-concert party? Please fill me in.
Heading to the city for the show on Monday & need a place to go beforehand,preferably close to the Garden. Any ideas? please post. Thanks. Peace. Can't wait for the show! To me,being at a Neil Young concert,no matter WHAT he plays, is still better than being anywhere else at that moment in time. Bob in CT
At 12/15/2008 02:33:00 AM, Anonymous said...: How refreshing to finally see some valid, truthful comments about Neil and his slide into mediocrity on this site. Of course the sycophants won't have a bar of it, but they also think they are the only 'real' Neil fans. A real fan is prepared to tell it like it is, not say whatever they think the rest of their buddies are saying. We all love Neil's music, or we wouldn't be here on this site - so be brave and tell the Emperor he's naked, and it's not a pretty sight! And anyone who tries using Prairie Wind as validation for Neil's continuing lyrical greatness has got to be kidding! It's no better than a school kid would come up with. The Painter has to be one of the lamest songs he has ever written. Thanks Anonymous for saying what plenty of us are thinking...
At 12/15/2008 02:52:00 AM, Anonymous said...: I'm sorry I have different tastes than some of you. But I really enjoyed the Prairie Wind album (although I should clarify I only know the HoG versions). I agree that these new songs haven't met my expectations, but I still feel that Prairie Wind is close to if not better than Harvest Moon. Whatever your opinion on Harvest Moon is, I don't know.

~ Steel Madsen
At 12/15/2008 04:03:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Where can I hear these new songs?
At 12/15/2008 04:19:00 AM, Shadow said...: Neil himself said he be worried about anyone who liked all his songs. Some who think they are lame may just not be able to see the deeper meaning of things or big picture as Neil does . Neil never cared about hits he writes what he feels . I been a fan since i bought my Buffalo Springfield Album in June 1967. We all know Neil loves freedom of speech we all use here . Thrasher great site from an old hippie .
At 12/15/2008 05:06:00 AM, Anonymous said...: I'm honestly a bit shocked at some of the "fans" here. I've never discussed Neil's recent works with anyone, I'm the only Neil fan I know up my way, but I honestly loved Prairie Wind and Chrome Dreams II, and to be honest, I thought that was a shared opinion.

Prairie Wind was the first new Neil album that was released while I've been a fan, and I loved it. It was the soundtrack to my autumn months that year, and I still have fond memories of listening to it on the way home from work in my first job.

Living With War, call it what you like is what it is - it was written and recorded in days, for goodness sake. Not my favourite album, admittedly, but far from awful.

Chrome Dreams II, however, goes down probably in my top 3 Neil Young albums. I honestly think the album is brilliant, especially No Hidden Path.

I'm no kiss-ass fan. I'm a guy that likes music. Neil owes me fuck all, so I'm not going to gripe and whinge like seemingly everyone else on this blog these days. I will always love Neil, his attitude, his vision, his music. I haven't heard the new songs at all, but I'm looking forward to hearing them if they're ever recorded.

We're all entitled to our opinions here, just remember that everyone is different, some of us (maybe the young 'uns like me) aren't holding onto the days that used to be, hoping for another Harvest. I'm amazed by Neil Young, his energy and think that he's better these days than he ever was. Stop hating and start listening. Neil don't give a damn what any of us think, so go bitch in private, I'm fed up of this fantastic site being brought down on every blog by a bunch of whiners.

To those of you who aren't whining, thank-you, you are what makes this site enjoyable to read.

Hope to see you back in Europe soon, Neil, at least here you were appreciated.
At 12/15/2008 06:24:00 AM, pobreshka mafija said...: My two cents.
Caling the last couple of albums "DUDs" is inapropriate. Talking about the last few albums is more than welcome na di've sen a lot of interesting posts. Just saying something is s*** means nothing. except if i know you. which i don't.
At 12/15/2008 09:17:00 AM, Anonymous said...: To Bob in CT, I'll be at the show tonight as well, and I usually hang out at The Tempest on 31st before concerts. Good place. I agree with most that the past 3-4 neil discs are subpar, but it's still Neil, and it's better than 98% of the music that's produced today. Would you rather listen to LWW or Brittney's latest? I'm pumped to see him. I always am.
At 12/15/2008 09:32:00 AM, Anonymous said...: " Cough Up the Bucks" should have been the name of the tour ! @ $ 275 a ticket for waaaaaaaaay back on the floor, and $ 150 for nose bleed seats, it should have been the Cough Up the Bucks Tour ! Is that what the song is about ! LOL
Actualy I think Neil pushed the limit this time and it will be the last time, I'm sure that he has the balls to try and charge these prices-especialy for arena concerts ! For NYC, there are literlay thousands of tickets available on the internet for sale and the shows arent sold out. Everyone is trying to dump tickets and good seats can EASILY be had for 50%-75% off face value ! what does that say ? Even some ticket brokers have discounted Neil at 50% off face and that means they arent selling any tickets- and those bastards never discounted Neil tickets before ! I think Neil will be lucky to have 3000 real fans at the show on the 16th of December.
Majority of the tickets sold went to ticket brokers and fans buying extra tickets hoping to sell them at a profit to offset their own ticket costs- and that move has backfired- but who can blame them for trying when you fork out almost $ 600 for a pair of so so seats for a concert . I dont think you will ever again see Neil tickets at anywhere near $ 200 again.Next time around everyone will be wiser !
"Cough Up the Bucks Tours " ends this week on such a note.
At 12/15/2008 09:37:00 AM, Anonymous said...: I dont know, LWW blew my mind as it captured some real emotions. Mede me notice. Made the hair on my neck stand up and the rest of my skin crawl. When you get smashed in the face you usually notice it. CDII, outside of Beautiful Bluebird, I think the album is very good. And to see and hear no hidden path for 25 minutes with Neil scratching the floor and going insane was worth the price of the ticket by itself................piss on non-believers
At 12/15/2008 10:04:00 AM, Hippy Dreamer said...: Superdud anonymous dude .... you're a miserable whiner. Why listen if it all sucks so bad?

Perhaps Neil should hire you as his personal consultant so you can review his material before he releases it to be sure it is up to your standards. Time for you to find a new favorite rock star .... perhaps Ted Nugent is more to your liking?

Of course some albums are better than others and individuals will like some more than others, but the reality is that the man is still fucking shit up. Anyone who has seen him in the last year can't honestly deny that. Also, try and find one single band who tours and doesn't play some new material. Name one band that tours solely on their old hits from past decades. Can't name one can you. Neil is no exception and he certainly isn't stingy with pulling out the greatest songs of his career now is he? THrowing in a few new songs isn't reason to get all shitty about the man and his amazing career.
My opinion is that Greendale was a masterpiece ... it was a deliberate protest album at a time when most musicians were cowering in fear of John Ashcroft. Instead, Neil was basically calling him out and bringing his crimes to light while most bands were either silent or waving the flag in blind fear. Same with Living WIth War ... perhaps not the greatest album musically, but the message was and is very important.

I'm grateful for anything Neil throws our way and glad to support his Lincvolt project via concert tickets and album purchase. Keep on bringing it Neil!
At 12/15/2008 10:40:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Why do people seem to think that Neil actually sets the ticket prices himself?
At 12/15/2008 10:43:00 AM, Anonymous said...: As I've already said, I'm pretty happy with the music songs from Greendale - Chrome Dreams II. I'm only 19 if anyone's wondering, in case you somehow may understand or think my exposure to Neil is different.

I saw him last year, and will be supporting him again with my MSG tickets (2nd time in a row he had the concert during finals week). However, I don't think I'll be buying the new songs anytime soon. I'll give them a chance, but haven't been impressed so far. I've still got probably ten or so albums I still don't own (mainly 80s and late 90s), so I'll be picking those up and the Archives before I'll get to these. Who knows? Maybe the songs are better than I am expecting, or they'll be better on CD.

~ Steel Madsen
At 12/15/2008 11:06:00 AM, Designs said...: The greatness of being a Neil fan, is the diversity of the fanbase, and IMHO, how few are actually total 'Kool-aid' consumers. There are plenty of disagreements & debates.

Ignore for a moment the truly great Neil discs (pre-1992), in my assessment a good disc is when the good songs out weigh the clunkers, SWA the only truly great disc post 1992, again just one opinion.

What makes the new songs stand out as downright lousy, is the ratio of good to bad: and what I've heard, only 1 song (Light A Candle), is worth a download.

I for one loved LWW--it hit me exactly where my psyche was at that place in time. Additionally, I very much like PW, thought CDII overall, just ok, though the rockers definitely come to life on stage.

Only a fool or an oil lobbyist/executive would argue against the importance of fossil fuel alternatives, but to hang art from it, simply isn't working.

There seems to be an effort to piggyback on the success of LWW--lyric writing from a journalistic point of view. However, it is missing an integral element: the universal passion --life and death, life and love.

The new songs are, and seems to be a shared opinion, ranking very low. Low as in Landing On Water, LOW.

-Chicago
At 12/15/2008 11:37:00 AM, lester said...: hah... i love it..I post a little objective review...and then all of this...i love it...blind adulation doesn't mean you're the "biggest and best fan"... just keep an open mind. neil is great BECAUSE he's not afraid to put out all those stinkers.. but hopefully the ratio will not increase any. btw: Landing on Water is one of my absolute favorite horrible Neil Young albums!

-Rusty Latch
At 12/15/2008 11:39:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Does anyone have any idea what time show starts and order or performances based on previous shows?
At 12/15/2008 12:29:00 PM, Anonymous said...: The faker posting as "archives guy" should be ashamed... its dishonest and frankly abhorent behavior ... it will cheat all of the "honest" fans on the board from future visits from the real Archives Guy ... 99.9% of the time people on the board are 'above board' unfortunately one bad apple sometimes is all it takes.
At 12/15/2008 12:34:00 PM, set list thief said...: Very, very interesting discussion. Neil's fans sure are passionate. The points about his clunker songs remind me of how when the doom trilogy was released how Neil was savaged for those albums. "Time Fades Away" was universally despised, and now there's an on-line petition to re-release it. Anyone remember Geffen suing Neil for delivering an album that didn't sound like Neil Young?

My point is that, like wine, Neil Young 's music ripens and matures over time. Some of it turns to vinegar (I love "Powderfinger" but, more often than not, I tend to skip to the next track) and sometimes it turns to pure gold (I never skip "Cortez" or "Slowpoke" or "Tell Me Why."

Much to my dismay I'll be missing Neil on this leg of the Tour. However, I don't give a shit about the ticket prices. After we nearly lost him to an aneurysm a few years ago, I realize that every song he now sings, could be the last one. With that knowledge, to pay $200 for nosebleed seats to hear him perform "Powderfinger" one last time would be a privilege.
At 12/15/2008 12:49:00 PM, Anonymous said...: As a huge fan of Neil's body of work, I think it's quite acceptable to express critical opinions and in fact that's what makes this site so interesting to read.

I don't think Neil is no longer capable of writing great songs, I think the problem is that Neil continues to adhere to his approach of trying to 'capture the moment' and consequently releases a mediocre album every year instead of a great album every few years. A few of the songs on Prairie Wind are all right, so are a few on Living With War and Chrome Dreams II. Instead of taking a little time and putting together an album that might actually connect with a lot of people, Neil churns out three albums that are so mediocre that they simply don't reach a wide audience or reward repeated listenings.

No doubt Neil doesn't care how many albums he sells but it's frustrating that he doesn't seem to realize/care that by following his 'capture the moment' approach he does a disservice to his own talent and to other people who might otherwise be drawn to and inspired by his work.

Will
At 12/15/2008 01:37:00 PM, Anonymous said...: good point above ,Will

Wonder what Neil will think when he plays MSG 2nd night and the place is 60-70% empty ! There are still lots of tickets left, including many ROw A seats in the $ 275 sections. Just wondering if empty seats make him realize that he's charging too much. Pretenders $ 35 ! Way to go Chrissie !
At 12/15/2008 01:57:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Love the debate.
I think one of the reasons I like Neil so much as an artist is because his songs good or bad envoke such an overwhelming response from people, myself included. Not many other artists can do that. I even find myself going back and forth on the same songs and moving them from the love to the hate bin and then back again. There's no intermediate or ok bin where Neil is concerned though.
I couldn't stand Old Ways when I first got it and then somehow it ended up in my car cd player for a couple of months in a row and for that period I really enjoyed it.
It even happens with some of Neil's "classics", I hate to admit it here but I've gone back and forth on Down by the River a number of times.
Anyways, always an interesting read on this site.

-Winterlong
At 12/15/2008 02:33:00 PM, tim bugbee said...: Hey, thanks for using my photo for this entry :D

Here's a review of the concert that I wrote for www.gigwise.com:

http://www.gigwise.com/reviews/live/48228/Neil-Young-Wilco-EverestDCU-Center-Worcester-MA
At 12/15/2008 02:49:00 PM, Archives Guy said...: Folks,

Further up the comments list here is a false entry going by my handle.
Please ignore.

We're still working on getting the new website going...hang in there.

-Archives Guy
At 12/15/2008 02:53:00 PM, Archives Guy said...: To help avoid the confusing and immature use of my handle, from now on I'll be posting under Archives Guy instead of Anonymous with a -Archives Guy tag at the end.

For the record, don't pay attention to some recent press on the Web about a hyped up delayed release date for the Archives and other albums coming out first.
Just because something goes to print, doesn't always make it factual and sourced from current information.
At 12/15/2008 03:01:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Thanks Archives Guy, ...and welcome back. As you can read it has been noticed by other TW visitors. Unfortunately "Thrasher" is on the road. So, he busy doing other things instead of removing false signed posts. I even got the impression Thrasher is visiting some kind of weird rock 'n' roll icon at the Madison Square Gardens. Don't know what to think about that... Anyway hope you are doing well with your groundbreaking Archives project.
-Because Sound Matters.
At 12/15/2008 03:11:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Archives Guy, just for the record: Will February 24th be the new release date?
That one doesn't come from the press but from Amazon. B.S.M.
At 12/15/2008 03:37:00 PM, Thrasher said...: OK Fake Archives Guy you're outta here. You're harshin' my mellow.

Don't f w/me while I'm on the road. I got your IP so beat it.

off to msg , rock on

t
At 12/15/2008 03:45:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Rock on Thrasher! You lucky bastard. Hope you get nine fresh new songs again tonight! Have fun with the Electric Band!

- Jealous Guy
At 12/15/2008 04:20:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Hopefully I'll hear the new NY tunes tonight and then be able to express a view on them, but one of Neil's great qualities is that he keeps himself 100% open to his creative powers ... he'ssaid before that if he's feeling something he'll drop anything he's doing to write it down ... if you look at what he's put out he's one of the most, if not the most, prolific singer/songwriters ever ... one of the reasons has to be his willingness to put it our there and see if it holds up ... I think he's got this process of constantly creating new material and as a fan its a huge pleasure ... I wonder what people were saying at the Canterbury House or Massey Hall when he was playing new tunes for the first time .. once again, whether the songs seem good or bad at first (and they almost always tend to age beautifully), Neil's giant canon of classic songs could not have come about if not for Neil's willingness to write and put out whatever he's moved by ...
At 12/15/2008 04:23:00 PM, Veg said...: Interesting that Rolling Stone pulled the interview with Young in which he stated Toast would be taking the Archives place on the release schedule, as well as the "March or April" release date suggestion. Sounds like no one knows what's going to be happening.
At 12/15/2008 05:50:00 PM, Archives Guy said...: Hey gang-
The new Archives trailer that comes on the Canterbury House DVD has now been made available by WBR on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IgcaR8rW4c

enjoy,
-Archives Guy
At 12/15/2008 07:05:00 PM, Designs said...: Thanks NYArchives Guy!

-Chicago
At 12/15/2008 07:39:00 PM, Anonymous said...: There's no way the new songs will hold up. Any comparison to Canterbury or Rust, etc., is absurd. The dirty little not-so secret about Neil is that his latter-day work is tossed-off rubbish. I love the guy, but the new stuff has been horrible for years. People try to justify and excuse this, and it's plain wrong. It's like that story of the emperor's new clothes. It's mass hysteria, or a failure to face reality. We sat in the DCU Center laughing at these crappy car songs. Compare that with 1992, when he was previewing "Harvest Moon" at the Orpheum, and we all knew some of those new songs were absolute classics, and we were privileged to hear them first. We had chills running down our spines. It was special. I want to have THAT experience with this guy just once more.

Yes, Neil's a genius and always a compelling performer. He's written dozens and dozens of classics, and I do not doubt he has more in him, if he chooses to put a little more craft and care into his work. Time is running out though.
At 12/15/2008 08:29:00 PM, Anonymous said...: well, i'd take the new songs over "such a woman" any day, but that's just me. but, yeah, some of them are turds lyrically, especially "fuel line". ugh.

-fake archives guy

ps...why is everyone getting their panties in a bunch about this archives guy stuff? he could have just registered his name if he wanted...and it's the internets after all. just having some fun, don't take yourselves so seriously.
At 12/15/2008 08:48:00 PM, Robert Fort said...: Thrasher: I hope Neil plays "Thrasher" at MSG. You could go to heaven then! If he does, I want to thank you for all our opportunities here to vent our appreciation for the greatest singer/songwriter out there! Bar none! As for Jesse James, I'll see you when your back is turned! I'll light a candle for ya.
At 12/15/2008 09:15:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Very, very interesting discussion. Neil's fans sure are passionate. The points about his clunker songs remind me of how when the doom trilogy was released how Neil was savaged for those albums. "Time Fades Away" was universally despised, and now there's an on-line petition to re-release it. Anyone remember Geffen suing Neil for delivering an album that didn't sound like Neil Young?

My point is that, like wine, Neil Young 's music ripens and matures over time. Some of it turns to vinegar (I love "Powderfinger" but, more often than not, I tend to skip to the next track) and sometimes it turns to pure gold (I never skip "Cortez" or "Slowpoke" or "Tell Me Why."

Much to my dismay I'll be missing Neil on this leg of the Tour. However, I don't give a shit about the ticket prices. After we nearly lost him to an aneurysm a few years ago, I realize that every song he now sings, could be the last one. With that knowledge, to pay $200 for nosebleed seats to hear him perform "Powderfinger" one last time would be a privilege

right on!!!

tix to show=200
incidentals=300
seeing neil live=priceless
At 12/16/2008 08:56:00 AM, thisisnowhere said...: Here's a little help for those going to the show at MSG on Tuesday. Last night, Dec 15, Neil went on after 10 o'clock and played without intermission until just after 12:30. The show did have a little lull in the middle, but only because 3-4 songs in a row were played where people didn't know the words or music. Overall the show was excellent.
At 12/16/2008 04:39:00 PM, Anonymous said...: What an incredible show this is the best one ive ever been to. He is among the few that sound the same 30 years later. Does anyone know where to find a bootleg from this show?
At 12/21/2008 01:58:00 AM, Anonymous said...: We headed out to Worcester from Liverpool New York took in the fairy tale sights of the ice storm and arrived in Worcester excited for the show. We had not seen Neil Young in years, and we were very impressed by the show. What a fabulous show. The new tunes were deliverd well. The oldies but goodies fantastic! and the encore of A Day In the life...had us smiling an ear to ear grin and singing along. After the show could of swore we spotted Bob D. getting on his bus with a blonde.
Headed back to New York very satisfied. Won't stay away so long looking forward to the next time we can catch a Neil Young show.