One artist I haven't covered yet on this blog is Neil Young. I'm kicking myself for not bringing up his genius sooner. For those of you well versed in Neil Young's career, he started with music as early as middle school as he formed a band called The Jades and then a band called The Squires in 1965. That following year, he joined Buffalo Springfield with future CSN/CSNY band member Stephen Stills. After Buffalo Springfield called it quits in 1968, Young formed with members of Crazy Horse that would eventually be billed as Neil Young and Crazy Horse. The band's second album Everybody Knows This is Nowhere has been hailed by critics and fans as Young's best work. It's time for a classic album dissection.
Released in the spring of 1969 under Reprise records, this album finally put Neil Young at the forefront creatively. All songs were composed by Young and the album blends both of his crafts seamlessly. Those crafts are able to write dreamy acoustic melodies along with melodic and truly original electric guitar work. The album opens with "Cinnamon Girl" which is a beautifully distorted swampy rocker in drop d tuning. That tuning itself would become a go-to tuning for future bands like Rage Against The Machine and Pearl Jam and here is Uncle Neil doing so about 3 decades prior. The title track showcases once again the brilliance of Young's unique approach to electric guitar. It must be stated that one listens to this record that Crazy Horse plays just as a vital role in what makes this album sound so original. The original lineup for Crazy Horse was Danny Whitten (guitar), Billy Talbot (bass), and Ralph Molina on drums. These guys really know how to cook and that is masterfully shown in "Down By The River" an epic swampy, bluesy, grungy jam that closes out the first side of the record. Neil trading the iconic riff with Whitten, followed by a melodic baseline from Talbot and a pocket groove from Molina make this one of the best songs on the record. When Crazy Horse links, they can carry on for as long as they like and it's brilliant. As mentioned, Neil's acoustic work is also showcased with the ironically dreamful "Round and Round (It Won't be long). 'Cowgirl In The Sand" closes the album and has become one of Young's most enduring tunes. The song is a testament to his catalog and for me even dives into Cosmic Country. A perfect album if there ever was one.
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