Neil Young Finds Love (After The Gold Rush - Neil Young)

Member Name: nilo0901

Product:	After The Gold Rush - Neil Young
Date:	10/11/09 (5 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent collection of songs, slicker production than previous albums

Disadvantages: None

For me this is one of Neil Young's best recordings, if not his best recording. Neil Young is an acclaimed singer songwriter in the folk/ country/ rock medium and has a career spanning 40 years. This record was recorded in 1970 and is a slight departure for Young as it is on the whole a sentimental and ballad ladened album. This is not to undersell it as these are also some of the strongest songs that Young has written, especially the title track with it's imaginative and dreamlike lyrics. This at the time was a real departure for Young and the song was very symptomatic of the times.

The album is not all balladry though, although most of it's strongest cuts fall within this. The main exception to this rule would be 'Southern Man' where Young gets to grips with a real rollicking and rocking protest song. it's lyrically potent and although a little less loose and aggressive as some of his rockier material from earlier albums, is a fine example of barn storming country rock at its best.

The real weepy here and I think possibly the strongest cut here, is 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' which is a powerful, piano driven (a 17 year old then unknown Nils Lofgren) ballad that tugs at the heartstrings more earnestly than any other I can recollect. Young is emotive and sensual here and I don't think he has every reached this peak since, certainly never so heartbreakingly.

As an album as a whole this is cohesive and the track chronology runs smoothly with no fillers. Everything here has a place. The production overall is slicker than on previous albums but this only serves to give this record a grace and lushness. In my opinion, a classic album fit for every collection.

Summary: A Country Rock Masterpiece