This discography analysis is written by contributor JT of Perth, Australia.
Disc 02 - Topanga 1 (1968-1969)
TRACKS:
1) 'Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (45rpm Single)' - So this is a different road taken by Neil. Coming to that junction, he could go left and take this path. One which the songs are (presumably) there, but the outcome is one of a different Neil. Or he could turn right, and even though he'd eventually get there, it'd be a bumpier ride and the same songs would have a whole different sound. We know which way he took, but it's still fascinating to hear what might have been. Save for the breakdown straight out of an imaginary 'County Fair Deleted Scene' from The Wicker Man, it's still the same song... just in a different light. Can't say that I don't dig it. You could have Neil singing as though he were both Kermit the Frog AND Miss Piggy and the song would still be there. 7.5
2) 'The Loner' - Unlike 'Everybody Knows This is Nowhere', I think 'The Loner' is a song that Neil got just right on his debut. Sure, a little Crazy Horse crunch might help, but the strings help the song, the buzzing electric guitars work. Still the best song on his debut. 8.0
3) 'Birds (Unreleased Version)' - We get three different versions of this song across Volume 1 of the Archives. When I first looked at the tracklisting I couldn't see a reason why anyone would honestly want that. But you know what? Listening to the three side-by-side and I come away with the distinct impression that the version which has been in the public consciousness since 1970 is the least of the three. I'm unsure as to which I prefer out of this and the Crazy Horse version, but there's a sound here that Neil would never really try and reach for ever again, but the slightly quicker tempo gives the song just that little extra push. It's songs and takes like this which Neil promised for years, and with 'Birds', he delivers on that promise. 8.0
4) 'What Did You Do in My Life? (Unreleased Mix)' - More than two years ago (!), I mentioned in my original review of his debut that the lead vocals on this song were a bit half-assed, but the backing vocals on the chorus were awesome. Time has passed, and my opinion of the latter hasn't changed, but maybe I was a tad harsh on the lead vocals. Restrained, but not half-assed. 7.5
5) 'The Last Trip to Tulsa' - I orginally gave this a 9.0/4.5 (Depending on the day) back in the day. Can't really decide, so I might (semi) split the difference and give this a median score. What can I say about 'The Last Trip to Tulsa' that I haven't already said? How about this... while I don't like the song too much, I can appreciate it somewhat. And maybe, for today's purposes, that's all I need. I sure as hell wouldn't wish that the song was never released. 6.0
6) 'Here We Are in the Years' - Never really liked this song too much. Too many attempts at time changes. Too twee (even for his first album). Not enough balls. Not enough of a Neil Young song. 4.5
7) 'I've Been Waiting For You (Unreleased Mix)' - Yeah. More like it. But I've already spoken about this in the two lines I gave it back in 'the day'. Still 7.0
8) 'The Old Laughing Lady' - Some people didn't like the fact that in my original review of this song I proclaimed that I didn't actually think it was that good. Even being the Neil fan that I am, I never actually knew that this song had some lofty place in the pantheon of Neil Young. Maybe it doesn't and it just exists in the pantheon of individuals, but I've listened and listened to this song in the hope that my opinion had changed. And you know what? Nope. No change. That backing vocal breakdown still is about as necessary as 'Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'. 5.5
9) 'I've Loved Her So Long' - My opinions of this song have only risen since I first gave it a 7.5 a couple of years ago. It's that bit where he goes "ohhh, I've loved her so long" (aka 'The Chorus') that gets me. It's not the backing singers (which are kinda unnecessary, but I won't tell them to fuck off)... it's the way he sings "ohhh". Best damn singing of "ohhh" I've heard. Prove me wrong! 8.0
10) 'Sugar Mountain (Stereo Mix)' - Ugh. Again with this fucking song. This song that has been on so many releases, this song that is played countlessly by Neil. I really can't muster much enthusiasm to talk about the song again, only to say I really don't look forward to talking about it again when I revie the Live at the Riverboat disc. 6.0
11) 'Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing (Live)' - A great take, originally found on the Sugar Mountain: Live at the Canterbury House release from not so long ago. This take is spoken of in glowing terms in Jimmy McDonough's Shakey, and if it isn't actually as good as he says it is, it's his fault, not the song's. Obviously, 'Clancy...' isn't my favourite Neil track, but this live take will do just nicely. Actually... scratch that. This is way better than I'm making it out to be... but still not brilliant. If that makes sense (I rarely do that these days). 8.5
12) 'Down By the River'
13) 'Cowgirl in the Sand' - Even though they're originally separated by a few tracks on Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, there really isn't any place for 'Cowgirl in the Sand' to be placed except next to 'Down By the River'. The two songs will always be quoted when talking about Neil Young's extended guitar workouts (whatever that means). Written on the same day in the same fever-like state, they're the two monoliths within his catalogue of music. Not that they're his best songs (to me anyway), they're top five stuff any day of the week and they deserve to be spoken of in the same breath. The way the guitars wind throughout each song is hypnotic. The lyrics exist but don't take centre stage, no matter how fine they are. And over forty years since their release, they're still two of the songs that every fan will probably want to hear when they see Neil in concert. What else can I say about them that hasn't already been said by people other than me? Not much at all except to say that each and every time I listen to these songs they continue to be great. Never dull... these two songs stand head and shoulders above nearly all else. But then again, I don't think I'm telling anyone anything that they didn't already know. 10.0
14) 'Everybody Knows This is Nowhere' - And again, we end where we once began. I don't doubt for a single second that Neil intended to bookend this disc with separate takes of 'Everybody Knows This is Nowhere'. It's that path I spoke about before. That was the left turn, this is the right and by placing it at the end of the disc, he's bluntly letting us know that this is the direction he chose to take, not just for this song, but for his life as well. 8.5
DISC RATING: 9.0
MINI VERDICT: And he just keeps getting better. The scary thing is that this was 1968-69 and you can pretty much say that the guy would get better at honing his craft each of the next... what, six years? The peaks would get higher, the valleys fewer and further apart. The legend of the man would form, and then grow throughout the good times and the bad. This disc represents a Neil Young standing on the edge of the next level. Of course, there's a few tracks here in which he leaps further than anyone else had done before. But it's that progression from the first to second albums which he's showing here. From consistently good, to consistently unbelievable.
TRACKS:
1) 'Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (45rpm Single)' - So this is a different road taken by Neil. Coming to that junction, he could go left and take this path. One which the songs are (presumably) there, but the outcome is one of a different Neil. Or he could turn right, and even though he'd eventually get there, it'd be a bumpier ride and the same songs would have a whole different sound. We know which way he took, but it's still fascinating to hear what might have been. Save for the breakdown straight out of an imaginary 'County Fair Deleted Scene' from The Wicker Man, it's still the same song... just in a different light. Can't say that I don't dig it. You could have Neil singing as though he were both Kermit the Frog AND Miss Piggy and the song would still be there. 7.5
2) 'The Loner' - Unlike 'Everybody Knows This is Nowhere', I think 'The Loner' is a song that Neil got just right on his debut. Sure, a little Crazy Horse crunch might help, but the strings help the song, the buzzing electric guitars work. Still the best song on his debut. 8.0
3) 'Birds (Unreleased Version)' - We get three different versions of this song across Volume 1 of the Archives. When I first looked at the tracklisting I couldn't see a reason why anyone would honestly want that. But you know what? Listening to the three side-by-side and I come away with the distinct impression that the version which has been in the public consciousness since 1970 is the least of the three. I'm unsure as to which I prefer out of this and the Crazy Horse version, but there's a sound here that Neil would never really try and reach for ever again, but the slightly quicker tempo gives the song just that little extra push. It's songs and takes like this which Neil promised for years, and with 'Birds', he delivers on that promise. 8.0
4) 'What Did You Do in My Life? (Unreleased Mix)' - More than two years ago (!), I mentioned in my original review of his debut that the lead vocals on this song were a bit half-assed, but the backing vocals on the chorus were awesome. Time has passed, and my opinion of the latter hasn't changed, but maybe I was a tad harsh on the lead vocals. Restrained, but not half-assed. 7.5
5) 'The Last Trip to Tulsa' - I orginally gave this a 9.0/4.5 (Depending on the day) back in the day. Can't really decide, so I might (semi) split the difference and give this a median score. What can I say about 'The Last Trip to Tulsa' that I haven't already said? How about this... while I don't like the song too much, I can appreciate it somewhat. And maybe, for today's purposes, that's all I need. I sure as hell wouldn't wish that the song was never released. 6.0
6) 'Here We Are in the Years' - Never really liked this song too much. Too many attempts at time changes. Too twee (even for his first album). Not enough balls. Not enough of a Neil Young song. 4.5
7) 'I've Been Waiting For You (Unreleased Mix)' - Yeah. More like it. But I've already spoken about this in the two lines I gave it back in 'the day'. Still 7.0
8) 'The Old Laughing Lady' - Some people didn't like the fact that in my original review of this song I proclaimed that I didn't actually think it was that good. Even being the Neil fan that I am, I never actually knew that this song had some lofty place in the pantheon of Neil Young. Maybe it doesn't and it just exists in the pantheon of individuals, but I've listened and listened to this song in the hope that my opinion had changed. And you know what? Nope. No change. That backing vocal breakdown still is about as necessary as 'Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'. 5.5
9) 'I've Loved Her So Long' - My opinions of this song have only risen since I first gave it a 7.5 a couple of years ago. It's that bit where he goes "ohhh, I've loved her so long" (aka 'The Chorus') that gets me. It's not the backing singers (which are kinda unnecessary, but I won't tell them to fuck off)... it's the way he sings "ohhh". Best damn singing of "ohhh" I've heard. Prove me wrong! 8.0
10) 'Sugar Mountain (Stereo Mix)' - Ugh. Again with this fucking song. This song that has been on so many releases, this song that is played countlessly by Neil. I really can't muster much enthusiasm to talk about the song again, only to say I really don't look forward to talking about it again when I revie the Live at the Riverboat disc. 6.0
11) 'Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing (Live)' - A great take, originally found on the Sugar Mountain: Live at the Canterbury House release from not so long ago. This take is spoken of in glowing terms in Jimmy McDonough's Shakey, and if it isn't actually as good as he says it is, it's his fault, not the song's. Obviously, 'Clancy...' isn't my favourite Neil track, but this live take will do just nicely. Actually... scratch that. This is way better than I'm making it out to be... but still not brilliant. If that makes sense (I rarely do that these days). 8.5
12) 'Down By the River'
13) 'Cowgirl in the Sand' - Even though they're originally separated by a few tracks on Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, there really isn't any place for 'Cowgirl in the Sand' to be placed except next to 'Down By the River'. The two songs will always be quoted when talking about Neil Young's extended guitar workouts (whatever that means). Written on the same day in the same fever-like state, they're the two monoliths within his catalogue of music. Not that they're his best songs (to me anyway), they're top five stuff any day of the week and they deserve to be spoken of in the same breath. The way the guitars wind throughout each song is hypnotic. The lyrics exist but don't take centre stage, no matter how fine they are. And over forty years since their release, they're still two of the songs that every fan will probably want to hear when they see Neil in concert. What else can I say about them that hasn't already been said by people other than me? Not much at all except to say that each and every time I listen to these songs they continue to be great. Never dull... these two songs stand head and shoulders above nearly all else. But then again, I don't think I'm telling anyone anything that they didn't already know. 10.0
14) 'Everybody Knows This is Nowhere' - And again, we end where we once began. I don't doubt for a single second that Neil intended to bookend this disc with separate takes of 'Everybody Knows This is Nowhere'. It's that path I spoke about before. That was the left turn, this is the right and by placing it at the end of the disc, he's bluntly letting us know that this is the direction he chose to take, not just for this song, but for his life as well. 8.5
DISC RATING: 9.0
MINI VERDICT: And he just keeps getting better. The scary thing is that this was 1968-69 and you can pretty much say that the guy would get better at honing his craft each of the next... what, six years? The peaks would get higher, the valleys fewer and further apart. The legend of the man would form, and then grow throughout the good times and the bad. This disc represents a Neil Young standing on the edge of the next level. Of course, there's a few tracks here in which he leaps further than anyone else had done before. But it's that progression from the first to second albums which he's showing here. From consistently good, to consistently unbelievable.
Disc 03 - Live at the Riverboat 1968
TRACKS:
1) Emcee Intro/Sugar Mountain Intro
2) 'Sugar Mountain' - I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to sit here and whinge that there's yet another version of 'Sugar Mountain' for me to talk about. But I will say this; the one thing about the Archives that I never really thought about was the repitition. See, I first heard about this project in some Mojo Magazine back in 1998, I think. There it talked about the scope of the project and how it was going to include a show from The Riverboat, a show from Massey Hall, and a Crazy Horse gig from the Fillmore - all of which we got. But I never entertained the thought that within the discs would be repitition that I couldn't handle. We've had the demo of 'Sugar Mountain', the stereo mix and this version. Now, if we were talking about 'Down By the River' or something, it wouldn't be a problem, but when it comes to 'Sugar Mountain', my eyes glass over and my ears close up. Again, it's not because I hate the song, it's just that repititious listening has maybe jaded this listener. But anyway - it's still a 6.0
3) Incredible Doctor Rap
4) 'The Old Laughing Lady' - There's an interesting ying/yang situation with this show. There's the "oh my god" factor that we're getting to hear a show where Neil's probably playing in front of 100 people and he's being as relaxed and effortless as you've ever heard... joking with an audience who grow in their appreciation of the guy up on stage by his own. The other side of things is that with performances such as 'The Old Laughing Lady', Neil's just a bit meh. Not that I'm a fan of the song, it's just that Neil seems to be too restrained. Maybe it's just me, but this is definitely the sound of a man who's yet to find his feet and is armed only with a guitar and some pretty darn good songs. But you know what? I still like it better than the version on his debut album, so 6.0.
5) Audience Observation/Dope Song/Band Names Rap
6) 'Flying on the Ground is Wrong' - Yeah - so this is not too bad. None too shabby, as some would say. Obviously, I love the whole Neil/Piano combo, but the late 60s, early 70s Neil and his acoustic guitar is top-notch as well. Put it side-by-side with Neil/Acoustic guitar of later years and I'll take the early days any day. My favourite part of this song has always been the "well I'm sorry" part. Just thought I'd throw that in for you there. 7.5
7) On the Way Home Intro
8) 'On the Way Home' - Love the acoustic versions of 'On the Way Home'. Love this version, just a little bit less though. The guy's so afraid to let his voice rip - which is the problem. The best versions of this are when Neil's alone and letting rip. But it's such a fucking good song that there's a lot of forgiveness to be dished out on my behalf. 8.0
9) Set Break/Emcee Intro
10) 'I've Loved Her So Long' - Unforgotten gem. That's what should be written on the headstone of this song. Man, I'm just talking shit here. Everything that I could've said that needed to be said was probably already said, but it's great typing this shit out while the song's playing in my ears. This is the good "Sappy Neil". The 90s "Sappy neil" where he was singing about his wife and shit? That doesn't interest me. Early "Sappy Neil" is awesome, singing about someone he probably hasn't even met yet. And you know what, the dreams and fantasies are better than the realities on most occasions, so that's probably what makes this song as thumbs-up as it is. 8.0
11) Allen A-Dale Rap
12) 'I Am a Child' - Don't even want to talk about this song any more. Hopefully there's no more reviews where I mention it. If it were terrible, I'd have fun, if it were great I'd go on and on and on and on and on (and on). But these mid-level songs just make me zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. 5.0
13) '1956 Bubblegum Disaster' - A throwaway and about 40 seconds long, it's better than half the songs on Everybody's Rockin', which means it's not that fantastic, but it could be worse. 3.5
14) 'The Last Trip to Tulsa' - With my opinions firmly set in the "I don't really like this song enough to be able to justify how long it goes for" camp, can I take time to say how Bruce Palmer gets introduced for this song and then proceeds to apparently do nothing at all? That guy was always loco (R.I.P). Neil actually gives a bit more balls to the song here, and as such, it's not my least favourite performance of the song. 6.0
15) Words Rap
16) 'Broken Arrow' - Better than the studio version? I think it could be. Strip away the wank and waste and you're left with the shell of the song... demo-esque and not horrible in the slightest. So... I'll ask again. Is it better than the studio? No, not really. But it more than holds its own. As a solo performance, it makes you wonder why it hasn't been played more often. Surely 'Sugar Mountain' can get subbed off for this once in a while?7.5
17) Turn Down the Lights Rap
18) 'Whiskey Boot Hill' - Pretty cool that this is here. Not the best performance (I actually love the CSNY bells & whistles), but cool that the song had been hanging around in Neil's head for that long before he got it on tape. Shows 1 of 2 things. 1) That he had so many good songs that this was one which was just left behind or, 2) He really didn't give a shit during the making of Deja Vu, so he just reached back for one of the songs he deemed to be not good enough. Either way, 6.0
19) Expecting to Fly Intro
20) 'Expecting to Fly' - How could I hate this song? Never - couldn't happen. Any Neil performance of this is an automatic 8 out of 10. This here is better than an 8, not good as the BS version (which, let's face it, not much really is). This here is still a thing of great awesomeness. 9.0
DISC RATING: 7.5
MINI VERDICT: I suppose I'm marking this lower than I originally thought simply because there's a level of "heard it already" thanks to the Canterbury House show. But that's not the fault of this show. It's actually an intruiging listen - but I'm more likely to reach for the Massey Hall show, or the BBC performance from 1971. All up though - we'd been promised this show for years, and once we listened to it, I doubt any one was actually disappointed. How could they be?
TRACKS:
1) Emcee Intro/Sugar Mountain Intro
2) 'Sugar Mountain' - I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to sit here and whinge that there's yet another version of 'Sugar Mountain' for me to talk about. But I will say this; the one thing about the Archives that I never really thought about was the repitition. See, I first heard about this project in some Mojo Magazine back in 1998, I think. There it talked about the scope of the project and how it was going to include a show from The Riverboat, a show from Massey Hall, and a Crazy Horse gig from the Fillmore - all of which we got. But I never entertained the thought that within the discs would be repitition that I couldn't handle. We've had the demo of 'Sugar Mountain', the stereo mix and this version. Now, if we were talking about 'Down By the River' or something, it wouldn't be a problem, but when it comes to 'Sugar Mountain', my eyes glass over and my ears close up. Again, it's not because I hate the song, it's just that repititious listening has maybe jaded this listener. But anyway - it's still a 6.0
3) Incredible Doctor Rap
4) 'The Old Laughing Lady' - There's an interesting ying/yang situation with this show. There's the "oh my god" factor that we're getting to hear a show where Neil's probably playing in front of 100 people and he's being as relaxed and effortless as you've ever heard... joking with an audience who grow in their appreciation of the guy up on stage by his own. The other side of things is that with performances such as 'The Old Laughing Lady', Neil's just a bit meh. Not that I'm a fan of the song, it's just that Neil seems to be too restrained. Maybe it's just me, but this is definitely the sound of a man who's yet to find his feet and is armed only with a guitar and some pretty darn good songs. But you know what? I still like it better than the version on his debut album, so 6.0.
5) Audience Observation/Dope Song/Band Names Rap
6) 'Flying on the Ground is Wrong' - Yeah - so this is not too bad. None too shabby, as some would say. Obviously, I love the whole Neil/Piano combo, but the late 60s, early 70s Neil and his acoustic guitar is top-notch as well. Put it side-by-side with Neil/Acoustic guitar of later years and I'll take the early days any day. My favourite part of this song has always been the "well I'm sorry" part. Just thought I'd throw that in for you there. 7.5
7) On the Way Home Intro
8) 'On the Way Home' - Love the acoustic versions of 'On the Way Home'. Love this version, just a little bit less though. The guy's so afraid to let his voice rip - which is the problem. The best versions of this are when Neil's alone and letting rip. But it's such a fucking good song that there's a lot of forgiveness to be dished out on my behalf. 8.0
9) Set Break/Emcee Intro
10) 'I've Loved Her So Long' - Unforgotten gem. That's what should be written on the headstone of this song. Man, I'm just talking shit here. Everything that I could've said that needed to be said was probably already said, but it's great typing this shit out while the song's playing in my ears. This is the good "Sappy Neil". The 90s "Sappy neil" where he was singing about his wife and shit? That doesn't interest me. Early "Sappy Neil" is awesome, singing about someone he probably hasn't even met yet. And you know what, the dreams and fantasies are better than the realities on most occasions, so that's probably what makes this song as thumbs-up as it is. 8.0
11) Allen A-Dale Rap
12) 'I Am a Child' - Don't even want to talk about this song any more. Hopefully there's no more reviews where I mention it. If it were terrible, I'd have fun, if it were great I'd go on and on and on and on and on (and on). But these mid-level songs just make me zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. 5.0
13) '1956 Bubblegum Disaster' - A throwaway and about 40 seconds long, it's better than half the songs on Everybody's Rockin', which means it's not that fantastic, but it could be worse. 3.5
14) 'The Last Trip to Tulsa' - With my opinions firmly set in the "I don't really like this song enough to be able to justify how long it goes for" camp, can I take time to say how Bruce Palmer gets introduced for this song and then proceeds to apparently do nothing at all? That guy was always loco (R.I.P). Neil actually gives a bit more balls to the song here, and as such, it's not my least favourite performance of the song. 6.0
15) Words Rap
16) 'Broken Arrow' - Better than the studio version? I think it could be. Strip away the wank and waste and you're left with the shell of the song... demo-esque and not horrible in the slightest. So... I'll ask again. Is it better than the studio? No, not really. But it more than holds its own. As a solo performance, it makes you wonder why it hasn't been played more often. Surely 'Sugar Mountain' can get subbed off for this once in a while?7.5
17) Turn Down the Lights Rap
18) 'Whiskey Boot Hill' - Pretty cool that this is here. Not the best performance (I actually love the CSNY bells & whistles), but cool that the song had been hanging around in Neil's head for that long before he got it on tape. Shows 1 of 2 things. 1) That he had so many good songs that this was one which was just left behind or, 2) He really didn't give a shit during the making of Deja Vu, so he just reached back for one of the songs he deemed to be not good enough. Either way, 6.0
19) Expecting to Fly Intro
20) 'Expecting to Fly' - How could I hate this song? Never - couldn't happen. Any Neil performance of this is an automatic 8 out of 10. This here is better than an 8, not good as the BS version (which, let's face it, not much really is). This here is still a thing of great awesomeness. 9.0
DISC RATING: 7.5
MINI VERDICT: I suppose I'm marking this lower than I originally thought simply because there's a level of "heard it already" thanks to the Canterbury House show. But that's not the fault of this show. It's actually an intruiging listen - but I'm more likely to reach for the Massey Hall show, or the BBC performance from 1971. All up though - we'd been promised this show for years, and once we listened to it, I doubt any one was actually disappointed. How could they be?
Disc 04 - Topanga 2 (1969-1970)
TRACKS:
1) 'Cinnamon Girl' - I realise how harsh I was on 'Cinnamon Girl' when I started this thread. 9.0?? What the holy fuck was I thinking? This song is obviously better than that. Not a 10.0, and I'm not sure I can explain why it isn't, but it's still way better than I originally said it was. At the moment, I've got it marked as a song equal to Greendale's 'Bandit', and as fine as that song is... I think we can all agree that it's no 'Cinnamon Girl'. So - I apologise. It wasn't my fault - I think the blame lies squarely at the feet of someone other than me. 9.5
2) 'Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets)' - I was in a record store about 5 or 6 years ago - and like others of its lik - it no longer exists. It was the first time I'd been in this record store and the first song they were playing was Matthews Southern Comfort cover of 'I Believe in You'. Great Stuff. The second song I heard was a cover of this, 'Running Dry'. It opened my ears up to a song they'd been closed off to for far too long. Thing is, I wanted to buy the CD right there and then, but the guy wouldn't sell it to me because he was playing it in store and was enjoying it too much. Now, since that day I've tried to find the disc that both versions were on and my research has lead me to believe that it doesn't exist. I can't even find evidence that the cover of this song exists. How the fuck can that be? Anyway, since that day I've been a fan of this song, Young's version moreso than the version I heard on that day (if it was indeed what I heard - which I'm 99% sure it was). Still looking, by the way. 7.5
3) 'Round and Round (It Won't Be Long)' - OK - so you've got three voices. You've got Neil (obviously) in the middle, you've got Robin Lane on the left and it's probably Danny Whitten on the right. Notice how at the start of the song Neil's the least prominent voice? He just hangs back there, letting the other voices carry the song. Then the verses start and Neil steps up and by the time the chorus comes around again, Neil's ready to banish Danny to something that's barely there. Then Danny comes back a bit, almost like a prize fight which Danny knows that Neil's got to win, but since the fight's got to go a certain number of rounds, he doesn't come back enough to drown Neil out and knock him to the canvas. I was probably a bit harsh on this to begin with when I was figuring out my ranking scale, so again... here's a bump. 8.0
4) 'Oh Lonesome Me' - Yeah - I think I'm ready to call it. No, scratch that - I'm not just ready, I'm actually calling it. I was way underrating this song earlier in the thread. It needs to be bumped up, and I'm going to do just that. I can't honestly talk about loving this song when I originally gave it a 9.0. If this is just a 9.0, then There's A World should be a -3.5. This is getting the bump, and I apologise for not doing it sooner. Even though I've lived with the song for way more years, the two years since I first wrote about it here have convinced me that it's a masterpiece. 10.0
5) 'Birds (Crazy Horse Version)' - Again - this is what The Archives are for. Versions like this. Obviously, Neil either had a prejudice against the second verse (or he just hadn't written it yet), but this is sweeeeet. Maybe it was designed to be a snippet of a song, ala 'Cripple Creek Ferry' or 'Til the Morning Comes'? Call me crazy, call me Gerald, but this almost sounds like a cross between 1970-era Neil and early era Buffalo Springfield. In the spirit of the era, all I'll say is "groovy". 8.0
6) 'Everybody's Alone (Unreleased Song)' - Have raved about this song since I first heard the widely circulated acoustic version. Knew there was a Crazy Horse version, but I didn't never really thought about what it would actually sound like. There's no doubt that it's great, but I didn't think it would be like this. The lead guitar working its way through the track is some fine playing (if a bit reminiscent of the guitar tone on his debut - something I thought he'd passed by this stage), and Neil surprises me with his vocals. The version I'd known for so long had a typical, 1970-esque NY vocal on it, but this one here kinda pre-dates his Time Fades Away-era vocals. I fuckin' dig this song a lot, so much that even with it being unreleased, it was still a favourite of mine. Not perfect, but perfectly awesome. 9.0
7) 'I Believe in You' - Still one of the most flawless songs that anyone has ever done. While I've been prone to understatement throughout other sections of this thread, and overstatement in others, calling this flawless is somehow right on the money. I think it's great that although Neil is well-known and revered, he's well-known and revered by people in the know. No, this isn't some hipster bullshit, but honestly... how much more brilliant would The Beatles be if they didn't have ever Tom, Dick and Dickless covering their songs? Same for Bob Dylan. You hardly ever hear covers of Neil Young songs, and if you do it's of the songs that no one really gives enough of a shit about to complain. And by saying this I realise that five songs previous to this, I mention a cover of this song that I dig. It still makes perfect sense to me, and that's a start at least. 10.0
8) 'Sea of Madness' - I'm torn. I'm glad Neil Young joined Crosby, Stills and Nash because it allowed the other three to stop being so up their own asses and just to rock out a little bit. But on the other hand, I don't like it at all, because when Neil's with CSN he loses just a little bit of his soul. But that's OK, because he's got a lot to go around and he stocks up on it big time when he does stuff that doesn't involve the initials. 'Sea of Madness' is the kind of song that Graham Nash would have recorded and then not used, so it's interesting that Neil thought it wise to perform and release. It's slight, it's got them screaming, not singing, and it's got Nash on the organ, and when you put all that together you should get something that's quite terrible. This isn't that terrible, but it sure as hell isn't a classic or anything. Much would have preferred it to be dragged out and performed on the Time Fades Away tour, or even the Tonight's the Night tour. Slow it down, pour some tequila over it and see what turns out. Never happened though, so we're left with this. 5.5
9) 'Dance Dance Dance (Unreleased Version)' - Yeah. You go Neil. True story: I used to think I knew how to play this on the guitar, even though I have no idea how to play the guitar. Anyway, knowing all the words, knowing how to play it on the guitar = me ready to ascend to God status. One night, many beers, friends around and a video camera handy (this could go a whole different way right about now) and I decided to perform my rendition of the song. I have no idea how to play the guitar and now I know that in addition to that lack of skill, my guitar playing's even worse when I'm trying to sing (I can't sing). Mix the two together and you've got something that is akin to torture. Seriously, dudes would rather a rat gnawed on their right testicle than to sit through Campaigner's version of 'Dance, Dance, Dance'. Trust me on that - and since the video has been well-and-truly destroyed, no one will ever have to be submitted to the horrors of it again. But back to the song. Neil Young knows how to play guitar. He also knows how to sing. More importantly, he knows how to do the both simultaneously (he's incredibly talented). And this song is one of his minor gems. I'm glad it's on The Archives. We're so lucky, we get it twice. 8.0
10) 'Country Girl' - My opinions of this song have risen about 100 points since I first heard it. When I first played the Deja Vu album, it just didn't fit (and I still don't think it does at all). Neil Young was supposed to loosen the guys up, and then he goes and brings this bombastic track to the album? I didn't get it at all. But hearing the track alone, apart from the rest of the songs and your ears open right up to just how good this actually is. It's a fine line. You go the bombastic route with this and you do alright. You go the same route with 'There's a World' and you get what could be the worst song the man's ever done. On the other hand, 'A Man Needs a Maid' is as bombastic as they come and it's a drop-dead stunner. So this isn't bad (is borderline great actually), but it's not going to be hung on the walls of the Louvre. If you know what I mean. 7.0
11) 'Helpless (Unreleased Mix)' - I know my opinion of this song should be higher than it actually is, but I still think it's relatively great. I actually think that the song would have best been served by someone other than CSN. Sure, their harmonies are dainty... but I think this song is far too depressing for them. This was crying out for a Crazy Horse version, but since it didn't get caught on tape - we get it here. I know Neil performed it with The Band on The Last Waltz, but the studio version could've used their help. Ditch the 'pretty', bring in the 'gritty' and you'd have something a couple of points higher than it actually is. 8.0
12) 'It Might Have Been (Unreleased Live Version)' - Never really been a fan of this song. I thought that it was probably because of the shitty quality bootleg versions that had been floating around. I thought that maybe my ears were prejudiced because the song was sounding shit. Maybe, I thought, that if there were a crisp sounding version my opinion would change. Well, my hope for change was the release of The Archives. Turns out it still sounds shitty (although not as shitty as it was) and that I still don't really like the thing (although Jack Nitzsche's honky tonk piano is very redeemable). Probably the worst thing Neil and Crazy Horse would do in the 1970s. But then again, when you're comparing it to what they actually did... the song was really on a hiding to nothing. 5.0
DISC RATING: 9.0
MINI VERDICT: So he's in this groove at the moment and he won't really let up until the end of the decade. It's fuckin' mind boggling the quality of work he put out in the seventies. Sure, some of it wasn't fantastic - but my god, the best of the stuff is the best that's ever been done by one man. And this is just the start of it! That's what gets me, as good as this disc is, this is just 1970. We haven't even begun to touch 1971 through 1979 yet. Unbelievable.
TRACKS:
1) 'Cinnamon Girl' - I realise how harsh I was on 'Cinnamon Girl' when I started this thread. 9.0?? What the holy fuck was I thinking? This song is obviously better than that. Not a 10.0, and I'm not sure I can explain why it isn't, but it's still way better than I originally said it was. At the moment, I've got it marked as a song equal to Greendale's 'Bandit', and as fine as that song is... I think we can all agree that it's no 'Cinnamon Girl'. So - I apologise. It wasn't my fault - I think the blame lies squarely at the feet of someone other than me. 9.5
2) 'Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets)' - I was in a record store about 5 or 6 years ago - and like others of its lik - it no longer exists. It was the first time I'd been in this record store and the first song they were playing was Matthews Southern Comfort cover of 'I Believe in You'. Great Stuff. The second song I heard was a cover of this, 'Running Dry'. It opened my ears up to a song they'd been closed off to for far too long. Thing is, I wanted to buy the CD right there and then, but the guy wouldn't sell it to me because he was playing it in store and was enjoying it too much. Now, since that day I've tried to find the disc that both versions were on and my research has lead me to believe that it doesn't exist. I can't even find evidence that the cover of this song exists. How the fuck can that be? Anyway, since that day I've been a fan of this song, Young's version moreso than the version I heard on that day (if it was indeed what I heard - which I'm 99% sure it was). Still looking, by the way. 7.5
3) 'Round and Round (It Won't Be Long)' - OK - so you've got three voices. You've got Neil (obviously) in the middle, you've got Robin Lane on the left and it's probably Danny Whitten on the right. Notice how at the start of the song Neil's the least prominent voice? He just hangs back there, letting the other voices carry the song. Then the verses start and Neil steps up and by the time the chorus comes around again, Neil's ready to banish Danny to something that's barely there. Then Danny comes back a bit, almost like a prize fight which Danny knows that Neil's got to win, but since the fight's got to go a certain number of rounds, he doesn't come back enough to drown Neil out and knock him to the canvas. I was probably a bit harsh on this to begin with when I was figuring out my ranking scale, so again... here's a bump. 8.0
4) 'Oh Lonesome Me' - Yeah - I think I'm ready to call it. No, scratch that - I'm not just ready, I'm actually calling it. I was way underrating this song earlier in the thread. It needs to be bumped up, and I'm going to do just that. I can't honestly talk about loving this song when I originally gave it a 9.0. If this is just a 9.0, then There's A World should be a -3.5. This is getting the bump, and I apologise for not doing it sooner. Even though I've lived with the song for way more years, the two years since I first wrote about it here have convinced me that it's a masterpiece. 10.0
5) 'Birds (Crazy Horse Version)' - Again - this is what The Archives are for. Versions like this. Obviously, Neil either had a prejudice against the second verse (or he just hadn't written it yet), but this is sweeeeet. Maybe it was designed to be a snippet of a song, ala 'Cripple Creek Ferry' or 'Til the Morning Comes'? Call me crazy, call me Gerald, but this almost sounds like a cross between 1970-era Neil and early era Buffalo Springfield. In the spirit of the era, all I'll say is "groovy". 8.0
6) 'Everybody's Alone (Unreleased Song)' - Have raved about this song since I first heard the widely circulated acoustic version. Knew there was a Crazy Horse version, but I didn't never really thought about what it would actually sound like. There's no doubt that it's great, but I didn't think it would be like this. The lead guitar working its way through the track is some fine playing (if a bit reminiscent of the guitar tone on his debut - something I thought he'd passed by this stage), and Neil surprises me with his vocals. The version I'd known for so long had a typical, 1970-esque NY vocal on it, but this one here kinda pre-dates his Time Fades Away-era vocals. I fuckin' dig this song a lot, so much that even with it being unreleased, it was still a favourite of mine. Not perfect, but perfectly awesome. 9.0
7) 'I Believe in You' - Still one of the most flawless songs that anyone has ever done. While I've been prone to understatement throughout other sections of this thread, and overstatement in others, calling this flawless is somehow right on the money. I think it's great that although Neil is well-known and revered, he's well-known and revered by people in the know. No, this isn't some hipster bullshit, but honestly... how much more brilliant would The Beatles be if they didn't have ever Tom, Dick and Dickless covering their songs? Same for Bob Dylan. You hardly ever hear covers of Neil Young songs, and if you do it's of the songs that no one really gives enough of a shit about to complain. And by saying this I realise that five songs previous to this, I mention a cover of this song that I dig. It still makes perfect sense to me, and that's a start at least. 10.0
8) 'Sea of Madness' - I'm torn. I'm glad Neil Young joined Crosby, Stills and Nash because it allowed the other three to stop being so up their own asses and just to rock out a little bit. But on the other hand, I don't like it at all, because when Neil's with CSN he loses just a little bit of his soul. But that's OK, because he's got a lot to go around and he stocks up on it big time when he does stuff that doesn't involve the initials. 'Sea of Madness' is the kind of song that Graham Nash would have recorded and then not used, so it's interesting that Neil thought it wise to perform and release. It's slight, it's got them screaming, not singing, and it's got Nash on the organ, and when you put all that together you should get something that's quite terrible. This isn't that terrible, but it sure as hell isn't a classic or anything. Much would have preferred it to be dragged out and performed on the Time Fades Away tour, or even the Tonight's the Night tour. Slow it down, pour some tequila over it and see what turns out. Never happened though, so we're left with this. 5.5
9) 'Dance Dance Dance (Unreleased Version)' - Yeah. You go Neil. True story: I used to think I knew how to play this on the guitar, even though I have no idea how to play the guitar. Anyway, knowing all the words, knowing how to play it on the guitar = me ready to ascend to God status. One night, many beers, friends around and a video camera handy (this could go a whole different way right about now) and I decided to perform my rendition of the song. I have no idea how to play the guitar and now I know that in addition to that lack of skill, my guitar playing's even worse when I'm trying to sing (I can't sing). Mix the two together and you've got something that is akin to torture. Seriously, dudes would rather a rat gnawed on their right testicle than to sit through Campaigner's version of 'Dance, Dance, Dance'. Trust me on that - and since the video has been well-and-truly destroyed, no one will ever have to be submitted to the horrors of it again. But back to the song. Neil Young knows how to play guitar. He also knows how to sing. More importantly, he knows how to do the both simultaneously (he's incredibly talented). And this song is one of his minor gems. I'm glad it's on The Archives. We're so lucky, we get it twice. 8.0
10) 'Country Girl' - My opinions of this song have risen about 100 points since I first heard it. When I first played the Deja Vu album, it just didn't fit (and I still don't think it does at all). Neil Young was supposed to loosen the guys up, and then he goes and brings this bombastic track to the album? I didn't get it at all. But hearing the track alone, apart from the rest of the songs and your ears open right up to just how good this actually is. It's a fine line. You go the bombastic route with this and you do alright. You go the same route with 'There's a World' and you get what could be the worst song the man's ever done. On the other hand, 'A Man Needs a Maid' is as bombastic as they come and it's a drop-dead stunner. So this isn't bad (is borderline great actually), but it's not going to be hung on the walls of the Louvre. If you know what I mean. 7.0
11) 'Helpless (Unreleased Mix)' - I know my opinion of this song should be higher than it actually is, but I still think it's relatively great. I actually think that the song would have best been served by someone other than CSN. Sure, their harmonies are dainty... but I think this song is far too depressing for them. This was crying out for a Crazy Horse version, but since it didn't get caught on tape - we get it here. I know Neil performed it with The Band on The Last Waltz, but the studio version could've used their help. Ditch the 'pretty', bring in the 'gritty' and you'd have something a couple of points higher than it actually is. 8.0
12) 'It Might Have Been (Unreleased Live Version)' - Never really been a fan of this song. I thought that it was probably because of the shitty quality bootleg versions that had been floating around. I thought that maybe my ears were prejudiced because the song was sounding shit. Maybe, I thought, that if there were a crisp sounding version my opinion would change. Well, my hope for change was the release of The Archives. Turns out it still sounds shitty (although not as shitty as it was) and that I still don't really like the thing (although Jack Nitzsche's honky tonk piano is very redeemable). Probably the worst thing Neil and Crazy Horse would do in the 1970s. But then again, when you're comparing it to what they actually did... the song was really on a hiding to nothing. 5.0
DISC RATING: 9.0
MINI VERDICT: So he's in this groove at the moment and he won't really let up until the end of the decade. It's fuckin' mind boggling the quality of work he put out in the seventies. Sure, some of it wasn't fantastic - but my god, the best of the stuff is the best that's ever been done by one man. And this is just the start of it! That's what gets me, as good as this disc is, this is just 1970. We haven't even begun to touch 1971 through 1979 yet. Unbelievable.
