Review Summary: Still searching for a heart of gold
Classic rock remains in my blood, even as my regular music consumption moves in ever-increasingly diverse directions. While these days I’m typically knee-deep in the wilds of extreme metal or down a rabbit hole delving into some new strand of contemporary indie, a heartfelt tune from one of the 60s or 70s legends still stirs the soul like no other. Ultimately, though, I don’t feel the need to keep up with the recent output of most of the iconic figures of rock’s earlier days. Neil Young is one of the few exceptions to this, as while his later-career material has been spotty, he’s done just enough to keep me engaged with his new releases.
Barn is the type of record which makes me glad I’ve kept in the loop.
Something must be said about the album art for
Barn , which is both beautiful in its own right and essentially-perfect representation of this record’s essence. The depiction of Neil Young and the three current Crazy Horse musicians posing in front of a rustic barn as the evening sun sets in a quintessential Western scene manages to connote both the music’s simple charms and the aging musicians’ nostalgic themes which infuse these songs.
In the midst of the bleak zeitgeist of modern America (and frankly, the world), with political, social, and environmental factors seeming to push us ever closer to some final catastrophe, there’s something soothing about hearing Young’s familiar voice (and Crazy Horse’s rugged, grunge-before-grunge-existed sound) all over again. This is in spite of the fact that Young (now an American citizen), doesn’t hesitate to ruminate on modern concerns here (likely not a surprise given his highly-public advocacy of staunch environmentalism and anti-Trump positions). Musically, this is a fairly varied listen. There’s a mix of toe-tapping rockers, like “Heading West”, in which Young bellows “heading west to find the good old days” and the grim “Human Race”, and lighter moments like the gorgeous folk-rock of “Song Of The Seasons” and the borderline-mawkish “Don’t Forget Love”, which is redeemed by a strong vocal performance. “Welcome Back” stands alone as by far the longest track, marking the latest installment in Young’s long tradition of guitar-centric epics (think “Cortez The Killer”). This one is a standout, even as it remains surprisingly mellow.
While this review takes a largely positive view, it must be noted that Young’s latest effort simply isn’t destined to be an all-timer. None of the ten songs presented here approach the classics found earlier in the singer-songwriter’s career. With that out of the way, though, on its own terms
Barn is a considerable success. First of all, the tunes here are solidly consistent in the good-to-great range, something which can’t necessarily be said about many of Young’s more recent attempts. Beyond that, this is simply a touching listen. Whether it’s an easy-going folk-rock piece or a gritty vintage Crazy Horse rocker, listening to this album summons the feeling of being regaled by a top-tier bar band, with the old men on stage still enjoying their craft, even if time has passed them by (think of an Americana version of the story told in Dire Straits’ “Sultans Of Swing”). If you, like me, have any sliver of affection somewhere in your heart and soul for the old days of rock music, it’s hard to resist, and I suspect that in a certain peculiar mood this album will be a go-to for a long time.
