Neil Young + Promise Of The RealThe Visitor
Reprise / Warner

- If you blinked recently, you might have missed Neil Young’s latest album, The Visitor. Having released over forty albums in his illustrious career, Young has been prolific, with a discography that is essentially unmatched in its breadth. In fact, this isn’t Young’s only release this year, with Hitchhiker (a collection of acoustic songs recorded in the 1970s) predating the new album. Conversely, The Visitor, is unmistakably contemporary, with lyrics married to the current political climate. Despite Young’s extensive and copious back catalogue, he clearly shows no signs of slowing down. On The Visitor, Young sounds as vitriolic as ever, and his passion is clearly in no danger of waning.  

First track, Already Great, is overtly political — a clear response to the ubiquitous slogan that led Donald Trump’s infamous presidential campaign. Although it has become fashionable and passé to chastise President Trump, Neil Young is no bandwagon jumper, and Already Great isn’t the first time he has castigated an American president in one of his songs. His famous protest song Ohio, about the shooting deaths of four students at Kent State University protesting the war in Vietnam, called out former President Nixon by name, and Young parades the same fearlessness today. However, the lyrics aren’t all propaganda. Third track, Almost Always, is a soft country ballad of the king that Young is famous for, with last line “She answers every time / Almost always” resolving the tune with heartbreaking sincerity.

Musically, the album is diverse. As Young is known to do, he alternates between crunchy rockers and smooth country ballads. His second album supported by Promise of the Real, the collaboration appears to be effortless, with the band aptly following in the footsteps of Crazy Horse. Still, Promise of the Real bring their own expertise to Young’s latest batch of songs, adding texture with the occasional glockenspiel and accordion. Although the harmonies can’t escape conjuring sounds of Crosby, Stills & Nash, they are used when needed and are not overdone. As is the case with artists as eminent as Neil Young, their later work is often compared to their earlier work, and this can be largely unfair. If you compared most albums to Harvest or After The Gold Rush they would pale in comparison, but regardless of what you compare it to, The Visitor is yet another great album from a great artist.

- Jonathan Cloumassis.v

Neil Young + Promise Of The RealThe Visitor

Chris CobcroftNew Releases Show

Slowdiveeverything is alive

Schkeuditzer KreuzNo Life Left

Magic City CounterpointDialogue

Public Image LimitedEnd Of World

SejaHere Is One I Know You Know

DeafcultFuture of Illusion

CorinLux Aeterna

FingerlessLife, Death & Prizes

Jack LadderTall Pop Syndrome

LIVE
100