Hi Neill.
I've kinda lost track with Mr Young after Chrome Dreams II (which I liked). Could you give me your best to worst releases since then?
Hey mate, OK here goes (best to worst):
Hitchhiker (2017) - an absolute gem, solo & acoustic in the studio, NY at the peak of his powers
Live At The Cellar Door (2013) - 1970 solo gigs comp, fantastic as you can imagine (features Cinnamon Girl on piano!)
Sugar Mountain, Live at Canterbury House 1968 (2008) - 23 y/o solo NY killing it, with some early classics and some Buffalo Springfield stuff too.
Le Noise (2010) - really liked this, NY solo & electric, and Daniel Lanois producing. Recorded only during full moons(!)
Bluenote Café (2015) - 80's live album from the This Note's For You tour. Really good; zero classics, great band, amazing playing
The Visitor (2017) - second PotR studio collaboration, a bit better than the first too.
The Monsanto Years (2015) - decent effort, first collaboration with Promise of the Real (PotR)
Storytone (2014) - get the deluxe edition, with the solo acoustic version of the album; better than the big band arrangements
Road Rock Vol.1 (2010) - live at Red Rocks, lots of classics; not bad but the DVD is miles better.
Dreaming Man Live '92 (2011) - basically the Harvest Moon album, live. Good, but Unplugged does it better
Earth (2016) - live album (with animal & nature overdubs?!), with PotR. OK-ish, but worth it for a live 'Vampire Blues'
Psychedelic Pill (2012) - bloated Crazy Horse double album (track 1: half an hour!), a few brilliant tracks though if I remember
A Treasure (2011) - mid 80's live album with The International Harvesters, very country!
Peace Trail (2016) - political, acoustic effort; largely lifeless & overpowered a little by Jim Keltner's percussion in places
Americana (2012) - pretty poor Crazy Horse collaboration, playing and re-arranging old standards - dull!
A Letter Home (2014) - barely listenable set of covers recorded in Jack White's vintage 'Voice-O-Graph' booth, a real oddity *
Fork in the Road (2009) - awful, throwaway stuff *
* I've listened to these maybe once or twice - probably need to re-listen (if only to re-affirm my original damning review!)16 releases in 10 years is a hell of a lot of material to digest, mostly live or archive stuff though. The new studio material is patchy at best, but like most NY albums; each contain some wonderful moments. His strongest recent material is probably the PotR stuff to be honest, and that comes across better live. Seeing him in 2013 with Crazy Horse, then again in 2015 with PotR; he was way more engaged with Willie's kids! Interesting to see however, that it's the archive stuff which floats to the top...
My tuppence worth
