reba Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 Mapping a Town in Neil Young Land By NEIL STRAUSS Musicians tend to judge themselves by different criteria than their audience does. When a guitarist breaks a string in the middle of a concert, for example, and perseveres in playing a hit with a missing G string, he may leave the stage upset and disappointed. But to the audience, watching the drama and spontaneity onstage may make it a better and more interesting performance than one perfectly played. Neil Young has always understood this: when he breaks a string live, he usually treats it as an opportunity to improvise all sorts of new noises. Perfection has never been his forte, but a faithfulness to the overall concept and integrity of his vision, wherever it may lead him, has been a defining attribute. Rarely has this been more evident than on his new album with Crazy Horse, "Greendale," his first rock opera (for lack of a better name), released today on Reprise RecordsVivendi Universal. At times Mr. Young sings out of tune, hits sour notes on the guitar or tries to squeeze too many words into a line. As for the story, it can be jumpy, inconsistent and lax in its metaphors. But the CD keeps rolling, and by the end the listener is left practically breathless with the beauty, hope, pathos and power of the music and the story. In a music culture in which technology allows for an unprecedented degree of fine-tuning, Mr. Young won't let himself be bothered by the details, allowing "Greendale" to succeed like a flower blossoming in the dirt. Set in the small town of Greendale (located in a Southern California of the imagination), the story concerns a family, the Greens, caught in changing times. The old way of doing things is dying, the new way fast encroaching, and scattered here and there are a few idealists searching for an alternate way. Young's heroes on "Greendale" are Grandpa, who represents the old way ("a little love and affection in everything you do"), and his granddaughter, Sun Green, who represents the conscientious alternative. (She would like to "be a goddess in the planet wars.") With characters like Sun Green and Earth Brown, "Greendale" is "Mother Earth" from Mr. Young's 1990 album "Ragged Glory," converted from a song-length anthem to an album-length allegory. It begins with Grandpa and his cantankerous wisdom and ends with Sun's youthful optimism. In between, Mr. Young introduces another Greendale resident, the Devil, who adds to the story line a police killing, a media frenzy, a heart attack and two grieving widows. Musically "Greendale" falls somewhere between Mr. Young's mild-mannered solo musings and his torrential Crazy Horse jams. Several songs betray their origins as solo acoustic compositions, while even the most glorious electrified songs, "Grandpa's Interview" and "Be the Rain," don't roam far, in part because of Mr. Young's decision to leave the Crazy Horse guitarist Frank Sampedro out of the recording sessions. And because the Devil is busy in Greendale, Mr. Young builds a strong blues backbone into the first half of the CD. "Greendale" is a strong set of songs, but it makes an even better multimedia work. In recent live shows, Mr. Young and Crazy Horse perform the CD in its entirety, with friends, relatives and associates acting out the scenes. Like Mr. Young's music, the staging — using rudimentary sets and cartoonish slides — is very simple yet very powerful. Included with the CD is a another way to experience "Greendale," a DVD with a live acoustic performance of the 10 tracks, with Mr. Young further elucidating the story and characters between songs. (Later this year he plans to release yet another elaboration of "Greendale": a feature film that he directed.) Even if "Greendale" is a success, it doesn't mean that Mr. Young will be writing rock operas or musicals now. He refuses to operate from a place of premeditation, career jitters or concern for what reviewers or fans think. The composer John Cage once described his own credo as being open to whatever comes next. This is also Mr. Young's way of working, and the place from which "Greendale" spontaneously arose. Despite his obvious immersion in his invented world and its characters (look at the level of detail on his Web site, www.neilyoung.com), Mr. Young never comes close to the pretension that auteurs of rock operas and concept albums often succumb to. Part of this is because of the invention of Grandpa, who even with his dying words mocks Mr. Young. On the CD's first verse, Grandpa is already at it: Seem like that guy singin' this song Been doing it for a long time Is there anything he knows That he ain't said? Grandpa makes a valid point here, but at the same time Mr. Young's message — summed up in Greendale's ensemble finale as "Save the planet for another day" — does bear repeating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basher Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 I saw the Greendale show in Toronto and LOVED it, and will be at the show on September 4th for a reprise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snarfmaster C Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 i too was at the toronto show and i was in awe at how rockin and how cool mr. young really is. i have yet to hear the album, but am looking forward to it after seeing it performed. that dvd would be cool to check out. i'm hoping to be in town for the september show, but this one is not going to be a greendale show (to the delight, i suppose, of many old school crazy horse fans there who were keen on hearing the classics -- actually disappointed at the creativity and originality of the greendale set! - too disappointed in the context to experience the talent and beauty he was sharing with us, i guess. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basher Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 How is everybody sure this will not be the Greendale show? Where was this oficially announced? I will actually be disappointed if it's a greatest hits show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven_Space Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 I have had the album since Saturday and have listened to it about 6 times in its entirety. I like it a lot, but don't love it. If I had to give it a report card rating, it would be a B and I love some Neil that no one else does (time fades Away, On The Beach, American Stars n Bars) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmellyPants Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 hey earthfreak...you been chattin' with Neil again? I just went to his website and there was no mention of his Sept. 4th show NOT being another Greendale. What do you know that this smelly cat does not?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamilton Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 quote: Originally posted by Raven_Space: I love some Neil that no one else does (time fades Away, On The Beach, American Stars n Bars) Please send me the address of anyone you know that doesn't like (as opposed to "has never heard") On The Beach, so that I can show up on their doorstep and beat them silly. Everyone do yourself a favour and go buy On The Beach now that it is finally available on CD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevO Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 quote: Originally posted by bsherman: How is everybody sure this will not be the Greendale show? Where was this oficially announced? I will actually be disappointed if it's a greatest hits show. Basher, I sorta found that out unofficially the day after the Toronto show in June. CLICK HERE for my story!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groove Fetish Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 ok- smelly pants- your making my chuckle a bunch! smelly cat smelly cat ohhhh smelly cat! and on the greendale note- having only witnessed a bit of it a Bonnaroo- I think the song was Save the earth....fucking gave me chills with the stage show and the girl and the megaphone! wow... tasha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 Ha ha ha...exactly what Hamilton said. The more drugs the better, at least where Neil's music is concerned. Was actually just listening to this the other day because my rommate bought it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rary8 Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 I saw Neil both nights at Red Rocks and I thought the new stuff was FANTASTIC. I liked it better (at least energy-wise) than his set of classic stuff. Great songs. Not too much soloing. But great. If you like songs like Crime in The City. You'll love the rock opera stuff. Very powerful anti war statement as well. How about that chorus voice in Mr. Clean?? cool! Hot dancers too! J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuckholes Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 My brother Matt saw that show in T.O too and he said thats probally some of neil's best shit ever written... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Posted August 21, 2003 Report Share Posted August 21, 2003 Today is my lucky day... I just found out I got free tics to the Neil show!! Either way, Greendale or non, I can't wait to see Neil again. It was the biggest tease having to see him play w/ CSNY last year at the ACC and only getting 1/4 of Neil in a live show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.