MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: NEIL YOUNG - THE TIMES

 

Neil Young was one of the first stars to jump on the internet to stream mini-concerts after the collapse of touring due to the pandemic. No stranger to acoustic performances, Young recorded several shows around his ranch, strolling around outside or nestled by a fire. There were plenty of classics, a few surprises, and some inspired covers during the so-called Fireside Sessions. Seven of them have been issued on this mini-album, and it's clear where Neil's head was at, as it includes some of his best-known protest songs, the theme of the set.

With the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter protests and the ongoing Trump Wars occupying the headlines, Young was certainly going to voice his opinions. He's a veteran of course, his pointed statements about race relations in the south, "Southern Man" and "Alabama" are both featured. His outcry against the crackdown on student protests at Kent St. University, "Ohio," is also highly appropriate, as it is important to draw the parallels between those times and today. Violence against peaceful protests was wrong then, history has proved it, and it's still wrong.

Neil's never been known for his subtlety, but this time he's letting the lessons of the past do most of the talking. The inclusion of Dylan's epic "The Times They Are A-Changin'" is a great message to the grey set, reminding them to pay attention to young voices. The only fresh statement Young makes is a rewrite of his anti-Bush number "Looking For A Leader," now called "Looking For A Leader 2020." It's actually subdued in its message, a surprise for Young, but it's actually a good idea. Of late he's been bashing us over the head with his political views, a case of preaching to the converted. This rewrite features more thoughtful lyrics: "America is beautiful, but she has an ugly side/We're looking for a leader in this country far and wide."

The set closes with a nod to Young's recent release of his 1970's scrapped album Homegrown, with him noodling away on "Little Wing." It's a bit of a waste, since it's interrupted at one point, not a complete performance. But the rest of the selections have a warm, campfire vibe to them, on a set that hits home with the U.S. election so near.