Neil Young has put on a variety of disguises through the year. There’s the thundering rocker who leads Crazy Horse, the sensitive folkie” and even the lovable curmudgeon behind the American heartland drama acid trip that is Greendale. Just when it looked like the classic rocker was ready to go down a musical path that only his most ardent fans would follow, Young was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain aneurysm.
His brush with death though has given us some incredible musical moments in the past few years. The album Prairie Wind and concert film Heart of Gold which harkened back to the Neil of old were sweet surprises, but now, suddenly, we are gifted with Living With War – a surprise anti-war album. Supposedly, the suits at the Young’s label didn’t even know this one was in the pipeline. Well, it’s here and this is one raw, angry album that will claim its audience even if it has to grab them by the throat.
The Neil Young who wrote the lashing 1970’s anthem “Ohio” is heavily present on this, his most intimate and universal album in years. Every song takes no prisoners, especially the opening track “After The Garden” that starts out with the indictment-like lyrics “won’t need no shadow man running the government” and goes on to reflect that corruption will finally end, but only “after the garden is gone”.
The legendary singer/songwriter is also razor-sharp in pointing out the similarities between the days of unrest during the Vietnam era and our current turbulent times. “Flags of Freedom” includes a mention of Bob Dylan singing in 1963”. It’s a song for the people, as is “Lookin’ for a Leader”. This one may drop a few too many names – Barack Obama, Colin Powell, but it makes it’s point that the leader we need “is not in the house”.
The song that has gotten the most mention before it even filtered out of your computer speakers is the rallying cry of a track called “Let’s Impeach the President”. It’s probably too angry and unfocused to race up the charts the way “Ohio” did, but it’s clever in the way it uses audio clips of some of Bush’s most notorious statements regarding the war on terror.
Living With War is not a pretty album. It’s rough and abrasive and even discordant in places. In other words, it’s just how Young wanted it to be and when his unwavering vocals join with the rock and roll choir backing him up, it’s nearly impossible not to pause and listen – no matter what your own personal politics are. |