Young and old

Press, 6 August 1987, Page 14

Young and old

NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE “Life” (Geffen 24154.1).! don’t own a CD player yet, but I’ve already selected a number of CD albums to buy, including Neil Young’s “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.” It’s deeply disappointing, therefore, to find Neil and such a fine backing band singing songs that don’t appear to have much genuine creativity and inspiration going for them. A Young fan has to accept that the man is a musical eccentric. Even those who have played with him, know that, but “Life” really lacks the necessary breath to pump up something larger. “Mideast Vacation” is a real touch of Americana, a satire and a complete switch from a genuine

love of the country as in “Old Ways,” even if the lyrics are slightly better here.

Young and Crazy Horse occasionally try to rip into songs in the old style, there is an updated version of “Hey Hey, My My,” this time on heavy metal called “Prisoners of Rock ’n’ Roil,” but it does not have any of the genuine feeling or smart lyrics from “Rust Never Sleeps.”

It would be nice to be able to say that Young had successfully taken snippets of life, just as David Byrne did in his quirky film, “True Stories.” Young’s last album, “Land On Water,” sank like a stone and now he’s on the losing end. What a pity.

—NEVIN TOPP