Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts – Talkin To The Trees (Reprise)
I’ve only listened to this “debut” album by Neil Young and his “new” band, The Chrome Hearts once, and I probably won’t be returning to it anytime soon.
You’ve heard of “Dad Rock?” Well, welcome to “Grandad Rock”.
At age 79, Neil sounds like he’s finally running out of new ideas.
Opening track, Family Life is a simple song…I’d suggest, too simple..about the joys of…you guessed it…family life.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for Neil and his domestic bliss, but honestly, this song should stay private…carted out for private family functions and not leading off a new album that has been promoted as “personal and powerful”.
Its followed by Dark Mirage…again more Grandad references, but at least the music is more interesting…a rickety, Tom Waits-ish vibe. It will turn out to be one of the album’s best…but that’s not saying much because…
First Fire Of Winter is simply Helpless with new, less interesting lyrics.
And the next two…Silver Eagle and Let’s Roll Again are both rewrites of Woody Guthrie’s This Land Is Your Land.
Let’s Roll Again finds Neil encouraging the US to revive its auto industry…”C’mon Ford, C’mon GM, C’Mon Chrysler” he pleads. Noting, “Over in China, they’re way ahead” while urging American’s to “taste your freedom” even “if you’re a fascist…then get a Tesla!”.
This from the guy who wrote Ohio!
Anyone who knows me, knows that Neil Young is one of my musical heroes and I’ve been following him faithfully through all his experiments and genre-hopping.
But I gotta the line here…the songwriting is just lazy and filled with cliches.
Album closer, Thankful, is a good example…”I’ve been pilin’ on the years, full of laughter, sometimes tears”…its songwriting 101 and Neil Young fans deserve better.
On paper, this album should be much better…co-produced by Lou Adler and featuring Spooner Oldham on organ and Micah Nelson on guitar.
Instead its an embarrassment.
Even the few rockers sound tired…Movin’ Ahead is just a simple riff repeated with no melody to back it up. And Big Change is just a big noise. The guitar sounds cool, but a lyric like, “big drums are drummin’” is a big letdown.
Maybe, like his old band, Crazy Horse, it’s time for Neil himself to be put out to pasture. Enjoy life with Daryl and the kids…and grandkids…up in the mountains…sing songs like Family Life to yourselves, sittin’ around a campfire, but please consider retirement, or at least wait for some real inspiration.
Marty Duda
Talkin To The Trees is out today on Reprise Records
