Neil Young - Neil Young (1968)

Neil Young is a prolific Canadian songwriter who has been releasing albums consistently since the 1960s. He is known for his unique, outspoken and independent style, and as an occasional member of folk-rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Neil Young shot to stardom as member of Buffalo Springfield, where he shared the songwriting, singing and guitar-playing with Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. He was always the most unusual of the three - whilst they both had obviously better singing voices, and Stills was the more advanced guitarist, it could be argued that Young wrote the most interesting songs. He was certainly unique, and was ready for a solo career when the Springfield broke up.

This is his first album, from 1968. Sadly it is nowadays overlooked. The three albums after it were the ones to establish him as a successful solo artist, and this subdued debut offering can be considered a forgotten gem which has fallen through the cracks. Interestingly it starts with an instrumental - the only one Young ever released in over thirty studio albums. Of all the songs on the album, only "The Loner" makes regular appearances in Young's setlist today. But there are a few truly fantastic tunes on this album which must not be forgotten - chief among them "Here We Are In The Years" and "I've Loved Her So Long". And the last track is very odd indeed, a 10-minute rambling acoustic number with bizarre lyrics worthy of Dylan at his most abstract.

Though of course it pales in comparison to alot of Neil Young's later work, this abum is still a worthwhile addition to any collection, and must not be overlooked!

01 - The Emperor Of Wyoming
02 - The Loner
03 - If I Could Have Her Tonight
04 - I've Been Waiting For You
05 - The Old Laughing Lady
06 - String Quartet From Whiskey Boot Hill
07 - Here We Are In The Years
08 - What Did You Do To My Life
09 - I've Loved Her So Long
10 - The Last Trip To Tulsa

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Neil Young on Wikipedia

Followed by: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Other Neil Young albums on Stuck In The Past!