Are You Passionate?

Neil Young | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 9, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reprise Records
• ASIN: B00005Y4A2
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (118 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #96,098 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

YOUNG NEIL ARE YOU PASSIONATE

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Neil continues to challenge the definition of "Neil Young", April 9, 2002

By 

Brian J. Sleeman (Marquette, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Are You Passionate? (Audio CD)

Well, he's done it again. Throughout the last 30+ years, Neil's made a career out of zigging when people expect him to zag, and "Are You Passionate?" is no exception. Following a live album from the 2000 "Friends & Relatives" tour, an acoustic-folk album in "Silver & Gold," and spring 2001 studio sessions with Crazy Horse (for a project tentatively titled "Toast"), this one seems to have come out of nowhere. Some have said this album sounds like something out of his eccentric '80s catalog, where the bouncing around from genre to genre was the most pronounced. However, granted that some of those albums have their merits, this one is much stronger on all fronts.

Backed by Stax house band Booker T. & The MG's for most of this album, Neil dives head-first into '60s soul, and you can hear echoes of the old Stax sound in several of the tracks here. The opener, "You're My Girl," is a classic example, referencing a handful of '60s classics but written from the perspective of a man who's grown up and now faces an increasingly empty nest at home. Neil has explained this during his 2002 concert tour with CSNY as a song he wrote for his daughter, Amber Jean (who also had a song written for her during the '84 International Harvester period), whom he used to drive to school every day and has always loved the motown sound.

My favorite cuts on the album come next, in "Mr. Disappointment" and "Differently." You can see Neil gently swaying back and forth on a stool with "Old Black" in his hands as he weaves through both of these tunes, the lyrics of which continue the theme of the reflections of an older man on his storied past.

"Don't Say You Love Me" is another slow-rolling smoothie, and the first of three tracks on this album that were debuted on the 2001 European tour with Crazy Horse. The second is "Goin' Home," which comes to us from the same portion of Neil's mind as the classics "Like a Hurricane" and "Cortez the Killer." This one was an instant classic when performed live, and it's unfortunate that the studio version (even with the Crazy Horse lineup) lacks a lot of the punch the live version had. This one feels like it was recorded at 8 am while the Horse was still waking up, but even then it's a great song.

"When I Hold You In My Arms" sounds much more like the drifting ballad it was originally (anyone who saw Farm Aid last year on CMT got a preview of this). Lyrically it's representative of the new direct approach Neil's taken with his songwriting - you won't find anything as deep as some of the older albums, but that's not necessarily a bad thing: this new style fits the music well (can you see the lyrics to Ambulance Blues going along with an r&b/soul type of sound?).

"Two Old Friends" has been another staple in the CSNY setlists of this year, stuck right in between "Long Time Gone" and "Woodstock" - that oughta tell you how confident Neil is about it, and I agree - it's another of my favorites from the album. "Let's Roll" works really well in a live concert setting, however I wonder what that will sound like several years down the road. "Ohio" has had a long life and still applies - let's all hope that "Let's Roll" won't. This song has caught a lot of flack from a lot of people - it seems you either love it or you hate it. While I'm not a fan of some of the George W. Bush style lyrics, I still think it's a decent song, just a little out of place on this album.

Overall I think this album will go over well for fans of the Booker T. sound, as well as anyone who wants to hear Neil doing something different yet again. Far from the days of "Landing On Water" and "Everybody's Rockin'," Neil turns in a beauty here.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep on rockin' Neil..., May 15, 2002

By 

Donna Reynolds (Syracuse, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Are You Passionate? (Audio CD)

I was inspired to buy this CD after seeing Neil Young perform the title track on the Jay Leno show. Just the fact that he was backed up by Booker T and 3/4's of the MG's was enough for me! The song itself grabbed me with it's fifties beat and oddball NY lyrics. I loved it. I bought the CD the next day.

I don't care what anyone says, Neil Young is and always has been an original. Now in his fifties, he continues to refuse to conform and that's all right by me. This CD is yet another facet of this incredibly talented performer. I especially like, Mr. Disappointment, Quit (Don't Say You Love Me) and, of course Are You Passionate. The only track that I seem to skip is Let's Roll. It doesn't sit well with me for some reason. But that's not enough for me not to declare this a five star winner.

I respect any artist who can continue to perform into their 50's (and now 60's for some). It proves to me that we were right all along. The music I grew up listening to is solid, lasting and, in my humble opinion, the best ever. Neil, keep on rockin' and I'll keep on listenin'.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Touching View in to the world of Neil Young, April 15, 2002

By 

Daniel Bethel (Sacramento, California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Are You Passionate? (Audio CD)

This album could be hastily placed among his genre experiments of the '80's (with stuff like Trans, Everybody's Rockin', and This Note's for You) simply by listening to the Stax inspired music. But the songs themselves are so much deeper than the inappropriate generalization.
The whole album tells a beautiful story that shows how much he loves his family (especially his daughter, someone hardly ever mentioned when people discuss Neils' home-life) and of his adopted country and his music.

"Let's Roll" has been almost universally panned by hardcore Young fans, but I love it. I don't see rash verbal attacks on the enemy, rather I see a harsh, cynical song attacking not only those who dared to attack our great country, but also the great country it attacked.
My favorite tunes are without a doubt the aformentioned "Roll", "Are You Passionate"(beautiful guitar work), "Goin' Home"(not his best, but very atmospheric), "Two old Friends"(A great commentary with an aching chorus), "She's a Healer"(Excellent guitar melodrama), and "You're my Girl"(tied with "Roll" as the best song on the album, a touching affirmation for his daughter).
This is a great album, though, admittedly, very different. I don't think it's his best, but it's so personal and revealing that I can't put it down, and the songs are so good I can't take it out of the player. It's one of those discs that doesn't feel done at the end, so when it starts over at track 1 it feels like the album is just continuing, not going back to the beginning.
Anybody that doesn't like this album has no heart.