Customer Reviews

Fork In The Road (CD/DVD)

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Fork In The Road is 10 new songs with a dvd of the audio and 4 video clips - 3 new song videos and Neil performing "A Day In The e Life" in October 2008 (very much the same as we saw at Farm Aid a few weeks earlier). The new songs total just over 38 minutes, so no long jams or overly complex arrangements. All the songs have a similar theme - cars, driving, being green. The feel of the songs bring to mind some of Neil's sloppier works like Re-Ac-Tor (1981), Mirror Ball (1995), and Landing On Water (1986). The package is the typical mini-lp gatefold made out of cardboard that Neil has released with his last few discs. The production is really good - I was worried based on the content that was available on-line before the album was released - it sounded pretty raw.

The songs:
1 - When World's Collide - not a bad opener, one of the better tracks.
The theme of movement and travel is present - "drivin down old route 66"
so it fits with the rest of the song content. This could be a standalone song.
2 - Fuel Line - very much in the ilk of cars and driving and being
green. Neil sings about the praises of alternative fuel electric cars
and how the world is ready, but "some old-timers" aren't. The lyrics
remind me of something you would hear in a Schoolhouse Rock song on a
Saturday morning.
3 - Just Singing A Song - this is a real good song, IMO the best one.
It has a great sounding lead guitar riff and a nice harmony. "Just
singing a song won't change the world". There is also "you can drive my
car, see how it rolls". There is a video for this song on the dvd - it
has Neil rowing a kayak on a lake and lip synching the words - very low
budget. It might mean that he is just one voice in an ocean and he can
sing about change, but how can it really make a difference. One of my
favorite songs from the collection and it could be a stand-alone song as well.
4 - Johnny Magic - Another good song that reminds me a little of
re-ac-tor. This is Neil's ode to his electric car project - LincVolt -
where he is converting a 10 mpg Lincoln Continental into an electric car
that gets over 100 mpg. I like this one as well - "home of the heavy
metal continental" with some decent guitar playing from Neil in the
middle.
5 - Cough Up The Bucks - Other than the annoying repeated chant, "Cough
up the bucks, cough up the bucks" this song could have fit nicely on
re-ac-tor. It is a little sloppy, but it rocks a little more than the
other songs with a nice harmony vocal - "where did all the money go?,
where did all the cash flow? , "it's all about my car, it's all about my
car, and my girl".
6 - Get Behind The Wheel - starts with a nice blues run and would have
fit nicely on 1988's This Notes For You (in fact, Neil uses some of the
same folks on this album as with TNFY). A blatant message for the car
enthusiast to get behind the wheel and drive. The song has a nice feel
and movement to it and some nice guitar playing by Neil.
7 - Off The Road - the first slower tempo song and a nice song at that.
It moves slowly but builds up with some nice harmonies. Almost a
lullaby in parts. "You can never take your eyes off the road".
8 - Hit The Road - Another rocking number with a bit of a phased guitar
sound from Neil. "She looks so beautiful with the top down" - so back
to the driving metaphors. The message is very clear here as it was on
"Get Behind the Wheel". "Let's hit the road and go to town".
9 - Light A Candle - Another slow number that could have been right at
home on 2000's Silver and Gold or Prairie Road from 2006. There is a
video of this song on the dvd as well - a low budget clip of Neil and
Pegi and a stainless steel trailer (that isn't moving) and a candle lit
in the window of the trailer. Another standalone song and one of the
better songs and I like it.
10 - Fork In the Road - The title track and the lengthiest at almost 6
minutes. Also a video, but it is so low budget and pixelated, I
couldn't watch it. Neil tries to mix humor with a message and I am not
sure works on either level.

So, another album from an artist with 45 plus years of creating music.
At 63, Neil is still creating and building worlds in his music that are
new and fresh and at the same time familiar. With other artists, this
would be laughable material because they wouldn't be able to pull it
off. Neil has never left the scene and that gives him the ability to
write and sing about such subject matter in a believable way. On the
negative side, and to use car-related analogies, this CD never really
kicks into high gear. Just when you begin enjoying the trip, it is
over. So, not a classic album from the starting line. If Neil were to never put out another album of new material, I am not sure I like the idea of FITR being his last such new release. Oh well, who knows what Neil has planned next....

This isn't Neil's masterpiece, or even close. I had been following the development of this disc as videos of songs were released on the internet. (The lo-fi videos of Neil singing the songs are occasionally funny, but wear a bit thin.) I wasn't too enthralled by lyrics that are often quite clunky and by music that often seemed tossed off. However, when all the songs are put together, the disc falls into a very enjoyable groove. Sure, some of the songs are weak and would have benefited from a little wordsmithing, but overall, the record is a good time. Take it for what it is, roll down your windows, and take a ride. You will be pleasantly surprised. Just don't expect to get "After the Gold Rush II".

Charlie

On first listen I was about to give this 3 stars. After about 6 listenings I can say this is top to bottom great stuff from Young Neil.

If you come looking for the max distortion and politics of Living with War or the manic energy of Crazy Horse you will probably be disappointed.
8 of the 10 tracks are grungy garage rock. He's been here before. But I think this is his most consistent release (achives exluded; War excluded) in quite awhile. (I love Living with War, Raw. This is equal to it but different in style).

Yeah it's about cars, conservation, eco/green and the open road. It's about waste and it's about hope. The lyrics can be serious or funny. There is a polital edge to a some of it (cough up the bucks - keep filling that fuel line), almost a scolding from a wary but not weary eye.

The music - all excellent - is evenly split. 4 mid-tempo grungers (Collide; Singing a Song; Bucks; Hit the Road). These stomp along with Neil's crunchy guitar and very tight backing. 3 faster tunes (Fuel Line with great backup vox by Pegi; Johnny Magic (love this track); Fork). Get Behind the Wheel rolls along nicely with an uptempo country swing feel - would have fit his brief "everybody's rocking" era but grungier; and two absolutely gorgeous ballads: Off the Road (electric with some nice organ work) and Candle (a killer acoustic number, ben gets a great steel solo).

These songs are for the most part short and structured. Again, don't expect any epic guitar distortion workouts. Fork is the longest song and clocks in under 6 minutes. Expect 10 tight, well crafted songs with smart lyrics and a grungy garage rock feel. No two sound the same; each is distinct.

If you like Neil I would think you'll really like this release. It took me a few listens, so give it a chance if it does not initally grab you. ps - watch out for the new Booker T and the MG's release in a couple weeks - word is Neil joined the band for the recording (i.e. on every track). Can't wait to here him and Steve Cropper go at it again!

Let me state upfront that I am 48 yrs old, and a life-time fan of Neil Young going back to the 70s. That said, I have been perplexed by Neil's studio output in this decade, which has been mediocre, and I'm being mild. How many of you are still listening to "Are You Passionate" (from 2002), "Greendale" (from 2003) or "Living With War" (from 2006) in your CD player? Can you hum a single song from any of those albums right now?

"Fork In the Road" (10 tracks; 38 min.) is the latest in Neil's 40+ year musical journey, and themed as an ode to cars and the open road. The opener "When Worls Collide" gave me hope that this might be a better offering. "Just Singing a Song" is also somewhat likeable. But regretfully, the album contains too many dull moments, such as the insufferable "Cough Up the Bucks" and "Off The Road". The short and sweet acoustic "Light a Candle" brings some relief towards the end of the album, but frankly it is too little, too late.

Again, I must ask you: how many of these songs will you find yourself humming after (repeated) listening to this album? That said, at 38 min. the album is short and to the point, an improvement to previous recent studio albums. I still believe that Neil has a great album in him. But "Fork in the Road" is not it, as much as it pains me to tell you.

With Neil Young's new album, Le Noise, premiering to widespread acclaim last week, his spring 2009 release, Fork in the Road, will likely fade from the public consciousness further than it already has, giving way, like many works before it, to the much greater interest in Young's last creation. And while that work is both fresh and most fascinating, with last year's "hype" finally deflated, it is perhaps an ideal juncture at which to examine its predecessor.

"Fork in the Road" was released in April 2009 to a memorable flurry of fan and press response. Indeed, even before the album's debut, fans who had heard the spngs live--or seen online videos, legal or otherwise--were swearing they wouldn't buy it. There were even pleas for its release to be cancelled. Even in the notorious Geffen years of the 1980s, Young had never experienced such intense backlash *before an album had been release.* Why such outcry? The root cause, of course, can be debated. Was initial reaction swayed by nostalgia--comparison to the illustrious past works of the artist? Was pure pretension--the lack of interest, even scorn, for a "back-to-basics" garage rock-style album--the culprit? This writer suspects a bit of both. Young's previous more grandiose works, such as Chrome Dreams II and Greendale 2nd Edition (Bonus Dvd), had been met with ambivalent responses, so one could argue that Young's recent critics aren't in search only of quantity over quality, or of some epic scope. This does not, however, rule out the distinct possibility of an unwillingness to accept something as largely simple and straightforward as 'Road.'

For--make no mistake about--'Fork in the Road', for the most part, lacks lyrical or thematic profundity, both of which are often associated with Young's best work. If one needs a point of reference, while nowhere near as bone-headed and one dimensional as most of Re-Act-Or (Vinyl Replica CD), nothing more than an explosive let-your-hair-down Crazy Horse-style rock fest, the content of Fork in the Road rarely approaches the intellectual level of After the Gold Rush, Harvest, or even its immediate predecessor, the warmly recommended Chrome Dreams II. It's also not the album I'd recommend if you only like the "country" or acoustic element of Neil Young's work (Prairie Wind [CD/DVD] is the artist's most recent work in that vein, although that just means he'll be probably be returning to that style any minute now.)

What is 'Fork in the Road', then? Basically, it's a no-frills, no-tricks, back-to-basics Neil Young rock 'n' roll album. And in retrospect, following the experimentation and extravagance (both in quantity and quality) of much of Young's work from the past decade, it's not an entirely unwelcome change. To be sure, 'Fork in the Road' lacks the eclecticism and intellectual range of Chrome Dreams II, the pure epic vision of Greendale, and the musically rejuvenating exploration of Are You Passionate?. In fact, and not that I like to focus on direct comparisons between albums, if 'Road' reminds me of any of Neil's previous work, it is most akin to Broken Arrow, a semi-forgotten but not unpleasant mid-'90s release: the material on both albums has an intellectual dynamic at times and is certainly thoughtful, but there are no grand designs--and no great scheme other than grab an electric guitar (preferably Old Black), crank it up, and let the unreal noises Young manages to extract from it carry you away. To be entirely honest, there are moments when this album plays like a Crazy Horse record with a more polished, far smoother band (and the brilliant pulsating drumming of Chad Cromwell to boot.)

"Johnny Magic", in particular, revives a long dormant spirit of pure rock 'n' roll. If we're honest, I think we have to admit Neil hadn't done this sort of "let-your-hair-down" fare in a while. ''Magic' is the upbeat tale, told with seeming boundless energy and exuberance, of a mechanical prodigy who creates a solution to the world's economic and environmental woes via a "heavy metal Continental", which runs on "domestic green fuel" and makes 100 miles/hr. It's not 'Heart of Gold', but it is a lot of fun and worth a listen if you like the electrified Neil. How anyone long time fan can *not* break out into a grin upon Neil's solemn declaration of the titular character's destiny "In the form of a heavy metal continental," is beyond me. Nor would I expect to find the expression "motorhead messiah" on an album being heavily criticized for a supposed lack of lyrical creativity. Have people lost their sense of humor? Yes, Neil's work can be great food for thought, but after 45 years, the man doesn't have to be 100% serious 100% of the time. Treat this as a light intermission if you must.

The same goes for the next two tracks--Cough up the Bucks and Get Behind the Wheel. The former is a send-up of both rap music and the recession, hence the extreme repetition people were annoyed by. Again, not to be taken too seriously, I thought this was a nice laugh and one of the better tracks on the album. Maybe you need to see the video that goes with it--probably on youtube-- it to fully appreciate both the humor and the message. If nothing else, the riff before the chorus is a sure winner. 'Get Behind the Wheel' was one I personally took a while to get behind. Its bluesy, retro-'50s feel epitomizes the styling of the album, bringing to mind Chuck Berry's color repertoire of automotive-related numbers: 'No Money Down', 'You Can't Catch Me', 'No Particular Place to Go.' "You gotta get behind the wheel in the morning and drive" should be a sentiment any of us can relate to for reasons in need of no explanations--simple but effective. As far as the "car songs" go, this is probably the best. Car songs, of course, may not be what one expects of Neil, but I've come around to thinking it's pretty groovy myself. And anyway, if I may be so bold, anyone who "expects" with as unpredictable an artist as Neil Young can't have been paying much attention to his previous output. (And there is a fairly substantial history of rock 'n' roll music about cars, but I suppose not everyone breaks out the Chuck Berry remasters as often as I do.)

'When Worlds Collide', meanwhile, is the album opener. The riff is another simple but effective device that should successfully real in the first time listener, and again, on musical merit alone, even as I was listening to it today, it's got a really nice groove to it. The lyrics are also some of the album's more interesting ones, and gave me hope initially that the rest of the record would be a good bit better than the early reviews had suggested. It seems to be a reflection the need to escape from everyday life once in a while ("living my days in an old jail cells, somehow life just goes to h*ll") and do something to rejuvenate oneself physically and intellectually ("taking a trip across the USA; gonna meet a lot of people along the way from far and wide.") Neil also lays down some good guitar along the way, however minimal. At this point in the album, your interests should be piqued.

'Fuel Line' is another one that's grown on me in a whimsical sort of way over time. It's also another good riff, and a pleasurable piece of rock 'n' roll if you let go a little and access the same primal spirit that makes 'T-Bone' or even 'Cinnamon Girl' fun to listen to. On top of which, I positively love the crunchy metallic sound Neil manages to extort from whatever set of strings he was using at the time--it gives the song a contemporary sort of feel that works with the "car of the future" theme. Almost does make you feel like Neil might be on to something really great with this, all the while cheekily reminding those "old timers" to fill their old guzzlers so they can empty them again and repeat the process. "Keep filling that old fuel line..."

'Just Singing a Song' and 'Light a Candle', however, are the two that vie for the title of Best Track. The former is another rock, expanded on the theme of change in a more dynamic yet general way, alluding to "making your own while the big wheel roles." There's also Neil's genuinely inspiring invitation to: "Play my guitar; see where it goes. Send a song to a distant star while the rhythm explodes"-- I think he's pretty much summed up what he does for a living there. Makes you wonder what it is that people see as lacking in some of these lyrics (And again, there's more tantalizingly guitar theatrics.) 'Light a Candle', though, may be even better. Along with the gorgeous and reflective 'Off the Road', a piece I won't spoil other than to say it makes quite interesting use of the "car" theme in the form of an extended metaphor, this is an exception to the otherwise thoroughly electric material on show here: a gentle tune, mainly acoustic, offering a message of cautious optimism. Again, genuinely inspiring. The concept of 'lighting a candle' rather than 'cursing the darkness' also goes a long way to explain the light-hearted tone Neil has adopted for most of this album. The fact that it's the second-to-last track may obscure its thematic importance, but the more I think about it, the more I'm sure the whole "look on the bright side" idea--which is essentially what 'Light a Candle' is conveying-- is key to what Neil was doing here, hence whimsical songs like 'Cough up the Bucks', 'Get Behind the Wheel', and 'Fuel Line', joyful and optimistic ones like 'Johnny Magic.'

And nowhere is this attitude of jollification than in the title track, which, in an unusual arrangement, finishes out the album. It's six minutes of unprecedentedly blunt political and social commentary, mixed with bizarre and comic ramblings, partially from the point of view of an aging trucker, partially from that of a depressed "big rock star" whose "sales have tanked." No, it's not profound, but I do think it's very funny if you're will to forgo some pretense of constant sophistication in everything. Besides, it is clever in its own way, getting in a dig at the Bush administration (asking, "Who's idea was that?" in reference to the continued deployment of American troops to the Middle East) and mocking pop culture, specifically the manner in which convenience is often valued over quality ("download this; sounds like s***. Keep on bloggin', till the lights go out.")

Yes, yes, yes. I'm perfectly aware this stuff isn't earth-shattering. It's neither poetic nor profound. But--call me simple--I don't think I've ever laughed so hard through a Neil Young song. It's funny. And it was meant to be funny. It's not supposed to be some ground-breaking, incredibly deep social commentary. As I expanded upon above, I believe Neil was trying to put a more upbeat, whimsical slant on things this time around. 'Fork in the Road' was designed, largely, to be an amusing distraction from all the bad stuff going on around us. It's entertainment. Again, maybe my standards are low, but I think it's OK--beneficial even--to laugh once in a while.

If you're looking for ultra -sophisticated, polished music with constantly profound lyrics, you probably won't like this album. I wouldn't recommend it to new fans, either; although it's an entertaining album on its own, as summarized above, it's admittedly not an example of a really great Neil Young album, nor what most of his work is like. But if you're a seasoned fan, and/or you just want 40 minutes of good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll with whimsical lyrics, meaty guitar work, and groovy riffs, this can be a really fun album in the right frame of mind.

Don't be afraid to enjoy 'Fork in the Road'. It's truly a joyful piece of music-making, for which I think we can all afford to let go of our pretensions for 37 minutes now and then. My personal recommendation would be top it on as background music while you're trying to get something done around the house. Boost the volume-- plugging in a good set of headphones first if deemed necessary--and really try to get into the unique, yet somehow comfortingly familiar, groove of these ten songs. They constitute yet another utterly unique slice of Neil, showing yet another side of his multi-faceted personally. This time he's the court jester, with bells attached to his trusty old black Gretsch. If this had been the long-awaited Crazy Horse reunion, I think it could have been as successful as almost any of Neil's other albums in the last ten years. It might also have been more successful if it hadn't been accompanied by the bitterness of yet another postponement of the Archives project. But people were too focused on wanting one thing--and just that one thing--rather than trying to appreciate whatever they were given. I remember people on these forums having their knee-jerk reactions, assuming based on the negative pre-release hype and Archives debacle that 'Fork in the Road' would be awful, then recanting later--actually hearing it and thinking it wasn't that bad. Which it isn't, because luckily, Neil has a sense of humor. Of course, because 'Fork in the Road' is completely serious, the people who always take this sort of thing way too seriously didn't get it. Some still don't. They're the ones cursing the darkness. 'Fork in the Road' is Neil's "candle in the darkness", the candle he lit before he left.


Or at least it sounds like he had had a darned good time making it. 3.5 stars.

Neil is one of my favorite musicians, but I'll be the first to admit that this album sounds like it was written and recorded in the course of an hour.

With that said, I can't stop listening to it. It's a rockin' mess of an album that is quite addicting (kind of like Living with War).

If you're new to Neil, this isn't the best place to start. But, if you are a fan, you just may find it to be a somewhat flawed but fun album that can tide you over till the Archives Vol. 1 box set comes out on June 2nd (fingers crossed).

Neil Young rocks!! it's hard to think of him as "old" or not relating to today's world .This is another example of why Neil is probably the most enduring artist over the last 40 odd years.Five stars for this....after the first 2/3 listens I thought,o.k. maybe 3 stars...but true to a lot of Neil's work,after 5/6 spins with the volume up a few notches,WHAMMM....I reckon this is just a great listen.
Others have run thru the tracks,so I wont bore you with my details.But I didn't have any real fav. tracks.
"Worlds collide" gets you off to a great rockin start...Johnny Magic is probably closer to some Young grunge from the nineties."Cough up the Bucks" is fair commentary on the stuffed up financial situation of today's world.and Neil throws in a top ballad,"Light a candle",that is a great listen.
As usual,Neil will have his detractors,and of course not everyone appreciates the same music...but I can say I love both sides of Neil...the ballads and the hard rock.Somewhere in between (as in the eighties),maybe some of his music was a bit average..but isn't that why he's still around,change can be good or not so good.
Anyway,buy this latest from Neil....listen more than a few times,turn up the volume a bit...you may be able to appreciate this after all.

Wow, what a tough audience, wish I could put out one song half as good as the worst on this album. Three Stars, gee I hope that those stars are at least comparing Fork In the Road to other Neil Young Material and not other mere mortals.

The first listen through showed this is what I like best from Neil Young and the first thing that came to mind was side two of Rust Never Sleeps, but Grungier in a modern Neil Young sense. The lyrics are not as deep, heavy, melancholy, dark, edgy, angry or reflective as most of his albums. Obama's election has allowed Neil to breath a little easier and let his hair down. The songs all seem to have a funner feel to them, or light joking tone. Even the protest songs about driving seems light hearted. I don't think Neil overworked the lyrics or the music but the production on the record is excellent and crisp. The vocals and instruments sound great and the musicians sound tight.

What makes this album special is the way the whole works together, all the songs work well together and nothing feels out of place. I think those easy lyrics and simple riffs are a big part of feel of the whole piece. Yes Neil has done the grunge rock thing and the protest before but this album has a distict feel to it even if the songs all remind a person of something Neil or someone else has done before. Yet this album style is distinct from any of his old albums, I don't know how he always fashions a new sound for each album. Every song on this album is not grunge, but the album has that over-all feel, I am not an expert enough to describe fully but I know what I like. So if you overall like the grungier style rock style of Neil Young this album should find favor with you. Give this Five Stars compared to the world pool of music and 4 & 1/2 Stars for a Neil Young album. Not as great as Rust or Harvest but certainly better than his 80's stuff. Mr Young may not have been swinging for the fence but he accomplished exactly what he wanted with it. I have really enjoyed the last ten years of new music by Neil and this album continues his great work and is well worth the mula so cough up the bucks. Hope this helps somebody.

Neil Young is the man with the grand gesture, or the guy with a simple road map.... his fans get to call shots on which Neil they will get with each record. The one constant is the assurance the lyrics will be relevant and timely, with references to current events, delivered ala Neil's stream of conscience. For those who enjoy rockin' out with a message, this CD is a must-buy.

The songs aren't Shakespear.... nor should they be. This is one of Neil's simple road map records; garage band rocker with an everyman appeal. The title track packs a major punch set to a droll rolick..... kind of a seemingly impossible task, but Young pulls it off. "Just Singing a Song" captures Neil at his most vulnerable; a beautiful melody surrounding doubts about the effectiveness of standing up on that stage, trying to change the world one song at a time.

The CD has been promoted as a love song to the road and Young's old, refurbished Lincoln. It takes a dedicated car buff/environmentalist to pull a classic land yacht into the 21st century attempt at restoring integrity to the planet. Yet, it can also be viewed as Young's attempt to connect with the common person at a time when the guy at the corner store could use a friend. We are at a pivot point, and, as usual, Neil Young has some fresh ways of reminding us time is running out.

Only a casual Young fan until recently.

Have every album (except one) and DVD though since Silver and Gold.

Greendale, Prairie Wind, Living with War - all so different.

Heart of Gold DVD is one of the most enjoyable movies.

Listened to Living with War today - great songs, some very moving e.g. Families, Flags of Freedom.

From my perspective, Young's later albums are as good as any.

Fork in the Road is no exception - great guitar, some rockers, nice harmonies, good ballads (others here have given great commentary on each song).

Yeah, so maybe no Cowgirl in the Sand, Hurricane, Rockin in the Free World, etc , but some really good songs.

New music from Young on current issues and events is more interesting to me than any reported Archives release - apologies, just that I do really appreciate that Young is still playing and recording new material.

Get the DVD version - worth the extra dollars for the Fork in the Road clip alone - singing with earphones hooked into an "apple", "download this, sounds like sh##", takes a big bite, and tosses the apple away.