Fork In The Road

Neil Young

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 7, 2009)
• Original Release Date: April 7, 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reprise Records
• ASIN: B001TEKHCC
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,176 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil
Young is stirring things up again. This
time he is rolling on down the road not only with an auto-centric concept
album but with his own electric ride.
Fork In The Road, whose largely ecocar themed songs he debuted in
concert during the past year, will get a promotional push from the 1959
Lincoln Continental Young has
converted to hybrid technology and
which he plans to drive to Washington, D.C. With Fork In The Road as current as today's headlines, the controversial and mad-as-hell Neil Young is still rockin' the free world and once more is taking the road less traveled.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy rider, April 10, 2009

By	Tom Benton (North Springfield, VT USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I'm looking for spiritual solace, I probably won't turn to this album, unless my pain can be attributed to my car, or maybe if I can convince myself that the "she" and "her" in the lyrics is a real-live woman rather than a Lincoln Continental. The album itself is like Young's Continental, an old-fashioned vehicle retooled for modern times and now smoother than ever, a heavy metal contraption composed of grinding guitar, rolling drums, and cruising bass. It rides easy, but it drives hard, like rock 'n' roll was meant to be, hitting you in the gut while patting your weary heart. "Johnny Magic" crosses the double yellow line, but the steel pedal guitar in "Light a Candle," swaying like a spirit from the past, reminds us where we've been and where we're going. Yeah, it's an album about a car, and no, no rocker's ever loved a car this much--not even Prince with his little red corvette, especially since, for the last time, he wasn't singing about a car--but it's fun and it's true, and that's all rock was ever supposed to be. My favorite verse, confirming that Young is happy as a hog playing the role of rock's country bumpkin: "Got a pot belly/It's not too big/Gets in my way/When I'm driving my rig/Driving this country/In a big old rig/Things I've seen/Mean a lot." Even in today's economic climate, that's got to be worth a tank of gas. Sorry--a tank of electricity.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take a ride with Neil at the wheel., April 7, 2009

By	M. A. Filippelli "Marc12074" (Elk Grove, CA, US) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

On this road trip with Neil you will meet some interesting characters like Johnny Magic. For those Neil young fans with high expectations for this CD don't worry your expectations will be met. Like all of Neil's music these songs are deeply meaningful and emotional. These are a lot of songs here that make poignant statements and a couple to just listen to, clear your mind and enjoy the beauty of the music.

Some of the songs on this cod will remind the listener of the Reactor CD\album especially "When worlds collide", "get behind the wheel" and "Just singing a song". I can't pick a single favorite song because they are all so good. When worlds collide is a real rocker, "Fuel line" is about auto manufactures claiming to be green. "Just singing a song" and "Johnny Magic" both rockers (could this be Johnny Rotten re invented?). "Get behind the wheel" this song has a nice bluesy feel to it. "Off the road" is a slower song with a nice melody to it. "Light a candle" is the most romantic song on the cod - very nice. "Fork in the road" bluesy rock and roll (I am reminded of Steve Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble on this one).

As with all of Neil's studio recordings the music is wonderfully mastered and engineered. Neil and the people that work with him put a lot of heart and soul into this recording. I can't speak highly enough of this CD. Buy it and play it.

This is an outstanding CD but if you can afford a a few more dollars then you should get the package that includes the DVD. You won't be disappointed.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You're Missing A Day In the Life, April 7, 2009

By	Lightman (New York) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Who cares?

You should. The DVD not included in this economy version of Fork in the Road contains an amazing live performance of the venerable Sergeant Peppers song. More on that later...

As for the CD, it's pretty fabulous in and of itself.

At this point on his life journey Neil Young is out of control and utterly, absolutely, on a roll.

And no doubt about it, he's going somewhere. Every song is about something automotive, going down the road, going somewhere.

Here's some lines from each song to give you the flavor...

Cruising down route 66 where the guys and gals used to get their kicks

She's not the car that she used to be
she wants to take you and she wants to take me
into the future that's her destiny

You can drive my car
see how it rolls
feel the new energy
as it quietly goes

One day in a garage far away
he met destiny
in the form of a heavy metal Continental

It's all about my car
It's all about my girl
it's all about my world.
Cough up the bucks cough up the bucks

You know she takes a little care
She's always lookin' good
Pull over and put the top down
Check out what's under the hood

When the traffic's slow
Brake lights lined up for miles and miles
And you know the end is not in sight

Out on the freeway, it's the middle of the commute
Bumper to bumper in a giant cloud of fumes
Let's hit the road

When the light of dawn is on us , we will see what we can be
And the ancient ones can sleep an easy sleep
In the hallways of the ages on the road to history
What we do now will always be with us

Got a pot belly.
It's not too big
Get's in my way
When I'm driving my rig

And the names of the songs - Fuel Line, Get Behind the Wheel, Off the Road, Hit the Road, Fork in the Road...

Yup, we're definitely going somewhere.

All of this is delivered in a wall of sound that's tight like never before for Young and some of the best rock to come along in a long, long time. And the haunting strains of the steel guitar on Light a Candle are sure to make the hair stand up on the back of your neck every time.

All this is to say that Fork is a great piece of work by a living legend who never ceases to amaze.

Oh yeah. Back to the missing DVD and A Day in the Life. Pay the extra bucks for this one song alone. You gotta see it to believe it...

After the line "Somebody spoke and I went into a dream", Young grins impishly.

In producing the wild crescendo of sound to end the song the old codger goes berserk, tearing the strings off his battered Les Paul and grinding them against the pickups to create an otherworldly roar before stalking off the stage.

Go figure.

But first go buy.