Neil Young

Neil Young | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1969
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B000002KOG
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,977 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An understated, but fabulous, debut from a legend., August 27, 2000

By 

Gary Gardner "Your resident dillettante" (Ellsworth, ME United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Neil Young (Audio CD)

After a few years of coming and going with Buffalo Springfield, the "first American supergroup," Neil Young parted ways for good in 1967 with his band. In 1968, with Crazy Horse pianist Jack Nietsche arrangement, Young's self-titled debut was unleashed. Out of all his following albums, "Neil Young" is the most cohesive, mainly because Nietsche helped keep the budding artist on track. It probably has more overdubs than anything that Young did with the Springfield, and certainly everything since Granpa Crispy struck out on his own. The album starts off, ironically, with one of Nietsche's own compositions, "The Emperor of Wyoming," a nice, pleasant country instrumental. "The Loner" follows, and now we are clearly in Neil's world of angst and paranoia. "The Old Laughing Lady" is a great track, with female background vocals reminiscent of anything done for Motown, despite the fact the song is clearly not a Motown product. Besides the aforementioned, Neil's other songs of longing, like "If I Could Have Her Tonight" and "What Did You Do to My Life," make this a thrilling ride. The final track, "The Last Trip to Tulsa," is Young accompanied only by his acoustic guitar. The track is about nine minutes long, with the most arcane, non-sensical lyrics I have ever heard. The crazier the song become lyrically, the harder Young strums his guitar, until you think the strings will crack under the strain. With Nietsche's brilliant arranging, "Neil Young" is a fine start to a long, storied career.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Consistent Melodies, February 12, 2005

By 

Charles Calvert "charliecal" (Bellevue, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Neil Young (Audio CD)

Neil was at the height of his powers when he wrote the songs on this CD. There are no klunkers here, every song has a strong melody and intriguing lyrics.

I find this album compares favorably with the more famous Beach Boys or Beatles albums that came out at the same time. Like the Beach Boys and the Beatles, the rich melodies are the primary appeal of the album. Every song is good, though they are almost all sad, with lots of sweet, heartfelt chords and notes.

The production of this album is a source of frequent comment. In my opinion, the CD is better mixed than the original vinyl. I'll have to confess however, that when I was listening to this album as a teenager, I had a poor stereo. It may simply be that the great sonic equipment we can buy now does justice to an album that couldn't be heard properly on a cheap stereo. Certainly it seems to me that Neil's voice is louder in this mix than the way I remember it from my youth. Also the songs seem to have more of an edge to them, so that the rockers come out with a bit more punch. Some of the instruments seem to stand out more clearly now.

The melodies from this album are so strong that I would compare it favorably against many other good records from any point in rock history. However, you have to understand that this is Neil Young, and the album is moody, a bit introverted, even quite dark at times. But I listen to it for the lush production, the warm bittersweet chords, and the beautiful melodies. Plus, I like Neil's youthful melancholy. It rings true to me.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The essential debut, August 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Neil Young (Audio CD)

Neil Young's moving and breathtaking debut. Every time I listen to this record I become more and more certain that it's Neil Young's finest. The tracks "The Loner", "If I Could Have Her Tonight", and "The Old Laughing Lady" are all very good, but the best track is definitely the deeply moving "I've Been Waiting For You". A must for any fan of great music, and an absolute necessity for any Neil Young fan. Buy it!