Prairie Wind [CD/DVD]

Neil Young | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 27, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B000AY807Q
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (199 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,656 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

An artist for all musical seasons, Neil Young returns to autumnal harvest mode on Prairie Wind, with homespun material and sing-song melodies that renew the spirit of some of his most popular releases. Yet the mood here is darker in its maturity than on Harvest and Harvest Moon--the previous releases in what now sounds like a trilogy--and the arrangements have greater range and aural depth, with Wayne Jackson of the soulful Memphis Horns, the Fisk University Jubilee Singers gospel choir, and a string section employed to striking effect. This is a song cycle of dreams, memories, family ties, and the passage of time--what is lost and what endures. The elliptical, epic "No Wonder," with its evocation of 9/11, ranks with the most ambitious songs of Young's career, while "Falling Off the Face of the Earth," "It's a Dream," and the bluesy title cut combine childlike innocence with unsettling experience. Spooner Oldham's church keyboards and coproducer Ben Keith's steel guitar reinforce the sound's sturdy simplicity. Young has released a lot of albums in different musical styles, but Prairie Wind feels like a homecoming, and ranks with his very best. --Don McLeese

Recommended Neil Young Discography

Harvest	After the Gold Rush	Tonight's the Night
Rust Never Sleeps	Ragged Glory	Decade

Product Description

An artist for all musical seasons, Neil Young returns to autumnal harvest mode on Prairie Wind, with homespun material and sing-song melodies that renew the spirit of some of his most popular releases. Yet the mood here is darker in its maturity than on Harvest and Harvest Moon--the previous releases in what now sounds like a trilogy--and the arrangements have greater range and aural depth, with Wayne Jackson of the soulful Memphis Horns, the Fisk University Jubilee Singers gospel choir, and a string section employed to striking effect. This is a song cycle of dreams, memories, family ties, and the passage of time--what is lost and what endures. The elliptical, epic 'No Wonder', with its evocation of 9/11, ranks with the most ambitious songs of Young's career, while 'Falling Off the Face of the Earth', 'It's a Dream', and the bluesy title cut combine childlike innocence with unsettling experience. Spooner Oldham's church keyboards and co-producer Ben Keith's steel guitar reinforce the sound's sturdy simplicity. Young has released a lot of albums in different musical styles, but Prairie Wind feels like a homecoming, and ranks with his very best. Includes a bonus DVD. Reprise. 2005.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

190 of 201 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Blowin' In The Wind September 28, 2005

By Thomas Magnum HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Neil Young has always been a musical chameleon. Shifting from hard rock to rockabilly to grunge to futuristic synth music, he's tried every music genre. But the style he keeps returning to is country-rock. Prairie Wind is yet another superb album in this vein. The past few years haven't been kind to Mr. Young with the death of his father and the mother of his first child or finding out that he has a brain aneurysm. With the sense of loss and mortality, Prairie Wind reflects on life and family. "The Painter" brilliantly sets the tone for the album as it a brooding, moody piece that shows music gives eternal life to its artists. "Far From Home" is a lovely ode to his parents and "Here For You" is a sweet song for his kids that has a great harmonica solo. "Falling From The Face Of The Earth" is a gentle lament and "He Was The King" is a goofy salute to Elvis Presley, but one done with spirit. "When God Made Me" has a full gospel chorus and "This Old Guitar" is the best track on the album with its simple story and laid-back charm. Country-rock is the skin Mr. Young feels most comfortable in and Prairie Wind is his best album in a decade.

189 of 200 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Here For You October 3, 2005

By K. H. Orton VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Everytime Neil Young releases a mellow country rock album, it's immediately hailed as another HARVEST. Well, this is no HARVEST nor another rather overated HARVEST MOON. COMES A TIME might be more applicable, but as far as I'm concerned, any such comparisons are a waste of breath.

This is quite simply the most satisfying Neil Young album I've heard in years. Warm, organic & damn haunting. Death & loss are the major themes & you'd have to be deaf not to notice it comes from the gut. All 9/11 & Chris Rock references aside, "No Wonder" sounds amazingly like vintage 70's Young. His singular warble has never sounded so faltering as it does on, "Falling Off The Face Of The Earth". The horns on "Far From Home" lend a sense of humor to what is by and large an introspective album. The goofy Elvis ode, "He Was The King" seems to be another one tossed in to keep things from getting too serious. For songs like "Painter" & the title track, the tone is certainly nostalgic but a thick coat of regret keeps things from flying away. In the hands of anyone else the sentiments of "This Old Guitar" would come off as a Hallmark greeting, but Young's whispered delivery lends it undeniable gravity.

I saw Young & choir sing "God Made Me" on the Katrina Relief concert & it stopped in my tracks. It still does here. Further proof, that if lent an unprejudiced ear, herein lies a moving & poignant album full of subtle melodies that will stick in your head if given a proper listen. Let audiophiles & die hard fans whine & gripe till they're blue in the face.

I'm a discerning fan, not everything he's touched turns to gold but Young's albums are always heartfelt. Some just find themselves in your cd player more often than others. PRAIRIE WIND is destined to be one of those.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Album October 1, 2005

By Norm

Format:Audio CD

Its been a while since a new album has caused as many immediate repeated listenings for me as Prairie Wind. I guess its inevitable to compare this recording with Neil Young's very best songs and albums because it stands up well in that context. Many songs have touching, reflective lyrics, and maybe a philosophical maturity that is beyond anything he has written before. Several songs are standouts, and the melody that I find running through my mind later seems to vary among those. "Its a Dream" is so touching and absolutely beautiful; I think anyone who has experienced significant personal loss will be moved by such an accepting interpetation of our own mortality.

I'm delighted with the accompanying dvd in this package. What a great concept, being able to see the entire album being recorded exactly as you hear it on the cd. It causes me to ponder 'what if' scenerios of similar documentation of any of my all-time-favorite recordings. The upgrade to this duo-disk set is well worth the few dollars more.