Customer Reviews

This Note's for You

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"This Notes for you" was largely overlooked when it was released. Much was the same for other releases from this period in Neil's career; such as "Life", "Landing on Water",and "Everybody's Rockin'. For these three records Neil was in the process of getting out of his creatively constricting contract with Geffen Records. "This Notes For you" was his return to his original label "Reprise". Many had written him off; but for those of us who knew Neil; this was a triumph. Never one to become stuck in a rut, Neil came in screemin'. "Ten Men Workiin'" opens with a vengeance. A heavey guitar and blasting horns prepare the listener for what awaits. The title cut is one of Neil's many "ANTHEM" songs, and was accompanied by a music video that was quickly banned from MTV. It portrayed many famous look-a-likes, selling their souls for various products. "Coupe de Ville" must be one of Neil's finest moments. Smooth as silk; this song transports you. He creates an audio painting of love and pathos rare in modern music. This song contains an absolutely beautiful guitar solo. Neil shows how LESS is so much MORE. It may be what he doesn't play that makes this perticular solo so completely satisfying. "Life in the City" is brass infused rock at it's finest. Big, brash, and makes your feet dance. "Twilight" is another brilliant ballad which puts guitar and horns together in a way that I've never heard before, and with amazing results. This disc has some of Neil's most adventures work to date. Check out "Lucky Thirteen" to hear some "Live" work from this "BIG" band. If you like "BIG" music, you'll love "This Notes for You". Neil's only record with that "Big Band" sound, and one where the whole band shines. Think of it as a quick bend in the road towrads "Ragged Glory". Enjoy the ride!

This Note's For You is one of Neil Young's best albums even if it didn't sell. This is the last of Young's experimental albums before he went back to his formula of making either largely acoustic albums or noisier but still very good albums with Crazy Horse. This is great rhythm and blues with an outstanding horn section. The title track is the best known track and it's Neil at his best as he attacks corporate sponsorship while the horn section responds after each line. The rhythm section of Rick (the bass player) Rosas and Chad Cromwell lay down a killer groove throughout the album. Other great R&B tracks include "Ten Men Workin'", "Life In The City", "Sunny Inside", and "Hey, Hey." But for all the great R&B, it's the moodier tracks that are the strongest. "Coupe De Ville", "Can't Believe Your Lyin'" and "One Thing" are very strong with "Coupe De Ville" being one of the best tracks Neil has ever recorded. Albums after this like Freedom and Harvest Moon would bring him back in the spotlight but This Note's For You is more consistent than both of them.

Now for the most part I really enjoy classic R&B, but the fact is it's not Neil's sound: in most parts the huge horn section blowing everywhere sounds awkward. The fast songs are often trite, boring, and clichéd ("Ten Men Workin'"; "Married Man"; "Sunny Inside"; "Hey Hey"), with the slow blues tracks being sluggish and interminable in addition to trite, boring, and clichéd: at least "Hey Hey", for instance, has energy to spare. "Twilight", "Can't Believe Your Lyin'"; "Coupe de Ville" and "One Thing" all sound dead on their feet. Only a couple songs save this from being a total blow-off; the witty anti-corporate title track has the best lyrics by far on the album; and "Life in the City" is exciting with a dramatic horn part - I would've preferred those two as being one-off experiments on an album that was otherwise typical of Young's, rather than on an entire album of such songs. If you're curious to hear how an album totally uncharacteristic of Neil will turn up, then you might get something out of this, even if it's just the novelty factor of Neil putting out a Motown-ish album: approach with caution regardless. Yeah, I like steak, and I like cookies. But would I eat a steak cookie? Of course not!

After the wretched Life, Neil Young bounced back strong with the blues-based, horn driven, This Note's For You. The album has a nice loose feel and the songs, which in most cases are built around extended riffs, have a strong punch. Mr. Young is in fine form and the horns section wraps nicely around some blistering guitar work. The title track contains some scathing lyrics about the commercialization of rock music and the video won an MTV video award are Video of The Year despite being banned from the station. "Life In The City", "Coupe De Ville", "Married Man" and "Sunny Inside" are all good songs, but "Ten Men Workin'" is the standout track on the album. The album has a catchy as hell horn riff and some nifty guitar playing. This Note's For You marked Mr. Young's return to the Reprise label and it marked a turn back towards greatness.

Another one of those genre experiments by Mr Young. This is a fun CD in which the experiment works. Neil sounds as if he is having fun with his music again.

Neil Young's foray into the blues is a solid effort. Thanks to the Blue Notes, the musicianship is excellent blues playing, and not some rock n' rollers weak attempt to play the blues. This is a vastly unerrated CD, particularly by those who want to hear loud rockin' Neil or the country "Harvest" Neil forever and ever. Here Neil takes us back to the root of both types of music and shows us a real good time doing it. If you like the blues in any form don't miss this one. It has some great musical moments. Now, if only Amazon would show a little respect and list all the songs on this CD....

After the disastrous years with Geffen, during which only "Trans" stands out as a halfway decent album and "Landing on Water" is arguably his worst effort for anyone, Young returned to Reprise, the label of all his past glories, and while this album may not be as good as "Rust Never Sleeps" or "Tonight's the Night," it is manna from heaven when compared to his four previous albums. It is a genre album, to be sure, and caps the decade when he went from country to hard rock to electronic to rockabilly to synth rock to country and finally to swing before returning to "old Neil" form with "Freedom." But "This Note's For You" stands apart from the rest of the genre stuff, like "Hawks and Doves" and "Re-Ac-Tor" did, because of the thankful quality of the songwriting (except for a few tracks) and the overall consistency of the effort. Also, the songs don't ALL SOUND THE SAME (ahem, "Landing on Water," ahem). He shifts quite nicely between upbeat, get-your-feet-a-tappin' swing to slow and moody blues. The album may not make most fan's top five lists, but this, combined with the next year's "Freedom," catapulted Young from the disastrous 1980s back into the glory of his earlier days, at a time when all but his most devoted fans had deserted him.

Neil Young experiments with bluesy R&B sounds a la the Stax Horns on this one. Horn charts are key components to each track but the results vary.

HIGHLIGHTS:
The title track's jab at corporate sponsorship and involvement in the music industry showcases guitarwork that's slinky and strutting. As an afterthought, Neil tosses off the best lyric in the tune by noting "I've got the real thing...", appropriating Coke's old slogan for the fadeout. "Coupe de Ville" is Neil's elegy to a failed relationship. The titular car is one of the possessions Neil still has but "if I can't have you, I don't want nothing else." A smoky jazzy sax accompaniment creates the mood along with a guitar part that sounds almost ukelele-ish at times (it works..really...) "Life in the City" turns Young's outrage to the plight of the homeless and points lyrical knives at neighbours who turn a blind eye to people sleeping on the sidewalks and families living on the freeways("Don't that trouble you, brother..don't that trouble you, pal..don't that trouble you,sister") It's punched up by horn blasts a la the JB's. The only disappointment might be the wailing trumpet at the song's close which fades out before it really cuts loose. Then again, better to leave us wanting more than to overstay your welcome. "A Married Man" trods the same path as Hall and Oates "Family Man"..the tempted hubby trying to tow the line. He tells the would be mistress that he "ain't got time to party..ain't got time for you no more..". "Sunny Inside" is a fairly bland paean to his love interest, but the track is really nice, sounding like a long lost Sam and Dave tune. The understated vocal for "Can't Believe Your Lyin' " is the closest to true blues expression. Unemployment is viewed here as a byproduct of love's failings...he loses his job because all he can think about is her infidelity. All-out blues wailer "Hey Hey" features a muted trumpet and tremeloed guitar competing with a sprightly brass part. Neil hypes his woman as the genuine article compared to the ones he "don't want around.."

LOWS:
"Ten Men Workin'" is very, well, WORKMANLIKE...the lyrics are the cliche about how "we're working hard to rock ya", sinking the song despite a pretty decent horn arrangement. "Twilight" never really picks up any steam, one of the album's duds...all mood and atmosphere, but no real fire. It's OK..but Neil's capable of much better. "One Thing" suffers the same fate.

BOTTOM LINE:
It's far from Neil's worst and has some great stuff on it, but it's not the highmark of his oeuvre either. There are just enough low points to keep me from giving it an unqualified 4 stars.

3 1/2 stars

Listening to this album on the eve of a new Neil Young album, the last to be defined as a worthy successor to Harvest, it is hard to believe that the same artist who produced Silver and Gold could also produce an album like This Note's for You.

Others have already stressed the development of this album given the albums made around this time due to his difficulties with that other record label. Suffice it to say that they may be indicative of Neil's songwriting ability to produce such material, but they do not detract from this album being a tour de force.

The first few bars of ten men workin' set out the tenor for this album. A bluesy album with horns added is one of the strengths of this album. Not only does the format express his feelings but it allows him the opportunity to play those inimitable Neil Young solos but to do so in a song setting. There is a strong fit here between the horns, organ and guitar which reinforce each other and help emphasise the cynicism of the lyrics.

Particularly poignant is the title track which shows Young striking out at the music business and it's bed partners of big business. Remaining true to his principles in refusing sponsorship for tours, Young paints other artists in a harsh light of selling out their original ideals.

Again, listening to this album so soon after the performances at the Superbowl and the Olympics by our stars, it is easy to see why people like Neil Young should feel this way.

While the album typifies Neil Young in many ways, there seems to be much more bitterness in it that in most Neil albums.

Neil Young is one of those rare peformers who writes across a wide area of subjects. One minute a love song, another a piece of social commentary but do not expect the usual conclusions. Neil is his own man and says what he thinks.

There is all of this on this album. It is strong, lyrically and musically, strikes out in a different direction and quite honestly it has bite!

Wouldn't it be nice to get another one like this?

PS Hey Neil. Any chance of releasing those official releases on CD? They are widely available on CD-R at around twenty bucks each and the money would be better off in your pockets than in pirateers.

This listing thru Amazon shows only 3 tracks...
Track Listings
1. This Notes For You (Live Version)
2. This Notes For You (Edit Of Live Version)
3. This Notes For You (LP Version)

The CD you order/receive will be the 10 track listings...

1- Ten Men Working (LP Version)
2- This Note's For You (LP Version)
3- Coupe de Ville (LP Version)
4- Life In The City (LP Version)
5- Twilight (LP Version)
6- Married Man (LP Version)
7- Sunny Inside (LP Version)
8- Can't Believe Your Lyin ' (LP Version)
9- Hey Hey (LP Version)
10-One Thing (LP Version)

The Music is good. R&B section is top-drawer....Neil's R&B experiment concludes w/a successful record.