NEIL YOUNG Schallplatten & CDs

Review: RECOMMENDED
After The Goldrush is truly timeless Neil Young, a benchmark setting record that even now, five decades after its initial grand unveiling, feels fresh and highly original - albeit the Canadian-American artist and his third studio album have been imitated and replicated by many musicians and bands in the years between then and now.

It's also significant as one of four landmark LPs released by the individual members of cult folk rock collective Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young following their chart-topping record Deja Vu, and as such can be seen as a vital chapter in a hugely important era for acoustic rock and folk. Perhaps even the most significant time in the evolution of that sound, so dive in and experience this master songwriter at the top of his game.

Review: We've had more Neil Young compilations thrown our way over the years than many of us care to remember, but only one really sticks in the mind, and it's this one. Originally released in 1977 and chronicling the period in which Young went from being a simple member of Buffalo Springfield to one of the most heralded North American songwriters of the late century, and comprising work from that band alongside Crosby Stills Nash and Young, it's studded with delights aplenty. From the extended guitar sprawl of 'Down By The Ocean' and 'Cortez The Killer' to poignant balladry like 'After The Goldrush' and 'Helpless', no-one captured the dreams and hopes of the hippie generation in quite the way Young did, and this collection is a magnificent testimony to his most fertile and heartwarming era.

Review: Neil Young's Ragged Glory is a masterful return to form, blending raw power with a grungy edge that solidified his status as the "Godfather of Grunge." Released in 1990, this album with Crazy Horse is one of his most distortion-heavy works, offering a gritty, jam-packed sound that contrasts sharply with his earlier folk and country rock roots. Songs like 'F*!#kin' Up' and 'Over and Over' showcase Neil's ability to lock into extended grooves, delivering music that's both intense and heartfelt. One of rhe album's standout tracks, 'Mansion on the Hill,' carries a nostalgic weight, while 'Country Home' evokes warmth and memories of simpler times. The instrumentation is where Ragged Glory truly shines. Each track, is loaded with powerful guitar solos and heavy riffs. Neil's collaboration with Crazy Horse is unfiltered, spontaneous, and fiercely alive. With the closing track 'Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)' closing the album out in style, Ragged Glory remains a triumph. Its a raw, unapologetic album that shows Neil Young at his grungiest best.