A superb, specially recorded concert film by Jonathan Demme. Heart Of Gold features Neil Young and the band of old friends with whom he recorded his recent Prairie Road album as well as a sparingly used gospel choir and small string and brass sections.
The first half of the concert film features pretty much all of the recent LP - pleasant, intimate, country-tinged songs, probably not classic NY but the new songs have their moments and show where the artists is now. Moving into old age, Young seems largely at peace with himself though there are still flashes of the old anger (his next project after this concert was the ferocious Living With War LP!).
Clearly grateful to his loving family and supportive friends, this sentimental, moving performance goes into the second half where Neil plays the classics. Uniformally brilliant, this includes a beautiful Harvest Moon, touching fingerpickin' Old King and classic, solo Old Laughing Lady. Other songs featured such as the superb I Am A Child and Old Man possibly owe their inclusion to the recent death of Neil's father to whom the film is dedicated.
Recorded at the legendary Ryman Auditorium at Nashville, Heart Of Gold is a exquisitely-made, intimate concert film by one of elder statesmen of rock whose singing and playing get better and better. It led to me playing all my old Neil Young albums again which must surely be the point. A brilliant, moving performance.