Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Beleive The Hype, 25 Mar 2006
I approached this album with both a touch of excitment and trepidation. I just want to state while I am a huge fan of Neil, I had'nt actually heard any of his recent albums bar the 90's Pearl Jam assisted Mirror Ball. Yet on being recommended the album in Q magazine my curiousity levels raised. In turn on hearing the first track the Painter my reservations began to fade as I entered familiar Neil Young territory. The next track to grab my attention came soon after with track 3's beautiful, soothing Falling Of The Face Of The Earth. Lyrically the album seems to be concerned with the passing of time, ghosts from the past and ideas of mortality. Moreover the image of the author attempting to come to terms with an ever changing world and indeed his place in it appears with lyrics relating to September the 11th, as evidenced in No Wonder. The general feel of the album is that of a gentle, country shuffle and with the risk of lazy journalism, perhaps can be best described as the final instalment in the Harvest trilogy, as has been much suggested. Beware however not all is great, as some of the later half of the album could if being harsh be described as slighty smaltzy or bar-band. Yet this is a minor gripe when songs such as It's only A Dream appear thoughout. Furthermore it is important to note that while many of the reviews on this site suggest that this is a somewhat bland and insipid album overall. Personally i feel a lot of this has to do with the in-vogue idea that as artists get old they get crap, have nothing to say. Conversely is the idea that as like latter day Dillion or Bowie ideas, images and inspiration can be drawn from the ageing process as a whole. Furthermore if you subscribe to the idea that great music comes from harsh times/experiences, then one would suggest that Prairie Wind conveys this as witnessed by the recent death of the writers father and his own subsuquent brain anuyerism. Thus overall Prairie Wind will appeal to any true Neil Young fan, especially those well aquianted with his acoustic material. So go out and buy it, it's one of those rare times when the music journalists get it right
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17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Wind of No Change Blows Across the Prairie, 5 Oct 2005
Hot on the heels of Dylan's 'No Direction Home' set, another icon of rock releases an important new product: these 60 year olds just keep on producing quality music that eclipses the efforts of the generations below them. 'Prairie Wind' has been touted as the third in the 'Harvest'/'Harvest Moon' trilogy, but its closer cousin is probably 'Silver & Gold' from 2000. There is peace, acceptance and serenity here, and the songs stand as epitaph, testament and appreciation of Young's dad, Scott, author of the fascinating 'Neil and Me' biography.
This is one of those albums that has such an identifiable shape that all the tracks become instantly memorable and distinct (unlike, say 'Greendale' where many seemed to be mere parts of the whole.) 'God Made Me' the closing hymn to creation is a natural child of 'Time Fades Away's 'Love in Mind' where the institutional mayhem of contemporary religion is not permitted to obscure the faith Young has in a beneficent God, 'There for You' is gentle ethereal beauty, restrained and understated, but aching in its nostalgic power. In 'The Painter' Young achieves the remarkable feat of imbuing a simple song with visual imagery so powerful, you see and feel the colours of the artist's palette. If you are a fan, you will no doubt buy this anyway, such is our brand loyalty to Young, Dylan, Van Morrison et. al. (Even though Van the Man seems to be fast turning into George Melly!) If you're about to sample the delights of this statesman of rock, it is an excellent place to start - a tuneful, mellow and inspiring piece of work.
Take the trouble, though to seek out the limited edition CD/DVD combo package. The DVD is truly excellent, using cut screens to highlight the salient instruments as they record the album. 'No Wonder' for example, is enhanced by a small chorus, including Emmylou Harris, in the refrain about time and then a six piece gospel choir in the lines about a church on a hill; yes..you can hear the difference without the pictures, but somehow it enhances the whole experience by seeing the creation and craftmanship of the studio. This album is fast becoming the soundtrack to the melancholy of autumn; the prairie wind may not be blowing anything startling or strange into town, but it blows gentle and warm, and as Ezekiel found out, sometimes that's where you hear the breath of God!
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27 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Classic and maybe this years best, 12 Sep 2005
I have obtained a bootleg of this cd and when it is fianlly released will purchase it. Neil takes a trip back to After the gold Rush, Harvest and harvest Moon.This is political,personal and enviromental plus a nod to Elvis.No Wonder takes a stab at the post 9/11 world and the ecology at the same time. When god Made Me is an introspective look at Religion,race and ethnic background.The painter is one of those songs that warns you to be careful of having to many dreams. Prairie Wind looks at ecology,family ties and mans self destruction. He was the King is simply about Elvis. Here For you is about being their for your partner, along with It's a Dream which also some post 9/11 apopcaplyse. This Old Guitar is about Hank Williams SR. guitar and how Neil plays it, his homage to Hank. This is Neil stripped down to guitar,bass,drums,piano with occasional Horns. Neil has alot on his mind here and I still have digested it all.This is in the tradition of his folk lps with a little country and blues.If only other artist could match his songwriting quality. This is Dylans "Love and Theft" , "Time out of Mind" except this is Neils.
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