Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts – Talkin to the Trees – Album Review
by Killian Laher

Neil Young’s 97th album, now playing with the Chrome Hearts.  Okay, I exaggerate, but the point is that Neil Young seems to record every single half-assed jam and turn it into an album.  He would definitely benefit from an editor; there’s the bones of a really good album in his output over the last 8 or 9 years.  Instead, between archive releases and brand new stuff, there seems to be something new for Neil Young fans to buy every few weeks.

The kindest thing to say about this album is it’s a mixed bag.  It opens with Family Life, a gentle country shuffle which, if you’re familiar with Neil Young, you’ll have an idea what it sounds like.  Silver Eagle is along similar lines.  Dark Mirage is a fairly unremarkable grinding rock track that gets a few marks for the low growling guitar sound

First Fire of Winter is like slipping on a comfy jumper, a strumalong acoustic tune, featuring steel guitar and harmonica.  The melody has echoes of his classic Helpless, recorded with CSNY, and it’s rather nice.  The title track is also pretty decent; this time, it echoes his Western Hero/Train of Love.

The fairly basic-sounding Let’s Roll Again is a charmless noisy stomp, and he repeats his ’crazy-old-coot’ routine over hard riffs on Big Change.  Equally, there’s little good to say about the jaunty mess Movin’ Ahead.  He saves the best song on the album till the penultimate song Bottle of Love.  Equal parts tender and spooked-out, like a lot of the best Neil Young songs, it sounds effortless, like it just came to him.  The album finishes with the amiable strum Thankful.

Overall, the album sounds underwritten, lacking the quality of even his output of the last 20 years.  And it’s unlikely to be his last album, so hold on for the next…

Let’s Roll Again