04: Album Review: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere/ Neil Young

Neil has songs of innonence, disgust, love, loss, death, redemption, faith, ageing, philosophy. He has songs with a message, a snarl, a whimper, a bang, and a slow backroad feel. Neil has it all it seems.

It all started with cinnamon. Crazy Horse makes thier debut. Neil Young makes his grand entrance as a significant force in music. 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' is truly an archetype for all that was Neil's career. A little bit of folk with country, and alot of groovy rock. More balanced than most of his solo records, it takes it's slow time and delivers a solid note around every corner.
"Cinnamon Girl", "Cowgirl in the Sand", and especially "Down By the River" are all classics of guitar rock. I'm not sure Neil ever sounded this relaxed. The following year's masterpiece 'After the Gold Rush' in comparison sounds like a meloncholy journal of the times and the follow-up 'Harvest', an emotional breakthough, yet both take you to the edge and back. There's no political message to be found on this album either. The title track captures the heart and soul of Neil's admiration with a folk-rock music sound. Young just always sounds sincere, and this album captures him in a glorious time, 1969, feeling fine, with an outlook for the future. Crazy Horse never sounded as pure, Neil never sounded so freshly enigmatic. This album is a milestone for the guitar era, a document that is overshadowed by a man's brilliant career, but forever desiring discovery and wonder.
Bottom Line: Not too fancy, not too shabby.
Overall Rating: 9.5/10
Album Highlight:Down By The River