Retro Reviews: Neil Young: After The Gold Rush

    I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

Neil Young: After The Gold Rush (1970)

**** ½

Producers: Neil Young, David Briggs, Kendall Pacios

Musicians: Neil Young, Danny Whitten, Nils Lofgren, Jack Nitzsche, Billy Talbot, Greg Reeves, Ralph Molina, Bill Petersen, Steven Stills

Songs: Tell Me Why, After The Gold Rush, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Southern Man, ‘Till the Morning Comes, Oh Lonesome Me, Don’t Let It Bring You Down, Birds, When You Dance I Can Really Love, I Believe in You, Cripple Creek Ferry

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    After the demise of the seminal Buffalo Springfield, Neil went off and marched to the beat of his own drum with his 1968 debut with Jack Nitzsche, and last year put out the phenomenal second album with Crazy Horse, an album that blended heavy garage rock with rich harmonies. The new album is a bridge to what he has done before, and a step forward. I am amazed at my peers that are critical of this one. When Neil plays the piano pieces, there’s a delicacy present, and yet he can also be rough the tumble with an electric. This album coincides with the launch of the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Déjà Vu album and seems to reflect another side of him.

    The opening track, “Tell Me Why” has a little of that CSNY sensibility in the vocals, the pensive, yet bouncy country flavor sets the tone. His first piano ballad, “After The Gold Rush” is an astonishing piece the blends a narrative of the past and future with a tasteful flugelhorn not out of place on a Beatles record. “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” is another ballad with a lifting chorus. The dramatic, “Southern Man” is the first true, mid-tempo rocker and a scathing critique of American’s history. The brief and whimsical “Till The Morning Comes” is as about as pop ass you can expect him to get. The only cover not written by Neil is “Oh, Lonesome Me”, a folky blues with harmonica.

    The dark and pensive “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” is another slower tempo number that helps to reveal other layers to the man. “Birds” is another piano ballad played by Neil that makes one suspect he’s been listening to Joni Mitchell, at least in capturing the bravery of her writing. Crazy Horse feels like it was truly brought back for “When You Dance I Can Really Love”, another great number and Nitzsche’s piano can be felt. The same is true with “I Believe In You” a track peppered with vibes and extra piano by Neil. The brief “Cripple Creek Ferry” brings things to a satisfying close. The Whitten, Talbot, and Molina line up is magical, But Nils Lofgren and Reeves are strong players. Nitzsche's brief presence is self-evident. If people expect Neil to stay static, they need to break that expectation and I say this to my peers. As the adage states, ‘a rolling stone gathers no moss’, Neil Young is going to keep moving, dear reader. Man, I love him for that.