a day ago
‘If you're a fascist, then get a Tesla': Neil Young's new album takes potshots Elon Musk
After weighing in behind Bruce Springsteen in his internationally reported takedown of President Trump's government onstage at Manchester Arena last month, this other left-leaning giant of American rock from the 1970s voiced fears that he, having been a consistent critic of Trump, chiefly over the issue of climate-change denial, may face problems regaining entry to his home nation following his European tour this summer.
At this febrile moment, one might've expected Young, now 79, and as outspoken as ever – he made headlines last year after apparently refusing to sign up for Glastonbury 2025 on account of its BBC-driven corporatisation (he now appears to be headlining on Saturday night!) – to fill his latest long-player, his 46th studio outing, with polemical rantings, but as any long-standing fan knows, Young remains creatively wilful, and rarely serves up what might be expected of him at a given time.
In recent years, he has been deluging the collector's market with archival releases, many of them 'new' old albums which he shelved years ago. In amongst all that, however, interested parties may be forgiven for not having noticed that Young had found a productive groove with a reconstituted line-up of his beloved, amps-on-11 backing band, Crazy Horse, releasing three new records with them, culminating with 2022's Rick Rubin-produced World Record.
There, on Chevrolet, this unflagging automobile enthusiast wrung his hands about lusting after a vintage gas-guzzler. Further back, around his investment in a hybrid-electric model Lincoln, he wrote at length about the driver's responsibility to their children's health and survival on 2009's Fork In The Road, and perhaps the most immediately ear-catching moment on Talkin To The Trees arrives on Let's Roll Again, where, against clanging electric guitar chords, he urges America's automobile manufacturing giants, by name – Ford, GM and Chrysler – 'to build us something useful, something that won't kill our kids – come on America, let's roll again…on down the highway'.
Alongside that responsible, depoliticised messaging, Young suddenly seems to find it hard to avoid needling at the Trump administration. 'China's way ahead, they're building clean cars,' he adds, knowing the mention of China will not be music to the president's ears. 'C'mon America, let's cover our backs, protect our children,' he goes on, before taking a clear potshot at Elon Musk. 'If you're a fascist, then get a Tesla: if it's electric then it doesn't matter. If you're a democrat: then chase your freedom, get whatever you want and taste your freedom.'
Behind those words, of course, Young easily could've ramped up explicit themes of political dissent. Instead, his mind seems to be focused on enjoying the natural wonders of his ranch in Northern California, as well as, in the track Family Life, the domestic happiness he finds surrounded by his children and grandkids as he writes songs, and sings them for their approval, ' and also 'singing for my best wife ever, the best cook in the world' – a great review, indeed, for Darryl Hannah, the movie actor and activist, whom he married in 2018.
Though second track Dark Mirage finds his 'new' band The Chrome Hearts – a mutation of his other one of late, Promise of the Real, with master soul keyboardist Spooner Oldham added – squalling into fierce feedback, as Young momentarily dips into lingering anger from his mid-'10s divorce – by and large, The Chrome Hearts are entrusted with summoning the kind of golden country-rock sound usually associated with Young's Harvest series – rustling acoustic guitars, blissful ivory-tinkling topped with Neil's wheezing harmonica, which light up rustic gems like First Fire Of Winter, the exquisite title track and the warm-hearted Thankful,
As such, there's so much to enjoy here for long-standing fans – a mellow soundtrack perhaps for the four-wheel pilgrimage down to Glastonbury, with some fittingly thought-provoking messaging on automotive responsibility going forwards. In a week that has seen the passing of two of Young's West Coast peers, it's great to hear him sounding invigorated, domestically happy and creatively on song. Andrew Perry
Prior to a brace of covers albums in 2023, it's fair to say that Belfast singer Van Morrison was in his 'late life super-grumpy' phase. Railing against everything from lockdown to scientists, he didn't hold back. My personal favourite from this era was a 2021 song called Why Are You on Facebook?, which contained the lines 'Why do you need second-hand friends? … Get a life.' And this from the sage who gave us Into The Mystic.
Well, Van the Man is back doing what he does best. Remembering Now, his 47th album, is 14 songs of beautiful and reflective music addressing aging, romance and a sense of yearning for the landscapes and landmarks that made us who we are. It's 64 minutes of soulful blues and country folk, augmented by string arrangements by Fiachra Trench, who wrote the string parts for The Pogues' Fairytale of New York and worked with Morrison on his 1989 classic Avalon Sunset, to which Remembering Now can easily be compared. Folk star Seth Lakeman adds violin to three tracks.
The album opens with Down to Joy, which soundtracked Kenneth Branagh's 2021 film Belfast and was nominated for a 'best original song' Oscar (Morrison lost out to Billie Eilish's Bond theme). Once In A Lifetime Feelings is one of three tracks with lyrics by Don Black, who's written for everyone from Meat Loaf to Michael Jackson. The song finds Morrison driving down to Monte Carlo with 'so much to say' to a loved one. It's fantastic.
Stomping Ground sees the 79-year-old pleading to return to Belfast, while the closing nine-minute Stretching Out is simply swooning. The highlight is Haven't Lost My Sense of Wonder, which has touches of the awe that late songwriter Bill Fay saw in the world as he aged. 'Had my fill, 'cause I've been through the mill/ Now I'm saying 'Peace, be still,'' Morrison sings over lavish gospel-tinged soul.
Under (hopefully) sunny skies, these songs will sound a treat when Morrison supports Neil Young in Hyde Park next month (along with Yusuf/ Cat Stevens). A lush return to form. James Hall
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