WAGING HEAVY PEACE

Since I wrote a review of Neil Young's book for Caught By The River - http://www.caughtbytheriver.net/2012/10/the-music-book-reader-bulletin-8/ I have been listening to the album - Psychedelic Pill - that he intimates throughout the book that he is about to make with Crazy Horse. Dope and alcohol-free for medical reasons, Young can't help but to betray a degree of paranoia about the fact that he hasn't written a song for over a year and can't really feel inspired to. Well I have to say that, sadly, he still hasn't written a proper song - not one that stands up to the best of his past work anyway. Most of Psychedelic Pill consists of rambling phrases that reference subjects he talks about in the book padded out with long, aimless, mostly unmemorable guitar passages. It pains me to say it but it's a horrible disappointment and I can't for the life of me understand how it's got such favourable reviews. I would never advocate a return to weed and wine if it meant endangering his life of course but it does fill me with trepidation that he might carry on making pointless records like this when he really doesn't have anything to say. Another take on the curious nature of the book is provided by Alec Wilkinson of The New Yorker - http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2012/10/the-vexing-simplicity-of-neil-young.html.