Favourites 3 : Neil Young Freedom

I am not sure why so many good bands and musicians were crap in the 1980s.  Maybe it was drugs.  Maybe it was too much money. Maybe it was because none of them really expected to still be making money 20-30 years into a career they never thought would be a a career. Maybe it was because most of the 1980's music was crap and there was no competition to spur people on to make better music - and many of the best new bands like Talking Heads were blazing new paths. Anyway it is hard to argue that Dylan, the Stones, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder or Neil Young put out much good music for most of the 1980s.  Neil Young was even sued by his record company!

Anyway something seemed to wake Neil Young up in the late 80's It's almost as if he said to himself "let's cut the crap and get back to business".  It started in 1988 when he recorded This Notes For You a pretty solid album with lots of brass but some pretty good songs.  He then released an ep, Eldorado only in NZ, Australia and Japan I think. Even though I did not buy a copy (fool that I am as it now sells for over $100!) I did hear a friends copy and it certainly showed promise.

Then came Freedom - one of my all time favourite Neil Young albums.  It really is a strong selection of songs including Someday, Wrecking Ball, Crime in the City, Too far gone, Don't Cry, Too Far Gone and of course Rockin' in the Free World.  I certainly believe if it had been recorded in the 70's it would probably be considered by many to be an all time classic.  Timing is everything I suppose.

Young's purple patch continued after this album with Ragged Glory, Harvest Moon and the sublime Sleeps with Angels.  A series of albums, that stand up well beside the albums from Everyone Knows This is Nowhere to Rust Never Sleeps.