Score: 85/100
Release Date: June 19, 2020
Genre: Country Rock
Similar Artists: Bob Dylan, Graham Parsons, The Byrds, Brett Dennen
Poet William Stafford said, “There’s a thread you follow” and the release of Homegrown, originally recorded December 1974/January 1975, but not released until June 19, 2020, has Neil Young pulling his countrified thread through the small vinyl holes of Harvest (1972) Homegrown (2020), Comes A Time (1979), Harvest Moon (1992), and Silver and Gold (2000).
Although Young has a broad range of genres that run through his genes, his latest album is clearly of the country gene, most notably with the work of Ben Keith, who first appeared on Harvest, playing steel and electric guitar. Young and Keith work together like root beer and ice on this set, bringing that country twang to life. As Homegrown was not released for 45 years, several of the songs appeared on other albums along the way as Young continued his prolific spinning of yarns.
For example, the title track is a song that first appeared on American Stars & Bars (1976), and it fits here much better 44 years later. Has it really been that long? Obviously, young never grows old. “Separate Ways” opens the door to Homegrown (2020), and one can easily hear “Old Man” from Harvest, which is fine considering the thread. “Love is a Rose” is a metaphorical gem that made its way onto Young’s greatest hits compilation Decade (1978) but fits much better here.
Spoken-word, “Florida,” brings to mind some of the soliloquies from Tonight’s the Night (1975), minus the pre-grunge rock sound which has been replaced by a tone that sounds like a Tibetan crystal bowl that doesn’t belong. “Kansas” might be the weakest song of the set, leaving me wishing that Neil wasn’t in Kansas anymore. Though recorded in late ‘74/early ’75, it sounds like an outtake from Hawks & Doves (1980) that just doesn’t fit here. Speaking of Hawks & Doves (1980), “Little Wing,” which is the opening track on that album, is next to last on Homegrown and fits there perfectly. Same with “Star of Bethlehem,” which ended up on American Stars & Bars (1976), the same album that gave us the song which gave us the title for Homegrown. Here “Star of Bethlehem” ends the album while “Homegrown” ended American Stars & Bars. How about that?
“Homegrown” on this album sounds truly homegrown, like Crazy Horse snuck into the barn to lay this one down. “We Don’t Smoke It No More” sounds like Dylan’s “Rainy Day Woman #12 & 32” on drugs, making one doubt that someone doesn’t smoke it no more. Enough said. This is the one throwaway on the album. I’d stay in Kansas to hide from this one. Unlike “Kansas,” “White Line,” which eventually made it onto the classic garage rock album Ragged Glory (1990), fits perfectly with the other country songs served up on Homegrown.
The follow-up, “Vacancy,” could have made its way on Ragged Glory as it continues the groove in similar fashion and could have certainly been rocked up on that album. Here, the thread runs through every note, though near the end, I begin to wonder if I wished that there was no vacancy.
All in all, it must be an amazing place to be as an artist to be able to pull an old ball of yarn out of the closet after 45 years and roll it out. Solid songs from the past brought forward into a new light. Overall, the thread works here, though it gets a bit ragged at times. A lot like life.
Richard Meadows | Guitar & Pen
For example, the title track is a song that first appeared on American Stars & Bars (1976), and it fits here much better 44 years later. Has it really been that long? Obviously, young never grows old. “Separate Ways” opens the door to Homegrown (2020), and one can easily hear “Old Man” from Harvest, which is fine considering the thread. “Love is a Rose” is a metaphorical gem that made its way onto Young’s greatest hits compilation Decade (1978) but fits much better here.
Spoken-word, “Florida,” brings to mind some of the soliloquies from Tonight’s the Night (1975), minus the pre-grunge rock sound which has been replaced by a tone that sounds like a Tibetan crystal bowl that doesn’t belong. “Kansas” might be the weakest song of the set, leaving me wishing that Neil wasn’t in Kansas anymore. Though recorded in late ‘74/early ’75, it sounds like an outtake from Hawks & Doves (1980) that just doesn’t fit here. Speaking of Hawks & Doves (1980), “Little Wing,” which is the opening track on that album, is next to last on Homegrown and fits there perfectly. Same with “Star of Bethlehem,” which ended up on American Stars & Bars (1976), the same album that gave us the song which gave us the title for Homegrown. Here “Star of Bethlehem” ends the album while “Homegrown” ended American Stars & Bars. How about that?
“Homegrown” on this album sounds truly homegrown, like Crazy Horse snuck into the barn to lay this one down. “We Don’t Smoke It No More” sounds like Dylan’s “Rainy Day Woman #12 & 32” on drugs, making one doubt that someone doesn’t smoke it no more. Enough said. This is the one throwaway on the album. I’d stay in Kansas to hide from this one. Unlike “Kansas,” “White Line,” which eventually made it onto the classic garage rock album Ragged Glory (1990), fits perfectly with the other country songs served up on Homegrown.
The follow-up, “Vacancy,” could have made its way on Ragged Glory as it continues the groove in similar fashion and could have certainly been rocked up on that album. Here, the thread runs through every note, though near the end, I begin to wonder if I wished that there was no vacancy.
All in all, it must be an amazing place to be as an artist to be able to pull an old ball of yarn out of the closet after 45 years and roll it out. Solid songs from the past brought forward into a new light. Overall, the thread works here, though it gets a bit ragged at times. A lot like life.
Richard Meadows | Guitar & Pen
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