Monday, July 22, 2019
Wrong Turn At Albuquerque
Please enjoy...or not..."Sunny Inside," from Neil Young's "This Note's For You." I've held onto this album for 30 years just for "Can't Believe You're Lyin'," which I felt like hearing yesterday, so I put on all of Side Two. About 30 seconds into "Sunny Inside," I had to confirm what album I was listening to. I didn't remember anything about this song.
I cant decide if this is a terrific attempt at Wilson Pickett, or if it's a laughable waste of time. First listen caught me off guard and I enjoyed the hell out of it. I had to listen again. I couldn't believe my ears. Then, when I started writing this post, I listened again, and I heard it differently. Both Neil and the band sound as if they had been told what soul music sounded like and could they try to recreate it.
This reminded me of Bowie's "Young Americans." I have only recently warmed to YA, an album that for years sat at the very bottom of my Bowie list. But since his death, I've come to appreciate it more, even though it still sounds like an audio version of bad photoshopping.
What do you think of the Neil track? And, are there other songs or albums where a major artist took a wrong turn at Albuquerque and either succeeded or failed?
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10 comments:
"Wrong Turn At Albuquerque", sorry to divert the thread, but this would make a good discussion.
Very often we hear you talk about some album or song that you gave up on the first time you heard it years ago, that today makes your head explode. You wonder aloud, what was I thinking? This song/album is a masterpiece.
A good post would be talking about the others. Those in which you thought were the greatest since sliced bread, but now makes you ask the same question, what was I thinking? This shit sucks.
As to your original question, musically, I like this piece. It does sound like he is trying to sound like something other than standard Neil fare. I heard a few different songs in my head while listening, but couldn't exactly pinpoint them. Though, Neil's voice is a little out of place. I different vocalist would have made this more 'authentic' (for lack of a better word). I'm glad he didn't add his patented one note solo, and left it to the horns to add that spice.
I like Neil's left turns. Because he does them so unexpectedly, I'm willing to go along for the ride. It's like a roller coaster. You never know what's coming around the bend next so you best hang on.
Problem is, you keep making wrong turns and you'll eventually be lost. That's my problem with Neil. Not the unexpected surprises, but how many for so long.
What I love about this thread is that Neil's "Albuquerque" is a great song! :) Veering into the reeds, I'm making a four-decade look-back - is it possible that U2's "The Joshua Tree" while not a "wrong turn," was definitely a "left turn." Based on their output before and since "Rattle and Hum," maybe the band's biggest and arguably best record was an experiment?
Paul
For the most part, I enjoyed Neil's twists nd turns in the 80s. I think he wasn't just goofing off, but trying to find something (and to move away from something). I felt that This Note's For You was one of his better genre experiments. The ballads were all pretty good, and the horns brought something new to his sound. And it paved the way for Freedom and his resurgence in the 90s. One of the fun things about being a Neil Young fan during this period is that each tour was something different--50s Neil, country Neil, Crazy Horse Neil, Blues Neil. A lot of great shows.
So, I vote yes on the Blue Notes.
I remember liking a lot of that album, it holds together pretty well. 'Can't Believe Your Lying' is a standout, agreed. Remember seeing this show in Philly back in the day, Neil really seemed to be enjoying the trip.
OK, now put on 'People on the Street' from Landing on Water. That whole record needs some reconsideration.
As for the question, Dylan leaps to mind, a career full of more twists and turns than my lower intestine. "New Morning" f'rinstance is a really odd and wonderful record - where the hell it came from, who knows?
Nashville Skyline is the first left turn i remember from a major artist. Was a shade too young to get JWH but dug GH in a big way.
Bought NS with my own pennies from a paper route at Korvettes. City boy not very familiar with country music. Am now and looking forward to proposed Boot series next installment
I honestly love this! I had no idea Neil ever attempted something like this. It's clearly not his best work, but I love it.
"Nashville Skyline" is a good pick. And I saw U2 mentioned above but I would argue that "Pop" was the left turn in their career. And a bad turn at that. R.E.M's "Monster" was a weird turn after "Out of Time" and "Automatic For the People" made them the biggest band in the world, although you could say it was sort of a throwback to their earlier days.
My real pick is Sinatra's "Past, Present and Future" trilogy album. "Past" makes sense- Sinatra doing standards.
"Present" was sometimes misguided ("Song Sung Blue") but occasionally triumphant ("New York, New York")
Future, however, is an odd record and has to be heard to be believed.
I'd read about this album, but until now never heard anything from it. Starts out strong but shortly reveals it is only half a song.
That's pretty damn good! Get a real soul man on vocals, and you'd never know it was a Neil song. I never cared for Young Americans or Bowie's soul man persona.
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