rushgoober Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 This just might be the first "new" album I'll have bought in a couple of years: Neil Young: 'Let's Impeach the President' Rocker records protest album, 'Living with War' Tuesday, April 18, 2006; Posted: 8:42 a.m. EDT (12:42 GMT) LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Veteran rocker Neil Young has recorded a protest album featuring an anti-Iraq war track with "a holy vow to never kill again" and a song titled "Let's Impeach the President," the singer said on Monday. The 10-track set, called "Living with War," was recorded this month by a "power trio" -- electric guitar, bass and drums -- plus trumpet and a 100-member choir, the 60-year-old Canadian-born musician announced on his Web site. (Watch how many angry artists are putting their melody where their mouth is -- 4:09) Young's longtime manager, Elliot Roberts, told Reuters the album, which has been the subject of Internet buzz for several days, will be played for executives at his label, Warner Music Group's Reprise Records, on Tuesday. Reprise spokesman Bill Bentley said Young's latest effort, which he spent about three days recording, came as a surprise. "We didn't know he was making a record," Bentley said. Young is the latest in a string of recording stars to take musical aim at U.S. President George W. Bush and his conduct of the war in the Iraq. Others have included Steve Earle, Willie Nelson and the Rolling Stones. In a message crawl along the bottom of his Web site, www.neilyoung.com, Young drew parallels to two of the leading protest singers of the 1960s, saying of his new record: "I think it is a metal version of Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan ... metal folk protest?" The crawl goes on to reveal the lyrics of the album's title track, with such lines as: "I raise my hand in peace ... I never bow to the laws of the thought police ... I take a holy vow ... to never kill again ... "In the big hotels ... in the mosques and the doors of the old museum ... I take a holy vow ... to never kill again." Roberts confirmed that a separate song on the album is titled "Let's Impeach the President." According to some online reports, that song accuses Bush of "lying" and features a rap with the president's voice set against a choir singing "flip-flop." Young's latest offering comes just seven months after the release of his last album, "Prairie Wind," which has sold about 450,000 U.S. copies as of last week, according to sales tracking service Nielsen SoundScan. Music from that album was featured in the recent concert film "Neil Young: Heart of Gold," directed by Jonathan Demme. "Living with War" appears to bring Young full circle from a more pro-Bush administration stance he took in the months following the September 11 attacks. Not long after recording the song "Let's Roll," a tribute to passengers who apparently fought back against hijackers on doomed United Airlines Flight 93 over Pennsylvania, Young came out publicly in support of the U.S. Patriot Act. The legislation, which gave law enforcement authorities broad new powers aimed at bolstering the administration's war on terror, was harshly criticized by some as threatening civil liberties. "Living with War" is hardly the first work by Young to take on the political establishment. As part of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, in 1970, Young wrote and recorded the song "Ohio," about the four Kent State University students killed by National Guard troops during an anti-Vietnam war rally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestand Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 I saw this thread name, and thought you were talking about Prairie Wind (which is excellent). This sounds cool too. Let's hope no one gets political in this thread though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuppetKing2112 Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Neil always puts out quality music. This should be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 QUOTE (PuppetKing2112 @ Apr 18 2006, 05:55 PM) Neil always puts out quality music. This should be good. I haven't paid attention to his music in decades (though I love his 60's and early 70's stuff), but this one you can be sure I'll pay close attnetion to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskee Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Intresting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearingsky Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 The idea of an anti-war protest album from Mr.Young doesn't really thrill me...but it doesn't dissuade me either.There hasn't been much from this prolific artist that has slipped past me.While I found Prairie Wind to be a very enjoyable listen,2003s' Greendale is an outstanding piece of work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barchetta90480 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 QUOTE (clearingsky @ Apr 20 2006, 04:27 AM) 2003s' Greendale is an outstanding piece of work. Definitely! I totally agree with you here! His best work since Ragged Glory in the early Nineties. Actually, I prefer him playing with Crazy Horse to his solo efforts. There isn't a band that produces such a burst of raw energy together with thrilling harmonies. Romantic berserks, in a way. Looking forward to his new CD, although I doubt that there will be a second "Cortez the Killer" or "Crime In The City" on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted April 24, 2006 Author Share Posted April 24, 2006 From this website: http://livingwithwar.blogspot.com/ Living With War will stream on NeilYoung.com beginning Fri, Apr. 28th. The album will be available at digital retailers beginning May 2nd. CDs will be available in stores early May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowdog Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 This thread could easily move into the "Sense O'Clock News" forum if the discussion strays too far from Neil's music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestand Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 QUOTE (Snowdog @ Apr 24 2006, 05:56 PM) This thread could easily move into the "Sense O'Clock News" forum if the discussion strays too far from Neil's music. Thats why there is a thread about this album in Sense. Hopefully this one will stay musical, that one will stay idiotic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearingsky Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 One of the attractants of Youngs' music for me is the impression that it doesn't have to be perfect.Miss a note,that's OK it sounds good anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumnut Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuppetKing2112 Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Those lyrics are actually pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted April 27, 2006 Author Share Posted April 27, 2006 QUOTE (PuppetKing2112 @ Apr 26 2006, 06:20 PM) Those lyrics are actually pretty good. Agreed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheamer Dreamer Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 i love Neil Young, but i'm not impressed with the armchair quarterbacking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Baby Dragon Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 If it sounds good, I'll buy it. But honestly, stuff like this is getting old now. It's amazing that someone awesome who used to be in Buffalo Springfield (as well as having a good solo career) has to release an album like this. It comes across as nothing more than trying to cause controversy. He's going as low as Marilyn Manson and Green Day in my opinion- relying on being offensive and causing dissent more than on musical talent. (Hopefully his talent will balance this album out.) Come on, Neil, you can do better than lyrics like "Let's Impeach The President." War protest songs don't have to be generic. "For What It's Worth" is a good example. I just hope Young's musical abilities will be able to supersede the apparently stereotypical lyrics. If so, I'll definitely buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuppetKing2112 Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 QUOTE (Blue Baby Dragon @ Apr 27 2006, 05:33 AM) He's going as low as Marilyn Manson and Green Day in my opinion- relying on being offensive and causing dissent more than on musical talent. (Hopefully his talent will balance this album out.) Thing is, though, that people like Marilyn Manson HAVE no musical talent. This is Neil Young we're talking about here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted April 27, 2006 Author Share Posted April 27, 2006 QUOTE (Blue Baby Dragon @ Apr 27 2006, 05:33 AM) Come on, Neil, you can do better than lyrics like "Let's Impeach The President." War protest songs don't have to be generic. "For What It's Worth" is a good example. I think he's going out of his way to be very direct so there is no ambiguity in his meaning. Maybe it's a little obvious, but it sure gets the point across, and obviously he feels the point needs to be made loudly. Many, many would agree... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted April 28, 2006 Author Share Posted April 28, 2006 You can now listen to the entire album online here: http://www.hyfntrak.com/neilyoung2/AFF23082/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearingsky Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 Whatever happened with "Let's Roll"? A news blip that Young had recorded it and then nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuppetKing2112 Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 QUOTE (clearingsky @ May 5 2006, 05:44 PM) Whatever happened with "Let's Roll"? A news blip that Young had recorded it and then nothing It was on his 2002 album "Are You Passionate," which was pretty terrible for the most part. One of his worst albums ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestand Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 The new album... not bad, but not amazing. But I did just learn that CSN&Y are coming to SPAC. Hell yesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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