Neil Young - Living With War
by Anthony Strutt
published: 18 / 5 / 2006

Label:
Select Label
Format: CD
intro
Anthemic and heartfelt powerful new album of anti war, anti Bush numbers from Neil Young, which recalls his work with Crazy Horse
Less than six months since his last album, Neil Young returns with an album of anti Bush, anti war numbers. While it didn't blow me away on first listening, it is an album of depth that improves with more listening especially when you turn up the volume. The opening track 'After the Garden' finds Neil on familiar territory, with guitars roaring from the amps, drums being hit hard, while his vocal is crystal clear and very loud. This is an anthem and the message is very anti war. 'Living With War' begins sounding like a gospel tune, before the loud guitars and drums kick in and become dominant. 'The Restless Consumer' has an old school Crazy Horse feel. Neil's vocal is backed by a choir and is matched with a hard rock based track. 'Shock and Awe'is another hard rock number. It runs at 1,000 miles an hour and is heads down rock, with its guitars at full blast. Neil's guitar sounds very sweet while it is assisted by trumpets that sound almost Mexican in taste. 'Families' is a grunge number, which again finds Neil backed by a choir and is a song about wanting to be back home instead of fighting for your country in a foreign land. 'Flags of Freedom' is a work song, a heads down rocker and a family based number. It again features the choir and has some cool harmonica. 'Let's Impeach the President' again has the choir and features Bush samples set against a hard beat. 'Looking for a Leader', is a crazy style rocker, with feedbacking-sounding dirty guitars feedbacking, while 'Roger and Out' is a massive-sounding number that is slow in its pace and with a soft harmony to it. It ends with 'America the Beautiful', which is another choir based number and sounds like Christmas. It is totally heartfelt, just like Neil and the rest of this fantastic album.
Track Listing:-
1 After The Garden2 Living With War
3 The Restless Consumer
4 Shock And Awe
5 Families
6 Flags Of Freedom
7 Let's Impeach The President
8 Lookin' For A Leader
9 Roger And Out
10 America The Beautiful
11 Digital Booklet: Living with War
features |
G-Geffen Vs Young (2012) |
![]() |
Andy Cassidy, in his 'A-C's A-Z of Music', examines the 80's lawsuit between record company boss David Geffen and Neil Young, which ensued after Young released a set of experimental albums |
Greatest Hits (2004) |
reviews |
Le Noise (2010) |
![]() |
Classic Daniel Lanois-produced latest album from Neil Young, in which he appears totally unaccompanied |
Fork in the Road (2009) |
Sugar Mountain : Live at Canterbury House (2009) |
Chrome Dreams 2 (2007) |
Live at Massey Hall 1971 (2007) |
Prairie Wind (2006) |
most viewed articles
current edition
Pennyblackmusic - Writers and Photographers' Albums of the Year 2024Peter Perrett - In Dreams Begin Responsibilities Interview Part One
Man From Delmonte - Interview
Clive Langer - Interview
Pennyblackmusic - Book of the Year Award 2024
Johnnie Johnstone - Interview
Marianne Faithfull - Reflections
Laura Nyro - Profile
Johny Brown - Corpse Flower
Vinyl Stories - Vinyl 2024
most viewed reviews
current edition
Dorie Jackson - Stupid Says RunRingo Starr - Look Up
Beabadoobee - This is How The World Moves
Pixie Lott - Encino
Dusty Springfield - The BBC Sessions
Unthanks - In Winter
Joan Armatrading - How Did This Happen and What Does It Mean?
Rosie Lowe - Lover, Other
Oïmiakon - Comptoir Des Vanites
Emily Burns - Die Happy
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart