996 - Neil Young 'Freedom' (1989)

My Rating: 2.08 out of 5

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: X

Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums: X

The Mojo Collection: X

Chart Peak (UK/US): 17/35

Favourite Tracks: No More, Don't Cry
Least-Favourite Track: On Broadway

This was the first time I had heard this album & my initial reaction was a little apathetic. It's OK, but it's not the masterpiece that I'd anticipated after reading several reverential critical reviews. Seeing as it's languishing near the tail-end of the all-time top 1000 (and waaaay below Britney Spears who, as we have established elsewhere, is the barometer for measuring the greatness of all recordings) I can assume that most people are of the same opinion. Although there is a drugs theme running throughout, I found that the album sounded a little disjointed. Yes I know that I also complain when albums sound samey, but this just sounds a bit too much like a compilation to me. Some of the tracks would not have been out of place on his melodic 70s releases, while others reminded me more of mid-80s Dire Straits. The mad guitar break on Don't Cry had more in common with 'The The' than any soft rockers though & I quite liked the unpredictability & raw aggression of that. The songs have a strong political element - I can imagine the matches being held aloft for Rockin' In The Free World & while I like the storytelling style, I do feel the lyrics lack a certain depth & emotion.