Neil Young CD Review - Americana

First off, just because I don't like Neil Young "enough" - does not mean I don't like him at all.  I just sampled all of the songs from his new CD, Americana.  Most aging artists now are going back in time and unearthing and re-doing old standards and/or going out and playing live concerts of their best albums, in song order.  Peter Gabriel is doing So later this fall.  Van the Man recently did Astral Weeks live.  And Lionel Richie took his songbook to Nashville and re-did his smash hits from the 80's as duets with Shania and Brad et al. for a new hit album.  Don't get me wrong - I am Mr. Nostalgia.  So I like it old.  But Neil reached back way too far with these songs though.  Neil was born in 1945.  From that age group I prefer a Paul Simon.  You may disagree - but from a songwriting perspective, they are on equal footing.  I also would not buy buy Paul McCartney's new CD - Kisses on the Bottom.  The songs:

Get a Job - really?  First done by...the Silhouettes.  Yes, I know that Neil is not trying to give you spot-on cover versions.  He is remaking songs we know - but in his image and likeness.  This classic doo-wop song really should have been left in the fifties.  Sha Na Na does the spot on cover of that.  By the way - Sha Na Na played at Woodstock.  They "opened" for Jimi.  He really hacks up the work chant song Tom Dooley.  From 1929!  You may admit secretly, but not to me, and agree that this one starts out sucking, and does not get much better.  Of course the actual song we know is [Hang Down your Head] Tom Dooley, which was the first song I learned to play on the guitar.  But I give him credit for using the guy's real name - Tom Dula.  The chorus is not necessary.

This Land is My Land would be the purest version on the CD.  His treatment is correct and true to the song.  But he makes it his (theirs - with CH).  A classic - then, and now.  And Gallows Pole - would be Led Zeppelin.   Decent - but does not fit here.  Not sure why he has a beef with the Queen, either.  I won't be buying this CD.  But then again I no longer buy any CD's, so that means nothing.   What I do like is the original Crazy Horse era of Live Rust.  I also prefer C S and N, over Y.  But that's OK - right?