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100

Los Angeles Times

If Bob Dylan has been for years our best guide to exploring the complexities of human experience, Young may be the songwriter who expresses most eloquently the simple ties that bind us all. [18 Sep 2005]

100

Uncut

Deep, warm, fully rounded and with no slack, Prairie Wind is Neil at his best. [Oct 2005, p.101]

Village Voice (Consumer Guide)

For once he makes sure he's understood--a matter in which melodies that might otherwise seem overfamiliar are of great service.

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musicOMH.com

The pedal steel guitar playing on the whole record is breathtaking.

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The Guardian

In the autumn of his career, this is one of Shaky's best.

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Paste Magazine

Quietly brimming with lonesome, countrified folk-rock catharsis. [Dec 2005, p.104]

Q Magazine

Prairie Wind finds Neil Young on fine creative form and all too aware of the limited time he may have left to enjoy it. [Nov 2005, p.118]

Blender

The songs are weirder and darker than their gentle melodies indicate. [Nov 2005, p.141]

Rolling Stone

It's his simplest music in a while, but it's effective.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Lilting instrumentation strengthens even the weakest lines.

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All Music Guide

Despite all of its strengths, neither the recording nor the songs are as memorable or as fully realized as his late-'80s/early-'90s comeback records -- Freedom, Ragged Glory, and Harvest Moon -- let alone his classic '70s work.

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Mojo

Seems largely unable to go far beyond generic musical stylings and rather lifeless, matt[e]-finish reportage. [Nov 2005, p.97]

The New York Times

Mr. Young is pushing toward guilelessness in these 10 songs; these are messages of nearly transcendental forgiveness that have lost their old edges of fear and anger. [26 Sep 2005]

Pitchfork

Young's music is so rooted in the past, specifically the spirit of the 60s, that his stabs at contemporary relevance sound awkward and even curmudgeonly.

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Entertainment Weekly

We've heard it all before, and better. [30 Sep 2005, p.93]

Billboard

Familiar, yes, but not unwelcome. [1 Oct 2005]

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Austin Chronicle

Melodically, Young creates a comfortable, atmospheric lilt his admirers will instantly recognize. Lyrically, however, Young's lost his way.

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Stylus Magazine

Relentlessly benign.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 36 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

john f gave it a9:
Classic Neil Young for today. I enjoyed, and played along with all the songs. Neil's music is easy to follow on a guitar in many ways, as always, but while easy to follow, his genus is impossible to duplicate. I didn't really get the prairie connection until now. I liked the country side of this, and loved the line in the DVD...is there a guitar player in the house... I hope everyone caught the solo at the end.. I found three different keys in which to play this.. I guess I mostly loved this.

Randy W gave it a10:
I don't know if this review will make this board because I didn't buy the CD, I bought the DVD and I would say GREAT. Neil Youngs Prarie Wind is a tender moving tribute to his friends and family and perhaps a portrayal of the sense of gratitude he feels for the way he was brought up and the "down home open air" lifestyle he embraces and this by a man who again has reached a sort of milestone in his life. What inspires or motivates truly great artists is often times hard to pin down. Not so with Prarie Wind or Neil Young as always, for that matter. This is a portrayal of a man who has obviously faced some difficult times recently and in a most unpretentious and graceful manner Neil gives us his very soul in this one. I found it quite refreshing. Its already been established that Youngs songs will stand the test of time, and although we are quite familier with the catalog in this one...and he's sang these songs countless times...his performence feels refreshed and new. I don't think he had to reach very far to sing these songs and make them feel like he had just written them 5 minutes ago.You can sense watching him that he has been touched and is merely sharing what he knows is a gift, his talent, his friends & his life. The stage setup again is simple yet poignent, the prarie...paying homage to his upringing and the often times overlooked simple yet bountiful lay of the land. I think the over 40 crowd will love and embrace this because it's songs and genuine sentiment are easily identifiable. Here is a Neil Young who has matured (again) to another level and openly shares his feelings in a humble tribute. Here is Neil, dare I say...at his VERY best! He has always shown a sense of balance in his lfe, and I for one respect the fact that with the power and influence he could have misused or weilded through out his career, he has stayed true to his values. Skip the CD and purchase the DVD...truly a better portrayal and perspective of the man and his music! Phenomanal even if your only a remote fan. P.S. I purchased the double disc DVD for the bargain price of $5.95. You get way more than your moneys worth on this one folks!

Martin B gave it a2:
I was going to give it a 3, then I decided a 2 was all I could muster. Where do we begin with this one? It sounds like all the songs from "Harvest" that couldn't make the cut. Just because someone is a venerable old artist doesn't mean we lose all sense of taste. In a way, it's an embarrassment. I'm sorry Neil got sick and all with his aneurysm; even better reason for him not to foist this lame-o stuff on anyone. And the guy who said that "aging Boomers are enjoying getting old with Neil" needs to check his hearing aid. I gave this every chance, but the more I listened, the more it was clear what a major misstep it is. If I was like Neil Young—a world-famous songwriter still collecting royalties from truly great stuff—I would be very careful about what I put out. If old rehashed crap is all the guy can produce, he shouldn't have bothered making this CD/video. Hearing it was one thing, but to watch it being "created" was really painful. A total mystery why this was released. What's really funny and mawkish is watching the back-up singers act like what they're doing is performing this really reverent music or something. Ye gods! "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain..."

David B gave it a2:
Am I the only one who thinks anything Neil manages to pull out of his ass and make up a tune for, isn't necessarily art? For someone who once wrote 'it's better to burn out than it is to rust', old Neil has sure spent a long time rusting. He seems almost completely oxidized. Jeez, he doesn't even attempt to rhyme the lines or even get the meter of his verses to fit the music. I am a long time Neil fan but this album is just a bunch of whiny geezer guff. Can you tell I was disappointed?

Jason D gave it a3:
After all of the breathless reveiws, I couldn't wait to hear Prairie Wind. What a letdown. It's like he wasn't even trying when writing these lyrics, rather just scribbling simplistic thoughts and singing them. For mellow, thoughtful Neil, best to get Silver and Gold and forget this one ever came out.

dannyb gave it an8:
This is solid. If you like accoustic Neil Young, I'd suggest it.

M N gave it a9:
Love it!

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