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80
American Music Club Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Prairie Wind
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The veteran rocker's first release since recovering from a brain aneurysm includes contributions from Emmylou Harris and Spooner Oldham.
| LABEL: | Reprise |
| RELEASE DATE: | 27 September 2005 |
| DISCS: | 1 disc |
| GENRE(S): | Rock |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The average user rating for this album is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 35 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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!
Greg D gave it a10:
Difficult to understand how anyone can listen to this album and not be moved. Many artists try to capture genuine emotion through simplicity, but Neil Young is surely the master - "Prairie Wind" is to the sense of loss what "On The Beach" is to that of despair. Ranks amongst the finest of a legend's albums.
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