Living With War
by Neil Young
  • Record Label: Reprise
  • Release Date: May 9, 2006
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 53 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 53
  3. Negative: 4 out of 53

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  1. WilliamK
    May 10, 2006
    10
    With all the crap coming out for the DS this game is the best for the DS.
  2. FrankD
    May 7, 2006
    10
    A powerful musical statement.
  3. StehphenB
    May 8, 2006
    10
    This CD constitutes a raw and powerful collection of hyper-political tunes. This is what we have come to expect from Neil Young and then some. My respect for him just went up several notches. His lyrics are embarrassingly blunt. There are so audio clips from W himself that Neil responds to in place. I love the raspy fuzz-tone guitar, reminiscent of his early solo albums. I preordered this This CD constitutes a raw and powerful collection of hyper-political tunes. This is what we have come to expect from Neil Young and then some. My respect for him just went up several notches. His lyrics are embarrassingly blunt. There are so audio clips from W himself that Neil responds to in place. I love the raspy fuzz-tone guitar, reminiscent of his early solo albums. I preordered this music because of it being reported as uniquely political. In fact it is indescribably so. I love it. I strongly recommend this CD for what it is; a hyper-political statement. Mind boggling.… Expand
  4. therubyworldtherubyworld
    May 10, 2006
    10
    so latee in his career ny has produced the best ny record in many years and one that will be talked about for a lot longer than many of his others. the fool that gave this one '0' is just giving away his political allegiances. this album is full of great tunes and emotional music.
  5. RodrigoP
    May 24, 2006
    10
    A slap on the face, and i liked it... wish all these classy bands of today could have half of this power... Thank you, Mr. Young!!
  6. BobM
    May 3, 2006
    10
    Outstanding and rocking album. Important message.
  7. RobertR
    May 5, 2006
    10
    A ragged manifesto from the Thomas Paine of our era. Many of the knee jerk, ill informed, lazy chair patriots willl brand this album as a hysterical screech from the liberal left. Don't be fooled, Neil Young has, through this work, defined what it means to be a true patriot: passionate, questioning, involved, and willing to stand up when others sit. Well done.
  8. F.C.
    May 6, 2006
    10
    Musically alone, this is a minor Neil Young classic. Six of the ten songs are superb, melodic, pleasantly ragged gems. Best songs: "After the Garden" and "Flags of Freedom." For Neil Young fans this isn't to be missed, and I say that as someone who has been indifferent to most of what he's done since Ragged Glory. Politically, I guess if you're one of the thirty-three Musically alone, this is a minor Neil Young classic. Six of the ten songs are superb, melodic, pleasantly ragged gems. Best songs: "After the Garden" and "Flags of Freedom." For Neil Young fans this isn't to be missed, and I say that as someone who has been indifferent to most of what he's done since Ragged Glory. Politically, I guess if you're one of the thirty-three percent of Americans who think the Bush administration is doing a fine job, you may not like this. Even those people might be surprised, however. There's a lot of respect on this record for soldiers and their families.… Expand
  9. JohnB
    May 6, 2006
    10
    Neil has probably written 200 songs better than what you hear on this disc, but none more vital and important.
  10. RogerS
    May 6, 2006
    10
    Thank you Neil for speaking up. Fuck The War. Check out neilyoung.com now and hear it for yourself. Flags of Freedom, Shock and Awe were my favourites. Mobilize to stop the war now.
  11. JuanaE
    May 6, 2006
    10
    Explosive! Indignant!! Awesome!!!
  12. GBurgess
    May 9, 2006
    10
    Love it! Toe-tapping dirty guitar work and conviction of the record is very refreshing. The singers really add to the songs. Love when Neil does things like this. His best in maybe 10 years.
  13. MarcyK
    May 13, 2006
    10
    It rocks wth passion and truth.
  14. smithsgirl
    May 13, 2006
    10
    And what an album! A well deserved 10 rating. I've only known of Neil Young for a couple of weeks, and that was through the Mirror Ball album with Pearl Jam. I'm not American, and have only a basic grasp of Bush's politics. But I understand the nuance and emotional involvement of every song. When Young's voice sounds cracked and raw, the poignancy and urgency of the And what an album! A well deserved 10 rating. I've only known of Neil Young for a couple of weeks, and that was through the Mirror Ball album with Pearl Jam. I'm not American, and have only a basic grasp of Bush's politics. But I understand the nuance and emotional involvement of every song. When Young's voice sounds cracked and raw, the poignancy and urgency of the messages are even more enhanced. A wonderful protest album, likely to be current for years to come. The music is also sublime; dirty fuzzy guitars, adding to the mix. This is not just an album for Young fans; it's a great rocker! Try it out!!!… Expand
  15. [Anonymous]
    Jun 16, 2006
    10
    neil young raw at his best. furious and political. it doesn't get any better than this.
  16. JohannaP
    Dec 23, 2006
    10
    a compelling and beautiful complete work for a world that needs to find peace inside and outside the heart beat.
  17. MattD.
    Jul 11, 2006
    10
    What a great CD for the times! It was a nice touch to add 60s-style lo-fi production. It accentuates the protest feel. Favorite song: "Let's Impeach The President," with President Bush's flip-flop statements in the background. The CD also gives a human side to the soldiers fighting in Iraq - the left cares about the soldiers a lot.
  18. JohnF
    May 8, 2006
    9
    Immediacy makes for a really good album: energy, depth, poignancy. It seems the urgency of making this quicky allowed Young to sweep away some of the accumulated cobwebs and get back to what he does really well.
  19. FoxyladyDee
    Aug 7, 2006
    9
    A most welcome blistering attack and righteous indignation at Bush and his cronies. Let's Impeach The President is worth the price of the album alone!!!!!!!!!
  20. RabR
    May 19, 2006
    9
    Brilliant anti-war album from Neil Young who doesn
  21. TimD
    May 15, 2006
    9
    Impassioned, emotional, urgent, with moments of real beauty.
  22. MatthewW
    May 16, 2006
    9
    No, it's not a 10, but it's an easy 9, and its easily Neil's best since Sleeps with Angels. Great melodies, lots of passion, and excellent performances. Roger and Out is the only song that sounds underwritten. Not much to dislike about this baby.
  23. db
    May 19, 2006
    9
    This is Neil Young doing what he does best. Off-the-cuff free thought on the bull-sh*t of the day. It's a shame Neil has such a willing muse in the current admin. Living With War is destined to be a testament to vigilance and the need for expression. Cathartic, truly vital yet again.
  24. MarkA.
    May 28, 2006
    9
    Thanks, Neil. I knew you would see the light.
  25. larryh
    May 6, 2006
    9
    Right from the start, relentless. Loved the backing choir, added kind of a spiiritual weight. It's amazing it took so long for someone to make an album like this, so defiant and honest. A few others (bright eyes, green day, springsteen) have had their moments standing up against the current state of our governing madness, but nothing like this. A lot of the songs on this album have a Right from the start, relentless. Loved the backing choir, added kind of a spiiritual weight. It's amazing it took so long for someone to make an album like this, so defiant and honest. A few others (bright eyes, green day, springsteen) have had their moments standing up against the current state of our governing madness, but nothing like this. A lot of the songs on this album have a very melodic, sing-a-long quality which sticks in your head for days. Definitely his best album since ragged glory.… Expand
  26. BenedictA.
    Jul 17, 2007
    9
    I think its amazing how Neil Young has stayed in touch and is still releasing songs that exemplify his rock and roll attitude.
  27. JimH
    May 13, 2006
    8
    Tuneful, yes. Thoughtful? Mmmmmaybe. The album is really an anti-Bush argument culminating in "Let's Impeach the President." The most sensible track is the next one after that, "Lookin' for a Leader": NY is right to say that this is the real problem with America but wrong to spend only one song on a worthwhile complaint.
  28. BrianK
    May 17, 2006
    8
    Nowhere near as good nor as hard-rockin' badA as Ragged Glory. But nice to hear Neil go all out, not give a crap about what anyone says and speak his mind on an album that rocks more than anything I have heard in a long time. Mind you, his Crazy Horse material never has been that spectacular due to band members that weren't that talented to begin with, except for Neil's Nowhere near as good nor as hard-rockin' badA as Ragged Glory. But nice to hear Neil go all out, not give a crap about what anyone says and speak his mind on an album that rocks more than anything I have heard in a long time. Mind you, his Crazy Horse material never has been that spectacular due to band members that weren't that talented to begin with, except for Neil's unique style of course. His best Crazy Horse band played "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World" on Saturday Night Live in the late 80s/early 90s. But then broke up after that ONE performance nNever to record or play live again. Neil, for God's sakes, get THAT band back together.… Expand
  29. Mr.Rabid
    Jun 29, 2006
    8
    this album is for americans, but i still really enjoyed it . its great to hear artists more interested in songs than production values - you can't polish turds
  30. GZoST
    May 16, 2006
    8
    Musically, this is his best since "Ragged Glory", and the roughness and directness in the lyrics mostly make up for some over-simplicity there. Let's hope that "Let's impeach the president" is played up and down the country so people wake up.
  31. MikeG.
    Jun 6, 2006
    7
    It's solid but nowhere near the blistering rock anthems of Young's heyday. The problem comes to a large degree in the message - gone is the anti-authority message of the late 60s, replaced by a weird "let's trust authority, just not the jerks in power." It's enjoyable, and some of the songs are strong, but others just lack the fire and intensity of Young's older stuff.
  32. SOBrien
    May 9, 2006
    7
    Everyone is giving it these 10's because of the lyrics and the anti-war messages and such.. ok I can live with that... but I give it a couple notches lower because the music itself is not worthy of a 10 and it's only 10 tracks. The first point of the music is not bashing Neil Young by any means, I'm just saying its not the perfect album musically. The 10 tracks thing is a Everyone is giving it these 10's because of the lyrics and the anti-war messages and such.. ok I can live with that... but I give it a couple notches lower because the music itself is not worthy of a 10 and it's only 10 tracks. The first point of the music is not bashing Neil Young by any means, I'm just saying its not the perfect album musically. The 10 tracks thing is a bad thing, because if you're shelling out the cash for the album you might want more tracks, but maybe it's also a good thing because as you listen to the album beginning to end, you grow a bit tired of hearing over and over about another dead soldier and such.… Expand
  33. IlliniQ
    Aug 21, 2006
    7
    Full of lyrical intent and energy, but musically feels like such a rush job rehash of better/older works. Think Ragged Glory without the electric jams that made that album Young's best since the 70s, if not in his entire solo career.
  34. josh
    May 14, 2006
    6
    average neil young tunes. there's no poetry here like on other anti-war neil ballads such as 'powderfinger'. he takes many shots at bush but ultimately offers no hope (maybe obama? maybe COLIN POWELL? even if that is tounge and cheek, c'mon, neil...) he even says in one track something to the effect of "we were lied into this war and now we're just stuck here." average neil young tunes. there's no poetry here like on other anti-war neil ballads such as 'powderfinger'. he takes many shots at bush but ultimately offers no hope (maybe obama? maybe COLIN POWELL? even if that is tounge and cheek, c'mon, neil...) he even says in one track something to the effect of "we were lied into this war and now we're just stuck here." well, screw that. look for the upcomming album from michael franti and spearhead to at least have the balls to call for us to bring the troops back home NOW. i find this to be a bunch of uninspired (lyricly), half hearted (musically), empty shots at the president (an easy target).… Expand
  35. ImanL
    May 26, 2006
    4
    Neil Young is a groovey old man but love Bush or hate him, he deserves better protests songs then these half-baked anthems. I mean, "Ohio" it aint..
  36. Quaid
    May 6, 2006
    0
    The songs in my opinion were very bland. But hey, we all have our opinions. Hope you enjoy it, but I'll stick to his previous albums which were very good. That's kind of obvious. :)

Awards & Rankings

85
#85 Most Discussed Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. The New York Times
    70
    "Living With War" -- irate, passionate, tuneful, thoughtful and obstinate -- is definitely worth a click.
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  2. Pitchfork
    76
    Living With War's short gestation benefits Young's performance, inspiring him to make his loudest, rawest release of new material since at least Ragged Glory, maybe even Rust Never Sleeps.
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  3. Tiny Mix Tapes
    90
    Living With War is instantly the most incisive and penetrating album that Young has released in years, and it is arguably the most vital of his career.
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