Neil Young
Have you ever seen an adolescent pretending to pay attention to an adult's advice, then walk away, snickering, as if he is putting something over on the old geezer? That's the impression Young gave on his previous album of primitive rock, Everybody's Rockin', and that's the clear impression he gives on this LP of basic country tunes. Such stalwarts as Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings showed up for duets, and it would seem none of them would be party to a country put-down, yet that is exactly what this LP often seems to be. Young sounds as if he is trying to do the all-time twang, exaggerating his way through The Wayward Wind (the old Gogi Grant pop hit). He might as well be holding up a sign: "I'm just joking: I'm not a real hick." The only song that is performed with any conviction is My Boy, a paternal pride tune Young wrote (he has two sons). Otherwise, this is one of the most spurious, condescending albums in recent memory. (Warner Bros.)
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