OK so I’m going to be totally honest here, I didn’t know that Neil Young was still around as an established singer. He began his solo career in the late ’60s and apparently has not stopped writing, recording and performing since. His newest album, Prairie Wind, marks his fourth decade as a performing artist and renews the soul found in his most popular albums such as Harvest Moon.
Prairie Wind is a little darker and more mature as the songs tell of Young’s journey through life with tracks reflecting his memories, dreams and the passing of time, while acting as a final goodbye to family and friends. The album has a ’70s country-rock sound yet makes references to 9/11 and Chris Rock, thus bringing it into the present day and age. The album includes contributions from Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns, Spooner Oldham’s church keyboards, Ben Keith’s steel guitar and a gospel choir which all add to its great depth and range. Essentially, Prairie Wind plays like a culmination of all the chapters in Young’s life.
Archived article by Megan Altman
Sun Staff Writer