Neil Young, “Live At Massey Hall 1971”
ROCK|Reprise, released March 13
It would have been excellent to be in Toronto on Jan. 19, 1971, for this legendary solo acoustic show. But as most of us weren’t, we can be content that Young is finally releasing his archives to the public – with the help and support of his label and producers, including David Briggs, on this outing.
“This is the album that should have come out between ‘After the Gold Rush’ and ‘Harvest,’ ” Young has written. Instead he made us wait 36 years, but it was worth it as the 17 songs here are elegant and intimate – and brief, which is important to note, given his last bootleg release, “Live at the Fillmore East,” included only six songs. The songs were long and lush, with the late Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten leading the way. It made for an intoxicating record.
This record is every bit as addictive, although it’s a more thoughtful and less rocking Young in the house. Especially stunning is the “A Man Needs A Maid/Heart of Gold” suite and “Old Man,” played with a tenderness only Young can reach. This disc catches Young, a native Canadian, playing in front of a particularly receptive audience, singing with an endearing clarity. While it’s tough to imagine future live releases topping these two, who knows what else awaits in Young’s expansive archives? |Ricardo Baca
Low, “Drums and Guns”
INDIE ROCK|Sub Pop, released today
It’s rare that a respected band transcends lineup changes, mental breakdowns and addictions to continue crafting excellent music. It’s another thing entirely when that band is Low, the singular Duluth, Minn., slowcore trio that redefined what it means to be patient while listening to rock music.
On the Iraq War-inspired “Drums and Guns,” producer David Fridmann (Flaming Lips) grafts Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker’s haunted harmonies onto new bassist Matt Livingston’s spare, thumping underpinnings. Looped vocals, ragged percussion and an overall sense of dread pervades each song, from the pill-referencing “Dragonfly” to the funereal “Dust on the Window,” one of Parker’s best vocal performances.
Portions of the album may come off as a reaction to Radiohead’s artistic makeover, which found them similarly dismantling their rock setup for computer-assisted songwriting. But “Drums and Guns” proves Low’s credentials are in no danger of being questioned by anyone listening closely enough.
|John Wenzel
Andrew Bird, “Armchair Apocrypha”
INDIE ROCK|Fat Possum, released today
If you’re a violin-wielding indie rocker with a Squirrel Nut Zippers past and a penchant for whistling, it would be easy to get pigeonholed.
And Andrew Bird seems OK with that. His hole – err, niche – is more about elegant storytelling than kitschy canoodling. This sophomore solo record is a step forward from his smart debut, not that it’s more complex. It’s fully realized this time, a quiet and gorgeous companion piece to his first CD.
“I dreamed you were a cosmonaut/of the space between our chairs/And I was a cartographer/of the tangles in your hair,” he sings in the dynamic, down-tempo “Armchairs.” It’s that kind of attention to detail – along with some strong pop melodies and interesting atmospheric noises – that sets Bird apart from the rest of the flock.
|Ricardo Baca
Other releases today: LCD Soundsystem, “Sound of Silver” (DFA) James Murphy, the man that taught hipsters to dance again, returns with another self-conscious mix of indie dance-punk and electronica.
Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, “Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby” (Sony Legacy) The bluegrass multi-instrumentalist and pianist combine for an underwhelming handful of traditional numbers and bluegrass-tinged originals.
