Now, don't get me wrong. I loves me my Neil Young. I even liked (loved!) Greendale and all those albums that everybody hates... (much like my non-distain for Dylan's "bad" albums, especially the Christian ones). But when I heard that Neil & The Horse were doing an album of standards called Americana, and that the first single was "Oh Susannah", as in "I come from Alabamie, with a Banjo on mah knee...", i did more than roll my eyes. i assumed it would be horrible. i pictured neil young at his croakiest, singing the song faithfully in his corniest voice, to the overall discomfort of everyone involved. In other words, everybody knew this was no where. But the inclusion of "and Crazy Horse" should have been the tip off for me. This was no cornyball collection of stale versions of Americana standards, it was Neil and Crazy Horse tearin shit apart and (maybe) putting it back together again.... it is a total Deconstruction of the song you learned 'round the campfire as a kid (or whatever).
By the way, hats off (again) to Neil and his wife Pegi for all the good work they do with The Bridge School in expanding educational opportunities for disabled kids.
And Neil, sorry I ever doubted that this album would be cool.
of course it would be.
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