Neil Young has done it all. He’s written a memoir, built a car, invented a new musical service and has produced countless studio albums and concert films. He’s played the folk singer-songwriter, hippie, rocker, superstar, robot-lover, and protestor and is the undisputed Godfather of Grunge. Earlier this year he teamed up with longtime collaborators, Crazy Horse to produce the covers album, Americana (their first in nine years). These sessions proved so fruitful that the collective would go on to produce another new record, this time of all-original material.

There may not be much left for this near 67-year old to do and yet, what makes Psychedelic Pill such an easy one to swallow is that after five decades in the biz he still continues to entertain and challenge his fans. The latest offering manages to achieve all this and more and is a double album containing just nine songs (and one of these is an alternate mix of the title track).

Opener, “Driftin’ Back” is one of the longest songs on this collection, taking up 27.5 minutes it’s a big, sprawling number where the guitars rumble and drone. It plays out like a drug haze (a curious feat as Young says he was not under the influence of anything illicit, despite the title suggesting otherwise). The experience is punctuated by grungy fuzz that dips and curves, maintaining your interest despite the long runtime and it even contains the killer, wry line: “Gonna get a hip-hop haircut”.

It is unsurprising that this album was born out of some extended jam sessions between Shakey and Crazy Horse. These “songs” often play out like unpolished jams and gems that crackle and pop with white heat, a raw/grungy sound and le noise in the key of walls of guitars. The set is an energetic one, which at times is also repetitive and could’ve been tightened at points. But it is still stunning as it celebrates life, old age and Young’s influences all through interesting sonic landscapes that will induce their own drug-like trance or ten.

The title track is a more immediate number that thunders like a Young anthem while “Ramada Inn” boasts the kind of distortion we all know and love from classics such as “Like A Hurricane”. For my money, this one is also a tad reminiscent of The Small Faces’ “Tin Soldier” as it roars like a tiger. In this the lyrics are also much calmer when compared with “Born In Ontario”, as the latter sees Young’s autobiography entwined with his infamous grumpiness and inner rage.

The second disc opens with “Twisted Road” or a love letter by Shakey to his principal influences: Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead and Roy Orbison. Here, he lets the good times roll along to some country twang. It’s a different kind of love and experience to “For The Love Of Man” where Young pens a song for his wheelchair-bound son and sings with the angels to a rather languid tune. But it’s back to business as he whistles while he works (read: noodles a guitar) on “Walk Like A Giant” where the climax is a big, black storm.

Psychedelic Pill offers lots of those notes for you and at an hour and a half there is a lot of terrain tackled in this slow-burning and fluid mix. Messer Grump growls his way though pet peeves like MP3 sounds and other modern irritants while also looking back rather wistfully at different chapters in history with a tense, yet keen-eyed amount of nostalgia.

Neil Young’s Psychedelic Pill is full of an organic charm and ragged glory where solos are copious and there are touchstones to just about everything he’s lived through and done before. But rather than be a mere rehash of a life well lived, Mr Neil Young proves there is still a great amount of fire burning in his belly and that there are more inspired moments of le guitar noise yet to come.

Originally published on 8 November 2012 at the following website: http://www.the59thsound.com/neil-young–crazy-horse-ndash-psychedelic-pill-08112012.html

Visit The 59th Sound’s homepage at: http://www.the59thsound.com/

Neil Young has done it all. He’s written a memoir, built a car, invented a new musical service and has produced countless studio albums and concert films. He’s played the folk singer-songwriter, hippie, rocker, superstar, robot-lover, and protestor and is the undisputed Godfather of Grunge. Earlier this year he teamed up with longtime collaborators, Crazy Horse to produce the covers album, Americana (their first in nine years). These sessions proved so fruitful that the collective would go on to produce another new record, this time of all-original material.

There may not be much left for this near 67-year old to do and yet, what makes Psychedelic Pill such an easy one to swallow is that after five decades in the biz he still continues to entertain and challenge his fans. The latest offering manages to achieve all this and more and is a double album containing just nine songs (and one of these is an alternate mix of the title track).

Opener, “Driftin’ Back” is one of the longest songs on this collection, taking up 27.5 minutes it’s a big, sprawling number where the guitars rumble and drone. It plays out like a drug haze (a curious feat as Young says he was not under the influence of anything illicit, despite the title suggesting otherwise). The experience is punctuated by grungy fuzz that dips and curves, maintaining your interest despite the long runtime and it even contains the killer, wry line: “Gonna get a hip-hop haircut”.

It is unsurprising that this album was born out of some extended jam sessions between Shakey and Crazy Horse. These “songs” often play out like unpolished jams and gems that crackle and pop with white heat, a raw/grungy sound and le noise in the key of walls of guitars. The set is an energetic one, which at times is also repetitive and could’ve been tightened at points. But it is still stunning as it celebrates life, old age and Young’s influences all through interesting sonic landscapes that will induce their own drug-like trance or ten.

The title track is a more immediate number that thunders like a Young anthem while “Ramada Inn” boasts the kind of distortion we all know and love from classics such as “Like A Hurricane”. For my money, this one is also a tad reminiscent of The Small Faces’ “Tin Soldier” as it roars like a tiger. In this the lyrics are also much calmer when compared with “Born In Ontario”, as the latter sees Young’s autobiography entwined with his infamous grumpiness and inner rage.

The second disc opens with “Twisted Road” or a love letter by Shakey to his principal influences: Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead and Roy Orbison. Here, he lets the good times roll along to some country twang. It’s a different kind of love and experience to “For The Love Of Man” where Young pens a song for his wheelchair-bound son and sings with the angels to a rather languid tune. But it’s back to business as he whistles while he works (read: noodles a guitar) on “Walk Like A Giant” where the climax is a big, black storm.

Psychedelic Pill offers lots of those notes for you and at an hour and a half there is a lot of terrain tackled in this slow-burning and fluid mix. Messer Grump growls his way though pet peeves like MP3 sounds and other modern irritants while also looking back rather wistfully at different chapters in history with a tense, yet keen-eyed amount of nostalgia.

Neil Young’s Psychedelic Pill is full of an organic charm and ragged glory where solos are copious and there are touchstones to just about everything he’s lived through and done before. But rather than be a mere rehash of a life well lived, Mr Neil Young proves there is still a great amount of fire burning in his belly and that there are more inspired moments of le guitar noise yet to come.

Originally published on 8 November 2012 at the following website: http://www.the59thsound.com/neil-young–crazy-horse-ndash-psychedelic-pill-08112012.html

Visit The 59th Sound’s homepage at: http://www.the59thsound.com/

Calling all you Daisy Dukes!

It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I absolutely love country music. Plus, who doesn’t love a good, rugged cowboy every now and then? Being from Connecticut, it’s not very often you see a pair of cowboy boots walking down the street but I love the way southern style is able to be dressed down or up depending on how you, or should I say y’all, wear it. So don’t be afraid to test it out! In honor of this past weekend’s CMA Fest in Nashville, I wanted to give you ladies a glam guide with a southern twist.

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is give a great sundress some country twang. Think Carrie Bradshaw meets Taylor Swift. I like to pick a very  girly dress and pair it with my cowboy boots. This is a great look for a casual afternoon picnic or even a fun night out. Try an extra feminine fabric like lace to counteract the boot. If you have them or are willing to invest in them, a pair of cowboy boots with a colored accent look awesome with a white sundress. The goal is to look sexy and chic with a southern accent (no pun intended ;) )

It has been drilled into heads time and time again to protect our skin while we are out in the sun. What better way to shield your face  from the sun than with a straw cowboy hat while soaking up the rays at the beach? I actually used to keep one in my car for spur of the moment trips to the beach! Whether you are lakeside, poolside, or on Malibu beach, a cowboy hat is the ultimate hair piece.

Remember, we always want to look put together and glamorous, so use southern inspired pieces as accents to your outfit and not the theme of your outfit. Save the entire cowgirl look for Halloween!

Will you be trying out the southern style this summer? What’s your favorite look?

Name: The Head and the Heart
Artist: The Head and the Heart
Release date: April 19
Genre: Folk rock
How to describe it: Warm, earnest
Best song: Down in the Valley
Honorable Mentions: Lost in My Mind, Honey Come Home