A note before I start. This is not the definite list of the best albums of 2018, but my personal top ten.I have only included albums that I own, and there will be notable and popular records not in this top ten simply because I have neither the time or inclination to listen to them all. It's okay to disagree!
With that said here's my choice for number 5.
Roxy: Tonight's The Night Live by Neil Young
Not a bad year for archive live releases from one of rock music's great elder statesmen.
Along with the recently released, and also very good, "Songs For Judy", (review here), we are treated to this 1973 recording of the majority of the, at the time, just recorded but not yet released "Tonight's The Night" (TTN).
I consider that album to be amongst his finest work, not quite pipping the sublime "On The Beach" (OTB),(full review here). Neil was in a rich decade of form that had started with "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" in 1969 and concluded with "Rust Never Sleeps" in 1979. Only Stephen Stills collaboration "Long May You Run" fails to hit the heights during that period.
Not that record label Reprise agreed. Upon hearing TTN they refused to release it, resulting in the slightly less morose OTB being recorded and released. In fact, this is why "Lookout Joe" and "Borrowed Tune" are missing from this performance. The original version of TTN presented didn't include them and they were added to 'soften' the album! As a result this show presents a much closer take on the original vision Young had for this material, which he described later as "a wake".
The songs here are of the very highest quality even if the performances, on a technical level at least, are not always so. However this is an occasion in which the looseness of the playing perfectly fits the bleak subject matter and tone of the songs.
"Mellow My Mind" is a perfect example, both live and on record, where Neil's voice breaking up as it strains to hit the notes, encapsulates his grief, pain and disillusionment.
"Albuquerque" is another highlight, the chilled groove drifting along with a languid feel that I can imagine the band jamming long into the night on the original sessions. Along with "New Mama" it is one of the few tracks from the original TTN recording that could have slotted into OTB seamlessly.
"Roll Another Number (For The Road)" and "Tired Eyes" are more classics, before a reprise of the title track, they finish up with OTB's "Walk On".
A different album to the studio release, but an equally valid companion piece. Recommended.
"Think I'll roll another number for the road.."
With that said here's my choice for number 5.
Roxy: Tonight's The Night Live by Neil Young
Not a bad year for archive live releases from one of rock music's great elder statesmen.
Along with the recently released, and also very good, "Songs For Judy", (review here), we are treated to this 1973 recording of the majority of the, at the time, just recorded but not yet released "Tonight's The Night" (TTN).
I consider that album to be amongst his finest work, not quite pipping the sublime "On The Beach" (OTB),(full review here). Neil was in a rich decade of form that had started with "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" in 1969 and concluded with "Rust Never Sleeps" in 1979. Only Stephen Stills collaboration "Long May You Run" fails to hit the heights during that period.
Not that record label Reprise agreed. Upon hearing TTN they refused to release it, resulting in the slightly less morose OTB being recorded and released. In fact, this is why "Lookout Joe" and "Borrowed Tune" are missing from this performance. The original version of TTN presented didn't include them and they were added to 'soften' the album! As a result this show presents a much closer take on the original vision Young had for this material, which he described later as "a wake".
The songs here are of the very highest quality even if the performances, on a technical level at least, are not always so. However this is an occasion in which the looseness of the playing perfectly fits the bleak subject matter and tone of the songs.
"Mellow My Mind" is a perfect example, both live and on record, where Neil's voice breaking up as it strains to hit the notes, encapsulates his grief, pain and disillusionment.
"Albuquerque" is another highlight, the chilled groove drifting along with a languid feel that I can imagine the band jamming long into the night on the original sessions. Along with "New Mama" it is one of the few tracks from the original TTN recording that could have slotted into OTB seamlessly.
"Roll Another Number (For The Road)" and "Tired Eyes" are more classics, before a reprise of the title track, they finish up with OTB's "Walk On".
A different album to the studio release, but an equally valid companion piece. Recommended.
"Think I'll roll another number for the road.."
This is one I actually have ... great album .. obviously have it on vinyl
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