November 11, 2020 Playlist

"Freedom" by Neil Young (1989)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Neil Young "Freedom"  1989 (Canada)
Neil Young is 75 years old this week! He made his professional debut on record with Buffalo Springfield in 1966 and had a legendary run as an iconoclastic singer-songwriter in the 1970's. But a lot of hippie stars struggled through the changing styles of the 1980's, and Neil suffered this syndrome more than most. Which was worse, his awkward 50's rockabilly album Everybody's Rockin' (1983; made much worse by being recorded with primitive digital equipment which sounds exactly like the opposite of 50's rockabilly) . . . or the paint-by-numbers Nashville studio hackery of Old Ways (1985) . . . or the weirdly slick "Glenn Frey on Miami Vice" sounds of Landing On Water (1986)? You probably don't want to listen to those albums to find out; even the album he made with Crazy Horse during this period (Life 1987) is the most lifeless record he ever made with his greatest band. By the time the first George Bush was elected, Neil was seriously in danger of losing his last shreds of rock credibility and possibly his major label record deal (his label actually sued him for "making records that don't sound like Neil Young"!) Things began to turn around in 1988 when he did a "big band blues" tour and album that was less terrible than the previous 5 years' worth of records. But 1989 was the pivotal year that saved Neil's career: that spring he released a sloppy heavy rock EP called Eldorado . . . but only in Japan and Australia! That was the prelude to Freedom, the comeback album which has an 80's sound but the songs and performances recall the weird, raw vibe of Neil's classic work from the 60's and 70's. He even scored his biggest hit single since 1972 with the memorable "Rockin' In The Free World". A lot of Neil-heads would consider the 90's "godfather of grunge" decade that followed one of his greatest periods, and he continues to do great albums to this day . . . but also quite a few mediocre ones; inconsistency has long been his trademark.
(N) = New Release
(R) = Listener Request
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Buffalo SpringfieldOut Of My MindBuffalo Springfield1966USA/Canada
The Guess WhoCardboard Empire#101973Canada
The Black Angels (R)I DreamtDeath Song2017USA
Secret Machines A New Disaster Awake In The Brain Chamber (N)2020 (TSM)USA
Chuck Prophet MarathonThe Land That Time Forgot (N)2020 (Yep Roc)USA
Osees
(formerly (Thee) Oh Sees) 		If I Had My WayProtean Threat (N)2020 (Castle Face)USA
William Shatner Let's Work Together (Wilbert Harrison)The Blues (N)2020 (Cleopatra)Canada (Quebec)
 
 
William Shatner Sunshine Of Your Love (Cream)The Blues (N)2020 (Cleopatra)Canada (Quebec)
Fuzz
(with Ty Segall) 		Nothing PeopleFuzz III (N)2020 (In The Red)USA
The Budos Band
 		Long In The ToothLong In The Tooth (N)2020 (Daptone)USA
Clown Core
 		ExistenceVan (N)2020 (self released)USA
Population II
 		AttractionÀ la Ô Terre (N)
("To Earth")		2020 (Castle Face)Canada (Quebec)
The Flaming Lips
 		You N Me Sellin' WeedAmerican Head (N)2020 (Warner Bros)USA
   
 
Neil YoungNo MoreFreedom
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1989Canada
Neil YoungOn Broadway (The Drifters)Freedom
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1989Canada
Neil YoungRockin' In The Free WorldFreedom
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1989Canada
Neil Young CampaignerThe Times EP (N)2020 (Reprise)Canada
Crosby Stills Nash & YoungHelplessDeja Vu1970USA/UK/Canada
   
 
Joni MitchellRaised On Robbery
   / Trouble Child
   --> Twisted (Annie Ross)		Court And Spark1974Canada
Soundwalk Collective
with Patti Smith
 		The RatPeradam (N)2020 (Bella Union)USA
All Them Witches
 		Rats In RuinNothing As The Ideal (N)2020 (New West)USA
Uniform
 		I Am The CancerShame (N)2020 (Sacred Bones)USA
MagmaKobaiaMagma1970France
   
 
Peter HammillImperial ZeppelinFool's Mate1971UK
Van der Graaf GeneratorThe SleepwalkersGodbluff1975UK
RushXanaduA Farewell To Kings1977Canada
KlaatuSilly BoysSir Army Suit1978Canada
   
 
Chris ForsythSolar Motel Part IISolar Motel2013USA
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