Neil Young has gone and done it again. He’s gone ahead and given himself another make-over, this time in the guise of an old soul, aligning loose fitting melodies
with thick layers of instrumentation sprinkled over selectively by three quarters of the greatest house band ever assembled — Stax legends Booker T. Jones and The MGs (bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn and drummer Steve “Smokey” Potts) — just to give it an air of authenticity. Frank “Poncho” Sampedro, guitarist for Young’s irregular backing band Crazy Horse lays down a solid rhythm while Mr. Soul himself plays some uncharacteristically tame leads and exhorts his ever-eloquent lyrics. Together, the 11 songs that dress up the Are You Passionate? disc exemplify Young’s natural tendency to graciously dip in and extract large and chunky chords while the music organically unfolds. Truly the question the title poses warrants a big “yes” if the answer were to flow from the singer’s lips. With four of the new songs in regular rotation for the 2002 CSNY tour, Young is more than just passionate; he’s on fire.
The mood of Are You Passionate? simmers over with stark and roomy arrangements, adorned by a nimbleness and craftsmanship that only someone of Young’s insurmountable depth could successfully pull off. The friendly opener “You’re My Girl,” the smoky delivery behind “Mr. Disappointment,” the ruefulness of “Differently” and “Don’t Say You Love Me” — all balance a fine line between seamless despair and utter joy. The ying and yang of love weaves its way throughout as the singer croons, “The beauty of loving you / Is what we’ve been through” one minute and cowers through “That my friends would turn to foes / And my love could come to blows” the next. The title track probably takes the sentiment too far, but its rescue is imminent as Crazy Horse steps up to the plate to knock one out of the park. Young straps on his trusty Ol’ Black and the band breezily sparks up a fatty for over eight minutes on “Goin’ Home.”
Much has been made of “Let’s Roll,” the derivative knockoff Young unveiled last year in the wake of the events surrounding September 11. While not exactly a classic when held up against Young’s prolific catalog, “Let’s Roll” is nonetheless a catchy and vibrant piece that embraces the courage of Flight 93 passenger Todd Beamer in his last ditch effort to foil the terrorists en route to Washington D.C. Young’s own spiritual quest comes to light during the CD’s last two numbers, “Two Old Friends” and “She’s A Healer.” Once again, the process is gradual as Young pleads to “Hear no evil / Feel no evil” before announcing “There ain’t no way I’m gonna let the good times go.” Clearly, the contrast makes for an intense listening experience that is, at once, confounding and delightful. For perhaps his best album in years, Neil Young wouldn’t have it any other way.
~ Shawn Perry
