#11 - Neil Young, Harvest Moon
Release Year: 1992
Genre: Folk Rock
How much do I like my favorite track on the album? 14.4 points
Harvest Moon
Vocal perfection doesn't mean vocal perfection. I think we can all agree that Neil Young isn't the greatest vocalist. But on this particular track, it lends itself to the authenticity of the piece. It has always been up there as one of my favorites of all time, the on this harvest moon line gets me every damn time.
How did/does this album influence my own taste in music overall? 13.6 points
I could definitely see the natural transition from Neil Young to the likes of Gregory Alan Isakov and Bon Iver. Whether or not that was actually the case, I’ll give ole Neil some credit here.
Does this album hold up since its release? 12 points
I still find myself repeating this album.
What percentage of the album do I listen to? 10 points
The entire album flows very nicely, one into the next.
What did/do the critics think of this album? 7.5 points
The critics would agree with themselves that this is not Neil’s best work, but I don’t agree with them.
What is the sentimental value to me of the album? 14.4 points
I’ve listened to this album 100s of times. It was one that I had in my car in high school through college. Then CD players died.
What was the artists involvement of the production of the album - songwriting, instrumentals, vocals, uniqueness? 14.4 points
Neil is always very heavily involved in the recording process. Songwriting, instrumentals, vocals, production - he does it all. And keeps a tight wrap on it all.
Overall Rating out of 100 points = 86.3 points
The last entry outside the top ten comes from Neil Young. He is known as a master songwriter, and this album is filled with near perfectly written and executed vocals. Can we get it together, Can we still stand side by side, Can we make it last, Like a musical ride? from Hank to Hendrix feels like a ride. War of Man is a return to his classic protest style. On One of these Days, you can actually picture him sitting down and writing letters to his friends. It’s a return to him creating a very Americana imagery in your head, and he’s one of the best to ever do it. It’s also his last good album.
