Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Zuma (Album Review)

Released in 1975, Zuma stands as a monumental achievement in Neil Young's prolific career, showcasing his raw musical prowess alongside his legendary backing band Crazy Horse. Emerging as a sonic journey that encapsulates the essence of Young's distinctive songwriting and the electrifying energy of Crazy Horse's musical synergy, this album is amongst the greatest releases in the mid-70s for Young & Crazy Horse’s ability to blend elements of folk, rock, and grunge into a cohesive and captivating sonic tapestry is unparalleled.

As with several of Young’s albums, one could point to the rawer sonic qualities as a critical element, but it’s this true-to-life approach that sets Young, and Crazy Horse, apart from their peers. It adds a live and intimate feel to their compositions, thereby garnering a greater connection with the fans. What isn’t raw, however, is the sonic prowess of the Hi-Res Lossless stream on Apple Music, an Apple Digital Master. As you listen, you’ll find yourself immersed in the soundstage and while it could be said that it isn’t the greatest-sounding Neil Young record, it is flawless in that there isn’t any aspect missing from the stream, nor are there any glaring issues from a sound quality perspective. Is it the final word in sonic quality, however? Well, that is naturally subjective but I do find myself longing to hear the album on vinyl as the limitations of the format add a patina, of sorts, to the sonic presentation of music and such an addition seems as if it would be well suited to the style of music heard on Zuma.

What isn’t quite as well suited to the music is the album’s artwork. I don’t dislike it, I just feel indifferent towards it. It neither enhances the album nor compels me to play it. Undoubtedly, there will be some of you who adamantly disagree, and that’s okay, as we all appreciate and interpret art differently. Before we take a look at the songs that make up this incredible album, it’s interesting to note that many of the songs that would end up on the sensational Rust Never Sleeps album were also recorded during the Zuma sessions. Imagine, for a moment, if some of those songs had landed on this album. Not only would it have changed both records, but I wonder if Rust Never Sleeps would still be my all-time favourite Neil Young & Crazy Horse album if it didn’t include the classics, such as Ride My Llama, Pocahontas, and Sedan Delivery as they could have easily made it to Zuma. Yes, the songs themselves are magnificent and would have resonated with me regardless, but Rust Never Sleeps is such a phenomenal record largely because of the album’s linear structure. That alternative reality aside, join me as I explore the songs that make up Zuma for there’s some incredible music to be heard.

Don't Cry No Tears opens with a hypnotic riff that sets the tone for the gritty, guitar-driven soundscapes that define much of the record. While it isn’t necessarily a standout, it’s a perfect album opener that grabs your attention from the very first note.

Danger Bird furthers the hypnotic aspect as the song takes you on a sonic journey, with its brooding atmosphere, and exceptional instrumental bed. Young’s vocal prowess, combined with the backing overlay, produces a somewhat haunting perspective that works perfectly with the song, particularly in relation to the tuning of the lead guitar.

Pardon My Heart is a lovely ballad that showcases Young's emotive vocal delivery and poetic lyricism.

Lookin' For A Love has an infectious groove and catchy chorus in this mid-tempo number. While it’s most certainly an album-only tune, Young’s vocal presentation and gritty guitar work add a layer of raw, and authentic, intensity that is extremely compelling.

Barstool Blues delivers a punchy blend of rock and blues, driven by its infectious rhythm and searing guitar riffs, yet Young's impassioned vocals, on this song, have never appealed to me. It’s as if he is reaching too far and it simply doesn’t work.

Stupid Girl, a rollicking rock anthem, channels the spirit of garage rock with its gritty guitar riffs and driving rhythm. The dual vocal mix is also intriguing and works extremely well as it provides an alternate perspective to the core lyrical presentation.

Drive Back is a high-energy rocker fuelled by its propulsive rhythm, blistering guitar solos, and a killer lyrical delivery from Young. It’s also amongst Young & Crazy Horse’s greatest recordings and is a hidden gem for those not familiar with Zuma.

Cortez The Killer is a masterpiece with an anthemic fervour that unfolds during its seven-minute runtime. With a mesmerising guitar-driven odyssey, Cortez The Killer stands as a testament to Young's unparalleled skill as a songwriter and guitarist, cementing its status as one of his, and Crazy Horse’s, most enduring compositions.

Through My Sails is a magnificent closing tune that features David Crosby and Graham Nash on backing vocals with Stephen Stills on bass (as well as backing vocals). Russ Kunkel rounds out the special appearances on the conga and while it may be somewhat controversial, I’d declare that Through My Sails is one of the greatest songs recorded, but not released by, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) as the song's gentle melody and ethereal atmosphere evoke a sense of reflection that is ideal for an album’s closer.

Overall, Zuma stands as a towering achievement in Neil Young's illustrious career, showcasing his unparalleled songwriting talent and the dynamic chemistry of his collaboration with Crazy Horse. The raw emotional power and musical innovation, featured on this record, is so compelling that it positions Zuma as a timeless masterpiece that continues to captivate listeners and will for as long as music lovers roam the earth.

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Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Rust Never Sleeps (Album Review)

Prolific is an understatement when talking about Neil Young and determining his greatest album is one of the most challenging things that fans can do. Rust Never Sleeps, the 1979 masterpiece with Crazy Horse, however, is certainly shortlisted for that honourable position for it is the culmination of incredible songwriting and recording techniques that makes this such an impressive release.  

Having long been a master in recording techniques, and while he has many detractors, due to his position on the quality of music and the presentation of his back catalogue, there is no denying that Young knows how to get the sound he’s after. As a result, Rust Never Sleeps isn’t your traditional studio-based album as it was overdubbed following being recorded live. When you listen to the album you sense the energy of the band but the spit and polish applied, in the analogue era, is nothing short of astonishing as you’d be forgiven for assuming that Rust Never Sleeps is a slick studio recording with added live elements.  This doesn’t apply to every song, as some were studio recordings, and the flow of the record isn’t disrupted as Rust Never Sleeps sounds like a single cohesive piece of musical art rather than a series of songs haphazardly put together to qualify the work as an album.  

Furthermore, from a sonic perspective, the (Hi-Res) Lossless Apple Music stream, an Apple Digital Master, is exquisite. Given Young’s penchant for purity and the very best possible sonic reproductions of his work, this should hardly come as a surprise, but Rust Never Sleeps is one recording that will cause you to look up, in wonder, as you question if Young and Crazy Horse are in the room with you, granting you a private audience; it really is that exceptional and other than picking it up on vinyl, or listening via Young’s archives, I seriously doubt you’ll be disappointed for every element of the recording is crisp, well-defined, and positioned beautifully in the mix with absolutely no unintended distortion due to poor mastering techniques. Rust Never Sleeps, along with many of Young’s albums, should be required listening for all mastering engineers as it showcases exactly how music should sound.

My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) is a perfect bookend opening to Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black), especially if you listen to Rust Never Sleeps on repeat. It’s classic Young; a simple but magical acoustic composition that highlights his vocal while providing just enough musical backing to be thoroughly enjoyable. While the crowd noises have been significantly dialled back, it really works for the song and I simply couldn’t imagine hearing My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) sans the audience. That said, I feel the song tapers off a little too quickly thereby taking the listener prematurely out of an experiential element. 

Thrasher flows well from My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) and maintains the tempo and  composition styling to great effect. Sometimes less is more and in this case, Young has applied this mantra by only including the necessary musical elements. Yes, singer-songwriters generally share this trait, but Young is a master of the craft. 

Ride My Llama is a magnificent tune with yet another barebones approach that is a common style amongst Young’s recordings. It’s fair to say that Ride My Llama will likely not appeal to all fans but the more I listen to Rust Never Sleeps the more I appreciate the song as there’s seemingly something new to experience each and every time it is played. 

Pocahontas has a killer rhythm. You’ll be toe-tapping from the very first note. While some will logically cling to every lyric and the song’s associated meaning, longtime readers will note that I prefer enjoying music when the vocal is akin to an instrument rather than a storytelling device and in that regard, Young’s performance is stunning with just enough room echo to give you a sense of spatial depth. 

Young would go on to perform Pocahontas on the MTV Unplugged platform and that particular performance, as featured on Unplugged, is solid but doesn’t capture the magic of the original recording heard on Rust Never Sleeps. An even earlier version (circa 1976) exists and was released by Young on Hitchhiker in 2017; a thoroughly enjoyable, and similar, recording to this one. Other live recordings of this landmark tune also exist on Songs For Judy and Year Of The Horse. Both are worthy of listening to but sometimes, as is the case this time around, the original release is unbeatable. 

Sail Away is one of the most lovely songs you’re ever likely to hear. I’ve no doubt some will lament the vocal structure and Nicolette Larson’s inclusion, but I find the opposite to be true in that it is the vocal and backing vocal mix that makes Sail Away such an incredible tune. Taking nothing away from Larson, this is one song that would have been perfect on any Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young album. 

Powderfinger is distortion heaven with one of the very best rock and roll guitar licks ever recorded. You’ll need your air guitar for this magnificent tune.

The recording on Live Rust is underwhelming as it doesn’t have the same energy as that heard on Rust Never Sleeps. The live performance on Weld, however, is killer.

As with Pocahontas, an earlier recording of Powderfinger exists on Hitchhiker. It’s cleaner and while the distortion that is adored is missing, this acoustic-driven interpretation is exceptional in its own right and is worthy of checking out if you haven’t done so already. 

Welfare Mothers continues the hard-rocking vibe. While it may not come close to the magic heard on Powderfinger, and is arguably a little repetitive, I’ll be damned if I don’t turn the volume up every time this song comes on. 

Sedan Delivery is the only lacklustre tune to be heard on Rust Never Sleeps. It’s a perfect B-side, but the shifting tempo, while chosen for stylistic reasons, results in a less than ideal musical flow thereby limiting the emotive element that permits the mind to the latch onto a singular rhythm throughout. 

Of the live recordings, the performance from Live Rust is fundamentally a carbon copy of this rendition, while Way Down In The Rust Bucket offers a slightly different and modernised rocking interpretation from 1990 when the album was recorded. It is, subsequently, my preferred live version as the recording from Year Of The Horse is too loose.  

Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) turns the distortion all the way up, but rather than it being a mastering decision it is a style chosen by Young and perfectly applied. As the closing song, it provides a masterful bookend to the album that permits further contemplation of what you’ve just heard while simultaneously willing you to put the album on repeat for Rust Never Sleeps is so good that it’s unlikely you’ll only listen to it once. 

If Rust Never Sleeps isn’t the greatest Neil Young release of all time, I don’t know what is. It's certainly one of the best albums released in 1979. Yes, I love his 1968-74 output and I’ve long appreciated Mirror Ball and Psychedelic Pill but there’s just something special to be heard here; something missing from every other album Young has released. Perhaps it’s the recording style, or the songs themselves, but whatever it is, Rust Never Sleeps is a pinnacle moment in the story of Neil Young & Crazy Horse. 

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