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'Dreams' Captures Some Of Young's Ragged Glory

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By CURTIS ROSS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 2, 2007

After a decade plus of so-so live albums, uninspired acoustic sets and artistic cul-de-sacs, Neil Young's muse seemed more likely to turn up on a milk carton than by his side in the studio.

Thankfully, though, she has turned up again for 'Chrome Dreams II.'

Despite the Roman numeral, it's not a sequel - the original 'Chrome Dreams' was unreleased, its songs pillaged for 1977's 'American Stars 'N Bars' and 1979's 'Rust Never Sleeps,' among others.

If 'Chrome Dreams II' has a connection to past Young efforts, it's to 'Rust Never Sleeps' and 1989's 'Freedom.' It's got the same epochal feel those albums do - whether it winds up as a certified Young classic or not, 'Chrome Dreams II' sums up its place and time in ways similar to 'Rust' and 'Freedom.'

'Ordinary People' and 'No Hidden Path' are the album's twin peaks, clocking in at 18 and 14 minutes respectively. Interestingly, they don't seem to dominate the album's landscape in the way 'Down by the River' and 'Cowgirl in the Sand' did on 1969's 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.'

'Ordinary People' feels like Young's state of the world address, its lyrics populated by the homeless, alcoholics, drug dealers and weapons hoarders. It's intriguing lyrically but misses being the knockout punch that similar tunes such as 'Sedan Delivery' and 'Crime in the City (Zero to 60)' were.

Musically, though, it justifies its length with Young's sizzle-static guitar work and some sympathetic horn charts.

'No Hidden Path' sums up the album's themes of faith and trust, and you can trust that any song this long is going to contain plenty of Young's excellent soloing.

The shorter songs are by no means minor works, though. 'Dirty Old Man' captures the degradation of alcoholism, while 'Ever After' is Young's strongest country effort in years.

'Chrome Dreams II' is Young at his most varied and most satisfying. Keep the faith.

Download this: 'Spirit Road'

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