There are certain albums that have an aura around them. It can’t really be planned, but there is something in the way that all the music performances and material comes together to set them on their own plateau. The interesting part of that equation is that there is no way to plan or even predict the results, or even predict. They often come together as they are being recorded and that is the start of a wonderful journey. ‘FU##IN’ UP’, recorded by Neil Young with Crazy Horse in 2023, is truly a work unto itself. The album will be released on limited edition clear double-vinyl as part of Record Store Day 2024 on April 20th, with CD, black vinyl and digital formats following on April 26th. Pre Order here
In a true Neil Young innovative approach, the songs on ‘FU##IN’ UP’ have been renamed in their ragged glory with new titles, allowing them to be here now. ‘Farmer John’ is the only one which maintains its original title. It is a song originally by Don “Sugarcane” Harris and Dewey Terry in 1959 which was covered in 1964 by The Premiers.
These nine songs from Young’s ever-growing catalogue are injected with the kind of audio attack that Young and Crazy Horse have been playing since they started performing in the late 1960s. It has been a constant capturing of what rock ‘n’ roll is really capable of, and one that shows no sign of stopping. The Crazy Horse lineup on ‘FU##IN’ UP’ includes Billy Talbot (bass, vocal), Ralph Molina (drums, vocal), Micah Nelson (guitar, vocal, piano), Nils Lofgren (guitar, vocal, piano) and Neil Young (guitar, vocal, harmonica). The sounds these five musicians achieve cannot be predicted and allow an element of sonic surprise that is a definition of how the boundaries of bands are always up for revision, and enable the music to march into the future with an unparalleled power.
The old songs of this new Neil Young & Crazy Horse album excel in all their ragged glory as a brand-new release. As time passes and musicians achieve new prowess in their playing, it gives Young and the band a way to approach what they have done in the past as something they’re now able to go far beyond with an exciting approach that can only be seen as totally new. The best music never stands still and allows the players a wide-open field to explore now. The past is gone but offers a road into the future.
Neil Young explains it best: “In the spirit it’s offered, we made this for the Horse lovers. I can’t stop it. The Horse is runnin’. What a ride we have. I don’t want to mess with the vibe, and I am so happy to have this to share.”
As has always been his practice, Neil Young establishes a personal timetable on how and when he releases his music. It has given him a way of offering his audience a personal participation of living with the recordings, and gathering new fans at the same time his long-time listeners remain a strong part of the family. There is no other still-active artist that approaches his work like this, making sure that the music comes first for him and his listeners. There is no distinction between the new and the old. It was, is and always will be about the NOW.
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