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Rating:
THE REVIEW
It is certainly among my favorite records, this masterpiece by the great Canadian. There is something magical and dreamy in the atmospheres of Out On The Weekend, Harvest, Heart Of Gold, something that takes you to the middle of a peaceful country house or perhaps makes you remember past loves with that extra touch of harmonica that makes you travel or just dream.
Harvest consists of ten songs, not all of them the same. We have country, piano atmospheres, and an orchestra conducted by Jack Nietzsche in A Man Needs A Maid and There's A World, the amusement of Are You Ready For The Country?, hence a musically varied record but also in its themes. It talks about bucolic love but also about "heavy" themes like the drugs that were slowly taking away dear friend Danny Whitten, who would truly leave soon in The Needle And The Damage Done, or like Alabama which raises the political and racial issue of past injustices perpetrated by the Southerners. The record closes with the long and extremely intense Words, embellished by particular tempo changes and a truly touching solo by the Stray Gators. Certainly, the "flaws" are not lacking: some of Nietzsche's orchestrations are too pompous, especially in There's A World, in my opinion the weakest (but pompous) song on the record.
In essence, even though it is very intricate and a bit inconsistent, it's still among my favorites, perhaps for that tone of voice so fragile and close to breaking of the great Neil.
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Summary by Bot
Neil Young's Harvest is praised as a favorite masterpiece that blends dreamy country atmospheres with deep emotional themes. The album features varied musical styles, from piano and orchestral arrangements to traditional country elements. Songs address love, addiction, and racial injustice with heartfelt sincerity. Although some orchestration is seen as overly pompous, the fragile vocal tone and storytelling make this album stand out.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Neil Young
Neil Young (born 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician, active since the 1960s. He gained prominence with Buffalo Springfield, later collaborated with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and has released influential solo albums and records with Crazy Horse across folk, country and electric rock.67 Reviews
Other reviews
By R2061478
He molests it. He squeezes it, forcing it to purge every residue of its soul.
Restless but not confused, of someone who doesn’t know where he will end up but knows which direction to go.
By joe strummer
"Harvest is a constant yearning for perfection, a search for ecstasy, which is often captured with depth by Mr. Young's magical singing."
"Heart of Gold is simply beautiful, a tableau of the sun setting behind the hill, while a gentle wind tousles our hair."
By Deneil
An indispensable album that if it had been released in its time, today we would surely find it alongside Harvest and After The Gold Rush among our classics.
For me every time I get to the end it feels like waking up. It’s sad to let go of the dream.
By amoBORGES
"Harvest IS the music, just as much as other celestial tales of its kind."
"Each note corresponds to a color, an irrecoverable memory, a heartbeat of a faraway submerged world and countless traversed miles."
