Neil Young
Zuma

Neil Young emerges from the “cursed trilogy” of the mid-'70s and its dark aftermath with the best of possible comebacks: he gets back on the crazy horse and delivers a classic rock album.
The visionary quality that made the previous “On the Beach” unique and wonderfully varied is not set aside but rather channeled into more conventional forms.
The hallmark of “Zuma” is certainly the revitalized guitar energy made by Crazy Horse.

Accompanied by the excellent rhythm guitarist Frank Sampedro, Young is free to continue the pursuit of that global electric dimension forged in “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” and perfected in the early '90s. The result is a guitar vortex based on epic rides, simple and repeatedly played chords, and the interaction between feedback and distortion.

“Cortez The Killer” is probably the pinnacle in this regard. Captivating and perhaps a bit rhetorical - but that's exactly where the song's strength lies - a retelling of the conquistadors’ saga from the indigenous perspective, it will become one of his live battle horses for years to come. Equally effective are the dark “Danger Bird,” which upon listening reveals why Neil is considered the “godfather of grunge,” and the amazing “Drive Back” and “Stupid Girl,” spiced with exquisite solos with an almost bluesy flavor. Also excellent are those episodes where the Ontario man’s guitar impetus is tempered by an irresistible melodic vein, as in “Don’t Cry No Tears,” “Barstool Blues,” or “Lookin’ For A Love.”
Overall “Zuma“ is a brighter record compared to its recent past, although there is no shortage of disconcerting lyrics that superbly synthesize its content. In “Lookin’ For A Love” - for example - Neil asserts:

“Lookin’ for a love that’s right for me / I don’t know how long it’s gonna be” then adds “But I hope I treat her kind and don’t mess with her mind / when she starts to see the darker side of me.”

Being a classic record, it couldn't miss the stylistic exercise in which Neil Young is universally recognized as the master: the ballad. “Pardon My Heart” forcefully inserts itself among our hero’s best love songs. Over a crystalline melody, barely enlivened by a delicate solo, he whispers:

“Pardon my heart if I showed that I cared / But I love you more than moments we have or have not shared.”

“Zuma” closes with a remarkable west coast sketch, “Through My Sails,” even reclaimed from a session with friendly rivals Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Dotted with those unmistakable vocal harmonies, it seals in the best possible way yet another masterpiece by our hero.

P.S. It would be 4 and a half stars, but we round it up to 5.