#186 Neil Young – After The Gold Rush

Neil Young‘s After The Gold Rush comes on the heels of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s album Déjà Vu. I think Young saved all the great songs for his solo album and gave the group only one good song. Young has already proven himself a gifted songwriter and musician. Critics have changed their opinions over the years for the album. I am not sure how they thought is was not good in the beginning.

I really like “Tell Me Why” the first song on the album. It is a simple acoustic rock song. I like the feeling the lyrics give of wanting a friend to visit,

“Tell me lies later, come and see me
I’ll be around for a while
I am lonely but you can free me
All in the way that you smile”.

I miss my best friend. I know I will never see him again and it makes me so sad everyday. He could make me smile by coming over and hanging out. I felt free. I felt the happiest that I could feel.

“After the Gold Rush” is a sad song about the past, present and future. Young’s voice sounds different in this song. I think he almost sounds childlike.

“Only Love Can Break Your Heart” sounds like a simple song, but it has lyrics about childhood,

“When you were young
And on
Your own,
How did it feel
To be
Alone?”.

The feeling of childhood is never simple for me. I live there. I can feel those feelings too easily. The feelings of sadness have swallowed my existence.

This album shows an improvement over his previous album on the list. I could easily listen to the whole album. I think Young is very talented. 9/10.