Music review: Neil Young — ‘Live at the Cellar Door’
Itâs wondrous how some newly released albums can evoke treasured memories from our childhood. For me, âLive at the Cellar Doorâ brings back a special period from an iconic artist.
Rehearsing as part of a six-show stand at a small Georgetown venue during November and early December 1970, Neil Young performed an intimate set of 13 songs in preparation for his upcoming shows at Carnegie Hall.
At the time, the 25-year-old artist was launching his solo career after the recent break up of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young in July. The first CSNY album, âDĂ©jĂ Vu,â was an amazing piece of work fueled by classics like âCarry On,â âTeach Your Children,â âOur Houseâ and the Young penned âHelpless.â Young released his third solo album just a few months before his appearance at the Cellar Door.
As I often did in my younger days, I came across my older brotherâs copy of âAfter the Gold Rushâ featuring passionate versions of the title track and âSouthern Manâ soon after it was released. I would later become a full-fledged Young fan with the 1972 release of his most popular album âHarvest.â
âLive at the Cellar Doorâ features classic Young tracks as he switches from acoustic guitar to piano.
A rare piano version of âCinnamon Girlâ and a fragile, stripped-down performance of âDown by the Riverâ are just a few of the highlights contained on this timeless recording.
As expected, there are plenty of songs from âAfter the Gold Rushâ such as âTell Me Why,â âOnly Love Can Break Your Heart,â âBirdsâ and âDonât Let It Bring You Down.â âExpecting to Fly,â âFlying on the Ground Is Wrongâ and âI Am a Childâ from Youngâs days in Buffalo Springfield are also performed.
The set includes the then unreleased songs âBad Fog of Lonelinessâ and âOld Man.â Considering the venue and time it was recorded, the albumâs sound quality is impeccably clear as Young pours out his heart and soul to a small and appreciative crowd.
These vintage recordings serve as a snapshot in time of an artist entering the pinnacle of his musical career.
Youngâs latest offering follows âPsychedelic Pillâ and âAmericanaâ released in 2012.