Music review: Neil Young — ‘Live at the Cellar Door’
It鈥檚 wondrous how some newly released albums can evoke treasured memories from our childhood. For me, 鈥淟ive at the Cellar Door鈥� 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, 鈥淒茅j脿 Vu,鈥� was an amazing piece of work fueled by classics like 鈥淐arry On,鈥� 鈥淭each Your Children,鈥� 鈥淥ur House鈥� and the Young penned 鈥淗elpless.鈥� 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 brother鈥檚 copy of 鈥淎fter the Gold Rush鈥� featuring passionate versions of the title track and 鈥淪outhern Man鈥� soon after it was released. I would later become a full-fledged Young fan with the 1972 release of his most popular album 鈥淗arvest.鈥�
鈥淟ive at the Cellar Door鈥� features classic Young tracks as he switches from acoustic guitar to piano.
A rare piano version of 鈥淐innamon Girl鈥� and a fragile, stripped-down performance of 鈥淒own by the River鈥� are just a few of the highlights contained on this timeless recording.
As expected, there are plenty of songs from 鈥淎fter the Gold Rush鈥� such as 鈥淭ell Me Why,鈥� 鈥淥nly Love Can Break Your Heart,鈥� 鈥淏irds鈥� and 鈥淒on鈥檛 Let It Bring You Down.鈥� 鈥淓xpecting to Fly,鈥� 鈥淔lying on the Ground Is Wrong鈥� and 鈥淚 Am a Child鈥� from Young鈥檚 days in Buffalo Springfield are also performed.
The set includes the then unreleased songs 鈥淏ad Fog of Loneliness鈥� and 鈥淥ld Man.鈥� Considering the venue and time it was recorded, the album鈥檚 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.
Young鈥檚 latest offering follows 鈥淧sychedelic Pill鈥� and 鈥淎mericana鈥� released in 2012.