Product Description

Prairie Wind is quintessential Neil Young, a masterpiece that completes the trilogy of his best-selling albums Harvest and Harvest Moon-direct yet poetic, country and folk yet rock. Recorded in Nashville, and with longtime collaborators, Prairie Wind is a moving series of songs reflecting Young's journey through life.

Track Listing

1. Painter
2. No Wonder
3. Falling Off the Face of the Earth
4. Far from Home
5. It's a Dream
6. Prairie Wind
7. Here for You
8. This Old Guitar
9. He Was the King
10. When God Made Me

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5140 in Music
• Released on: 2005-09-26
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Is gentle the right word?
The word that I think best describes this album is gentle. The songs mostly deal with childhood memories, home and family.

Young has made political point with other recent albums but here he sings about more personal matters.

At times the lyrics may seem a little trite and unoriginal but these are traditional type songs and the words suit the emotions Young is trying to express.

Favourite songs for me:
Falling Off the Face of the earth
It's a Dream
This Old Guitar

PS - if you listen to this album and you think that Young has lost his edge or gone "soft" in his later years please note that I saw him last month live and boy was he giving his guitars some punishment! He still loves to rock with the best of them!

Emotional
Prairie Wind is the most emotionally resonant record I think I've ever heard. I think it's Neil's voice. On this record it's just superb; dripping with integrity and emotion. Sure, some of the tunes are similar to previous releases, but the lyrical content and intent in the writing lift these country-tinged songs way above their predecessors. The album never fails to bring a tear to my eye at least 4 times whenever I listen to it. I must be going soft.

Neil covers recent political issues, the passage of time and family matters in such a personal and universal way that you would have to be a plank of wood in order not to be moved. I should know - I'm emotionally retarded generally, but this really brings it out.

The definite highlight is "No Wonder", which for me right now ranks among Neil's best works, as he mentions 9/11 and conservation issues among other things while namechecking Chris Rock and Willie Nelson over some infectious melodies.

"It's A Dream" is a beautiful profession of love, with some of the most affecting lyrics on the album: "I'll hold you if you had a bad dream," Neil sings, "... and I hope it never comes true"... such simplicity, but that's what makes these songs so moving. Neil's emotion is clearly real, and you cannot help feeling it.

A previous reviewer criticised "Here For You" for these very reasons, but while I don't think it's one of the stronger tracks on the album, I can't help admiring it's honesty in depicting Neil's love for his children, as he has to deal with them leaving home and living their own lives. This is what real songwriting is about: real emotion, and I'm not feeling that from any other songwriters today.

Another track that I noticed was disparaged in earlier reviews was "This Old Guitar". Someone mentioned that it's the same tune as "Harvest Moon"; that's true, but I find this ode to Neil's most used musical instrument charming and poignant in it's depiction of the passage of time as he sings, "This old guitar ain't mine to keep/ It's only mine to play for a while" and "The more I play it, the better it sounds/ It cries when I leave it alone/ Silently it waits for me/ Or someone else I suppose".

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that sure, this album has one or two failings ("He Was The King" being one), and may appear to some like a re-treading of old ground. For me though, the understated arrangements and beautifully considered lyrics make it one of Neil's best, and a brilliant companion peace to the equally great "Living With War".

If you don't have this album, get it. If you don't like it, get the DVD of "Heart of Gold" because that film, which is a live show of all these songs played in order elaborates on these pieces, and I guarantee you, will help you to appreciate "THE MOST EMOTIONALLY RESONANT RECORD OF ALL TIME".

NO - DO BELIEVE THE HYPE.
A previous reviewer writes about avoiding lazy journalism - why?Neil Young indulges fully here in lazy musicianship and excruciatingly lazy lyrics.I mean,how many times can you listen to the line "You might say,I'll be there for you" before wanting to smash your cd player into tiny pieces,or at the very least go back to a time before you wasted your money on this apalling dinner party muzak.Bilge!Bilge!Bilge!Avoid,unless you like dreary,regurgitated melodies that are completely lacking in any originality and absolutely cringeworthy lyrics.Not his finest hour by a long chalk.Your money will be better spent if you buy On The Beach instead,or any of Dylan's last 3 albums.