Zuma

Did you know that Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Lou Reed considered the guitar-playing on Neil Young's "Danger Bird" to be the best he had ever heard? A live version is also on the 1997 album Year Of The Horse.

Been listening to this since it came out in 1975. Neil’s guitar work was ahead of its time and the energy with Crazy Horse is as strong as the Rust albums. Topped off by the harmonies of CSN&Y

Most critics praised this album as a return to the "commercial Neil", yet it still had enough of a hard edge quality. Crazy Horse seemed to be the fix Neil needed. But there were some critics that thought Neil set out to make a "Neil Young commercial album" and that the majority of the songs were average, had no bite, and didn't really standout, except "Cortez the Killer." Even then, some found fault in Neil's understanding of the Aztec nation---it wasn't a peaceful nation that knew no hate or war. I never took the song as a history lesson; more of a metaphor of Neil's feelings about peace, love, and understanding. Recorded at producer David Briggs' home on Zuma Beach. Where Tonight's The Night was Neil's dark, midnight album, Neil once described Zuma as his morning album. Not that all the songs involved dealt with bright, happy themes, but at least this time around, there seemed to be some light at the end of the tunnel (with the majority of the songs.) But the damage had been done as far as Neil regaining mass acceptance. Only reached #25 on the charts and that's the same "Tonight's The Night" had done. Critics praised it, but the Harvest fans were still gun-shy and not very trustworthy of what the critics were spouting about "Zuma". I like this effort pretty much, but never understood all the talk about his being a "Most critics praised this album as a return to the "commercial Neil", yet it still had enough of a hard edge quality. Crazy Horse seemed to be the fix Neil needed. But there were some critics that thought Neil set out to make a "Neil Young commercial album" and that the majority of the songs were average, had no bite, and didn't really standout, except "Cortez the Killer." Even then, some found fault in Neil's understanding of the Aztec nation---it wasn't a peaceful nation that knew no hate or war. I never took the song as a history lesson; more of a metaphor of Neil's feelings about peace, love, and understanding. Recorded at producer David Briggs' home on Zuma Beach. Where Tonight's The Night was Neil's dark, midnight album, Neil once described Zuma as his morning album. Not that all the songs involved dealt with bright, happy themes, but at least this time around, there seemed to be some light at the end of the tunnel (with the majority of the songs.) But the damage had been done as far as Neil regaining mass acceptance. Only reached #25 on the charts and that's the same Tonight's The Night had done. Critics praised it, but the Harvest fans were still gun-shy and not very trustworthy of what the critics were spouting about Zuma. I like this effort pretty much, but never understood all the talk about his being a "masterpiece." ."