I was listening to Neil Young all day today and it occurred to me that no matter how mellow the song is, Neil Young always sounds raw. Part of it is his voice, part of it the production, but there really aren't any power chords or guitar heroics. It's just...Neil Young.
One of my favorite songs of his is "Revolution Blues". If you listen to it, there's nothing all that loud or raunchy going on. No hammer, it sounds more like sandpaper. Yeah, like a lot of his stuff, there's ample distortion on the guitar, but it's not like jumping-around, arms flailing rock 'n' fuckin' roll. It's Neil fuckin' Young. No one does it like him.
Here's a handful of songs and a link to a live set from 1976. The live stuff has surprisingly good sound given the era. Oh yeah, dig the live take of "Cowgirl In the Sand", wicked guitar interplay there. "Long May You Run" strikes me as both a toasting song, much like "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow", and as the perfect song for a funeral. I can't hear it without thinking of good friends..
Neil Young - Revolution Blues mp3 at Internet Archive
Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Cowgirl In the Sand (live) mp3 at Internet Archive
Stills Young Band - Long May You Run mp3 at Internet Archive
Neil Young With the Santa Monica Flyers - Roll Another Number (live) mp3 at Internet Archive
The '76 set:
Neil Young And Crazy Horse - Live in Boston 11.22.76 at Visible Voice 17 songs, individual mp3s
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