Neil Young

Silver & Gold

All he's got for you are pretty songs that cut clean through

Review Score:

(8/10)
Silver & Gold is perhaps Neil Young's most successfully modest album ever, which is not to say it's modestly successful. In fact, it's a masterpiece of understatement. Unlike After the Gold Rush, which Neil says it resembles most closely in spirit, it contains no abrasive rockers in the vein of "Southern Man" or "When You Dance You Can Really Love." Even Comes a Time, which to my ears is its closest relative, is much more upbeat. The instrumentation on Silver & Gold is minimalist but very effective: an interesting use of a hi-hat here, soft bass there. A better comparison would be Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding, which employed this kind of subtle accompaniment, so subtle you might not even be aware of it. In both cases, this treatment is absolutely appropriate, a perfect complement to the thoughtful, reflective quality of the songs, with typically unforgettable melodies and acoustic guitar-work. And his sweet voice is the rock & roll equivalent of Nolan Ryan's arm, indestructable and unchanged by the ravages of time. Any of these songs could be wedged next to "Don't Let it Bring You Down" or "Old Man" and fit right in. "You really make my day, he sings, with the little things you say," and that's what this warmly peaceful album will do for you.

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