Chrome Dreams II (2007)

Not to be mistaken with the legendary unreleased album Chrome Dreams. Oh, Neil.

Unlike Greendale, Prairie Wind, and Living With War, this album has a more internally varied sound (like After the Gold Rush or Freedom) and with songs that have been kicking around for years vs the “write and record in a couple weeks” method of those last three albums. Three songs date to the 80s; it even contains a recording from 1988.

“Beautiful Bluebird” could fit into Prairie Wind pretty well, but I like it here at the beginning of this album with its lilting vibe and sharp banjo picking. It’s full of regret and loss, which starts the theme of this album off in an interesting place. The album seems to be from the perspective of an alcoholic moving through the stages of acceptance and attempting recovery. There are multiple references to excessive drinking and the harm it causes to the drinker and their loved ones. The theme is less clear on “Boxcar” but its sound fits in well with the opener’s matching banjo. I like this song quite a bit. Overall, a strong start.

Neil knows nothing about ordinary people.

(David Briggs to Joel Bernstein, Shakey, 2002)

One of the contradictory things about Neil is his persona as a working class, salt-of-the-earth type of person. Much of his music is from this perspective, but he’s been a very successful rock star who was buying multiple homes and financing movies out of pocket early into his career. “Ordinary People” was written on the same day as “Sixty To Zero” (“Crime in the City” from Freedom) and “Days That Used To Be” (Ragged Glory) in 1988 during a yacht trip from California to Hawaii. That’s quite a trip and “Ordinary People”’s 18 minute length shows that Neil had quite a lot of time to write that particular day. It’s quite literally epic and all about various types of people being squeezed by corporations, criminals, politicians, etc. It’s not exactly something Neil has first hand knowledge of. That said, I’m in the camp of Neil fans that say this is one of his greatest songs. I prefer the live version from Bluenote Cafe, but this studio version was recorded around the same time and is a reasonable facsimile. Briggs hated the song, nonetheless. I’m not sure what his actual problem with the song was beyond the lyrics, but maybe it was the sheer length of it. The studio version (which dates to the Freedom sessions) tends to wear on me more quickly than the live version. In the studio, it’s less wild than schmaltzy, taking the Tonight’s the Night lounge concept a bit too far to be taken seriously. But the horn refrain that battles with Neil’s guitar remains a potent mix to me. It’s quite weird he saved this recording for 20 years, though.

I don’t have much to say about “Shining Light” and “The Believer,” beyond the fact that they fit the theme well (finding something to believe in on the way to recovery) and they are extremely jarring coming after 18 minutes of horn-laden cacophony. “Spirit Road” is the first of three songs that really should be Crazy Horse songs (Ralph Molina drums, but Rick Rosas and Ben Keith are on bass and rhythm guitar, respectively). It’s a really driving song, with rhythm befitting its title. The despair is in full effect here, a portrait of a person not seeing the way out. But there’s something about it that makes me want to hear what the full Crazy Horse would do with it. I like “Dirty Old Men” a lot less, but it’s also making me think of Crazy Horse. This is very lo fi garage rock with a drinking song vibe to it, the breakdowns are messy, and it sounds like it was recorded direct out of the amps. It’s most definitely about the ills of alcoholism, representing the absolute lowest point of the fictional character we are following.

Slight aside to talk about the general production of this album. It’s a Niko Bolas/Volume Dealers (Neil and Niko) produced album and Niko brings a particular aesthetic to Neil albums. They are generally a little plastic and stand in contrast to the more natural sound of a Briggs or Hanlon (or Mazer, for that matter). Neil and Niko have worked together a lot and it’s always so surprising to me given his fierce friendship with David Briggs and belief in the Briggs kind of sound. Of course, Briggs died nearly a decade before this album. In a couple years, John Hanlon will produce a couple records with Neil and it’s a remarkable difference.

I like “Ever After,” another song that could fit on Prairie Wind, but it’s tough to make an impression sandwiched between the raucous punk of “Dirty Old Men” and the latest epic Old Black workout, “No Hidden Path.” This last is just begging for a Crazy Horse jam. It’s the best song on the album and really just a great Neil song, full of cool solos and a catchy chorus. That said, I can see why it’s not a Crazy Horse song: there’s something a little pop about it’s structure and harmonies that’s less suited to what Crazy Horse does. This version really is fantastic, though. It’s worth the price of the album alone. Also, I love how the lyrics lead directly into the strangest of all Neil album closers: “The Way.”

Neil asks to be shown the way on “No Hidden Path” and “The Way” responds with a children’s choir beckoning him in the light. It’s a bit morose, but can also be seen as a suffering individual finally find the way out of their misery by accepting what they need to do. It’s a bit of a quirky song, but the melody is beautiful and dare I say, fun. At first listen, it’s too weird to appreciate, but gradually reveals its charm and poignancy.

While Chrome Dreams II contains some really great songs, the sequencing of this album is thoroughly bizarre, something I’ve never said about a Neil Young album before. Normally his sequencing makes perfect sense, but there are some truly odd choices. For instance, “Ordinary People” as the third song is too large and epic to be sandwiched between “Boxcar” and “Shining Light.” And “The Way” feels very out of place after “No Hidden Path.” I’d probably start the album with “No Hidden Path,” put “The Way” as a cheeky break in the middle of the album, and close with “Ordinary People.” I think he sequenced based on the narrative he wanted to get across, but musically the songs are jarring in their current order.

Top 3:

1. No Hidden Path
2. The Way
3. Ordinary People

Cut song: Shining Light

Neil Young Trunk Show is an extremely enjoyable look at the shows that accompanied Chrome Dreams II, once again directed by Jonathan Demme. But to contrast it a bit, the more complete Neil Young in London film by Tim Pope on Neil Young Archives is an excellent live concert movie. Demme’s movie is wonderful for its glimpses into the backshow banter between Neil and the band, especially with his soon to depart but dear friend Ben “Long Grain” Keith (he would pass away in 2010). There are also some real rarities like “Sad Movies” and a gorgeous “Ambulance Blues.” But if you want to see this tour in its full form, Tim Pope’s London film is fantastic. Both movies showcase Chrome Dreams II songs in wonderful ways (“No Hidden Path” is an epic song live), but Pope’s movie includes the incredible rendition of “Tonight’s the Night” with Long Grain on electric slide guitar and Neil on piano. Something both films showcase is the cool live painting aspect of the show. Trunk Show includes a truly blistering “Like a Hurricane.” Watch em both if you can!

Thanks for reading Only Castles Burning! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.