Neil Young is one of the greatest living songwriters to this day. He is often remembered for his large role in the folk rock boom of 1964-1974 producing three of the most famous albums of the genre: Neil Young, After the goldrush and Harvest. Tying close to Bob Dylan with his deep and personal lyrics and supremely yet unique guitar melody's to accompany, Young remains an important influence to modern rock music.

I became a big fan of Neil Young through a friend, before then I foolishly dismissed him as yet another brick in the wall of folk rock music, how wrong I was. The greatest hits album was superb and sublime in the way it was created. All the songs were selected due to opinion polls, radio air time and record sales resulting in a fine backlog of Young's greatest hits. I was then recommended 'Rust never sleeps' which was one of the best live albums ever created. Then my curiosity took me into the weird and wonderful 'On the beach' lp.

Neil Percival Young was born on November 12th, 1945 in Toronto, Canada. His father was a great talent himself a sportswriter and novelist. He spent the majority of his youth in a small town called Omemee, which he later wrote his hit song 'helpless' on. Tragically when he was six years old he caught a bad case of polio which weakened the left side of his body badly, he still walks with a limp as a result. His parents divorced when he was 12 and he moved back to Winnipeg with his mother and attended the local high school. He played in a variety of local rock outfits before befriending fellow folk stars Joni Mitchell and Steven Stills.

He had fair success with a band called 'The buffalo Springfield' which projected much of his later solo work from the band's main hits. After the break up, Young signed a solo deal with Reprise records with the support of Joni Mitchell and released his first solo album, widely regarded as a folk rock classic. To me the unique style in which Young played his guitar was the reason he became such an influence. The variety of his guitar experimentalisations, trapping superb solo's in between stuttering chords such as on 'Down by the river' and 'Cowgirl in the sand'. Most will recognise Young for his work and contribution to the king's of folk: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, which released their phenomenal 'Deja Vu' lp.

Young's influence on the other three was often of a shy yet supremely talented one. Ohio is widely regarded as his best and most played song with the band. Which was written in memory of the Kent State Massacre and was an anthem in key anti-war rallies in the 70's. In future concerts, Young would dedicate this song to the Chinese students who lost their lives in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Over the course of Neil Young's solid, long lasting career from playing in Woodstock to this year's release of his new protest album 'Living with war', Young has never lost his song writing abilities and remains one of the greatest song writers to this day.

On the beach, released July 1974, is Young's seventh solo album. It reached no.16 in the billboard charts in America smashing the record of his preceding two albums. The album is simultaneously a look into the future while reflecting on the past. While the album's opening song 'Walk On' has a much more rugged, progressive sound to it's heavy feel, it is about Young wanting to move on in life. At the opposite end of the album 'Ambulance blues' Young opens with the line 'back in the old folky days' reflecting on his bare, solo, breakthrough folk albums. After reading a number of reviews new and old on the album I decided to ignore the bad press about the song's 'depressing, moody and lazy approach in songwriting' and buy it, and I was glad I did.

One of the most relaxing and enjoyable song's I've heard this summer is the title track from the album, quite simply I think it's magic. While recently on my holidays in Crete I listened to the song to death pretty much, every single beach I was on felt like the album cover. Before I even went I was amazed how well the song was written, it created imagination within me, every guitar note made me feel I was on the beach on the cover, it's stunning how a song can make you feel like that. If you've read a number of my previous reviews you'll notice I'm a real sucker for a great artistic cover to an album i.e. Pink Floyd, Pink Moon, and 'On the beach' is no exception.

THE TRACKS:

1. WALK ON - 2:42

The opening song is nice and rhythmic, with a typical catchy chorus of protestic content. It's a nice little ballad 'walk on, walk on' cheers Young followed by a whining guitar solo which eventually collides with the second verse nicely. A stuttering up and down melody signal the start and duration of the chorus. The guitar is comparable of George Harrisson's hit song 'My sweet lord' due to it's soaring bends and sense of becoming.

'I hear some people been talkin' me down, Bring up my name, pass it 'round. They don't mention happy times They do their thing, I'll do mine.'

2. SEE THE SKY ABOUT TO RAIN - 5:02

This sensual lullaby couldn't be more of a contrast to the driving opening ballad. Electric piano played by the legend Graham Nash ad's such a mellow mood and subtle drive to the song. The song signifies the journey of mellowness and calm surrounding most of the album's material, the song closes off so aptly with Young's lovely harmonica. An album well and truly deserved of a listen when alone at the beach.....er but take an umbrella.

'See the sky about to rain, broken clouds and rain. Locomotive, pull the train, whistle blowing through my brain. Signals curling on an open plain, rolling down the track again. See the sky about to rain.'

3. REVOLUTION BLUES - 4:03

One of the real great offering's of the album. Revolution blues has a constant driving set of chords combined with distant guitar solos. Young really surpasses himself with the lyrical craftsmanship of this anthem. 'I won't attack you,
but I won't back you', this is such a superb sample of Young's imagery production factory while the tempo is comparable to a simple Dylan protest song, Young adds a lovely driven sound and some sensual guitar tunes to go along with song's important message.

'Well, it's so good to be here, asleep on your lawn. Remember your guard dog? Well, I'm afraid that he's gone. It was such a drag to hear him whining all night long. Yes, that was me with the doves, setting them free near the factory Where you built your computer, love.'

4. FOR THE TURNSTILES - 3:15

The electricity has been axed, for the turnstiles is a quiet, simple mid-way song in the album, it fits nicely into the void between side one and two. A stripped down affair providing a nice Southern sound with a banjo. Young's lyrics aren't long stories or poems, but rather two or three words a line which tell their own story providing a chance for some superb driving beats from the banjo.

'All the sailors with their seasick mamas Hear the sirens on the shore, Singin' songs for pimps with tailors Who charge ten dollars at the door.'

5. VAMPIRE BLUES - 4:14

Side two kick's off with the blues toned 'vampire blues', which sounds similar to some John Mayall or Eric Clapton. The title speaks for the complete variation of style Young uses within the album, from ragtime ballads, to folk acoustic or just plain ol blues. Young leaves his trademark guitar

song along with a tranquil mellow organ backing.

' I'm a black bat, babe, bangin' on your window pane I'm a black bat, baby, bangin' on your window pane. Well, I'm a black bat, babe, I need my high octane.'

6. ON THE BEACH - 6:59

On of my favourite folk songs and certainly the best offering on the album, a real treat for anyone with an imagination. All is needed is to stare at the album's cover while listening to this song and you'll be on a beach, breathing in the sea air, hearing the seagulls and the sea waves rollin up the beach. When I first heard this superb song I was immediately hooked on its addictively tranquil guitar solos and the phenomenal lyrics to accompany. The low key driven melody is so distant but it cleverly creeps in and out of the song like the waves rolling up and down the beach, it's genius.

' The world is turnin', I hope it don't turn away, The world is turnin',
I hope it don't turn away. All my pictures are fallin' from the wall where I placed them yesterday. The world is turnin', I hope it don't turn away.'

' I need a crowd of people, but I can't face them
day to day, I need a crowd of people, but I can't face them
day to day. Though my problems are meaningless, that don't make them go away. I need a crowd of people, but I can't face them day to day.'

7. MOTION PICTURES - 4:23

Much more toned down and largo than the drive of the title track, motion pictures is similar to 'For the turnstiles' in terms of tempo and a clear cut acoustic direction. One element which appeared to be missing from the album was Young's trademark harmonica sound. Filling long awaited voids within the songs structure and acting as a generator to propel Young's subtle and distant lyrical meaning the harmonica sound returns in all it's folky glory.

' Motion pictures on my TV screen, A home away from home,
livin' in between But I hear some people have got their dream.
I've got mine. I hear the mountains are doin' fine, Mornin' glory
is on the vine, And the dew is fallin', the ducks are callin'. Yes, I've got mine.'

8. AMBULANCE BLUES - 8:56

Another reason to get this album, although widely regarded by the critics as the definition of the album, the depressing, moody apathetic sound, but if you can see past that and obtain an open mind you'll immediately discover how brilliant the lyrics are of this sad 'tribute like' ballad. 'Oh Isabella, proud Isabella, they tore you down' it's such a moving song encompassed around the despair and hardship of loosing a loved one.

' Back in the old folky days The air was magic when we played.
The riverboat was rockin' in the rain Midnight was the time
for the raid. Oh, Isabela, proud Isabela, They tore you down and
plowed you under. You're only real with your make-up on How could I see you and stay too long?'

INSIDE THE CD:

Inside the cd as you open it up you get a large looking fold out booklet and a dark orange coloured cd with a nice flowery patter behind. As you fold out the booklet it folds out on one side as a letter written in a friends of Young's handwriting, which looks like it's lying on the beach. Quite cleverly it explains the lack of linear notes and photos within the simple yet colourful 2 page fold out booklet.

In conclusion, this is supremely underrated as a folk rock masterpiece and deserves far more critical acclaim as one of Neil Young's greatest albums. Sensual yet tranquil guitar solos, driving melody beats. and creepy tunes, creating large thickets of imagery, this is very well my definition of the magic of 'On the beach'.

Track List:

1. Walk On
2. See The Sky About To Rain
3. Revolution Blues
4. For The Turnstiles
5. Vampire Blues
6. On The Beach
7. Motion Pictures
8. Ambulance Blues

Many thanks for reading,

Trystan.