Life Review

by Jane Solanas

You won't see Neil Young on the cover of your modern NME, but this album is worth a whole lot more than Suzanne Vega's entire repertoire of twee and vacuous introspection.

For 20 years, Young has consistently battered at America's image of itself. Essentially a Romantic songwriter, Young's hard rock efforts in the political department have been blurred by the success of his ballads and his lingering image as a singer-songwriter wimp. But he's never been very good at playing the marketing game - his true personality always breaks through that 'safe hippy' tag, occasionally with stunning results eg, 'On The Beach', 'Zuma', 'American Stars 'n' Bars'.

'Life', like those earlier albums, is an eccentric mixture of aggression, humour and moroseness (the latter being - cough - the Neil Young love songs). But the tracks which highlight Young's maniac, cynical persona are dynamite.

'Midstream Vacation' examines the 'Rambo' philosophy of Americans who feel the patriotic need to start wars, and is the most outstanding track.

'Long Walk Home' continues Young's tirade against America's abuse of its armed power and Americans' general ignorance of world politics.

'Around The World' is an anti-war, anti-apathy burn up, and 'Too Lonely' is a crashing jibe at the dickhead mentality of the American stud. ("Too Lonely," sneers Young, "To fall in love...").

There is a pure gem of a track, 'Prisoners Of Rock'n'Roll'. This is Young's affectionate but brutally accurate parody of so-called Garage bands past and present: "We don't want to be watered down / taking orders from record company clowns / THAT'S WHY WE DON'T WANNA BE GOOD...". It's sung in suitably moronic style, complete with a mock Hendrix guitar finish. Clearly, there are no cobwebs settling on this rock'n'roll 42 year old.