Harvest --- Neil Young --- 1972 (Reprise)
One of the defining albums of Neil Young's early career, “Harvest” was his first solo album after leaving Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and provided him with his first number one hit single, and international fame and recognition outside of CSNY. A very country-tinged album, it features guest appearances from such luminaries as James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt and the other three from CSNY. Apparently its instant and worldwide success so shocked Young that he made a conscious effort after this not to repeat its style, going more out on the fringes where he was most comfortable.
The album opens with “Out on the weekend”, a mid-paced country tune with lots of harmonica, pedal steel and acoustic guitar. It's fairly understated, a little introspective, and a slow opener that seems to be to kind of wander around for four and half minutes without any real idea where it's going. The title track is more guitar based, but slower paced, with again pedal steel making its presence felt. Young's voice is throughout clear and distinct, mostly sounding a little mournful or depressed, perhaps due to the acrimonious split with CSNY. The record is certainly very country, a subtle change in direction from the traditional folk approach of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
“A man needs a maid” starts off very quietly, Young's singing a little hard to even discern, the instruments even lower in the mix. The addition of the London Symphony Orchestra turns out to be a masterstroke though, as their full-blooded rendition of the music expands the song and makes it much more powerful and accessible. It's a ballad, but with the help of the LSO it turns out to be quite a powerful one. His big hit single is next: “Heart of gold” took him to the top of the charts in 1972, and is an acoustic song with a somewhat staccato format, a song of longing for the perfect love, helped along by some very effective harmonica. Neil is at his clearest and most passionate singing on this track, with backing vocals from Taylor and Ronstadt, which no doubt helped in its success as a single.
Things get faster and more upbeat then for “Are you ready for the country?”, which is piano led, and just a fun song, kind of reminds me of Dan Fogelberg's early work, like “Home free” (which, coicidentally, was released the same year). Lines like
”I was talking to the preacher/ He said God is on your side/ Then I ran into the hangman/ He said 'It's time to die'” give a sometimes rare insight into Young's acerbic sense of humour, and everyone just sounds like they're enjoying themselves on this track, a somewhat welcome break from the morose nature of what has gone before.
“Old man” however takes us back into the realms of the dour and the melancholy with another sharp semi-ballad, while “There's a world” opens with dramatic film soundtrack overture, big booming drums and bells, the London Symphony Orchestra making a reappearance, but then the track turns into a pastoral ballad, and ends up alternating between the two styles. “Alabama” is the first time you properly hear electric guitar, a track with the hardest edge on the album so far. It also again features Neil singing more passionately and strongly as he does on “Heart of gold”, so that you don't have to strain to hear him, as on so many of the other songs. It's certainly the track that comes closest to breaking out of the country mould and into the world of rock.
Back to acoustic then for “The needle and the damage done”, a song about heroin addiction which has become one of Young's signature songs. There's a definite sense of frustration and helplessness in the song, and it's the shortest on the album, at just over two minutes long. If “Alabama” is the rock song on “Harvest”, then “The needle...” is the folk one.
The album closes on a big bluesy jam, “Words (Between the lines of age)” with the re-emergence of the pedal steel guitar and powerful backing vocals from Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and the remaining members of CSNY. The final song becomes something of a masterclass in guitar from Young, with a lengthy solo to bring the song to its end, and indeed, the album to a close.
I think Neil Young is something of an acquired taste. I don't claim to be a fan, though I do like some of his work, and this is in fact my first listen to this album. While I can see how it went down so well in 1972, I probably would not have rushed out and bought it when I was young (sorry!), being more into metal and rock at that age. But for Neil Young fans there's no doubt this album stands as one of his most respected and successful, an album that put him on the map and began a long and rewarding career for him.
TRACKLISTING
1. Out on the weekend
2. Harvest
3. A man needs a maid
4. Heart of gold
5. Are you ready for the country?
6. Old man
7. There's a world
8. Alabama
9. The needle and the damage done
10. Words (Between the lines of age)