release date: Nov. 10, 1975
format: cd (1993 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Neil Young & David Briggs with Tim Mulligan
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada
Track highlights: 1. "Don't Cry No Tears" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Pardon My Heart" (4 / 5) - 5. "Barstool Blues" - 8. "Cortez the Killer" (4,5 / 5) - 9. "Through My Sails" (feat.Crosby, Stills & Nash)
7th studio album by Neil Young released as Neil Young & Crazy Horse. The album was released only 5 months after On the Beach and is a natural successor. Zuma is Young's second "real" [official] collaboration studio release with Crazy Horse, although, the band's line-up played with Young on several other studio albums and touring as part of his regular live band since his debut.
The album is lighter and more rock-styled than his albums following his first collaboration work with Crazy Horse, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere from 1969, and it may be seen as a move away from the dark thematic style on the previous albums. Aside from the more one-dimensional electric folk rock when working solely with Crazy Horse, the collaboration aspect helps Young shaping his compositions for a certain output, and in that respect, I could refer to his difficulties, especially on his following albums, in finding a common sound and style for his albums. Although, Zuma contains soft and mellow tunes like the semi-acoustic "Pardon My Heart" and a country rock track like "Lookin' for a Love" they still fit in, quite nicely, on the overall project thanks to the use of the same line-up for all tracks. This is one of the better Neil Young albums and as such a highly recommendable release.
All songs are written by Neil Young.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]
