release date: Jun. 20, 1975
format: cd (1997 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: David Briggs & Neil Young with Tim Mulligan
label: Reprise Records, Germany - nationality: Canada
Track highlights: 1. "Tonight's the Night" - 3. "World on a String" - 4. "Borrowed Tune" (4 / 5) - 5. "Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown" (live) (4 / 5) - 8. "Albuquerque" (3,5 / 5) - 10. "Lookout Joe"
6th studio album by Neil Young is much like On the Beach, only stylistically with more focus on blues rock. Actually, the album was recorded in the Fall of 1973 (mostly on one recording session) as the natural follow-up to Harvest but the release was delayed for two years. Also, very much like On the Beach this album wasn't well-received in its own time but today many music critics praise it among his best. Rolling Stone and allmusic.com both hand it 5 out of 5 stars.
The emphasis on blues rock may also be seen in the light that the Crazy Horse line-up are part of the studio recording, as well as the live feel, due to the studio recordings playing live. Another thing the album has in common with the previous release is its part of 'The Ditch Trilogy', a term used by Young himself in referring to the years after Harvest, which includes Journey Through the Past, On the Beach and Tonight's the Night. In this respect the trilogy aspect refers to his dark period with heroin related deaths and life on the edge, in general.
The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", and although, it's not an immediate favourite of mine, it's a fine and enjoyable album.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 5 / 5 stars ]
