Neil Young — Chrome Dreams II

A tribute to Young's original, lost Chrome Dreams album, Chrome Dreams II is an interesting if somewhat unfocused addition to Shakey's canon. Young was pointed in saying the album would differ from his recent efforts (Greendale, Living With War) in that it wouldn't be dependent on a theme or specific sound, and he's true to his word. Album opener "Beautiful Bluebird" is a sweet ol' country number from the vaults and the next song, "Boxcar," is a banjo-led travelling tale. These contrast the lengthy horns 'n' guitars epic "Ordinary People," a live fave that comes across awkwardly here, and the just as sprawling but far more effectively executed "No Hidden Path." As a propulsive third element, there are also some solid, chunky rockers such as "Spirit Road" and one of the most lively and sly tracks Young's committed to tape in ages, the self-explanatory "Dirty Old Man." Conversely, fey album closer "The Way" could be mistaken for an emo show tune/indie ballad, which is entirely wrong. The end result is a record you'll be cherry-picking favourites from and skipping over tracks in equal measure.