Music review: 'Fork in the Road' by Neil Young

By Daniel Nordstrom

Thursday, April 30, 2009

At age 64, Canadian rock legend Neil Young has definitely still got it. His latest release, Fork in the Road, is a concept album about the energy crisis and the need for fuel-efficient cars.

The idea sounds a little strange, but in reality, the music is phenomenal. Deep, grungy and distorted guitar fills the album with classic Neil Young sound and leaves listeners with a familiar feeling similar to Young’s classic tunes.

Young’s vocals are perfect, too. The aging process hasn’t affected the rock legend’s expressive voice at all. The lyrics on the album are centered on the theme of fuel-efficiency. Young incorporates classic blues rhythms and jam-oriented song structure that mesh the music and lyrics nicely. The album would be ideal for a road trip—possibly Young’s hidden motive.

At one point, Young sings, “Just singing a song won’t change the world,” and urges listeners to take action. The progressive lyrics and strong liberal message don’t come off too aggressively, and overall they are well written and insightful.

If you’re looking for some classic Neil Young rock n’ roll with a progressive twist, check out Fork in the Road.

3 out of 4 stars

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