Neil Young - Old Ways (1985)

Artist: Neil Young
Title: Old Ways
Label: Geffen Records (USA)
Genre: Rock
Released: 1985
Format: MP3
Guest(s): Willie Nelson; Waylon Jennings; Marty Stuart; Bela Fleck; Gail Davies; Terry McMillan; Ben Keith; Rufus Thibodeaux
Bitrate: 320 kBit/s
Size: 80.2 MB (incl. 10% Recovery record)

In 1984, Geffen Records sued Neil Young on the grounds that he had submitted uncharacteristic, uncommercial records to the label. By the time a settlement had been reached, Young had been on the road with a country band called the International Harvesters for over a year and recorded a revamped version of Old Ways, a 1982 recording originally rejected by Geffen that was cut in the style of Harvest and Comes a Time, but with a stronger country leaning. Young depends heavily on friends, especially for vocals – Waylon Jennings sings harmony on six out of the ten tracks, and one of the others is a duet with Willie Nelson. Though populated by cowboys and country references, Young's take on the genre is typically idiosyncratic, including a reworked version of his autobiography in "Get Back to the Country," a cover of the 1956 Gogi Grant hit "The Wayward Wind," and the uncategorizable "Misfits," which portrays astronauts watching Muhammad Ali fights on television in space. Old Ways is not a great Neil Young album and at the time of its release served to alienate him even further from his audience, but it has its moments.

Review by William Ruhlmann(allmusic.com)

Personnel includes: Neil Young (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, harmonica); Willie Nelson (vocals, acoustic guitar); Waylon Jennings (vocals, electric guitar); Anthony Crawford (vocals, mandolin); Denise Draper (vocals); David Kirby, Grant Boatwright, Johnny Christopher, Ray Edenton (acoustic guitar); Ben Keith (steel guitar, dobro); Ralph Mooney (steel guitar); Marty Stuart (mandolin); Bela Fleck, Bobby Thompson (banjo); Rufus Thibodeaux, Gordon Terry (fiddle); Carl Gorodetzky (violin); Gove Scrivenor (Autoharp); Terry McMillan (harmonica, Jew's harp); Hargus "Pig" Robbins, Spooner Oldham (piano); Joe Allen (acoustic bass, bass); Joe Osborne, Tim Drummond (bass); Karl Himmel (drums); Farrell Morris (percussion). Producers: Neil Young, Ben Keith, David Briggs, Elliot Mazer. Engineers: Gene Eichelberger, Tim Mulligan. Recorded at The Castle, Franklin, Tennessee; House Of David, Nashville, Tennessee; Pedernales Recording Studio, Spicewood, Texas; and live at Austin City Limits, Austin, Texas. There has always been a strong country element to Neil Young's music and OLD WAYS is perhaps the ultimate manifestation of Young's love of that style. Songs like "Get Back To The Country" (a stomping track on which fiddles and a Jew's harp are the lead instruments) and "California Sunset" are indeed pure country. Other songs–including "The Wayward Kind," "Misfits" and "Old Ways"–boast poignant melodies and straightforward performances that would not be out of place on classic Young albums like HARVEST and COMES A TIME. Labeled a "country album" when it was released in 1985, OLD WAYS is a lot less country than Garth Brooks or Dwight Yoakam, though with guests spots from Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, it's not your typical Neil Young album either. OLD WAYS is an enthusiastic, well-played exploration of country music by a rock artist who is never afraid to try something new.

Neil Goes Country With Bela Fleck And Others

Tracklist:

01 - The Wayward Wind
02 - Get Back To The Country
03 - Are There Any More Real Cowboys
04 - Once An Agel
05 - Misfits
06 - California Sunset
07 - Old Ways
08 - My Boy
09 - Bound For Glory
10 - Where Is The Highway Tonight