Let's Impeach The President?

Neil Young seems to be back to his old form with his new cd Living with War. This anti-Bush record isn't Young's first leap into the protest game: Ohio, Southern Man, etc. But unlike last year's disappointment, Praire Wind, Living with War gives you the feel of old Young (I know, I know). He is basically saying, "Hey, I still got it"

Like most Young albums, this one is really centered on the guitar. The first sound heard when you place the cd in the stereo is a hard-rockin riff, ala Ohio. Neil can display more in a riff than most musicians: his anger, his frustrations and most importantly his ideals. This time around, though, he is upfront in the words he uses. How much more upfront can you get than Let's Impeach the President? That track itself seems very Michael Moore to me. Dealing with the age old defense of Bush using his [Young] religion in order to win the election. This is more along the lines of dorm room, left wing politics. Other songs are upfront and work out, such as the Restless Consumer. "Don't need not TV ad/Telling me how sick I am" The lyrics are the low point and the high point of the cd. They are sometimes too easy to criticize, but sometimes they are hard to deny.

Besides the sometimes frustrating lyrics, this album is one of this year's better efforts. It shows Young at his most honest, most heartfelt times. A lot of people will buy this record and take it as gospel. "Bush is bad because Neil Young says he's bad" I'm not too interested in the politics of the record. Of course I hate President Bush, I mean doesn't every American? But I'm more interested in how important this is for Neil. I can honestly say that he has one "great" cd left in him.

For being 60 years old and spending much of his life with a needle in his arm, Young suprisingly has a lot left, even with last year's brain aneurysm scare. You always see these former musicians mumbling through interviews (Bob Dylan, David Bowie) but Neil seems to be on the top of his game. This album is a prime example why.