National Treasure

My Dad recently got Neil Young's latest album Live from Massey Hall so naturally I added it to my mp3 player. I listened to it for the first time yesterday before an English test and I was struck by how raw, spare and beautiful it was. It's really just Neil and his guitar or piano for 10 songs. The classics are great like "Cowgirl in the Sand," "Old Man" and "Don't Let it Bring You Down" but the lesser known album tracks are equally stunning. The most amazing parts of the concert, which took place in 1971 at Massey Hall, is hearing Neil work through songs that would become classics. My favourite moment was during the heartbreaking ballad "A Man Needs a Maid" when Neil spontaneously breaks into the yet to be released "Heart of Gold." The audience's reaction to hearing my favourite Neil Young song for the first time reminded me of the first time I heard it and all felt right between me, my headphones, Neil, and the audience members of Massey Hall 36 years ago.



Here's a great video of "Heart of Gold" from the 2005 Neil Young concert film directed by Jonathan Demme.