In stores now are re-mastered versions of the first four Neil Young records. The re-releases feature nothing in the way of rarities but do offer a somewhat superior sound quality versus the previously available editions that have been on the market since compact discs were first introduced to consumers.
The songs on Neil Young’s self-titled debut record are more than passable, namely the electric guitar fuzz of ‘The Loner and I’ve Been Waiting For You’ as well as ‘The Old Laughing Lady.’ As a stand-alone record, it is alright but there is really nothing that truly jumps out and grabs the listener the way that his next record would… ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’ showed how much Young had grown in the short time between the two records. There isn’t a bum track on the whole darn thing, starting with rockers like ‘Cinnamon Girl,’ the title track ‘Down By The River’ and ‘Cowgirl In The Sand.’ This record is a perfect 10, in my opinion.
This pair of records foreshadowed the great things that lay in store for the former Buffalo Springfield member, bringing him to the cusp of success that he had been striving to achieve.