Artist: Neil Young and Crazy Horse
Album: Ragged Glory
Reviewer: Thomas Metzger
Neil Young has never been a stranger to trends in music. From the introverted acoustic folk of Harvest to the puzzling rockabilly of Everybody’s Rockin’, Young has proven the need to constantly change and adapt to the wider music landscape.
Enter the ’80s, where you can argue that Young was lost. He released a string of records that performed poorly and left fans confused, so much so that his label, Geffen Records, actually sued him for nearly $3.5 million, citing that he was releasing uncommercial and “musically uncharacteristic” records. The rest of the ’80s would not be kind, with Young releasing a flopped movie as well as becoming entangled in more lawsuits and poorly performing records.
All this would be a lot on anyone, even Neil Young. But it wouldn’t be long before he would return to form with the hit single “Rockin’ in the Free World,” a fairly simple but catchy song where Young sings his despair over simple open guitar chords, distortion turned up. It would not only be a precursor to what would become known as grunge, but also provide a glimpse into his next album that would launch a comeback for Neil, Ragged Glory.
Neil Young is often credited as the “Godfather of Grunge,” with “Rockin’ in the Free World” adopting a grungy crust of tone and attitude. Ragged Glory brings back his famous Crazy Horse backing band to deliver what I would argue is one of the best early grunge albums. It takes the developing sound of grunge and puts a Neil Young spin on it. Opener “Country Home” is more upbeat in tone than you would expect on most grunge or alternative albums at the time, but the distorted guitars mixed with Young’s classic open-chord progressions give his classic songwriting a fresh sound.
The track “F*!#in’ Up” is my contender for one of the best grunge songs of all time (yeah, I said it). The drop-D guitar riff and pissed-off attitude from Young comes through in his vocal delivery and a blistering guitar solo that could’ve easily fit on the radio alongside other bands like the Melvins or Nirvana. You can feel the angst coming through the main riff that is sure to get stuck in your head for days after you first hear it.
Midway through the album we get the track “Love To Burn.” This is another barnburner from Young and Co., with extended guitar jams and classic lyrical work from Young. This is an example of an ever-elusive “grunge-song-about-love,” where he sings about taking a chance (“ON LOVE!”), only later in the song to regret the choices he made.
As with most alternative albums from that era, perfection is not often worried about. You could argue the backing vocals on “Farmer John” are goofy and could’ve maybe used another take, but I think they are a great representation of the ethos of the era, that it doesn’t have to be perfect. I think the mindset of alternative music at the time was not to worry too much about getting “perfect” takes, and to instead just get your message across. I think Young was pissed off about his place in the music world, and he needed an outlet to let out his anger. Luckily for him, he just happened to be pissed off at the right moment in time. This album would be a shining moment in Young’s discography, and also earn him some “cool points” among the alternative scene.
While different in sonic characteristics and attitude than his usual output, Ragged Glory is a fun and unique moment in Young’s discography. It’s one that mixes his classic songwriting style with the attitude and sounds of the late-’80s underground, and the result is a home run. While he might be known more for his folky sound, this album shows that he is not afraid to get rowdy and turn the volume up to 11. If you’re a fan of ‘90s alternative rock, I would implore you to give this album a chance. I think you’d be surprised.
RIYL: Nirvana’s Nevermind, grunge/’90s alternative rock, loud guitars