Niel Young: Unplugged
Reprise CD
I was re-racking some CDs when this caught my eye. I have been listening to the Massey Hall album lately and thought I would compare these two. While I cannot complain about the SQ of the Unplugged album there is just something about the Massey hall album that keep bringing me back to it as a fav.
I think it is because of two things. First although the Unplugged album is acoustic, there is still a backup band behind Neil, whereas In Massey hall is is solo Neil and there is something about the simplicity of that I draws me in. Second there is a span of twenty years between the two albums and by the time Unplugged came around Neil was a more seasoned and polished performer.
I have a whole slew of albums made by performers when they were young and fresh that are among my favorites of that performer. I really enjoy hearing what the artist wanted to put out there,, before the stuffed shirts at the record companies started to mold them to the corporate standards of what they though would sell best. As good as Sgt Pepper is, there is still something special about the Beatles first few albums. Listen to Billy Joel's Cold Spring Harbor or the album Jim Croce put out with his wife before he signed with ABC records. Even though the recordings may not be as good as they could have been I find something refreshing in hearing the performers raw talent.
Bottom line, Massey Hall is still my go to album for acoustic Neil.
