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Album Review: Neil Young & Promise Of The Real - The Monsanto Years

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"A strong but not essential addition to Young's catalogue."

After dalliances with an orchestra and antique lo-fi recording equipment Young is back to playing rock’n’roll with a band.

Not Crazy Horse this time but a group that includes Willie Nelson’s sons Lukas and Micah. It’s a political statement in the vein of Young’s other strident environmentally-themed albums but even if that doesn’t interest you there’s plenty to like with long-winding, distorted tracks alongside Harvest Moon-esque ballads (Wolf Moon) and the catchy whistle-led country rock of A Rock Star Bucks A Coffee Shop. A strong but not essential addition to Young’s expansive catalogue.