Help! Stuck in Greendale!!!!

[darkstar]

I posted late last night on yesterday's relase of the latest Neil Young album, Greendale. Then, I was pumped up upon my first listen, dancing around the house singing lyrics "Hey Mr. Clean, You're dirty now, too!" from son "sun green." Didn't read the extensive narrative and expositional context you get in booklet.

Later, when I went to bed, I watched the solo accoustic DVD that comes with it--all for $14.99. He does every song in sequence and talks LOTS between the songs, providing the narrative backdrop found in the booklet and for much of the last 4 songs--"sun green" among them--my eyes were brimming with tears.

Tried the album today during work break, reading the text this time and felt the tears coming on so I turned it off. Listened to the last three on the way home and turned into a side street and sat there and cried real tears.

Has anyone else listened/watched this release yet? I'm telling you, it is a force to be reckoned with. It is heartbreakingly powerful. Or perhaps powerfully heartbreaking.

As per several threads I've seen here at DU, all my subjectivity is gone. I don't know if I was simply at my breaking point and Young just touched on the right spots to send me over the edge *or* if he has in captured a significant portion of America's post-9/11 collective unconcious which has previously gone untapped and spewed out all these intertwined anxieties, fears, and angry demons in a single blast. And boy are there some deserving targets--media, biz, consumerism, exploiters of every stripe--for the latter!

It's been a long time since a pop-culture product has leveled me like this. And when it has, it's usually, say, a more personal story and not as intense. This, however, is like an elegy for America tempered only by the possibility of redemption by an activist generation younger than Young's or mine, one that is moved by nature-spirit to stand up to the BIG LIE.

What should one do when they become obsessed with something that exposes so many raw nerves? I know many of you here at DU saw the shows and I read your reviews w/ interest and would really like to hear retellings of your experiences. But I would also really like to talk with someone who's got the CD/DVD thing and experienced these songs in a more private manner for perhaps a second or third time now.

Sincere thanks in advance for any response. I really do feel the need to talk to somebody about this...

[AmandaRuth]

1. I saw Greendale/NY when they were in here

a few weeks ago, I look forward to getting the cd. I will post when i do, Thanks for sharing your thoughts/feelings.

[Fenris]

2. I told you!

I told you it won't leave you alone.

I'm 19. I was surprised at how much Greendale transcended generational boundaries. I was expecting to be somewhat unimpressed with Greendale because I thought Neil would have a hard time making a concept album that dealt with modern issues while not making something that only baby boomers could enjoy (it would be tough not to). It was almost the opposite. The themes on the album are almost universally recognized themes amongst the generations: the demise of the "old" lifestyle (as represented by Grandpa); the corporatization of everything (naturally, represented by PowerCo); the sickening state of the mass media; the apathy amongst citizens towards the decimation of the environment and our culture; and the rise of paranoia and restrictions on personal freedom that occured after IX/XI. It was emotionally and intellectually disturbing to see a portrait of America presented onstage that was almost grotesque and hideous and then realizing it was a real portrait of modern America.

The concert made me and my mother horribly depressed. But by the time "Sun Green" was blasting through the speakers, I was angry. I realized then that this shit has gone too far and if we don't stop it now, this system is going to collapse under the weight of it's own excesses. This stability, this prosperity, this safety - it's all a big fucking lie. We're in a lot of danger, and if we don't wise up, we're going to sink further and further into an increasing hostile and foreign future.

Impressive stuff from Neil Young (who is, BTW, who my parents named me after, though for a long time I didn't like his music - blame that on overexposure).

[darkstar]

10. You are nailing this perfectly, Fenris

" It was emotionally and intellectually disturbing to see a portrait of America presented onstage that was almost grotesque and hideous and then realizing it was a real portrait of modern America."

"The concert made me and my mother horribly depressed. But by the time "Sun Green" was blasting through the speakers, I was angry. I realized then that this shit has gone too far and if we don't stop it now, this system is going to collapse under the weight of it's own excesses. This stability, this prosperity, this safety - it's all a big fucking lie"

This is indeed what it says to me, and to have it said w/ the vocabulary of Mayberry, USA is yet even more powerful. And I appreciate the way he does not make fun of his characters and this town of his creation, as opposed to say, David Byrne's take on Virgil TX in True Stories.

At any rate, have you or yr mom purchased the discs yet? I think the DVD presentation is excellent, as is the sound (stereo, 5.1, and DTS.)

Thanks for writing back. I'm 46, btw, and normally a fairly stable person. I'm glad to here that you were similarly effected by the show itself b/c I don't feel quite so whigged out.

Thanks abunch

[Fenris]

11. Yes, I bought the disc yesterday

Appropriately touched by the DVD. It's so sparse. Emotionally charged in a way different from the album. Much more sad.

[SweetZombieJesus]

3. I saw it live at Red Rocks

And I have to say, I was a little disappointed. The tunes were great, but I've never been a fan of concept albums, so it was a little distracting for me. And afterwards, we only got five of the old tunes. Worth the trip overall, but I would have liked to hear more old material.

[darkstar]

13. Ah Red Rocks

saw Dead there a time or 2.

But as I told my similarly disappointed wife, who got to see show in St. Louis while I toiled here in Louisiana, this is nothing new w/ Neil. If anything its a return to form. Early timeline:

71

1/2 hour BBC bootleg I own has Young doing songs no one in audience has heard, 5 from yet-to-be released Harvest, one never recored, and two that will appear on albums released post-Harvest.

73

Harvest tour, i.e. Harvest out in 72 but no new record out yet and Old Man a recent hit. First concert I ever saw. No acoustics all night, as I recall. No "soft" hits from Harvest, like Heart of Gold, in other words. Instead even harder versions of the harder Harvest songs and tons of new, unheard songs that would eventually be released as Time Fade Away, the first live LP of all new material ever released according to Rolling Stone back then.


77

Rust Never Sleeps: Another all new "live" album (some overdubs and studio post production on this one). Saw tour on which this was recorded, too, and once again, didn't know half the songs played.


Frustrating bastard if you want to here old stuff, indeed. And to be fair, he has been bashing out the old solids on a more regular basis in recent years.

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. Oh I am sooooo old. I clicked on here to help you with driving directions

to get out of one of my old home towns, Greendale, WI. Where is a blushing emoticon when you need one???

[darkstar]

9. Mrs Grumpy--

Its the decline of folks like you who (virtually) stop to help a stranger that are, in part, this CD's subject matter.

Don't be embarrassed. I'm a littled whacked out right now, but I'm also truly touched by your generous intent!

[Ein]

5. I'm so totally not into Neil Young-type music

but all this talk and the deal you just mentioned.... I might make a purchase, thanks :)

[roughsatori]

6. Young and Lou Reed make some of the worst beautiful

sprawling tart messes in all of music. The highs and lows are so extreme, from poetry to infantilism in a verse, yet they are 2 of the people I admire most.

I did see the DVD and thought parts where absolutely obvious as if written by a grade school kid, and other parts gave me goosebumps. I admired it for what it attempted, more than for what it accomplished. I will watch it again. ("Berlin" by Lou Reed is my favorite concept album.)

[SweetZombieJesus]

7. Well, it's definitely a lot better than Reed's latest "concept" album

The Raven was fucking horrible.

[roughsatori]

12. I think the Raven is a work of Genius you philistine!

Just kidding, it sucks. It is terrible and illustrates what I said. It is one of his lows: it encompasses so much of what it bad about him. I downloaded it for free--and deleted it after a few days.

[DBoon]

8. Saw it il LA

At the Greek Theater. Thought it could have benefited from a playwright's work. Good idea, inspiring themes, but I'm afraid this is not Neil's "Tommy". Really liked the Rust Never Sleeps set, esp. the final encore of Mister Soul.

Generational thing was wierd - it was different for me to be one of the YOUNGER people at a rock show. I was walking out when I heard someone say "remember when people used to go to rock shows to buy acid". I turned around and there was this grey-haired late '50's looking guy.