Psychedelic dimensions...

I finally got around to hearing the new Neil Young and Aerosmith CD's last week. The Aerosmith CD, "Music from Another Dimension" played out to my suspicions, mentioned here last time. There's a definite split beyond rockers nodding and dipping into the band's rich past, and more of those power ballads that they threw out at us in the '90's. While those ballads were very successful for the band and there's still a decent size audience for them, in my book they're kinda played out. Steven Tyler is said to have a fondness for the style because it allows him to show the range of his voice, which it does. To me, there might be somewhere else they could go with it. It just doesn't seem like they're breaking any new ground with these types of songs. The rockers on the other hand, do open up in a slightly fresher direction and do have that sense of that "old Aerosmith" sound. Strangely enough, the balance between the two types of songs is split almost exactly down the middle. Of the stand out songs, one is one of the bonus tracks. Even the 3 extra tracks kinda leave you a bit mystified. Dunno... maybe it needs to grow on me a bit more but, at the moment, it didn't really have me all that excited. All of the talk leading up to this release usually jumped right over their last release "Honkin' On Bobo" like it never existed. But, ya know what? I think that was a better CD and staying in that vein (not necessarily an all or mostly covers record) woulda been a bit more powerful and woulda showed their teeth a lot more. But as a lot of these great bands of the '60's and '70's start reaching their 60's and '70's, they've earned the right to put out whatever kinda record they feel like making at this point and a lotta them do.

Which leads me to the new Neil Young release, 'Psychedelic Pill'. The great thing about when Neil hitches up with Crazy Horse is they just lock into that sound and groove and just go. A lot of it is familiar territory and you can tell that they could just give a crap. Songs go on for long periods of time ("Driftin' Back" clocks in at a live Allman Brothers like 27+ minutes) and it all sounds like, well, Neil Young and Crazy Horse. The stand out for me is the title track which throws in a 'Le Noise' like flange throughout the song (there's a bonus version without the effect). This CD didn't necessarily excite me too much either but I do like it though. Neil and the Horse are very comfortable with the sound they've been working on for 40 years now and that's cool. If you like your Neil Young grooves without experimentation, you should be happy with this CD.

Be sure to check out tracks from both CD's on NOTIMEWARP RADIO

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