The last Neil Young album you really cared about

I haven't had a chance to check out Monsanto yet, but I think Neil's 2000s release are pretty solid overall. Out of those, I'd probably go with Le Noise, but there are several close seconds.

 

Looking Forward
Living with War - CSNY-ified tour version
Archives 1 with unreleased CSNY tracks
CSNY 1974

special aversion to the 2006 Deja Vu live album which overdubbed the 100 voice choir on live CSN vocals

But my name means you all knew this without asking;-)

 

Psychedelic Pill, which wasn't that long ago. Ragged Glory was his peak IMO.

 

Outside of the archives series releases, probably Harvest Moon. I have tried to find excuses and justifications for all of his new studio releases over the past 20 years, but most of it is mediocre.

 

Comes A Time

 

By the way, I googled NY discography and it listed his albums by popularity: 1) Harvest, 2) The Monsanto Years.

 

Same here.

 

Psychedelic Pill.

 

I don't think #2 is accurate. Google results are a good way to push the latest product though.

 

Sleeps with angels

 

I haven't heard Psychedelic Pill yet, which I would probably like from all accounts, but Ragged Glory was his last stone classic in my book. I also need to check out Le Noise. So much of his work has become so earnest and literal these days that it's hard to look past it for the musical or more artistic values. I like Harvest Moon a lot though, and thought that the live show that I saw for Greendale was one of the best shows that I have ever seen in my life, even if I didn't care for the album that much. Maybe if his modern albums weren't $35 a pop (or ~$60 for Psychedelic Pill), I would be more inclined to do so.

 

Rust Never Sleeps then I skip to Sleeps With Angels. I am STILL waiting for Time Fades Away to come out on CD.

 

I have no idea how that gets determined. After Monsanto, #7 and #8 are 2014 releases, so you are probably correct.

 

Broken Arrow and Greendale (initial excitement, then only mild disappointment) until Psych Pill, which I think is fantastic.

Guess I really only dig Neil when he's with The Horse

 

I love Mirror Ball, but the last one I really cared about would be Ragged Glory.

 

Freedom and Harvest Moon was the last major peak for me. But he is not a spring chicken, and has made his fair share of stone classics. So this is not a dig at him really.

 

It's an occupational hazard.

 

Harvest Moon. I really like Neil Young and besides his classic early solo material, I thought that he hit a nice groove with Freedom, Ragged Glory and Harvest Moon. It was music that really spoke to me in that period of my life. I like subsequent music from old Neil but those are the ones that effected me the most.

 

Harvest...the first four are brilliant.

 

To each his own, but I believe even one song of brilliance makes an album completely redeemable.
The man has only one or two releases in my book that have no brilliant songs and on those I expect it's because I haven't found them.
Luckily he does not give a you know what what anyone thinks.

 

Sleeps With Angels for me, sorry... I loved that one to pieces, but since then...

 

Hawks & Doves

 

Le Noise.

 

It's been a long time, but "The Monsanto Years" made me care.

 

If I'm really honest, the last great Neil Young opus in my opinion was Sleeps With Angels.