After the Gold Rush Review: Gentle, Ragged and Moving
9/10 — Neil Young - After the Gold Rush (1970)
Pros
- 'After the Gold Rush'
- Young's fragile voice
- Warm, loose sound
Cons
- Uneven
- A couple of slight songs
After the Gold Rush was recorded largely in the basement of Young’s home, with members of Crazy Horse and a teenage Nils Lofgren. It’s a collection of laid-back folk and rock songs.
What works
‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ and ‘After the Gold Rush’ are lovely, ‘Southern Man’ is angry, and ‘Don’t Let It Bring You Down’ is haunting. Young’s high, fragile voice is expressive, and the sound is warm and loose.
Where it falters
The album is a little uneven, and a couple of songs are slight.
Verdict
A warm, ragged and affecting singer-songwriter classic.
