A Letter Home – no mon no fun
I’m beginning to wonder about Neil Young. He fills his book with discussion about sound quality, CDs versus Hi-Res audio – and travels around the world promoting Pono, his 24 bit music player. A friend to audiophiles – he was an early promoter of DVD-A and hi-resolution Blu-Ray. His vinyl pressings are excellent. So, in general, Neil Young records sound great.
Recently Neil released an album known as “A Letter Home” recorded in a telephone box, belonging to Jack White, in what sounds like 4 bit resolution. Presumably he wants to provide authentic vintage listening experience. What this is is a nice selection of cover versions that sound like they were recorded in 1930. Could this be the most self indulgent release in major label history. I wouldn’t mind if this record was a bonus disc in “Americana 2” or an add on to Archives 2 – but they are selling it on vinyl for €28-€30, with a super deluxe box set for €150 or more. Honestly, the original Robert Johnson 78s sound better. Neil already showed 20 years ago how to make a fantastic simple album – “Unplugged.” I read somewhere that the deluxe edition of the album includes cleaned up versions of the songs: bummer I didn’t get that with the (expensive) vinyl. What next, “A Letter Home” the 1970s – Neil records some of his favourite songs in his bedroom on a single track cassette tape and releases it on wax-cylinder for $1000 a copy. No, Archives 2 exclusively released on Pono?
File under unnecessary. If Neil needs money to pay for his trains, electric car and Pono – I suggest recording an acoustic album, digging up Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor and calling it “Harvest Dawn.”
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