Le Noise

Young and producer Daniel Lanois (Le Noise, get it?) bring this solo Neil + effects album – part (very) electric, part acoustic – to life with some damned fine songs and muscular playing and singing. Sorry to play the part of the geezer reviewing the even-more-geezer rock star’s album, but holy shit, there are some extraordinarily vital and assertive songs, playing, and singing here. There’s also on YouTube a lush, mostly B&W, video that goes with this album.

1. Power-chording and echoed vocals give way eventually to feedback
2. One of the noisier love ballads (non-power ballad category) you will hear
3. Another non-pretty ballad, with some unexpected melodic turns
4. Quieter, self-referential song about the ravages of war on the families of those who fight them
5. Resigned statement of fact – it’s an angry world
6. Personal history of travel, fame, drugs used, and perseverance
7. Throwback folky anthem
8. Self-accusatory “When will I learn to give back” over simple tune