MICHAEL BONNER
8/10, Vital document from Young’s 2025 live shows
Seasoned Rusties disappointed that Neil cancelled his 2026 UK dates can, at least, draw solace from this splendid live album recorded last year in Europe during his inaugural tour with the Chrome Hearts. Flipping between fiery dispatches (“Ohio”, “Big Crime”, “Be The Rain”) and shaggy love songs (“Harvest Moon”, “Name Of Love”), heavy hitters (“Like A Hurricane”) and deep cuts (“Daddy Went Walkin'”), Young’s digressive manoeuvres are given added flexibility by his latest, excellent backing band. On guitar, Micah Nelson manages to evoke both Danny Whitten’s lyricism and Poncho Sampedro’s crunch, while Spooner Oldham’s keys add shade and groove that are more pronounced on this recording than at some of the actual performances. The 14-minute “Cortez The Killer”, meanwhile, is for the ages, unravelling and expanding as, quite literally, time explodes.