The name alone signifies a legend who has created crater-sized impacts on rock music. In the modern marvel’s latest album, Chrome Dreams II, Young has calmed the once-turning tides and has settled for a more serene perspective.
Chrome Dreams II is a sequel to 1977’s unreleased Chrome Dreams. Although Chrome Dreams was shelved before it reached an audience, Young pulled from it such hits as “Pocahontas” and “Like a Hurricane” to appear on future albums. In Chrome Dreams II, the artist draws from previously unreleased songs (with a mix of new ones) to illustrate feelings of spirituality and appreciation through his confrontation with age.
The album starts off with “Beautiful Bluebird,” a sweet serenade that compares the alluring color of the bluebird to the eyes of his adoring woman. The euphonic harmonica and soft twang of the banjo give off the soothing sounds of a child’s hymn, and Young’s gentle voice guides listeners onto the beautiful imagery that he creates through the lyrics. Although the song is so melodious, its simplistic nature and monotone hum allow it to be overlooked.
Chrome Dreams II contains two extensive tracks which, when combined, total half the length of the album. “Ordinary” clocks in at 18 minutes, and “No Hidden Path” runs for 14 minutes. The former is Young’s homage to the working man, which chronicles nine over-detailed scenarios of people simply trying to make a living. The song has floated among Young’s tours unreleased since 1988. Young once again tries to exploit the poor treatment of those on the lower end of the societal hierarchy. The constant rotation of short narratives with interludes of jazzy ensembles of saxophones, trumpets and drums will makes listeners double take on the loop button. Likewise, “No Hidden Path” starts off strong but becomes sluggish as Young’s voice dies to leave nothing left but an unchanging guitar solo.
Optimistic songs such as “Shining Light” and “The Believer” express an untiring faith that Young rarely reveals. “Shining Light” is a quiet lullaby in which Young pairs lyrics such as “Shed your light/ Show your love” against unified backup singers to create a slight gospel feel. “The Believer” takes a more lively depiction of faith, which flaunts cheer with the light tap of the piano in this short tune. The only thing that seems to be missing from this wholesome song is the joyful chirp of a nearby robin.
The perks of the album come through the departure of the soft dispositions found in earlier tracks. “Boxcar” is a short banjo plucking number that exemplifies Young’s untamed warble. “Dirty Old Man” revives Young’s grit-grinding approach to music with this powerhouse track. Young abrasively sings, “I’m a dirty old man/ Do what I can /I’m gonna get hammered/ And do it again,” above the clatter of a garage band-esque troupe. Chrome Dreams II ends with “The Way,” a peaceful tune that innovatively unfolds against the lighthearted children’s choir. For the first time on the album, Young is able to display the subtle power that can be found in his soulful acoustic track.
Instead of expanding his mark on music using layers of striking subject matter and unique sounds, Young uses Chrome Dreams II to round out the pretty, simplistic melodies of his country rock acoustic tracks. Although slightly messy , the album is pleasant in its most basic meaning; an understatement for such a legend.
