I was well aware what this album contained when I ordered it and the premise sounded fascinating. Neil Young sending sonic “letters home” which were recorded in an old 1947 “Voice-O-Graph” recording booth at Jack White’s Third Man Records studio in Nashville, including covers of songs, chat and a generally informal feeling. It had the feel of an intriguing, unique project. Unfortunately, even knowing all of that didn’t prepare me for the sound quality on this album which is, frankly, appalling. Some people may be excited about the results of an artistic, strikingly different project like this, but I honestly found the scratchy, extreme low-fidelity sound difficult to live with. It’s not something I can listen to through headphones, it has to be over the stereo system. Better results would have been garnered by using an eighties boom box with built-in microphone than on this album. It’s a real shame, because Neil’s choice of covers, including Patsy Cline’s “Crazy”, Dylan’s “Girl From The North Country” and Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind” could have been something truly worth hearing, if this album didn’t sound like you were listening to it over an old football stadium PA system, which has had socks stuffed in the speakers to muffle the sound. OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but only slightly.
This is a curio, a collector’s item, something for completists only. Perhaps it wouldn’t have seen a general release like this had it not been a Record Store Day item which was, in its original vinyl format, changing hands for what can only be described as silly money. For a fan, it’s interesting to hear once and then file away with numerous other Neil Young albums that rarely see the light of day any more, so it’s difficult not to be disappointed with this at a full album price. Had this been released at a much reduced price, it’d be easier to feel less hard done by, but this wasn’t a budget label release and I believe many long-term Neil Young fans who, let’s face it, are quite a tolerant, patient bunch, will be feeling like this purchase was less than essential. I would advise real caution before spending your money on this item, which makes Bing Crosby records recorded in the thirties sound like cutting edge audio quality. There is no doubt that Neil Young is one of the great artists of the last fifty years and his talent is recognisable even through the hisses, pops and slight speed changes on this recording, but this isn’t a way you would ever want to introduce anyone to his work, because it’s difficult for a long-time, massive fan of Neil’s work, such as myself, to understand the appeal of this album, let alone the uninitiated.
Neil Young’s “A Letter Home” is out now on Third Man Records/Reprise.
Andy Sweeney, 1st June, 2014.
