Neil Young revisits kindergarten for Americana

It was announced yesterday that Neil Young's new album Americana would be released on June 5. The good news being that for the new project Young has reunited the entire Crazy Horse line-up of Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina and Frank "Poncho" Sampedro – which hasn't happened since 1996's Broken Arrow. However, the bad news is that he got everyone together to record traditional tunes like Tom Dooley, My Darlin' Clementine, Oh Susannah and oh yeah, God Save The Queen. It should make  Greendale look like an epic work of creative genius by comparison.

Assuming that this isn't some kinda contractual obligation ruse, you have to wonder just how tapped of original song ideas Neil must be at this point for an absurd concept like cutting an album's worth of "songs we all know from kindergarten" to seem like a viable option. This being a crucial election year in the US at a time of global economic turmoil and catastrophic environmental upheaval, there doesn't appear to be a shortage of relevant subject matter. Yet perhaps Neil figures the world could really benefit from hearing him reprise She'll Be Comin' 'Round The Mountain with a children's choir.

On the upside, Bob Dylan beat Young to the studio with Froggie Went A-Courtin' (for 1992's Good As I Been To You) so that one won't be on Americana (see track listing below). So far there's no word about whether the other record Young is reportedly working on with Crazy Horse will be Canadiana – a bi-lingual collection of Canadian traditional songs, but I'd enjoy hearing what Neil could do with I's the B'y, Ah! Si Mon Moine Voulait Danser! and that old Klondike fave When the Ice Worms Nest Again.

Americana  –  Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Oh Susannah
Clementine

Tom Dooley
Gallows Pole
Get A Job

Travel On

High Flyin’ Bird

She’ll Be Comin ’Round The Mountain
This Land Is Your Land

Wayfarin’ Stranger

God Save The Queen