NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE 2012, Psychedelic Pill, Triple LP, NM

$

44

Description

• As it turns out, the lumbering Americana was merely an amateurish rehearsal for the reuniting Neil Young & Crazy Horse. Just a handful of months after that collection of schoolhouse folk tunes, the band released the mammoth Psychedelic Pill, Neil's first-ever studio double-LP. It's not just the album itself that sprawls: Young rides Crazy Horse through long, long songs, kicking off the proceedings with the 27-minute "Driftin' Back," a song that makes the nearly 17-minute "Ramada Inn" and 16:30 "Walk Like a Giant" look comparatively svelte. No matter how many three-minute palate cleansers surround these monoliths, there's no getting around the fact that these overdriven, overlong jams are a way of separating the men from the boys, leaving behind only those with the strength to stomach such a large, undiluted dose of the Horse. Fortunately, the band is sounding much more limber than it did onAmericana, where it seemed like the group members were picking up their instruments for the first time in a decade, so they can keep things moderately enchanting as the rock rolls out with no end in sight. That heavy, churning, perpetual motion is what's unique about Young & Crazy Horse, andPsychedelic Pill provides an abundance of it, but this feels different than their skronk-fests of the past, lacking the ballast of Ragged Glory, the sinew of Rust Never Sleeps, or the crackling, kinetic energy ofArc Weld or Live Rust. Instead, this is the sound of a veteran band settling into their familiar frayed clothes, doing precisely what they do best and nothing more. An air of tempered nostalgia permeates the album, evident not only in the unapologetic '70s grind of the band but in Young's lyrics, which fuzzily rhapsodize about "Drifting Back" and the first time he heard "Like a Rolling Stone." Unlike Dylan-- or many other of his baby boomer peers -- Young sounds like a defiant old coot pining for his past, which makes Psychedelic Pill yet another oddity in a catalog filled with them: it's noise rock as comfort food. *

• * per AllMusic.com

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Condition/Grading

• IMPORTANT NOTE:  Please remember that any record graded below a Mint, or a Near Mint, will obviously have some marks on the vinyl and/or jacket otherwise it too would have been graded Mint, or Near Mint. Marks on vinyl can be disturbing but on the other hand they can be non-factor. If I see any marks that may impact a listeners sound quality I will play grade the vinyl to ensure that the marks do not result in any deterioration of the sound quality. My priority, for all buyers, is a pleasant listening experience. 

• Vinyl is normally visually graded, except for above, primarily due to time constraints and the sheer volume (thousands) of records being graded. I am selling off my personal collection as this is NOT a business where I buy and sell. I use very bright lights & magnifiers to search for flaws ensuring that no over-grading occurs. The grading scale is as follows:

  Mint (M):  Still Sealed, if opened the grading should not reflect Mint.

  Near Mint (NM):   Looks as though it just came from the retail store and was opened for the very first time (i.e. nearly perfect). Shiny vinyl with no visible defects such as writing, stickers, markings on either jacket or vinyl. Near Mint records do not have to be one that has never been played because used record that have been played multiple times can also be Near Mint providing that they have been properly cared for during its' life.  

  Excellent (EX)  Looks like a Near Mint at first glance but upon thorough exam a minimal blemish or mark may be noted. As a Near Mint is in perfect condition, this grade is just a small step down in the grading scale. An jacket saw cut. corner cut or punch hole will result in the nicest looking jacket having to be downgraded to Excellent due to these flaws.

  Very Good Plus (VG+):  Shows slight signs of wear, including scuffs or light scratches that do not affect the listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound and minor signs of handling will fall into this category. Telltale marks around the center hole, from repeated playing may have enlarged or damaged the hole and may be visible. Light ring wear or discoloration, can be noted but should not be overwhelming. Very Good + jackets should have minor wear such as a very minor seam wear or split (less than 1"long) at one of the seams (normally the bottom seam which is most vulnerable. A Very Good + may have some jacket defacing such as cut-out markings which can be either a circular hole punch, a cut corner or a saw cut. 

• Very Good (VG):   Shows more obvious flaws than the above. They may lack the original gloss found on factory fresh records, groove wear is evident as are light scratches that may be deep enough to feel with a fingernail. The Very Good record could have minor surface noise and some scratches may be audible most likely in the intros and the empty space between songs but not at a level that would overpower the music. Minor writing, tape or sticker may exist on the jacket and/or label. These records will still remain a fine listening experience.  

• Good (G):  Good does not mean Bad and far as a listening experience it can be far from meaning so. A Good record will still play through without skipping but may have significant surface noise and groove wear but when visually graded it may look like it has the groove wear but when listening to the vinyl none may be heard. A record that may look bad could sound like an Excellent graded record. The label may be worn, there may be heavy writing. If an item that you have been looking for then still grab it on the cheap. Will/May have ring wear and/or seam splits.