Protest songs do not lose their meaning as new ones come along, and Neil Young understands the power of his words from decades ago. The Times is, as Chrome Dreams and Before & After were, a chance to delve into the past and find new meaning. Taking old tones for a new ride provides a modern twist, the fresh view of Harvest and Bob Dylan can be heard on this EP. A fascinating release because Young had rarely looked back through his career but does now more than ever. One man and his guitar are all it takes to redefine these classic tracks. Young documents not just the changing times but his vocal range, the fresh tones of a veteran voice filled with fear and confusion at the state of the world. Fresh perspectives add new layers to these classics.
Those vocal changes Young deals here are all part of The Times’ charm. Here is a man who pushed through everything from Flower Power to Watergate and came out the other end with poised political songs that note the specifics, rather than the times. It is what separates songs like Alabama and the Richard Nixon-featuring Campaigner. Everyone has a soul but Young explores how long it takes to subdue it, to kick at it enough to disguise it. Those intense reflections on the scum of politics having a heart are made all the clearer by the current crop which, while not directly noted in Campaigner, is all the same to Young on The Times. A neat Ohio adaptation is blown out of the water by a marvellous The Times They Are A-Changin’ cover. Young has the isolated tone down to a tee, the stripped-back appeal that made Harvest a memorable piece.
Threads of American pride and passion can be heard throughout The Times. But it is not the sort of modern-day patriotism of wanting to make the country great again, but a reserved and often placated nostalgia booms through The Times. Lookin’ for a Leader is a marvellous example of this and the music video to go along with it, to see Young hammering away on his guitar and blowing into a harmonica with one of the more palatable, modern political songs of recent memory, is a sign of his heart being in the right place. Young stands as one of the finer patriots, a singer who understands the riches and joys of the country he lives but admits to the “darker side” almost every time he tries singing about it.
His pitch may be a tad high on Southern Man but such is the point of The Times. These are at-home recordings made in a time of global isolation, in a time of political strife and worry. After recent election results, it may be time for Young to dust off his guitar and consider a follow-up, a return to the roots of his writings and an adaptation of them once more. Politically charged pieces work better when reflection is made throughout and for Young it helps he has so many well-written hits from his discography to choose from. Little Wing is a neat closer, a softer flourish which relies more on the acoustic guitar and those near-whispered vocals than anything else. Those quiet occasions leave space to think about the state of the world around us and they are as effective now as they were half a decade ago.
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