Neil Young and the consistency in his discography is, perhaps, understated. From Everybody Knows This is Nowhere onwards, for those working their way through his albums for the first time, it must feel like there is no stopping its continued quality. Where does it end? Not at Comes a Time, an album which continues the folk strengths Young had relied on all through the 1970s. His releases feel at odds with the boom of rock, new wave and post-punk with Bruce Springsteen, Talking Heads and Blondie worlds away from the calm, acoustic tones Young provided. His previous release, American Stars ‘n’ Bars, lined up more with the frenetic energies found in those recordings from The Jam and Elvis Costello, in instrumental tone alone, that is. Comes a Time and the rest of the work Young was putting out around this time maintains the country rock charm which still stands tall today. It is a matter of defiance.
Straight-shooting in its country tone and never relenting from the simplicities and sentimental charms which come from acoustic work, Young, for better or worse, sticks to the principled playing style. He never deviates and it is somewhat of a surprise to hear him not mince his words with electrified intent. These are calmer waters, considered moments where nature takes precedence. It is wonderful. A soft break from the crunch and heaviness of the times. Old country tones, the fiddle and freedom of the title track, Comes a Time, suggests a route through the past and into the present. An ever-changing playing field can be heard and it does not worry Young or his collaborating Crazy Horse collective. They crop up first on Look Out for My Love and disperse after Lotta Love. A brief appearance, but a fantastic one. A valiant effort against the times, but it is not this which undoes Comes a Time, it is the placidity and middle-of-the-road sound.
Young has dealt in this genre often enough to know better than some of the offerings heard on Comes a Time. Lotta Love is a step in the right direction, it just feels a tad repetitive. Sweet acoustic work and a repetition which would usually work for Young ends all too soon, on it goes to Peace of Mind. Crucial to these shortcomings is acknowledging they are, at the very least, more efforts from Young where his heart is in the right place. Classic, soulful pieces are not far off on Comes a Time. Human Highway is a tremendous piece, a softer shot of self-doubt and rediscovering yourself after the booze blowout of preceding albums. These are songs which reconnect Young with the world around him, a sobering experience and often wonderfully pieced together.
A return to sentimentality not as an after-effect but as a route to write along. Comes a Time is a welcome, soft return to those quiet tones best established by Harvest, but they feel like a genuine creation even with their shortcomings. Nicolette Larson’s feature spot on Motorcycle Mama is a welcome addition and album closer Four Strong Winds is likely the strongest piece of the bunch. Nostalgia is touched on but not celebrated. A sweet cover is what closes the album, a song formed by new experiences and a desire to return to a sound which he had turned from. Comes a Time is a telling experience. There is a time to return to what listeners were gasping for, but forgot with later releases. Just when they forget they wanted it, Young returns to a tender style of storytelling, one based in reflection and nostalgia.
