Using established rock legends like Pearl Jam as a backing group is a choice few can make. Neil Young does so, and his presence as the Godfather of Grunge is what makes it happen. Mirror Ball uses the flash of popular club aesthetics the same way LCD Soundsystem and Arctic Monkeys did in the decades to follow. It’s not a direct influence, but moody lighting or rough imagery surrounding what should be a call for lucid positivity is always a winner. Mirror Ball offers that. A murky, greyed image of a disco light, which looks like the centre of a universe with all the stars blinking around it. At once a criticism of that musical style as it is an embrace of the comfort it brings, the liberation of a dancefloor is never far off from this eleven-track spectacle. Young and Pearl Jam is a brilliant and unpredictable pairing which, just a year after the Crazy Horse-featuring Sleeps with Angels, is another breath of fresh air from Young.
Opener Song X has hard rock qualities and a shanty-like sway. Eddie Vedder and the band sing of their road to never destination, as Young notes the story of a travelling soul in search of a bigger meaning is a superb start. We are on that road to never, the meaning behind the journey not as important as the feeling it gives the core of Mirror Ball. Flashy instrumental work and that heavy percussion backing some brilliant guitar solos is not the only strength of this first song. Being on the road is half the battle, enjoying the ride is a whole other beast. Young and Pearl Jam implore the listener to find a love for this grizzled stomp towards life’s end, bitter or otherwise. Instrumental effectiveness is the key to Mirror Ball. Classics like I’m the Ocean are as good in the studio as they are on stage, where they have become a staple of Young’s setlist.
Instrumentally, it may feel a bit similar from song to song. Incorrect. Mirror Ball has some exceptional depths which call back to the greatest guitar solos in Young and Pearl Jam’s discography. Big Green Country is nothing short of sensational, a song which captures not just the tone of the times, but the here and now, a song which has seen the future on this road to never. Pair that with Truth Be Known, a gliding and effective rock classic, and the feeling of Mirror Ball is one which pairs ambition with optimism. A rarity these days, but it’s considered with a delicacy not usually associated with rock and roll. Downtown might be somewhat repetitive, but it at least fits the rocking style of Mirror Ball. It’s easy to forget just how many all-time classics from Young’s discography got their start on Mirror Ball.
Between Throw Your Hatred Down and I’m the Ocean, the protest familiarity of Rockin’ in the Free World can be found. Hard and harsh-sounding instrumentals which are built on that ongoing skill Young has as a guitarist. Some of his very best riffs can be found on Mirror Ball. Like a Hurricane levels of exciting. Scenery is one of the most empowering songs you’ll find. A heady guitar song with plenty of inspiring sentimentality to it, unconsciously embedded there by the riotous percussion within. Take a moment to look at the scenery around you. Young and Pearl Jam implore us to take note of what we see on the road to never, a trip to nowhere is what life is all about. Enjoy the detail and attention along the way, and there are few better reminders of that than Mirror Ball.
