Following Neil Young's previous release, Living With War, which was filled with social and political influences, Chrome Dreams II is an attempt to go back to the old Young, as Ralph Molina (of Crazy Horse) joins him in the studio to record for the first time in years. Despite this reunion, it is clear that Young will never recapture the energy and intensity his youth brought, and as a result he struggles to clear the barrier of mediocrity.
Young has always proven to be spontaneous and unpredictable throughout his career on just about every level of his music, however, at this point it seems bursts of energy and creativity for a song or two are all he can muster.
The first three tracks provide some of that old school Young he is still striving for, as these songs were originally written in the '80s. They steadily build up in intensity and tempo for each song while showing off Young's classic diversity from country to rock. This culminates in the 18 minute marathon Ordinary People.""
""Ordinary People"" features alternating verses with guitar features accompanied by a horn melody with verses that offer stories of different, everyday, ""ordinary"" people encountering obstacles. This song is reminiscent of a super-charged ""Last Trip to Tulsa"" from Neil Young. It has the same progressions in form and dynamics, only ""Ordinary People"" is filled with more intense guitar solos and some trumpet and saxophone for variety.
While ""Last Trip to Tulsa"" will mesmerize you with Young's erratic vocals and acoustic, ""Ordinary People"" will make you nod your head to the melodies and solos until you realize you've been listening for 10 minutes and the song is only half over.
Other highlights of the album include ""The Believer"" and ""No Hidden Path."" Young proves, yet again, simplicity can be better. The spontaneity and energy that lacks in many of the other songs on the album return in these two, especially in ""No Hidden Path"" which is the only other song on the album that comes close to, and at times surpasses, the drive of ""Ordinary People.""
Like any album, Chrome Dreams II has its ups and downs, but it never escapes being merely average. The highlights definitely do not disappoint as they are classic Neil Young songs, which are always enjoyable to listen to while picturing him jamming in the studio simply playing whatever comes out.
However, the lows are just as present and as a result the album creeps through lulls while listeners will be waiting to reach the next peak of intensity. Most of Chrome Dreams II drags along, and it is hard not to skip through half the material that keeps the album out of the ""must have"" pile.
