[Mike Dias]

It’s no secret. I’m a huge Neil Young fan. So it’s a true honor and privilege to review Live At The Cellar Door,  the latest in Neil’s Archives Performance Series. It’s a collection of songs performed during Young’s intimate six-shows at The Cellar Door in Washington D.C. between November 30^th and December 2^nd, 1970. For those keeping score, this is just a few months after Reprise released Neil’s third solo album After The Gold Rush and six months after Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young had imploded under the weight of their own success.

 

Live At The Cellar Door is made for collectors and die-hard fans. Henry Lewy’s live eight-track recordings are beautifully executed and Chris Bellman’s mastering is a work of art. The music is simple and straightforward. It’s all acoustic with Neil switching between guitar and piano. And the guitar work is especially worth noting due to how the album was recorded. The guitar is incredibly present and well mic’d — much more so than the piano tracks in fact. 

 

The album is an intimate look into a slice of time. Neil was en route to play 2 dates at Carnegie Hall later in December so he booked a warm-up run of six shows at D.C’s Cellar Door Club — which had a capacity of less than 200. You can hear his comfort level and the rapport he has with the audience. But you can also hear him working out iterations of the songs and feeling his way along with new phrasings. He plays Cinnamon Girl on piano and he debuts an early version of Old Man. 

 

At 25, he was already a proper star through his association with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young but as a solo artist, he was still just starting down the path that we now have the privilege of looking at in hindsight. Who knows what the secret sauce of such a long and prolific career is? But I think that I can hear some of that magic in this bit of recorded history. And the more I listen to it, the more amazed I am. 43 years later, this music carries the same emotions and hopes and expectations as the days when he first opened his mouth.

 

I have to be honest. I missed most of the jewels the first time I listened to the album. I was in a Crazy Horse mood and this record is anything but that. I thought it to be soft and delicate and it went right over my head. But then today, the heaviness and deepness of Expecting To Fly hit me right in the gut. The Buffalo Springfield album version is lush and psychedelic but not this one. This is Neil at his best. Wailing and pounding the piano. Planning how to keep his art fresh. Choosing an artistic path that has been incredibly moving and relevant. And making music that speaks to generations. 

 

Utah Philipps once said that the past didn’t go anywhere. That he could go outside and pick up a rock that’s older than the oldest song you know and drop it on your foot. I tend to agree. Thank you Neil Young. Thank you Henry Lewy. Thank you Chris Bellman. The past didn’t go anywhere. 

 

Now go and pick up the album. It drops on 12/10. Live At The Cellar Door will be released digitally, on CD, and on 180-gram vinyl (pressed at Pallas in Germany).

 

The track-listing for Live At The Cellar Door is as follows:

 

Side One:

Tell Me Why — After The Gold Rush

Only Love Can Break Your Heart — After The Gold Rush

After The Gold Rush — After The Gold Rush

Expecting To Fly — Buffalo Springfield Again

Bad Fog Of Loneliness — Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972

Old Man from —Harvest

Birds —After The Gold Rush

 

Side Two:

Don’t Let It Bring You Down — After The Gold Rush

See The Sky About To Rain — On The Beach

Cinnamon Girl — Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

I Am A Child from— Last Time Around 

Down By The River — Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Flying On The Ground Is Wrong — Buffalo Springfield 

 

 

[doublea71]

Nice review - I really love the Massey Hall release, so I'll be all over this one.

 

[whirlwind]

Nice....love brother Neil....count me in!

 

[Jupiterknight]

I was completely stunned by the sound quality of the Neil archives, I have six of them and the Massey Hall was as mentioned really unique and kind of emotional to experience a very "Young Neil".. So insane transparent compared to many other official released live albums from the early 70's and later on by other artists. I even wish that "Live Rust" could have sounded this pure and honest, maybe it will one day...
 
Thanks for the in depth info and heads up.. Look forward to this one...

 

[Makiah S]

  I was completely stunned by the sound quality of the Neil archives, I have six of them and the Massey Hall was as mentioned really unique and kind of emotional to experience a very "Young Neil".. So insane transparent compared to many other official released live albums from the early 70's and later on by other artists. I even wish that "Live Rust" could have sounded this pure and honest, maybe it will one day...
 
Thanks for the in depth info and heads up.. Look forward to this one...

I might be buying this my self as well.
 
I really only like "young Neil" I never liked any of his newer music :/ 

 

[jimbob54]

Interestingly, Warner's are selling a FLAC version on their store. Progress!

 

[Radioking59]

Interestingly, Warner's are selling a FLAC version on their store. Progress!

I realize I'm not including shipping, but I wouldn't consider charging $7 more than the CD ($10.99) for a 16/44 download progress.

 

[jimbob54]

I realize I'm not including shipping, but I wouldn't consider charging $7 more than the CD ($10.99) for a 16/44 download ($17.99) progress.

I didn't say it was good value !

 

[illyria]

  I might be buying this my self as well.
 
I really only like "young Neil" I never liked any of his newer music :/ 

 
I feel the same exact way.  I'll probably be getting this as well.

 

[steeveejee]

excellent review on a wonderful album
i picked it up today and i'm about halfway through it
so far its amazing
thanks!

 

[RASeymour]

I was going to pass on this one as it seems near in time and song list to the Massey Hall disc.  True?  Differences (other than size of venue)?

 

[jimbob54]

I was going to pass on this one as it seems near in time and song list to the Massey Hall disc.  True?  Differences (other than size of venue)?

Bet you buy it anyway.

 

[illyria]

I went ahead and bought the CD and will be getting it the same day I can use my new/first pair of headphones.  
 
Listened to a few of the MP3s that I got for free with the purchase, however, I think I'll hold off until later for my initial listening-to.

 

[Mike Dias]

  I was going to pass on this one as it seems near in time and song list to the Massey Hall disc.  True?  Differences (other than size of venue)?

 
To be honest, I haven't really spent anytime with the Massey Hall disc. Can anyone else chime in on this one?

 

[tattoou2]

Saw Neil and Crazy Horse at the Ohio Center way back in October, 1986.  Just ordered this and am looking forward to hearing it. Hope it's as good as the Massey Hall.