Who the hell does Neil Young think he is?  He’s just another commie, liberal, anti-American hippie criticizing the Bush administration with a new album called “Living with War.” Doesn’t he know our enemies are emboldened if they believe that the American public is not behind our efforts?  All these acid-dropping, tree-hugging, “sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll” entertainers wouldn’t know the first thing about protecting America from terrorists. On top of all that, he’s Canadian for God’s sakes! His opinion doesn’t matter if he’s not an American citizen. Like Skynyrd said “a southern man don’t need him around anyhow.”

Then again, he’s the artist responsible for “Broken Arrow”, “four dead in Ohio”, “Southern Man”, “The Needle and the Damage Done”, “Rust never sleeps”, Farm Aid, The Bridge School, “Cortez the Killer”, “Rockin’ in the Free World”, “Lets’ Roll.” and has been living and paying taxes in the U.S. for over forty years. So it’s not surprising that he has the audacity to release a concept album about the Iraq War that is so direct and specific than many people will be uncomfortable with it. It was recorded very quickly with an electric back up band and a one hundred singer choir that makes the songs stand out from most of his other material.

Titles like “Lets Impeach the President” and “Lookin’ for a Leader” will never get on W’s I-pod and Young’s most powerful venom is unleashed on “The Restless Consumer” with its repeated mantra “Don’t need no more lies!” More personal songs like “Families”, “The Flags of Freedom” and the album’s closer, an accapella version of “America the Beautiful” serve to humanize the message. Neil Young’s music has always had as many detractors and supporters as the Iraq war itself so whether you like it or not will depend on your point of view.   

Listen for lots of tracks all week from "Living with War" by Neil Young on Paul Shugrue's new music show, "Out of the Box" Monday through Thursday from 7pm to 9pm and Saturday from 1pm to 5pm on Public Radio 89.5 WHRV-FM