[rating=2.50]
The latest edition of Neil Young’s Performance Series, Dreamin’ Man, is a composite of a number of liver performances Neil Young gave prior to the 1992 release of Harvest Moon, his return to Reprise Records after a tumultuous stint on the Geffen label.
Superficially at least, this 1992 recording is remarkably similar to the previous concert releases of the last couple years. Young plays solo on acoustic guitar, harmonica and grand piano (banjo on "Old King"), rendering the melodies of tunes such as "War of Man" absolutely luminous. His distinctive high voice has perhaps never sounded so full of confidence, even as he sings "One of These Days": ‘I’ve never tried to burn any bridges/though I know I’ve let some good things go…’ a veiled reference to his on and off working relationships with musicians including, but not limited to, Crosby Stills & Nash as well as Crazy Horse.
Not all the material here is so artful, however, and as a result Dreamin’ Man can’t compare to Live at Massey Hall or Canterbury House. It’s hard to accept the plain lyrics "Such A Woman"’ come from the same author as the poetry of "On the Way Home." "Harvest Moon" itself would not compare any more favorably with the best of Neil Young’s previous work such as "I Am A Child." "You and Me" has only hints of the mystery permeating a tune like "Mr. Soul" while "From Hank to Hendrix" is an even more obvious reach for purposeful ambiguity than "A Man Needs A Maid."
It’s hard to argue with the environmental intent of "Natural Beauty," but it’s simply not the work of a great songwriter. This cut reaffirms the truism: it’s the singer, not the song. Neil Young’s solo performances of Greendale (one of which, in Ireland, is available on DVD in one package) clarified and improved upon the studio version, but the artist doesn’t, by and large, achieve the same results with Dreamin’ Man.
