Rating: 3 / 5 stars
Before even listening to the Canadian native’s 38th studio album itself, there is already an intriguing reason to check it out. Even though it is Neil Young’s most recent release, “Hitchhiker” was actually recorded on Aug. 11, 1976.
In a recent interview with KOTO FM, Young informed listeners that the material from the aforementioned date was originally intended to be released as an album not long after it was recorded. Unfortunately, at the time, executives of the record label, Reprise, deemed this effort not fit enough for an album release.
The album contains 10 tracks, with two of the songs having been released previously and the rest having appeared at some point throughout Young’s rich catalog.
The relaxing folk-rock jangle of “Pocahontas” plays as the opening track. Having originally appeared on Young’s 1979 release “Rust Never Sleeps,” as well as being covered by the likes of Johnny Cash among others, this track will provide long time listeners of Young with a pleasant sense of familiarity.
There is almost identical scenario with the second track, “Powderfinger,” which also originally appeared on “Rust Never Sleeps.” The version on this album focuses on Young’s vocals and his guitar, which inevitably gives the song a more intimate tone as opposed to the live full-band version found on its first release.
Keeping up the trend of previously-released, smooth-sailing acoustic ballads stands “Captain Kennedy” originally released on 1980s “Hawks & Doves.”
The next two tracks were undoubtedly the most interesting the album had to offer. This was due largely in part to the fact that both had not been previously released.
The first of these was the campfire-esque “Hawaii” that no question holds its own with the more established tracks that precede it. The second is “Give Me Strength,” which goes straight ahead with the acoustic ballads the album frequently uses. That being said, this is also where the album reaches its high point.
The latter half of the 10-track release contains more heavily reworked acoustic-based tracks. “Ride My Llama,” which adds to the list of songs originally put out as a live version on the aforementioned “Rust Never Sleeps.”
Next up is the album’s title track, which trades in the electric guitar found on 2010s “Le Noise” and instead opts to contribute a massive acoustic cloud raining over the entire album.
“Hitchhiker” wraps things up giving listeners a trio of late 1970s tunes, featuring “Campaigner,” “Human Highway,” and “The Old Country Waltz,” respectively.
Although these tracks stay true to the recurring theme of the album, they should by no means go unlistened. This especially holds true for “Campaigner,” originally from 1977s “Decade,” which offers the idea of politicians having a human side underneath it all; “Even Richard Nixon has God’s soul.”
From an overall standpoint, “Hitchhiker” holds the same tone throughout the album, which some listeners may find as repetitive and boring. However, the stripped-down reworkings of previously loved songs, as well as a couple never before released tracks, give the album enough of an intriguing aspects to please both longtime fans and anyone looking for a mellowed-out 33 minutes and 44 seconds.
