After a seven-year absence from the studio, country-rock "outlaw" Steve Young (writer of Waylon Jennings's "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean") has scored a spectacular return to form with this gorgeously sung, intriguingly varied ... more »collection. Young moves from knockout to knockout here, nailing his primordial mountain-music rant "East Virginia," the exclamatory protest "Worker's Song (A Handful of Earth)," and even an unearthly, slow take of Lloyd Price's classic R&B tune, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," before turning down the flame for a heart-wrenching stroll through Merle Haggard's "Sometimes I Dream." He even gets in a little honky-tonkin' on Tom T. Hall's "The Year Clayton Delaney Died." His own ballad, "No Longer Will My Heart Be Truly Breaking," displays not only his voice--which has never sounded better--but also the eclectic, blues-folk-country songwriting style that's made him impossible to categorize but nearly puts him in a class by himself. --Robert Baird« less
After a seven-year absence from the studio, country-rock "outlaw" Steve Young (writer of Waylon Jennings's "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean") has scored a spectacular return to form with this gorgeously sung, intriguingly varied collection. Young moves from knockout to knockout here, nailing his primordial mountain-music rant "East Virginia," the exclamatory protest "Worker's Song (A Handful of Earth)," and even an unearthly, slow take of Lloyd Price's classic R&B tune, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," before turning down the flame for a heart-wrenching stroll through Merle Haggard's "Sometimes I Dream." He even gets in a little honky-tonkin' on Tom T. Hall's "The Year Clayton Delaney Died." His own ballad, "No Longer Will My Heart Be Truly Breaking," displays not only his voice--which has never sounded better--but also the eclectic, blues-folk-country songwriting style that's made him impossible to categorize but nearly puts him in a class by himself. --Robert Baird
CD Reviews
Solid and satisfying
Jerome Clark | Canby, Minnesota | 03/06/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The years and a longtime, though ultimately triumphant, struggle with a road musician's occupational hazards have taken the edge off Steve Young's once nearly perfect voice. Still, on his best album in a long time, he sounds pretty good, and he suffers only by comparison. Primal Young, though not Seven Bridges Road (the early-70s masterpiece in whose shadow Young will forever stand), is a satisfying collection of originals, covers, and creative takes on the tradition. It starts with the Young composition "Jig," which listeners may confuse with a lost Townes Van Zandt song; at points Young's voice even sounds like the late Texas troubador's. Like much of the material to follow -- in which Young sounds like himself -- it has an appealing Celtic lilt, surprising when you consider that in many ways Young has the voice of a soul singer; yet he knows what he's doing, and he always makes it work. His slowed-down, country-blues reading of Lloyd Price's r&b hit "Lawdy Missy Clawdy" unexpectedly transforms it into something like a variant of the traditional "Corinne, Corinna." Other high points -- there are no low ones -- include Merle Haggard's "Sometimes I Dream," Frankie Miller's "Black Land Farmer," and amazing interpretations of the Appalachian songs "East Virginia" and "Little Birdie." Back in the late 1960s Young virtually invented the country-folk genre, and he shows us here that he's still among its masters."
This grew on me
B. Holder | Cedar Crest, NM United States | 06/07/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a fan of Steve Young's, like for-EVER, honest-to-God, I first saw him at the "Young Folk" Sunday afternoon show at the Newport Folk Festival in 1969. I scoured Chicago for my first copy of the A&M record "Steve Young" (now re-issued). Got to know Steve through the years. As a young man, he was brilliant, funny and self-destructive, and terribly handsome. Now, as a not-as-young man, he is brilliant, funny, mega-creative and terribly HANDSOME.I offer 4 stars for this review only because I've heard Steve with a-little-stronger vocal presence on past recordings, but hey, ANY musical offering from Steve Young is a gift.These songs are Celtic in flavor and pure Young in execution. Time has not weakened that beautiful voice, or his great guitar playing, if anything, his performance has more depth now than ever.We are just so fortunate to have Steve still recording. He remains an example of how good Americana music can be, but not in the same way as anybody else."
You need Primal Young
Philadelphia fan | Philadelphia, PA | 05/07/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Primal Young sneaks up on you. It's got a quiet, transcendant effect. Steve Young sounds like a person who has been there and back again and he's sharing some of his wisdom with us less evolved souls. These songs represent a great range in content and emotion. The single-minded rage expressed in "Worker's Song" hits you right between the eyes -- this is no hackneyed, mushy politically/socially conscious song like so many out there. "Heartbreak Girl" is a sad and poignant love song. "Jig", "Scotland Is A Land" and "Blackland Farmer" express a quiet joy, a coming into your own kind of feeling, accepting the limitations and beauty of life. Steve Young's affinity with Merle Haggard songs is evident in his interpretation of "Sometimes I Dream". He has turned this song into a new classic. It's a masterpiece (check out a similarly masterful rendition of Haggard's "Shopping For Dresses" on the Merle Haggard tribute record, "Tulare Dust"). Steve Young's wall of sound voice will pull you under and soothe you like a driving lullaby. It's powerful, lasting medicine. I have long been a fan and this recording does not disappoint."
Another honest Steve Young release
Mr plod | Katoomba, NSW Australia | 01/18/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you like Steve Young go out and get this offering. It has real substance. Some music gives up it's joy immediately and some over a long period of time. These songs endure and only increase in their rewards. I particularly love Sometimes I dream and Backland farmerand anyone who can do Clayton Delaney and make it sound fresh has my vote.Steve is a troupadour, a wandering minstral who plies his craft with honesy and integrity. Go and see him live. He's great"
Steve Yount at its best.
Mr plod | 02/25/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"All Steve Young records are touching. But this one is heart-warming, wonderful, a great album. The lyrics, combined with the music and the art of singing: everything is just how it has to be in the best case. A real singer-songwriter with an enormous talent and with a brain and a heart in his body. I really hope that all you, reading this, will buy this cd."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1