Neil Young is “Talking to the Trees”

Neil Young’s greatest strength has always been his simplicity. In the early 70s, the second of the now seven decades of his career, he wrote perhaps the most impactful protest song of the era. “Ohio” has none of the winding lyricism of Dylan or the multi-layered irony of Zappa, but that’s what makes it so powerful. Its hyper-specific language means you can’t sing along to it without the horrific massacre popping into your mind: soldiers, Nixon, four dead.

Young’s greatest downfall has also always been his simplicity. Swept up in the hawkishness of the post 9/11 era, he dropped the embarrassing “Let’s Roll”. The song dated itself almost instantly: No one has the answer, but one thing is true/ You’ve got to turn on evil when it’s coming after you/ You’ve got to face it down and when it tries to hide/ You’ve got to go in after it and never be denied reads as almost laughable now, knowing exactly how that attitude of “going after evil” turned out. Especially considering what the kids from “Ohio” were protesting.

Both sides of the coin are at play on Young’s 2025 album Talkin’ To the Trees. The album opens with “Family Life,” an underwhelming look at domesticity. Though Young handles the topic well on the legendary “Old Man”, none of the drama or pain of that song is present. The legendary Canadian lists off members of his family and offers dedications to them. The song is cute, but it sounds like it was written to be performed at a family reunion.

Things slide into straight-up embarrassing a few tracks later on “Let’s Roll Again.” Right out of the gate, Young croaks, “Come on, Ford, come on GM, come on Chrysler, let’s roll again”. Over the three minutes of the track, Young tells us about how American manufacturers need to do better so we can beat China, which is perhaps the most boring political issue a rock song can be about.

But it’s not all bad. When Young leans into the shakiness of his aged voice, the simplicity of his lyrics blossoms into their classic brilliance. The titular Talkin’ to the Tree is a song about slowing down later in life, featuring a nod to his long-standing rival/buddy Bob Dylan and wishing him love.

“Bottle of Love” is a slick number that floats along like no other Young song, making use of vibraphone, expertly recorded harmonies, lap steel, lap steel and complex piano chords to create a unique country-jazz sound. “Thankful” is a reflection on life’s ups and downs, featuring a chirping guitar line. It’s a heartwarming song to close out the album, and a great one to throw on any summer relaxation playlist.

For its triumphs and flaws, Talking to the Trees is a study in the different forms a late-in-life album can take, flipping between the experience of listening to wisdom that could only be passed down by an elder and having to sit through your great-uncle rant about overseas manufacturing. If Young can tamp down his “Let’s Roll Again” impulses and kick up the “Thankful” ones on his next record, he might be able to drop a late-in-life masterpiece like Bowie or Cash. For now, we’ll just have to listen to the standouts.

-Christian Flynn

Photo: Neil Young (Per Ole Hagen via Wikimedia Commons)