Are You Passionate? Neil Young

With the exception of Duck Dunn’s bass playing, there is no reason to listen to this album

For Are You Passionate?, Neil Young recruited Booker T. & the MG’s minus guitar ace Steve Cropper.  The opening track, “You’re My Girl,” starts promisingly with a reminiscent of Stax/Volt groove, capped my a classic Young lead guitar riff, that falls flat the second Neil starts to sing.  The combination of a Memphis groove, despite a valiant effort by bassist Duck Dunn, with Young’s voice and a meandering melody just doesn’t work and the basically wimpy backup vocals don’t help either.

Unfortunately, this pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album.  “Mr. Disappointment” finds Young talking the words in a house growl, while ethereal Neil answers him on the chorus.  When ethereal Neil sings, “I’d like to shake your hand,” and growly Neil answers, “How ya doin’?”, it’s just silly.

And this pattern is repeated consistently.  “Differently” starts with a cool guitar r…