In case you haven't heard, Neil Young just released his Greatest Hits CD. Which is good, because it gives me an excuse to write about it on my blog! I've been looking at the tracklist on Rhapsody, and it looks like a pretty good introduction to Neil's songs, but I think you'd do better to get Decade, which covers many of his best songs from 1967-76. There are a couple of glaring omissions on the new compilation-- where are "Thrasher," "Campaigner," "Cortez the Killer," "Sugar Mountain," "Pocahantas," "Powderfinger?"
All of Neil's records from the 70's are damn near invincible, though, and it's probably good to hear them in their entirety at some point. If you're new to Neil, I'd reccommend Decade, and supplementing it with the classic Rust Never Sleeps and possibly Live Rust for the live experience. If you like what you hear, then go for his masterpieces On the Beach, After the Gold Rush, and Tonight's the Night. Harvest is good, too, but it's a little inconsistent.
P.S. I have a problem with Rolling Stone's Top 500 list. Sure, the Beatles are good, but do they really deserve 20+ spots? While Neil Young gets only two? "Like a Hurricane" should have been in the Top 10, at least, but it didn't even make the list! And where was "Helpless?" Screw you, Rolling Stone! Pitchfork is where it's at now. You aren't worthy to kiss its 1's and 0's.
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