Anyone who has read TIRBD for a while is likely aware of my conflicted relationship with Neil Young's music. I continue to hold out hope that he will shrug off whatever has so dampened his songwriting efforts over the past decade and crank out a disc worthy of inclusion with the best of his back catalog. Instead, it seems he is content to issue disc after disc of decent but uninspired songs (or is unable to do otherwise). Hope is on the horizon, however. His forthcoming disc, Living With War, has all of the hallmarks of a potentially great Young disc. It was inspired by current events (in terms of potential, think "Ohio," not "Let's Roll"), was recorded with a stripped down trio and was cut in a matter of days. The disc will begin streaming on Young's site on Friday, and will hit stores soon after. Young calls it "a metal version of Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan," and coming from anyone else, that would frighten me. From Neil, it's just goofy enough to make sense.

In other news, my review of the Ass Ponys' The Okra Years is up at PopMatters. The disc compiles what the band sees as the best tracks from its two Okra Records discs, Mr. Superlove and Grim. The Ponys were always a favorite, and this disc offers compelling evidence to explain why.