Neil Young’s 1974 release “On the Beach,” is such a great record to the point where you can also enjoy it while being on a beach, and  sipping on some ice cold beer! Yeah, that’s  a terrible joke, I figured. But let me just say that, “On the Beach,” is one of my favourite Neil Young records. I’ve heard of this record for the first time back in college, and I remember being amazed at how great it was, while I was working on a couple of assignments. The melody, and the production of the record blew my mind, because each song was great, and has a great flowability. It was almost as if each song was intertwined with one another.

And yet, what’s interesting was how Young includes so many musical elements within his record, but he’s still remaining within the realm of rock music.  You’ve got this smooth tune from simply using the Rhodes electric keyboard, a pedal steel guitar, drums, and with the help of Young’s vocal tone, delivering this beautiful melody in “See the Sky About to Rain. ”And these great tones continue all the way towards this sort of swampy jam using a banjo titled, “For the Turnstiles.” And please don’t make me forget about this twelve bar blues melody called, “Vampire Blues, ” giving that “Spooky” season, where the song is slightly giving you that mysterious impression from Young’s lyrics on how he’s a vampire, but it’s got this kickass catchy twelve bar blues beat. But my favourite song from the record opens up with this catchy song that somewhat makes you feel great called “Walk On.” I love it for how Young takes a stand, expressing himself towards criticism from his, “Tonight’s the Night” record. And from my point of view, I think that “Tonight’s the Night” is a great record for capturing that authentic live sound. Bands that would record a live album tend to take much more of a high risk because of sound. Two ways, either it can be a hit or a miss. And if it’s a miss then, most of the time these musicians are going to have to re-record the live parts in the studio. Thus not really being a fully authentic live record. But if we go back to Neil Young’s message behind the song, I feel as if his message parallels the type of negativity we obtain from society, and despite it all, we “Walk On.” Get up, dust ourselves off, and move on with good company to support us.

“I hear some people been talking me down 

Bring up my name, pass it ’round 

They don’t mention the happy times 

They do their thing, I do mine 

Ooh baby, that’s hard to change 

I can’t tell them how to feel 

Some get stoned, some get strange 

But sooner or later, it all gets real 

Walk on, walk on Walk on, walk on.”