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List Price: $7.98 | | Label: Reprise Records
Salesrank: 16278
Released: October 25, 1990 |
| Our Price: $3.73 |
| Used Price: $1.74 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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This Note's for You Track Listing:
1. Ten Men Workin'
2. This Note's for You
3. Coupe de Ville
4. Life in the City
5. Twilight
6. Married Man
7. Sunny Inside
8. Can't Believe Your Lyin'
9. Hey Hey
10. One Thing
Editorial Review:
No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: YOUNG,NEIL
Title: THIS NOTE'S FOR YOU
Street Release Date: 04/12/1988
Domestic
Genre: ROCK/POP
Description of This Note's for You:
One might assume the first album Neil Young put out upon his return to Reprise Records in 1988 after a misbegotten stint with Geffen would signal a comeback for the temporarily misplaced singer-songwriter. Actually, This Note's for You's successor, 1989's Freedom, is Young's late-'80s hallmark release. This one's the last in a series of titles from Young in the most capricious phase of a fickle career. Here he's on an Albert Collins kick, tackling blues-based tunes backed by his short-lived, horn-powered Blue Notes. While the anti-endorsement title track kicked up some dust at the time, the 10-song collection is weighed down by undistinguished, one-note workouts like "Ten Men Working," "Married Man," and "Sunny Inside" (the titles pretty much sum up the songs). Thankfully, Young returned to his own shade of blue after this curious bar-band one-off. --Steven Stolder
This Note's for You Reviews:
A great change 
2009-05-02 - Just bought this CD, as I originally had the cassette when it came out years ago. This CD is a keeper because it's pure Neil, not in sound, but in exploration. The man has always explored differing paths of music and made them his own. Here, Neil keeps his comical, lyrical edge like on the title track: "This Note's for You" where he tells people "Ain't singin' for Miller, Ain't singin' for Bud." Then, he hits that punch line right at the industry by saying "This Note's for YOU." A true stab at saying we're not writing songs for jingle use in commercials - even though the whole song is built around that type of upbeat sound.
Talking about sound, most of the tracks are very upbeat because of the fusion of horns that are the main focus of the sound he's exploring here - mainly an infusion of old time blues, jazz, and big band that he updated to be rocking for the late 80s and early 90s. Still, Neil keeps a contradictory edge with stabbing, pure Neil young lyrics aimed at people "to get off that couch and turn off that MTV - Hey Hey my woman looks good to me." Not every song on the CD is fabulous and some are under par such as "Twilight." However, the fusion of big band, blues, striking lyrics, and the common twang of Neil's guitar playing shows Young is a true artist because he keeps what fuses together close to what it is he wants to communicate. This CD is not for everyone - listen to the sample tracks.
R&B's good, Neil's good, but Neil can't play R&B 
2007-12-09 - Now for the most part I really enjoy classic R&B, but the fact is it's not Neil's sound: in most parts the huge horn section blowing everywhere sounds awkward. The fast songs are often trite, boring, and clichéd ("Ten Men Workin'"; "Married Man"; "Sunny Inside"; "Hey Hey"), with the slow blues tracks being sluggish and interminable in addition to trite, boring, and clichéd: at least "Hey Hey", for instance, has energy to spare. "Twilight", "Can't Believe Your Lyin'"; "Coupe de Ville" and "One Thing" all sound dead on their feet. Only a couple songs save this from being a total blow-off; the witty anti-corporate title track has the best lyrics by far on the album; and "Life in the City" is exciting with a dramatic horn part - I would've preferred those two as being one-off experiments on an album that was otherwise typical of Young's, rather than on an entire album of such songs. If you're curious to hear how an album totally uncharacteristic of Neil will turn up, then you might get something out of this, even if it's just the novelty factor of Neil putting out a Motown-ish album: approach with caution regardless. Yeah, I like steak, and I like cookies. But would I eat a steak cookie? Of course not!
A good experiment 
2007-10-01 - Considered another experimental Neil Young album by many, I like to think this is a return to his roots.
This is a bluesy, swinging album completely unlike any other NY record. As the Amazon reviewer points out the title track is a protest against the cynical commercial exploitation of music. Remember the video for this song, which parodied Michael Jacksons hair being on fire for his Pepsi ad. Aside from getting this message across (not that it made any difference) the album looks back to a multitude of different styles, including Soul, Rhythm and Blues and even some Jazz-like Ballads, all of which he pulls off with great style.
I've been listening to this album since it came out in the late 80's and rate it 2nd only to "After the Goldrush". Off course NY has been very productive over the years and I probably only have 5 or 6 of his albums. No doubt some of these are just as good.
Better than you may have heard
2005-05-14 - Neil Young's foray into the blues is a solid effort. Thanks to the Blue Notes, the musicianship is excellent blues playing, and not some rock n' rollers weak attempt to play the blues. This is a vastly unerrated CD, particularly by those who want to hear loud rockin' Neil or the country "Harvest" Neil forever and ever. Here Neil takes us back to the root of both types of music and shows us a real good time doing it. If you like the blues in any form don't miss this one. It has some great musical moments. Now, if only Amazon would show a little respect and list all the songs on this CD....
Play some blues, Neil
2005-01-07 - Neil Young experiments with bluesy R&B sounds a la the Stax Horns on this one. Horn charts are key components to each track but the results vary.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The title track's jab at corporate sponsorship and involvement in the music industry showcases guitarwork that's slinky and strutting. As an afterthought, Neil tosses off the best lyric in the tune by noting "I've got the real thing...", appropriating Coke's old slogan for the fadeout. "Coupe de Ville" is Neil's elegy to a failed relationship. The titular car is one of the possessions Neil still has but "if I can't have you, I don't want nothing else." A smoky jazzy sax accompaniment creates the mood along with a guitar part that sounds almost ukelele-ish at times (it works..really...) "Life in the City" turns Young's outrage to the plight of the homeless and points lyrical knives at neighbours who turn a blind eye to people sleeping on the sidewalks and families living on the freeways("Don't that trouble you, brother..don't that trouble you, pal..don't that trouble you,sister") It's punched up by horn blasts a la the JB's. The only disappointment might be the wailing trumpet at the song's close which fades out before it really cuts loose. Then again, better to leave us wanting more than to overstay your welcome. "A Married Man" trods the same path as Hall and Oates "Family Man"..the tempted hubby trying to tow the line. He tells the would be mistress that he "ain't got time to party..ain't got time for you no more..". "Sunny Inside" is a fairly bland paean to his love interest, but the track is really nice, sounding like a long lost Sam and Dave tune. The understated vocal for "Can't Believe Your Lyin' " is the closest to true blues expression. Unemployment is viewed here as a byproduct of love's failings...he loses his job because all he can think about is her infidelity. All-out blues wailer "Hey Hey" features a muted trumpet and tremeloed guitar competing with a sprightly brass part. Neil hypes his woman as the genuine article compared to the ones he "don't want around.."
LOWS:
"Ten Men Workin'" is very, well, WORKMANLIKE...the lyrics are the cliche about how "we're working hard to rock ya", sinking the song despite a pretty decent horn arrangement. "Twilight" never really picks up any steam, one of the album's duds...all mood and atmosphere, but no real fire. It's OK..but Neil's capable of much better. "One Thing" suffers the same fate.
BOTTOM LINE:
It's far from Neil's worst and has some great stuff on it, but it's not the highmark of his oeuvre either. There are just enough low points to keep me from giving it an unqualified 4 stars.
3 1/2 stars
