Having long achieved 'Living Legend' status,Neil Young is at the stage of his career where he doesn't even have to try anymore - and that fact is all too apparent on his 34th (?) studio album. At least 'Fork in the Road''s theme is a little different, though; in his spare time, it would seem that Shakey is something of an environmentalist mechanic. Some of this album's tracks reference his endeavours to build a car that runs entirely on alternative energy (it might sound like a late April Fool, but apparently there's a documentary in the offing, too).
Lyrical deviations aside, 'Fork in the Road' is typically standard fare from the 63-year-old musician. Taking in elements of folk, country, blues and rock, many of these tracks are lacking in energy, despite sounding like they've been recorded live. 'Johnny Magic', for example, is a brisk, jaunty effort that ultimately leads down a dusky dirt track to a dead end; 'Hit the Road''s languid rock is innocuous despite his trademark tenor falsetto, and even the title track, the most energetic and upbeat song on the album, fails to keep torches blazing for long. The most bizarre track here, though, is the awful 'Cough Up the Bucks', a midtempo rock tune with a chorus that sounds like the sort of braindead mantra Kasabian excel at.
There's no denying that Neil Young has earned his legacy and the respect of millions over the course of his 50 year career - but there's absolutely nothing close to resembling 'essential listening' here.
