Times of crisis can breed some beautiful noise. A Canadian citizen deeply concerned with the state of "our country," Neil Young returns to his classic Crazy Horse sound, welding warmly distorted, amp-blowing guitars with frail vocals and taut drums. It's the perfect medium for a raw, unfiltered message. "America has a leader/But he's not in the house,"
Young sings as a big church choir turns his howl of dissent into a hopeful hymn. Driven by his fuzzy fretwork, "Looking for a Leader" is as energetic as it is poignant, an urgent, grunge-leaning burst that has the immediacy of a live concert. It conjures "Rockin' in the Free World" and should also speak to Pearl Jam fans.
If it's too unpolished for rock radio, triple-A will certainly join the campaign. —Sven Philipp
