Let's take it for a spin

It's all about my car," warbles Neil Young midway through Fork in the Road.

He's exaggerating -- but not by much. Young's 30somethingth album -- and his latest cut-on-the-fly concept disc -- was indeed inspired by his LincVolt, a '59 Continental convertible he had retooled into a fuel- efficient hybrid. Granted, there also are songs about the faltering economy, corporate bailouts and keeping hope alive. But mostly, it's about his car. Seriously.

Nothing wrong with that. After all, 90% of all great rock songs are about cars, money, sex or some combination thereof. And thankfully, this disc does not consist of odes to alternative propulsion technologies, drivetrain torque ratios or the pros and cons of hydrogen fuel cells. Nor is it a Living With War-style soapbox derby. So you can enjoy these 10 raw-boned, ramshackle blues-rockers without feeling guilty for not biking to work.

Having said all that -- and much as we admire and respect Young's restless commitment to following his muse, striking while the iron is hot and bashing out albums that are the musical equivalent of blog entries -- it would be nice if he made a disc that sounded like it took longer to write and record than it does to play.

And while we're at it, is it asking too much for him to take five minutes to sign off on that freaking Archives Vol. 1 box set before we're all dead? 

Seriously.

Here's a track-by-track listen to Fork in the Road:

When Worlds Collide 4:14

Young starts in first gear with this sluggish, stompy blues-rocker about "cruising down Route 66, where the guys and gals used to get their kicks."

Fuel Line 3:31

"Fill 'er up!" yelps Young over a swampy backdrop that crosses a snaky juke-joint melody with southern gospel backup vocals. Not bad, but pretty one-dimensional.

Just Singing a Song 3:32

This is more like it: A slowburning, Crazy Horse-style plodder peppered with searing guitar solos. The chorus -- "just singing a song won't change the world" -- is a bit hokey, but still, not bad.

Johnny Magic 4:18

This crunchy, punchy rocker is about the mechanic who converted Young's hot-rod Lincoln. Thanks to some surf-rock vocals that echo the "Johnny Rotten" refrain from My My, Hey Hey, it's not as irritating as you'd think.

Cough Up the Bucks 4:38

The music toggles between scratchy-guitar funk and twangy country-rock, while Young and co. croon "Where did all the money go?" and he rasps "Cough up the bucks!" Weird, in a good way.

Get Behind the Wheel 3:08

The tune is a fairly standard blues-rock shuffle. But the lyrics borrow from Tom Waits' Get Behind the Mule -- and update them for contemporary car culture.

Off the Road 3:22

The disc's first ballad finds Young crooning in a quavering voice about keeping your eyes on the road when the end is in sight. Short and bittersweet.

Hit the Road 3:36

"She looks so beautiful with her top down," sings Young over a lazily funky backbeat flecked with slinky guitars. If you think he's singing about a woman, you haven't been paying attention.

Light a Candle 3:01

Young borrows that proverb about lighting a single candle instead of cursing the darkness for this mellow, gently glowing bit of acoustic-guitar country-folk. Ben Keith adds shimmery slide.

Fork in the Road 5:47

Young cruises into the sunset with some bouncy John Lee Hooker boogie-rock -- laced with curmudgeonly lyrics about his pot belly and tanking record sales.

What other critics say

Highlights of reviews of Neil Young's Fork in the Road:

Edna Gundersen, Gannett News Service: Young's ongoing LincVolt project to convert his cherished 1959 Lincoln Continental into a zero-emission electric hybrid fuels this concept album's lambasting of the crippled car industry and poisonous global economy. On the title track, he sneers that bailouts benefit "all those creeps watching tickers on TV." Fork bristles with urgency, shambolic rust-free garage rock and Young's familiar mix of mischievous humour and peeved whine. Download: Johnny Magic, Just Singing a Song

Scott Bauer, AP: "I'm a big rock star," Young drolly sings over a thumping blues beat on the title track, the best song on the record. "My sales have tanked, but I still got you. Thanks!" It's a very funny song. How could it not be when Young starts it off by talking about his pot belly? Funny, yes. But just because it's funny doesn't mean it can stand alongside Young's best work, or that it will stand the test of time. That's the problem with topical records such as Fork in the Road . . . The album takes on the issues of the day much like 2006's Living With War did, but only in a kinder, gentler way.