Red Mosquito

I have never listened to Mirrorball

Jorge wrote:I have never listened to Mirrorball

Don't think I ever have either.

Mirrorball is good.

Mirrorball is one of neils best. Im the ocean is a monster song.

Mirrorball is fantastic.

I bought Mirrorball on CD at Cellophane Square. That place was awesome.

I'm not a huge fan of Neil Young so I'm in no rush

I'm a fan of both Neil Young and Pearl Jam and I think Mirrorball is largely kind of forgettable.

I have always loved Mirrorball, though admittedly, once I really got into his catalogue, it fell to maybe just in the top third or so of his records for me. As good as he is with Pearl Jam, his stuff in the 70s and otherwise with Crazy Horse is better.

Birds in Hell wrote:I'm a fan of both Neil Young and Pearl Jam and I think Mirrorball is largely kind of forgettable.

I kind of agree. It only has a few songs that I really think are great, and Neil and PJ don't have the same "it's enjoyable to just sit and listen to them lumber along" appeal as Neil and the Horse do. I certainly don't dislike it, but it's often mentioned here as being in the absolute uppermost tier of Neil's work, and it's nowhere near that for me. Jack Irons sounds great on it though.

I’ve listened to most Of neil’s albums and mirrorball somewhere around top 20. It’s nice to have an album where Pearl Jam actually jams. Big guitars and jack irons has the space to settle in his groove.

At least listen to “im the ocean” or “act of love”

I agree with that. I mean, I wouldn’t put what they did there in the instrumental league of the Not For You outtro or Present Tense, Immortality, etc., but all the jams with Neil on there are quite good.

The fact that neil and the guys spent so little time and crafted this masterpiece puts it up there with his best work.
Its kinda weird to compare it with the rest of his catalogue, specially with Crazy Horse, a bunch of guys he spent three decades working with...

Don't get me wrong -- I enjoy Mirrorball as I enjoy most of Neil's albums, I just wouldn't put it at the top of some list that someone who generally isn't into Neil Young (and isn't instantly compelled by anything that features members of Pearl Jam) should go check out immediately. It's a middle-tier album in the discography of an artist whose middle and lower tiers are comprised of scattershot, highly taste-specific impulse projects, and sonically it's a pretty middle-of-the-road outing -- if you've heard enough Neil to stake out an opinion on him, this album hardly seems like the thing that's going to flip the switch.

Kevin Davis wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:I'm a fan of both Neil Young and Pearl Jam and I think Mirrorball is largely kind of forgettable.

I kind of agree. It only has a few songs that I really think are great, and Neil and PJ don't have the same "it's enjoyable to just sit and listen to them lumber along" appeal as Neil and the Horse do. I certainly don't dislike it, but it's often mentioned here is being in the absolute uppermost tier of Neil's work, and it's nowhere near that for me. Jack Irons sounds great on it though.

+1

tragabigzanda wrote:Hard disagree with all the Mirrorball backlash. WTF guys...

Neil blows through a full set of amazing songs (Downtown is the worst of the bunch, and even that one is fun), while Pearl Jam has never felt more simultaneously so relaxed and ferocious.

I agree with everyone who says Jack is the standout, his energy throughout the record is infectious.

Easily in the top third of Neil's discography for me, and a high water mark for Pearl Jam as well.

Agreed. And Peace and Love is fantastic.

Honestly, im not sure he's made an album as good/solid front to back since?

Maybe Chrome Dreams 2, silver and gold, prairie wind?