Neil Young + The Promise Of The Real - Noise & Flowers (2022) CD-Rip

Neil Young embarked on a 2019 European tour with Promise of the Real only two weeks after the passing of Elliot Roberts, his life-long friend and manager. Young viewed this tour as a living tribute to Roberts, claiming in the liner notes to Noise & Flowers -- a 2022 document of the 2019 trek -- that "Playing in his memory (made it) one of the most special tours ever. We hit the road and took his great spirit with us into every song." Noise & Flowers does indeed have a unique vibe, one that's far removed from the weird, fevered protest of Earth, the previous live album Young recorded with Promise of the Real. Here, he amiably wanders through his back pages, selecting a few standards ("Mr. Soul," "Everybody Know This Is Nowhere," "Helpless," "Rockin' in the Free World") but spending more time playing songs that don't always make their way onto set lists. "On the Beach" joins a pair of songs from Comes a Time ("Field of Opportunity," plus the title track), while the Pearl Jam-era "Throw Your Hatred Down" is given a vigorous treatment in the hands of Promise of the Real. Noise & Flowers is a good testament for the group: they sound sensitive on "From Hank to Hendrix," roar throughout "Fuckin' Up," and generate a psychedelic swirl on "I've Been Waiting for You." Promise of the Real give Noise & Flowers the muscle the music needs, which means the album never sounds nostalgic or stiff: it's a warm celebration of the music made while Elliot Roberts stood by Neil Young's side.