Review: Not Such a Crazy Horse After All— Molina, Talbot, Lofgren, and Young Shine in a Solo Spotlight

Molina, Talbot, Lofgren, Young/All Roads Lead Home/NYA Records
Three out of Five Stars

A compendium of sorts, All Roads Lead Home can’t be considered a Crazy Horse album per se,  although it does offer a series of solo efforts that involve each member of that fabled ensemble, including its erstwhile leader Neil Young. Nevertheless, given the fact that these musicians have been so entwined for more than 50  years, it’s interesting to hear them each on their own. 

Nils Lofgren is, of course, no stranger to releasing records on his own, but drummer Ralph Molina and guitarist/bassist Billy Talbot have rarely been heard on their own. That makes this ten-song set an opportunity to sample their creative efforts as well.

Truth be told, much of the material conforms to the typical Crazy Horse template. Lofgren’s “Fill My Cup” and Molina’s offering, “Look Through the Eyes of Your Heart,” on which he sings the lead vocals are sturdy rockers with a steady refrain. The Billy Talbot Band’s “Rain” and “Cherish” delve into more contemplative realms, and each of those particular tracks might have worked just as well with Young fronting the proceedings. On the other hand, “The Hunter” finds Talbot and company pursuing a somewhat restrained sound, as does Molina’s beguiling “It’s Magical” and his quiet closing piano ballad, “Just For You.”

Lofgren adheres to his usual wistful pedigree with “Go With Me” and “You Will Never Know, each of which also features his bother Tom Lofgren while bringing to mind the pair’s early work with Grin. Young’s sole contribution, “Song of the Seasons,” is essentially a solo read in the laidback country/folk style he typically procures all on his own. 

Taken in tandem, All Roads Home makes for an enjoyable outing, one that gives each musician an opportunity to take center stage while demonstrating a small sampling of their individual wares. It’s also a reminder that as a unit, the early Crazy Horse albums established a solid precedent for the band’s collective identity, and now, decades removed, are well worth a revisit. In that regard, All Roads Lead Home underscores the essential truth in the title.

Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images