Weld (Live)

*Weld* (the companion album to the 1991 concert video) found Neil Young & Crazy Horse cranking up the volume on gargantuan guitar distortion to sound so blisteringly loud on the opening “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” that, in hindsight, makes perfect sense as to why so many music journalists were then quick to crown Young as “The Godfather of Grunge.” Only five of these 16 songs were pulled from 1990’s *Ragged Glory* (the album they were touring), but third in the set is a Gulf War-themed take on Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ In the Wind” replete with an intro comprising recorded air-raid sirens, artillery fire, launching missiles and ground explosions while Young solos the song’s melody on his black Les Paul. His vocal delivery of the song is hoisted by some of his best-accompanied live harmonies to date. “Cinnamon Girl” sounds nearly identical to the 1969 recorded original, save for more muscle in the guitars and a heavier stomp on the kick-drum. The bookending “Roll Another Number” plays with more ramshackle discordance than the 1975 studio recording.