With Neighbours Burning Neighbours‘ appearance at Left Of The Dial festival still fresh in our memory, the Rotterdam noise rockers release a brand new song called “Neil Young”. Though the song explicitly references the Canadian rock legend behind Crazy Horse and the perpetually underrated Trans, it isn’t actually about Neil Young. As it turns out, “Neil Young” became an in-joke spawned during a memorable tour across Europe, as the band explains.
“(We) played a show at ‘Noch Besser Leben’ in Leipzig, during the MENT 2020 tour, two drunk hecklers were overheard fiercely discussing and shouting at each other, something that seemed to resemble “Neil Young is killing me…” It became a catchphrase of sorts during the tour and inspiring a full fledged song when we eventually returned to our rehearsal space.”
The story does somehow add up considering the makeup of “Neil Young”, which starts with a ominous bass drone and spooky guitar skirmish that sounds a bit like the famous Twilight Zone theme. The whole thing gets out of hand quickly and spectacularly, a tidal wave of distorted guitars that just builds climax over climax. Or as the band puts it: “A fierce, energetic and driving song tries to grab, kick against and topple the status quo surrounding what is deemed normal or allowed behavior for one gender but is frowned upon or made illegal for another.”
The video is apropos of the song’s eerie-yet-frisky disposition, a cult ritual submerged in bubblegum pink. Watch it below, and find “Neil Young” on streaming services as well. Next week, Neighbours Burning Neighbours will play Le Guess Who? festival.
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