Crazy Horse
by another name is
Molina, Talbot, Lofgren & Young
, the group who released their debut
All Roads Lead Home
in 2023. The genesis of the album lies in the COVID-19 pandemic: isolated at home,
Ralph Molina
,
Billy Talbot
, and
Nils Lofgren
all wrote new material, eventually getting a chance to bring these sessions to life around the same time they supported
Neil Young
on his 2021 album
Barn
.
Young
is a presence on
-- he contributes a live solo version of "Song of the Seasons," which debuted on
-- but the focus is squarely on the other three members of
, who all contribute three songs apiece. Where other, earlier
albums tend to lumber as the group shoulders the burden of heavy volume,
is relatively light on its feet, relying on interplay over amplification. There's a sweet, nostalgic air blowing through these ten songs, present both in the light melodies and openhearted lyrics. The record is clearly the work of old hippies: love and peace are placed at the forefront, buttressed by shaggy harmonies and ragged harmonies.
Talbot
's songs tend to ramble a bit and
Molina
lingers on matters of the heart, while
Lofgren
's songs are tight and affecting, lacking the loose ends of his colleagues. Mess is part of the appeal of
, whether they're heard with
or on their own, so it feels right that
occasionally feels as if the sum is less than the individual parts; these are old friends not so much joining forces as they are grooving on the same wavelength. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine