Old Ways

Released in 1985, Old Ways represents one of the most contentious periods in Neil Young's career, specifically his legal battle with Geffen Records over his 'unrepresentative' musical output. After the electronic experiments of Trans and the rockabilly of Everybody's Rockin', Young delivered this full-blooded country record. Recorded primarily in Nashville with the 'International Harvesters' and featuring legends like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, the album is a spiritual successor to the country-tinged Harvest and Comes a Time, though with a more traditionalist Nashville sheen. Critics at the time were divided, with AllMusic later noting it as a competent but perhaps too-traditional exercise. Historically, it stands as the final straw in the Geffen lawsuit saga and a clear marker of Young's refusal to be pigeonholed by label expectations. The inclusion of duets on 'Bound for Glory' and 'Are There Any More Real Cowboys?' cements its status as a legitimate entry into the mid-80s outlaw country canon.