The Loner: Nils Sings Neil

Lofgren is best known as Springsteen’s touring guitarist but he also goes way back with Neil Young – his grainy acoustic work can be heard throughout After The Gold Rush. On Nils Sings Neil he indulges in some sweet-natured hero-worship, deconstructing and faithfully reshaping Young standards such as ‘Harvest Moon’ and ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’. He does occasionally take a screw-driver to the canon – ‘Winterlong’ and ‘Like A Hurricane’ are re-imagined as ballsy bar ballads while he strips ‘Don’t Cry No Tears’ so mercilessly it’s a wonder there’s anything left. Still, for the most part this is an exercise in style – one veteran paying tribute to another.

Key Track: ‘Like A Hurricane’