Neil Young-Harvest (1972)

Neil Young's most acclaimed and successful album is also one of his most uneven works, musically speaking. Released in early 1972, "Harvest" is the fourth album by the Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and musician. In addition to collaborations with his former bandmates David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash, other musicians who contributed to its creation include Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, the London Symphony Orchestra, Jack Nitzsche, and Kenny Buttrey. Positioning a blend of acoustic and rock, Neil Young delivered a work dominated by the album's standout track, the immense and emotive "Heart of Gold", which somewhat overshadows other highly meritorious tracks such as the country-rock anthems "Are You Ready for the Country" and "Alabama", the intricate "Old Man" and the melancholic "The Needle and the Damage Done". However, it is the predictable and out-of-place “A Man Needs A Maid” and the orchestrated “There’s A Word” that somehow leave a bittersweet taste to an album that would reap an irrefutable commercial success with nearly ten million copies sold worldwide.