Let's face it: Neil Young is a truly incredible performer. He's been hailed as a true original; a classic example of the ultimate hippie throwdown. Young is also one one of the best songwriters the '70s had to offer, up there with Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. And that's a nice combination.

But I guess the situation is that no live recording can capture the intensity of his actual performance. Year of the Horse is two discs' worth of live recordings from Young's Mirrorball tour and it just doesn't quite cut it. Some songs like the tedious, dronings of "When Your Lonely Heart Breaks" and "Danger Bird" come off as downright bad. Young's infinite jams are a bore and you don't get that whole "feelin' the love" vibe you get from the audiences at a Young's performances. Though Year of the Horse means well, its contents don't really justify its release.

-Ryan Schreiber