Mojo Magazine Issue 374 (January 2025) Neil Young

Mojo Magazine Issue 374 (January 2025) Neil Young

From 1975 to 1979 – from Zuma to Live Rust – Neil Young hit a vein of form he’s rarely topped. Using the revelations of this year’s Archives III box set as a lodestar and insights from his collaborators, we plot his contrarian path. It’s just one facet of MOJO’s stellar Best Of 2024 presentation, with the best new albums, reissues, music films and books ranked. Big names include Jack White, Beth Gibbons, Oasis, Brian Eno and Paul Weller. Also in the issue: Neil Innes, The National, Gillian Welch, Father John Misty, Super Furry Animals, Richard Thompson, St. Vincent, and Bob Dylan: The Movie!

THIS MONTH’S COVERMOUNT CD is The Best Of 2024 – a cornucopia of tracks from the year’s top-rated albums by Jack White, Nick Cave, Gillian Welch, The Black Crowes, Jane Weaver, Fontaines D.C., Beth Gibbons, The Smile, Ezra Collective, Bill Ryder-Jones, Richard Thompson, John Cale, Mdou Moctar, Kim Deal and The Lemon Twigs.

COVER STORY: NEIL YOUNG Starting with Zuma and ending in Live Rust, the second half of Shakey’s ’70s bulged with brilliant music and head-spinning about-turns. Linda Ronstadt, Cameron Crowe, Devo and more help MOJO make sense of it all.

THE BEST OF 2024 The 75 Best New Albums, the 20 Best Reissues, plus the books, films and stories of the year. Featuring: Beth Gibbons, Brian Eno, Ziggy Stardust and Oasis. Plus: Paul Weller, Jane Weaver, Nubya Garcia, Richard Hawley, Fontaines DC and more on what rocked their 2024.

GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS The First Couple of Americana on torch-holding for the folk tradition while adding to its cherished songbook, on one of MOJO’s Best Albums Of 2024.

THE NATIONAL The Cincinnati kids who grew up to be inheritors of R.E.M.’s thoughtful alt-rock mantle look back, while frontman Matt Berninger flips out: “I’m a merman!”

NEIL INNES Does humor belong in music? Yes, when it was delivered by this shy genius – musical mainspring of Monty Python, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and The Rutles.

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS How square-peg pop smarts, whacked-out psych madness and Welsh-language activism fed the ’90s breakthrough and lasting legacy of one of our most unique bands.

REVIEWED Father John Misty / Talking Heads / Elton John / Miles Davis / BaBa ZuLa / Eric Clapton / Warmduscher / Jeff Parker / The Go-Betweens / Billy Strings / Melanie / Christy Moore / Can / White Denim / Art Garfunkel / U2 / Shovel Dance Collective / Elvis Costello / Joan Armatrading / Mulatu Astatke / The Fleshtones / Papa M / Euros Childs / Duster / Robbie Basho / Ray Charles / Magazine / The Fall

PLUS Dylan: the ultimate biopic? / Kris Kristofferson remembered / Peter Perrett’s deep cleansing / Shabaka on Vespertine / Mark Lanegan saluted / The strangeness of Dorothy Carter / Naima Bock is Rising / When Arnold Schwarzenegger joined AC/DC / Ride’s Andy Bell goes “pagan” / How To Buy Taylor Swift / Adam Ant v Bow Wow Wow / The return of The Loft / Seasick Steve’s secret yacht rock past / All back to St. Vincent’s! And Richard Thompson’s!

Check out the Mojo Magazine website.