Noise and Flowers in Bloomington, MN

Neil Young
embarked on a 2019 European tour with
Promise of the Real
only two weeks after the passing of
Elliot Roberts
, his life-long friend and manager.
Young
viewed this tour as a living tribute to
Roberts
, claiming in the liner notes to
Noise & Flowers
-- a 2022 document of the 2019 trek -- that "Playing in his memory (made it) one of the most special tours ever. We hit the road and took his great spirit with us into every song."
does indeed have a unique vibe, one that's far removed from the weird, fevered protest of Earth, the previous live album
recorded with
. Here, he amiably wanders through his back pages, selecting a few standards ("Mr. Soul," "Everybody Know This Is Nowhere," "Helpless," "Rockin' in the Free World") but spending more time playing songs that don't always make their way onto set lists. "On the Beach" joins a pair of songs from
Comes a Time
("Field of Opportunity," plus the title track), while the
Pearl Jam
-era "Throw Your Hatred Down" is given a vigorous treatment in the hands of
.
is a good testament for the group: they sound sensitive on "From Hank to Hendrix," roar throughout "Fuckin' Up," and generate a psychedelic swirl on "I've Been Waiting for You."
give
the muscle the music needs, which means the album never sounds nostalgic or stiff: it's a warm celebration of the music made while
stood by
's side. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine