The Bridge School Concerts – 25th Anniversary Edition – Reprise (2 CDs)

The Bridge School Concerts – 25th Anniversary Edition – Reprise Records (2 CDs), 123:56 [10/24/2011] ****1/2:
(Featuring Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, The Who, Willie Nelson, R.E.M., Crosby Stills, Nash & Young, Brian Wilson, Metallica and many others)
For twenty-five years, Neil Young and his wife Pegi have organized concerts to benefit The Bridge School. Every year in October, renowned musical artists perform at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. These performers come from different musical styles and represent a generational confluence. Noteworthy for acoustic performances, the concerts have become a phenomenon. Finally, they are available to experience.
The Bridge Concerts – 25th Anniversary Edition consists of twenty-five diverse performances on two CDs. The album opens with Bruce Springsteen’s harsh, growling rendition of “Born In The U.S.A.”. This version is as effective as the stadium rock arrangement of the original. The simplicity of voice and guitar evokes the darker imagery of the narrative. The groups are holding nothing back.  Pearl Jam offers a country folk version of “Better Man” that loses none of its power, shifting out of electric mode. The same can be said for Metallica’s reincarnation of “Disposable Heroes”. The head-shaking attitude erupts with authority. Sonic Youth tears into “Rain On Tin” with cascading guitar riffs.
Singers take center stage on this collection. Thom Yorke delivers a moving version of Young’s “After The Gold Rush”. The reedy, high register is eerily reminiscent of its author. The tack piano accompaniment is a nice touch. Fleet Foxes angelic harmonies make “Blue Ridge Mountains” exultant. The country vibe is illuminated by Band Of Horses on “Marry Song”. The vocal harmonies and guitar/piano flow are organic and joyful.   Gillian Welch weaves her gossamer folk aesthetic on “The Way It Will Be”.
The central influence of this unique musical project is Young. Listeners get a small fragment of his diverse catalogue. “Love And Only Love” (from Ragged Glory) cultivates the string breaking, ragged intensity of his garage band, Crazy Horse. There is still a potent urgency in his voice. He teams with Crosby Stills & Nash to explore the intricate chord structures of “Déjà Vu”, rather than playing it safe with one of their hits. He blends seamlessly with R.E.M. on the atmospheric “Country Feedback”.
Young’s unquestioned stature draws rock and roll royalty to this worthy cause. The Who sound angry as ever (especially Pete Townsend’s guitar) on “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Paul McCartney exudes his impish rock charisma on “Get Back”. Elton John and Leon Russell prove that they are the funkiest piano men in the annals of rock history with the honky tonkin’ “A Dream Come True”. Seemingly ageless, Willie Nelson rekindles the melancholy of western romance with his intrepid spirit and signature guitar licks. Even Tony Bennett chimes in with a jazzy cover of “Maybe This Time”.
The Bridge School Concerts – 25th Anniversary Edition transcends most benefit concert material. The various artists present their material with conviction and in most cases fresh arrangements. The cover art by Shepard Fairey is equally impressive. There is also a three DVD set which includes performances from Patti Smith, David Bowie, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. (Note: Proceeds enable the Bridge School to assist in the education of children with severe speech and physical impairments through the use of augmentative and alternative communication systems and assistive technology.). For more information, contact www.bridgeschool.org
TrackList:
Disc One:  Born In The U.S.A.; Too Much; Magic’s In The Makeup; Gone; Blue Ridge Mountains; Love And Only Love; Rain On Tin; Better Man; The Way It Will Be; Country Feedback; The Great Divide; Just A Little
Disc Two: Elsewhere; Get Back; A Dream Come True; Marry Song; Disposable Heroes; After The Gold Rush; The Difficult Kind; Maybe This Time; Déjà Vu; Jesus, Etc.; I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar; Surfin’ U.S.A.; Won’t Get Fooled Again
–Robbie Gerson