Neil Young's protest album heads to Internet first

Neil YoungÕs newly recorded protest album, ÒLiving with WarÓ, has been posted for free Internet streaming at his website,www.neilyoung.com. Visitors can listen to the 10track collection in its entirety, free of charge, says Bill Bentley, a spokesman for Warner Music GroupÕs Reprise Records.

The album will first become commercially available as a digital download beginning tomorrow, Òand we plan to get it into retail outlets as soon after that as we can get them manufacturedÓ, Bentley says.

Much of the album conveys a sense of outrage, Young vowing repeatedly in the title track Òto never kill againÓ, mocking BushÕs conduct of the Iraq war in ÒShock and AweÓ and calling for his removal from office in a provocative song titled ÒLetÕs Impeach the PresidentÓ.

The album also strikes a chord of empathy with soldiers separated from their families, and features lyrics ridiculing AmericaÕs consumer culture.

Juxtaposed with ÒLetÕs ImpeachÓ is one of the albumÕs more hopeful selections, ÒLookinÕ for a LeaderÓ, with such lyrics as: ÒSomeone walks among us ... and I hope he hears the call. And maybe itÕs a woman, or a black man after all.Ó

The album closes with an a capella version of ÒAmerica the BeautifulÓ.
Young has acknowledged the provocative nature of his latest work.

ÒYouÕre always going to rub someone up the wrong way when you sing, ÒLetÕs impeach the presidentÓ,Ó he told the Los Angeles Times.

YoungÕs new set comes just seven months after the release of his last album, ÒPrairie WindÓ, which has sold about 450,000 US copies, according to
Nielsen SoundScan.