At home on this 'prairie'

There are no tricks or gimmicks on the latest Neil Young release. The album art looks just like the music sounds -- unpretentious and down-home. Fans have seen this approach previously from Young on 1972's Harvest. \nThe lyrics conjure images of country roads and boundless cornfields, and the stripped-down musical elements contribute to an agrarian vibe. Prairie Wind may not contain the characteristic blustering guitar solos and thick distortion, but it's a welcome album.\nWorking with many of his long-time studio musicians, including Ben Keith on pedal steel guitar, Young was able to churn out 10 intelligible, cohesive tracks. On "Far From Home" and "He Was the King," Young brought in horn players to give the countrified album another animate layer. Other songs like "No Wonder" and "When God Made Me" take on a ballad feel with the help of the Fisk University Jubilee Choir. \nPrairie Wind rolls through without much musical complication. The basic chord arrangements don't stray from most Neil Young songs, and he adds a folksy tone with the familiar harmonica.\nYoung steps away from his usual political discourse save the urgent "No Wonder" in which he references 9/11, Chris Rock and fuel. The haunting number may not fit in with the rest of the album, but it serves as the most passionate tune when the 60-year-old hits the high notes in that quivering lament. \nYoung isn't trying to deceive anyone with his choice of lyrics, either. There is no concealment of the facts when he clearly mourns and pays homage to his recently deceased father in the title track. Many other songs contain family-oriented lines, too. Young speaks responsibly to his children in the buoyant "Here For You" when he sings "Yes I miss you/But I never want to hold you down."\nThe poignant "He Was the King," a tribute to Elvis, seems a random spot until, upon closer inspection, listeners discover the album was produced in Nashville. Young also displays his appreciation for his instrument of choice on the heavily sentimental "This Old Guitar," in which he practically portrays his axe as a second wife. \nThe DVD included in one edition of Prairie Wind documents the recording process. It's nothing spectacular, containing multiple shots of ageless musicians in the studio. But it is a prospective concept for CD packaging that could thrive in the industry down the road. \nAlthough it's not overwhelmingly satisfying, Prairie Wind is a pleasing listen. Young adds another dependable album to his enduring career. He might turn around a few years from now and plug into an amp, but for right now the quiet and straightforward repertoire fits him well.