Neil Young - After the Gold Rush (1970)

This album, and its followup, 1972's 'Harvest', were the two Neil Young albums that saw the most use on my turntable. It's not a favourite with the critics, but to me, it's music you listen to when you want your soul stirred and your heart warmed.

Almost every song here seeps into your consciousness after only a few hearings. Tracks like 'Tell Me Why', 'After the Gold Rush', 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' and 'Southern Man' are among the most memorable songs Young has written, and the diversity of the arrangements (harmony-embellished folk, orchestral pop, jam-style rock...) and the great line-up of supporting musicians (Danny Whitten, Billy Talbot, Jack Nitzsche, Nils Lofgren, Stephen Stills...) make this a truly rousing ride.