Reactor (album)

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Re·ac·tor is the twelfth studio album by Neil Young, made with Crazy Horse. It was released on November 2, 1981 and would be Young’s last album on Reprise Records before he moved to Geffen for the next five records. This album marked a reunion with Crazy Horse, their first full studio project together since 1975’s Zuma and their first collaboration since 1979’s Rust Never Sleeps.

Overview
- Genre and style: A hard rock record with elements of post-punk, punk blues, krautrock, and proto-grunge. It’s known for driving rhythms, long jams, and repetitive, mantra-like lyrics.
- Length and recording: 38 minutes and 45 seconds long. Recorded October 9, 1980 to July 21, 1981 at Modern Recorders in Redwood City, California. Producers were David Briggs, Tim Mulligan, Neil Young, and Jerry Napier.
- Notable themes: The sessions were influenced by Young’s personal life, including an intensive therapy program for his son with cerebral palsy, which biographers say affected the music’s structure.

Key songs and stories
- Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze: A satirical piece about Reprise executives Joe Smith and Mo Ostin. Initially credited to Young alone; in a later release, Frank Sampedro is also listed as a co-writer.
- T-Bone: Known for its very simple, repetitive lyrics.
- Southern Pacific: A side-long look at transportation and trains; Young has long-followed trains in his personal life.
- Motor City: Addresses the decline of Detroit’s auto industry and the rise of foreign brands.
- Shots: A war-themed track that uses the Synclavier; it was a favorite of Young and features a strong, driving band performance.
- Cover and title: The word “Re·ac·tor” is split by syllables on the cover. The back cover includes a Latin version of the Serenity Prayer.

Release and legacy
- Singles: “Southern Pacific” / “Motor City” (Dec 14, 1981) and “Opera Star” / “Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze” (Feb 1982).
- Reception and impact: The album didn’t sell well, which contributed to Young’s decision to sign with Geffen Records for his next albums.
- Reissues: A remastered HDCD version was released on August 19, 2003, as part of the Neil Young Archives series.
- Credits: All songs were written by Neil Young, except “Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze” (co-written with Frank Sampedro; later acknowledged in 2021). Young would later reflect that the time spent on his family’s therapy program also shaped the music on Re·ac·tor.

Re·ac·tor remains a bold, raw entry in Young’s catalog, balancing hard-rock energy with personal and social themes of its era.