Neil Young has long been open about the flaws in his more experimental records, and one album he continues to defend is 1982's synth-heavy *Trans*. Released at the height of the MTV era, it saw the folk-rock icon abandon his signature sound in favour of vocoder-processed electronics, partly as a means of communicating with his disabled son, marking one of the sharpest stylistic pivots of his career.

Young has said he does not consider *Trans* underrated in terms of songwriting, insisting that "the content of the record is great" and that any shortcomings stem from technical mixing problems encountered during production rather than the material itself. The article also touches on other divisive detours in his catalogue, including *Landing on Water* and *Reactor*, framing *Trans* as part of a broader pattern of Young deliberately rejecting expectations to keep his music feeling fresh.