The vocal and stylistic similarities between Johnny Irion on Ex Tempore and Neil Young circa Harvest might be hard for some listeners to get over, but it would be a mistake to think of Irion's album as a slavish copy, or even an homage. It's a wholly original set of songs, recorded in an early-'70s country-rock style, emphasizing live, collaborative performance with subtle orchestral overlays. On the surface, at least, Ex Tempore may be better than Harvest, just for the way Irion seamlessly integrates Southern gospel and Beach Boys harmonies into his catchy, twisty songs of yearning. It's like a more evolved version of Young's long-tendril approach to roots music.