The act of looking back has not always come easily to Neil Young. At 66, he’s among the most prolific and probing artists of his generation, recording and releasing material at a brisk clip with songwriting concerns just as urgent.

This year, however, Young has locked his gaze on the rearview mirror, most notably with a memoir, “Waging Heavy Peace” published last month. Before that he reunited with Crazy Horse, the hellacious band he has collaborated with on and off for more than four decades. Over the summer they put out “Americana,” a ragtag reimagining of folk standards.