Overlooked audiophile rock album: Neil Young's "On The Beach?"

There are precious few really well recorded "classic rock" albums. Maybe 20 or 30 titles that are continually reissued and fussed over. Need we name them? DSOM PS TFTTM ... enough anagrams, yet?

I have so much music, I sometimes haven't listened to all of it. Tonight was one of those: "Let's hear it" night. I was scrolling through Neil Young (no, flipping tonight) and pulled up "On the Beach" by Neil Young. My college roommate had a beat up record he adored. I think I listened to it once in 1976.

Came on the new set of Smaller Advents and "wow." What a great sounding album. I mean, I think it deserves to be in the pantheon of those classic rock album to toil after. No idea what release my files were from. The were ripped from a CD as some point. But from the first track you knew you were deep in audiophile territory. What a great pressing could do with this!

So why doesn't this one make a regular appearance among the reissues of "audiophile rock" editions? Where are the SACD, Bluray, 200gram reissues - it's a beauty!

 

Well, there is a nice vinyl reissue from last year, and a DVD Audio disc was issued several years ago. But ultimately, only one man has the answers to all your questions. And I'm guessing you can guess who that is.

 

Classic ?
His best album cover at least.

Sonically it's very good.
Think his debut st album is more hi rez suitable.

 

It's been released in hi-res two years ago. Then there was a DVD-A and a vinyl. The CD will be reissued on 12th May. What else do you want? You can not get more audiophile than that.​

 

Pretty much all of his albums sound amazing. Certainly up through Tonight's the Night. And those have all been reissued relatively recently on all-analog vinyl. The originals are no slouch either.

 

All the 1970s Neil Young through Rust Never Sleeps are great sounding LPs - Zuma, Comes A Time, etc.

 

Not really overlooked at all. Seems to get less mention than "Tonight's the Night" but that's just this forum and the obsession with a strange indulgent booze and pot soaked all nighter. "On The Beach" is the better album but of course, even if this forum does not agree. It's in Neil's top six albums.

 

This was to be my post. Right!

 

On The Beach is my favorite NY album.

 

how is this "overlooked"?

 

I've considered it one of his best all my life.

Maybe it was "overlooked" from 86-2005 when it was unavailable on CD?

 

Was overlooked for a long time, was considered almost a whispered cult obscurity from his catalog at the time when I picked up on it (early 90's) but it's not nearly as overlooked or underappreciated today. It does indeed sound great. "Revolution Blues" is like a demo or test disc for me, I know exactly what it's supposed to sound like.

 

2003

 

I agree. It may have been overlooked 20 years ago, but it is enjoying the lime light now. Many Neil Young followers consider it one of his best. By the way, the recent vinyl reissue sounds really nice.

 

Still haven't purchased the actual CD; I rode my LPs and 16 bit vinyl rips of it and TFA until the new LPs made the scene.

 

"Walk On" sounds pretty muddy on every version I own, but after that I agree that yes, it's got serious audiophile cred.

 

My favorite after the first 4. It happens to be my favorite album cover though.

 

Time for another audition. Its been too long....

 

I believe Neil asked the engineer to make some quick rough mixes so he could listen to the material.
He liked those mixes so much, they were used on the album much to the dismay of the engineer.
Maybe it's a case of less is more.

I think this is mentioned in Neil's book Shakey although I could be wrong.

 

It's a great album, not sure if the sound quality is one of its main virtues. I always thought side b is fittingly murky.

 

People hear murkiness and muddiness on songs that sound crystal clear to my ears. Am I missing anything?

 

Saves the the trouble of asking if it's underrated.

 

We all know this one was unavailable in any format for YEARS
'cepting the Used Bin. Saw the vinyl in the store last week and
finally snapped it up. It's one of his most consistent releases.

Actually, my faves by him go like this:

On the Beach
Neil Young
Sleeps with Angels


To me, these are the essentials. Honorable mention to "EKTIN".

 

According to the Wikipedia page Neil wanted Side B to be Side A, so I changed the running order and damn he was right...

Much better to get 'On the Beach', 'Motion Pictures' and (my personal favourite) 'Ambulance Blues' front-loading the album, then the second side lifts you up.

In my humble opinion.

 

And mine too... But I admit I should say the Ditch Trilogy are my favorite NY albums.