Do you have a lot of storage? The downloads can be played on an iPhone with an app such as VLC Media Player. The problem is storage, if you have limited extra space.
It might be Sony/Legacy in general, as Miles Davis's archival releases have been handled similarly well. There might also be something to the fact that Neil seems to have a lot of direct involvement in his Archives project -- it's not surprising that once the artist gets involved, the projects veer further away from curating and cataloguing and toward the presentation of some kind of artistic "vision." Mostly, though, I think it's just increasingly clear that the way Neil recorded in the '70's just wasn't neat and tidy the way Dylan's 1960's and '70's sessions were -- he would record in bits and pieces, use some things, discard other things, but then go back and use some of the old recordings on later records, even though different versions had been recorded in the interim, etc. I do wish both big Archives boxes contained less previously released material for the cost (Dylan's releases, for the most part, really focus on the unreleased stuff, only including previously released material when it really makes sense as part of a comprehensive picture, and even then it usually only comprises a minority of a much larger release), but all things considered I think Neil, despite his tendency to overpromise and become easily distracted, has done a great job with his archives, and I enjoy the enthusiasm he seems to have toward making this stuff finally available.
I honestly think “Treetop Flyer” has the potential to be a killer guitar jam, and they definitely recorded that during those sessions (which idk was the case for “Witching Hour”)
A better option for a Stills song or songs, I think, is Treetop Flyer. That song was written in 1975, probably. (He first played it in concert in June 1975.) It's on the "Just Roll Tape" album, but if you look at the notes for that closely, it says that was actually recorded in the mid-1970s. So that recording would fit perfectly, and it's a great song. It also was played by the Stills-Young Band at least three times in 1976. Weirdly, Stills didn't officially release that song for freakin' ever, not until 1991, even though he played it in concert a lot.
Man, Archives II is great! I'm so happy to finally have this! One question though: is "Barefoot Floors" the only Neil song from this time period that we know of that remains officially unreleased? And one comment. I was really bummed to find out that the 1974 Bottom Line show wasn't going to be included. That show is incredible! So I was very glad to find out recently that it's going to be released in early 2021. Close enough for horseshoes. Neil Young Archives
Indeed. Streaming is purely a convenience, and not to be confused w any notion of “ownership”. The NYA streams and my iPhone served me quite well as i went about my Saturday, as i didn’t yet have access to files or the box. Re ownership and control, physical product is the clear preference for my collections for favorite artists. However, I do “own” many Gigs of flacs / hi-res files across a motley assortment of hard drives, where they are curated for listening via my Como system or iPhone for mobility. So i do retain control of these files, and don’t entrust to any servers in the cloud, out of my immediate control and subject to arbitrary price increases.
I think that Barefoot Floors is the only unreleased song of the Period. There're a certain number of unreleased first versions or alternate versions not included in this Collection as Sedan Delivery, LMYR 1975, Motorcycle Mama 75, TTN 74 etc.
Sad Movies is still unreleased, right? That was played live starting in March '76. Evening Coconut debuted on the summer '76 Stills-Young Band tour, which I assume falls under the timeline for NYA Volume 3. Then there's the mysterious Tie Plate Yodle [sic] #3...
Both your options could well both be correct. All that’s needed is for one contributor to this thread to tell us they’re a member of group (1), and/or another to tell us they’re a member of group (2). So let’s hear it from them. (Those who bought a Deluxe set and who managed to download the files successfully can’t help determine this either way!)
Sad Movies was recorded live by Tim Mulligan as a Mono SBD feed not unlike the songs on Songs For Judy album(recorded by Joel Bernstein). His omission is another strange artistic choice.
Also, regarding better Stills songs on LMYR, you could arguably use any of the songs from his 1976 album "Illegal Stills." That was still being recorded in February 1976, when the Stills-Young Band songs on Archives II were recorded. It wasn't released until May 1976. The best songs there, in my opinion, are "Buyin' Time" and "Circlin'." I believe both of those were played in the Stills-Young Band concerts too. Young held back some of his best songs at the time from LYMR, but you could argue Stills did the same, keeping some for "Illegal Stills."
I'm group 1 All Deluxe sets are also sold on the Greedy Hand site though, which is the official Neil Young web store.
Putting together my NYA-only bonus tracks wishlist: Come Along and Say You Will - solo acoustic version - 11/15/72 New Mama - studio version of the electric arrangement, 12/15/72 Last Dance - studio version of the electric arrangement, 12/15/72 Wonderin' - Tonight's the Night version, 8/21/73 One More Sign - Tonight's the Night version, 8/26/73 Tonight's the Night - remake with Greg Reeves on bass, 3/4/74 New Mama - CSN version, 6/16/74 Mediterrannean - Hotel Room Demo, 9/??/74 Barefoot Floors - either this one or the one from June, whichever is a complete take, 1/1/75 Motorcycle Mama - Early take, 1/2/75 Long May You Run - Early take, 1/4/75 Sedan Delivery - Chrome Dreams, 5/22/75 Country Home - Mono PA from Budokan gig, 3/10/76 Sad Movies - Mono PA from Odeon gig, 3/28/76
Separate Ways by Stills/Young is outstanding. How did this miss inclusion on LMYR? SUBLIME. That piano, those guitars.
I forgot that “Witching Hour” and “Thoroughfare Gap” were available. Also, “High And Dry”. “One Way Ride” was also fully recorded by SY. Bring in those songs, then it’s a fair fight. Not a bad idea at all to leave the CN vocals as guests. Why not?
I know there's a lot of debate about whether or not "Stringman" was written about Stills, but listening to this Hammersmith Odeon version, which is placed right in the midst of all the Stills/Young tracks, it certainly resonates deeply in that direction. Great version.
Agreed. This song, in all its forms, is rising quickly into the highest echelon of Neil songs for me.
