I imagine it’s because Neil isn’t trying to create a “hit” box set, he’s trying to present a curated history the way he wants it presented, in a way that tells the story of his career.
I think he was more half-heartedly fulfilling his obligation to the record company. He doesn't/didn't like CDs. Neil told us both these things before Vol II was released. (I think the NYA website version matches your on-target description). That's why we had all the sneaky shenanigans/weaseling when they first put the thing on sale. Because apparently nobody had much confidence in their ability to straightforwardly sell what was a barebones product with a "luxury" price tag. But of course, most of us still value the idea of owning a physical box set — even if the online version has superseded it in many ways.
And maybe he’s looked at the numbers where for his releases cds outsell vinyl about 4:1 and realised whatever he prefers most of his fans prefer cds no matter how much he used to run them down.He has tended not to do that as much in the last 3-4 years.
With the Vol II box-set I do think there was a (slightly begrudging?) attitude of "this is what they want, so let's give it to 'em". (Where "they" equals both record company and a large slice of the audience.) Nothing wrong with that, necessarily. Entirely professional. But the organically-expanding "filing cabinet" version on the website is where most of the care and attention to detail has been focused. It's the rare case of a digital product having more impressive stature than a physical one. Partly because the physical product was seemingly an afterthought.
An alternate version, recorded (probably) during the Comes a Time sessions, which is (according to Neil) superior to the solo version that's on his site.
I guess I was referring to hitchhiker, homegrown and Chrome Dreams. Homegrown had 5 songs basically that appear in other studio albums albeit some in different forms. They may have originally had a home on Homegrown but Neil made the decision to release them on other albums at the time and that's where they rest in my mind so Homegrown was never that big a thing for me. Being so familiar with the other albums, I can't unhear those songs in their original context bracketed by the original songs that surround them. As I said though I buy everything Neil Young so I'm totally sold on Neil being Neil. I will buy Chrome Dreams if it comes out but it will probably get played once and sit on the shelf. I guess I don't understand things like why Homegrown was released on ASaB and then made up part of a lost album called Homegrown and now will make up part of a lost album called Chrome Dreams.
Personally, I'm a fan of "CD quality" audio. I think it's the sweet-spot before we start to fall into the hedonistic "higher numbers are always better!" trap. Once this way of thinking grabs us by the ankles, we start thinking that Bluenote Cafe or Ragged Glory or Freedom or Sleeps With Angels or Dreamin' Man are somehow inferior-sounding albums because they were recorded at the (perfectly high-resolution) "CD quality". Which is obvious nonsense to anyone who has researched the "nocebo effect" for more than 5 minutes... but also scarily pervasive. But I do think CDs themselves, as objects, have become the "neither here nor there" format: lacking the deluxe feel of vinyl and the convenience of streaming/downloads. What makes a CD box-set special isn't the CDs themselves, but everything that goes with them. The music itself, but also the high-quality packaging and its appearance, the inserts, the deluxe books. Etc. A box-set works best when it dedicates itself to being a tactile, interactive analogue-esque experience. As opposed to trying to mimick the barebones convenience of the digital version. Which is why the Blu-ray version hit the nail on the head back in 2009... and why the "rustic" website version in 2020 was more interesting than the CD.
Well, Homegrown was a vintage album from back in the day — so releasing that one "as is" might have made sense. Particularly as a lot of it was unreleased. A more appropriate example might be the Tonight's The Night disc on Archives Vol II. It's essentially a playlist with a meagre scattering of new tracks, masquerading as a new disc. And what's even less interesting is Tuscaloosa in Vol 2, which we all already had, anyway — and it took up the space where something fresher could have gone. Likewise for the Homegrown disc in Vol 2. (Repackaging and re-selling the same old stuff, even when artistically dull and ethically dubious, is often sensible commercially — because the costs of production are so low. That doesn't mean it shows strong character to accept this lazy outcome as some sort of generous gift).
Well, I don't know about 'Hitchhiker' and 'Chrome Dreams' but 'Homegrown' is a real long lost album regardless of the fact that we're used to hear some of its songs in other contexts. In fact, I always thought of 'American Stars & Bars' and 'Hawks & Doves' as playlists released as "albums" because that's what they essentially are. And they do sound just like that. I'm glad to hear those songs now in their original (and more appropriate) context. I can't wait for 'Oceanside/Countryside' and 'Johnny's Island'. I'm sure the Honolulu material will make more sense on the later than it does on 'Trans' (and I love 'Trans').
Fair enough, he certainly has a 'different' way of approaching album sequencing and song choices. For me it's just too difficult to unhear the ASaS and Hawks and Doves songs in the context I have been used to for many, many years. I can't really hear Homegrown as something that might have been because of that but others will see that differently. I agree about Trans. I love that album but adding those songs that had little to do with the unique sound of that album always baffled me. Well, as much as anything that Neil does baffles me
As this appears to be more appropriate here than in the Barn topic; below an analysis of how often Neil's played a song after the tour related to the album is over (looks much better in Excel). A negative number indicates that it was last played before the release of the album. In bold some of the older songs that were fairly recently played. Title / Number of Days played After release of album You're My Girl : 32 Differently : 43 Quit : 43 Let's Roll : 43 Are You Passionate? : 43 Goin' Home : 4489 When I Hold You In My Arms : -191 Two Old Friends : 43 She's a Healer : 43 Falling From Above : 215 Double E : 4341 Devil's Sidewalk : 215 Leave the Driving : 215 Carmichael : 215 Bandit : 215 Grandpa's Interview : 215 Bringin Down Dinner : 215 Sun Green : 215 Be The Rain : 4007 The Painter : 36 No Wonder : 38 Falling from the Face of the Earth : -39 Far From Home : 35 It's a Dream : 81 Prairie Wind : -38 Here for You : -39 This Old Guitar : 37 He Was the King : 81 When God Made Me : 1125 After the Garden : 3724 Living with War : 3014 The Restless Consumer : 125 Shock and Awe : 125 Families : 125 Flags of Freedom : 166 Let's Impeach the President : 125 Looking for a Leader : 59 Roger & Out : 125 American The Beautiful : -1690 Beautiful Bluebird : 4 Boxcar : -6758 Ordinary People : -6762 The Believer : 143 Spirit Road : 613 Dirty Old Man : 260 No Hidden Path : 295 The Way : 5 When Worlds Collide : 20 Fuel Line : 23 Just Singing a Song : 57 Johnny Magic : 6 Cough up the Bucks : -112 Light a Candle : 158 Hit the Road : 23 Off the Road : -112 get Behind the Wheel : 81 Walk With Me : 225 Sign of Love : 2822 Someone's Gonna Rescue You : 2823 Love and War : 2924 Angry World : 2844 Hitchhiker : 225 Peaceful Valley Boulevard : 2924 Rumblin' : 225 Psychedelic Pill : 646 Ramada Inn : 281 Born in Ontario : 142 Twisted Road : 142 For the Love of Man : -82 Walk Like a Giant : 281 Plastic Flowers : -26 Who's Gonna Stand Up : 355 I Want to Drive My Car : -419 Tumbleweed : 2024 I'm Glad I Found You : 1123 When I Watch You Sleeping : -26 All Those Dreams : 262 A New Day for Love : 388 Wolf Moon : 388 People Want to Hear About Love : 118 Bog Box : 110 A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop : 1545 Workin man : 110 Rules of Change : 388 Monsanto Years : 388 If I Don’t Know : 389 Peace Trail : -47 Indian Givers : -47 Show Me : 653 Texas Rangers : -47 Terrorist Suicide Hang Gliders : -48 John Oaks : -47 Glass Accident : -57 Stand Tall : 0 Children of Destiny : 304
Something odd here. Some of the songs like Goin Home have thousands of plays. Was Goin Home really played more than 4,000 times? Has Neil even played that many shows since the release of that album?
It's the number of days after it was released that the song was played, not the number of times it was played.
A few interesting bits of info from today's newest batch of Letters to the Editor: -They apparently have "rough movies" of the '84 Catalyst performances, but he doesn't make clear if those will be included in Volume III. -The Boarding House film will be from one night, although they filmed multiple shows, and the version of "Shots" that was recently screened on NYA is from this film. The CD/audio version will be of "all the best performances that [was] curated by Joel Bernstein." -Greatest Misses originated from something David Briggs wrote on a tape box. He was also open to resurrecting the idea, but he mentions him and his team being busy at the moment with Volume III and other projects. -Movies from Vol. III will "eventually" be streaming on NYA, "added while [they] are working on Volume IV." -Neil reiterates that the Ducks OBS release will be coming in 2022. He also adds that the Ducks have a section in Vol. III, "although not as long as the bootleg series."
He said back in December 2018 that the footage "will get out," but haven't seen anything specific re V3.
Moderator Note: The topic of this thread is the Archives series. It is not a discussion related to NY's politics or covid related issues. Any further discussion of this nature will result in members being thread banned and or warned!
so it's been about a year since the last outtakes dump. when we got the buffalo springfield demos, barefoot floors, and some other 1974 stuff. wonder if there'll be another drop like this soon!
The amount of stuff we got in 2021 was amazing, from outtakes, to new music, to timeline concerts and archival live music.
I can deal with the drumbeat, but the explosions? Clear them away so we can hear Ralph crushing those skins...
I was surprised when I got in the car this morning to hear Neil Young Radio back in place of Deep Tracks on Sirius XM. I assume it's connected in some way to the recent headlines.
This sentiment neatly sums up my experience. I was gifted the basic level subscription & have had no success in getting hi-res to work. Any hints / tips ? I'm using Windows. TIA
In fact, since 2017 it's been a paticularly great time for NY fans. The amount of vault material released since then is mindblowing. And that includes things we thought we would never hear!!! And he is still making new music ('Barn' is pretty decent btw). Thank you so much, Mr. Shakey.
