NEIL YOUNG : ARCHIVES VOL. 2 (1972-1976)

		NEIL YOUNG : ARCHIVES VOL. III (1976-1987)
Label : Reprise Release Date : September 6, 2024 Review (Wikipedia) : Neil Young Archives Volume III: 1976–1987 was released on September 6, 2024. Covering an eleven-year period from 1976–1987, Volume III included, among other tracks, an album and film called Across the Water that further documents his 1976 tour of Japan and Europe with Crazy Horse; A Snapshot in Time, an "audio documentary" of a rehearsal with Nicolette Larson and Linda Ronstadt prior to recording American Stars 'n Bars; Windward Passage, a live album of tracks recorded with The Ducks in Santa Cruz; the unreleased album Oceanside Countryside; Union Hall, a recording of Young rehearsing with Larson and the Give to the Wind Orchestra prior to their November 12, 1977 gig in Bicentennial Park in Miami; an album and film documenting his 1978 Boarding House residency; songs from both his unreleased album Island in the Sun and earlier versions of Old Ways; a live album documenting Young's February 7, 1984, shows with Crazy Horse at The Catalyst; and a disc of live tracks and studio cuts Young recorded with the International Harvesters. On July 25, 2024, Young announced a pre-sale for members of his Archives website for the upcoming box set. Two distinct versions of this box set were released: a 17 CD standard box set available both online and brick-and-mortar retailers, and a "deluxe" version, available exclusively at Neil Young's Greedy Hand merch store, that also contains 5 Blu-Ray discs. These Blu-Rays will contain eleven films in total, including four that have never been released and are exclusive to this box set. Members of Neil Young Archives that pre-ordered in advance received a 16 track CD sampler and a pin. A 2 LP version of highlights, titled Archives Vol. III - Takes, was also released. Review (Rolling Stone) : The third volume of Neil Young’s ongoing Archives box set series chronicles 1976 to 1987. In that time frame, most artists might release three or four records, one possibly being a Greatest Hits comp. But not Young. After all, this is the guy who wrote “Cinnamon Girl,” “Cowgirl in the Sand,” and “Down by the River” all in one evening (with a deliriously high fever, no less). Between 1976 to 1987, Young churned out 10 solo albums — and left a lot on the cutting room floor. “I did a lot of recording during that period that was never listened to,” he told us in 2021. Now, we finally can. This 11-year period featured some triumphs (think the gorgeous Comes a Time, the primal, badass Rust Never Sleeps) and some puzzling genre-based releases that baffled fans and enraged his label, particularly 1983’s rockabilly foray Everybody’s Rockin’ and the famously bizarre, vocoder-heavy Trans he described as “robots trying to teach a baby to communicate in a hospital.” You know, normal Eighties stuff. So keep this mind while exploring all 22 discs, 28 hours, and 198 tracks of Archives Vol. III. This train is moving fast, thundering forward in an unpredictable direction. One minute you’re in Linda Ronstadt’s Malibu home hearing her crack up at that beloved Beach Boys line in “Long May You Run,” and then suddenly you’re sitting through three consecutive outtakes from that time Young put on a pink suit and started playing Fifties rockabilly. This listening journey is not for the lighthearted (for that kind of vibe, might we recommend Harvest?). The collection features 15 tracks that have never been released in any capacity. Fans can finally hear the Comes a Time-era “Lady Wingshot,” his tribute to Annie Oakley, and savor some oddities like 1982’s “Island in the Sun,” a tranquil, tropical ditty not to be confused with the Weezer song of the same name. As always, there’s some excellent Crazy Horse here, like a club show from 1984 on the 14th disc, where they break out in-progress versions of Landing on Water tracks like “Violent Side” and “I Got a Problem,” years before they were completed. The highlight of this set is the gnarly, raucous “Touch the Night” — arguably his best song of the decade — that stretches 11 minutes. For any haters of Eighties Young, let this track be proof that he still had the goods. At a time when many Seventies artists struggled to make sense of this new era filled with synths and drum machines, Young hurdled forward, never once letting his rock power waver. And yes, that even goes for Trans, the album that still manages to confound listeners 40 years after its release. Going through a rigorous therapy program to try and communicate with his son, Ben, who has cerebral palsy, Young was inspired to go full Kraftwerk and create an electronic album. This is where we’d recommend watching the incredible Blu Ray discs included in the box set, featuring concert films that have been largely unavailable until now. Check out In a Rusted Out Garage, a Crazy Horse gig from the Cow Palace in Daly City, California in November 1986. Young wears a flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off, and when he straps on the vocoder to tear through Trans material, songs like “Sample and Hold” and “Computer Age” shine through. Come for the Sam Kinison cameo, stay for Mr. Young’s goofy dance moves. The late Nicolette Larson, who sang on Comes a Time and made a hit out of Young’s “Lotta Love,” is featured on the seventh disc, Union Hall, an intimate Nashville rehearsal with the Give to the Wind orchestra. Young has described it as “the highlight of everything I’ve ever done with Nicolette,” and you can see why. The disc showcases her underrated harmonizing — her voice melding perfectly with Young’s on gems like the Hank Locklin cover “Please Help Me, I’m Falling” — and powerhouse vocals, like on “Motorcycle Mama.” “She was absolutely fearless,” Young told Rolling Stone, in our career-spanning feature on Larson. “She told me, ‘I’m the best one. I can follow you anywhere you want to go. No one can follow you better than I can.’ And she could.” Instead of slapping music on CDs and releasing a box set, the packaging on Archives III is intricate, completed with a stunning 176-page book of rare photos. And Young is right there with you in his “raps,” providing context on many of the discs to give you a sense of where he was in his creative process. Spanning 11 years, Archives III can sometimes feel broad and sprawling; fans have argued it would have made more sense for Archives III to begin in 1980, right after 1979’s Rust Never Sleeps (Archives II, which focused on 1972-76, could have easily covered more years). But Young never worried too much about satisfying others, anyway, and the outpouring of material only adds to his legacy. For him, it’s just another line in the field of time.
		Disc 1 : ACROSS THE WATER I (1976)
Let It Shine Mellow My Mind Too Far Gone Only Love Can Break Your Heart A Man Needs a Maid No One Seems to Know Heart Of Gold Country Home Don't Cry No Tears Cowgirl in the Sand Lotta Love The Losing End (When You’re On) Southern Man Cortez the Killer Venue : Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan Recording Date : March 11, 1976 Length : 62:32
		Disc 2 : ACROSS THE WATER II (1976)
Human Highway The Needle And The Damage Done Stringman Down By The River Like a Hurricane Drive Back Cortez the Killer Homegrown Venue : Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK + Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland Recording Date : March 31, 1976 + April 2, 1976 Length : 48:30
		Disc 3 : HITCHHIKIN' JUDY (1976-1977)
Rap Powderfinger Captain Kennedy Hitchhiker Give Me Strength The Old Country Waltz Rap Too Far Gone White Line Mr. Soul A Man Needs A Maid Journey Through the Past Campaigner The Old Laughing Lady The Losing End (When You’re On) Rap Helpless Four Strong Winds Rap Will To Love Lost In Space (with Ronnie Wood) Venue : Indigo Ranch, Malibu, Calfiornia, USA + Balch Fieldhouse, Boulder, Colorado, USA + Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA + Palladium, New York City, New York, USA + Music Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, USA + Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia, USA + Winterland, San Francisco, California, USA Recording Date : August 11, 1976 + November 6 - 25, 1976 Length : 71:36
		Disc 4 : SNAPSHOT IN TIME (1977)
Rap Hold Back The Tears Rap Long May You Run Hey Babe The Old Country Waltz Hold Back the Tears Peace of Mind Sweet Lara Larue Bite the Bullet Saddle Up the Palomino Star of Bethlehem Bad News Comes To Town Motorcycle Mama Rap Hey Babe Rap Barefoot Floors Length : 50:47
		Disc 5 : WINDWARD PASSAGE (1977)
Rap I Am A Dreamer (The Ducks) Sail Away (The Ducks) Wide Eyed and Willin' (The Ducks) I’m Tore Down (The Ducks) Little Wing (The Ducks) Hey Now (The Ducks) Windward Passage (The Ducks) Cryin' Eyes (The Ducks) Venue : The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California, USA Recording Date : August 3-22, 1977 Length : 35:27
		Disc 6 : OCEANSIDE COUNTRYSIDE (1977)
Rap Field of Opportunity It Might Have Been Dance Dance Dance Rap Pocahontas Peace of Mind Sail Away Human Highway Comes A Time Lost In Space Goin’ Back Length : 36:42
		Disc 7 : NEIL YOUNG & NICOLETTE LARSON UNION HALL (1977)
Comes A Time Love/Art Blues Rap Are You Ready For the Country? Dance Dance Dance/Love is a Rose Old Man The Losing End (When You're On) Heart Of Gold Already One Lady Wingshot Four Strong Winds Down By The River Alabama Are You Ready For the Country? (reprise) Rap We’re Having Some Fun Now Rap Please Help Me, I'm Falling Motorcycle Mama Venue : Union Hall, Nashville, Tennessee, USA Recording Date : November 10, 1977 Length : 68:07
		Disc 8 : BOARDING HOUSE I (1978)
Rap Shots Ride My Llama Sail Away Pocahontas Human Highway Already One Birds Cowgirl in the Sand Sugar Mountain Powderfinger Thrasher Comes a Time Venue : The Boarding House, San Francisco, California, USA Recording Date : May 24-27, 1978 Length : 50:47
		Disc 9 : DEVO & BOARDING HOUSE II (1978)
Rap Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) (with Devo) Back to the Boarding House My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) The Ways of Love Homegrown Down by the River After the Gold Rush Out Of My Mind Dressing Room Venue : The Boarding House, San Francisco, California, USA Recording Date : May 28, 1978 Length : 30:42
		Disc 10 : SEDAN DELIVERY (1978)
Bright Sunny Day The Loner Welfare Mothers Lotta Love Sedan Delivery Cortez the Killer Tonight's the Night Powderfinger When You Dance, I Can Really Love Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) Venue : Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, USA + Civic Center, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA + McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado, USA + Cow Palace, Daly City, California, USA Recording Date : October 14-22, 1978 Length : 48:41
		Disc 11 : COASTLINE (1980-1981)
Coastline Stayin’ Power Hawks And Doves Comin' Apart at Every Nail Union Man Winter Winds Southern Pacific Opera Star Rapid Transit Sunny Inside Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze Get Up Length : 37:57
		Disc 12 : TRANS (1981) & JOHNNY'S ISLAND (1982)
Rap Sample and Hold Mr. Soul Computer Cowboy We R In Control Computer Age Transformer Man Rap Johnny Island In The Sun Rap Silver & Gold If You Got Love Raining in Paradise Big Pearl Hold On To Your Love Soul Of A Woman Rap Love Hotel Length : 58:23
		Disc 13 : EVOLUTION (1983-1984)
California Sunset My Boy Old Ways Depression Blues Cry, Cry, Cry Mystery Train Payola Blues Betty Lou's Got A New Pair Of Shoes Bright Lights, Big City Rainin' In My Heart Get Gone I Got A Problem Hard Luck Stories Your Love If You Got Love Razor Love Venue : Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz, California, USA + Convention Center, San Antonio, TX Recording Date : January 5, 1983 + July 18, 1983 Length : 56:51
		Disc 14 : TOUCH THE NIGHT (1984)
Rock So Tired Violent Side I Got A Problem Your Love Barstool Blues Welfare Mothers Touch The Night Venue : The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California, USA Recording Date : February 7, 1984 Length : 43:07
		Disc 15 : GREY RIDERS (1984-1986)
Amber Jean Get Back To The Country Are You Ready For The Country? It Might Have Been Bound For Glory Let Your Fingers Do the Walking Soul of a Woman Misfits (Dakota) Nothing is Perfect Time Off For Good Behavior This Old House Southern Pacific Interstate Grey Riders Venue : Saddle Rack, San Jose, California, USA + Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA + Austin City Limits TV Show, Austin, Texas, USA + Gilley's Rodeo Arena, Pasadena, Texas, USA + Universal Amphitheater, Universal City, California, USA + Greek Theater, Berkeley, California, USA + Entertainment Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia + State Fair, Springfield, Illinois, USA + Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA + Mann Music Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Recording Date : June 6, 1984 + September 21-29, 1984 + October 22-26, 1984 + March 14, 1985 + August 12, 1985 + September 1, 1985 + September 7, 1985 + Pier 84, New York City, New York, USA Length : 64:11
		Disc 16 : ROAD OF PLENTY (1984-1986)
Drifter Hippie Dream Bad News Beat People On The Street Weight of the World Pressure Road of Plenty We Never Danced When Your Lonely Heart Breaks Length : 40:28
		Disc 17 : SUMMER SONGS (1987)
Rap American Dream Someday For The Love Of Man One Of These Days Wrecking Ball Hangin On A Limb Name Of Love Last Of His Kind Rap Length : 38:36