Neil Young has announced another new studio album titled 'Second Song' and recorded with the Chrome Hearts.
On Times Contrarian | Neil Young Archives, Neil writes that the album, with eight total songs, contains three written in 1963, which have remained unreleased. Neil explains the creative process beginning several months ago when he spent several days composing new lyrics and melodies in the early morning hours. In early March, the recording sessions began under a full moon at Rick Rubin's Shangri-La Studios in Malibu.
During the two days of recording with the Chrome Hearts, they recorded five new songs. A search of the archives discovered previously unreleased early material.
The final mixing and mastering were completed in April under a full moon. In another statement on NYA titled "Moon To Moon,", Neil writes that the new music is a "special gift" that he "really feels".
More on Times Contrarian | Neil Young Archives.RECORDING and LISTENING4-21-26Recording 'Second Song', my next studio album for Reprise records, was a lifetime experience. First, the music was breathing. Every song of the seven released on this album is straight form the heart.Second, we tried to do something we have never done: record digital and analog masters at the same time.We did this so we could show the difference we know and believe in, my friends and I. Analog was the beginning, and it never sounded better. Hi res digital is a clear second best. We are finishing the two versions and will release them both. The Digital hi res master and the Analog Vinyl. You can hear the difference, instantly. They are both beautiful if the song is. One is as deep as life. One is the highest quality counterfeit copy. If you are interested in the sound you can disappear into and lose yourself… over repeated listenings, Analog.I made records like that in the beginning. I miss the quality people today hardly ever get a chance at hearing. Music is infinitely deep. Museum quality sound is analogue.Try comparing these if you get a chance. For true analog playback, there can be no digital components in the player or amplifier or speakers. I do hope you enjoy the music no matter how you listen. We made it for all of us.LOVENeil
And in other Neil Young news of late, the the album "As Time Explodes" by Neil Young w/Chrome Hearts was released for this year's Record Store Day on April 18. 'As Time Explodes' will be released on CD on May 29.
"As Time Explodes"
Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts
Fantastic news! Another album born under a full moon, as he prefers. I can’t wait to hear it. I might even spring for the LP this time (as well as CD).
ReplyDeleteNeil has still got some fire in him. Long May You Run!
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
Is this solo Neil?
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about Neil while listening to an interview with the Director of an animated short, The Girl Who Cried Pearls, I think it’s called. Anyway all shot with stop motion animation. The interviewer was gushing about how cool it was to make this all old school with no modern technology. The director however pointed out that while the actual shooting is all old school, out is then all processed, edited etc with fully digital technology. My point I guess, is that it’s hard to be a purist!! Good on Neil.
BTW, is Neil’s studio (Plywood Analog) all still intact at Broken Arrow?
Steve in Ottawa
It’s with the Chrome Hearts
DeleteWell, whatever it is, it'll be innaresting. It's been a while since I played a new Neil album more than a few weeks after its release (or my review of it).
ReplyDeleteWe'll see what they have come up with, but I'm definitely a little skeptical of needing to reach back 60+ years to come up with enough material for a new album.
ReplyDeletePopped into the legendary Amoeba record store in Hollywood the other day. I gotta remember to check that place more often and wait awhile when Neil drops a new album. World Record new for $15! Used copy of Archives III for $175, if I remember correctly.
I predict this next album with NY & the CH’s is going to be a classic album, maybe even a masterpiece. I have placed bets. 😂 As the moon waxes in blue skies I have a good feeling about it, not based on any information per se.
ReplyDeleteSecond Song : “The Trump Years” Nah, I am just having a LWW / Monsanto Years hybrid fantasy. Railing against fascism is in our best interest. Neil has been strongly affected like the rest of us by the king of chaos. In fact, world markets are about to crater. Trump is committing economic suicide on our behalf, & bringing the rest of the world down with him. Then he and his syndicate like “criminal” pals like Kushner’s Dad (!) who Trump pardoned & sprung from prison.
Kleptocracy! Oligarchy gone wild! The clothes are off! It’s naked aggression! Billionaire’s need were but everyone else can stick it.
Iran war fireworks going nowhere & the straight of Hormuz is still closed; 3 vessels per day is not called “open.”
And Trump is blockading? OK. He is spending a billion of our tax dollars per day on a war with no specific justification. We killed their leader, who was afraid his own son was too radical. We took out the dad & the son’s wife at the same time. So we exchanged soft dad for more radical son. That is a loss.
And why the F did Trump tear up Obama’s Iran deal? Now we need to start a war to get back to where we already were? And we are also committing war crimes even with the words of the president. Technically you can’t threaten power plants & bridges in cities & elsewhere. Yet the US has mostly bombed civilian buildings, even killing -165 school girls.
The US is now the villain of the world, aligned with Putin & some dictators. Trump seems to be doing whatever it takes to get us to stop talking about the Epstein files. Dump was mentioned so much in the Epstein times that it gets really hard to deny what he was mixed up in.
Trump has ICE killing citizens & others in the streets for nothing. Old folks are being pushed down & having their phones snatched by untrained, impatient, ultra Aggressive goons who seem to think they face no threat of punishment for their crimes. But they will. Dump’s gestapo tactics are making him quite unpopular to the American people & he is is turning theIS into a pariah nation that nobody will want to visits
I expect the World Cup & Olympics to find a new location. If there is even any jet fuel to be had!
All of the ships tied up during Trump’s blockade will only tank the world economy.
But what is funny is that -in the end- Trump became the biggest booster of green energy worldwide, the greatest ever in fact. He stupidly achieved the opposite of his goal to increase fossil fuel use. The world has become quite inspired to end its dependence on it & on the US. We are not a reliable trading partner any longer.
Dump is out of his mind & the spineless Repubs won’t stop him even as he destroys the world economy.
Our bases in the Middle East got blown to shit with missiles but the info was suppressed in the press. There you have it. And massive injuries too, more than would be reported I am guessing!
Neil Young! I feel another fine record getting “baked” in the oven like a “licorice pizza” The reference is to a record shop in LA from the old daze. They had a mural outside of a waitress with a vinyl pizza.
Equal Rights & Justice!
Your Brother Alan in Seattle.
Thanks, as always, for your passion Alan.
DeleteThe only thing we can say definitely about the next Neil album is that regardless of the merits and shortfalls, we know Neil fans will debate and engage.
With that, likely another success. Maybe not critically or commercially successful, but for firing up Neil’s core base fans yet again.
Correction:
Delete“Kleptocracy! Oligarchy gone wild! The clothes are off! It’s naked aggression! Billionaire’s need welfare but everyone else can stick it.”
Right here with ya Alan.
Delete“Let’s Make Music Great Again”!
And for everyone else:
leavingmaga.org
Just learned yesterday the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, site of many a legendary Neil show and many other bands, is under threat of being demolished. You can read about it in the Santa Cruz weekly Good Times (https://www.goodtimes.sc/catalyst-santa-cruz-redevelopment-debate/). There is change.org petition to retain the Catalyst (https://www.change.org/p/save-the-catalyst-from-demolition), though ultimately I think that is a decision that should be left up to the residents of Santa Cruz.
ReplyDeleteNooooooooo!
DeleteNeil could buy, but rock & roll will never die. I saw Los Lobos there and it was spectacular. During the Old Princeton Landing era (1996) I networked with some locals & tapers and I would get a call whenever the RV showed up behind the Catalyst.
DeleteOne night there was a rumor that it was “going to be the Catalyst tonight (🙏🏼). So I hitched a ride with one of my brethren to Santa Cruz to find it a quiet night.
But the Rock & Roll Gods were watching, & effort is rewarded. I got to enjoy 6 of those shows. I am pretty sure that I caught a glimpse of “the great gig in the sky” that night, how it will be.
How do I know there will be epic concerts in the afterlife? Because who the fuck would go if there was no music?!
See you on the rail. Later, many more gigs to attend. I have been to so many great shows this winter & spring already. I am feeling very blessed by the Rock Gods. And I am grateful!
Now, let’s get on with the Anti Fascism tour!
In just a few years there will be a new word added to the lexicon which means the same thing as fraud: Trump
Like trumped up charges, name dropping Dump will signify that graft has run amok. White collar looting of a nation. First he picks the fruit, then he poisons the tree for the rest of us.
Man, that tree got Trumped. Yup. It’s like being fu{#ed, minus any & all pleasure. Yup, that is where the US is at : We got Trumped. The system is broken.
He is so tricksy he will have the whole world falling on its face in short order. Always turning tricks, that Dump guy, he’s not just the pimp.
Release the entire Epstein files you spineless coward!
US out of Iran! Free speech! Tax the Billionaires! Shelter & feed the homeless! WWJD do? Who cares what JD would do! He will not be able to get a job by votes ever.
Have a nice day.
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
Edited: The Catalyst…
DeleteNeil could buy, but rock & roll will never die. I saw Los Lobos there and it was spectacular. During the Old Princeton Landing era (1996) I networked with some locals & tapers and I would get a call whenever the RV showed up behind the 0PL. .
One night there was a rumor that it was “going to be the Catalyst tonight” (🙏🏼). So I hitched a ride with one of my brethren to Santa Cruz to find it a quiet night.
But the Rock & Roll Gods were watching, & effort is rewarded. I got to enjoy 6 of those 0PL shows. I am pretty sure that I caught a glimpse of “the great gig in the sky” there. That is how the afterlife will be for us non-rapists.
How do I know there will be epic concerts in the afterlife? Because who the fuck would go if there was no music?!
See you on the rail. Later, many more gigs to attend. I have been to so many great shows this winter & spring already. I am feeling very blessed by the Rock Gods. And I am grateful!
Now, let’s get on with the Anti Fascism tour!
In just a few years there will be a new word added to the lexicon which means the same thing as fraud: Trump
Like trumped up charges, name dropping Dump will signify that graft & crime has run amok. White collar looting of a nation. First he picks the fruit, then he poisons the tree for the rest of us.
Man, that tree got Trumped. Yup. It’s like being fu{#ed, minus any & all pleasure. Yup, that is where the US is at : We got Trumped. The system is broken.
He is so tricksy he will have the whole world falling on its face in short order. Always turning tricks, that Dump guy, he’s not just the pimp.
Release the entire Epstein files you spineless coward!
US out of Iran! Free speech! Tax the Billionaires! Shelter & feed the homeless! Health care for all! WWJD do? Who cares what JD would do! He will not be able to get a job by votes ever. But Elon can help with those pesky voting machines. “He is so good with numbers.”
Have a nice day.
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
Wonderin', for those who picked up a copy of the new live LP already, how folks are enjoying it? With so many full shows from the tour on YouTube, it's easy for anyone to have an opinion on what was omitted and what they dug making the cut. I think it's a great live album - especially considering the turnaround from tour to LP didn't provide much room for reflection. A coupla things I woulda loved weren't included (shame to begin opening nearly every show with such a beautiful rendition of Ambulance Blues for it to not make the cut) but found myself especially surprised by a few choices (Silver Eagle, while very good, felt like a moment to rest between heavy hits during the shows I saw but on the LP it plays as a beautiful coda and a perfect tribute to their time on the road together). Also happy that it brought Daddy Went Walkin' back to peoples ears... and it's a treat to have a version of Big Crime on record... if this album ends up being it's only physical home, that alone will make this release a special one in a discography that has a lot of essential live albums already.
ReplyDeleteUnrelated, Alan, yr comment today filled me with an optimism for the ebbs and flows of our democracy I didn't know I needed today. And another thank you for sharing, along with the great memories of the Catalyst and OPL - a stretch of CA I've considered home for many years.