Credit: Reprise Records

Neil Young and Crazy Horse announce new archival album

Mon 20 May 2024 9:53, UK

After returning to Spotify in March, Neil Young has announced a new album of archival recordings, Early Daze, featuring Crazy Horse’s early lineup. The LP will provide a home for previously unheard songs recorded in 1969.

The album is set for release on June 10th, delivering ten unreleased tracks from one of his most creatively fruitful eras. Recorded in 1969, the songs come from the time he spent in between Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and his own efforts with Crazy Horse.

The original lineup of Crazy Horse is heard on the record with these songs being created in the first moments of the band’s collaboration. With guitarist Danny Whitten, drummer Ralph Molina, bassist Billy Talbot, and keyboardist Jack Nitzsche all playing alongside Young, it promises to capture the group at an important moment in their history.

On the record, there are six totally unheard tracks, having been unearthed from the depths of Young’s archive. ‘Come On Baby Let’s Go Downtown’, ‘Winterlong’, ‘Wonderin’’, ‘Look at All the Things’, ‘Helpless’ and ‘Down by the River’ are all new songs to Young fans. Having been written before the days of ‘Harvest Moon’ and ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’, it’ll be an intriguing listen to hear what energy Young’s songs were embodying as he first turned his pen to writing solo tracks to be played with his backing band, Crazy Horse.

There are also previously unheard versions of some of his well-known songs. ‘Cinnamon Girl’ and ‘Birds’ both get new iterations on the album as early recorded versions or previously axed sections finally get a release. On Early Daze, ‘Cinnamon Girl’ features an extended guitar outro that wasn’t on the 1969 LP Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. Similarly, ‘Birds’ was only ever released as a B-side to ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’, now being allowed a place on an extended tracklist.

Young and Crazy Horse are currently on tour, with Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina remaining as the only two original members. They’re promoting their most recent album, FU##IN’ UP, which also delves into the archive. The record reimagines tracks from the group’s 1990 album, Ragged Glory.

Ragged Glory marked Young’s first release on Spotify, ending his long-running feud with the streaming platform. He pulled all his music from the service during the pandemic following comments made on Joe Rogan’s podcast. But, as the podcaster’s deal with Spotify ended, Young’s music returned in March 2024.

Early Daze will land on the platform, along with all other services, in June with one track, ‘Everybody’s Alone’ available to hear now.