"Voyage" by DAVID CROSBY (November 2006 Rhino/Atlantic 3 x HDCD Book Set Career Retrospective - Graham Nash and John Nowland Remasters) - Featuring The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Members of The Grateful Dead, Santana and Jefferson Airplane - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 170 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE Volume 1...
1960's and 1970's MUSIC ON CD - Exceptional CD Remasters
Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Home Through The Haze..."

I thought so when I bought it (and even after the Stephen Stills box arrived in 2013) - the 2006 David Crosby "Voyage" Box Set for my money is the best of the three retrospectives coming out of the CROSBY, STILLS and NASH camp of three (and that's saying a lot given the talent involved). There's a whole heap of goodness on here so let's down and hazy right away...

Released November 2006 in the USA - "Voyage" by DAVID CROSBY on Rhino Atlantic R2 77628 (Barcode 081227762827) [UK is Rhino/Atlantic 8122-77628-2] is a 3 x HDCD Remasters Box Set and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (76:12 minutes):

1. Eight Mile High - THE BYRDS (on the album "5th Dimension" released August 1966 in the USA on Columbia 9349 (Stereo))

2. Renaissance Fair - THE BYRDS

3. Everybody's Been Burned - THE BYRDS (tracks 2 and 3 on the album "Younger Than Yesterday" - released March 1967 in the USA on Columbia CS 9442 (Stereo))

4. Wooden Ships - CROSBY, STILLS & NASH

5. Guinnevere - CROSBY, STILLS & NASH

6. Long Time Gone - CROSBY, STILLS & NASH (tracks 4 to 6 are from the album "Crosby, Stills & Nash" released June 1969 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8229 and in the UK on Atlantic 588 189)

7. Déjà Vu - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG

8. Almost Cut My Hair - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG (tracks 7 and 8 are from the album "Déjà Vu" released March 1970 in the USA on Atlantic SD 7200 and in the UK on Atlantic 2401 001)

9. Tampalas High (At About 3) - DAVID CROSBY

10. Laughing - DAVID CROSBY

11. Music Is Love - DAVID CROSBY

12. Song With No Words (Trees With No Leaves) - DAVID CROSBY

13. What Are Their Names - DAVID CROSBY

14. I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here - DAVID CROSBY (tracks 9 to 14 are from his first solo LP "If I Could Only Remember My Name" released February 1971 in the USA on Atlantic SD 7203 and in the UK on Atlantic 2401 005)

15. Where Will I Be - CROSBY, NASH

16. Page 43 - CROSBY, NASH (tracks 15 and 16 from the album "Graham Nash / David Crosby" released April 1972 in the USA on Atlantic SD 7220 and May 1972 in the UK on Atlantic K 50011)

17. Critical Mass - CROSBY, NASH

18. Carry Me - CROSBY, NASH

19. Bittersweet - CROSBY, NASH

20. Naked In The Rain - CROSBY, NASH (tracks 17 to 20 are from the album "Wind On The Water" released October 1975 in the USA on ABC Records ABCD-902 and January 1976 in the UK on Polydor 2310 428)

21. Dancer - CROSBY, NASH (on the album "Whistling Down The Wire" released July 1976 in the USA on ABC Records ABCD-956 and in the UK on Polydor 2310 468)

Disc 2 (74:20 minutes):

1. Shadow Captain - CROSBY, STILLS & NASH

2. In My Dreams - CROSBY, STILLS & NASH (tracks 1 and 2 are from the album "CSN" released June 1977 in the USA on Atlantic SD 19104 and in the UK on Atlantic K 50369)

3. Delta - CROSBY, STILLS & NASH (on the album "Daylight Again" released July 1982 in the USA on Atlantic SD 19360 and in the UK on Atlantic K 50896)

4. Compass - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG (on the album "American Dream" released November 1988 in the USA on Atlantic 7 81888-1 and in the UK on Atlantic WX 233)

5. Tracks In The Dust - DAVID CROSBY (on the album "Oh Yes I Can" released February 1989 in the USA on A&M Records 395232-1 and in the UK on A&M Records AMA 5232)

6. Arrows [Live] - CROSBY, STILLS & NASH (on the album "Live It Up" released June 1990 on LP in the UK and USA on Atlantic 7567 82101-1)

7. Hero - DAVID CROSBY

8. Yvette In English - DAVID CROSBY (tracks 7 and 8 are on the album "Thousand Roads" released on CD June 1993 in both the USA and UK on Atlantic 7567 82484-2)

9. Rusty And Blue - CPR

10. Somehow She Knew - CPR [David Crosby, Jeff Pevar & James Raymond] (tracks 9 and 10 are from the album "CPR" released 1998 on Samson Music CD0145 on CD)

11. Breathless - CPR

12. Map To Buried Treasure - CPR (tracks 11 and 12 are from the album "Just Like Gravity" released 2001 in the USA on Gold Circle GC 20002-2)

13. At The Edge - CPR (on the 2CD album "Live At The Wiltern" released 1998 in the USA on Samson Records GC 0148)

14. Through Here Quite Often - CROSBY & NASH

15. My Country `Tis Of Thee - DAVID CROSBY (tracks 14 and 15 are on the 2CD set "Crosby Nash" released 2004 on Sanctuary 06076-84683-2 in the USA and Sanctuary SANDD293 in the UK and Europe)

Disc 3 PREVIOUSLY UNRELASED (76:28 minutes):

1. Long Time Gone [Demo Version] - CROSBY & STILLS

2. Guinnevere [Alternate Mix/Take] - DAVID CROSBY

3. Almost Cut My Hair [Demo Version] - DAVID CROSBY

4. Games [Demo Version] - DAVID CROSBY

5. Déjà Vu [Demo Version] - CROSBY & NASH

6. Triad [Demo Version] - DAVID CROSBY

7. Cowboy Movie [Studio Version] - DAVID CROSBY (features Neil Young and JERRY GARCIA, PHIL LESH and MICKEY HART of THE GRATEFUL DEAD)

8. Kids And Dogs - DAVID CROSBY ["If I Could Only Remember My Name" outtake recorded September 1970)

9. Have You Seen The Stars Tonite? - PAUL KANTNER and JEFFERSON STARSHIP

10. The Lea Shore - CROSBY & NASH (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, 30 September 1971)

11. Traction In The Rain (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, 30 September 1971) - CROSBY & NASH

12. King Of The Mountain [Demo Version] - DAVID CROSBY

13. Homeward Through The Haze [Alternate Take/Mix] - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG

14. Samurai (1980 Previously Unreleased Studio Version] - DAVID CROSBY

15. Climber (1999 Previously Unreleased Studio Version) - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG

16. Dream For Him (Live at the Nationwide Arena, Columbia, Ohio, December 2005) - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG

The first thing that strikes you (apart from the fab HDCD remasters) is the quality of the booklet that accompanies the stippled effect die-cut hardback book shell - it's beautifully and carefully laid out and a properly amazing read. Produced by Graham Nash and Joel Bernstein and spanning 1966 to 2006 - you get page after page of Henry Diltz colour photos, deeply personal reminiscences on the songs by Crosby and his musical buddies Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Joni Mitchell (to name but a few contributors) and most impressive of all - an entire third disc of previously unreleased songs - that in my book may be the best ever put out anywhere - ever! The HDCD remasters handled by Graham Nash and JOHN NOWLAND (was involved with Neil Young's reissues) are simply amazing - right across the board.

Why is this box set so good? When you separate out David Crosby's songs from the contributions he made to the supergroups he was in (BYRDS, CSNY, Solo Crosby, Nash & Crosby etc) and line them up alongside each other - the effect is quite magical. His tunes are 'so' melodious and dare we say it - more ‘trippy’ than the heavier Stills and Young material. And all of his songs are imbibed with a sense of the naked-personal - vying with political outrage at what was happening in the USA and the World at the time. As the Byrds' "Everyone's Been Burned" slides into "Wooden Ships" and the guitar funk of "Long Time Gone" by CSN and then into the ethereal beauty of "Tampalas High (At About 3)" - it makes you wonder why the others in the group seemed to constantly grab the limelight from under his artistic feet. By the time I get to the sublime Joni Mitchell vocal harmony passage swirling with the guitars on "Laughing"- I'm gone man - I'm cooked - this guy is a frigging genius (and a career-spanning retro like this has been long overdue).

But what clinches the deal for me is Disc 3 - it's unbelievably good. How could all of this primo unreleased stuff have stayed in their various cans all this time? It opens with a ramshackle but cool take on "Long Time Gone" but then we get genuine beauty in an Alternate Take of "Guinnevere" - the remaster making it glisten like melodic gold. He lets it rip vocally on a more acoustic take of the "Déjà Vu" classic "Almost Cut My Hair". The "Triad" demo is fantastic and so well recorded. "Cowboy Movie" features Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead on Guitar with Neil Young trying to steal the show by rocking it out too much (Phil Lesh and Mickey Hart of the Dead are there too). It's eleven minutes of Crosby and Young magic. When I bought and reviewed the Rhino CD remaster of his stunning solo 1971 album "If I Could Only Remember My Name" I remember being disappointed at their only being one bonus track - the previously unreleased outtake "Kids And Dogs". That is until I played it - wow! For its seven minutes of acoustic strumming think Nick Drake trying out a new song then adding CSYN vocals (just harmonizing without words) and you're there - it's fabulous stuff (apparently it too features Jerry Garcia on guitar). Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship turn up on the gorgeous "Have You Seen The Stars Tonite?" with devastating harmonies vocals. The two live tracks from September 1971 are lovely - especially "Traction In The Rain" - surely one of his prettiest melodies. And on it goes to a 2005 live version of the child-song "Dream For Him" with Neil Young and Stephen Stills - ending the set on a musical and conscience-provoking note.

"The blind leading the blind...I'm amazed how they stumble...home through the haze..." Crosby sings on the stunning "Homeward Through The Haze".

Often pitched at under thirty quid - don't stumble - take a punt on this wonderful and classy CD retrospective...it's worth every penny...

"Original Release Series Discs 8.5-12" by NEIL YOUNG (August 2017 Reprise/Neil Young Archives 5CD Box Set of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Over 300 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 3 of 3

- Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

Blues Rock, Prog Rock, Psych, Avant Garde, Underground

Folk-Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Country Rock and more

Just Click Below To Purchase

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Four Strong Winds..."

You have to look at this 2017 5-Disc Reissue in two ways - (a) it contains great material that is now remastered properly and about time too - but there's also (b) - it's packaging is only OK at best and it's ludicrously high price is an out-and-out insult to lifetime fans and newbees alike. But let’s focus on the positive for the moment...

The 'Neil Young Archives Original Release Series' (NYA ORS) finally gives us his much-revered late-Seventies material – five albums worth (one a double live set) - and along with the 3LP/2CD "Decade" retrospective (see separate review) allows fans to savour all of our favourite Canadian whinge-bag's output is truly superb audio (mostly for the first time too). Quite apart from the lack of sleep and Americana rust, there's a lot to wade through, so here goes with the minutiae...

US/UK/Europe released 18 August 2017 - "Original Release Series Discs 8.5-12" by NEIL YOUNG (and CRAZY HORSE) on Reprise/Neil Young Archives 554706-2 (Barcode 093624915416) is a 5CD Card Slipcase Box Set of New Remasters containing the following:

NYA ORS 8.5/Reprise 558557-2 is "Long May You Run" by THE STILLS-YOUNG BAND (39:14 minutes):

1. Long May You Run [Side 1]

2. Make Love To You

3. Midnight On The Bay

4. Black Coral

5. Ocean Girl

6. Let It Shine [Side 2]

7. 12/8 Blues (All The Same)

8. Fontainebleau

9. Guardian Angel

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Long May You Run" - released October 1976 in the USA on Reprise MS 2276 and October 1976 in the UK on Reprise K 54081. Produced by YOUNG, STILLS and DON GEEHAM - Tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8 written by Neil Young - Tracks 2, 4, 7 and 9 by Stephen Stills. It peaked at No. 12 on the UK LP charts - No. 26 in the USA.

NYA ORS 9/Reprise 558558-2 is "American Stars 'N Bars" by NEIL YOUNG (38:03 minutes):

1. The Old Country Waltz [Side 1]

2. Saddle Up The Palomino

3. Hey Babe

4. Hold Back The Tears

5. Bite The Bullet

6. Star Of Bethlehem [Side 2]

7. Will To Love

8. Like A Hurricane

9. Homegrown

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "American Stars 'N Bars" - released June 1977 in the USA on Reprise MSK 2261 and June 1977 in the UK on Reprise K 54088. The recordings stretch from four different time frames - November 1974 for "Star Of Bethlehem" - "Like A Hurricane" and "Homegrown" from November 1975 - "Will To Love" from May 1976 and the whole five tracks on Side 1 from April 1977. Also although the album outer album artwork credits only Neil Young - the inner sleeve credits all of Side 1 to Neil Young, Crazy Horse And The Bullets with the last two tracks on Side 2 as Neil Young and Crazy Horse (Tracks 1 and 2 on Side 2 as Neil Young only). Produced by NEIL YOUNG, DAVID BRIGGS and TIM MULLIGAN - it peaked at No. 17 in the UK on the LP charts and No. 21 in the USA.

NYA ORS 10/Reprise 558560-2 is "Comes A Time" by NEIL YOUNG (37:08 minutes):

1. Goin' Back [Side 1]

2. Comes A Time

3. Look Out For My Love

4. Lotta Love

5. Peace Of Mind

6. Human Highway [Side 2]

7. Already One

8. Field Of Opportunity

9. Motorcycle Mama

10. Four Strong Winds

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Comes A Time" - released October 1978 in the USA on Reprise MSK 2266 and October 1978 in the UK on Reprise K 54099 - it peaked at No. 42 in the UK LP charts and No. 7 in the USA.

NYA ORS 11/Reprise 558561-2 is "Rust Never Sleeps" by NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE (38:23 minutes):

1. My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) [Side 1]

2. Thrasher

3. Ride My Llama

4. Pocahontas

5. Sail Away

6. Powederfinger [Side 2]

7. Welfare Mothers

8. Sedan Delivery

9. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Rust Never Sleeps" - released June 1979 in the USA on Reprise HS 2295 and June 1979 in the UK on Reprise K 54105 - it peaked at No. 8 on the US LP charts and No. 13 in the UK.

NYA ORS 12/Reprise 558562-2 is "Live Rust" by NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE (75:53 minutes, 2LP set onto 1CD):

1. Sugar Mountain [Side 1]

2. I Am A Child

3. Comes A Time

4. After The Gold Rush

5. My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)

6. When You Dance I Can Really Love [Side 2]

7. The Loner

8. The Needle And The Damage Done

9. Lotta Love

10. Sedan Delivery

11. Powderfinger [Side 3]

12. Cortez The Killer

13. Cinnamon Girl

14. Like A Hurricane [Side 4]

15. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)

16. Tonight's The Night

Tracks 1 to 16 are the entire 2LP Live Set "Live Rust" - released November 1979 in the USA on Reprise 2RX 2296 and November 1979 in the UK on Reprise K 64041 - it peaked at No. 15 on the US LP charts and No. 55 in the UK.

The Outer Card Slipcase pictures the five album sleeves on the rear and frankly little else. Inside there are 5 Mini LP Repro Card Sleeves that duplicate the US original vinyl albums between October 1976 and November 1979. The Mini LP Sleeves are slightly larger than your average 5" Japanese equivalent so both the unprotected CD (no white bags) and their inlays fall out easily because there's more room (perhaps too easily). Each Reprise Records Riverboat design CD label also sports the new NYA ORS logo that appears on the spine and rear of the outer box (Neil Young Archive - Original Release Series). Original-LP-packaging-wise - fans will be glad to see that all is present and accounted for - "Long May You Run" has its brown inner bag now turned into a fold-out separate page with the printed lyrics perfectly legible - "American Stars 'N Bars" has its white inner bag turned into a fold-out separate page also - "Comes A Time" had no inner bag originally so is simply given a plain white inner (this should have been provided with all the other discs frankly) and both "Rust Never Sleeps" and the live double "Live Rust" have their bits too - inners, gatefold sleeve for the 2LP set etc. On Young's insistence - the artwork remains exactly as it was - but because there's no other booklet or insert – there’s no history – song comments – no unreleased and mastering isn't even mentioned anywhere.

Audio-wise - undoubtedly this is the same team who so expertly transferred and remastered the first box and more in the NYA series - JOHN NOWLAND and TIM MULLIGAN. The original vinyl albums had good-to-great mastering but for me often felt muted in places. These 2017 CD Remasters are amazing - especially on the first three records - which make me feel like I'm hearing them anew – instruments and space around them opened up and that's just the best. Let's get to the music...

"Long May You Run" keeps it simple - both heavyweights providing good songs and the band featuring cool dudes like Joe Vitale of Joe Walsh's Barnstorm alongside Jerry Aiello and Joe Lala of Stephen Stills' Manassas. The sheer catchy-chorus commerciality of Neil Young's title track saw Reprise give it a 45 release in September 1976 (a month before the album arrived). But despite the excellence of Stills' Eagles-chugging boogie "12/8 Blues (All The Same)" on the B-side - it stalled outside the Top 50 on both sides of the pond. Yet the album was reasonably well received and on hearing stuff like the lights on the boats of the acoustically melodious "Midnight On The Bay" (gorgeous audio) and the very CSNY feel to "Black Coral" – it’s easy to hear why. Young gives it some country grunge guitar and harmonica on "Let It Shine" while Stills provides perfect harmonies – and again a revelatory audio. Screaming ZZ Top guitar pings and huge duet chorus vocals on Young’s "Fontainebleau" make it feel epic - but as much as I love him I’d say that the Stills finisher "Guardian Angel" hasn’t worn well.

Both 1977's snub-nosed "American Stars 'N Bars" and 1978's plain-looking "Comes A Time" have never had too much of a good rep amongst reviewers and even some diehard fans – but I’m thinking they’re due major reappraisal. The remastered five tracks on Side 1 of "Stars..." sound huge - especially the disarmingly lovely "Hey Babe" (the only US 45 off the album - paired with "Homegrown" in July 1977 on Reprise 1390). And there’s also those impressive guests accompanying Young - Linda Ronstadt and Nicolette Larson on Backing Vocals with Carole Mayedo on Violin. Speaking of which - stalwart members of Young's various backing bands The Stray Gators and Crazy Horse – both Billy Talbot (Bass) and Ralph Molina (Drums) prop up "Homegrown" and the LP's other big cut "Like A Hurricane" – here in its full 8:15 minute album glory. It's a shame the British UK 7" single edit of "Like A Hurricane" issued September 1977 (Reprise K 14482) isn't on here as a bonus (alas). Country legend Emmylou Harris lends her distinctive wail to the strumming "Star Of Bethlehem" – and again – another gorgeous transfer. The Bars album rocks out with the short but oh so sweet grunge-rock of "Homegrown" (what are you growing in there Neil?).

"Comes A Time" is a strumming Neil Young album – almost every song an acoustic ballad dominated by Backing Vocals from Nicolette Larson and what Young calls the "Gone With The Wind" Orchestra. Amidst the strings you also get Spooner Oldham on Piano and J.J. Cale guesting on Electric Guitar (not that the liner notes on the rear album sleeve deign to actually tell where they are). Other niceties include the leave-her-first "Peace Of Mind" and the pretty advice-number "Lotta Love" which Nicolette Larson would make a hit on her November 1978 self-titled debut LP over on Warner Brothers (a Neil Young song has now bizarrely become a ‘Yacht Rock’ staple).

"Rust Never Sleeps" was both a beast and a new beginning in ways. The idea was apparently to record the all-new material live (which they did) – but then Young tinkered with it in the studio. Excepting the opener "My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)" - you can’t really hear an audience present - but you can hear that distance in his vocal that only the live setting gives – thereby adding an urgency to angry immigrant, indigenous population and struggling family songs like "Thrasher",  "Pocahontas" and "Welfare Mothers". Roughly speaking Side 1 is the Acoustic set with Side 2 letting rip with the electric guitars – grunge rocking as he begs on behalf of a put-upon pilgrim to ‘shelter me from the powder finger’. Although it doesn’t say so in the credits, sounds like Nicolette Larson is doing the backing vocals on the lovely Side 1 acoustic finisher "Sail Away". There’s a Punk rage in the hard-hitting "Welfare Mothers" and a fantastic frantic power to "Sedan Delivery" that’s part MC5 meets The Sex Pistols. Whilst on that subject – many of the early Seventies rockers at that time either appeared like pomp dinosaurs or rich poodle softies wildly out of touch with the real world in which the kids who adored them lived. Most just seemed musically lost – unable to deal with or answer the sheer spit and venom of Punk and New Wave. Neil Young with his grungy electric guitar roaring and fuming (just like it had in 1969) seemed to embrace Punk with relish. He’d been angry before for sure – but with "Rust Never Sleeps" he had at the time suddenly seemed relevant again. I remember for many – Young hadn’t sounded this good in years – and this huge remaster only hammers that home. The album finisher – the distorted rocker "Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)" became an unlikely 45-hit and appears on his "Greatest Hits" – all stabbing and trashy. The album "Rust Never Sleeps" was a milestone really in his extraordinary canon of work – and it sounds incredibly fresh – even now.

Following quickly after in November 1979 came the double-album follow up "Live Rust" – a fantastic live splurge that by including such early rockers as "The Loner" and even "Cinnamon Girl" reminded people that Neil had been there with his screaming guitar long before Johnny Rotten and his cohorts had been in soiled nappies throwing their headless toys out of a pram. Piano and Acoustic moments like "After The Gold Rush", "Sugar Mountain" and "Comes A Time" reminded ecstatic audiences of his power with melody and words. Amidst huge roars his band lay into "Cortez The Killer" with eight-minutes of guitar relish – that almost ZZ Top lonesome feel to his playing – it’s amazing stuff even now almost 40 years after the event.

This box set has its problems for sure (the ludicrous price, the lack of info, input and anything new musically) – but it also serves as a powerful reminder of what has held him in such affection. And it sounds monster. I picked up my copy on a well-known auction site for about forty-quid – the most I want to pay for it.

Neil Young talks of perfect strangers and outsiders in "The Loner" – a man treading his own path and screw-you if you don’t like it – step aside or open wide my son. Fair dues...because warts and all – he’s worth the fork out...

"Neil Young" by NEIL YOUNG (August 2009 Reprise/Neil Young Archives/Original Release Series (NYA - ORS) HDCD Reissue - John Nowland and Tim Mulligan Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 280+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 3 of 3 
- Exceptional CD Remasters 
(No Duplicate Reviews with Volumes 1 or 2
Which Contain 300+ Reviews in Each)

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...The Loner..."

Over the last two decades in particular - Neil Young fans have had their reissue patience sorely tested by their moody overlord. Canada’s finest has famously resisted the remastered reissue of his huge catalogue on CD because of what he feels is the format's less than stellar representation of analogue tapes' 'original sound'. But you have to say right from the audio start of these August 2009 CD reissues/remasters - the wait for these first quartet of solo albums - "Neil Young", "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere", "After The Gold Rush" and "Harvest" - has absolutely been worth the endless delays and press hissy fits.

What a magnificent job his transfer teams have done here. JOHN NOWLAND carried out the Audio Tape Restoration and Analog-To-HDCD Digital Transfer of the Original Master Tapes (24-Bit 176 KHZ) with TIM MULLIGAN taking care of the Editing and Mastering. These remasters are not bombastically loud - trebled up to the nines for the sake of it - they're subtle - the music is just there in your speakers to a point where everything seems new and up for grabs again. Fans will love it and feel like they're revisited long cherished old friends - while newcomers will now understand what all the 5-star fuss is about.

Released August 2009 – "Neil Young" by NEIL YOUNG on Reprise 9362-49790-3 (Barcode 093624979050) is a straightforward transfer of his 10-track debut solo LP (36:25 minutes):

1. The Emperor Of Wyoming [Side 1]

2. The Loner

3. If I Could Have Her Tonight

4. I've Been Waiting For You

5. The Old Laughing Lady

6. String Quartet From Whiskey Boot Hill [Side 2]

7. Here We Are In The Years

8. What Did You Do To My Life?

9. I've Loved Her So Long

10. The Last Trip To Tulsa

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut LP “Neil Young” – released January 1969 in the USA and UK on Reprise RSLP 6317 (reissued in 1971 in the UK on K 44059).

A nice touch on the outer jewel case is the sticker that came with original issues of the American LP that bore the logo “The Buffalo Springfield’s Neil Young” as well as the “A Classic Neil Young Album Remastered From The Original Analogue Master Tapes – Because Sound Matters” gold sticker that is generic with all four of these first reissues. The 12-page booklet reproduces the hand-written lyrics that came with original LPs and not much else unfortunately. This is Disc 1 of 4 and carries the HDCD code on the label and rear inlay (High Density Compact Disc). NYA ORS is the Neil Young Archives - Original Release Series. As these are the first four albums in a long reissue campaign - to identify them from older non-remastered CDs - the upper part of the outer spine has his new NYA OSR logo at the top and an 'issue' number beneath - D1, D2, D3, D4...on upwards of course.

His self-titled debut LP (written at the tender age of 23) has of course been eclipsed over the years by the more illustrious albums "After The Gold Rush" and "Harvest" from 1970 and 1971 - but real fans will want to start here. While I can live without the countrified "The Emperor Of Wyoming" - I still find "The Loner" astonishing in the way that the first Zeppelin album is - powerful, punchy and still rocking today. It's kind of shocking that even though Reprise coupled it with "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" as it's B-side - it failed as a UK 7" single on Reprise RS 23045 in September 1969.

I love the Jack Nitzsche arrangements on the magical "The Old Laughing Lady" with Ry Cooder on Guitar and the wonderful singer Merry Clayton on Backing Vocals. The channel separation is harsh (the way it was recorded) but the clarity is fabulous. "What Did You Do To My Life" sounds like a top Buffalo Springfield outtake from their patchy 3rd album while the acoustic guitars on the epic "The Last Trip To Tulsa" are so clear - as is his warbling treated vocals - frail and aching.

What I love about this remaster is that it’s somehow brought the album alive - and now begs rediscovery. And things only got better with the next three – “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”, “After The Gold Rush” and the mighty “Harvest” (which I’ve also reviewed along with the 2012 4-disc bundle “Official Release Series Discs 1-4”)...

PS: have also reviewed the 3LP set "Decade" from October 1977 on Reprise Records. It covered 1966 to 1976 and included five Previously Unreleased tracks as well as single-side rarities from CSNY and a Buffalo Springfield cut featuring Dr. John. See other review...