The project is part of his Analog Origins Series
Neil Young is set to release Oceanside Countryside, the latest “lost” album as part of his Analog Original Series (AOS), on February 14th. The album was recorded from May to December 1977, preceding the release of Comes A Time in 1978. The two albums share the same country/folk sound, and three songs (“Goin’ Back,” “Human Highway” and “Field of Opportunity”) appear on both albums.
The vinyl release of Oceanside Countryside includes some tracks that are on the CD of the same name in Neil Young’s Archives Vol. III. However, this track list is how Oceanside Countryside was originally planned to be released and will be made available in analog on vinyl for the first time ever. Recorded on tape, these are the original mixes done at the time of recording.
As Young states, “This analog original album was recorded in 1977 and unreleased. These songs are the original mixes done at the time of the recordings in the order I planned for the album. I sang the vocals and played the instruments on Oceanside in Florida at Triad Studios and in Malibu at Indigo Studio. I sang the vocals and recorded with my great band of friends, Ben Keith, Joe Osborn, Karl T. Himmel, and Rufus Thibodeaux at Crazy Mama’s in Nashville on Countryside. I hope you enjoy this treasure of an Analog Original recording, recorded by Tim Mulligan, as much as I do. Listening to it now, I think I should have put it out back then.”
While the songs on Oceanside Countryside appear on Archives Vol. III, the versions are not always the same and the track list is the running order for the original Oceanside Countryside album. On this analog original vinyl release, the versions of “Lost in Space,” “Captain Kennedy” and “The Old Homestead” are from Hawks & Doves in 1980. “Sail Away,” “Goin’ Back,” “Human Highway,” “It Might Have Been,” and “Pocahontas” are the same versions as on Archives Vol. III in digital. “Field of Opportunity” and “Dance Dance Dance” are original versions that have Young on backing vocals instead of Nicolette Larson as they appeared on Archives Vol. III.
All the songs on the Oceanside are performed solo by Neil Young. On Countryside, Young is joined by a band of his friends Ben Keith on steel guitar, Rufus Thibodeaux on fiddle, Karl T. Himmel on drums, and Joe Osborne on bass. On “The Old Homestead” Tim Drummond plays bass and Levon Helm plays drums. “Pocahontas” is Young solo.
Oceanside Countryside will be available on black vinyl, limited edition clear vinyl via the Greedy Hand Store at NYA and indie retail stores and digitally, including in Atmos via the NYA Download Store and most digital retailers. All Greedy Hand Store purchases come with free hi-res digital audio downloads from the NYA Download Store.
Side One: Oceanside
1. Sail Away
2. Lost In Space
3. Captain Kennedy
4. Goin’ Back
5. Human Highway
Side Two: Countryside
1. Field Of Opportunity
2. Dance Dance Dance
3. The Old Homestead
4. It Might Have Been
5. Pocahontas
