When Neil Young put out his Hawks And Doves album in 1980 he went public on a personality split – hippie boy on side one, redneck on the flip. Of course, Neil-watchers had noted the schism long before; his messy and magnificent 70s trail was rarely balanced.
So, in 1977 he had been planning a record titled Oceanside Countryside, which contrasted mellow, acoustic sessions in Florida with woozy, sociable scenes in Nashville. The record was shelved and parts were loaned out to other records. Thankfully the vision has been restored and the contrary energy returns. This is the original context for Lost In Space, Captain Kennedy and Old Homestead, the latter featuring Levon Helm from The Band, drummer and master scene setter.
Apart from the Hawks And Doves record, tunes are also reclaimed from his 1978 release Comes A Time, notably the tender steer of Human Highway. The substantial vocals of Nicolette Larson, missing from the Archives version, are rightfully added back to Dance Dance Dance. Thus a charming history emerges from Young’s immense archive.
