Review: Neil Young’s New Vault Release, The “Lost LP” From 1977 ‘Oceanside Countryside’

Neil Young has dug into the vaults again for his continuing (brilliant) Archives Series and released a gem of a record originally slated for release in 1977, Oceanside Countryside. If you peruse the track list you’ll see that many of these songs were released on other albums. Like Springsteen, Neil parts out his albums and uses the songs on other albums, kind of like my father-in-law who collected old vintage semi trucks. He’d buy three of the same model truck and Frankenstein the parts together to build one working truck. And while you can find these songs on other records this “lost album” puts these songs in a whole new context, the actual original context Neil wanted them in which to me is worth hearing.

Neil’s vision has often been thwarted by record company “clowns” who have rejected his original concept for several albums. Although admittedly, Neil has been his own worst enemy at times in his career and he’s the one who pulled these albums back from release. His Archives Series has released a number of gems that should have been released in the 70s: Hitchhiker, Homegrown and of course, Chrome Dreams. He’s also graced us with an album from early in this millennium, Toast, recorded with Crazy Horse that never saw release. I for one am delighted by these Archival releases.

While these songs can be found on albums as varied as Hawks And Doves, Rust Never Sleeps, and Comes A Time, the tracks here are mostly (I think but could be wrong) a different mix or different version than the previously released tracks. Oceanside Countryside was also Disc 6 of Neil’s Archives Volume III, although the track list was slightly different. Archives Vol. III had two tracks from Comes A Time, the title track and “Peace Of Mind,” that aren’t here. In their place he’s included “Captain Kennedy” and “The Old Homestead” both tracks that appeared on Hawks & Doves. In my review of Archives III, I described Oceanside Countryside as the gem of the box set. I feel the same way about this revamped solo disc version. I know it’s available on vinyl (yes!), streaming and downloadable as MP3’s and if you didn’t spring for the box last year, this is a great album to pick up.

I’m trying to get my head around where this would have fit in to Neil’s discography. In 1977 he cobbled together American Stars N Bars from several different sessions that had occurred over the two years prior. It’s most noted for the inclusion of the epic rocker “Like A Hurricane.” The album was credited as being a Neil Young and Crazy Horse album. Side one was mostly new country rock songs. Side 2 was the side he cobbled together. Then in 1978 he put out one of my favorite albums Comes A Time. After years of running away from the sound of Harvest, acoustic based/country-tinged love songs, Neil finally returned to that sound. It’s hard for me to sit here and tell you that Oceanside Countryside should have replaced Comes A Time. First and foremost, there is some overlap. For once Neil’s vision might have been right but they are both such strong albums. I could see releasing this one instead of American Stars N Bars but Neil was following his muse I guess.

Neil’s career has always been a dichotomy. He’s got the hard, heavy electric side of his music and then the quieter, more sentimental acoustic half. I remember Chris Cornell said he was paralleling that, rocking hard with Soundgarden and then touring acoustically on his own. From what I’ve read over the years, Neil decided to divide the acoustic side even further. He wanted to do an album that was half country (or country rock, if you will) which was, obviously, Countryside, and then do a more folk-style, hippy weird acoustic music that only Neil can put together. It’s a cool concept but to my ears there are really only 3 tracks, all on side 2, that could qualify as “country.” What we have here is a brilliant acoustic album with some country flourishes.

Side 1 kicks off with a beautiful track that ended up starting off Side 2 of Rust Never Sleeps, “Sail Away.” It has a beautiful harmony vocal from Nicolette Larson. This may be the same version as on Rust, I’m not enough of an audiophile to tell you. It’s a great start. Next up is “Lost In Space,” which eventually saw release on Hawks And Doves. It’s a solo Neil with acoustic guitar song. It has his patented surreal lyrics. “Captain Kennedy” was also released on Hawks And Doves and it’s as mournful as Young can get. “Captain Kennedy” actually dates all the way back to Hitchhiker. It’s amazing that over two tracks of just Young and acoustic guitar that he can be as captivating as he can without a band. “Goin’ Back” and “Human Highway” both landed on Comes A Time. “Goin’ Back” is one of my favorite Neil acoustic songs. It’s a classic. “Human Highway” would have been the title track of the aborted 1974 CSNY album that we never got. Nicolette Larson does a harmony vocal here but it’s much less pronounced than the previously released version.

Side 2, which is apparently Countryside, starts off as you would suspect, with an acoustic country track, “Field Of Opportunity” also from Comes A Time. The way the fiddle sings on this track you wanna jump up and square dance. “In the field of opportunity, it’s plowing time again…” It’s the sound of a man whose been in a dark place after a break up but he knows he’s about to jump back into the game again, just not yet…maybe come Spring. Great stuff. “Dance Dance Dance” is another country track that never made it to a Neil Young album but was one he played live quite a bit (or so I’ve read). He gave the track to Crazy Horse for their debut. It’s a country stomper. At over 7 minutes long “The Old Homestead” is classic Neil. It’s a surreal song about… the music industry?… I think. “Why do you ride that crazy horse?” Only Neil Young could write a song like this. “The Old Homestead” did see release on Hawks And Doves. It ain’t a country song. “It Might Have Been” is another big time country song and I don’t think this track has been released on any other Neil Young studio album. At least I couldn’t find it. It’s a country weeper of a song. Neil is versatile when it comes to the Countryside. He ends Side 2 where he began it, with a song released on Rust, the beautiful “Pocahontas.” Again, this track originated in the Hitchhiker sessions. It’s such a graphic depiction of the slaughter of Native Americans… with the twist that Neil, Pocahontas and Marlon Brando hang out. Ah, Neil.

Yes, you’ve heard a lot of this, but man this is a great album which just screams “What could have been?” These songs all fit on the records where they landed but together they hang together so well. It’s a shame he couldn’t find a slot for this in his release schedule. I’m glad we finally get to hear these tracks in the original context Neil intended. This is a mellow groove, best played while sitting in front of the fire with a nice sour mash.

Don’t forget to spring forward in the U.S., which I hate doing. Although sunset will be after 7pm now so that’s all upside. Days are getting longer… it won’t be long till summer‘s here at last.

Cheers!