Product Description

This sequel to 1977's unreleased 'Chrome Dreams' sees Neil Young benefiting from expanding album concepts. While his trademark idiosyncratic guitar lines and gruff vocals remain, 'Chrome Dreams II' showcases an expanded sense of scope and depth. This is exemplified by the re-recording of the 1988 track 'Ordinary People' which clocks in at a mammoth eighteenminutes, complete with horn section and saxophone solo. Produced by Young himself and long-time collaborator Niko Bolas, the album features many of Young's colleagues from Crazy Horse and musicians from his vintage previous recordings.

Track Listing

1. Beautiful Bluebird
2. Boxcar
3. Ordinary People
4. Shining Light
5. The Believer
6. Spirit Road
7. Dirty Old Man
8. Even After
9. No Hidden Path
10. The WayDVDContent Includes High Resolution Audio with Moving Video Image.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3191 in Music
• Released on: 2007-10-22
• Number of discs: 2

Amazon.co.uk Review
The sequel to a late seventies album that never actually appeared (supposedly after Young played it to Carole King, who described it as "demos"), Chrome Dreams II is the latest entry in the late flowering of the increasingly mortal looking Young, very nearly seen off by illness in 2005. The following year's blunt Living with War, fuelled by disgust at American foreign policy, eschewed platitudes and vague sentiments in favour of attacking specifics, and Chrome Dreams II, though less single-minded, also takes sides. Musically it is terrific too, ranging from the offhanded country-rock prettiness of eighties outtake "Beautiful Bluebird" and the elegant, faintly churchy closer "The Way" to the all out aggression of the wonderfully sleazy rocker "Dirty Old Man" ("I like to get hammered on Friday night, sometimes I can't wait, so Monday's alright"). The oft-bootlegged "Ordinary People", originally deemed too long for 1988's This Note's for You, finally gets an official release, an eighteen minute horn powered epic defending the victims of Reaganomics which still carries a contemporary resonance. But it's not the only marathon number here. The grungy, hook-laden "Spirit Road" and "No Hidden Path" are just as fine, perfect examples of the turgid but irresistible riffing Young has been purveying for some forty years. With his romantic side emerging on "Shining Light" and the soulful "The Believer" it makes for a perfectly balanced set, and one which genuinely bears comparison with anything in his long back catalogue. --Steve Jelbert

Customer Reviews

Good music but less than miserable DVD
As a life long fan of Neil Young imagine the anticipation of a DVD! The music on Chrome Dreams seemed fine enough and then I sat back to watch the DVD expecting some footage of Neil and the band.

What did I get? Well, not the 'moving video image' as stated on the can. There was just music with close-ups of a rusting car and nothing else.

So sorry Neil but the DVD is less than miserable. I bought Steve Earle's 'Washington Serenade' at the same time. Again fine music BUT with a great DVD with Steve showing some passion for music.

Next time maybe try to give your fans a treat with a genuine DVD and don't be afraid to show some love and passion for your music in front of the camera. Come on and give it a go!

Yes - it is the best for a long time!!!!
Some years ago Neil Young meant everything to me. I loved the classics (no need to mention their names here.) I also found great value in a lot of his more lowly rated and ignored music also. Time goes on and Neil has become more and more of a challenge! The last Neil release of new material that really did the job for me was 'Broken Arrow' with Crazy Horse. That was 1996!!! Nearly twelve years ago!!! 'Silver & Gold' is a reasonable, reflective little album but there are some shoddy releases, 'Road Rock,' 'Are you Passionate,' 'Prairie Wind' and the utterly pathetic 'Living with War.' I got off to a bad start with 'Greendale' after sitting through Neil play it in its entirety at Manchester Appollo to an increasingly restless audience. Try as I might I cannot look back on that night as great and memorable. My old hero visited my home town.............what a waste!

Now, 'Chrome Dreams II.' I think we should forget all about 'Chrome Dreams I.' I do not believe there is any connection whatsoever between these two. I believe Neil is just being a little obscure and deliberately enigmatic. If I have to compare this to another Neil album I will choose 'Sleeps With Angels.' Both of these albums are BIG, they are LONG, they are of MIXED STYLE, they contain an enjoyable rocking throwaway in 'Dirty old Man / Piece of Crap,' they contain a lot of JAMMING. They were both conceived in MIDDLE AGE. Let's not make comparisons with 'Everybody Knows this is Nowhere.' Neil was a young lad when he made that and a number of other truly WONDERFUL recordings. How different are you now to what you were twenty or thirty years ago? Or more?

In all honesty I am writing this review a little too early. 'Sleeps With Angels' took many plays for me to appreciate just how much of a gem it really is. I didn't rush out to buy 'Chrome Dreams II' on the day of release. After Neil's recent form I almost didn't buy it at all!

I will say now that this is a chunky, proper rock record and I am getting the odd little adrenalin rush as I listen to parts of it. I don't know for how long these feelings will last but at the moment I have to say that I think this album is pretty good.

Release Chrome Dreams 1 - Now!
So if the stories are to be believed Neil Young dumped number one because Carole King thought it sounded like demo's, do we care? no! So this is a heart felt plea to Mr Young to release it now, if it is anything like number two it will be close to perfect. However, I am having a problem believing he would make such a major decision based on her opinion, not like him at all.

Still this is the Neil Young album I have been waiting for, having been a loyal fan since Buffalo Springfield I have seen him him through tremndous high's, Goldrush, Rust Never Sleeps and the 100% perfect 'On the Beach'that I waited an eternity for on CD to the dreadful lows of Old Ways and Are You Passionate to name but two but not to mention the ranting of the anti war effort which had some high points. This is up there with Goldrush, Sleep and Beach, well almost Beach, so don't mess around buy it now, you wont be disapointed!

So now all we have to do is wait for Mr Y to get the message and let us have a listen to number one.
Are you listening Neil?