Neil Young fans have long been aware that in 1975 he recorded an album titled Homegrown, but the album so far has not seen the light of the day (or fan’s ears). As Consequence of Sound (COS) and New Musical Express (NME) report, the long wait will be over on June 29, 2020, when the album will be available through Reprise Records on all available formats.
Young himself describes the 12-track album as “the unheard bridge between Harvest and Comes A Time.” COS details that Homegrown was recorded between June of 1974 and January of 1975 with a studio band featuring Levon Helm, Ben Keith, Karl T. Himmel, Tim Drummond, Stan Szelest, and Robbie Robertson. Emmylou Harris also makes an appearance.
Five of the tracks have already appeared elsewhere, while six others and a spoken piece titled “Florida” will be issued for the first time.
Young issued a statement in which he apologized to fans saying that for him the album was full of heartache. He said the following:
“I apologize. This album Homegrown should have been there for you a couple of years after Harvest. It’s the sad side of a love affair. The damage done. The heartache. I just couldn’t listen to it. I wanted to move on. So I kept it to myself, hidden away in the vault, on the shelf, in the back of my mind….but I should have shared it. It’s actually beautiful. That’s why I made it in the first place. Sometimes life hurts. You know what I mean. This is the one that got away. Recorded in analog in 1974 and early 1975 from the original master tapes and restored with love and care by John Hanlon. Levon Helm is drumming on some tracks, Karl T Himmel on others, Emmylou Harris singing on one, Homegrown contains a narration, several acoustic solo songs never even published or heard until this release and some great songs played with a great band of my friends, including Ben Keith – steel and slide – Tim Drummond – bass and Stan Szelest – piano. Anyway, it’s coming your way in 2020, the first release from our archive in the new decade. Come with us into 2020 as we bring the past.”
NME adds that Young was quite busy recently. He confirmed “a new archival album based around material from the mid-to-late 1980s.” He will also release a Road of Plenty set in 2021 “and will consist of music made with his band Crazy Horse during a 1986 US tour, combined with tracks recorded in 1989 with the band he would go on to perform with on Saturday Night Live.”
Last month, he also shared a rerecorded version of “Shut It Down” for 2020, inspired by the fans’ response to the 2019 track in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Try” will be featured on the Homegrown release.
