Posted on: October 22, 2007 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The new album by Neil Young, Chrome Dreams II, will be released by Reprise Records on October 23rd. Speaking from a vacation retreat with his family, Young says it’s “an album with a form based on some of my original recordings, with a large variety of songs, rather than one specific type of song.” It comes at a creative peak for the artist, following the Greendale, Prairie Wind, and Living With War albums, and a summer 2006 tour by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young that concert audiences are still talking about. In many ways, Chrome Dreams II is the ultimate example of what Young does best: most of the songs were written recently and came quickly, and the “live” recording sessions in northern California were over before they were announced. The album includes all kinds of music, and taken together, offers a complete picture of where Neil Young is today.
“Where
Living With War and Everybody’s Rockin’ were albums focused on one subject or style,” Young says, “Chrome Dreams II is more like After The Goldrush or Freedom, with different types of songs working together to form a feeling. Now that radio formats are not as influential as they once were, it’s easier to release an album that crosses all formats with a message that runs through the whole thing, regardless of the type of song or sound.”


On the sessions for the album, Neil Young was joined by Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina, pedal steel guitarist and dobro player Ben Keith (
Harvest, Comes A Time, Harvest Moon) and bassist Rick Rosas (Freedom, Living With War, This Note’s For You). Most of the recording was done at Feelgood’s Garage studio near Redwood City, California, with two vintage gas pumps out front and vintage studio gear inside.
On the music itself, Youn g says, “Some early listeners have said that this album is positive and spiritual. I like to think it focuses on the human condition. Like many of my recordings, this one draws on earlier material here and there. I used to do that a lot back in the day. Some songs, like ‘Ordinary People,’ need to wait for the right time. I think now is the right time for that song and it lives well with the new songs I have written in the past few months. I had a blast making this music.”
The new album’s title refers to an earlier planned release that never came out. In fall of 1976, the album
Chrome Dreams was announced for a November release. However, that date came and went and no album ever appeared.

NEIL YOUNG CHROME DREAMS
CONTINENTAL TOUR BEGINS OCTOBER 18

September 10, 2007 (Burbank, CA) — Neil Young will begin a North American tour on October 18th in Boise, Idaho, two days after the release of his new extraordinary album Chrome Dreams II on Reprise Records. Concerts continue until December 13th in New York, including two nights at the historic Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada, the site of early legendary shows by the acclaimed singer-songwriter.
Chrome Dreams II is a stunning collection of eight new and two classic Young songs. Recorded last summer in Northern California, musicians include Ben Keith (pedal steel guitar, dobro and other instruments), Ralph Molina (dr ums) and Rick Rosas (bass), who will all be performing in concert with Young.
Pegi Young is opening artist on the tour. She released her debut album last summer on Vapor/Warner Bros. Records, followed by a series of sold out shows in Northern California and New York.
On October 27th and 28th Young will host the 21st annual Bridge School Concerts in Mountain View, California, which also features appearances by Metallica, John Mayer, Tom Waits with the Kronos Quartet, the trio of Eddie Vedder, Flea and Jack Irons, and others. Concert schedule is as follows:

October 22 Portland, OR Keller Theater
October 23 Seattle, WA WaMu Center
October 30 Los Angeles, CA Nokia Live
November 5 Denver, CO Wells Fargo Theatre
November 8 Minneapolis, MO Northrop Auditorium
November 10 Detroit, MI Fox Theater
November 12 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
November 13 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
November 15 Washington, DC Constitution Hall
November 18 St. Louis, MO Fox Theater
November 26 Toronto, ON Massey Hall
November 27 Toronto, ON Massey Hall
December 2 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
December 3 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
December 5 Wallingford, CT Oakdale Theater
December 9 Philadelphia, PA Tower Theater
December 12 New York, NY United Palace
December 13 New York, NY United Palace

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