Oceanside Countryside

Recorded in 1977 but shelved for nearly five decades, Oceanside Countryside represents a crucial missing link in Neil Young's discography. Originally intended as his ninth studio album, much of its material was eventually cannibalized for 'Comes a Time' (1978) and other later releases. However, this version presents the songs in their original, unadorned 1977 mixes. The album is split between solo sessions in Florida and Malibu (Oceanside) and ensemble recordings at Crazy Mama’s in Nashville (Countryside). This archival release is notable for featuring 'Lost in Space' in its original context and providing significantly different, often more relaxed, arrangements of classics like 'Human Highway' and 'Pocahontas'. Critically, it has been lauded for its 'Analog Original' purity, offering a window into Young's creative process during one of his most fertile periods. It serves as a companion piece to 'Hitchhiker' and 'Chrome Dreams', further mapping the vast landscape of Young's unreleased 1970s output.