Neil Young - Harvest (50th Anniversary Edition) (2022) [Hi-Res]

As much for the wider public as for his great many fans, Neil Young’s Harvest represents the pinnacle of his rich discography from the seventies. Founded upon country-rock and melancholic folk, the so-called Loner’s art shines ever brightly throughout this fourth album, released back in February 1972. It is a gold mine full of bucolic, pastoral gems, recorded with a new group of brilliant musicians called the Stray Gators, with Ben Keith on steel guitar, Kenny Buttrey on drums, Tim Drummond on bass, and the great Jack Nitzsche on piano and arrangement. Harvest, which frequently displays his tumultuous relationship with actress Carrie Snodgress (mother of his first son Zeke) also incorporates some impressive somber moments, such as in ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’ - a stunning ballad about his guitarist Danny Whitten’s heroin addiction, who died of an overdose in November that same year, just after being kicked out of the band by Neil Young.


But behind the ‘peace and love’ bliss enhanced by contributions from David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash as well as James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, Harvest remains a rich, tormented and melodically flawless work - one on which the violins of the London Symphony Orchestra (‘A Man Needs a Maid’ and ‘There’s a World’) are handled with care and taste. It is an album that will influence many future generations, and which celebrates its 50th birthday with this luxurious edition decked out with an additional 17 tracks. His solo concert at the BBC on 23rd February 1971 will surely be a gem amongst collectors of Neil Young bootlegs. As a bonus, there are alternative versions of three tracks (‘Bad Fog of Loneliness’, ‘Journey Through the Past’ and ‘Dance Dance Dance’). This 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is surely a must-have.