Chrome dreams

The year 2023 was exciting for fans of the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young (b. 1945), who released as many as three different releases: first, his famous "lost" album appeared this summer Chrome Dreams (Reprise), originally ready to see the light of day in 1977, then an excellent concert Odeon Budokan, recorded in the same year, only to be surprised the other day by a completely new, touching one Before and after (Reprise), on which, in reduced acoustic form, Young offered 13 old songs that he believes deserve more attention, as well as explaining something about his life - making an alternative extension of the once very successful MTV Unplugged (1993)

As old as it is, the album Chrome Dreams attracts the most attention in this series due to its "secret masterpiece" status. Neil Young prepared it for release with a finished graphic solution of the cover immediately after it was completed in February 1977. An acetate copy was also made, later reproduced as a bootleg for decades. Even now, it is not entirely clear why he stopped the release of this record, but it joined a series of several similar projects that he abandoned at the last moment, so that the things prepared for him would later appear on other achievements (primarily inferior American Stars 'n Bars from 1977, and Come A Time 1978.i Rust Never Sleeps 1979). Such was the fate of the album Homegrown (recorded in 1975, published only in 2020, see "Vreme" 1541, D. Ambrozić: "Sedeljka za brodolomca" ) and hitchhiker (recorded in 1976, published only in 2017, see "Vreme" 1542, D. Ambrozić: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to America") - they were talked about as "secret masterpieces" for a long time, but after the recent publication it was established that they are "only" excellent records, which add significantly to Neil's resume, but which would not have fundamentally changed his public profile if they had appeared later. For critics and fans, the question remained open: was the myth of the lost treasure in Young's drawers just a myth after all?

After careful listening, it's clear that they actually would Chrome Dreams first it could be that great "career changing" masterpiece by Young, which we have never heard. Paradoxically, all the songs that make it up are actually known to us from later records, as opposed to projects Homegrown i hitchhiker, where there were also completely unknown compositions, but that does not diminish the magic of the now completed album. That's why the selection of tracks on it functions as a "best of" of Young's best moments from the second half of the seventies. The timing of the anticipated but unrealized appearance suggests that it would successfully bridge the glaring hole in Young's oeuvre that has existed since 1975 when his last really good LP, Electric Zuma, until 1978, when the next quality product, softened, appeared Come A Time, greatly saving its slightly shaky market value, through the mirroring of the hyper-success country-folk formulas that made him famous at Harvest (1972). Faced with this missing link, we can be sure that they would Chrome Dreams gave his career a fresh boost, and it certainly wouldn't have needed any revitalization, if only it had ever been published.

Chrome Dreams in its full form brings the ultimate revaluation of some of his songs that we all know are among the best he has written. Here they are finally treated as big and important thanks to the striking positions on this album - until now they were only known as "cult" things inserted in some later, often sketchy records, completely out of the original context in which we only see them now. This is especially true of the sensuously exalted beginning that makes up the sequence Pocahontas, Will to Love, Star of Bethlehem i Like a Hurricane, as well as to a spectacular end with powerfinger i Look Out for My Love. The shared magic is undeniable. Placed in supporting positions, in more natural arrangements, connected for the first time, they shine with the brilliance of the great statements of a unique poet with a guitar, finally recognized as the pinnacle of rock-singer-writing. And this recognition of their fateful significance is a revolutionary innovation that it brings Chrome Dreams.

It's a watershed moment in Young's career: an electrified epic Like a Hurricane it is one of his most famous, autobiographical Will to Love one of his most sensual and strangest, poems about innocence Pocahontas i powerfinger belong to the western legends that Young successfully treated as part of hippie mythology, more personal Stringman another is the exceptional acoustic vignette for which he became famous, effectively simple Sedan Delivery street hard rock succeeded, while it is full of dilemmas and self-searching Look Out for My Love – that great love song at the end of every crucially important work. Authentic production makes everything recorded still sound modern. All ingredients yes Chrome Dreams the album we will remember is here!

ALTERNATIVE HISTORY OF THE SEVENTY

Three things happened in the early 1970s in Neil Young's life: He betrayed Harvest, his most successful album of all time, for which he did not have the expected sequel; he found himself in a turbulent romantic relationship with actress Carrie Snodgress, the inspiration for many of his compositions; he realized that his closest friends were disappearing around him, dying from overdose-a, losing its way for much more prosaic material reasons. Let's add to that the occasional epileptic seizures that threatened to destroy his career, as well as the burden of the handicap of his newly born first son... Along with these private details, the general insecurity of the post-hippie period formed the context in which to observe his indecision, and the filming and then the withdrawal of the entire record - which has no counterpart in the history of rock discography.

With these three finally released "lost" albums, we can for the first time reconstruct Neil Young's 1970s discography - as it should have been after the multi-gold Harvest (February 1972), which made him famous all over the world. If there was courage, Yang's dark climax would have appeared immediately after him Tonight's the Night (recorded in September 1973, possibly released in December 1973, instead of June 1975 when it actually appeared), and there would be no need for a sloppy concert version to appear that same year Time Fades Away, with completely new tracks, of which maybe only one later came to life. A poignant first-hand testimony under the name Tonight's the Night it talks about the collapse of hippie dreams and the suffering of innocent idealists, as a painfully honest black antithesis to the washed-up Harvest. If he had published it immediately, Neil would have been recognized even then as a moral greatness and an uncompromising artist who publishes what he wants, when it is important to him, because the dictates of the recording industry mean nothing to him.

A trilogy would follow On the beach (July 1974), Homegrown (recorded January 1975, possible release April 1975) i Zuma (November 1975). The first two would deal with the wanderings of former hippies in an intimate way, describing the realities of their spiritual disintegration, marital and other love problems, while then the express recorded noisy third would deliberately go into hard rock mysticism, to find a final refuge there. This unit would document a period of lethargy full of suffering due to the disappearance of many loved ones. We bet Carrie Snodgress' departure had something to do with it.

After that, two until recently unknown projects would appear in a fast rhythm: acoustic hitchhiker (recorded August 1976, possible release November 1976) and rocker Chrome Dreams (recorded February 1977, possible release May 1977). Both are imbued with a hope that has not been seen in Young's compositions for a long time and therefore open a new chapter in his career. Without stopping to confront himself, without giving up his personal social involvement, he again found a spark of joy in everyday life and the strength to resist temptations. We bet the arrival of future wife Peggy Morton had something to do with it.

The decade would then naturally be rounded off by the records that appeared then: the only thing would be instead of unimportant collages American Stars 'n Bars (June 1977) and an unfinished folk project Oceanside/Countryside (same year, never released, served as preparation for the next album), got the expected commercial bingo with country-folk Comes a Time (October 1978) and the subsequent rock and roll author's triumph Rust Never Sleeps (June 1979), after which Neil Young became recognized as a singer-songwriter of historical importance, no longer only associated with the hippie counterculture.

SOMETHING I CARRY WITH ME

As much as this signatory considers Tonight's the Night one of the best rock releases ever, respected Harvest or loved On the beach i Zuma - faced with Chrome Dreams, must admit that on this album Neil Young managed to achieve the impossible: he recorded a drinkable, communicative hard rock story while remaining in his own world, which always revolves relentlessly around heartbreaks. Unlike the previously mentioned records, this one does not have darkness in its depth, but contains a sweet bitterness that speaks so much about the background of the time in which it was created, allowing that light at the end of the tunnel is still possible. Optimistic in style, though not always in content, Chrome Dreams proves that Neil Young, and with him the whole hippie team, still found a dignified way out of the collapse of the seventies. That alone would make the record a hit.

Who knows, maybe it would Chrome Dreams turned Neil Young into mainstream a star or at least a musician who would become visible to the widest public. On the other hand - what will it do to him when he remains written in history like this, appreciated precisely because he was always just himself. Makar hid some of his best records from us.