Chrome Dreams

A collection of alternate takes and rarities of songs that will be released on later albums. Basically, this an unreleased studio album from 1977. Everyone talks about this version of "Powderfinger", and for good reason: it's raw and stripped down of everything except emotion. You can't stay a child forever, but the day you become a man... that's the day you die. Life is, sometimes, just an impossible situation.

It's apparent why Neil didn't want this to be released. It does feel a bit all over the place. His previous releases all had some kind of theme and sound they revolved around, while Chrome Dreams feels like a compilation. A compilation of some beautiful tunes, mind you.

Will to Love is a slow burner, with Neil's lethargic delivery and sparse arrangements, it's a favorite of mine. Like A Hurricane, a close second, is a complete opposite: a tumbling onslaught of emotions. The rest is also a great deal good. I'd like to single out Stringman, and Hold Back The Tears with their laid back aura, and Sedan Delivery, which brings back some of the "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" energy, but also is one of those proto-grunge songs Neil Young would be known for later. It's also nice to hear Powderfinger in a studio setting.

Most songs would go on to be released separately on subsequent albums, and are usually hailed as high points in their respective packages.