Chrome Dreams II

Untitled

Chrome Dreams II is the 30th studio album by Canadian rock musician Neil Young. The album was released on October 23, 2007. The album is a sequel to Chrome Dreams, a legendary Neil Young album from 1977 that had originally been scheduled for release but was shelved in favor of American Stars 'N Bars. [1] Chrome Dreams II was produced by Young and Niko Bolas (aka The Volume Dealers), and features the ensemble of 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). The Blue Note Horns are on one track, "Ordinary People," and The Young People’s Chorus of New York City on "The Way." Most of the recording was done live with few overdubs at Feelgood's Garage studio near Redwood City, California, with two vintage gas pumps out front and vintage studio gear inside.

According to Young,

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. Where Living with War and Everybody's Rockin' were albums focused on one subject or style, Chrome Dreams II is more like After the Gold Rush 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. 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 first three songs of Chrome Dreams II date from the 1980s. "Beautiful Bluebird" was first recorded for the original version of Old Ways that was shelved by Geffen Records; "Boxcar" was a track on the unreleased Times Square album, which was scrapped in favor of the more commercially viable Freedom; and "Ordinary People," which was recorded in 1988 for the This Note's for You album, was highly regarded as one of Young's greatest unreleased songs, and was often played live during the "Sponsored By Nobody" tour with The Bluenotes to promote the album. This was the album's first single, and was sent to radio on Monday, September 10th. The length of this track (clocking in at 18:13) makes it hard to program into today's limited radio playlists, so it was initially heard on radio web sites.

A version of Chrome Dreams II with a bonus DVD, containing the album in high resolution 24 bit/96kHz stereo will also be released. In addition, there will be a traditional LP pressing of the record with 180 gram vinyl.

The album debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart at number 11, selling about 54,000 copies in its first week.

Track listing

1. "Beautiful Bluebird" - 4:27
2. "Boxcar" - 2:44
3. "Ordinary People" - 18:13 - Full track stream
4. "Shining Light" - 4:44
5. "The Believer" - 2:39
6. "Spirit Road" - 6:32
7. "Dirty Old Man" - 3:17
8. "Ever After" - 3:32
9. "No Hidden Path" - 14:31
10. "The Way" - 5:15

Known participants [2]

• Neil Young - acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, harmonica, grand piano, pump organ, Hammond B-3 organ, vibes, percussion, vocal
• Ben Keith - pedal steel guitar, lap slide guitar, dobro, electric guitar, Hammond B-3 organ, vocal
• Rick Rosas - bass, vocal
• Ralph Molina - drums, percussion, vocal

Ordinary People

• Neil Young - electric guitar, vocal
• Joe Canuck - vocal
• Frank “Pancho” Sampedro - guitar
• Rick Rosas - bass
• Chad Cromwell - drums
• Ben Keith - alto saxophone
• Steve Lawrence - tenor saxophone, keyboards
• Larry Cragg - baritone saxophone
• Claude Cailliet - trombone
• John Fumo - trumpet
• Tom Bray - trumpet (solo)

Background singers:

• The Wyatt Earps - Ben Keith, Ralph Molina, Neil Young
• The Jane Wyatts - Nancy Hall, Annie Stocking, Pegi Young
• The Dirty Old Men - Larry Cragg, Ben Keith, Ralph Molina, Rick Rosas, Neil Young

“The Way” choir: The Young People’s Chorus of New York City

• Francisco J. Núñez, Artistic Director/Founder
• Elizabeth Núñez, Conductor

Choristers:

• Moraima Avalos
• William Cabiniss
• Che Elliott
• Vera Kahn
• Rosa Loveszy
• Christina Lu
• Jamal Marcelin
• Helen Parzick
• Lluvia Perez
• Owen Smith
• Julie Urena
• Emily Viola
• Reginald Wilson
• Catherine McGough
• Rebecca Shaw