Neil Young - Harvest Moon (2LP)
25th Anniversary Edition Double LP
Special Etching On 4th Side
First time ever on vinyl in the U.S.
Neil Young's 20th studio album, Harvest Moon was released in 1992. The album features many of the same musicians as his 1972 'Harvest' album, including Ben Keith, Tim Drummond, Kenny Buttrey and Jack Nitzsche plus noted guest artists Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor on backing vocals, and is considered by many to be sort of a sequel to that album.
"After 20 years, Neil Young finally decided to release the sequel to Harvest, his most commercially successful album. Harvest Moon is in some ways a better album, without the orchestral bombast that stifled some of the songs on the first album and boasting a more diverse overall selection of songs. Harvest Moon manages to be sentimental without being sappy, wistful without being nostalgic. The lovely 'Unknown Legend,' 'From Hank to Hendrix,' and the beautiful 'Harvest Moon' are among Young's best songs." - Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic
"The title echoes Harvest, Young's countryish album of two decades ago, and the music recalls its gentle flavor. Harvest was a mellow bestseller, an uncharacteristic middle-of-the-road pit stop in a decade of deeply personal and sometimes highly eccentric releases, and Harvest Moon also sounds as if it was made for lazy hammock-swinging afternoons. But beneath its placid surface are the craggy scars of middle age, when holding onto and cherishing love is a lot more difficult than finding it... The Stray Gators and a bevy of singers, including Linda Ronstadt and Nicolette Larson, give these melodies just the right amount of massaging. And within these spare settings, Young's search for shelter from the storm resonates like a heartbeat." - Rolling Stone
"Harvest Moon resonated. Neil appeared on television to promote the album more than he had in his entire career. The huge push from the label and the tireless press campaign seemed to work some sort of ancient magic. The album almost instantly went platinum, garnering four Grammy nominations, and peaking at #16 on the Billboard chart, and remains one of Neil Youngs most beloved LPs. Bernard Shaw may have been correct in his estimation that youth is wasted on the young, but Harvest Moon counters with some equally astute wisdom: Romantic love, ageless, wont be denied." - Stereogum
"What truly makes the album a masterpiece is the absolute masterpiece of a title song, 'Harvest Moon'. The song celebrates longevity in relationships and love affairs with a flawless melody backed by a perfect music arrangement. From the upfront acoustic riffing to the picked steel guitar, subtleties of ethereal sounds, soft brush strokes on the drums, and beautiful background vocals, this song captures the essence of beauty and romance as well any song ever." - Classic Rock Review
Features:
Double LP
25th Anniversary Edition
Gatefold Jacket
First time on vinyl in the U.S.
Beautiful etching of album cover silhouette on LP's 4th side
Musicians:
The Stray Gators:
Neil Young, vocals, guitars, harmonica, banjo guitar, piano, pump organ, vibraphone
Ben Keith, pedal steel guitar, Dobro, bass marimba, backing vocals
Spooner Oldham, piano, pump organ, keyboards
Tim Drummond, bass, marimba, broom
Kenny Buttrey, drums
Additional Musicians:
Larry Cragg, backing vocals
Nicolette Larson, backing vocals
Linda Ronstadt, backing vocals
James Taylor, backing vocals
Astrid Young, backing vocals
Jack Nitzsche, string arrangement on "Such a Woman"
Track Listing:
1. Unknown Legend
2. From Hank To Hendrix
3. You And Me
4. Harvest Moon
1. War Of Man
2. One Of These Days
3. Such A Woman
1. Old King
2. Dreamin' Man
3. Natural Beauty
Etching
Genre: Rock