Neil Young, Greatest Hits, 200-gram vinyl transfer,16-bit flac

Neil Young
Greatest Hits, 200-gram vinyl transfer,16-bit audio
2004

This time around I've transferred a 2004 Classic Records/Reprise
200-gram vinyl release of Neil Young's Greatest Hits.
This is a double LP set that also comes with a bonus 7-inch 45 rpm
on red, white, or blue vinyl that contains audio that has not been
commercially released in a digital format. (My 45 was blue vinyl.)

I'm typically not drawn to best of packages but in reading about
the details of this release I learned that the tracks (all but
two that is) were cut from 30ips analog masters under Neil's watchful
eye. This pressing was mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman
Mastering. That's usually a good sign.

In reading Michael Fremer's review of this release he explains that
these are 1-step LPs meaning that they're closer to the master tape
source than the average release.

The 7-inch 45 rpm bonus disc has "The Loner" on side A which was Neil's
first single for Reprise and features the original mix as previously
found only on Neil's debut LP Neil Young The B side of the bonus
single is Sugar Mountain(in mono) which was recorded on Neil's 19th
birthday on a consumer-level reel to reel.

This audio was transferred at 32-bit (float)/96kHz. All vinyl pop removal
has been done manually. No EQ or NR has been added. When ready, the audio
was dithered down to 16-bit flac files.

As far as my own impressions, I was not expecting to enjoy these songs as I'd heard them played a million times on the radio and I thought I was tired of hearing them even now. But when I heard these tracks as presented on this LP I found they had a new life to them and I was surprised at how much appeal they now have for me. They're worth a good listen as is the rest of this collection here.

Without the two 45rpm bonus tracks this release would fit on one disc.
With these two bonus tracks we've ended up with about 86 minutes worth of music,
so I've split the eighteen tracks onto two discs. The tracks included are
as follows:

Disc 1:
1. Down By The River (from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
2. Cowgirl In The Sand (from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
3. Cinnamon Girl (from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
4. C.S.N.Y.: Helpless (from Deja Vu, 1970)
5. After The Gold Rush (from After The Goldrush, 1970)
6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (from After The Goldrush, 1970)
7. Southern Man (from After The Goldrush, 1970)
8. CSNY: Ohio (single, from Four Way Street, 1971)
9. The Needle and the Damage Done (from Harvest, 1972)

Disc 2:
1. Old Man (from Harvest, 1972)
2. Heart Of Gold (from Harvest, 1972)
3. Like A Hurricane (from American Stars 'n' Bars, 1977)
4. Comes A Time (from Comes A Time, 1978)
5. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) (from Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
6. Rockin' In The Free World (from Freedom, 1989)
7. Harvest Moon (from Harvest Moon, 1992)
8. The Loner (From Neil Young- 1968)
9. Sugar Mountain-mono (From The Canterbury House in Ann Arbor Michigan, Nov. 1964)

I've also included artwork for those who care for it.

Enjoy,

-DLedin