In 1974 and 1975 Neil Young recorded songs for an album that would not be released until 45 years later. After decades of speculation, the newly released Homegrown finally gives listeners a glimpse into Young’s world. His song “Heart of Gold” had hit number one on the charts and the songs on Homegrown would have been a logical, if eccentric and funky follow up. But logic is a word that never seems to fit into Young’s vocabulary.
A few of the album’s songs might be familiar, “Love is a Rose,” “Little Wing,” “Star of Bethlehem” and the title track eventually found their way onto Young’s albums. With the backing of Crazy Horse, a stomping “White Line” was a high point of 1990’s Ragged Glory. Here, that song gets a late-night arrangement with Robbie Robertson on guitar.
Leadoff tracks “Separate Ways” and “Try” would have made for a great 45 back in 1975, balancing a brooding slow-burn tune with an introspective country shuffle that can’t help but suggest optimism; Ben Keith’s pedal steel guitar running like a thread tying the songs together. The steady groove of “Vacancy” places it among Young’s best songs of the era.
Coming off Young’s breakup with actress Carrie Snodgrass, “Mexico” sounds like a page out of Young’s journal. Ever the contrarian, “Florida” is a monologue with Young recounting a dream accompanied by the sound of a finger tracing the rim of a wine glass.
Whatever his reasons, Young chose to hold Homegrown at the time, instead choosing to release albums that have come to be known as his “Ditch Trilogy.” Those records were his reaction to Top 40 success, a situation he which he said “… put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch.”
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According to legend, Young played two finished albums for friends and their input led Young to shelve Homegrown. In the years since, Young has hinted at the track list and bootleggers have speculated. Abetted by the talents of Tim Drummond, Levon Helm, Karl T Himmel and Emmylou Harris, Homegrown has finally come out of the shadows.
