Cantankerous folk-hero, Neil Young has announced another treasure has been uncovered from his – lucky for us – seemingly bottomless vault. 

The Crazy Horse-era album, titled Toast been sitting in the vault for over two decades because the songs sounded “murky and dark” according to Young, who penned the tracks about a tormented relationship that took such an emotional toll, that he deemed the album “too sad” for release at the time and decided to shelve the album and moved on to the next one.

You can read a lengthy statement from Young below, explaining the album’s history and evolution in his signature raw and heartfelt manner below. The full Toast album is set for release on July 8th and was previewed with a gritty rocker called Standing in the Light of Love, earlier this week. Listen below.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse | ‘Standing in the Light of Love’ 

Here is Young’s full message about the lost album, Toast:

“Toast is an album that stands on its own in my collection. Unlike any other, Toast was so sad that I couldn’t put it out. I just skipped it and went on to do another album in its place. I couldn’t handle it at that time. 2001.”

“John Coltrane, one of my heroes, made some music at ‘Toast’ studio back in the day. It may have been called ‘Coast’ then, but maybe not. The name changed a few times back and forth. It was on Mission in SF. The back door opened onto an alley. It was so stuffy in there that we left the door open until one day we saw rats coming in and out. After that, we just went outside for a smoke.” 

“The music of Toast is about a relationship. There is a time in many relationships that go bad, a time long before the break up, where it dawns on one of the people, maybe both, that it’s over. This was that time.”

“The sound is murky and dark, but not in a bad way. Fat. From the first note, you can feel the sadness that permeates the recording. That song, with its refrain, “Don’t say you love me,” is called “Quit.” The next one, sort of like a Deep Purple hit, is called “Standing In The Light.” “I don’t wanna to get personal, or have you put me on the spot” is the opening line. Followed by “Goin Home,” these songs paint a landscape where time doesn’t matter – because everything is going south. A lady is lost in her car. The dark city surrounds her – past present and future. It’s a scary place. You be the judge.

Then the scene changes to a religious guy who just lost his job. He’s turning on Jesus. He can’t cut any more trees. He’s a logger. Finally, The “Gateway Of Love” beckons with “background noise on a changing sky.” I had forgotten about these songs, put them out of my mind and went on living my life.”

“It must be said that here Crazy Horse shows a depth never seen or heard before. The greatest group I have ever met. This is a pinnacle. Where they let me go, where they took me, was unbelievable. I couldn’t stay. Then, “I’d like to shake your hand, Mr. Disappointment.” I see you now eye to eye. Murky and dark. There’s no mistaking it. How can you be so real and intangible? So we continued on down on the path. “She’s a healer.” But not this time. It’s Toast.”

Toast is seven-song unreleased album from Neil Young & Crazy Horse, recorded at Toast studio in San Francisco in late 2000 and early 2001. It was shelved at the time, with Are You Passionate released next instead. Different versions of four songs appeared on Are You Passionate, but the other three songs are completely unreleased. This is one of the most legendary “lost” albums in Neil’s catalogue. Toast arrives on CD & vinyl, 8th July. Pre-order, here. 

GET NEIL YOUNG ALBUMS & MERCH, HERE. 

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