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Harvest

Neil Young - Harvest Audio CD

A fair review of the Neil Young "Harvest" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Neil Young reviews here, or go back to the Neil Young tabs.

Band: Neil Young
Title: Harvest
Rating:

Release Date: 2009-07-14
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Out on the Weekend 2: Harvest 3: Man Needs a Maid - London Symphony Orchestra, Neil Young 4: Heart of Gold 5: Are You Ready for the Country? 6: Old Man 7: There's a World - London Symphony Orchestra, Neil Young 8: Alabama 9: Needle and the Damage Done [Live] - Neil Young 10: Words (Between the Lines of Age)

Read this before you buy the new Harvest remaster - Needle and Damage Done is worse
I just put a remaster in one CD player and the original disc in the other then sync them up at the same place. I have two identical CD players on my system and when a new remaster comes out that I like, I do an A/B comparison. Then with my remote just switch back and forth and listen. I've been doing this for years and it's fun. Been comparing a lot of Beatle remasters the past few weeks. The Harvest remaster has more volume and they turned up the bass a little. Otherwise there IS NO difference - period. Keep in mind when an artist does a remaster series not ALL of the titles NEED much done to them - but someone at Reprise or on Neil's staff dropped the ball on one of the most important songs on the album.

The Needle and the Damage Done on the new remaster has eight - that's right - eight pops or clicks on probably one of the most important songs on the album. The original CD that's been out for 20 years or more DOES NOT have any of these pops or clicks. I am sure they spent thousands of dollars - maybe more - and lots of time on this release and there is no difference in the original and the remaster except the remaster is louder, has a little more bass and somehow they took the time to screw up The Needle and the Damage Done. Pitiful. It almost sounds like pops or clicks from a vinyl record. The other glowing reviews I am reading on here are wishful thinking. Just because there is a remastered sticker on the front of a CD people automatically believe it's better. So far the new Beatles remasters I've been listening to lately are all somewhat better than the originals but in this particular case you need to stick with the original CD release of Harvest. Almost no difference in sound and the original CD has none of the pops or clicks in Needle and the Damage Done that the remaster has. Come on Neil - get with the program and fix this!

Rivervoice

NOTE: I am going to get another copy of this so I can double check but I am sure my results will be the same. If I am wrong I'll delete this post - if I am correct I will make mention of checking more than one copy to confirm all of the above.

Remastered Gold
This CD is one of those. A lot of musical obelisks from the early years of recording are being remastered with amazing results. If you like Neil Yong and don't have this disc, buy it. If you love Neil Yong and have the original CD-recording, this is the opportunity to hear the music hove it was meant to sound. .

Oldie but still great
IT'S a oldie but good, the sound is good, no muffels or other impalments. This CD brings back memory of my younger days. If your from the 70's gen, you'll enjoy it.

Happy Neil fan!
An even bigger hit and as good a
record as he's ever made. This is where Neil consolidates what he started with Goldrush. He would soon do everything to not repeat himself, but contimue to make
great records.

"....Keeps Me Searching For..."
It really is. As we all know, Neil Young has famously resisted the remastered reissue of his huge catalogue on CD because of what he feels is the format's less than stellar representation of analogue tapes' 'original sound' - and almost a full 20 years after 1989's first issue of Harvest on a dullard CD - it looks like the guy is having the last laugh - because this meticulously prepared tape transfer is GLORIOUS.

First to the details - Harvest was released in February 1972 on Reprise Records MS 2032 in the USA and K 54005 in the UK (it went to Number 1 in both countries and many others around the world). This 2009 NYA OSR remaster (Neil Young Archives - Original Release Series) is Disc 4 of 4 and carries the HDCD code on the label and rear inlay (High Definition Compatible Disc). Until now, 2004's "Greatest Hits" set (which offered us three Harvest tracks remastered into HDCD sound quality) was the only real indication of just how good the album 'could' sound. And outside of the DVD Audio release (which few people have), this is the first time the 'entire' album has been given a sonic upgrade. The Audio Tape Restoration and Analog-To-HDCD Digital Transfer of the Original Master Tapes was carried out by JOHN NOWLAND (24-Bit 176 KHZ) with the Editing and Mastering done by TIM MULLIGAN - and they've done a stunning job.

The inlay faithfully reproduces the foldout lyric sheet in the same earthy textured paper that the matching album cover had (a sort of first for recycling way back then) and the print isn't cramped either - it's very readable. In fact the booklet in "Harvest" is probably the most aesthetically pleasing of all 4 releases.

And as these are the first four albums in a long reissue campaign - to identify them from the old CDs, the upper part of the outer spine has his new NYA OSR logo at the top and an 'issue' number beneath - D1, D2, D3, D4. . . and on upwards of course.

However, the big and obvious disappointment is the complete lack of musical extras or any new info in the booklet; they're in "The Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972" box set that's still sitting in shop windows at varying extortionate prices. Still - at mid price - this remaster of "Harvest" is great value for money and with this hugely upgraded sound - it makes you focus on the music as is and not anything else.

Some have complained that the sound is a little underwhelming after all the hype that has preceded these releases - I don't think that at all. The danger in remastering would be the cranking of everything, ultra-treble the lot - but I'm hearing ALL the instruments on this carefully prepared remaster - especially the bass and drums which now have a clarity that is so sweet rather than flashy. The sound is very subtle - there's no brashness, very little hiss and when the muscle of the remaster does kick in - like the strings of the London Symphony Orchestra on "A Man Needs A Maid" and "There's A World" - it's really BEAUTIFUL. The music is just `there' in your speakers all of a sudden.

I suspect for many fans, rehearing this album and the other 3 will be like revisiting old friends and finding something new - thrilling to them once again. I'm onto "After The Gold Rush" as I write - it's impressive stuff - it really is - beautiful reproduction too.

The gold sticker on the jewel case of each of these issues states - "Because Sound Matters" - and although it took him a few decades, on the strength of this reissue, I think Rock's great curmudgeon was right to wait to get it right. . . which in many respects is the ultimate nod to his fans.

Highly recommended.

PS: I've reviewed "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" and "After The Gold Rush" also - just as good soundwise.

You can see a complete list of all Neil Young discography, or go back to the Neil Young tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.