Possibly the single most extensive archive of audio material ever assembled for a single artist opened for business on Friday and it’s free to all (at least for now).
The Neil Young Archives assembles every piece of solo material that Young has ever released and makes it available for public listening in both 320-bit and in Xstream, Young’s super high quality streaming system (note that you’ll need a fast internet connection and decent computer to use this option).
The interface is quite amazing, although it may take a little time to get used to. The best way to listen is through the timeline interface which provides a chronological view of Young’s career with album covers, historical information (both Young and world news), and points to click for individual tracks and releases. Available music goes back to Neil’s first recording with The Squires from 1963 right up through The Visitor, his new album with Promise of the Real that was also released on Friday.
Every album has the track listing and credits while each track has credits, lyrics and, if available, a link to the video.
If you aren’t interested in navigating the timeline, there is also a filing cabinet view with “files” for every track and album.
Young, of course, was also a member of Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and the works of those artists are included in the timeline and filing cabinet but the vast majority of tracks from those bands including the message “This song is not currently available. We are working on it. Please check back later.”
The Neil Young Archives is one stunning site that tells the story of Neil Young’s solo career in a unique and superbly sounding manner. You can access it at http://www.neilyoungarchives.com but, beware, the “Subscribe” button on the main menu most likely points to a future where there will be a cost to listen.
