Back catalogue: All genres

Review: We can never get enough of Neil Young's current run of reissues and rarities, and here comes another. This much-bootlegged performance from 1971 was recorded on January 30 at the University of California - it was a solo acoustic performance which puts Young's captivating songwriting and singing front and centre, adorned simply by piano and guitar. At the centre of the show is 'Journey Through The Past' - a haunting ballad which sounds incredible thanks to the diligent remastering job carried out by Young's team, working from the original analogue tapes no less.

Review: Neil Young's return to this 1977-recorded "lost" collection of songs feels like a snapshot of an artist in transition, navigating between the raw edges of his 70s output and the more polished direction he would take in the years to come. Recorded between Florida's Triad Studios and Malibu's Indigo, the tracks resonate with a kind of unforced authenticity that's increasingly rare in modern music. You'll know some of these tunes - the majority did turn up in other LP tracklistings eventually - but re-pieced together it's clear there's a quiet confidence here, as if Young, unburdened by the pressures of commercial expectation, was simply allowing the music to flow out. Opening with the delicate 'Sail Away,' Young sets a tone that's both intimate and expansive, a rare combination that permeates the entire set. 'Lost In Space' follows, its understated melancholy giving way to moments of real tenderness, as though Young was channeling something deeply personal without ever letting it feel too heavy. The rolling 'Captain Kennedy' showcases his gift for storytelling, while 'Goin' Back' and 'Human Highway' bring with them echoes of past greatness, weaving themes of reflection and longing with his signature mix of folk and country. By the time 'Pocahontas' rolls around, it's clear that the collection, though rough around the edges, forms a cohesive whole, a snapshot of Young's restless creativity and unflinching approach to songwriting.

Review: What proportion of the rock 'n' roll pantheons Neil Young will occupy when he finally (God forbid) stables the Crazy Horse is anyone's guess, but you'd better believe it will be more than most artists. 'Homegrown', until now at least, was at risk of being missing from those chapters, which would have been a crying shame given it epitomises what a songwriting tour de force he was in the 1970s. There's a raw feel to the album that goes beyond the near-50-year-old born-on date, perhaps best encapsulated in the fact we open mid-note - the tape started rolling after the maestro began playing. At the time Young was reeling from a breakup, and eventually decided not to release the album at all due to its personal subject matter. Now ready to let the world in, it's quintessential Young but also one of the closest we've ever got to his soul, albeit retrospectively.