Oceanside Countryside

Neil Young has never been one to make things easy for his fans. The guy’s spent decades bouncing between genres, abandoning entire albums, and occasionally getting into feuds with streaming services over audio quality. And yet, we keep coming back.

So, what’s the deal with Oceanside Countryside? Well, it’s not really a new album. It’s a collection of recordings from 1977 that never made it out in full—until now. Half of it was recorded in Florida, with Young handling most of the instruments himself. The other half came together in Nashville with a full band. If that sounds familiar, it’s because pieces of this have trickled out over the years on albums like Rust Never Sleeps, Hawks & Doves, and Comes a Time.

For die-hard fans, there’s a thrill in finally hearing these original ‘77 mixes. There’s a certain warmth to them, a rawness that feels a little more real than the polished versions we’ve gotten before. Young’s voice is a little farther back in the mix, the guitars have a brittle, metallic edge, and if you listen closely, you might even convince yourself you’re hearing the dust of a long-gone era crackling through the speakers.

The highlight here is Pocahontas, a song that’s appeared in multiple forms over the years. This version leans heavier on its acoustic urgency, making the imagery of colonial violence hit even harder. Meanwhile, The Old Homestead goes full ghost story, with an eerie theremin creeping into the mix as Young paints a picture of an outlaw fleeing from some shadowy menace. If you’re into the weirder corners of his catalog, this one’s for you.

But here’s the thing—while Oceanside Countryside is a cool historical artifact, it also feels like Young is testing our patience. The guy already has an overwhelming amount of archival material floating around, and this isn’t even the first time these songs have been repackaged. If you’re a casual fan, there’s a good chance you already own some version of most of these tracks. And if you’re a serious fan, well… you’re probably buying this no matter what.

NEIL YOUNG - OCEANSIDE COUNTRYSIDE
RATING - 7/10

FAVORITE TRACK - Pocahontas

GENRE - Rock, Folk, Country