It's been less than a year since Neil Young released Talkin To The Trees, his first album with new backing band Chrome Hearts. But it sounds like Young and his associates are already ready to spring another one on us.
In a new message on his Neil Young Archives site titled "Moon To Moon," Young writes that after a flurry of creative activity in recent months he and the Chrome Hearts hit Rick Rubin's Shangri-La studio in Malibu to record an as yet untitled album. The songwriting and recording both commenced on a full moon, and they wrapped up the mixing on a full moon as well, hence the headline on the post.
Notably, the album situates five new songs alongside three very old unreleased compositions. The old ones date all the way back to 1963, when Young was in the Squires. He discovered the unused songs after one of them was stuck in his head during the studio sessions.
In his message, Young also mentions As Time Explodes, a newly released live album that features recordings from the Chrome Hearts' tours of Europe and the US last year. That one was a Record Store Day release last weekend.
Here's what Young wrote about all these endeavors:
On the recent full moon we were mastering our new untitled album. It's quite a special album to me. Music is a gift and when it comes like this I really feel it. Everything here feels so good. I hope you will agree….
One day a couple months back, I woke up and started writing and playing. That night I noticed our moon was almost full. Every morning for the next days I was up early, writing words and singing new melodies. A month later, we started recording on the full moon at Rick Ruben's Shangrila in Malibu.
The Chrome Hearts and I recorded the five new songs. Four in the first day and one more on the second day. We were then out of songs. We needed more. The next morning I had a song going through my head and was playing it. I checked it out in the archives and found it was from 1963, unreleased. There were more. I found three others with it…. also unreleased! Three 60 year old songs and five brand new ones! We finished mixing and assembling one month later on the next full full moon… April 1st. It was fast!
We now have a complete mastered record, ready to go.
I cannot wait for you to hear it and I hope it gives you what it gives me. Its coming soon….. but first….'As Time Explodes', The live album Chrome Hearts and I recorded on tour in Europe and the USA last year is ready to go! This wonderful tour of Earth's ancient and beautiful Europe made such a cool record! Unique versions of songs both old and new - from Cortez the Killer to Silver Eagle.
So Love, the world needs us to make a difference…be well everyone. We are so lucky to be here!
neil
After reading that, I'd guess this new studio album will have some kind of moon-related title and will be out before the end of 2026.
