After being shelved for more than 45 years, Neil Young’s long-lost 1977 album finally sees daylight. Nestled between an impressive run of comeback albums such as Comes a Time, Rust Never Sleeps, and fanboy bootleg recordings, Chrome Dreams is a return to a time when Neil Young was indeed in the zone.

It’s a strong selection of studio tracks as Young navigates his raggedy, heartfelt vocals across a bed of acoustic ballads like “Pocahontas,” “Hold Back the Tears,” and the electric dirges “Like a Hurricane” and “Homegrown.” Five of the tracks previously appeared on 1977’s American Stars ’n Bars. One of the real treats is Young performing the original unplugged version of “Powderfinger,” which also appeared on 2017’s Hitchhiker.

This compilation is raw, unmanicured, emotional, and cuts to the soul. Ditties like “Stringman” and “Too Far Gone” are as engaging as Young’s ham-fisted acoustic accompaniment and singing are seamlessly cathartic.

In hindsight, Chrome Dreams is uplifting. Though some of these songs can be found elsewhere, a few of these tracks are previously unheard/alternate versions. More importantly, it’s a window into the artistry of a 30-something Neil Young.

This article originally appeared in VG’s January 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.