Neil Young released Archives Vol. I: 1963-1972 in 2009. Now, more than a decade later, the massive collection is getting a reissue.
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The massive 137-track collection originally came in a 10-disc deluxe edition in either Blu-ray or DVD or an 8-disc CD box set. Unfortunately for many of Young’s fans, the box set has been out of print for more than a decade. With the third Archives volume expected to drop next year, the rock icon is giving fans another look at the first decade of his career.
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Those who pick up the reissued Archives Vol. I will get the same experience as those who bought it back in 2009. The 8-disc set will still come in the unique “Garypak” packaging designed by Young’s long-time art director, the late Gary Burden. Each CD in the set will come with its own sleeve and artwork. Additionally, the box set comes with a 24-page booklet and a fold-out Archives poster.
This collection spans the first decade of Young’s career. As a result, it contains tracks from his early solo albums. It also contains his work with the Squires, Buffalo Springfield, Crazy Horse, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. More than a look into the early days of one artist’s career, this box set is a look at the sounds that set the trend for an era.
For instance, Buffalo Springfield helped usher in the blend of folk, country, and rock that became popular and pervasive in the 1970s. To dig into Archives Vol. I is to hear the beginning of an influential era in modern American music.
When Young originally released the set in 2009, it contained 13 songs that had never been released before. Additionally, it featured 34 never-before-heard live and alternate versions of previously released songs. Fans who missed the first release will finally get the opportunity to hear these deep cuts.
Archives Vol. I: 1963-1972 will hit record stores, some digital streaming platforms, and Young’s Greedy Hand online store on November 10 via Reprise Records. Hi-res digital audio is available at Xstream download store through the Neil Young Archives. Additionally, all purchases through Greedy Hand will come with free digital downloads.
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