A Treasure

A Treasure
Live album by
ReleasedJune 14, 2011
RecordedSeptember 20 – October 26, 1984
September 1 – 10, 1985
VenueVarious
Genre
Length52:43
LabelReprise
Producer
Neil Young chronology
Le Noise
(2010)
A Treasure
(2011)
Americana
(2012)
Archives Performance Series chronology
PS07:
Songs for Judy

(2018)
PS09:
A Treasure

(2011)
PS11:
Bluenote Café

(2015)
Singles from A Treasure
  1. "Grey Riders"
    Released: May 20, 2011
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Robert ChristgauA−[2]
Pitchfork7.3/10[3]
Rolling Stone[4]

A Treasure is a live album by Canadian / American musician Neil Young, released on June 14, 2011, featuring performances from his 1984–1985 U.S. tour with the International Harvesters. The album is volume nine in Young's Archives Performance Series and the sixth to be released.[5]

Background

The album results from a tour following Young's recording what he later called the first Old Ways, an album of country music that his record company refused to release since they claimed it wasn't commercial enough. In this period, the early to mid-eighties, Young played music in many different genres.[6] His backing band, the "International Harvesters", consisted of professional country musicians from Nashville some of whom had also played (as "The Shocking Pinks") on his rock and roll album Everybody's Rockin'. The album contains old Young songs and newer songs from Old Ways.[4] It contains five previously unreleased songs (tracks 1, 5, 8, 11, and 12).

According to Young, the album's name comes from Ben Keith. "I hadn't heard these takes in 25 years, but when we unearthed them co-producer Ben Keith said, 'This is a treasure.'" [7]

Track listing

All songs written by Neil Young except where indicated.

  1. "Amber Jean" – 3:17
  2. "Are You Ready for the Country?" – 3:39
  3. "It Might Have Been" (Ronnie Green, Harriet Kane) – 2:43
  4. "Bound for Glory" – 5:59
    • Recorded at Gilleys Rodeo Arena, Pasadena, TX, 9/29/1984.
  5. "Let Your Fingers Do the Walking" – 3:03
  6. "Flying on the Ground Is Wrong" – 4:48
  7. "Motor City" – 3:22
  8. "Soul of a Woman" – 4:28
  9. "Get Back to the Country" – 2:31
  10. "Southern Pacific" – 7:53
  11. "Nothing Is Perfect" – 5:02
  12. "Grey Riders" – 5:58
    • Recorded at Pier 84, New York, 9/10/1985.

Personnel

Additional roles

  • Tim Mulligan – recording, mixing, mastering
  • Terry Farris – recording, mixing (track 1)
  • Jeff Peterson – recording, mixing (track 3)
  • John Nowland, Joel Bernstein – archives research

Blu-ray production

  • Bernard Shakey (Neil Young) – direction
  • Will Mitchell – production
  • Elliot Rabinowitz – executive production
  • Atticus Culver-Rease – editing
  • Kris Kunz – graphics
  • Hannah Johnson, Mark Faulkner – production assistance
  • Marcy Gensic – licensing
  • Anthony Crawford, Mark Golley – research
  • Jan Flanzraich, Robert Sampimon – concert film
  • Pegi Young, Steve Cross – photography

Chart performance

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[8] 39
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[9] 39
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[10] 89
Canadian Albums Chart 18
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[11] 21
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[12] 22
French Albums (SNEP)[13] 116
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[14] 28
Italian Albums (FIMI)[15] 56
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[16] 37
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[17] 9
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[18] 43
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[19] 19
UK Albums (OCC)[20] 38
US Billboard 200[21] 29
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[22] 7
US Top Current Album Sales (Billboard)[23] 25
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[24] 2

Notes

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "A Treasure – Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Neil Young". Robert Christgau's Consumer Guide. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  3. ^ Berman, Stuart (June 17, 2011). "Neil Young / International Harvesters: Archives Performance Series Vol. 9: A Treasure". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Greene, Andy (9 June 2011). "Rev. of Neil Young, A Treasure". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  5. ^ "Thrasher's Wheat – A Treasure". Neil Young. Thrasher's Wheat. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  6. ^ Gill, Andy (17 June 2012). "Rev. of Neil Young International Harvesters, A Treasure". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2011-06-20. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  7. ^ "Thrasher's Wheat – A Treasure: New Neil Young Album Coming". Neil Young. Thrasher's Wheat. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  8. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure" (in German). Hung Medien.
  9. ^ "Ultratop.be – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  10. ^ "Ultratop.be – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure" (in French). Hung Medien.
  11. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure". Hung Medien.
  12. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  13. ^ "Lescharts.com – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure". Hung Medien.
  14. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts.
  15. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure". Hung Medien.
  16. ^ "Charts.nz – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure". Hung Medien.
  17. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure". Hung Medien.
  18. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure". Hung Medien.
  19. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Neil Young / International Harvesters – A Treasure". Hung Medien.
  20. ^ "Neil Young | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  21. ^ "Neil Young Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  22. ^ "Neil Young Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  23. ^ "Neil Young Chart History (Top Current Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  24. ^ "Neil Young Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 22, 2024.