Young's latest scales back on the politics and conceptual elements of his recent releases and scales up on more classically rock things: distorted guitars, say, or righteous anger at a girl instead of a government. And while we have a soft spot for radical Neil, we're glad to have this one back.

August 22, 2007 (Burbank, CA) ? The new album by Neil Young, Chrome Dreams II, will be released by Reprise Records on October 23rd. Speaking from a vacation retreat with his family, Young says it's "an album with a form based on some of my original recordings, with a large variety of songs, rather than one specific type of song." It comes at a creative peak for the artist, following the Greendale, Prairie Wind, and Living With War albums, and a summer 2006 tour by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young that concert audiences are still talking about. In many ways, Chrome Dreams II is the ultimate example of what Young does best: most of the songs were written recently and came quickly, and the "live" recording sessions in northern California were over before they were announced. The album includes all kinds of music, and taken together, offers a complete picture of where Neil Young is today.

"Where Living With War and Everybody's Rockin' were albums focused on one subject or style," Young says, "Chrome Dreams II is more like After The Goldrush or Freedom, with different types of songs working together to form a feeling. Now that radio formats are not as influential as they once were, it's easier to release an album that crosses all formats with a message that runs through the whole thing, regardless of the type of song or sound."

On the sessions for the album, Neil Young was joined by Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina, pedal steel guitarist and dobro player Ben Keith (Harvest, Comes A Time, Harvest Moon) and bassist Rick Rosas (Freedom, Living With War, This Note's For You). Most of the recording was done at Feelgood's Garage studio near Redwood City, California, with two vintage gas pumps out front and vintage studio gear inside.

On the music itself, Young says, "Some early listeners have said that this album is positive and spiritual. I like to think it focuses on the human condition. Like many of my recordings, this one draws on earlier material here and there. I used to do that a lot back in the day. Some songs, like 'Ordinary People,' need to wait for the right time. I think now is the right time for that song and it lives well with the new songs I have written in the past few months. I had a blast making this music."

The new album's title refers to an earlier planned release that never came out. In fall of 1976, the album Chrome Dreams was announced for a November release. However, that date came and went and no album ever appeared.