Official Release Series #4 (CD Box Set)

This box set continues the chronological re-releasing of Neil Young’s Official Releases, remastered where analog tapes exist. Volume 4, released as a 4 LP box and 4 CD box, includesHawks & Doves from 1980 (ORS 13), Re*Ac*Tor (with Crazy Horse) from 1981 (ORS 14), This Notes for You from 1988 (ORS 20), and Eldorado from 1989 (ORS 21).

These 4 Reprise albums bookend the period 1982-1987 when Neil recorded for Geffen Records, hence the non-sequential ORS numbers.

This box set is particularly notable for the inclusion of Eldorado – a 5 track mini-album, previously only released on CD in Australia and Japan in 1989; this is the first official vinyl release anywhere. Eldorado includes two much sought-after tracks, “Cocaine Eyes” and “Heavy Love”, and different versions of the other 3 tracks on Eldorado appeared on Freedomlater the same year.

Other highlights of this box set are the tracks “Little Wing” and “The Old Homestead” on Hawks & Doves, “Southern Pacific” and “T-Bone” on Re*Ac*Tor , and “Ten Men Workin’” and the title track on This Notes for You.

The vinyl of Hawks & Doves, Re*Ac*Tor and This Notes for You have all been remastered from the original analog tapes by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Eldorado vinyl is mastered using the 44/16 digital master.

The CD’s of Hawks & Doves, Re*Ac*Tor both use the original 176/24 digital master. This Notes for You and Eldorado use the 44/16 digital master.