Legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young has announced the release date of his new album "Storytone," as well as its tracklist and cover art.
The record, Young's 35th studio album, will be out on November 4 and has 10 new songs. The tracks have two versions each - one acoustic and the other recorded with a 92-piece orchestra and choir, according to Billboard.
"Storytone" will be a two-CD release, the tracks divided according to the versions. The album will also be available as deluxe double vinyl starting December 19, and also on Young's own crowd-sourced music player Pono.
The production duo of Young and Niko Bolas, known as The Volume Dealers, was behind the production of the album. It was recorded and mixed by Al Schmitt, while Michael Bearden and Chris Walden conducted the orchestra and contributed to its production and arrangements.
Bearden told Rolling Stone in a new interview that Young "took himself out of his comfort zone" for the album and that some of the tracks were inspired by "some changes in [Young's] private life," according to Ultimate Classic Rock. In August, young filed for divorce from his wife of 36 years, Pegi Young.
"Apparently, a lot of these recent personal experiences went into these songs," Bearden said. "It's a big ball of vulnerability, and that's what I love about it," he continued.
In a statement, Young is said to have taken "a different approach" with the record. He first recorded "the songs on his own in a solo-setting, then [created] compelling versions of the songs in a new light with an orchestra and big band, resulting in a deeply personal emotional listening experience throughout the new record," the statement says.
"I'd like to make a record with a full-blown orchestra, live - a mono recording with one mic," Young told Billboard in March. "I want to do something like that where we really record what happened, with one point of view and the musicians moved closer and farther away, the way it was done in the past," he said.
"To me that's a challenge and it's a sound that's unbelievable, and you can't get it any other way. So I'm into doing that," he said.
"Storytone's" tracklist is as follows:
Disc 1
1. "Plastic Flowers" (Solo)
2. "Who's Gonna Stand Up?" (Solo)
3. "I Want To Drive My Car" (Solo)
4. "Glimmer" (Solo)
5. "Say Hello To Chicago" (Solo)
6. "Tumbleweed" (Solo)
7. "Like You Used To Do" (Solo)
8. "I'm Glad I Found You" (Solo)
9. "When I Watch You Sleeping" (Solo)
10. "All Those Dreams" (Solo)
DISC 2
1. "Plastic Flowers" (Orchestral)
2. "Who's Gonna Stand Up?" (Orchestral)
3. "I Want To Drive My Car" (Orchestral)
4. "Glimmer" (Orchestral)
5. "Say Hello To Chicago" (Orchestral)
6. "Tumbleweed" (Orchestral)
7. "Like You Used To Do" (Orchestral)
8. "I'm Glad I Found You" (Orchestral)
9. "When I Watch You Sleeping" (Orchestral)
10. "All Those Dreams" (Orchestral)
