Neil Young’s lost 2001 album, Toast, set for release later this year

Neil Young’s never-before-released album Toast, which was recorded and shelved over two decades ago, will finally see the light of day later this year.

Recorded with the help of Young’s Crazy Horse collaborators, Toast was recorded in San Francisco’s Toast Studios way back in 2001, but was never released. In his online virtual newspaper The Times Contrarian, Young commented that Toast “was so sad I couldn’t put it out”.

However, after more than 20 years, Toast will be getting an official release on July 8 via Reprise Records.

To usher in the news, Young has dropped Standing in the Light of Love – a track that he described as being “sort of like a Deep Purple hit”, and for good reason.

You can check out the track – with all its swashbuckling six-string action and noticeable Smoke on the Water-esque flavor – in the video below.

Standing in the Light of Love will be joined on the Toast tracklist by three never-before-released songs, as well as the original version of Goin’ Home, which was re-recorded with the help of Booker T. & The MG's for inclusion on Young’s 2022 effort, Are You Passionate?

Speaking about Toast, Young commented, “The music of Toast is about a relationship. There is a time in many relationships that go bad, a time long before the breakup, where it dawns on one of the people, maybe both, that it's over. This was that time.

“The sound is murky and dark, but not in a bad way,” he continued. “Fat. From the first note, you can feel the sadness that permeates the recording.

“It must be said that here Crazy Horse shows a depth never seen or heard before. The greatest group I have ever met. This is a pinnacle. Where they let me go, where they took me, was unbelievable.”

The tracklist for Toast can be found below.

1. Quit
2. Standing In the Light of Love
3. Goin’ Home
4. Timberline
5. Gateway of Love
6. How Ya Doin’?
7. Boom Boom Boom

• Toast is available to preorder now via Reprise Records ahead of its July 8 release.