Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s lost album, Toast, will finally be released on July 8. The album, originally recorded in 2000 and 2001, features the single, “Standing In The Light Of Love.”
Recorded at Toast studio in San Francisco Toast was shevled and 2002’s Are You Passionate? became Young’s next release. Different recordings of four of the songs on Toast appeared on Are You Passionate?, which was recorded with Booker T. & The M.G.’s and Crazy Horse. The other three songs on Toast are completely unreleased.
In March 2021, Young posted a message on his website detailing the circumstances surrounding the reocording and subsequent shelving of Toast.
Toastt is an album that stands on its own in my collection. Unlike any other, Toast was so sad that I couldn’t put it out. I just skipped it and went on to do another album in its place. I couldn’t handle it at that time. 2001.
John Coltrane, one of my heroes, made some music at Toast studio back in the day. It may have been called ‘Coast’ then, but maybe not. The name changed a few times back and forth. It was on Mission in [San Francisco]. The back door opened onto an alley. It was so stuffy in there that we left the door open until one day we saw rats coming in and out. After that, we just went outside for a smoke.
The music of Toast is about a relationship. There is a time in many relationships
that go bad, a time long before the break up, 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. Fat. From the first note, you can feel the sadness that permeates the recording. That song, with its refrain, ”Don’t say you love me”, is called “Quit.” The next one, sort of like a Deep Purple hit, is called “Standing in the Light.” “I don’t wanna to get personal, or have you put me on the spot” is the opening line. Followed by “Goin Home,” these songs paint a landscape where time doesn’t matter – because everything is going south. A lady is lost in her car. The dark city surrounds her – past present and future. It’s a scary place. You be the judge.
Then the scene changes to a religious guy who just lost his job. He’s turning on Jesus. He can’t cut any more trees. He’s a logger. Finally, The “Gateway of Love” beckons with “background noise on a changing sky.” I had forgotten about these songs, put them out of my mind and went on living my life.
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. I couldn’t stay. Then, “I’d like to shake your hand, Mr. Disappointment.” I see you now eye to eye. Murky and dark. There’s no mistaking it. How can you be so real and intangible? So we continued on down on the path. “She’s a healer.” But not this time. It’s Toast.
The Toast tracks “How Ya’ Doin?” and “Boom Boom Boom” are believed to have never been performed live by Young. Stream Neil Young & Crazy Horse performing “Standing In The Light Of Love” from the lost album Toast below:
Toast Tracklist
- Quit
- Standing In The Light Of Love
- Goin’ Home
- Timberline
- Gateway Of Love
- How Ya Doin’?
- Boom Boom Boom
