On "Coastal" Neil Young Reemerges on the Bumpy Tour Road

Soundtrack to the Daryl Hannah-directed tour documentary

Neil Young has been perfectly and, for some, frustratingly in the moment since the 1960’s. But, what does that look like in 2025? Prior to the pandemic, Neil was recording and touring with Promise of the Real, a band largely made up of Willie Nelson’s kids. Decades younger, and with a vibrancy that goes hand-in-hand with youth, the members of Neil Young’s backing band seemed to be just as inspired by his fire as he was by theirs. That era in Neil’s music was truly something to behold.

Then, the pandemic saw Neil off the road but no less active. His Neil Young Archives project became a priority, and the releases that saw the light of day over this period were a dream come true to any Neil Young fan. All of those unreleased albums that you heard about, from Chrome Dreams to Oceanside/Countryside, saw the glorious light of day.

But real fans no doubt worried if Neil would ever take to the stage again. Was touring no longer a priority? Was it safe enough for a legend nearing 80? Did he even need or want to? Not surprisingly, we shouldn’t have been concerned about the latter. The Coastal Tour of 2023 found Neil mining for gold deep in his extensive back catalog and adding a dollop of timely modern material. True fans will no doubt notice the heavy presence of Mirrorball material in this setlist. And, of course, there’s the incredible “Vampire Blues” from On the Beach and a few nods to his early days with “Expecting to Fly” and “I am a Child”. It’s fun, and frightening, to see how our lack of societal progress has made these selections from the 90’s (and some from the 70’s) seem so relevant now. 

So, how is it? That's a complicated question and, no doubt, people will have varied reactions. The performances are live, and they sound that way. They are a mixture of astounding moments and some awkward near misses. And, there are some moments that seem like, in Neil’s own words, to be “interesting” errors included in a soundtrack that was perhaps rushed in its release. The barrage of sound unleashed by a kicked reverb tank is heard in the middle of “Vampire Blues”. Knowing Neil, this might just as well have been by design, but it’s jarring and possibly intended- we’ll never know.

There are other moments where his singing is barely audible, or he has chosen to obscure his voice in one way or another. But there are others where his clarity and quality of voice are breathtaking and ethereal- a tough party trick for someone who has lived his life on the road for over 60 years. “Don’t Forget Love” brims with emotional earnestness, fragility and timeliness. But, was it intended to be a snippet at 53 seconds? So, there are some head scratchers here and some truly magical moments. To be clear, the vinyl version of this album has been pulled from Neil’s Greedy Hand store (hopefully awaiting a do-over?) as a result of “false starts, misdeliveries and glitches”. So, there is that.

This album finds Mr. Young at a point in his life where he doesn’t need to play music and certainly doesn’t need critical praise. He works on his own terms, which frankly isn’t a whole lot different from the way he’s always presented himself. Many readers are seasoned enough to remember when Tonight’s the Night hit the airwaves. Now that’s a follow-up to the perfectly manicured Harvest! The truly confused stood right next to the awed on that release.

So, none of this is unexpected. But, who is this record for? Is it for an emerging fan or one who has heard it all and can’t wait for more? I believe it’s truly the latter. These songs have all been played live before but not in this voice and certainly not after a years long absence from the stage due to a global pandemic. It’s also the soundtrack to a very mellow concert film that finds Neil traveling by bus down the west coast to re-engage with his audience. This is a film where banter is king, something we often don’t hear from Neil Young. So, it’s a personal movie, and his relationship with his bus driver is almost as much on display as his music. In this way, Coastal truly sounds like a film’s soundtrack. It’s off the cuff and raw- very Neil Young. It’s hard to conjure anyone from his generation who remains so artistically present, thoughtful and engaging.

And, just like love, Coastal illustrates that when we truly fall, it’s for a person who is always changing. So, remaining in love is about being in the present with judgment at bay. There are gifts that can only come from commitment. For the devoted, Coastal offers rare pleasures available to those who truly love all things Neil Young.