Neil Young – Hitchhiker

A stunning sounding record. It’s like being on the other side of the control room glass with Neil playing one masterpiece after another.

10/10 album shame on whoever was responsible for this not getting an original 1976 release

I'll never not be amazed at how Neil Young is as good of a steward of his own legacy as he is a musician or songwriter. Maybe the brass at Reprise didn't understand Hitchhiker in 1976. But here we are, damn near 50 years later, and it stands as strong as other minimally-produced songwriter albums (Pink Moon, Red Headed Stranger, and Nebraska are the ones that spring immediately to mind).

And instead of burying it away in his own archive, or burying it in some archival-release mudslide, it finally gets released as the album it was meant to be.

The songs are outstanding... a number of these he'd revisit over the years, often in vastly different permutations... but here, stripped bare, the storytelling and scene-setting are at the fore. The title track is the most chilling dope ballad this side of "Sister Morphine."

Such a fantastic album and pressing! Many of these songs have been heard on bootlegs for years (especially the amazing "Powderfinger" acoustic version), but hearing them here in such rich fidelity is amazing. And for less than $20, this has to be one of the best deals out there for an all-analog, perfect pressing. Vinyl is dead-flat, silent, and super dynamic. The gatefold packaging is also wonderful. Get one while you can!

Good pressing and mastering, even though sometimes It could have been a bit more loud. You’ll have to turn the volume up. Nonetheless it remains very good.

On the other side, my copy was really dusty and dirty. Had to clean it before I put it on for a spin. Even then, here and there are some clicks and pops. It’s not a real problem but other reissues in the Special Release Series and Original Release Series have got me used to better sounding discs.

Great sounding press - quiet and clear. My copy is pretty warped, though.

Wow what a great album. Perfect pressing too. I bought this new for under 20 bucks!

Very good release. Certainly a must-have for classic Neil Young fans. The packaging is nice, but it is a little bigger than a standard jewel case or digipack LP style sleeve, so it may fit awkwardly on some shelves. A minor concern, though. I very much recommend this one.

I have this exact version, except the "SOURCE Mastered from the original analog tapes" words are also on the label.

Correction sorry my clean copy is from Europe 9362-49126-1, 1-560639 not US/Can as previously mentioned.