King Princess and Draco Rosa have shared the first two tracks from a pair of new Neil Young tribute albums, both due on 6th November.
Heart of Gold: The Songs of Neil Young, Vol. 2 – Out of the Blue and Vol. 3 – Into the Black follow 2025’s Vol. 1 and arrive together via Cinema Music Group, Killphonic Records and City Slang. Between them the two volumes gather more than twenty artists, and, as before, proceeds go to The Bridge School — the California charity Young founded with Pegi Young to support people with severe speech and physical impairments. All the musicians donated their recordings.
King Princess, the project of Brooklyn singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Mikaela Straus, opens Into the Black with a stripped-back reading of Helpless (streaming links here).
Album Trailer:
Straus shared: “It felt kismet that they asked me to do ‘Helpless’. It’s my mom and my favourite Neil Young song; I can hear her singing it in the car on our way upstate. As far as the recording process, Brad Oberhofer and I decided to take it on together at my dad’s studio (recorded by my dad himself). We tried to record it as simply and intimately as the Crosby Stills Nash and Young version. Brad played guitar and I played drums and keys. We did it as a one take, off click, and the rest we just built together as a two-man band. The only thing we changed was just making it longer. My only complaint about the original is that it’s too short. I want more.”
Draco Rosa launches Out of the Blue with After the Gold Rush.
Rosa shared: “Bridge School holds significance. Neil Young’s melodies resonate deeply. ‘After the Gold Rush’ is a pivotal song in my journey, reflecting the hope of finding a new home in the sun. It’s a true honour to be included in this purposeful project.”
The wider cast runs deep. Out of the Blue pairs My Morning Jacket with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on Like A Hurricane, and takes in Lucinda Williams, Los Lobos on Cinnamon Girl, Ann Wilson, Edie Brickell and Peter Frampton & John Jorgenson tackling Heart of Gold itself. Into the Black lines up Modest Mouse with Califone, Ben Gibbard, MJ Lenderman, LP on Harvest Moon, Kurt Vile and The Violators, Cold War Kids and Devendra Banhart.
The set follows Vol. 1, released in April 2025, which drew covers from Eddie Vedder, Brandi Carlile, Sharon Van Etten, Courtney Barnett, Mumford & Sons and The Doobie Brothers. The Bridge School, founded in 1986 and now marking its 40th anniversary, was set up by Neil and Pegi Young for their son Ben and today runs education, research and training programmes for people with complex communication and physical disabilities worldwide. Both volumes are available to pre-order on limited-edition coloured vinyl.
Heart of Gold: The Songs of Neil Young, Vol. 2 – Out of the Blue and Vol. 3 – Into the Black (6th November) Cinema Music Group / Killphonic Records / City Slang
Pre-Order via: https://shop.cityslang.com/collections/heart-of-gold-the-songs-of-neil-young
Tracklisting
VOLUME 2 – Out of the Blue:
- My Morning Jacket with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band – Like A Hurricane
- Ann Wilson – Walk With Me
- Draco Rosa – After The Gold Rush
- Peter Frampton & John Jorgenson feat. Jay Dee Maness, Herb Pedersen, Steve Duncan and Mark Fain – Heart of Gold
- Lucinda Williams – Don’t Be Denied
- Los Lobos – Cinnamon Girl
- Edie Brickell – Only Love Can Break Your Heart
- Tyler Ballgame – Tell Me Why
- Jesse Malin – Pocahontas
- Sharlotte Gibson – Ohio
- Southside Johnny and Bobby Bandiera – Rockin’ In The Free World
- Dramarama – Kinda Fonda Wanda
VOLUME 3 – Into the Black:
- Briston Maroney – My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)
- LP – Harvest Moon
- King Princess – Helpless
- Modest Mouse featuring Califone – Barstool Blues
- Ben Gibbard – Don’t Cry No Tears
- MJ Lenderman – Separate Ways
- Cold War Kids – Tonight’s The Night
- Kurt Vile and The Violators – When Your Lonely Heart Breaks
- Devendra Banhart – Pardon My Heart
- Emily Hackett – Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
- RAC feat. Kelcey Ayer – Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)
- New Constellations – Unknown Legend