Sleeps with Angels
Sleeps with Angels is the 20th studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, released on August 16, 1994, on Reprise as a double LP and as a single CD. Co-produced by David Briggs, the album is Young's seventh with Crazy Horse.
Sleeps with Angels | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 16, 1994 | |||
Recorded | November 8, 1993 – April 25, 1994 | |||
Studio | The Complex Studios, West Los Angeles, California | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 62:06 | |||
Label | Warner Bros | |||
Producer | David Briggs, Neil Young | |||
Neil Young chronology | ||||
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Crazy Horse chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
The Music Box | [3] |
New Musical Express | 9/10[4] |
Robert Christgau | A−[5] |
Background and recording
The album was conceived as a conscious attempt to recapture some of the atmospheric experiments Young and Crazy Horse played around with in the After the Gold Rush era. Although the majority of the album was recorded before the fact, Young created the title track after the suicide of Kurt Cobain, who quoted him in his suicide note.[6] Two songs ("Western Hero" and "Train of Love") feature the same music with differing lyrics. "Safeway Cart" is featured on the soundtrack during a marching sequence in Claire Denis's 1999 film Beau Travail.
Sleeps with Angels is the only Neil Young album on which he plays the flute.[7]
Track listing
All tracks were written by Neil Young, except "Blue Eden", written by Young, Ralph Molina, Frank Sampedro and Billy Talbot.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "My Heart" | 2:44 |
2. | "Prime of Life" | 4:02 |
3. | "Driveby" | 4:43 |
4. | "Sleeps with Angels" | 2:44 |
5. | "Western Hero" | 4:00 |
6. | "Change Your Mind" | 14:39 |
7. | "Blue Eden" | 6:22 |
8. | "Safeway Cart" | 6:29 |
9. | "Train of Love" | 3:57 |
10. | "Trans Am" | 4:07 |
11. | "Piece of Crap" | 3:15 |
12. | "A Dream That Can Last" | 5:27 |
Personnel
- Neil Young – guitar on all tracks except 1 and 12, tack piano on tracks 1 and 12, accordion on track 5, flute on tracks 2 and 8, harmonica on track 8 and 12, vocals
- Crazy Horse
- Frank "Poncho" Sampedro – guitar on tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, and 11, grand piano on tracks 5 and 9, piano on tracks 3 and 12, bass marimba on track 1, oberheim on tracks 3 and 8, Wurlitzer piano on track 8, vocals
- Billy Talbot – bass on all tracks except 1 and 12, vibes on track 1, bass marimba on track 12, vocals
- Ralph Molina – drums, vocals
- Recording personnel
- David Briggs – producer, mixing
- Neil Young – producer, mixing
- John Hanlon – engineer, mixing
- Chad Blinman – assistant engineer
- Roland Alvarez – assistant engineer
- Joe Gastwirt – digital editing, mastering
- Tim Mulligan – additional digital editing
- Tim Foster – production manager
- Bettina Briggs – production coordinator
- Sal Trentino – amplifier tech
- Jim Homan – guitar tech
- Jerry Conforti – drum tech
- Mark Humphreys – live monitors
Charts
Album
Chart (1994) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[8] | 23 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[9] | 12 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[10] | 7 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[11] | 10 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[12] | 11 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[13] | 17 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[14] | 4 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[15] | 2 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 13 |
UK Albums (OCC)[17] | 2 |
US Billboard 200[18] | 9 |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | "Change Your Mind" | US Mainstream Rock Tracks[19] | 18 |
1994 | "Piece Of Crap" | UK Singles (OCC)[20] | 91 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[22] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- Ruhlmann, William. "Sleeps with Angels - Neil Young,Neil Young & Crazy Horse | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- Metzger, John. "Neil Young - Sleeps with Angels (Album Review)". Musicbox-online.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- Martin, Gavin (13 August 1994). "Ashes to Ashes, Rust to Rust". New Musical Express. p. 47.
- Christgau, Robert. "Album: Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Sleeps With Angels". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- DeRiso, Nick (August 6, 2015). "How Neil Young Mourned Kurt Cobain On 'Sleeps With Angels'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
- "iTunes - Music - Sleeps With Angels by Neil Young". Itunes.apple.com. 1994-08-05. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
- "Australiancharts.com – Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Sleeps with Angels". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Austriancharts.at – Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Sleeps with Angels" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2591". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Sleeps with Angels" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Sleeps with Angels" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Charts.nz – Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Sleeps with Angels". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Norwegiancharts.com – Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Sleeps with Angels". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Sleeps with Angels". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Swisscharts.com – Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Sleeps with Angels". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Neil Young Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Neil Young Chart History: Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- "British album certifications – Neil Young – Sleeps with Angels". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
- "American album certifications – Neil Young – Sleeps with Angels". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 5 May 2022.