Neal Casal – No One Above You (The Early Years 1991-1998)

A heavy-hearted gem slips out today. In the wake of the tragic passing of Neal Casal in 2019, there have been a few projects that have given the beloved, but often underrated songwriter a larger spotlight. Most prominent has been the tribute Highway Butterfly, that found artists including Beachwood Sparks, Hiss Golden Messenger, Mapache, and Phil Lesh celebrating the songwriter’s catalog. A new archival project seeks to shed some light on Neal’s early years. The works on No One Above You (The Early Years 1991-1998) were recorded in the years just before Fade Away Diamond Time would make Neal a more familiar name. The early cuts foreshadow the works that were to come, and in this remixed and remastered collection they’re given a new life, shading in the edges of those formative years. “Silver Dollar” is a wounded, tender song of hard luck; a troubadour’s ballad tanned like leather in the afternoon sun. It sits alongside a wealth of rediscovered material on the new collection, which arrives September 12th from Royal Potato Family.