Elton John/Captain Fantastic and the Dirt Brown CowboyCD, Vinyl, Blu-ray
Elton John’s 1975 studio album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is reissued across a number of formats for its 50th anniversary, including as an SDE exclusive blu-ray audio with a immersive Dolby Atmos Mix. The blu-ray and the bundle with Diamonds are back in stock on the SDE shop.
Field Music release an expanded 2LP vinyl edition of their self-titled debut, in celebration of the album’s 20th anniversary. The second record will include the first ever vinyl release for the 2006 B-sides collection, Write Your Own History, as well as 3 more rare/unreleased recordings from the band’s formative years.
50th anniversary edition. Available on 2LP and CD. Six bonus tracks, some unreleased.
Neil Young’s sixth studio album, Tonight’s The Night, is to be reissued for its 50th anniversary in late November.
Released in June 1975, but recorded almost two years earlier, in August 1973 at S.I.R. studios (Studio Instrumental Rentals), the album is a raw but compelling work, laid down in the aftermath of the death of both Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten (whose ‘Come On Baby Let’s Go Downtown’ is the fifth track on the album) and Young’s friend and roadie Bruce Berry (whose brother Ken Berry ran S.I.R.). Berry died of a Heroin overdose in June ’73 and Whitten died in November ’72, as a result of ingesting a combination of diazepam and alcohol, while trying to get over his own heroin addiction. Whitten died within 24 hours of Young firing him for not being able to play (“I loved Danny. I felt responsible” Young said).
The 12-track album (which starts and ends with ‘Tonight’s The Night’) has a newly expanded tracklisting and will be reissued with enhanced cover art on CD and 2LP black vinyl.
In this new anniversary edition ‘Lookout Joe’, which until now has always been a version recorded earlier at Young’s Broken Arrow Ranch (on 15 Dec, 1972) is replaced by the same song recorded at the actual Tonight’s The Night sessions at S.I.R., nine months later.
There are also six bonus tracks, – all from the S.I.R. sessions – including ‘Walk On’ (re-recorded later that year for On The Beach) and take 3 of ‘Tonight’s The Night’. These are both previously unreleased. The other bonus tracks are ‘Everybody’s Alone’, ‘Raised on Robbery’ (featuring Joni Mitchell), and ‘Speakin’ Out Jam’ are also included (released on Archives Vol II) and ‘Wonderin’ (only previously available to stream on NYA).
This new 18-track expanded Tonight’s The Night 50 is released on 28 November 2025, via Warner Records.
New Order’s albums Movement, Low-Life and Brotherhood are to be reissued on blu-ray with Dolby Atmos Mixes by Steven Wilson. All three albums, along with Power, Corruption And Lies receive straight 2CD reissues at the same time.
The blu-rays feature new mixes by Steven Wilson in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround sound and 96/24 PCM stereo mixes, as well as instrumental stereo versions for each of the three albums. Remastered original stereo mixes are also included.
On Brotherhood, the multi-track master tapes of ‘As It Was When It Was’ and ‘Broken Promise’ have been lost, so those two songs have been up-mixed from the album’s 2024 remaster “to create as close an approximation of the Atmos and DTS-HD 5.1 surround experience as possible,” according to a statement.
The extras on CD2 for each of the four albums are taken from their previously released Definitive Edition box sets. These were released in 2019 for Movement; 2020 for Power, Corruption And Lies; 2023 for Low-Life and 2024 for Brotherhood. The stereo remasters on the new blu-ray editions date from the release of those box sets.
The audio extras on each CD2 are a solid array of demos, writing session recordings and rehearsals. Occasional 12-inch remixes feature, notably Michael Johnson’s for ‘Blue Monday 1988’ on Low-Life and Stephen Hague’s mix of ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ on Brotherhood. Power, Corruption And Lies features a John Peel session, while different versions of unreleased song ‘Skullcrusher’ are included on Low-Life and Brotherhood.
While audio extras are included, the visual components from the Definitive Edition box sets’ blu-ray discs haven’t been added to the new audio-only blu-rays which feature Steven Wilson’s mixes. These extras included two New York shows plus TV concerts at Hammersmith Riverside and Manchester Granada Studios for Movement; Tokyo Koseinenken Hall, Rotterdam Arena, Leuven Manhattan Club and Toronto International Centre gigs for Low-Life; and Brixton Academy and Manchester G-Mex concerts for Brotherhood, as well as assorted TV appearances around each album.
The Definitive Edition box sets were each 2CD+LP+2blu-ray releases. While the vinyl components are now missing, all four albums were reissued in September as standalone LPs.
New Order’s most recent album was Music Complete in 2015, with 2020’s standalone single ‘Be A Rebel’ based on a song from its sessions. They have continued to play live regularly since, but haven’t performed since finishing a US tour in May.
Movement, Low-Life and Brotherhood are released on blu-ray on 5 December 2025. 2CD deluxe editions of Movement, Low-Life, Brotherhood and Power, Corruption And Lies are issued on the same day.
Pre-order the (region-free) blu-rays from the SDE shop using this link or the buttons below.
Movement – 2024 Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24), 2024 Steven Wilson dedicated 5.1 Mix (96/24), 2024 Steven Wilson Stereo Mix (96/24), 2024 Steven Wilson Instrumental Stereo Mix (96/24), 2019 remaster of the original 1981 Stereo Mix (96/24)
Dreams Never End
Truth
Senses
Chosen Time
ICB
The Him
Doubts Even Here
Denial
Tracklisting
Low-LifeNew Order/Blu-ray Audio
Low-Life – 2024 Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24), 2024 Steven Wilson dedicated 5.1 Mix (96/24), 2024 Steven Wilson Stereo Mix (96/24), 2024 Steven Wilson Instrumental Stereo Mix (96/24), 2023 remaster of the original 1985 Stereo Mix (96/24)
Love Vigilantes
The Perfect Kiss
This Time Of Night
Sunrise
Elegia
Sooner Than You Think
Sub-Culture
Face Up
Tracklisting
BrotherhoodNew Order/Blu-ray Audio
Brotherhood – 2024 Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24), 2024 Steven Wilson dedicated 5.1 Mix (96/24), 2024 Steven Wilson Stereo Mix (96/24), 2024 Steven Wilson Instrumental Stereo Mix (96/24), 2024 remaster of the original 1986 Stereo Mix (96/24)
Paradise
Weirdo
As It Is When It Was*
Broken Promise*
Way of Life
Bizarre Love Triangle
All Day Long
Angel Dust
Every Little Counts
Bonus track
State of the Nation
*Upmixes in Atmos & 5.1
Tracklisting
Movement New Order/2CD
CD 1: Original Album, 2019 Remaster
Dreams Never End
Truth
Senses
Chosen Time
ICB
The Him
Doubts Even Here
Denial
CD 2: Movement: Extras
Dreams Never End (Western Works Demo – Take 2)
Homage (Western Works Demo)
Ceremony (Western Works Demo)
Truth (Western Works Demo)
Are You Ready For This? (Western Works Demo)
The Him (Cargo Demo)
Senses (Cargo Demo)
Truth (Cargo Demo)
Dreams Never End (Cargo Demo)
Mesh (Cargo Demo)
ICB (Cargo Demo)
Procession (Cargo Demo)
Cries And Whispers (Cargo Demo)
Doubts Even Here (Instrumental) (Cargo Demo)
Ceremony (1st Mix – Ceremony Sessions)
Temptation (Alternative 7” Mix #2)
Procession (Rehearsal Recording)
Chosen Time (Rehearsal Recording)
Tracklisting
Power, Corruption & Lies New Order/2CD
CD 1: Original Album, 2020 Remaster
Age of Consent
We All Stand
The Village
5 8 6
Your Silent Face
Ultraviolence
Ecstacy
Leave Me Alone
CD 2: Power, Corruption & Lies: Extras
Age Of Consent (Writing Session Recording)
The Village (Writing Session Recording)
5 8 6 (Writing Session Recording)
Your Silent Face (Writing Session Recording)
Ecstacy (Writing Session Recording)
Leave Me Alone (Writing Session Recording)
Turn The Heater On (John Peel Session)
We All Stand (John Peel Session)
Too Late (John Peel Session)
5 8 6 (John Peel Session)
Too Late (Instrumental Rough Mix, John Peel Session Outtake)
Thieves Like Us (New York demo #1) *
Thieves Like Us (Writing Session Recording)
Murder (Writing Session Recording)
Blue Monday (Writing Session Recording)
Blue Monday (1982 Writing Session Recording)
Blue Monday (Instrumental Outtake, Album Session Recording)
Tracklisting
Low-LifeNew Order/2CD
CD 1: Original Album, 2023 Remaster
Love Vigilantes
The Perfect Kiss
This Time Of Night
Sunrise
Elegia
Sooner Than You Think
Sub-Culture
Face Up
CD 2: Low-Life : Extras
Love Vigilantes – TV Pitch Instrumental Edit (mono)
The Perfect Kiss – Writing Session Recording
Untitled no. 1 – Writing Session Recording
Sunrise – Instrumental Rough Mix
Elegia – Full Length Version
Sooner Than You Think – Album Session Unedited Version
Sub-Culture – Album Session Early Instrumental Version
Haircut One Hundred are to release Boxing The Compass, a brand new studio album.
Massively successful for a very short period of time in the early 1980s, the Nick Heyward-fronted band enjoyed four UK Top 10 hits: ‘Love Plus One’, ‘Fantastic Day’, ‘Favourite Shirts (Boys Meets Girl)’ and ‘Nobody’s Fool’ and a hit album, in 1982’s Pelican West.
Nick departed and the band issued one more album without him (1984’s Paint and Paint) and that was it. Until now…
Haircut One Hundred are back with their first new music in over 40 years
Haircut One Hundred are back, releasing their first new music in 40 years. The 10-track album won’t be out until next year (bah!) but it’s now up for pre-order on the band’s official shop with signed black vinyl and CD formats available. Pre-ordering also gives you early access to tickets for an as yet unannounced tour.
Boxing The Compass will be released on 19 June 2026 (was 29 May 2026 and before that was 20 March).
Summer Time: The Singles Collection 1974-2010 is a new 40CD Donna Summer box set that includes 72 singles from a 36-year period.
In total, this CD singles box set houses 319 tracks, including 41 singles that charted in the UK. If features seven-inch single versions, 12-inch single versions, remixes, B-sides and non-album tracks. Scroll down for full tracklisting.
The 40-disc Summer Time box set (click image to enlarge)
The playing time is more than 28 hours (!) and this comes with a 64-page booklet with a new 20,000 word essay. The CD wallets that contain each disc are double-sided, featuring various UK and international picture sleeves used at the time.
Summer Time: The Singles Collection 1974-2010 is released on 30 January 2026 (was 12 December 2025 and before that 28 November), via Edsel.
Bryan Ferry’s 1987 album Bête Noire will be reissued next month, alongside a release of his 2007 album Dylanesque.
Bête Noire was the follow up to 1985’s Boys and Girls and was co-produced with Patrick Leonard (who had worked with Madonna on her True Blue album and would later co-produce 1989’s Like A Prayer). Johnny Marr was amongst the contributors to Bête Noire, whose singles were ‘The Right Stuff’, ‘Kiss and Tell’ and ‘Limbo’. Only ‘The Right Stuff’ troubled the UK top 40, peaking at No 37.
For the 2025 reissue Bête Noire is released as a 2CD deluxe edition and on purple vinyl. The second disc of the 2CD set offers remixes and edits from the original singles. This appears to be mostly comprehensive, with the exception of a small number of ‘Limbo’ versions, and extra points go to BMG for putting together a ‘listenable’ running order (not grouping remixes of the same track together).
Dylanesque was of course Ferry’s tribute to the songwriting genius of Bob Dylan. Released in 2007, it’s now reissued on red vinyl and CD (no bonus tracks).
Bête Noire and Dylanesque are reissued on 14 November 2025. The CDs are packaging in Japan-style mini-LP replicas.
In other Bryan Ferry news, the pre-order window for the Boys and Girls blu-ray closes today (15 October). Secure your copy only via the SDE shop.
Chrissie Hynde delivers this new album consists of duets. Collaborators, include k.d.lang, the late Mark Lanegan, Dave Gahan, Cat Power, Brandon Flowers, Debbie Harry, Shirley Manson and more.
Queen’s 1975 album A Night At The Opera is newly pressed on 180g clear vinyl with gold labels for National Album Day. This features the ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘Love of My Life’ and ‘You’re My Best Friend’. For SDE’s guide to National Album Day visit this post.
NOW Music continue their ‘era’ series with NOW That’s What I Call An Era – Disco: 1973-1980 available as a 4CD set or on 3LP coloured vinyl.
As the name suggestions, this is a celebration of the golden age of disco over an eight-year period and the 4CD versions (available in deluxe hardcover book or standard card sleeve) offers 88 tracks, while the 3LP coloured vinyl version delivers 48.
Deluxe hardcover book 4CD set
Tracks include Sister Sledge’s ‘We Are Family’, Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’, The Village People’s ‘YMCA’, Chaka Khan’s ‘I’m Every Woman’, Blondie’s ‘Heart of Glass’, Diana Ross’ ‘Upside Down’, The Trammps’ ‘Disco Inferno’, Kool & The Gang’s ‘Ladies Night’, Baccara’s ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’, Amii Stewart’s version of ‘Knock On Wood’, The Hues Corporation’s ‘Rock The Boat’, The Isley Brothers’ ‘That Lady, Pt 1’, The O’Jays’ ‘I Love Music’, Thelma Houston’s ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’, Tavares’ ‘Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel (Part 1)’, LaBelle’s ‘Lady Marmalade’, Yvonne Elliman’s ‘If I Can’t Have You’ and many more. Full tracklisting is below.
NOW That’s What I Call An Era – Disco: 1973-1980 will be released on 7 November 2025.
The SDE exclusive blu-ray features a new Dolby Atmos Mix of Dare, created by John Barrett at Abbey Road Studios. Additionally, the disc includes a 5.1 Surround Sound Mix of the album and instrumental mixes in both Atmos and 5.1. Alongside this content sits the original 1981 stereo mix and bonus A-sides, B-sides, remixes and instrumentals from the original singles, in stereo (see tracklisting below for full details).
Pre-orders have been despatched and the last remaining contingency/cancellation stock is now available.
Ultravox’s classic 1984 compilation The Collection has been massively expanded and will be released in December as a 4CD + 2 x Blu-ray deluxe edition.
The Collection featured the 14 singles Ultravox released between 1980 and 1984 and sold over two million copies worldwide, going triple platinum in the UK. It includes hits such as ‘Vienna’, ‘All Stood Still’, ‘The Voice, ‘Dancing With Tears In My Eyes’ and what at the time was a brand new single ‘Love’s Great Adventure ‘ (recorded specifically for The Collection).
This newly remastered compilation includes a remastered version of the original compilation and adds The Collection II with a further 14 singles, alternative and unreleased versions from 1986 to 2024; The Remixes which features newly created 80s-style extended mixes by the likes of Midge Ure, Steven Wilson, Blank & Jones; and a disc of B-sidescollected together for the first time.
4CD + 2 x blu-ray deluxe of The Collection (click image to enlarge)
The two blu-rays are packed, offering over four hours of footage between them, including 27 promo videos, Top of the Pops appearances, live performances and more.
The Collection Deluxe Edition is limited to 5,000 units worldwide and comes in a large format 12-inch box with rigid-board slipcase and two 20-page booklets, with lyrics and photos.
Other formats include a 4LP deluxe pressed on clear vinyl which features audio from the first two CDs in the box set over eight sides of vinyl. It is housed in a die-cut sleeve with interchangeable images within a four-page insert. There’s also a 2LP half-speed edition on black vinyl (original 14 tracks) and a single CD version with 19 tracks.
The Ultravox Official Store has exclusives bundles and The Collection reissue is out on 5 December 2025, via Chrysalis.
Nine months after Madonna let slip that her 1994 album Bedtime Stories was going to be reissued, the details have finally officially been announced, but as the saying goes, you might want to curb your enthusiasm…
The reissue consists of just three formats
2CD set with the original album on CD 1 and eight bonus remixes, five of which are unreleased, on CD 2
A black vinyl EP with the 8 remixes on CD 2 of the 2CD set
The original album reissued on silver-coloured vinyl
And that’s all folks! For the EP of remixes Madonna worked with Stuart Price, “editing and mixing versions into a cohesive new chapter”.
I think we always knew it was going to be this way when Warners proudly announced their “multi-year catalog series” and told us that Madonna would “personally curate” the album reissues. That announcement was over four years ago and Bedtime Stories is the first studio album to be reissued since that time (August 2021).
The 2CD set is a 6-panel matt laminated ‘soft pack’ with 24 page booklet. The vinyl records are both 180g pressings.
Bedtime Stories (The Untold Chapter) will be released on 28 November 2025, via Warner Records. What do you think of this reissue? Leave a comment below and
Simply Red celebrate four decades of music with Recollections, a new compilation that features entirely re-recorded versions of 40 tracks.
Available as a 3CD set and a 4LP vinyl package, Recollections steps through the various eras and includes all the big hits, such as ‘Money’s Too Tight To Mention’, ‘Holding Back The Years’, ‘Stars’, ‘Fairground’ and more. It has been produced by Andy Wright who has had a hand in producing every Simply Red album since 1998’s Blue. It is also available as a 20-track double vinyl.
Mick Hucknall explains: “As a way of celebrating 40 years of Simply Red, we thought it apt to release these takes. Andy Wright set about capturing the atmosphere and sonics of the originals and has done a magnificent job. This has enabled us to come full circle and celebrate our 40 years with you.”
The re-recorded version of ‘Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)’
It’s not unusual for artists to re-record their old hits (they own the master recordings when they do this, rather than the original label – kerching!) but it is unusual to record quite so many. Mick Hucknall has ‘previous’ in this regard as well. 2013’s Song Book 4CD compilation already included some re-recorded hits on its fourth disc and before that, 2005’s Simplified album offered ‘stripped down’ reinterpretations. It has now been 17 years since Simply Red’s classic run of early albums on East West were reissued.
Recollections will be released on 21 November 2025 and can be pre-ordered from the Simply Red shop.
The pre-order window for theTears For FearsSongs From The Big Chair SDE-exclusive blu-ray is about to close.
The blu-ray audio – #52 in the ongoing SDE Suround Series – features a tremendous Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Mix of album as well as revised 5.1 and Stereo Mixes. These are therefore different to the mixes in the box set back in 2014.
All three Steven Wilson audio streams (Atmos, 5.1 & Stereo) are also available in instrumental form on the SDE exclusive blu-ray. Below is a summary of the audio streams on the SDE exclusive blu-ray:
2025 Steven Wilson Atmos Mix (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson 5.1 Mix (96/24)
2025 Steven Wilson Hi-Res Stereo Mix (96/24)
2025 Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Mix – Instrumental (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson 5.1 Mix – Instrumental (96/24)
2025 Steven Wilson Hi-Res Stereo Mix – Instrumental(96/24)
1985 Original Hi-Res Stereo Mix – non-limited Miles Showell remaster(96/24)
Bonus Remixes in Stereo (48/24)
Additionally, this Songs From The Big Chair blu-ray features 12 bonus tracks (stereo only) comprised of all the extended remixes issued in the UK of the various singles, including original and remix 12-inches for many singles, as well as the Extended Mix of non-album single ‘The Way You Are’.
The booklet in the blu-ray features track-by-track annotation from Roland Orzabal, Curt Smith, producer Chris Hughes and A&R man Dave Bates, taken from my interviews in 2014 as well as a note from Steven Wilson on his approach to remixing the album in Dolby Atmos.
The pre-order window closes TOMORROW, Tuesday 7 October 2025 and is the last point you can guarantee a copy of this release.
Songs From The Big Chair will be released on 14 November 2025, via UMR.
Songs From The Big ChairTears For Fears/SDE Exclusive blu-ray
SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR
– 2025 Steven Wilson Atmos Mix (48/24)
– 2025 Steven Wilson 5.1 Mix (96/24)
– 2025 Steven Wilson Hi-Res Stereo Mix (96/24)
– 2025 Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Mix – Instrumental (48/24)
– 2025 Steven Wilson 5.1 Mix – Instrumental (96/24)
– 2025 Steven Wilson Hi-Res Stereo Mix – Instrumental (96/24)
– 1985 Original Hi-Res Stereo Mix (96/24)
Shout 6:32
The Working Hour 6:31
Everybody Wants To Rule The World 4:11
Mothers Talk 5:06
I Believe 4:55
Broken 2:38
Head Over Heels 5:02
Listen 6:53
BONUS 12 MIXES (STEREO 48/24 ONLY)
The Way You Are (Extended Version) 7.42
Mothers Talk (Extended Version) 6.18
Shout (Extended Remix Version) 7.42
Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Extended Version) 5.39
Broken / Head Over Heels / Broken (Preacher Mix) 8.01
Mothers Talk (Beat Of The Drum Mix) 8.56
Shout (US Remix) 8.01
Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Urban Mix) 6.01
Mothers Talk (US Remix) 4.12
Shout (Dub) 6.49
Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Instrumental) 4.21
Shout (Acapella) 5.02
55 Bryan Ferry / Boys and Girls (still available)
4 Thin Lizzy / Nightlife (still available)
53 Fine Young Cannibals (FYC) / The Raw & The Cooked (still available)
52 Tears For Fears / Songs From The Big Chair
51 Propaganda / A Secret Wish
50 Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Welcome to the Pleasuredome
49 Elton John / Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
48 The Who / Who Are You
47 The Human League / Dare
46 Split Enz / ENZyclopedia Volumes 1 & 2
45 Mark Knopfler / Sailing to Philadelphia
44 Matt Deighton / Today Become Forever
43 De La Soul / 3 Feet High and Rising
42 Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel / The Best Years of Our Lives
Neil Young continues his Official Release Series (ORS) with CD and vinyl box sets that bring together four albums from the 1990s.
Volume 6 of ORS features discs 26, 27, 28 and 30 which are Harvest Moon (1992), Unplugged (1993), Sleeps With Angels (1994) and Mirror Ball (1995), respectively.
This collection of albums represents a period which saw Young enjoy more commercial success than he’d had during the 1980s, as he found new generations of fans both from the record-buying public and young bands alike, particularly those from the Grunge scene (NY being dubbed the ‘Godfather of Grunge’ in some quarters). Pearl Jam worked with him on Mirror Ball, of course. That album and Sleeps With Angels returned Neil Young to the UK top 10 album chart for the first time in 15 years.
The two boxes are 4CD and 8LP limited edition, numbered sets available both featuring “historically accurate artwork”. Four tracks on Mirror Ball have been remixed (‘I’m The Ocean’, ‘Big Green Country’, ‘Truth Be Known’, ‘Throw Your Hatred Down’) and this “all analog” recording has been remastered by John Hanlon and Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering. The LPs are all pressed on 180g vinyl.
Both ORS Volume 6 box sets will be released on 24 October 2025 via Reprise Records.
The Human League’s iconic third studio album, Dare, is reissued as an SDE exclusive blu-ray audio. Stock has arrived and shipping is about to start. Last copies available from the SDE shop.
Richard Ashcroft’s new album. Features the single ‘Lover’ which incorporates elements of Joan Armatrading’s ‘Love and Affection’. Signed CD available via Amazon.
NOW Music have announced 1991 as the next year in the now long-running Yearbook series.
It features 78 tracks across four CDs and there’s the usual deluxe and standard variants (with the former offering deluxe hardback book packaging with a 28-page booklet containing track-by-track notes). A 3LP version pressed on yellow vinyl offers 43 songs.
The first CD starts with George Michael and Elton John (you can guess the song) and includes massive hits from the one and only Chesney Hawkes, Seal (‘Crazy’), R.E.M. (‘Shiny Happy People’), Simply Red (‘Stars’), Cathy Dennis (Touch Me (All Night Long)) and more. Pet Shop Boys make two appearances on Yearbook 1991 with ‘Jealousy’ (the fourth and final single from Behaviour) on this first disc and later on CD 4 with their ‘Where The Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You)’ mash-up
Disc 2 includes The KLF’s ‘3am Eternal’, more Seal (his version of ‘Killer’), and a load of crossover club hits from acts including C+C Music Factory, Rozalla, K-Klass, Utah Saints, Oceanic, as well as Brothers In Rhythm. This disc also includes Crystal Waters‘ irritating, but annoyingly catchy, ‘Gyspy Woman (She’s Homeless) (La Da Dee La Da Da)’, A Tribe Called Quest’s excellent ‘Can I Kick It?’ before ending with Color Me Badd’s ‘I Wanna Sex You Up’.
The 4CD deluxe edition of Yearbook ’91
CD 3 includes Sting’s All This Time, Robert Palmer’s Marvin Gaye twofer ‘Mercy Mercy Me/IWant You’, The Waterboys’ ‘The Whole of the Moon’, The Stone Roses’ I Wanna Be Adored and Crowded House’s ‘Fall at Your Feet’. The last two tracks are grouped together beautifully with ‘More Than Words’ from Extreme followed by ‘Wind of Change’ by the Scorpions.
The KLF are back on disc four with Tammy Wynette ‘Justified and Ancient’ (make mine a 99, why don’t you?) and reminds us that Boy George had a hit with ‘Bow Down Mister’ under the Jesus Loves You moniker. My memory tells me this was big hit but “reality” points out that it actually peaked at a lowly No. 27 in the UK. Amy Grant’s brilliant ‘Baby Baby’ features here as does Kylie Minogue’s ‘Shocked’, sister Danni’s ‘Jump to the Beat’, Lisa Stansfield’s ‘Change’ and the weird historical artefact that is The Grease Megamix which stitches all those John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John hits together 12 years after the movie. This just makes me think about how they got away with “pussy wagon” on tea time television. Yearbook 1991 ends with another ‘Crazy’ but not Seal this time, it’s Patsy Cline singing the Willie Nelson classic.
NOW Yearbook 1991 will be released on 31 October 2025.
Bryan Ferry’s 1985 solo album, Boys and Girls, is now available to pre-order as a limited edition 40th anniversary SDE exclusive blu-ray audio. It features an immersive 2025 Dolby Atmos Mix, amongst other content.
Ferry’s sixth studio album features the classic hit single ‘Slave To Love‘, along with other singles ‘Don’t Stop The Dance‘ and ‘Windswept‘. Musicians on the record include Guy Fletcher, Nile Rodgers, David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, Tony Levin, Omar Hakim, David Sanborn and many more.
As well as the brand new Dolby Atmos Mix by Bob Clearmountain (who mixed the album originally), it also includes the original 5.1 Mix from 2005 which was released on SACD back in the day as well as the original 1985 stereo mix in hi-res stereo (the 1999 remastering, Ferry’s preferred version).
Audio streams on the Boys and Girls SDE exclusive blu-ray:
Boys and Girls 2025 Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24)
Boys and Girls 2005 DTS-HD dedicated 5.1 Mix (96/24)
Boys and Girls 1985 Original Stereo Mix (48/24)
The new Atmos Mix was overseen and approved by Bryan Ferry and the album’s co-producer Rhett Davies. The blu-ray is #55 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series and comes packaged in the same deluxe hardcover mediabook packaging used for the Roxy Music’s Avalon and the Bryan Ferry Retrospective releases. As ever, Boys and Girls ships with a free, collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase.
Please note that the Dolby Atmos Mix on the SDE Blu-ray is of much higher quality than its streaming counterpart. It is not compressed as it is on streaming platforms. Encoded in Dolby TrueHD Atmos it has a bit rate 10 times higher (up to 8000 kbits/s) than streaming’s Dolby Digital Plus (768 kbits/s).
The Boys and Girls blu-ray is available to pre-order from today. It is a limited edition and has a 14 day pre-order window, which closes on 14 October 2025. Availability cannot be guaranteed after that date.
This Boys and Girls blu-ray is released on 5 December 2025 via UMR.
Dead Or Alive / My Heart Goes Bang (Get Me to the Doctor) 7″ pic disc
‘My Heart Goes Bang (Get Me To The Doctor)’ is the fourth and final single to have been released from Dead Or Alive’s 1985 album Youthquake. It was remixed for this release (the B-side is ‘Big Daddy Of The Rhythm (Live)’).
Compare prices and pre-order
Dead Or Alive
Dead Or Alive, My Heart Goes Bang (Get Me To The Doctor) - 7" Picture Disc [VINYL]
Hawkins’ 1994 album was produced by Stephen Lipson and yielded three top 40 UK hits, including ‘Right Beside You’. She has now re-recorded the album as a ‘raw’/acoustic form and called it Whaler Re-Emerging, which is available on CD this week. Check out the new version of ‘Right Beside You’, below.
Kate Bush announced a new compilation on CD and vinyl on Monday called Best of the Other Sides. This news was of course reported on SDE but rather ludicrously, no tracklisting was supplied by Kate’s representatives, so at least initially, we didn’t know exactly what was on this compilation. This wasn’t an accidental omission, I asked and was told “we’re not announcing the tracklist”. Er, okay.
This was despite the fact that this compilation was due to go up to on streaming yesterday, by which point the cat would be out of the bag, anyway. I suppose they were trying to wring some ‘excitement’ from what is a rather lacklustre release, if truth be told, but unsurprisingly, it got leaked, so the whole thing was ultimately a waste of time and energy.
Let’s not forget the original Other Sides (the four-disc version in the 2018 box sets) was already a flawed collection since it wasn’t a comprehensive round up of B-sides, extra tracks and remixes in the first place. There was no ‘Dreamtime’ (‘The Dreaming’ B-side from 1982), no instrumental of ‘Running Up That Hill’ (originally on the 12-inch single) – both those tracks are unreleased on CD, so would have been worthy inclusions on this new set, by the way – and also no extended remixes of singles on The Red Shoes. These are just a few that were missing.
Not only that, this new compilation is surely not really a genuine best of in terms of the selection. Putting aside personal preferences, it cannot be a coincidence that none of Kate’s ‘picks’ date from before The Dreaming era, in 1982. While the press release didn’t do something as useful as tell us what was on this collection, it did go out of its way to point out that “The release comes at a time when Kate’s song ‘Army Dreamers’ is skyrocketing online, looking set to become her second most streamed track after ‘Running Up That Hill’“.
Well, the B-side to ‘Army Dreamers’ is the historically interesting (and rather lovely) ‘Passing Through Air’. This song was produced and engineered by David Gilmour in 1973, when Kate was around 15 years old. ‘Passing Through Air’ was included in the original Other Sides, along with other older tracks like the previously unreleased ‘Humming’ (also 1975) and ‘Ran Tan Waltz’ (B-side to ‘Babooska’ in 1980) but none of them are included on the new release. You’d have thought the standalone festive single ‘December Will Be Magic Again’ (released in 1980) would have merited inclusion, but it’s not there and neither is its B-side ‘Warm and Soothing’. Meanwhile on Best of The Other Sides we do get ‘Walk Straight Down The Middle’, a song which is so rare it’s on every original CD copy of The Sensual World!
So what’s going on? Well, since moving to The state 51 Conspiracy from Warners (two years ago), rights issues around Kate’s first three album is not the same as her last seven, which is why, when the indie coloured vinyl was released in 2023, the first three (‘The Kick Inside’, ‘Lionheart’ and ‘Never For Ever’) were ‘US-only’. This was not an issue in 2018 for the box sets since Kate was still with Warners for all albums. This complication is very likely to have influenced Kate’s decision to ignore anything from this era on Best of The Other Sides, which is obviously a shame.
Scroll down to see the full tracklisting of Best of The Other Sides.
WINGS blu-ray available again
Good news! Due to exceptional demand, SDE is pleased to have secured an additional allocation of WINGS blu-rays, in the hope that anyone who wants a copy of this definitive self-titled anthology, on this format, will not miss out.
The forthcoming Frankie Goes To HollywoodWelcome to the Pleasuredome 7CD+blu-ray box set is just over a month away from release, but yesterday I was lucky enough to see one in the flesh! There’s a very informative (and big) sticker on the front which I was delighted to note had my name on it (yay!). The reason is because I wrote an introductory note for this box set which focuses on that crazy year of 1984 and how Frankie dominated the charts and UK pop for those 12 months. Kevin Foakes (aka DJ Food) does some great work by contributing a Frankie timeline which is included in the excellent hardcover book that comes with this set. As I say, I saw this set yesterday but I don’t have a copy yet. Rest assured there will be an SDEtv unboxing when I eventually get my hands on one.
Unfortunately, the SDE shop is sold out of this box. We are hoping to get some more but until then you’ll have to check other retailers. Of course, we are selling the SDE exclusive blu-ray audio which as well as Dolby Atmos, 5.1, Stereo, extra tracks etc. has bonus content not on the blu-ray in the box set (namely instrumentals and an exclusive 30-minute Steven Wilson remix of the title track). The pre-order window for this blu-ray closes on Monday 29 Sep.
As part of their campaign to promote the forthcoming compilation Industry & Seduction, the Thompson Twins are offering a CD single of the song ‘Roll Over’ via their official shop. ‘Roll Over’ was almost a single in 1985 (it was withdrawn).
I asked Tom Bailey about this in 2014, while working on the Remixes and Rarities compilation. He said “that [song] was ready to release as a single just at the point where I became ill [with nervous exhaustion] and wanted to stop recording, so it was just madness to proceed. I think it was even pressed up and ready to go, but we just withdrew and said ‘no’. We didn’t have it in us to do all the promotional rounds”.
The tracklisting for the ‘Roll Over’ CD single is as below. Only track 1 features on the new compilation.
NOW Music remind us what a strong year 1985 was in pop, with a 4CD set that presents ‘Part Two’ of 12″80s:1985, as NOW continue to step through the 1980s, year-by-year, spotlighting extended mixes of hit songs.
The first disc includes Wham’s ‘I’m Your Man’ (in ‘Extended Stimulation’ guise), the ‘Special Dance Mix’ of Eurythmics’ ‘There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)’ (which wasn’t on the first 12-inch single), the ‘Urban Mix’ of Tears For Fears’ smash Everybody Wants To Rule The World, the 12-inch remix of Bryan Ferry’s ‘Don’t Stop The Dance’, a remix of Stephen Duffy’s ‘Kiss Me’ the ‘Mixe Plural’ version) and the ‘Extra Special Long Mix’ of Nik Kershaw’s excellent ‘Don Quixote’.
Because this is 1985, there’s many songs which feature on albums that are currently in a reissue cycle. Tears For Fears is mentioned above, but on CD 2 there’s also Fine Young Cannibals ‘Johnny Come Home’ (which features on the FYC40 deluxe set and is in Atmos, as a bonus track, on the recently announcedThe Raw & The Cooked SDE exclusive blu-ray). Disc two also includes the ‘Cutback Mix’ of Simply Red’s ‘Money’s Too Tight To Mention’, the 12-inch version of The Pointer Sisters’ Neutron Dance (which featured prominently in the soundtrack of Beverly Hills Cop) and the Extended Dance Mix of Loose Ends’ ‘Hangin’ On A String’ (which featured on 1985’s NOW Dance compilation, fact fans).
CD 3 has contributions from Paul Hardcastle, Art of Noise, Propaganda, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Yello, Billy Idol and ZZ Top while the final disc offers up extended versions of hits by Maria Vidal, Amii Stewart, Dead Or Alive, Sheila E, Steve Arrington and more. It ends with the once rare-on-CD extended version of Paul Young’s ‘Every Time You Go Away’.
If CDs aren’t your thing, NOW Music are also releasing a coloured vinyl box set of 12-inch mixes called NOW Presents…12” 80s: Volume Two: 1983-1984. This is a follow-up of the 1980-82 box that was issued last December and like the CD versions is stepping through the 80s, although this time it’s two or three years at a time. This features 44 tracks across the five coloured vinyl records (full tracklisting, below).
Both compilations are released on 17 October 2025.
