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)’).
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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.
The pre-order window for the Frankie Goes to HollywoodWelcome to the Pleasuredome SDE-exclusive blu-ray is about to close.
The blu-ray audio – #50 in the ongoing SDE Suround Series – features a tremendous Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Mix of the whole album, plus selected B-sides! The blu-ray also features new (dedicated) 5.1 mixes, new stereo mixes, exclusive instrumentals (of the whole album and B-sides) and a special, totally exclusive, 30 minute ‘Supernova’ stereo remix of ‘Welcome to the Pleasure Dome’ by Steven Wilson!
SDE blu-ray audio stream summary for Welcome to the Pleasuredome
2025 Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos MIx
2025 Steven Wilson 5.1 Mix (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson Stereo Mix (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Instrumental Mix* (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson 5.1 Instrumental Mix* (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson Stereo Instrumental Mix* (48/24)
1984 Stereo Mix (96/24)
6 Bonus tracks in all Atmos, 5.1 and Stereo (48/24)
6 Bonus tracks as Instrumentals (Atmos, 5.1, Stereo)* (48/24)
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome (Supernova) – 30 min Steven Wilson remix* (48/24)
*Unavailable anywhere else
Unbelievable value at just £25, the blu-ray audio is region-free and will ship with a free and collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase and is exclusively available via the SDE shop using this link or the buttons below.
The pre-order window closes on Monday 29 September 2025 and is the last point you can guarantee a copy of this release. Propaganda’sA Secret Wish SDE blu-ray ends on the same day.
Welcome to the Pleasuredome will be released on 31 October 2025, via UMR.
The Rolling Stones will reissue their 1976 album Black and Blue in November, across at least six physical formats.
All formats use a brand new Steven Wilson stereo remix, in place of the original, while a blu-ray included with the 4CD and 5LP box sets (it’s not available separately) offers a Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Mix as well as a hi-res version of his stereo mix. The blu-ray also includes a live recording from the Stones’ 1976 Earls Court show (21 tracks).
There’s a bit of repetition on the box sets and they break down like this
CD 1 / LP 1: Steven Wilson 2025 Remix
CD 2 / LP 2: Outtakes and Jams
CD 3 & 4 / LPs 3, 4 & 5: Live at Earls Court
Blu-ray: Atmos & Stereo Mixes, Les Rolling Stones Aux Abattoirs, Paris-Juin 1976, Live at Earls Court 1976
Black and Blue 4CD+blu-ray box set
It’s worth noting that the Earls Court show on the blu-ray is in Dolby Atmos and “Les Rolling Stones Aux Abattoirs, Paris-Juin 1976”, on the same disc, is a “previously unreleased live TV recording from Paris”. So very good content, indeed on this blu-ray, although you have to buy the box to get it, as mentioned previously.
The ‘Outtakes and Jams’ disc in the boxes offer previously unreleased audio, including the high-energy disco stomp of Shirley and Company’s ‘Shame, Shame, Shame’ and jams with guest guitarists including Jeff Beck, Canned Heat’s Harvey Mandel and Robert A. Johnson.
Both super deluxe box sets (vinyl and CD) come with a 100-page hardcover book featuring a brand new essay by Paul Sexton, exclusive photographs from the album sessions and tour, and a replica poster from the 1976 Paris concert.
2LP and 2CD editions of Black and Blue pair Wilson’s new stereo mix with the six ‘Outtakes and Jams’ on the second CD (or LP) from the box set. There’s also single CD and vinyl editions featuring just the new stereo mix and, apparently, a Zoetrope vinyl is also available!
Black and Blue in all its new guises will be released on 14 November 2025, via UMR.
Following on from the 1976 set of last year (#27 in the SDE Surround Series) Thin Lizzy’s 1974 album Nightlife will be reissued as an SDE exclusive blu-ray audio (#54) with some significant bonus content related to Nightlife’s follow-up, Fighting.
The album features the singles ‘Philomena’, ‘Showdown’ and ‘It’s Only Money’ and the classic ‘Still in Love With You’ and for this blu-ray features brand new 2025 remixes by Richard Whittaker in Dolby Atmos, 5.1, Stereo and in Instrumental form. The Original 1974 mix is also included.
Nightlife Audio stream summary:
2025 Dolby Atmos Mix
2025 5.1 Mix
2025 Stereo Mix
2025 Instrumental Mix
1974 Original Stereo Mix
Additionally, as bonus content, this blu-ray contains selected tracks from Nightlife’s follow-up, 1975’s Fighting (sadly, due to missing multi-track tapes, the whole album could not be included in new mixes).
Selected tracks from FIGHTING in Atmos, 5.1, Stereo and Instrumental:
Rosalie
Wild One
King’s Vengeance
Silver Dollar
The blu-ray includes the Fighting album in its entirety, in its original 1975 Stereo Mix
In addition to the exclusive blu-ray, there is also a 7CD deluxe edition (in 10-inch packaging) which is available from normal retail channels. The content as as follows (see full tracklisting below)
CD 1: Night Life – New Stereo Mix / Original Mix
CD 2: Fighting – New Stereo Mix / Original Mix
CD 3: Night Life Outtakes, B-sides, 7″ edits
CD 4: Fighting Outtakes, B-sides, 7″ edits
CD 5: Fighting / Night Life Mixes
CD 6: BBC Sessions
CD 7: Live Show (Derby 75)
Night Life Blu-ray Audio is #54 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series and will released on 21 November 2025. It will be packaged similarly to previous editions and ships with a free, collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase.
Do not miss out. This product is a limited edition and has a 14 day pre-order window, which closes on 8 October 2025. Availability cannot be guaranteed after that date. Pre-order only from the SDE shop using this link or the button below.
Fine Young Cannibals celebrate 40 years this November with some exciting products including FYC40 – a career spanning 4CD+DVD deluxe set – and an SDE exclusive blu-ray of their transatlantic number one album The Raw & The Cooked, featuring a David Kosten Dolby Atmos Mix of the 1989 long-player.
Formed in 1985 by Andy Cox, David Steele (ex-The Beat), and Roland Gift, the band broke through with ‘Johnny Come Home’ and their cover of ‘Suspicious Minds.’ The Raw & the Cooked brought global fame, with ‘She Drives Me Crazy’ and ‘Good Thing’ both hitting No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA.
FYC40 is the very best of Fine Young Cannibals that features:
CD1:Fine Young Cannibals’ self-titled album plus 8 bonus tracks (including previously unreleased Anne Dudley sessions)
CD2:The Raw & The Cooked plus 10 bonus tracks
CD3:Select remixes 1989-1996 including 2 previously unreleased mixes by Prince Paul and Juan Atkins
CD4:More remixes 1996-2025 include four new 2025 remixes (Flight Facilities / DJ Q / Initial Talk / The Reflex) and 3 remixes on CD for the first time (Cerrone, Dimitri from Paris, Derrick Carter)
DVD:Restored music videos in HD, ‘Live at the Paramount’(1989) – 15 track full concert restored and remastered, and select BBC performances from The Old Grey Whistle Test, Wogan and Top of The Pops
In total, the FYC40 deluxe edition features over 100 tracks and the hardcover book packaging is housed in a heavyweight slipcase. Audio is remastered and there’s essays by Andrew Harrison and John Earls.
The Raw & The Cooked was a smash hit and contains many singles, including ‘Don’t Look Back’, ‘I’m Not The Man I Used to Be’ and the band’s two USA number ones, ‘She Drives Me Crazy’ and ‘Good Thing’.
The album includes tracks co-produced with David Z who worked extensively with Prince, notably ‘She Drives Me Crazy’ and ‘I’m Not Satisfied’, but the rest of the album, including ‘Good Thing’, was mostly produced by the band with engineering credits being shared by Julian Mendelsohn, Robin Goodfellow, Dave Anderson and John Potoker.
David Kosten has rebuilt a 2025 stereo version of the album from the master tapes and from that created an immersive Dolby Atmos Mix of The Raw & The Cooked. The SDE exclusive blu-ray (#53 in the SDE Surround Series) also includes 2025 5.1 mixes from Kosten, headphones-only Binaural Mixes and Instrumental versions of each (Atmos, 5.1, Stereo and Binaural). Note, that no multi-track tapes could be found for the song ‘Don’t Let It Get You Down’ so David made use stem-splitting technology for that track to create Atmos, 5.1 and instrumental versions (the stereo is the original).
Additionally, the blu-ray features the original 1989 master, the 2013 remaster and a new 2025 remaster of The Raw & The Cooked.
Audio stream summary for The Raw & The Cooked SDE blu-ray (11 versions of the album!!)
2025 David Kosten Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24)
2025 David Kosten 5.1 Mix (96/24)
2025 David Kosten Stereo Mix (96/24)
2025 David Kosten Binaural Mix (headphones only) (96/24)
2025 David Kosten Dolby Atmos Instrumental Mix (48/24)
2025 David Kosten 5.1 Instrumental Mix (96/24)
2025 David Kosten Stereo Instrumental Mix (96/24)
2025 David Kosten Binaural Instrumental Mix (headphones only) (96/24)
Original 1989 Stereo Master (bonus tracks as per original years) (TBC)
Finally, the blu-ray features the four bonus tracks listed below, all available in Atmos and the various audio streams described above. This means that as well as such a comprehensive look at The Raw & The Cooked, the blu-ray contains all of Fine Young Cannibals hit singles in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 etc.
Johnny Come Home
Blue
Suspicious Minds
The Flame
As if the FYC40 deluxe and The Raw & The Cooked SDE blu-ray were not generous enough in terms of content, on the SDE shop we have an amazing bundle of both products that ships with an SDE exclusive 12-track CD single of ‘She Drives Me Crazy‘, which features US Mixes many of which were promo-only at the time.
Fantastic BUNDLE via the SDE shop. Click image to pre-order.
The Raw and the Cooked Blu-ray Audio is #53 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series and will released on 5 December 2025 (was 21 November), via London Records. It will be packaged similarly to previous editions and ships with a free, collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase.
Do not miss out. This product is a limited edition and has a 14 day pre-order window, which closes on 8 October 2025. Availability cannot be guaranteed after that date.
SDE Surround Series collectors should be aware that Thin Lizzy’s 1974 album Fighting has also just been announced today (#54 in the series). Details on the shop.
The Cars’ 1984 studio album, Heartbeat City, will be reissued as a 4CD+vinyl LP deluxe edition in October.
Featuring many hit singles, including ‘Drive’, ‘You Might Think’ and ‘Magic’, the album was produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange and remains the band’s most commercially successful long-player.
This new deluxe edition is in Rhino’s now familiar large format deluxe packaging that combines CDs with vinyl. This is despite constant feedback from fans who do not like these ‘mixed media’ packages.
The content looks fairly good with two CDs of remixes, early and alternate versions and a disc featuring a full 1984 concert recorded in Houston. This is in addition to the standard album on CD 1 and on the vinyl (no word on remastering). This package comes with a 12-inch booklet.
Heartbeat City deluxe edition will be released on 31 October, via Rhino.
Tears For Fears’ 1985 album Songs From The Big Chair is being reissued for its 40th anniversary across a number of formats, including as an SDE exclusive blu-ray with a brand new Dolby Atmos Mix by Steven Wilson.
The band’s second album became a global sensation, topping the US charts and spawning five hit singles, ‘Mothers Talk’, ‘Shout’, ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’, ‘Head Over Heels’, and ‘I Believe’. ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ and ‘Shout’ both reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
I co-compiled the 4CD+2DVD box released in 2014 (a set often touted as a high point in pop reissues) and I’m therefore delighted to be involved again by offering fans an SDE-exclusive blu-ray edition of Songs From The Big Chair, the fourth Tears For Fears release to be part of the ongoing SDE Surround Series (after The Tipping Point in 2022, The Hurting in 2023 and last year’s Songs For A Nervous Planet).
For this release, as well as creating a new Dolby Atmos Mix, Steven Wilson has revisited his 5.1 Surround and Stereo Mixes that were created in 2014. While Wilson stresses that he’s still proud of those mixes, he says that “the intervening 11 years working in surround and immersive audio have given me a lot more experience, so I thought it would be interesting to revisit these mixes with fresh ears. Both have consequently been revised for 2025, primarily in an attempt to be even more faithful to the 1985 album mix. This original mix for me is still definitive, but as a necessary step on the way to creating the 5.1 and Atmos mixes, the 2025 stereo remix is included here as an alternative”.
Fans might recall that multi-track tapes for both parts of ‘Broken’ were missing in 2014 and unfortunately they are still missing, presumed lost. A decade ago, a pseudo 5.1 surround version of this song was created using software called Penteo to upmix from the stereo. This worked pretty well, but this time around more recent advances in the technology allowed Steven Wilson to split the original 1985 mix of ‘Broken’ into several individual ‘stems’ (vocals, guitar, bass, drums etc.), and using these he was able achieve a greater degree of spatial separation. Still not comparable with a genuine remix from the multitrack tapes, but at least providing more consistency with the rest of the remixed album.
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 2022 Miles Showell remaster (96/24)
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’, which was issued in the UK 15 months before the release of the Songs From The Big Chair. This is CD 3 of the 2014 box in 48/24 hi-res stereo (see tracklisting below).
Other formats in this reissue campaign are as follows
3CD deluxe edition (CDs 1-3 from the 2014 box set)
2LP transparent red vinyl featuring original unused cover art and bonus LP of rare alternates
Clear ‘coke bottle’ coloured vinyl
Vinyl picture disc (D2C only)
2LP transparent red vinyl with unused cover art and bonus LP (click to enlarge)
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.
This Songs From The Big Chair blu-ray audio is #52 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series and will be released on 14 November 2025. It will be packaged similarly to previous editions and ships with a free, collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase.
Do not miss out. This product is a limited edition and has a 14 day pre-order window, which closes on 7 October 2025. Availability cannot be guaranteed after that date.
Songs From The Big Chair SDE shop pre-order links (browse the shop)
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
LP 1: Songs From The Big Chair
Side One
Shout 6:32
The Working Hour 6:31
Everybody Wants To Rule The World 4:11
Mothers Talk 5:06
Side Two
I Believe 4:55
Broken 2:38
Head Over Heels 5:02
Listen 6:53
LP 2
Side Three
Shout (Alternative Mix) 5:08 (First time on vinyl)
The Working Hour (Piano Version) 2:08 (First time on vinyl)
Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Alternative Single Version) 4:21 (First time on vinyl)
Mothers Talk (Early Mix) 4:39 (First time on vinyl)
Side Four
I Believe (A Soulful Re- Recording) 4:42
Broken (Demo) 5:39 (First time On vinyl)
Head Over Heels (Chris Hughes 7″ Edit) 4:16
Listen (Clean Intro) (First time on vinyl)
CD 1: Original Album + B-sides
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
8 Listen 6:53
The Big Chair 3:21 (B-side to Shout)
Empire Building 2:52 (B-side to Mothers Talk)
The Marauders 4:15 (B-side to The Way You Are)
Broken Revisited 5:16 (Bonus track on the ltd ed of Songs From The Big Chair)
The Conflict 4:04 (B-side to Change)
The Working Hour (Piano Version) 2:08
15 Pharaohs 3:41 (B-side to Everybody Wants To Rule The World)
When In Love With A Blind Man 2:23 (B-side to Head Over Heels)
Sea Song 3:53 (B-side to I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording) in the UK and to the re-recorded version of Mothers Talk in the US)
CD 2: Edited Songs From The Big Chair
The Way You Are 4:55
Mothers Talk (Short Version) 3:54
Shout (Alternative Version) 6:00
Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Single Version) 4:12
Head Over Heels (Dave Bascombe 7″ N.Mix)
I Believe (A Soulful Re- Recording) 4:42
Everybody Wants To Run The World 4:34
The Way You Are (Edit) 4:21
Mothers Talk (U.S. Remix) 4:14
Shout (U.S. Single Edit) 4:06
Everybody Wants To Run The World (Running Version) 4:33
Head Over Heels (Chris Hughes 7″ Edit)
Mothers Talk (Video Version) 4:47
Shout (7″ Edit) 4:47
Listen (Clean Intro) 6:52
Interview With Curt & Roland 7:36
CD 3: Remixed Songs From The Big Chair
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
54 Thin Lizzy / Nightlife
53 Fine Young Cannibals / The Raw & The Cooked
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 – Still available
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
The much delayed GenesisThe Lamb Lies Down on Broadway box set is finally reissued in 5LP+blu-ray audio and 4CD+blu-ray audio formats. SDEtv unboxing coming later this week.
Peter Hammill / The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971-1986
Peter Hammill of Van der Graaf Generator fame, started his solo career back in 1971 and was signed to both Charisma and Virgin. This box set comprises all 13 albums all newly remastered from the original master tapes, along with new 5.1 and stereo mixes of The Future Now and pH7 by Stephen W Tayler, rare BBC sessions and live recordings and a Blu-ray of rare previously unreleased European television performances.
Canadian singer songwriter Neko Case’s eighth studio album is self-produced and her first new music this decade. She’s touring North American next month.
Kate Bush will release a new compilation next month called Best of The Other Sides.
The Other Sides originally consisted of 12-inch mixes, B-sides and cover versions and took up the entirety of the Remastered in Vinyl IV box set in 2018. It was also available on CD in the second of the two CD box sets that were issued at the same time, and then released as a standalone 4CD set in March 2019.
What is effectively now a ‘highlights’ version doesn’t feature anything new, but there are some small changes. Kate says that ‘Experiment IV’ and ‘You Want Alchemy?’ have been remastered especially for this compilation and “both include a small edit”. Kate adds “I felt ‘Experiment IV’ would benefit from a longer intro featuring Alan Murphy’s magnificent guitar”.
Bush also says that The Sensual World CD bonus track ‘Walk Straight Down the Middle’ “has also benefitted from being re-eq’d” (remastered). “Hope you enjoy the tweaks!” is her final message.
Unfortunately, the full tracklisting of Best of The Other Sides has not been made available (update: as of 26 Sep, it’s now officially available – see below) but as well as the tracks above it will include Kate’s covers of ‘Rocket Man’, ‘The Man I Love’ as well as ‘Running Up That Hill’ B-side ‘Under The Ivy’. We do know there is 11 tracks in total, so that leaves five unaccounted for…
It will be released on 180g coloured ‘Lothlorien’ vinyl and on CD on 31 October 2025, via Fish People. You can ordered the coloured vinyl from the SDE shop.
8CD box set of Dylan’s early years • 2CD and 4LP highlights
Through The Open Window is the latest in Bob Dylan’s long-running Bootleg Series – Vol 18, in fact – and it covers the years 1956-1963, telling the story of Dylan’s emergence and maturation as a songwriter and performer, from Minnesota to the Greenwich Village bohemia of the early 1960s.
The 8CD box set version of this release includes rare Columbia Records outtakes, recordings made at club dates, in tiny informal gatherings, in friends’ apartments, and at jam sessions in long-gone musicians’ hangouts. Many of the recordings are exceedingly rare; others have never been presented in any form.
Through The Open Window – Bootleg Series Vol 18: 1956-1963 – 8CD box set (click image to enlarge)
These are Dylan’s early years, when he honed his talent, and transformed traditional folk songs and lyric sketches into songs, including ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ and ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’’. It concludes with a previously unreleased recording, in its entirety, of Dylan’s landmark concert at Carnegie Hall on 26 October 1963 – a concert also marked the end of the beginning of Dylan’s long career.
In total, the 8CD set includes a massive 139 tracks – with 48 never-before released performances – and it includes a 125-page hardcover book with extensive liner notes by Sean Wilentz and over 100 rare photographs. The 2CD and 4LP ‘highlight’ editions include 42 tracks.
Through The Open Window – Bootleg Series Vol 18: 1956-1963 will be released via Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings on 31 October 2025.
Propaganda’s classic 1985 debut album A Secret Wish is being reissued as an SDE exclusive blu-ray audio and features brand new Dolby Atmos, 5.1 and Stereo mixes by David Kosten.
A CD box set called A Secret Sense of Rhythm, A Secret Sense of Sin will also be available. This expands the album offers rare remixes and live tracks across six discs. Finally a vinyl LP edition featuring David Kosten’s new stereo mix, will also be available.
Formed in Düsseldorf in 1982, Propaganda signed with ZTT Records in 1983 and released their first single ‘Dr Mabuse’ in 1984. The album was written by Mertens and Dörper and received considerable critical acclaim when released in early July 1985 and peaked at #16 on the UK Albums Chart.
Other singles from A Secret Wish include ‘Duel‘, which reached #21 in the UK singles chart and ‘p:Machinery‘ which was issued a month after the album’s original release.
The album was rebuilt for Dolby Atmos from the multi-track tapes by David Kosten who says “I bought A Secret Wish on the day it was released in 1985 – I still remember playing the vinyl and having a wonderful kind of out-of-body experience on hearing Jewel for the first time. This was music to be immersed in and inspired by, with vast creative ambition and endless sonic bravery”.
This new blu-ray features the Dolby Atmos Mix, as well as his 5.1 mix and stereo versions. All Kosten’s 2025 mixes are based on the original vinyl version of the album (as opposed to the later CD edition).
Additionally, full instrumental versions of the album are available in Atmos, 5.1 and Stereo and there’s also headphones-only binaural versions available as vocal and instrumental versions.
Finally, the original 1985 stereo mixes of A Secret Wish are included on this disc in vinyl and CD variants
Audio stream summary:
A Secret Wish 2025 Atmos Mix
A Secret Wish 2025 5.1 Mix (96/24)
A Secret Wish 2025 Stereo Mix (96/24)
A Secret Wish 2025 Binaural Mix [headphones-only]
A Secret Wish 2025 Atmos Instrumental Mix (48/24)
A Secret Wish 2025 5.1 Instrumental Mix (96/24)
A Secret Wish 2025 Stereo Mix Instrumental Mix (96/24)
A Secret Wish 2025 Binaural Instrumental Mix [headphones-only]
A Secret Wish 1985 Stereo Mix – Vinyl Version (96/24)
A Secret Wish 1985 Stereo Mix – CD Version (48/24)
A Secret Wish is #51 in the SDE Surround Series. It will be packaged similarly to previous editions and ships with a free, collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase.
A Secret Sense of Rhythm, A Secret Sense of Sin – 6CD box
The 6CD box set was compiled and curated by ZTT expert Ian Peel and brings together the album as well a selection of rare tracks and mixes, including a disc of ‘Singlettes’ (cassette singles) and some live material. Housed in a compact sturdy CD box, the booklet contains a note by Ian on the history of the band and the impact the album has had over the years.
The SDE Blu-ray Audio of A Secret Wish is #51 in the SDE Surround Series and will be packaged in a clear amaray case with a collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase.
Do not miss out. The SDE blu-ray of A Secret Wish is a limited edition and has a 13-day pre-order window, which closes on 29 September 2025. Availability cannot be guaranteed after that date.
*Remember if you bought the Frankie 50 + 51 two x blu-ray bundle, you have already pre-ordered A Secret Wish on blu-ray, since that was the mystery (‘secret’) blu-ray!!*
The blu-ray is released on 31 October, while the box set and the vinyl LP are out on 14 November 2025. All three products are available via the SDE shop (box set is now sold out)
Compare prices and pre-order
Propaganda
A Secret Sense of Rhythm A Secret Sense of Sin - 6CD box
Almost four weeks after the Anthology Collectionwas announced, Apple Corps and UMR have made The Beatles’Anthology 4 available separately, as standalone 2CD and 3LP releases.
By de-coupling Anthology 4 from the 8CD and 12LP vinyl boxes, Apple have effectively addressed the criticism voiced on many forums, including SDE, that it was a step too far to ask people to re-purchase three double albums – even if they are remastered – to get the new one.
2CD version of Anthology 4
Without the ballast of what, for many, would be redundant discs, Anthology 4 can now shine under its own spotlight. Newly curated by Giles Martin, it includes 13 previously unreleased demos and session recordings and other rare tracks. It also features new mixes of the 1995 and 1996 singles ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’. They have been freshened up by original producer, Jeff Lynne, using de-mixed John Lennon vocals (the original ‘Free As A Bird’ music video has also been restored). ‘Now and Then’, the last Beatles song, is also on Anthology 4.
The 2CD version of Anthology 4 is housed in a gatefold digisleeve with a 48 page booklet with tracks notes by Kevin Howlett. The 3LP vinyl version is pressed on 180g vinyl in a triple gatefold sleeve.
Both formats of Anthology 4 are released on 21 November 2025, via UMR, the same day as the Anthology Collection box sets (which are still happening).
Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s 1984 double album Welcome to the Pleasuredome is being reissued as this deluxe 7CD+blu-ray deluxe set and on SDE exclusive blu-ray, amongst other formats.
The album features the three UK No 1 singles ‘Relax‘, ‘Two Tribes‘, and ‘The Power of Love‘ along with the 12 minute album version of the title track which reached No 2 in 1985, in single form. Other highlights include ‘War’, ‘The World Is My Oyster’, ‘Born to Run’ and ‘Black Night White Light’.
This deluxe edition put together for the first time in conjunction with the band, features 28 unreleased tracks and takes the listener on a journey from the band’s earliest demos and BBC Radio One Sessions through the singles (a CD for each!) to the album and beyond. Each disc contains rare and, in most cases, unreleased versions of songs. It comes in 10-inch style packaging (similar to other Universal boxes) and features a 38-page book, with a foreword by yours truly and a detailed timeline by Kevin Foakes aka DJ Food.
Steven Wilson has contributed an a Dolby Atmos mix as well as Stereo and 5.1 mixes for the blu-ray, and the booklet has been designed by Philip Marshall with rare photos and memorabilia and includes a timeline of the band’s rise to fame with input from all members of Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Kevin and Philip both worked on the legendary Inside The Pleasuredome box, back in 2014.
The SDE exclusive blu-ray replicates the box set blu-ray and adds exclusive content including instrumental versions of the album in Atmos, 5.1 and Stereo, instrumental versions of the six blu-ray bonus tracks (also in Atmos, 5.1 and Stereo) and a unique 12-inch stereo mix of the song ‘Welcome to the Pleasure Dome’, called the ‘Supernova‘ mix. Created by Steven Wilson, this runs for exactly 30 minutes!
SDE blu-ray audio stream summary
2025 Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos MIx
2025 Steven Wilson 5.1 Mix (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson Stereo Mix (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Instrumental Mix* (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson 5.1 Instrumental Mix* (48/24)
2025 Steven Wilson Stereo Instrumental Mix* (48/24)
1984 Stereo Mix (96/24)
6 Bonus tracks in all Atmos, 5.1 and Stereo (48/24)
6 Bonus tracks as Instrumentals (Atmos, 5.1, Stereo)* (48/24)
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome (Supernova) – 30 min Steven Wilson remix* (48/24)
*Unavailable anywhere else
This is #50 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series. The SDE blu-ray also has a reversible sleeve, which displays the Lo Cole illustration as used on the vinyl album cover, but can be switched for the cassette photo cover!
Do not miss out. The SDE blu-ray is a limited edition and has a 14-day pre-order window, which closes on 29 September 2025. Availability cannot be guaranteed after that date. Order from the SDE shop using this link or the button below. Any questions, please ask and I will try to help.
Welcome to the Pleasuredome will be released on 31 October 2025, via UMR.
