Steely Dan’s fifth album, The Royal Scam, will be reissued on vinyl in June.
The 1976 long-player features the tremendous ‘Kid Charlemagne’ and ‘The Fez’. Another single, ‘Haitian Divorce’ was a surprise top 20 hit in the UK, the only time the band achieved this feat.
The Royal Scam concludes Universal’s Steely Dan vinyl reissue campaign which started a few years ago. All seven albums, issued between 1972 and 1980, have been made available on black vinyl.
The Royal Scam is reissued on vinyl on 6 June 2025, via UMR.
The weekend before last, SDE was in Den Bosch in The Netherlands for Record Planet’s biannual record fair – the biggest in the world.
What’s it like, how big actually is it and what kind of bargains and collectibles can you pick up? All that and more is answered in this SDEtv video which explains where it is, how to get there (from the UK) and takes you through SDE’s purchases from 12-13 April. Enjoy and feel free to leave any questions in the comments. A year ago I published my Den Bosch Diary which will also give you a further insight into the record fair.
Quick pre-order link. Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel’s The Best Years of Our Lives also announced on SDE exclusive blu-ray today!
Mike Oldfield’s 1974 album Hergest Ridge – his follow up to Tubular Bells – will be issued on SDE exclusive blu-ray audio in June.
Released in August ’74, the album topped the UK charts for three weeks and like its predecessor, has two long instrumental movements: ‘Part One’ and ‘Part Two’.
Hergest Ridge was demo’d in 1974, then recorded and released in the same year. It was then remixed in Quad for the 1976 ‘Boxed’ set and in 2010 remixed again by Mike Oldfield in both 5.1 surround sound and stereo. David Kosten has recently completed new mixes in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 and stereo. Incredibly, all EIGHT of these versions of the album are included on the SDE exclusive blu-ray, with the Atmos Mix available additionally as a ‘Binaural’ version for headphones-only (compatible with all headphones).
2025 David Kosten Dolby Atmos Mix* (48/24)
2025 David Kosten 5.1 Surround Mix* (96/24)
2025 David Kosten Stereo Mix* (96/24)
2020 David Kosten Binaural Mix [Headphones only]* (48/24)
2010 Mike Oldfield 5.1 Surround Mix
2010 Mike Oldfield Stereo Mix
1976 Quad Mix
1974 Original Stereo Mix
1974 Demo
*Only available physically on this product
The SDE exclusive blu-ray ships with the collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase
The blu-ray is presented in a clear amaray blu-ray case and will ship with a collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase.
This Hergest Ridge release is a region-free blu-ray audio and is #41 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series. Don’t miss out. This product is a limited edition and the pre-order window closes on 6 May 2025. Availability cannot be guaranteed after that date, so secure your copy today by pre-ordering at the SDE shop, either directly via this link or using the special SDE shop buy button below. We ship worldwide.
As well as the SDE exclusive blu-ray a half-speed mastered 2LP vinyl set is available that pairs the original 1974 mix, remastered by Miles Showell and for the first time on vinyl Mike Oldfield’s 2010 stereo mix.
This Mike Oldfield Hergest Ridge blu-ray release is a collaboration between SDE and UMR and will be released on 27 June 2025. Please note that #42 in the SDE Surround Series is also announced today: Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel’s 1975 album The Best Years of Our Lives. Two blu-ray bundles are available.
Tracklisting
Hergest Ridge Mike Oldfield/SDE exclusive blu-ray
2025 David Kosten Dolby Atmos Mix*
2025 David Kosten 5.1 Surround Mix*
2025 David Kosten Stereo Mix*
2020 David Kosten Binaural Mix [Headphones only]*
2010 Mike Oldfield 5.1 Surround Mix
2010 Mike Oldfield Stereo Mix
1976 Quad Mix
1974 Original Stereo Mix
1974 Demo
Quick pre-order link. Mike Oldfield’s Hergest Ridge also announced on SDE exclusive blu-ray today!
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel’s 1975 album The Best Years of Our Lives will be reissued on SDE exclusive blu-ray audio, in June.
Recorded at Abbey Road and Air Studios in late 1974, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons, the album features the UK number one single ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)‘ and it’s top 20 follow-up, ‘Mr. Raffles (Man, It Was Mean)’.
Cockney Rebel (this was the first album where Harley added his name before the band) were Jim Cregan on guitar, George Ford on bass, Ducan Mackay on piano/keyboards and Stuart Elliot on drums. Tina Charles and Linda Lewis were amongst the five backing vocalists.
Alan Parsons has revisited this album and created brand new Dolby Atmos, 5.1 and Stereo mixes, as well as an instrumental mix. All four audio streams include ‘Make Me Smile’ B-side ‘Another Journey’. A non-limited Miles Showell 2025 remaster of the original mix features on this exclusive blu-ray, as does 14 tracks from a Hammersmith Odeon live performance in 1975.
Audio streams on the SDE exclusive blu-ray of The Best Years of Our Lives:
2025 Alan Parsons Dolby Atmos Mix*
2025 Alan Parsons 5.1 Mix (96/24)*
2025 Alan Parsons Stereo Mix (96/24)*
2025 Alan Parsons Stereo Instrumental Mix* (96/24)
1975 Original Stereo Mix (Non-limited 2025 Remaster by Miles Showell) (96/24)
Live at Hammersmith 1975 (96/24 stereo)
*Only available physically on this product
The SDE exclusive blu-ray ships with the collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase
The blu-ray is presented in a clear amaray blu-ray case and will ship with a collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase.
The Best Years of Our Lives release is a region-free blu-ray audio and is #42 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series. Don’t miss out. This product is a limited edition and the pre-order window closes on 6 May 2025. Availability cannot be guaranteed after that date, so secure your copy today by pre-ordering at the SDE shop, either directly via this link or using the special SDE shop buy button below. We ship worldwide.
As well as the SDE exclusive blu-ray a 2CD+DVD deluxe edition (in mediabook packaging) will be available. This offers the new Alan Parsons stereo remix on CD 1, a disc of unreleased outtakes & rarities on CD 2 and rare video content on the DVD. There is also a half-speed mastered vinyl edition of the original mix of the album.
This Best Years of Our Lives blu-ray release is a collaboration between SDE and Chrysalis and will be released on 20 June 2025. Please note that #41 in the SDE Surround Series is also announced today. It’s another 70s classic, Mike Oldfield’sHergest Ridge. Two-blu-ray bundles are available.
Tracklisting
The Best Years of Our LivesSteve Harley & Cockney Rebel/SDE exclusive blu-ray
2025 Alan Parsons Dolby Atmos Mix*
2025 Alan Parsons 5.1 Mix (96/24)*
2025 Alan Parsons Stereo Mix (96/24)*
2025 Alan Parsons Stereo Instrumental Mix* (96/24)
1975 Original Stereo Mix (Non-limited 2025 Remaster by Miles Showell) (96/24)
Introducing “The Best Years”
The Mad, Mad Moonlight
Mr Raffles
It Wasn’t Me
Panorama
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
Back To The Farm
49th Parallel
The Best Years Of Our Lives
Another Journey (B-side)
Live at Hammersmith 1975 (96/24 stereo)
The Mad, Mad Moonlight
Hideaway
Panorama
Sweet Dreams
Sebastian
Mr Raffles
Back To The Farm
49th Parallel
Death Trip
Judy Teen
Mr Soft
The Best Years Of Our Lives
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
Tumbling Down
CD 1: Alan Parsons Stereo Mix
Introducing “The Best Years”
The Mad, Mad Moonlight
Mr Raffles
It Wasn’t Me
Panorama
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
Back To The Farm
49th Parallel
The Best Years Of Our Lives
Another Journey (B-Side)*
CD 2: Outtakes & Rarities
Another Journey (Early Version) *
It Wasn’t Me (Outtake) *
The Mad, Mad Moonlight (Rehearsal Version) *
Back To The Farm (Instrumental Rehearsal) *
49th Parallel (Rehearsal) *
Panorama (Vocal Run Through) *
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) (False Start) *
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) (Rough Mix) *
Another Journey (Acoustic Demo) *
The Best Years Of Our Lives (Rehearsal Version) *
The Best Years Of Our Lives (Acoustic Demo) *
*Previously unreleased
DVD
Between The Lines Documentary – Live at Hammersmith Odeon, 14th April 1975
Star Rider – Live at Hammersmith Odeon, 14th April 1975
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) – Promo Video / TOTP
Live at Hammersmith Odeon, 14th April 1975 – Audio
Prince’stimeless 1984 album Purple Rain has been mixed in Dolby Atmos and is released on blu-ray audio. An exclusive SDE edition with a specially-designed slipcase is available via the SDE shop.
The Cure will release Mixes of a Lost World in June, an album of remixes of songs from last year’s acclaimed Songs of a Lost World.
Standard 2CD and 2LP editions will feature brand new remixes from the likes of Four Tet, Paul Oakenfold, Orbital and more. Both discs feature all eight tracks from the album in remixed form. Deluxe three-disc sets (3LP and 3CD) add additional remixes and reworks from Chino Moreno (Deftones), Mogwai and 65daysofstatic, among others. The third bonus disc adds all eight tracks from the album, giving you three versions of the record in remixed form.
Mixes of a Lost World 3CD deluxe edition
The 3LP set is half-speed mastered and comes with a poster, as does the 3CD edition. Both versions (two-disc and three-disc) are available on cassette, which is exclusive to The Cure’s shop.
Mixes of a Lost World will be released on 13 June 2025 via Polydor. All The Cure’s recording royalties will benefit the WarChild charity.
Bryan Ferry’s 13th studio album, Olympia, will be reissued next month on CD and vinyl.
Originally released in 2010, Olympia includes contributions from Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay, David Gilmour and Nile Rodgers. The single ‘You Can Dance’ was co-written with Dave A. Stewart of Eurythmics fame. Bryan told SDE earlier this year that Dave was “a real character. But he’s very throw away in his approach… whereas I want to get it finished. When we did ‘You Can Dance’, it started off as a country and western kind of track and I turned it into something with a different feel altogether”.
The album features model Kate Moss on the front cover and at the time of release was available in various editions including a CD+DVD deluxe with two bonus tracks and some video content. A large format super deluxe added a bonus CD of remixes. A Vinyl Factory pressed 200g deluxe vinyl was also available.
Olympia available on 180g red vinyl
For 2025, the new CD edition effectively replicates the old deluxe but loses the DVD. So the two bonus audio tracks are the same: ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’ and ‘One Night’. A new LP version is pressed on 180g red vinyl. Bryan Ferry has overseen updated artwork for both formats (this appears to be minor).
Simultaneously, with Olympia is a reissue of Ferry’s 1999 album As Time Goes By, a collection of cover versions of popular songs and jazz standards. Like Olympia this record was co-produced with Rhett Davies. No bonus tracks on CD this time, just the 15 songs that were originally on the album. The LP reissue is pressed on 180g ‘honey gold’ vinyl.
Olympia and As Time Goes By are reissued on 30 May 2025 via BMG.
After the apparent sacking of Who drummer Zak Starkey – much publicised a few days ago – the band have now confirmed that Zak “has not been asked to step down from The Who”.
Frontman Roger Daltrey had complained on stage at the band’s recent Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall about the drums, stopping ‘The Song is Over’ saying: “To sing that song I do need to hear the key, and I can’t. All I’ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can’t sing to that. I’m sorry guys.”
It sounded more like a sound mix problem in Daltrey’s ear monitor rather than Starkey doing anything wrong, but an explanation has been posted on The Who’s social accounts, written by Pete Townshend where he says that he “takes some responsibility for the confusion” adding “maybe we didn’t put enough time into the sound checks, giving us problems on stage”.
Zak isn’t let off the hook entirely, with Pete saying he “made a few mistakes and he has apologised”. Townshend also points out that “Roger and I would like Zak to tighten up his latest evolved drumming style to accommodate our non-orchestral line-up and he has readily agreed”.
In summary, Pete says: “We are a family, this blew up very quickly and got too much oxygen. It’s over. We move forward now with optimism and fire in our bellies”.
The Who’s next scheduled live dates are in Italy in August. Roger Daltrey is currently playing solo shows in the UK with Scott Devours on drums.
Robin Trower’s third album, For Earth Below, is being reissued for its 50th anniversary.
Released in 1975, it built on the success of his previous album Bridge of Sighs, reaching No 5 on the Billboard chart in the USA.
50th anniversary 4CD media book edition
In terms of the reissue, a 4CD media book edition features a remastered version of the original 1975 mix, a new unearth ‘extended’ stereo remix, a disc of outtakes and rarities and a newly mixed concert from LA available in its entirety for the first time. Notes are from David Sinclair including interviews with Robin Trower and Bill Lordan. A 2LP vinyl edition pairs the remastered original mix with the new extended stereo mix.
For Earth Below will be issued on 27 June 2025, via Chrysalis.
Horslips at the BBC is a forthcoming CD box set that comprises live performances, BBC TV footage and rare archival material.
The band emerged in the early 1970s, forging their ‘Celtic Rock’ sound, drawing from Irish traditional music and British/American rock. This new box set comprises 4CDs and a DVD starting in the early 1970s and including performances from the 2010s when the band were active again.
CD 1 includes performances from Radio 1’s In Concert, The Old Grey Whistle Test, Radio 1’s Sounds of the 70’s, 2nd House (BBC 2) and Radio 1’s John Peel Show
CD 2 largely focuses on a 1979 In Concert performance for Radio 1, but adds an unplugged ‘comeback’ session from 2010 and a BBC Northern Ireland performance of ‘Sideways To The Sun’ from 2019.
CD 3 showcases a 2011 performance with the Ulster Orchestra at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, in a previously unreleased BBC Radio Ulster ‘broadcast mix’.
CD 4 offers 1979 ‘working mixes’ of the album Short Stories, Tall Tales, recorded at Dublin’s Windmill Lane. Apparently recently discovered, these illustrate a band in transition, shifting from the US FM rock to a spikier, sharper British New Wave sound.
The final disc is a DVD that brings together clips from The Old Grey Whistle Test, 1974 documentary material and fan footage of two songs from the 2011 Waterfront Hall concert (synced to the official BBC audio).
This set comes as a hardcover book package with notes by Mark Cunningham, BBC producer Jeff Griffin and Colin Harper. Mastering comes courtesy of Eroc in Germany and band associate Cormac O’Kane who mastered 2023’s massive More Than You Can Chew box.
Horslips at the BBC will be released on 4 July 2025 (was 30 May), via Madfish.
This 8CD set features newly mastered albums released between 1994 and 2004 along with three bonus CDs of B-sides, remixes, edits and rarities. The albums in question are:
The Living Return (1994)
Shapes And Patterns (1997)
Filth And Dreams (1999)
Somewhere in the Night (2001)
Where Our Love Grows (2004)
This set has been compiled in conjunction with Corinne Drewery and Andy Connell and the booklet features notes from John Earls. The packaging will be the same as before and a third SOS box in this series has been confirmed!
Certain Shades Of Limelight will be released on 18 July 2025 (was 27 June), via Cherry Pop.
Get ready for tomorrow’s Record Store Day by watching this special SDE preview featuring a selection of the exclusive releases. What is on your list? Let us know via the comments.
Pulp will release More, their first studio album in almost 24 years, this June.
The 11-track album was recorded in November and December last year by producer James Ford and according to Jarvis Cocker, “this is the shortest amount of time a Pulp album has ever taken to record. It was obviously ready to happen”.
Dedicated to Steve Mackey, the album is available to pre-order on various coloured vinyl editions (blue, green etc.) and also CD and cassette.
More is released on 6 June 2025 via Rough Trade Records.
Nick Drake’s debut album Five Leaves Left will be issued as a four-disc box set called The Making Of Five Leaves Left, in July.
The album was released by Island Records in 1969 and was produced by Joe Boyd. The new box sets comes in 4CD and 4LP vinyl variants (identical tracklistings) and include unaccompanied demos, studio outtakes and previously unheard songs. There’s over 30 previously unheard outtakes, in total. The whole set has been mastered by John Wood.
4CD box set of The Making of Five Leaves Left
The box sets come with a 60-page book, printed on textured paper stock and is written by Hidden Masters’ Neil Storey (in collaboration with Richard Morton-Jack) who worked for Island back in the day. The book includes full track recording details and recording history.
The Making Of Five Leaves Left will be released on 25 July 2025 via UMR.
This September, The Divine Comedy will release a new album called Rainy Sunday Afternoon.
It was recorded at Abbey Road in the autumn of 2024 and is the band’s first studio album since 2019’s Office Politics. Not that Neil Hannon hasn’t been busy, since then…There was the excellent 24CD box set Venus, Cupid, Folly & Time (SDEtv unboxing, here) and Neil recently contributed the original songs to the film ‘Wonka’.
Neil Hannon says: “My musical output is, for better or worse, a representation of my personality. A good chunk of that personality revels in the rumbumptious; celebrates the silly. And I made ample use of that for the Wonka songs”. He continues, “I have, though, like everyone, a darker, more melancholy side. And for one reason or another it has been much in evidence of late. I needed to use this album as an outlet for those feelings. To work through some stuff. Mortality; memories; relationships; political and social upheaval. Everyone should get to make an orchestral pop album once in awhile. It should be available on the NHS.”
‘Achilles’ from Rainy Sunday Afternoon
The 11-track album is available to pre-order now from the band’s official shop as a 2CD deluxe with bonus disc ‘Live in Paris & London’ – a collection of deep cuts and fan favourites from 2022’s celebratory career-spanning shows. There’s also a green coloured vinyl and a deluxe vinyl in casebound book packaging which comes black vinyl and the bonus CD (but not a CD of the album). Signed bundles are also available.
Rainy Sunday Afternoon will be released on 19 September 2025. The track listing has not been published, as yet.
London Records mark 40 years of Bronski Beat’s single I Feel Love – a collaboration with Marc Almond – with a brand new CD single.
The song originally featured on the Age of Consent album in ’84 and was then remixed for the 1985 Hundreds of Thousands remix album, with new vocals from Almond, and released as a single. It peaked at No 3 on the UK chart.
This standalone CD single features 10 tracks and is different from the SDE exclusive CD single of ‘I Feel Love’ that was available exclusively from the SDE shop last year, with certain formats of The Age of Consent. The tracks are as follows:
I Feel Love (with Marc Almond)
First Church (Feel More Love)
I Feel Love (Early Version)
I Feel Love (Promo Dub Mix)
I Feel Love (with Marc Almond) (Cake Mix)
I Feel Love (Fruit Mix)
Puit D’Amour
The Potato Fields
Signs (And Wonders)
I Feel Love (with Marc Almond) (7” Version)
The ‘Promo Dub Mix‘ and ‘First Church (Feel More Love)‘ are previously unreleased. This CD single is limited to 1000 units and comes in a high gloss card wallet with new cover art.
It’s available to order from the band’s official shop and is released today, via London Records.
The Smashing Pumpkins’ 1993 classic presented as a 2LP set on 180g vinyl in original packaging. Features ‘Today’, ‘Disarm’ and ‘Cherub Rock’, although you probably knew that. Red vinyl ‘RSD Essentials’ version also available.
Orbital’s self-titled second album, known as ‘The Brown Album’, is being reissued across a number of formats, in May.
Released in 1993, it features tracks such as ‘Halcyon + On + On’, ‘Impact (The Earth Is Burning)’ and ‘Lush 3-1’ and ‘Lush 3-2’.
Two box sets are available: a 4LP vinyl package and a 4CD box, both large format. They come with a 60-page hardcover book (which features notes by Andrew Harrison), two A6 flyers and a sticker. The vinyl is cut at half speed, although it’s not clear if that extends to the two bonus LPs in the box (which additionally comes with a slipmat for your turntable). The CD box offers 22 bonus tracks, the 4LP set, delivers 11 bonus tracks (see full tracklistings, below).
4CD box set comes with a 60-page book and folio for the four discs
An album-only 2LP set is available on black vinyl and coloured variants and there’s also a 2CD set and a cassette available. The 2CD version is simply the first two discs from the 4CD box.
The Brown Album is reissued on 23 May via London Records. The official shop is offering signed prints with either of the box set editions.
Claudia Brücken – of Propaganda and xPropaganda fame – will release her fourth studio album, Night Mirror, in July. The new album will be available across various formats, including an SDE-exclusive blu-ray audio which features a David Kosten Dolby Atmos Mix (amongst other audio streams).
Written and recorded in London between 2023-2025 with longtime collaborator John Williams, Night Mirror is a fantastic album, one that personally I spent weeks listening to and loving before coming to the decision to make this number 40 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series. Songs include the driving pop of ‘Rosebud’, (the first track available) the dark textures and crunch of ‘Sound And The Fury’, the warm glow and nostalgia of ‘The Only Ones’, the electronica of ‘Shadow Dancer’ (which has some very Pet Shop Boys-sounding synths!) and the yearning ballad ‘To Be Loved’. The production is brilliant – very layered which really lends itself to Atmos and 5.1.
For the uninitiated, Claudia Brücken first came to notice as the lead singer of Düsseldorf electronic music pioneers Propaganda, one of the first signings to ZTT Records. Propaganda enjoyed chart success with singles such as ‘Dr Mabuse’ and ‘Duel’ and their 1985 debut, A Secret Wish, is a classic, landmark electronic pop album. In 2022, with Susanne Freytag, Claudia formed xPropaganda and together with producer Stephen Lipson made the album The Heart Is Strange, which was No 2 in the SDE Surround Series and reached No 11 in the UK charts.
This project brings together a team of brilliant contributors that SDE has worked with before, including designer Philip Marshall who is responsible for the artwork (Philip did xPropaganda and worked on the Frankie Goes To Hollywood reissues put out by Salvo in the 2010s), David Kosten (whose Atmos Mixes for SDE include Paul Young’sNo Parlez and the Thompson TwinsInto The Gap) and Demon Music who worked with us on the Paul Young and Suede SDE Surround Series blu-rays.
The SDE exclusive blu-ray of Night Mirror features the following content:
Night Mirror – Dolby Atmos Mix
Night Mirror – 5.1 Surround Mix
Night Mirror – Stereo Mix
Night Mirror – Binaural Mix (headphones only)
Night Mirror – Dolby Atmos Instrumental Mix
Night Mirror – 5.1 Instrumental Mix
Night Mirror – Stereo Instrumental Mix
Night Mirror – Binaural Instrumental Mix
David Kosten’s Atmos Mix is very immersive, making full use of all the channels and the three dimensional space. We’re still looking for ways to make these blu-rays even better; trying to deliver great content, so for the first time on an SDE Surround Series release we are including ‘binaural’ mixes of the album (on Night Mirror, in both vocal and instrumental variants). These are for headphones-only. If you plug your headphones into your amplifier/receiver and select the binaural mixes you’ll hear the Atmos Mix over headphones, similar to how it is when you listen to Atmos Mixes via Apple Music. This works with ‘normal’ headphones, you don’t need special ones.
Night Mirror is a region-free blu-ray audio and is #40 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series. It will be packaged in a clear amaray case and ships with a free, collectible SDE Surround Series slipcase.
Because the xPropaganda The Heart Is Strange exclusive blu-ray release was so early in the SDE Surround Series, many people would have missed out, so with that in mind, we are doing a small repress of what was No 2 in the series that is available to order alongside Night Mirror. The Heart Is Strange blu-ray will come with an SDE slipcase, as per the original. The Night Mirror album is also available to pre-order on dark cherry-coloured vinyl LP. Bundles are available.
This Night Mirror blu-ray is exclusive to the SDE shop and is limited to 1500 units and it will be released on 4 July 2025, via Demon Music. Secure your copy by pre-ordering direct on the SDE shop using this link or via the pre-order buttons below.
