Universal Music release Rory Gallagher The BBC Collection, a 20-disc set described as “the definitive collection of Rory Gallagher’s recorded performances at the BBC”. Watch the SDEtv unboxing.
Paul Heaton’s new album is produced Ian Broudie and features 12 new original songs, performed by Paul and his band and a number of special guest singers.
In a rather unusual move, The Beatles 1964 album A Hard Day’s Night is being reissued on coloured vinyl for National Album Day.
I say unusual, because normally Apple Corps and Universal shun Fab Four coloured vinyl reissues and events such as Record Store Day and National Album Day – perhaps the thinking was such gimmicks are beneath them – but not any more, it seems. The thaw came last year with the coloured vinyl versions of both the ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ albums along with the ‘Now and Then’ single, which they went to town with, in terms of coloured vinyl variants (three seven-inch singles and one 12-inch).
The AHard Day’s Night re-release is justified because it’s the album’s 60th anniversary (which was actually back in July) and the record will be pressed on 180g white vinyl. For the first time in a long while, a Beatles reissue doesn’t feature audio newly remixed by Giles Martin. The press release makes so mention of the mastering so we can only presume it’s the 2009 stereo remaster.
Another interesting aspect to this reissue is that it is not available to pre-order anywhere. You can only buy it on National Album Day – on the 19th October – and after that date.
New single from Tears For Fears
Tears For Fears have released – let’s just say ‘made available’ – the song Astronaut from their forthcoming album Songs For A Nervous Planet. It’s one of four studio tracks on what is of course primarily a live album. The song was written by Roland Orzabal and Charlton Pettus and features backing vocals by Lauren Evans. It was produced by the band and Charlton Pettus. Let us know what you think of ‘Astronaut’.
By the way, the pre-order window for the limited SDE-exclusive blu-ray of the album closed a while back, but if you are after a copy you can add yourself to the waiting list by visiting the product listing on the SDE shop and clicking the ‘tell me if you get more stock’ button (if you don’t see this button, please try an alternate browser). We’ll inevitably get some cancellations and so there will almost certainly be some availability, in a few weeks, when it’s released (on 25 October).
Sticking with Tears For Fears, don’t forget about the concert film Tears For Fears Live (A Tipping Point Film). It’s coming to cinemas worldwide on Thursday, Oct 24 and Saturday, Oct 26. For tickets and locations visit https://tearsforfearsfilm.com/. Below is a taster: Head Over Heels.
Jethro Tull’s 2003 Christmas album has been remixed and expanded for a reissue in early December. The Jethro Tull Christmas Album, now has the subtitle ‘Fresh Snow At Christmas’ and will be available as a 4CD+blu-ray deluxe set or on double vinyl.
The album includes new interpretations of seven Tull songs, including 1968’s ‘A Christmas Song’ (the B-side of the single, ‘Love Story’). This festive offering was also the last studio set to feature longtime guitarist Martin Barre, who composed the closing instrumental ‘A Winter Snowscape’.
“Some of the tracks are not necessarily Christmas songs; they’re more seasonal so that gives a broader window,” says Ian Anderson. “And then there are a couple of them that I quite often play in the middle of summer and say, ‘It’ll soon be Christmas – it’s in the diary. So let’s kick it off now.’ And that’s part of what I’ve done over the years since October of 1968 when I went into record ‘A Christmas Song’. So, yes – it goes back a long way.”
The Jethro Tull Christmas Album – 4CD+blu-ray deluxe (click image to enlarge)
Bruce Soord (of The Pineapple Thief) has remixed the album in stereo, 5.1 and Dolby Atmos and this deluxe set also offers Christmas Live At St. Bride’s 2008 (also newly mixed by Soord) and the previouslly unreleased The Ian Anderson Band Live At St. Bride’s 2006.
The blu-ray obviously features the Atmos and 5. 1 mixes of the studio album but also contains hi-res stereo mixes of the album and both live recordings.
The 2LP set features the new stereo remix of The Jethro Tull Christmas Album and marks the debut of this album on vinyl. There’s a special clear vinyl edition called ‘Pearlescent Sunrise’ available via some retailers.
The Jethro Tull Christmas Album: Fresh Snow At Christmas will be released on 6 December 2024 via InsideOut Music.
Yes, it’s that time of year again! Does anyone really need another compilation of festive pop songs? Probably not, but we’re getting one anyway and there’s some mild interest here, in that the new NOW That’s What I Call Christmas compilation is adopting the Yearbook approach, with 3LP coloured vinyl editions and two 4CD sets, including a deluxe hardcover book edition.
Beyond that it’s fairly much what you’d expect, albeit quite generous with 87 Christmas songs on the 4CD sets including Wham!, Boney M., Shakin’ Stevens, Cliff, Chris Rea (stuck in his car, again), the Pretenders, Elton, The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl, Greg Lake, Mud, Jona Lewie, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Pet Shop Boys, Paul Young, The Flying Pickets, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and more!
4CD in deluxe hardcover book
As a big Kate Bush fan it’s disappointing that ‘December Will Be Magic Again’ (either in ‘Bongo’ or standard versions) is missing, but we know Kate’s music doesn’t often get approved for licensing. That is particularly stupid in this case, it has to be said. So her publishers say something like: “Kate, you know that song you wrote for people to listen to and enjoy at Christmas?”. “Yes…”. “Is it okay if ‘NOW’ put it on a Christmas compilation, for people to listen to and enjoy at Christmas?” Kate: “No”. “Er, okay…”.
NOW That’s What I Call Christmas will be released on 1 November 2024.
Compare prices and pre-order
Various Artists
NOW Thats What I Call Christmas - 4CD deluxe in hardcover book format
In November, Joan Armatrading will release How Did This Happen And What Does It Now Mean, the British singer-songwriter’s 21st studio album.
The album – entirely written, produced, programmed and engineered by Joan herself – features ‘I’m Not Moving’. Joan wrote this track immediately after witnessing some alarmingly confrontational public behaviour by a young person. She explains the scenario:
He was like ‘I’m going to kill everybody! I’m not moving! You can get the police! You can’t move me!’ All the lyrics just flowed, in one, and I knew it had to have an aggression, because that’s how he was. I did a version of it that was a little bit milder, but you could tell that wasn’t it.
Joan Armatrading
The album was recorded this year and features two instrumemtals, showcasing Armatrading’s talents as a guitarist.
How Did This Happen And What Does It Now Mean is released on 22 November 2024, via BMG. Signed CD and vinyl editions are available via the Joan Armatrading official shop.
UFO’s seventh album Obsession will be reissued in November as vinyl and CD deluxe editions.
The 1978 album was the last to feature Michael Schenker, until his return to the band in the ’90s. For this re-release the album has been newly mastered from the original production tapes transfers (at AIR Mastering).
Both 2CD and 3LP vinyl editionsoffer a previously unreleased 2024 Mix of Live at The Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, which originally featured within the classic Strangers In The Night live album. This has been newly mixed by engineer Brian Kehew, from the original multi-track tapes.
3LP reissue of Obsession
The 180g vinyl package comes in a tri-fold sleeve. Notes are by Michael Hann featuring interviews with Phil Mogg, Andy Parker and Michael Schenker.
Obsession will be released on 22 November 2024, via Chrysalis.
Joni MItchell/Archives Vol 4: The Asylum Years 1976-1980CD, Vinyl
The fourth volume of Joni Mitchell’s ongoing Archives series is released. ‘The Asylum Years 1976-1980’ Archives Vol. 4 features live tracks, songs from her 1979 tour and unreleased studio sessions and alternate versions of tracks from the albums Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter and Mingus.
Moon Music is the new album from Coldplay. There’s an emphasis on Eco editions for this campaign with both CD and vinyl available with recycled elements.
Talk Talk / It’s My Life (half-speed mastered vinyl)
To mark its 40th anniversary Talk Talk’sIt’s My Life album has been cut at Half-Speed by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios, overseen by Talk Talk drummer Lee Harris and Charlie Hollis (son of Mark).
Neil Young’s 1974 album On The Beach is being reissued on clear vinyl for its 50th anniversary.
Recorded after Tonight’s The Night, but released before, On The Beach was Young’s fifth studio album and has gained in stature over the years and is now regarded as one of Young’s best records.
It was recorded with an impressive array of musicians, including Crazy Horse’s rhythm section Billy Talbot (bass) and Ralph Molina (drums), along with other key players Ben Keith, Tim Drummond, Levon Helm), Rick Danko, Rusty Kershaw, David Crosby, Graham Nash and George Whitsell.
‘Revolution Blues’ from On The Beach
This album was out of print for a very long time, eventually being issued on CD in 2003. It’s no longer hard to get hold of and the album-only clear vinyl may be a disappointment to some, although Young can hardly be criticised for not releasing enough from his archives!
On The Beach will be reissued on 13 December 2024 (was 8 November), via Reprise.
U2’s 2004 album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb will be reissued for its 20th anniversary in November.
The band’s eleventh studio album was a massive success, with two of its singles, ‘Vertigo’ and ‘Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own’, reaching No 1 in the UK charts, and the other two (‘All Because of You’ and ‘City of Blinding Lights’) both going top five. The album went to number one virtually everywhere and won eight Grammy Awards, including ‘Album of the Year’.
5CD super deluxe of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (click image to enlarge)
This reissue campaign, offers two big box sets: a 5CD super deluxe or an 8LP vinyl super deluxe, that offer the same audio content: the album remastered, a companion album called How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb (featuring unreleased songs), remixes and a live show from Chicago in 2005. The only other formats are a standard single CD remaster (no 2CD set) and a 2LP vinyl edition (album only).
The box sets come with hardback photo books by Anton Corbijn featuring handwritten notes by the photographer and “never-before-seen” photos and 8 prints in a folio sleeve.
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb is re-released on 22 November 2024, via UMR.
Compare prices and pre-order
U2
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - 5CD super deluxe
Songs of a Lost World is the long awaited new album from The Cure, their 14th studio release and the first in 16 years.
The album was written and arranged by Robert Smith and produced by Smith and Paul Corkett. The band is Robert Smith, Simon Gallup (bass), Jason Cooper (drums), Roger O’Donnell (keyboards) and Reeves Gabrels (guitar). You can preview ‘Alone’ from Songs of a Lost World, below.
Alone is the track that unlocked the record; as soon as we had that piece of music recorded I knew it was the opening song, and I felt the whole album come into focus. I had been struggling to find the right opening line for the right opening song for a while, working with the simple idea of ‘being alone’, always in the back of my mind this nagging feeling that I already knew what the opening line should be… as soon as we finished recording I remembered the poem ‘Dregs’ by the English poet Ernest Dowson… and that was the moment when I knew the song – and the album – were real
Robert Smith
The album is being released as a deluxe 2CD+blu-ray set which features bonus instrumentals on the second CD and a blu-ray with a Dolby Atmos Mix & Hi-Res Stereo. There’s also black vinyl, grey marble vinyl, a 2LP half-speed mastered version, standard CD and cassette.
Songs of a Lost World is released on 1 November 2024, via Polydor. No tracklisting has been issued yet.
The 3LP blue vinyl edition delivers 49 tracks across its six sides of vinyl. Full tracklistings are below. Now Yearbook 1977 will be released on 1 November 2024.
The Thompson Twins‘ 1984 album Into The Gap is being reissued for its 40th anniversary and amongst the formats is an SDE-exclusive blu-ray audio which features a David Kosten Dolby Atmos Mix and a wealth of bonus material.
Into The Gap was the Thompson Twins’ fourth album and their second as a three-piece of Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway. Like its predecessor, Quick Step & Side Kick, it was co-produced by the much missed Alex Sadkin, a brilliant mixer and producer who worked with the likes of Grace Jones, Duran Duran, Simply Red, Arcadia and more.
The album was the band’s commercial peak. The first three singles – ‘Hold Me Now‘, ‘Doctor! Doctor!‘, ‘You Take Me Up‘, were all top 5 singles in the UK with ‘Hold Me Now’ reaching No 3 in America and No 1 in the US Dance Chart. A fourth single, ‘Sister of Mercy‘ reached No 11 in Britain and ‘The Gap‘ was released as a single in the USA and Germany. Into The Gap enjoyed a three-week spell at the top of the UK charts and went top 10 in America. It would go on to sell over 5m copies worldwide, including 1m in the US.
The stereo version of the album has been remastered at Abbey Road by Frank Arkwright and David Kosten has created a brand new Dolby Atmos Mix, for the SDE-exclusive blu-ray audio. David’s forensic stereo rebuild and immersive work on Paul Young’sNo Parlez earlier this year was much-praised and you can expect the same with Into The Gap. Here’s some thoughts from David on the mix:
“Massive treat for me to work on Into The Gap in Dolby Atmos. The icing on the cake being Tom Bailey visiting my studio for a listen and to make comments during the process. The original recordings sound so good and are brilliantly produced – all recorded on analogue tape at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, and transferred to digital for me to use at incredibly high resolution. I spent around a month rebuilding the album mixes from the individual parts on the multitracks, with as many of the original nuances, pan positions, effects and mix intentions retained as possible.
And then onto mixing in Atmos – my mission was to really make use of all the speaker options, including lots of action in the centre, rear and overhead speakers, whilst maintaining the flow and integrity of the original stereo mixes. The music is often complex and multi-layered, so this was a perfect opportunity to hear all the lovely details and individual parts more clearly by opening up the tracks fully into the space.
Being a total synth nerd it was awesome to hear all those great analogue tones and finally figure out how they managed to make certain parts work by layering multiple patches. The solo in ‘Doctor Doctor’ for instance – split across different synths, now opened up both left to right and front to back. A really distinctive part of what made TT so big was the unique layering of backing vocals, shared between Tom, Alannah and Joe’s very different voices – and again here it was a no-brainer to allow these to have their own spaces around the listening space. All the percussion elements were recorded on separate tracks too, and these often worked a treat being placed around the room”. – David Kosten
There are three formats of the 40th anniversary of Into The Gap on offer: a 3CD deluxe with 30 bonus tracks, a red vinyl remaster (album-only) and the SDE-exclusive blu-ray. I’m pleased to say that the blu-ray includes all 30 bonus tracks in stereo (cassette mixes, single edits, B-sides, 12″ mixes) as well as offering the 1984 album in the following streams:
David Kosten 2024 Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24)
David Kosten 2024 5.1 Mix (96/24)
David Kosten 2024 Stereo Mix (96/24)
David Kosten 2024 Dolby Atmos Instrumental Mix (96/24)
David Kosten 2024 5.1 Instrumental Mix (96/24)
2024 Stereo Remaster (by Frank Arkwright) (96/24)
1984 Original Stereo Mix (48/24)
Plus 30 stereo bonus tracks! (48/24)
Deluxe packaging and four discs worth of content in the SDE-exclusive blu-ray (click to enlarge)
The blu-ray is presented in deluxe rigid board packaging, the same as used for Richard Wright’s Wet Dream blu-ray last year, and not the usual amaray case. However, these will ship with the collectible SDE slipcase and – don’t worry – it will look consistent on the shelf! The premium packaging and the level of content means that #29 in the SDE Surround Series has a slightly higher price tag than normal, although we are confident that this is still tremendous value for the four discs worth of content that you are getting (there’s some savings to be made if you opt for the vinyl+blu-ray bundle).
All the physical formats feature restored artwork and new sleeve notes, written by John Earls and features contributions from all three band members.
Into The Gap SDE-exclusive blu-ray will released on 6 December 2024. The 3CD and vinyl are available slightly earlier on 22 November (was 8 November).
Do not miss out. This product is a limited edition and has a 10 day pre-order window, which closes on 5 October 2024. Availability cannot be guaranteed after that date. The blu-ray is available only via the SDE shop. You can pre-order via this link or by using the buttons below. Blu-ray + vinyl bundles are available.
Echo & The Bunnymen’s 1999 studio album What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? will be reissued for its 25th anniversary, in November.
The band’s eighth album was the follow-up to their 1997 comeback album Evergreen (reissued in 2022) which saw original Bunnymen members Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant and Les Pattison reunite in the studio for the first time in almost a decade.
After ‘Evergreen’ I was writing all this kind of stuff, and I thought, we’re just going to go in there, and half of it will be very song-orientated, and the other will be ‘Heaven Up Here’
Ian McCulloch (in 1999)
What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? featured two singles, ‘Get in The Car’ and ‘Rust’, the band’s final UK Top 40 hit.
The formats for the 25th anniversary reissue are two different vinyl editions (clear and rust orange) and a 2CD deluxe which features 25 bonus tracks, including rarities and previously unreleased tracks including live performances from The Improv Theatre in London (recorded for Radio One’s John Peel Show) and Cream in Liverpool.
What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? will be released on 29 November 2024, via London Records.
Compare prices and pre-order
Echo & The Bunnymen
what are you going to do with your life - 2CD deluxe
Thin Lizzy/1976: Jailbreak & Johnny The FoxCD, Vinyl, Blu-ray
Thin Lizzy’sJailbreak and Johnny The Fox albums are brought together for this reissue aptly titled 1976. The SDE-exclusive blu-ray (#27 in the SDE Surround Series) features both albums in Atmos, 5.1, instrumental versions and more. Available again for a limited period due to cancellations/contingency stock. Order here.
XTC’s 1986 album (produced by Todd Rundgren) is reissued as a CD+blu-ray edition with the blu-ray featuring a brand new Dolby Atmos Mix by Steven Wilson. Four additional tracks and instrumentals are also in Atmos. Order via the SDE shop.
Now That’s What I Call Music’s year-by-year 12-inch series continues with NOW 12″ 80s: 1983– Part Two, a 4CD set featuring more extended mixes from the year they like to call ‘1983’.
Lots of good stuff on here, mixing familiar fare (‘Blue Monday’, ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’ etc.) with some less obvious selections. However 1983 was such a big commercial year and of course marked the start of the Now That’s What I Call Music series, so there’s not going to be too much you don’t know (scroll down for full tracklisting).
49 tracks across the four discs and as usual these come in the card sleeves, not the deluxe hardcover books of their Yearbook cousins, which at least keeps it very cheap in price.
Now 12″ 80s: 1983 – Part Two will be released on 18 October 2024.
The pre-order window for the Tears For FearsSongs For A Nervous Planet SDE-exclusive blu-ray is about to close.
#28 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series, this blu-ray audio features four brand new studio tracks and the full live double album of 18 songs, from The Tipping Point tour. All audio is available in the following audio streams:
Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos mix (48/24)
Steven Wilson DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix (live tracks 96/24 – studio tracks 48/24)
Stereo ‘fold down‘ version of the Steven Wilson mix (live tracks 96/24 – studio tracks 48/24)
Standard Stereo Mix (48/24)
The fold down stereo is essentially the same as the band’s approved stereo mix, but being derived from the surround mix it has a different and less compressed mastering. Additionally, the blu-ray features exclusive instrumentals of the four new studio songs:
Say Goodbye To Mum And Dad – Steven Wilson Stereo Instrumental Mix
The Girl That I Call Home – Steven Wilson Stereo Instrumental Mix
Emily Said – Steven Wilson Stereo Instrumental Mix
Astronaut – Steven Wilson Stereo Instrumental Mix
Don’t miss out! The blu-ray audio will ship with a free and collectible SDE slipcase and is exclusively available via the SDE shop using this link or the buttons below.
The pre-order window closes on Saturday 21 September and is the last point you can guarantee a copy of this release, although as always, there may be some availability due to cancellations/contingency stock much nearer to the release date.
Tracklisting
Songs For A Nervous Planet Tears For Fears /
Steven Wilson Dolby Atmos Mix, Steven Wilson DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix (96/24), Steven Wilson Stereo Mix (96/24), Original Stereo Mix
Say Goodbye To Mum And Dad *
The Girl That I Call Home *
Emily Said *
Astronaut *
No Small Thing
Tipping Point
Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Secret World
Sowing The Seeds Of Love
Long, Long, Long Time
Break The Man
My Demons
Rivers of Mercy
Mad World
Suffer The Children
Woman In Chains
Badman’s Song
Pale Shelter
Break It Down Again
Head Over Heels
Change
Shout
*New Studio Tracks
Bonus tracks
Say Goodbye To Mum And Dad – Steven Wilson Instrumental Mix
The Girl That I Call Home- Steven Wilson Instrumental Mix
George Harrison’s 1973 album Living in the Material World will be reissued as a 50th anniversary edition across five different formats in November.
Harrison scored a double in America at the time, when both the album and its only single – ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)’ – topped the charts. Neither feat was managed in the UK.
The album has been remixed by Paul Hicks for this release and as usual the project is overseen and managed by Dhani and Olivia Harrison.
The super deluxe box set of Living in the Material World (click image to enlarge)
2CD and 2LP editions feature the new stereo mix and offer bonus discs with alternate takes, while a super deluxe box adds a blu-ray audio with new Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes (alongside a hi-res stereo version). Unfortunately, the box set also includes, rather unnecessarily, both vinyl records and a seven-inch single.
Living in the Material World will be reissued on 15 November 2024, via BMG.
Compare prices and pre-order
George Harrison
Living in the Material World - super deluxe box set - 2LP+2CD+blu-ray+seven-inch
