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R.E.M. / New Adventures In Hi-Fi reissue

1996 album celebrates 25 years

By Paul Sinclair

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85

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New Adventures in Hi-Fi / R.E.M. 2CD+blu-ray deluxe

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3.6

R.E.M.‘s 1996 album New Adventures In Hi-Fi will be reissued for its 25th anniversary in October across three physical formats.

This was the band’s final album with drummer Bill Berry and was mostly written and recorded on the road, during their 1995 Monster tour. Bassist Mike Mills recalls: “We wanted to make a record about being on the road without singing about being on the road. The idea was that the feeling of being on the road would come through in the sound and feel of the record itself.”

The album was very successful, topping the charts in the UK, and many other countries, and peaked at number two in the USA. It’s home to some wonderful singles and songs such as ‘E-Bow The Letter’ (with Patti Smith), ‘Electrolite’, ‘Bittersweet Me’ and ‘How The West Was Won And Where It Got Us’.

The deluxe reissue is comprised of two CDs and a blu-ray. The album is of course remastered and the second CD offers 13 B-sides and rarities. The blu-ray offers hi-res stereo and 5.1 surround mixes. The latter is the same Elliot Scheiner mix found on the DVD-A issued in 2005). The blu-ray is also home to 64 mins of previously unreleased outdoor projection films (shown on buildings across five cities in 1996 to promote the album’s original release), a previously unreleased EPK (Electronic Press Kit) and five ‘HD-restored’ videos. The deluxe edition comes in a 52-page hardcover book with photos and new sleeve notes from Mark Blackwell and reflections from all four original band members, as well as from Patti Smith and producer Scott Litt.

The 2CD+blu-ray deluxe edition of New Adventures In Hi-Fi

A two-CD edition featuring the first two discs in the deluxe edition will also be available and comes with an exclusive 24” x 24” poster and four postcards.

A 2LP vinyl version of New Adventures In Hi-Fi, with lacquers cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, will also be available on black vinyl, with a limited edition pressing on clear/black marbled vinyl available only via the R.E.M. store (this is limited to 1000 units).

New Adventures In Hi-Fi will be released on 29 October 2021, via Craft Recordings

Tracklisting

New Adventures In Hi-Fi R.E.M. / 2CD+Blu-ray

    • CD 1 – New Adventures In Hi-Fi (remastered)
      1. How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us
      2. The Wake-Up Bomb
      3. New Test Leper
      4. Undertow
      5. E-Bow the Letter
      6. Leave
      7. Departure
      8. Bittersweet Me
      9. Be Mine
      10. Binky the Doormat
      11. Zither
      12. So Fast, So Numb
      13. Low Desert
      14. Electrolite
    • CD 2 – B-Sides & Rarities
      1. Tricycle (Instrumental)
      2. Departure (Live Rome Soundcheck / Rome, Italy / 2/22/1995)
      3. Wall of Death
      4. Undertow (Live / Atlanta, GA / 11/18/1995)
      5. Wichita Lineman (Live / Houston, TX / 9/15/1995)
      6. New Test Leper (Live Acoustic / Seattle, WA / 4/19/1996)
      7. The Wake-Up Bomb (Live / Atlanta, GA / 10/4/1995)
      8. Binky the Doormat (Live / Atlanta, GA / 11/18/1995)
      9. King of Comedy (808 State Remix)
      10. Be Mine (Mike on Bus version)
      11. Love Is All Around
      12. Sponge
      13. Leave (Alternate Version)
    • Blu-ray
      1. R.E.M. Outdoor Projections – Saturday Sept 7, 1996 – 5 cities (64:56)
      2. New Adventures in Hi-Fi EPK – previously unreleased 30 min version (29:13)
      3. New Adventures in Hi-Fi 5.1 Audio
      4. New Adventures in Hi-Fi – Hi-Resolution Audio
      5. E-Bow the Letter (Music Video)
      6. Bittersweet Me (Music Video)
      7. Electrolite (Music Video)
      8. How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us (Music Video)
      9. New Test Leper (Music Video)

Tracklisting

New Adventures In Hi-Fi R.E.M. / 2LP vinyl

    • Side A
      1. How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us
      2. The Wake-Up Bomb
      3. New Test Leper
    • Side B
      1. Undertow
      2. E-Bow the Letter
      3. Leave
    • Side C
      1. Departure
      2. Bittersweet Me
      3. Be Mine
      4. Binky the Doormat
    • Side D
      1. Zither
      2. So Fast, So Numb
      3. Low Desert
      4. Electrolite

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