2004 Reissues
I never used to keep track of reissues, but this year I couldn’t help but be impressed by how many great reissues that have come out. Great in terms of deserving albums that had never made it to CD before, high quality remasters, extra tracks, and great packaging. This year I bought more reissues than new albums. That’s not to say I didn’t listen to more new stuff – I just get more promos of those, and sample online.
A couple reissues were ranked lower than they normally might. London Calling is one of my all-time favorites, but the bonus disc of demos aren't very interesting or revealing, and I don't consider DVDs a part of the album package. On top of that, the album was already remastered just fine in 1999. The Kink's The Village Green Preservation Society is also redundant if you have the easily obtainable 1998 remaster. The Cure's Three Imaginary Boys is a double-disc set, yet somehow manages to leave out "Plastic Passion" and "Killing An Arab." That sort of self-censorship is inexcusible. Similarly, The Damned's Machine Gun Etiquette: 25th Anniversary Edition is missing "Rabid (Over You)" and the great cover of "White Rabbit (Extended Version)." What the hell is wrong with these people?
- George Faith * To Be A Lover (Hip-O Select) 78
- Herman Chin-Loy * Aquarius Rock (Pressure Sounds) 73
- Brian Eno * Another Green World (Astralwerks) 75
- Talking Heads * The Name Of The Band Is Talking Heads (Rhino) 81
- Wayne McGhie & The Sounds Of Joy (Light in the Attic) 70
- Lee Perry & The Upsetters * Super Ape (Hip-O Select) 76
- Can * Tago Mago (Mute) 71
- Max Romeo & The Upsetters * War Ina Babylon (Hip-O Select) 76
- Serge Gainsbourg * Aux armes et caetera + Dub, DJ & Singer Versions (Mercury)
- The Only Ones * Why Don’t You Kill Yourself?: The CBS Recordings 1978-80 (Edsel)
- Swell Maps * Jane From Occupied Europe (Rough Trade/Secretly Canadian) 80
- Adam & The Ants * Dirk Wears White Sox (Columbia) 79
- The Pogues * Rum Sodomy & The Lash (WEA) 85
- Burning Spear * Creation Rebel: The Original Classics From Studio One 1969-74 (Studio One/Heartbeat) / At Studio One 1969-74 (Soul Jazz)
- Johnny Burnette & The Rock 'n' Roll Trio * The Complete Coral Recordings 1956-57 (Hip-O-Select)
- Can * Monster Movie (Mute) 70
- The Sound * The BBC Recordings 80-85 (Renascent)
- Cristina * Doll In The Box (Ze/r) 80
- Tyrannosaurus Rex * A Beard Of Stars (Universal/A&M) 70
- Echo & The Bunnymen * Crocodiles (Rhino) 80
- The Associates * Singles 1980-85 (WEA)
- The Go-Betweens * Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express (Jetset) 86
- Zolar X * Timeless (Alternative Tentacles) 75-80
- Be Bop Deluxe * Postcards From The Future: Introducing Be Bop Deluxe 1974-78 (EMI)
- Bob Marley & The Wailers * Grooving Kingston 12: JAD Masters 1970-72 (Universal)
- The Gun Club * Miami (Sympathy For the Record Industry) 82
- Jobriath * Lonely Planet Boy 1973-74 (Attack)
- DNA * DNA On DNA (No More) 78
- The Slits * Cut (Koch) 79
- T. Rex (Universal/A&M) 70
- Disco Inferno * D.I. Go Pop (One Little Indian) 94
- Swell Maps * Trip To Marineville (Rough Trade/Secretly Canadian) 79
- The Fall * Grotesque Deluxe Edition (Sanctuary) 80
- Keith Hudson * Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood (Basic Replay) 74
- Virgin Prunes * If I Die, I Die (Rough Trade/Mute) 82
- Tunde Williams & Africa 70 * Mr. Big Mouth (Honest Jon’s) 77
- Linval Thompson * Don't Cut Off Your Dreadlocks (Trojan)
- Jeff Buckley * Grace: Legacy Edition (Columbia) 94
- Lee Perry * Dub-Triptych 1972-75 (Trojan)
- Various * Studio One Funk (Soul Jazz)
- Brian Eno * Here Come The Warm Jets (Astralwerks) 73
- Jimmy Webb * The Moon's A Harsh Mistress 1970-77 (Rhino Handmade)
- The Beat Farmers * Tales Of The New West (Rhino Handmade) 85
- Virgin Prunes * A New Form Of Beauty (Rough Trade/Mute) 81
- Howard Tate * Get It While You Can (Verve) 66
- Symarip * Skinhead Moonstomp: Best Of (Trojan)
- Syreeta * Syreeta/Stevie Wonder Presents 1972-74 (Hip-O Select)
- Ultramagnetic MC’s * Critical Beatdown (Next Plateau) 88
- Adam & The Ants * Kings Of The Wild Frontier (Columbia) 80
- Augustus Pablo * East Of The River Nile (Shanachie) 77
- Die Haut & Nick Cave * Burnin' The Ice (Hit Thing) 83
- Albert Ayler * Holy Ghost: Rare & Unissued Recordings 1962-70 (Revenant).
- Cecil Taylor * Conquistador! (Blue Note) 66
- A.R. Kane * 69 (One Little Indian) 89
- Eric Dolphy * Out There (Prestige) 64
- The Pogues * Red Roses For Me (WEA) 84
- Augustus Pablo * King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown (Shanachie) 75
- Various * Don Letts’ Dread Meets B-Boys Downtown (Heavenly)
- Bettye Swan 1968-70 (Honest Jon’s)
- Candi Staton 1969-73 (Honest Jon’s/Astralwerks)
- Paul Siebel * Woodsmoke And Oranges/Jack-Knife Gypsy 1970-71 (Elektra)
- Tyrannosaurus Rex * Unicorn (Universal/A&M) 69
- Ian Dury & The Blockheads * New Boots And Panties (Demon) 77
- Alton Ellis * Be True To Yourself: Beat of the Golden Years 1965-73 (Trojan)
- Dillinger * Cocaine In My Brain: The Anthology (Trojan)
- Tapper Zukie * The Musical Intimidator: The Anthology 1974-82 (Trojan)
- The Scientists * Pissed On Another Planet (Sympathy for the Record Industry) 80
- The Dictators * Manifest Destiny (Wounded Bird) 77
- The Heptones * Peace And Harmony (Trojan)
- Richard & Linda Thompson * I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (Island) 75
- Harry Partch * The Harry Partch Collection Vols 1 & 2 1949-64 (New World)
- Crime * San Francisco’s Still Doomed 1976-79 (Swami)
- The Damned * Machine Gun Etiquette: 25th Anniversary Edition (Chiswick) 79
- Revolting Cocks * Big Sexy Land (Rykodisc) 86
- Jacob Miller & Inner Circle * Forward Jah Jah Children (Trojan)
- Slim Smith * Keep That Love Light Shining (Trojan)
- The Skatalites & Friends * Phoenix City (Trojan)
- Bruce Ruffin * Mad About You: The Anthology (Trojan)
- Can * Ege Bamyasi (Mute) 72
- ABC * Lexicon Of Love Deluxe Edition (Universal) 82
- Cristina * Sleep It Off (Ze/r) 84
- The Kinks * The Village Green Preservation Society (Sanctuary) 68
- Lloyd Cole & The Commotions * Rattlesnakes: Deluxe Edition (Polydor) 84
- Arthur Russell * The World Of Arthur Russell (Soul Jazz) 80
- Pavement * Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: L.A.’s Desert Origins (Matador) 94
- The Pogues * If I Should Fall From The Grace Of God (WEA) 88
- Revolting Cocks * Beers, Steers & Queers (Rykodisc) 90
- Adam & The Ants * Prince Charming (Columbia) 81
- Young Marble Giants * Colossal Youth (Crepuscule) 80
- James Brown * Live At the Apollo (Polygram) 62
- Echo & The Bunnymen * Heaven Up Here (Rhino) 81
- Bob Marley & The Wailers * Burnin': Deluxe Edition (Tuff Gong/Island) 73
- The Gun Club * The Las Vegas Story (Sympathy for the Record Industry) 84
- Phyllis Dillon * Love Is All I Know (Trojan)
- Brian Eno * Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy (Astralwerks) 74
- Echo & The Bunnymen * Ocean Rain (Rhino) 84
- Denzel Dennis * Me Nah Worry: The Anthology 1962-75 (Trojan)
- Brian Eno * Before And After Science (Astralwerks) 77
- The Gun Club * Death Party (Sympathy for the Record Industry) 83
- The Go-Betweens * 16 Lovers Lane (Jetset) 88
- David Ackles * Five & Dime (Raven 73
- Creation Rebel * Starship Africa (Hit Run) 80
- Mikey Dread * African Anthem Dubwise (Auralux) 79
- Tyrannosaurus Rex * My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars (Universal/A&M) 68
- The Faces * Five Guys Walk Into A Bar… 1970-73 (Rhino)
- Brian Eno * On Land (Virgin) 82
- The Residents * The Commercial Album (Cryptic Corporatoin/Mute) 80
- The Clash * London Calling: 25th Anniversary Edition (Epic)
- The Cure * Three Imaginary Boys: Deluxe Edition (Rhino) 79
- The Zombies * Odyssey & Oracle (Fuel) 68
- The Slits * Return Of The Giant Slits (Sony Japan) 81
- Gil Scott-Heron * A New Black Poet (RCA) 70
- Gil Scott-Heron * Pieces Of A Man (RCA) 71
- Brian Eno * Music For Airports (Virgin) 79
- Konk * Tales Of the New York Underground 1981-88 (Soul Jazz)
- Glenn Branca * Lesson No. 1 (Acute) 82
- Altered Images * Happy Birthday (Portrait/Edsel) 81
- A Certain Ratio * To Each… (Universal Sound) 81
- Popol Vuh * Affenstunde (Spalax) 70
- Sandie Shaw * Reviewing The Situation (EMI) 69
- Bergen White * For Women Only (Rev-Ola) 70
- Delroy Wilson * Better Must Come: The Anthology (Trojan)
- Roger McGuinn * Cardiff Rose (Sundazed) 76
- Jah Wobble * I Could Have Been A Contender 1979-94 (Trojan)
- Can * Soundtracks (Mute) 70
- Siouxsie & The Banshees * Downside Up: B-Sides (Polydor)
- Shrimp Boat * Something Grand 1988-93 (AUM Fidelity)
- Miles Davis * The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions (Columbia Legacy) 70
- Scott Walker * In Five Easy Pieces 1965-00 (Universal)
- Altered Images * Pinky Blue (Portrait/Edsel) 82
- Brian Eno * Discreet Music (Virgin) 75
- Arthur Russell * Calling Out Of Context 1985-91 (Audika)
- Brian Eno * The Plateaux Of Mirror (Virgin) 80
- Bobby Womack * Communication/Understanding 1971-72 (EMI)
- Gil Scott-Heron * Freewill (RCA) 72
- The United States Of America (Sundazed) 68
- Slapp Happy/Henry Cow * Desperate Straights (ReR Megacorp) 75
- Guadalcanal Diary * 2x4 (Rhino Handmade) 87
- The Incredible String Band * The 5000 Spirits Or the layers of the Onion 1966-67 (Elektra)
- The Go-Betweens * Tallulah (Jetset) 87
- Terry Allen * Juarez (Sugar Hill) 76
- Sun Ra * Disco 3000 (Saturn) 78
- Tyrannosaurus Rex * Prophets, Seers & Sages the Angels of the Ages (Universal/A&M) 68
- Altered Images * Bite (Portrait/Edsel) 83
- Deep Purple * Burn (EMI) 74
- Barbara Jones * Just When I Needed You Most: The Best Of (Trojan)
- Swell Maps * A Trip To Marineville/Jane From Occupied Europe 1979-80 (Secretly Canadian)
- 10cc * The Complete UK Recordings 1973-88 (Varese Sarabande)
- Badfinger * STraight Up (Apple/EMI) 71
- Paul Simon (Warner) 72
- Vashti Bunyan * Just Another Diamond Day (Dicristina Star) 75
- Remarc * Sound Murderer (Planet Mu)
- The People Band * 1968 (Emanem) 68
- Slowdive * Catch The Breeze 1990-95 (Sanctuary)
Since I didn’t do this last year, I’ll list some of the more notable reissues from 2003.
- Cedric IM Brooks & The Light Of Saba 1975-78 (Honest Jon’s)
- Television * Marquee Moon (Rhino) 77
- Lizzy Mercier Descloux * Mambo Nassau (Ze) 82
- Toots & The Maytals * Funky Kingston/In The Dark 1972-73 (Trojan)
- King Tubby * The Dub Masters Presents The Roots Of Dub and Dub From The Roots 1974-75 (Moll Selekta)
- Japan * Tin Drum (Virgin) 82
- Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark * Architecture & Morality (Virgin) 81
- Desmond Dekker * Rudy Got Soul: The Early Beverley’s Sesions 1963-68 (Trojan)
- Blue Orchids * The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain) (Ltm) 82
- Junior Murvin * Police & Thieves (Island) 77
- Essential Logic * Fanfare In The Garden 1978-82 (Kill Rock Stars)
- Derrick Morgan * Moon Hop: Best of the Early Years 1960-69 (Trojan)
- The Passage * Enflame (Ltm) 83
- The Congos * Congo Ashanti (Blood & Fire) 79
- Tommy McCook * Blazing Horns/Tenor In Roots 1977-79 (Blood & Fire)
- Roy Shirley * Music Is The Key: The Anthology 1967-75 (Trojan)
- The Fall * It’s The New Thing! The Step Forward Years 1978-80 (Castle)
- The Clean * Anthology 1980-95 (Flying Nun)
- Deaf School * What A Way To End It All: The Anthology 1976-78 (Castle)
- The Maytals * From The Roots (Trojan)
- The Passage * Pindrop (Ltm) 80
- Lizzy Mercier Descloux * Press Color (Ze) 79
- Television * Adventure (Rhino) 78
- The Passage * Degenerates (Ltm) 82
- The Passage * For All And None (Ltm) 81
- Susan Cadagon * Hurt So Good (Trojan) 75
- Prince Far I * Heavy Manners: The Anthology (Trojan)
- The Melodians * Sweet Sensation: Best Of (Trojan)
- Ken Boothe * Everything I Own: Best Of (Trojan)
- Judge Dread * Big Seven: Best Of (Trojan)
- John Holt * Help Me Make It Through The Night: Best Of (Trojan)
- Big Youth * Ride Like Lightning (Trojan)
- Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark * Organisation (Virgin) 80
- Television * Live At the Old Waldorf (Rhino Handmade) 78
- Nicky Thomas * Love Of The Common People: The Best Of (Trojan)
- John Holt * 3000 Volts Of Holt (Trojan) 76
- Stranger Cole * Bangarang: Best Of 1962-72 (Trojan)
