Forewarning: this year's Top 10 Reissues list looks a whole lot like a Best Albums chart from twenty years ago. And with good reason--beyond the usual slough of redundant best-of collections and unnecessary "greatest hits" packages that surface each year (particularly in time for the holidays), 2011 saw a number of culturally significant albums celebrate their two-decade mark by releasing new, excitingly expanded editions. Not everything mentioned here is back to remind you of 1991, though...you're just gonna have to read through to find out what made the cut.
10. R.E.M. Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982-2011 (Warner Bros./IRS)
The first-ever R.E.M. retrospective to feature songs from their albums released both on IRS and Warner Records, Part Lies Part Heart Part Truth Part Garbage 1982-2011 is a thoroughly enjoyable trawl through the back catalogue of one of the most important band's in college rock history. (Or "modern" or "alternative" rock, or whatever vague terms is preferred these days.) The collection draws at least one track from each of the band's studio albums, favouring more from their earlier output, but nicely demonstrating that while their more recent albums may not have shifted as many copies, this was a band capable of greatness right up until the end.
What's included: two CDs containing forty tracks. More than just a commemorative piece for casual fans, there's even three previously unreleased songs included for the die-hards, including the beautiful "We All Go Back To Where We Belong":
9. Suede Suede/Dog Man Star (Demon)
The first two albums from one of my all-time favourite bands would generally have placed higher on a list like this, one would think. I have just one problem: where the fuck are the vinyl counterparts to these reissues?
What's included: the original albums in remastered form, each come with a bonus CD of b-sides and rarities, plus a DVD of promo videos and live footage. Watch the videos for "Animal Nitrate" and "The Wild Ones" below:
8. Archers Of Loaf Icky Mettle (Merge)
Before heading up his current band Crooked Fingers, songwriter Eric Bachmann was the leader of one of the most criminally underrated bands of the 1990's, the Archers Of Loaf. Their debut album, 1993's Icky Mettle, sounds as visceral today as it did then, thanks to anthemic bursts of garage punk like "Might," "Plumb Line," and "Wrong." And now, the fine folks at Merge Records have lovingly remastered and reissued it for our auditory delight. On sexy, transparent blue vinyl, no less!
What's included: the original album, remastered and with new liner notes, plus a bonus disc (or download code if you buy the vinyl) containing the whole Archers Of Loaf vs. The Greatest Of All Time EP as well as the b-sides from the Icky Mettle era. Watch the video for incredible album opener, "Web In Front" below:
7. The Smiths Complete (Rhino)
The irony of the very band that sang "Paint A Vulgar Picture" having their material repackaged and reissued as many times as The Smiths have is not lost on me. Is it really necessary for a band that only recorded four albums and broke up nearly a quarter century ago to have as many compilations as they do? Absolutely not. But Complete is not the inessential release of the bunch. (No, that title would belong instead to any of WEA's Singles, The Very Best Of The Smiths, or The Sound Of The Smiths. Take your pick. All had already been preceded by the Best... collections.) Where Complete differs is that this isn't just another compilation of the same songs in a different running order. Rather, this is a limited edition deluxe boxed set of everything The Smiths released, with remastered sound by Johnny Marr himself, and carefully replicated sleeves of each of their iconic single and album covers. What's included: The four studio albums (The Smiths, Meat Is Murder, The Queen Is Dead, and Strangeways Here We Come), the three collections (Hatful Of Hollow, Louder Than Bombs, and The World Won't Listen) and one live album (Rank) with audio remastered by Johnny Marr, available in three different formats; 1) on CD with "mini vinyl LP replica" sleeves housed in a clamshell box, 2) on vinyl with a 12" book containing expanded liner notes and poster, or 3) the "deluxe box set": an individually numbered "trunk-style" box with all eight Smiths releases on both CD and vinyl, as well as all 25 of The Smiths' singles on 7" vinyl, "including rare and deleted artwork." It also includes 12" prints of all eight albums, a poster, expanded liner notes and a copy of The Complete Picture video compilation on DVD. Watch one of my favourite videos by The Smiths, "Ask":
6. Nirvana Nevermind (Universal)
Yeah, there's little to say about this album that hasn't already been said, so I'll keep it brief and just say that one of the most referenced albums in rock history got the treatment it deserves on its twentieth birthday with an exhaustive examination of its songs from demo to album to stage. What's included: there are several editions available; 1) the original album remastered on a single disc, 2) the original album plus a bonus disc of b-sides, the 'Smart Studio' sessions, "boombox rehearsals," and BBC sessions, 3) a 4-LP heavyweight vinyl version, and 4) the "Super Deluxe Edition" containing 4 CDs with all the aforementioned material plus "The Devonshire Mixes," a version of the album as mixed by producer Butch Vig instead of Andy Wallace. The deluxe set also includes a DVD of Nirvana's live set at Seattle's Paramount Theatre from Halloween night 1991. Watch the video for "Come As You Are" below:
5. Smashing Pumpkins Gish/Siamese Dream (EMI)
Alright, technically speaking, these aren't even out until next week and so I haven't physically laid my grubby little mitts upon them yet. That said, I've seen extensive previews of the packaging and a detailed track listing (all of which looks amazing), and I'm just going to work off the assumption that Billy Corgan hasn't suddenly ceased to be the perfectionist control freak he's always been reputed to be, and that the remastering sounds nothing less than amazing as well. Can't wait. What's included: Each album will be reissued in a single disc version, a vinyl version, a download version, and as a deluxe 2-CD+DVD set. The second discs in the deluxe sets will feature rare and unreleased songs, while the DVDs will each contain a concert performance by the band at Metro in Chicago (Aug 25, 1990 on Gish, and August 14, 1993 on Siamese Dream). Watch the videos for "Rhinoceros" and "Cherub Rock" below:
4. Ride Nowhere (Rhino)
Another criminally underrated band, Ride are often overlooked when people reminisce about the music of the '90s. They were just as crucial as more celebrated acts like My Bloody Valentine, but never quite crossed over from being a cult band. Nowhere and the accompanying live set featured on this redux version are a testament to how vital they were in their prime.
What's included: A two-CD set with the remastered American version of the album and four bonus cuts from the Today Forever EP on Disc 1, a previously unreleased live show from April 1991 on Disc 2, and a 40-page booklet. The album was also rereleased on 180-gram vinyl. Watch the video for "Vapour Trail" below:
3. U2 Achtung Baby (Universal)
I have to admit: upon first reading the details of U2's 20th anniversary reissue of Achtung Baby, the music geek inside of me instantly thought about my thirteen year old self and how he might have literally exploded with elation had he been presented access to the bevy of sexy bonus materials suddenly being doled out. I poured over Achtung Baby's twelve tracks so obsessively as a teenager that it's likely entirely safe to say that this is the album I am more familiar with than any other. Ever. As such, I obviously still have a soft spot for it.
What's included: Five different versions available for this one: 1) the original album remastered on CD, 2) the original album with a bonus disc of b-sides and rarities, 3) the original album remastered on 2 LPs, plus two bonus LPs (on clear blue vinyl) of remixes and b-sides housed in a box, with a 16-page booklet, 4) a "Super Deluxe Edition" containing 6 CDs (the original album, the follow-up Zooropa, b-sides, remixes, reworked and previously unheard material), 4 DVDs (a new documentary From The Sky Down, ZooTV: Live From Sydney, the videos from the album, and bonus materials), a 92-page hardback book and 16 art prints, and finally 5) the "Über Deluxe Edition" which has everything in the Super as well as the double vinyl album, the five singles from the album on clear 7" vinyl in original sleeves, a copy of their fanclub magazine, 4 badges, a sticker sheet, and "a pair of Bono's trademark 'The Fly' sunglasses" all housed inside a magnetic puzzle tiled box. Watch the video for the Perfecto mix of "Even Better Than The Real Thing" below:
2. Primal Scream Screamadelica (Creation)
This places as high as it does because it's the fuckin' Scream. All the bells and whistles of this twentieth anniversary edition aside, Screamadelica still stands up as one of the best albums of all time, and even if it had been reissued in an unlabelled burlap sack, it'd still make this list because the music remains just that good. Tellingly, Primal Scream managed to mount an entire UK tour behind the album again in 2011.
What's included: The "Collector's Edition" has 4 CDs (the remastered album, a live set from 1992, remixes, and the remastered Dixie Narco EP), a DVD documenting the making of the album, as well as the record on double vinyl. The vinyl is also available separately, as is a "Deluxe Edition" on CD featuring the remastered album and Dixie Narco tracks. Watch the videos for "Higher Than The Sun" and "Loaded" below:
1. The Jesus And Mary Chain Psychocandy/Darklands/Automatic/Honey's Dead/Stoned & Dethroned/Munki (Edsel/Demon)
The Jesus And Mary Chain reissues rank at the top of my list this year for a couple of very good reasons: First off, it's ALL SIX OF THEIR STUDIO ALBUMS remastered and loaded with extras. Each album is given the deluxe treatment of 2 CDs featuring the original albums, demos, radio appearances and more, as well as a DVD containing the respective album's promo videos and selected television performances. Secondly, they're just one of the greatest bands that ever was to put it simply. Check out these cool interactive 3D previews of each of the six reissues:
