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Sony/Legacy Reissuing Three Out-of-Print Prince Albums

Harkening back to the mid-90s, Sony/Legacy is reissuing the first batch of albums released just after Prince had changed his name to the Love Symbol (O(+>) for the first time ever on vinyl. These albums have been out of print for decades and come with exorbitant prices on the collector’s market.

The Versace Experience (Prelude 2 Gold) was originally handed out as a cassette mix-tape for Paris Fashion Week back in 1995 and served as a preview of The Gold Experience. It was reissued on cassette earlier this year as a Record Store Day exclusive. Hopefully, the sound issues on that cassette reissue have been addressed for this vinyl edition.

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VIDEO: David Bowie “Space Oddity (2019 Mix)”

David Bowie’s estate has just released an official video to accompany the 2019 mix by longtime producer Tony Visconti of “Space Oddity,” which was Bowie’s first big hit released 50 years ago this month. To the chagrin of some fans, the footage mixes eras of Bowie’s career. This was a song that he kept in sets throughout all of his chameleonic musical and artistic shifts so to complain of the blended eras seems a bit short-sighted.

To further capitalize on the semicentennial anniversary of Bowie’s career launch, a 7″ box set has recently been issued, featuring the original mono release as well as the new 2019 mixes housed in new picture sleeves complete with a double-sided poster.

Bowie’s estate has released a glut of small-scale rarities this year but still no word on the next catalog box set, covering his musical rebound in the 1990s.

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The Replacements Set to Release Don’t Tell A Soul Outtakes Box Set

The Replacements have announced a new box set of alternate versions of the songs that comprised its penultimate album, Don’t Tell A Soul. Across four discs, an LP, and a cassette, the new set, entitled Dead Man’s Pop, presents Don’t Tell A Soul as it was originally intended, according to the press release over at Rhino.

Some of the alternate takes include the notoriously debauched and drunken sessions with producer Tony Berg at Bearsville Studios from 1988, as well as the infamous sessions later that same year mutual fan with Tom Waits!?!

The whole package is capped off with a book by Bob Mehr, who wrote the band’s biography, Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements. Dead Man’s Pop is out September 27, 2019 via Rhino.

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STREAM: Silkworm “Dremate”

A definitive version of Silkworm’s 1994 classic In The West is forthcoming from Comedy Minus One records. It has been remixed from the original two-inch tape by Steve Albini, who also served as the engineer on the initial recording sessions. The physical release will be on double vinyl with re-imagined artwork and limited to 1500 copies. A bonus CD completes the package featuring 7″ b-sides and a live version of “Halloween.” This streaming version of album highlight “Dremate” is limited to the download accompaniment to the bundle.

Despite being released in the midst of college radio’s halcyon days, this record has never before been released on vinyl. Mindblowingly, Silkworm also released Libterine later that same year.

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Numero Group Conitnues Unwound Reissues with Rat Conspiracy

unwound-rat-conspiracy-1

The Numero Group‘s meticulous reissue campaign of Unwound’s storied discography continues with Rat Conspiracy. Collecting the band’s Kill Rock Stars debut, Fake Train, it’s expansive follow-up, New Plastic Ideas, and an assortment of 7″ singles, radio sessions, and compilation appearances, Rat Conspiracy reveals the band arching towards its creative apex. Limited to 1000 pressings, this 32-track collection is packed with seminal punk fury, house show photographs, and a 10,000 word narrative. The set is available for pre-order now before it’s March 18th release.

“What Was Wound” from New Plastic Ideas:

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Drive Soundtrack Vinyl Reissue with New Artwork by Tyler Stout

The Original Soundtrack from the Ryan Gosling film Drive is being re-released on a special gatefold, double-LP set with new artwork by poster artist Tyler Stout (above) on black vinyl. Random copies will be pressed on hot pink vinyl, however. I never win that lottery, so I expect my copy to be black. But I’m excited, nonetheless, because the music is what pushed this film from great to bad ass for me. The OST features a score by composer Cliff Martinez, as well as unshakably memorable songs by Kavinsky, Chromatics, and College. This reissue is available for purchase via Austin’s Mondo Gallery on March 22, 2013. None of the streaming sites carry this soundtrack, so your options are limited. [via Pitchfork]