Graham Coxon of Blur continues solo catalog reissues

Following his previously unreleased solo album Castle Park, Trangressive Records announced the second drop in a comprehensive reissue of Graham Coxon’s complete solo catalogue, spanning 9 studio albums and 3 original soundtracks.

The three albums will be available on CD, black vinyl and limited edition coloured vinyl, exclusive to independent record shops and Graham’s store: Crow Sit on Blood Tree (2001) on blood red and black splatter double LP; The Kiss of Morning (2002) on turquoise double LP; and Happiness In Magazines (2004) on deep blue vinyl. Listen and pre-order HERE.

September 11 will see the digital release of 14-track live album Live At The Zodiac, available in its entirety for the first time on DSPs, along with a full performance video for each track, taken from the original concert DVD. Live At The Zodiac captures Coxon’s solo show at the iconic Oxford venue (now the O2 Academy), recorded on 3rd June, 2004, with the concert DVD released in March 2005. Watch the video for the track ‘Bittersweet Bundle of Misery’ HERE.

Originally released in 2001, Crow Sit On Blood Tree is Graham’s third solo album. “There’s absolute mayhem on that at times, but there’s quiet songs, too,” Graham says of Crow Sit On Blood Tree, which was recorded, mixed and mastered in just two weeks. “I was still exploring different music and what I could do. I’ll turn my hand to so many different types of music if it feels natural.”

Arriving in October 2002, The Kiss Of The Morning is less of a DIY affair than its predecessors; pedal steel player B.J. Cole and Louis Vause on keyboards helped to fully flesh it out. 

Speaking about The Kiss Of Morning, Graham said - “I felt free to do whatever I wanted to do. I was expanding my sound and also finding a bit more calm in my songs.”

Happiness In Magazines is Coxon’s fifth solo studio album. Recorded with producer Stephen Street, it was his most successful solo record up to that point, going top 20 in the UK and earning him the Best Solo Artist prize at the 2005 NME Awards. 

“Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery’ and ‘Freakin’ Out’ were two of the first things I wrote,” recalls Graham. “I remember thinking, Oh, actually, maybe my songwriting is getting a bit better? Maybe I should take this seriously and not be such a control freak? Stephen just got it. He loved what I was getting at, the sound of it and the era it was influenced by – things like The Cars and The Jam.”

With his back catalogue long sold out and in high demand on physical formats, the release of Castle Park in June kicked off the comprehensive reissue of Coxon’s expansive solo catalogue and comes alongside the re-release of The Sky is Too High and The Golden D, available now.

Further drops to come include the studio albums Love Travels at Illegal Speeds (2006), The Spinning Top (2009), A+E (2012); as well as the two Original Songs and Score album soundtracks for The End of The F***ing World 1 (2018) and The End of The F***ing World 2 (2019); plus Superstate (2021), the original soundtrack released to accompany the graphic novel of the same name.

FORMATS:

Crow Sit On Blood Tree (2001): Available from 11th September on CD, LP double black vinyl; and LP double blood red & black splatter vinyl, exclusive to independent record stores and the Graham Coxon store. 

The Kiss Of Morning (2002): Available from 11th September on CD; LP double black vinyl; and LP double turquoise vinyl, exclusive to independent record stores and the Graham Coxon store. 

Happiness In Magazines (2004): Available from 11th September on CD; LP black vinyl; and limited edition LP deep blue vinyl, exclusive to independent record stores and the Graham Coxon store, from 11th September. 

Live At The Zodiac (2004): Available from 11th September on DSPs for the first time as a full album. Plus a full video album, a live performance of each track, mirroring the original DVD concert film release. Pre-save HERE.

TRACK LISTINGS:

Crow Sit On Blood Tree

1. Empty Word
2. I'm Going Away
3. All Has Gone
4. Burn It Down
5. Too Uptight
6. Big Bird
7. Tired
8. Hurt Prone
9. Bonfires
10. Thank God for the Rain
11. You Never Will Be
12. A Place for Grief

The Kiss Of Morning

1. Bitter Tears
2. Escape Song
3. Locked Doors
4. Baby, You're out of My Mind
5. It Ain't No Lie
6. Live Line
7. Just Be Mine
8. Do What You're Told To
9. Mountain of Regret
10. Latte
11. Walking Down the Highway
12. Song for the Sick

Happiness In Magazines

1. Spectacular
2. No Good Time
3. Girl Done Gone
4. Bittersweet Bundle of Misery
5. All over Me
6. Freakin' Out
7. People of the Earth
8. Hopeless Friend
9. Are You Ready?
10. Bottom Bunk
11. Don't Be a Stranger
12. Ribbons and Leaves

Live At The Zodiac

1. Escape Song (Live At The Zodiac)
2. Spectacular (Live At The Zodiac)
3. No Good Time (Live At The Zodiac)
4. I Wish (Live At The Zodiac)
5. That’s All I Wanna Do (Live At The Zodiac)
6. Bottom Bunk (Live At The Zodiac)
7. Bittersweet Bundle of Misery (Live At The Zodiac)
8. Girl Done Gone (Live At The Zodiac)
9. All Over Me (Live At The Zodiac)
10. Bitter Tears (Live At The Zodiac)
11. People of The Earth (Live At The Zodiac)
12. All I Wanna Do Iz Listen To Yuz (Live At The Zodiac)
13. Freakin’ Out (Live At The Zodiac)
14. Who The Fuck? (Live At The Zodiac)

About Castle Park:

Produced by Ben Hillier (blur - Think Tank), Castle Park was recorded in 2011 as part of the A+E (2012) sessions. Originally intended as a follow up to A+E, the release was postponed due to blur activity in 2012, before Coxon moved on to other projects. Castle Park is a collection of 10 songs that lean into the artist’s classic mod sound, with lead single ‘Billy Says’ - a longtime feature of Coxon’s live set - already familiar to fans and now finally available for the first time. Listen to Castle Park HERE.

ABOUT GRAHAM COXON:

An English musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and visual artist, Graham Coxon is best known as being a founding member of blur. Coxon has also released eight solo albums and frequently composes for film and TV. 

Coxon’s work as a solo artist includes the studio albums The Sky Is Too High (1998), The Golden D (2000), Crow Sit on Blood Tree (2001), The Kiss of Morning (2002), Happiness in Magazines (2004), Love Travels at Illegal Speeds (2006), The Spinning Top (2009) and A+E (2012). His work as a composer include the original songs and score for The End of the F***ing World (2018), The End of the F***ing World 2 (2019), I Am Not Okay with This (2020), and Superstate (2021) released in association with Z2 Comics.

He has collaborated with numerous other artists including Paul Weller on the single ‘This Old Town’ and Pete Doherty on his 2009 album Grace/Wastelands. In 2017 Coxon (along with Damon Albarn) appeared on Ratboy's debut album, Scum, and the same year he recorded the song ‘Falling’ which was released as a fundraiser for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). The artist also contributed to several songs on Duran Duran's Future Past album. 

More recently, he recorded a new song titled ‘Parasite’ with English Teacher for the 2026 album HELP(2), in support of War Child, as well as providing guitar for Olivia Rodrigo’s take on The Magnetic Fields song ‘The Book of Love’ on the same album.

The eponymous debut album from The WAEVE - composed of Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall – was released in 2023. The band’s second studio album City Lights was released in 2024.

Richard Thompson sings about 'Hippies, Thugs and Heroes in October

Hippies, Thugs and Heroes, Richard Thompson's 20th studio album, is due on October 16 via New West Records. 

As he finished recording, Thompson says about the songs and their desperate characters: “You look over the body of songs you’ve written and ask yourself, 'Which ones are kindred spirits?' You look for commonality among the songs, and it’s also a joy when you realize that certain songs seem to be brothers and sisters..”

The first single, “Cocaine Walking, Booze Talking,” is a tale of folks hustling in London—a “carousel queen” overwhelmed by the big city, a soldier quoting Shakespeare, “a Kings Road Hippie,” and a “Sauchiehill thug.” Hear it HERE.

Thompson wrote and demoed songs for his backing band, which includes Taras Prodaniuk on bass, Michael Jerome on drums, David Mansfield on guitar and fiddle, and his wife Zara Phillips on backing vocals. His home recordings were much more elaborate, much more specific for the new album. 

“It’s so much fun to mess around at home and disappear down in the basement for hours at a time. I even bought myself a drumkit. So I was able to present more complete demos to the band. You could say there’s much more of my identity being transferred to the final product.” 

As always, he left room for the band to add their own ideas, but admits Hippies, Thugs and Heroes is “less them and more me. But I’m never strict about what I want to hear on a record. I’m always interested to see what they come up with, and I always want to see where a song takes me.” 

Thompson and the band convened at Hobosound Studio in Weehawken, New Jersey, located a stone’s throw from his own home. “I think this is why this album came together so quickly. We could just steam through at high speed and not labor over everything.” The small crew recorded live with a minimum of takes—sometimes as few as two, but rarely more than four.” 

Hippies, Thugs and Heroes will be available across digital platforms, compact disc, and standard black vinyl. A limited clear with black splatter color vinyl edition with an autographed insert as well as a limited CD edition autographed by Richard Thompson will be available at Independent Retailers. A limited pink marbled color vinyl edition including a bonus flexi-disc featuring a demo recording of “Cocaine Walking, Booze Talking,” and an autographed insert will be available via Rough Trade. A limited yellow with black splatter color vinyl edition including an autographed insert as well as a limited & autographed compact disc edition is available for pre-order NOW via NEW WEST RECORDS.

Track Listing:

1. Sorcerer’s Apprentice
2. Cocaine Walking, Booze Talking
3. Pauper’s Grave
4. Unsung Hero
5. Make Believe You Don’t Know Me
6. She Burns It All
7. Everybody’s Stealing
8. The Soul In Me
9. Pipe Dreams
10. The Big Smoke
11. Stringer
12. Siren

RichardThompson-Music.com
NewWestRecords.com

Roger Joseph Manning Jr. returns with new album in September

Noted musician/sideman Roger Joseph Manning Jr. has announced his new album Hopium, due out September 18 on Omnivore Recordings.

Available on vinyl, CD and digital, the LP features five new songs and five live tracks. 

The new single “Modern Dance (The After School Specials),” is a recently completed song from the vault that’s been in the works for more than three decades.

Listen to “Modern Dance (The After School Specials)” via YouTube

Stream “Modern Dance (The After School Specials)”

Pre-order Hopium

Roger on the new single: "I've been committed to finishing this song for upwards of 30 years. That's how much I believed in it. For example, the bulk of the music was written in 1995 during my Imperial Drag days. I finally completed an arrangement and the lyrics in 2015 while on a European summer tour with Beck. It would then be another 10 years of random recording sessions and a final mix being completed in 2025. There's no right way to get to the finish line. I couldn't be happier with how it turned out; I hope everybody enjoys it as much as me."

Half of Hopium features five new songs, some of which have been in the works for over 15 years. Across the ensuing years, Manning worked with musician friends Victor Indrizzo (drums), Steve Shane McDonald (bass), Jim Wilson (electric guitars), Ken Sluiter (mixing, mastering) and Jason Falkner (additional electric guitars) to craft the basis of the new album.

About the songs on Hopium, Roger says, “I remember writing the lyrics in a hotel room in Germany. Out on tour, especially in the middle of the night when you’re jetlagging, you have all this time to think about lyrics that take forever to take shape. It’s a huge sense of personal victory when you realize you’ve got something. This collection of songs is like that, ideas that developed over time that I believed in enough to take the time and resources to flesh out and record thinking, ‘Somebody’s got to hear this someday.’ So I just keep going and it’s a method that’s worked for me over the years because as a freelance musician, we’re all so busy trying to make ends meet, the songs that make it through have a special place in my heart.”

The second half of Hopium is drawn from Manning’s live appearance at the 2018 International Pop Overthrow Festival at Molly Malone’s in Los Angeles. Those five songs include a pair from his 2006 album The Land Of Pure Imagination, one from his previous Omnivore release, 2023’s Radio Daze & Glamping, and another pair from Jellyfish. The live band appearing alongside him for the IPO date includes Chris Price, Dan Rothchild, Ben Lecourt, Alex Jules, and Emeen Zarookian.

Music fans worldwide know Roger Joseph Manning Jr. as co-founder or member of the bands Jellyfish, Imperial Drag, The Moog Cookbook, TV Eyes and The Lickerish Quartet, in addition to being a member of Beck’s band and an in-demand session player. Over the years, he’s contributed to albums by Beck, Morrissey, Lana Del Rey, Blink-182, Johnny Cash, Cheap Trick and Adele, among many others.

Track listing: 

1. Modern Dance (The After School Specials)

2. Just Lust

3. My Magic Bicycle
4. Wish Away
5. The Lords Of Altamont
6. That Is Why (Live at International Pop Overthrow 2018)
7. The Loser (Live at International Pop Overthrow 2018)
8. Pray For The Many (Live at International Pop Overthrow 2018)
9. Funhouse (Live at International Pop Overthrow 2018)
10. The King Is Half-Undressed (Live at International Pop Overthrow 2018)

The Beatles' Classic Album 'Rubber Soul' to Get Super Deluxe Box Set Treatment in October

photo: Apple Corps/Capitol/UME

On October 2, Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe will release an expanded Special Edition of The Beatles’ landmark 1965 album Rubber Soul. 

Newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, the collection presents the album in new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes, alongside the original mono mix, the original Capitol U.S. Album version, and expanded with previously unreleased session recordings and home demos, and the contemporary double A-side single, “Day Tripper” / “We Can Work It Out.”

“Michelle (Take 1)” is available to listen to here now. 

All of the new Rubber Soul formats feature the album's new stereo mix, sourced directly from the original four-track master tapes. The audio is brought to the fore with the help of cutting-edge de-mixing technology developed by the award-winning sound team led by Emile de la Rey at Peter Jackson's WingNut Films Productions Ltd.

The forthcoming reissue brings together all 14 new stereo mixes for the first time. Across the Super Deluxe collections, fans can explore 24 early session recordings, including 20 previously unreleased takes and three previously unreleased home demos - among them early versions of “Day Tripper” and “We Can Work It Out,” plus “Little Girl,” a previously unheard John Lennon song outline never before released or even rumored. The collections also include the original mono album, the original Capitol U.S. album version and the 1965 double A-side single, while the 2CD and 2LP Special Editions feature a curated selection of session highlights, demos and the single.

The 4CD and 5LP Super Deluxe editions are accompanied by an 88-page hardbound book featuring a brand new written introduction by Paul McCartney, and a foreword compiled from John Lennon’s own words, bringing together reflections on Rubber Soul from across his life, including the years following The Beatles’ break-up. The two pieces offer a unique perspective on the making and enduring impact of the album, alongside rare photographs, album background and track notes.

Rubber Soul will be available in standard 1CD and 1LP editions, 2CD and 2LP Special Editions, and 4CD and 5LP Super Deluxe editions. The collection will also be available on Blu-ray, featuring the new Dolby Atmos mix, high-resolution stereo audio and promotional films for “Day Tripper” and “We Can Work It Out,” alongside limited-edition orange vinyl and D2C exclusive Zoetrope vinyl editions.

Rubber Soul - Special Edition Super Deluxe (68 tracks)

5LP Box Set

5LP Box Set, pressed on 180-gram vinyl, with 7” Single, 88-page hardbound book in a 12” x 12” slipcase"
• LP1: Rubber Soul (New stereo mix) half-speed mastered: 14 tracks
• LP2 & 3: Sessions and Demos (Stereo) half-speed mastered: 26 tracks
• LP4: Rubber Soul (Original mono master): 14 tracks
• LP5: Rubber Soul (Original Capitol US album): 12 tracks
• 7”: ‘Day Tripper’ & ‘We Can Work It Out’ (Stereo)

4CD Box Set

4CD Box Set with 88-page hardbound book in a 12” x 12” slipcase:
• DISC 1: Rubber Soul (New stereo mix): 14 tracks
• DISC 2: Sessions, Demos and the Single (Stereo): 28 tracks
• DISC 3: Rubber Soul (Original mono master): 14 tracks
• DISC 4: Rubber Soul (Original Capitol US album): 12 tracks

D2C-exclusive editions of the 5LP and 4CD Super Deluxe Box Sets, featuring an exclusive poster and set of art cards, are also available from the official Beatles Store, alongside a limited-edition Zoetrope picture disc.

Rubber Soul Special Edition Deluxe (30 tracks)

2LP

2LP on half-speed mastered 180-gram vinyl in a gatefold sleeve with 4-page insert abridged from the Super Deluxe book:

* LP1: Rubber Soul (New stereo mix): 14 tracks
• LP2: The Single, Demos and Sessions Highlights (Stereo): 16 tracks

2CD

2CD in digisleeve and slipcase, with a 40-page booklet abridged from the Super Deluxe book:
• DISC 1: Rubber Soul (New stereo mix): 14 tracks
• DISC 2: The Single, Demos and Sessions Highlights: 16 tracks

Rubber Soul Special Edition Standard (14 tracks)

1LP (New stereo mix) on half-speed mastered 180-gram vinyl

1LP (New stereo mix) on half-speed mastered 180-gram orange colour vinyl
1CD in digisleeve + 20-page booklet (New stereo mix)

Rubber Soul Blu-ray Edition: 16 tracks + 4 videos

1 Blu-ray disc
New stereo mix in hi-res 96kHz/24-bit audio, new Dolby Atmos mix, and four videos

Selected Track Listings: 

Rubber Soul - Special Edition Super Deluxe: 4CD Box Set

DISC 1: New Stereo Mix (14 tracks)
DISC 2: Sessions, Demos and the Single (28 tracks)

1. Wait (Take 3 – instrumental backing track)
2. Run For Your Life (Takes 1-5 – instrumental backing track)
3. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (First version – Take 1)
4. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Second version – Take 2)
5. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Third version – Take 3)
6. Drive My Car (Takes 1 and 2 – instrumental backing track)
7. Day Tripper (Songwriting work tape)
8. Day Tripper (Take 1 – instrumental backing track)
9. Day Tripper (Takes 2 and 3 – instrumental backing track)
10. If I Needed Someone (Take 1 – instrumental backing track)
11. In My Life (Take 1)
12. In My Life (Extract with unused organ solo)
13. We Can Work It Out (Paul’s demo)
14. We Can Work It Out (Take 1 – instrumental backing track)
15. Nowhere Man (First version – Take 2)
16. Nowhere Man (Second version – Take 5 – instrumental backing track)
17. I’m Looking Through You (First version – Take 1)
18. I’m Looking Through You (Second version – Take 2)
19. I’m Looking Through You (Second version – Take 3)
20. Michelle (Guitar rehearsal)
21. Michelle (Take 1)
22. What Goes On (Take 1 – instrumental backing track)
23. The Word (Takes 1 and 2 – instrumental backing track)
24. Girl (Take 2 – instrumental backing track)
25. Beatle Talk (Think For Yourself vocal overdubs)
26. Little Girl (John’s demo)
27. Day Tripper (2023 mix)
28. We Can Work It Out (2023 mix)

DISC 3: Original Mono Master (14 tracks - identical sequence to LP4)

DISC 4: Original Capitol US Album (12 tracks - identical sequence to LP5)

Rubber Soul - Blu-ray Edition

2026 Atmos Mix

1. Drive My Car
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3. You Won't See Me
4. Nowhere Man
5. Think For Yourself
6. The Word
7. Michelle
8. What Goes On
9. Girl
10. I'm Looking Through You
11. In My Life
12. Wait
13. If I Needed Someone
14. Run For Your Life

2023 Atmos Mix

15. Day Tripper
16. We Can Work It Out

Videos:

1. Day Tripper (2023 Mix)
2. Day Tripper (Alternate Version)
3. We Can Work It Out (2023 Mix)
4. We Can Work It Out (Alternate Version)

For complete track listings of all formats, go to thebeatles.com

Out now: 'The Confuser' and 'Stranded in the Future,' the new album and book by Robyn Hitchcock

Veteran British alternative rock singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock has unveiled his new album, The Confuser, available everywhere now via Tiny Ghost Records. Various physical variants and new merch is also on offer, including CD, standard black vinyl, limited-edition two-tone vinyl, t-shirt, and a limited-edition signed poster, exclusively at the official Tiny Ghost Records shop.

PURCHASE/STREAM THE CONFUSER
PURCHASE VINYL OF THE CONFUSER

Hitchcock’s 25th solo studio album is his first collection of original songs in nearly four years. 

WATCH ”YESTERDAY’S RAIN” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
WATCH “HOW TO FEEL ALRIGHT” OFFICIAL VISUALIZER
WATCH “MY DEAD ASTRONAUT” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
WATCH “I AM THIS THING” (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Recorded at studios in Hitchcock’s longtime home base of Nashville by Brad Jones (Josh Rouse, Jill Sobule) and Jordan Lehning (Kacey Musgraves, Rodney Crowell, Emma Swift), The Confuser features accompaniment from Music City session experts including electric guitarist Jeremy Fetzer (Steelism, Lambchop, Kesha), bass guitarist Todd Bolden, and drummer/percussionist Eric Slick (Dr. Dog, Adrian Belew, Taylor Swift). 

Special guests include Gillian Welch (contributing vocals to “Ghost in Sunlight”) and Kimberley Rew (co-founder, with Hitchcock, of The Soft Boys), who lends additional guitar to “Breathless,” “How To Feel Alright,” “Ghost in Sunlight,” and “Growing From The Ruins.” 

As ever, Hitchcock carries the flame for a particular brand of traditional singer-songcraft, a deeply personal penchant sparked by his Summer of Love adolescence (detailed in his acclaimed first memoir, 1967: How I Got There and Why I Never Left) and furthered throughout the myriad cultural metamorphoses that followed. 

“One of my roles has been to keep a certain kind of music alive,” says Hitchcock. “I didn’t invent this field of music, but I’ve perpetuated it. Arguably, the Soft Boys did that, amongst other things. It wasn’t peace and love or ‘oh wow, man, look at these trippy flowers,’ it wasn’t any of that. It was simply a certain kind of sound and a certain kind of feeling that was in those records made between 1965 and 1968 which are now seen as the Big Bang of classic rock, or whatever you want to call it. I’ve just kept that approach to music alive – verse, chorus, middle eight, harmonies, guitar solos, and free-range lyrics. I’m very lucky to be able to do this. I can’t believe I’m still allowed to do it. But nobody’s stopped me, and I’m kind of touching wood that I can carry on doing it a bit longer.”

This month has also seen the publication of Hitchcock’s second memoir, Stranded in the Future (Akashic Books), on sale now wherever books are sold; a limited edition package including a copy of the book and numbered Giclée print, both autographed by Hitchcock, is also available. 

Spanning 1968 to 1978, Stranded in the Future explores the formation of Hitchcock’s seminal 1970s band, the Soft Boys, as well as the obsessions that fueled his early creative output. 

PURCHASE STRANDED IN THE FUTURE
PURCHASE STRANDED IN THE FUTURE LIMITED-EDITION PACKAGE

Hitchcock has an international tour schedule that includes book signings, solo performances, and full band shows across North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe through October. Additional dates will be announced. For complete details and ticket availability, please visit www.robynhitchcock.com/tour.

Track list: 

I Am This Thing
How To Feel Alright
My Dead Astronaut
Breathless
Ghost in Sunlight
Growing From The Ruins
The Vanishing Kind
Yesterday’s Rain
Wasted
Monday For Me

Live appearances:

JULY

27 – Boston, MA – Porter Square Books *
30 – Chicago, IL – Exile in Bookville *

SEPTEMBER
19 – Saint Leonards-on-Sea, UK – Kino-Teatr
23 – Cambridge, UK – Portland Arms
24 – Ipswich, UK – The Church
25 – Cardiff, UK – Acapela Studio
26 – Manchester, UK – Hallé at St Michaels
27 – Gateshead, UK – The Central
29 – Glasgow, UK – Cottiers Theatre

OCTOBER
1 – Belfast, UK – The Deer’s Head
2 – Dublin, Ireland – The Sugar Club
4 – Galway, Ireland – Roisin Dubh
6 – Hebden Bridge, UK – Trades Club
7 – Reading, UK – South Street Arts Centre
8 – Bath, UK – Komedia Bath
9 – Twyford, UK – St Mary’s Church, Twyford
10 – London, UK – Union Chapel
11 – Paris, France – Les Trois Baudets
17 – Landsberg Am Lech, Germany – Stadttheater Landsberg
18 – Berlin, Germany – Privatclub
20 – Bergen, Norway – Ole Bull Scene
21 – Trondheim, Norway – Bar Moskus
23 – Drammen, Norway – Drammen Kulturhus
24 – Randaberg, Norway – Tungenes Fyr
25 – Oslo, Norway – BLÅ
27 – København S, Denmark – DR Koncerthuset
28 – Stockholm, Sweden – Debaser Hornstulls Strand
30 – Helsinki, Finland – KULT

NOVEMBER
21 – Birmingham, AL - Saturn

* In Conversation + Book Signing

Out now: Pete Yorn's exceptional 'All the Beauty' album

Today is release day for Pete Yorn's 11th studio album 'All The Beauty.' One of the New Jersey native's finest albums to date - it was recorded and co-produced with longtime collaborator Jackson Phillips, and expands on the pair's first two releases, Caretakers and Hawaii. All The Beauty completes the trilogy. 

All The Beauty is available in two deluxe vinyl color configurations, as well as on cassette, CD, and digitally. All formats are available to order now via Bandcamp HERE.

The "Kintsugi" LP is pressed on a deluxe marble blend of sea glass green and brushed gold. The "Idyllwild Blue" LP, which features a deluxe metallic blend of silvery mountain snow and iridescent sky blue, was personally selected by Yorn and inspired by the album's new song, "Idyllwild." Each record is hand-poured, so the color ratios, placement, and blending vary, making every LP a one-of-a-kind collectible. Both editions are housed in premium, eco-friendly cardboard jackets and include an inner sleeve featuring additional artwork, lyrics, and album credits.

The All The Beauty limited-edition cassette was manufactured in California and designed by Yorn to evoke the classic cassette tapes he grew up with, from the cover artwork to the spine and tape itself. The All The Beauty CD is packaged in a deluxe gatefold sleeve that opens like a double LP, with all printed materials produced using environmentally friendly inks.

This past March marked the 25th anniversary of Yorn’s hit debut musicforthemorningafter this past March. Yorn is currently on the musicforthemorningafter 25th Anniversary tour – tickets are on sale here.

HEAR YEARNING NEW SINGLE “TRAINS” HERE
STREAM/BUY ALL THE BEAUTY HERE
LIMITED EDITION COLORED VINYLS AND COLLECTABLE CASSETTE TAPE HERE

READ LA TIMES RECENT PROFILE HERE

READ NEW SPIN PROFILE HERE

Track list:

Never Said No
All The Beauty

Out Of My Head

All The Time
Mine To Call
Trains
Magic (Helpless)
The Same Lie
Estate
Idyllwild
Everything

Pete Yorn MFTMA 25th Anniversary 2026 Tour Dates:

Sept 10 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
Sept 11 – Stowe, VT – Spruce Peak Arts
Sept 12 – Concord, NH – Capitol Center For The Arts - BNH Stage
Oct 23 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
Oct 24 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater
Oct 25 – Austin, TX – The Scoot Inn
Dec 5 – Seattle, WA – Chop Suey
Dec 6 – Portland, OR – The Aladdin Theater
Dec 11 – Newport Beach, CA – The Lido Theater
Dec 12 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy

Hovvdy ponder the 'Big World' in August; opening for Wilco on tour

Hovvdy—Will Taylor and Charlie Martin—share “You Will Go Far” the latest track from their sixth album, Big World, due August 14 via Arts & Crafts. Earlier this summer the band announced Big World with the songs “Try Try Try” and “Blast.” 

The guys just wrapped a tour run with Bleachers, and will be hitting the road this fall in support of Big World on a tour of the US and Canada. Before then, they will be supporting Wilco this summer. All dates below. Tickets are available via hovvdy.com.

WATCH THE “YOU WILL GO FAR” VIDEO

Since 2024’s Hovvdy album, both Martin and Taylor have become published songwriters in their new home of Nashville – a career development that heavily informed their approach to making Big World. “The last record felt like such a generous offering: a double-album, deeply personal, you can literally hear me crying on some songs,” says Martin. “With this one, we wanted to take on the challenge of making something more concise and to the point, and give the fans something that feels like a shorter but more exciting ride.”

Over a handful of recording sessions between Nashville and Asheville in fall 2025, Martin and Taylor adopted a recording approach that was new for them as a band: coming to the sessions only with instrumentals rather than fully-drafted demos, choosing to write and respond to the songs in real time.

“When it comes to the music, there’s literally never questions between Charlie and me, only answers,” says Taylor. “We can always show up and not have to worry about the music, and that continues to amaze me.” 

They viewed this as a fun, new challenge for them and, with the backing of their longtime collaborator Ben Littlejohn who serves as producer on Big World, felt less pressured and more empowered to make a record that was more sonically immediate, but emotionally ambiguous. 

WATCH THE PREVIOUSLY RELEASED
“TRY TRY TRY” & “BLAST” VIDEOS

Track List:

1. Life So Wide
2. Way Down
3. JJ
4. What I Had
5. Blast
6. Starry
7. Try Try Try
8. Junk
9. You Will Go Far
10. Give It Away
11. Untitled
12. Wannabe (Radio Queen)

World Tour Dates:

08/17 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ De Vereeniging ^
08/18 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso ^
08/20 - London, United Kingdom @ Eventim Apollo ^
08/21 - Crickhowell, UK @ Green Man Festival
08/23 - Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute The Lodge *
08/22 - Glasgow, Scotland @ Glasgow Royal Concert Hall ^
08/25 - Antwerp, Deurne @ OLT Rivierenhof ^
08/26 - Antwerp, Deurne @ OLT Rivierenhof ^
08/27 - Paris, France @ Pop Up Du Label *
08/29 - London, UK @ Moth Club *
08/30 - Dublin, Ireland @ Workman's Club *
10/09 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck +
10/10 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge +
10/11 - Denver, CO @ Globe Hall +
10/12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall +
10/14 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos +
10/15 - Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre +
10/16 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater +
10/18 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlow's +
10/19 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel +
10/20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Sid The Cat Auditorium +
10/21 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room +
10/22 - San Diego, CA @ Quartyard +
10/23 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar +
10/25 - Ft Worth, TX @ Tulips FTW +
10/26 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk +
11/02 - Washington DC @ 9:30 Club ~
11/03 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church ~
11/04 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall ~
11/05 - Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom ~
11/06 - Boston, MA @ Royale ~
11/07 - Northampton, MA @ The Iron Horse ~
11/09 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern ~
11/11 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall ~
11/12 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line ~
11/13 - Milwaukee, WI @ Vivarium ~
11/14 - Detroit, MI @ El Club ~
11/16 - Lakewood, OH @ Mahall's ~
11/18 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos' Southend ~
11/19 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade - Hell ~
11/20 - Nashville, TN @ The Blue Room ~
11/21 - Nashville, TN @ The Blue Room ~

^ w/Wilco 
+ w/Emma Ogier
~ w/Christian Lee Hutson

Cabaret Voltaire's Eighties album 'Code' to get expanded reissue

Mute Records will release a remastered reissue of CODE, Cabaret Voltaire’s eighth studio album from 1987, which has been out of print for many years. Due Oct. 9, it will feature new sleeve notes and be available on limited edition “CODIFIED” marble vinyl and as a deluxe triple CD set featuring two bonus discs of remastered remixes from the time, plus unreleased remixes discovered in the archive.

Producer, writer and musician John Robie’s dub remix of ‘Thank You America’, originally earmarked as the third single from the original release, is out now. 

Listen to ‘Thank You America (John Robie’s Dub Mix)’

CODE marked the point that Richard H Kirk and Stephen ‘Mal’ Mallinder signed to EMI exposing them to a world of bigger budgets, but no compromise on their unique vision. The album's two singles - ‘Don’t Argue’ and ‘Here To Go’ - broke the UK Official Singles Chart, and as a double-sided singel in the US - went to #16 on the Dance Chart. 

Explains Mal in the new sleeve notes, “This album captures a very interesting moment in time where we were moving into a technological world. Probably more than anything else Richard and I made together, CODE was a political record that we didn't have to directly articulate as political, mostly because of what was going on in the background at that time.”

Ever prescient, CODE tapped into an increasingly uneasy relationship with technology, computers and programming that was creeping into all aspects of life, unpicking the codes of control to expose them – a preoccupation that would continue in Cabaret Voltaire’s work.

Featuring guest musicians – the saxophonist Simeon Lister, bassist Mark Brydon (Chakk) and Bill Nelson (Be-Bop Deluxe), the album was recorded at The Cabs’ Western Works studio in Sheffield, with Adrian Sherwood joining for pre-production before the sessions moved to Red Bus in London for mixing. The album was remastered by Denis Blackman (who has mastered or remastered every Cabaret Voltaire album for over 20 years), and work on the CODE reissue began 2019 with Richard H. Kirk - before his untimely death - and was completed using his notes in consultation with Stephen Mallinder and Kirk’s estate.

Originally active between 1973-1994, Cabaret Voltaire were formed by Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson. After Watson’s departure in 1981, Richard H. Kirk and Stephen Mallinder continued until 1994 until - with Kirk as the sole remaining member – Cabaret Voltaire’s 2014 performance at Berlin’s Atonal festival. An interconnected series of releases - Shadow of Fear, BN9Drone and Dekadrone - followed in 2020 and 2021 before Kirk’s untimely passing in autumn 2021.

In 2025 Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson marked the 50th anniversary of Cabaret Voltaire’s first performance with one last tour. The tour continues in 2026 with the final US and UK performances set for autumn – full details below.

Pre-order the album

CODE (VINYL) TRACKLIST:

1 Don't Argue
2 Sex, Money, Freaks
3 Thank You America
4 Here To Go
5 Trouble (Won't Stop)
6 White Car
7 No One Here
8 Life Slips By
9 Code

(CD) TRACKLIST: 

DISC 1

1 Don't Argue
2 Sex, Money, Freaks
3 Thank You America
4 Here To Go
5 Trouble (Won't Stop)
6 White Car
7 No One Here
8 Life Slips By
9 Code

DISC 2

1 Hey Hey
2 Thank You America (John Robie Dub Mix)
3 Don't Argue (Hate and Destroy Mix)
4 Here To Go (Eleven Eleven Mix)
5 Sex, Money, Freaks (Kevorkian 12" Mix)
6 Code (12" Mix)
7 Thank You America (Dub Single Mix)
8 Don’t Argue – Who’s Arguing
9 Here To Go (Extended Mix)
10 Thank You America (Short Single Mix)
11 Don't Argue (7" Version)
12 Here To Go (Single Version)

DISC 3

1 Don't Argue (John Robie Extended Version)
2 Here To Go (Kevorkian Extended Mix)
3 Thank You America (Kevorkian Bonus Beats)
4 Sex, Money, Freaks (Kevorkian Dub)
5 Thank You America (Alternate Mix)
6 Don't Argue (Dance Dub)
7 Here To Go (Adrian Sherwood Live Drum Jacknife Remix)
8 Thank You America (Alternate Mix 2)
9 Don't Argue (Dance)
10 Here To Go (Space Dub)
11 Don't Argue (Single Mix)
12 Here To Go (Little Dub)

Tour dates: 

11 September – Dallas, TX (US), Granada Theater^
15 September – Chicago, IL (US), Metro^
16 September – Chicago, IL (US), Metro^
18 September – Toronto, ON (US), Phoenix Concert Theatre^
19 September – Montreal, QC (US), Sat^
21 September – Boston, MA (US), The Wilbur^
25 September – New York, NY (US), Knockdown Center^
26 September – Philadelphia, PA (US), Underground Arts^
7 October – Dublin, The Academy
8 October – Belfast, Limelight
10 October – Birmingham, Town Hall*
11 October – Liverpool, Arts Club* - LOW TICKETS
13 October – Nottingham, The Palais*
14 October – Cardiff, The Globe**
15 October – Bath, Forum**
17 October – Newcastle, Boiler Shop*
18 October – Glasgow, Barrowland*
19 October – Manchester, Albert Hall*
21 October – Brighton, Chalk*
22 October – London, Roundhouse* - LOW TICKETS
25 October – Sheffield, Octagon* - LOW TICKETS

With support from: ^ I Speak Machine / * Gazelle Twin / ** Fader

Teenage Fanclub return with new album in October

On October 9, Teenage Fanclub will release their new album Do Not Dare To Dream on Merge Records (pre-order). The band’s 13th studio album follows 2023's Nothing Lasts Forever. Lead single “Day In The Sun” is accompanied by a music video filmed on location at Black Bay Studio on Great Bernera by Donald Milne. The track is available now on all digital platforms.

For nearly four decades, Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley have led Teenage Fanclub. Although it took the album title from Blake’s wryly named “I Do Not Dare To Dream,” Blake says, “Those ‘dare to dream’ sentiments are kind of ridiculous”...“I don’t think the world works that way.” 

Reflecting on the album’s outlook, McGinley notes, “We can still be cheerful and optimistic in the face of things not being great.”

Recorded at Black Bay Studio on the remote Scottish island of Great Bernera - the band's most remote recording location yet - helped the band focus on the work but also put them in a place of awe, surrounded as they were by the crashing sea and ancient ruins. Teenage Fanclub likes to take advantage of what a studio has available to use, and at Black Bay the band found a Domus church organ (prominently heard on many songs, including “Over And Over”) and a lot of different synthesizers.

Joined by longtime members Euros Childs, Francis Macdonald, and David McGowan, this quintet has played together long enough now that neither of Teenage Fanclub’s principal songwriters and guitarists feel the need to fuss over their songs or work up arrangements before they enter the studio. They’d rather wait for the rest of the group’s input. 

Blake says, “I think what happens is you just move from one thing into the next and before you know it, 30 years have passed. McGinley adds: “Yeah, it’s been a while since we started doing this thing we do, but to us it feels like no time at all. In the place where we made the record people would have been singing thousands of years ago. Life is short, but music is eternal.”

Stream: “Day in the Sun” on All Digital Platforms
Watch: “Day in the Sun” video on YouTube

Track list:

1. There Was You
2. Tomorrow People
3. Over And Over
4. Be With You Tonight
5. The Same Air
6. I Do Not Dare To Dream
7. Take Time
8. Day In The Sun
9. Somewhere To Land
10. Young And Wise

Orville Peck Sets New Album and Tour This Fall

Americana/country artist Orville Peck's 'Mule' album arrives September 18 on Warner Records.

Available now is “Prologue (Eulogy Of A Man Turned Mule),” which features Emmylou Harris, Noah Cyrus, and Allison Russell; and lead single “Too Little, Too Late."

Pre-save Mule HERE.

Listen to “Prologue (Eulogy Of A Man Turned Mule)” HERE and watch HERE.

Listen to “Too Little, Too Late” HERE and watch HERE.

Following his Grand Ole Opry debut this week is Peck's Man Turned Mule Tour. After headlining Hollywood Bowl — the North American run will kick off in October. A dollar from every ticket sold on the North American Man Turned Mule Tour will be donated to The Trevor Project, supporting its mission to provide crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ young people. Find the itinerary below and tickets HERE.

Fans can sign up now to get early access to tickets via the artist presale at Orvillepeck.com which will begin on Tuesday, July 28 at 10 a.m. local time. VIP packages will be available starting Monday, July 27 at 10 a.m. local time and will include premium tickets with early entry, an exclusive VIP Pre-Show Experience with Orville Peck including a soundcheck viewing and a Q&A session, exclusive merchandise and additional perks. Tickets go on sale to the public beginning on Friday, July 31 at 10 a.m. local time at Orvillepeck.com/tour.

Orville Peck’s Reserved by Spotify tickets may be available to eligible US Spotify Premium subscribers through Ticketmaster in select markets. Eligible fans will be notified by Spotify via email and app notification and will have the opportunity to purchase up to two tickets before the general on-sale. Citi cardmembers will also have access to presale tickets in select markets beginning Tuesday, July 28 at 10 a.m local time until Thursday, July 30 at 10 p.m local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.

“Prologue (Eulogy Of A Man Turned Mule)” finds three generations of female country artists harmonizing lyrics written and arranged by Peck. In the video, they don black veils and — in an eerie alternate space — nurse uniforms as they sing his would-be eulogy. It’s a beautifully bleak ending that represents a beginning, as it turns out.

Peck’s fourth LP unfolds as a chronological timeline of the year that reshaped his life, tracing the collapse of addiction, the difficult pursuit of sobriety, and the slow, often uncertain process of rebuilding. Mule finds Peck confronting love, loss, and identity through songs that move between classic country storytelling, bluegrass, and expansive Americana.

“Too Little, Too Late” was produced by Jay Joyce (Patty Griffin, Eric Church) and written by Peck with Dan Wilson (The Chicks, Laufey) and Steve Rusch (Beyoncé, Jessie Murph). The song is about what it feels like to be finally secure with who you are. It’s also about having moved on when your ex comes crawling back: “Ooh they say, good things come to those who wait…”Peck croons over a rip-roaring score, before finishing the sentence: “...too little, too late.”

This new music follows last November’s Appaloosa EP which included the single “Drift Away” and happened in a year in which he threw his 7th Annual Rodeo in Pioneertown, CA; wrapped filming for the Street Fighter movie, in which he plays the masked assassin Vega (trailer HERE); and made his Broadway debut in a five-month, 128-show run in Cabaret.

Track listing:

Prologue (Eulogy Of A Man Turned Mule)
Big Ol’ House
Already Gone
Rehab Blues
Ring The Bell
Blue Skies
The Fall
Cowboy Heart
The Breeze, The Grass, The Mourning Dove and Me
Run Out Of Road
Too Little, Too Late
War Of The Worlds
Mule

Man Turned Mule Tour:

Sep 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl *
Sep 23 – Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn *
Sep 26 – Bonner, MT @ KettleHouse Amphitheater *
Oct 28 – Sacramento, CA @ Channel 24
Oct 29 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues Anaheim
Oct 30 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
Nov 01 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
Nov 03 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory
Nov 04 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
Nov 05 – Milwaukee, WI @ Landmark Credit Union Live
Nov 07 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
Nov 09 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
Nov 10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
Nov 11 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Presented by Highmark
Nov 13 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
Nov 14 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
Nov 15 – Nashville, TN @ The Truth
Nov 17 – Toronto, ON @ HISTORY
Nov 18 – Ottawa, ON @ Hard Rock Ottawa
Nov 19 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
Nov 21 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Nov 22 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount

* Abbie Callahan not appearing on these dates

Photo courtesy Warner Records

Bob Seger catalog news

Capitol/UMe will commemorate the 20th anniversary of Bob Seger's 2006 album Face The Promise with an expanded edition arriving September 18.

Available for the first time on streaming services, the expanded edition features four bonus tracks—"Time," "Little Jane," "Red Eye to Memphis," and "Let Me Try"—and will also be released on 2LP black vinyl featuring a gatefold jacket and 12-page LP-sized booklet.

Pre-order the album HERE.

Newly remastered, the expanded edition includes the singles "Wait for Me" and "Wreck This Heart." For "The Answer's In The Question," Seger was joined by Patty Loveless. In 2023, Seger helped induct Loveless into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Originally released on September 12, 2006, Face The Promise marked Seger's 16th studio album. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA just three months later.

Track Listing*

LP1 SIDE ONE
1. Wreck This Heart
2. Wait For Me
3. Face The Promise
4. No Matter Who You Are

LP1 SIDE TWO
1. Are You
2. Simplicity
3. No More
4. Real Mean Bottle (duet with Kid Rock)
5. Won’t Stop

LP2 SIDE THREE
1. Between
2. The Answer’s In The Question (duet with Patty Loveless)
3. The Long Goodbye

LP2 SIDE FOUR Expanded Edition Bonus Tracks
1. Time
2. Little Jane
3. Red Eye To Memphis
4. Let Me Try

* CD, Digital Download, and Streaming configurations are the same sequence of tracks.

Coachella Festival 2026: 'Arrival' and 'Artist on Artist' Series Episodes Now on YouTube

Episodes of Arrival feat. Holly Humberstone, Katseye, Gigi Perez and Levity are now streaming on the Coachella YouTube channel. These four new stories explore artists from this year's Coachella lineup. Filmed in the days surrounding their performances, Arrival follows the artists through rehearsals, reflection, and the moments leading up to Coachella, offering a closer look at the people behind the music.

A Closer Look at Arrival:

Katseye 
The journey behind one of pop's newest global groups as they prepare for their Coachella debut while navigating identity, ambition, and life in the spotlight.

Gigi Perez
An intimate portrait of the songwriter behind "Sailor Song," reflecting on grief, healing, and the deeply personal experiences that shaped her path to Coachella.

Holly Humberstone
As she returns to Coachella and releases her new album, Cruel World, Holly reflects on growth, identity, and embracing a new chapter in her life and career.

Levity
From working day jobs to their Coachella debut, Levity shares the story of years of hard work, friendship, and the viral moment that changed everything. Watch the complete season now on the Coachella YouTube channel.

Artist on Artist Series:

Featuring David Byrne, FKA twigs, PinkPantheress, Slayyyter, Sara Landry’s Blood Oath and more. The Coachella and YouTube series pairs lineup artists in one-to-one conversations, revealing personal stories and creative perspectives against the backdrop of the festival.

Phil Collins' Face Value to get deluxe LP box set

Released in 1981, FACE VALUE was Phil Collins' first solo album, which is perhaps most famous for its revolutionary production, specifically the "gated reverb" drum sound that went on to define the sonic aesthetic of the 1980s. This is best heard on the centerpiece, "In the Air Tonight," which remains the most celebrated drum fill in rock history.

Collins incorporated the Phenix Horns (of Earth, Wind & Fire) on tracks like "I Missed Again." He also did an experimental cover of The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows." 

The album will be next of Phil's solo records to be released as a deluxe vinyl boxed set, featuring:

- A brand-new interview with Phil talking about the album
- Rare, stripped back performances of "In The Air Tonight" and "The Roof Is Leaking" from The Other Secret Policeman's Ball featuring Phil and guitarist Daryl Stuermer
- Two previously unreleased live performances from Perkins Palace in 1982 and Irvine Meadows in 1985
- An unreleased outtake of Phil's experimental cover of The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows"
- An previously unreleased full version of "Over The Rainbow," of which there is an excerpt at the end of the original album

LP1 - Original Album

Side A:
1) In The Air Tonight
2) This Must Be Love
3) Behind The Lines
4) The Roof Is Leaking
5) Droned
6) Hand In Hand

Side B:
1) I Missed Again
2) You Know What I Mean
3) Thunder And Lightning
4) I’m Not Moving
5) If Leaving Me Is Easy
6) Tomorrow Never Knows

LP2

Side A:
1) Misunderstanding (Live)
2) If Leaving Me Is Easy (Live)
3) In The Air Tonight (Live)
4) Behind The Lines (Live)

Side B:
1) Hand In Hand (Live)
2) I Missed Again (Live)
3) …And So To F… (Live)

LP3

Side A:
1) In The Air Tonight (Live at Other Secret Policeman’s Ball)
2) The Roof Is Leaking (Live at Other Secret Policeman’s Ball)
3) This Must Be Love (Live, Irvine Meadows 1985)*
4) You Know What I Mean (Live, Perkins Palace 1982)*

Side B:
1) In The Air Tonight (Ben Liebrand Extended Version)
2) The Roof Is Leaking (Nicka’s Stella Polaris Interpretation)
3) Tomorrow Never Knows (Outtake)*
4) Over The Rainbow (Full Version)*

LP4

Side A:
1) The Roof Is Leaking (Demo)
2) This Must Be Love (Demo)
3) Please Don’t Ask (Demo)
4) Misunderstanding (Demo)
5) Against All Odds (Demo)

Side B:
1) Please Don’t Break My Heart (Demo)
2) If Leaving Me Is Easy (Demo)
3) I Missed Again (Demo)
4) In The Air Tonight (Demo)
5) Hand In Hand (Demo)

Ben Folds Five debut album to get expanded reissue treatment

'Ben Folds Five (30th Anniversary)' is slated for Sept. 4 via Capitol/UMe. Technically speaking, it arrives 31 years after the original August 8, 1995 release. 

The original self-titled debut album has been newly remastered and joined by the long awaited, fan requested unvaulting of the band’s shelved first attempt, only recently rediscovered on digital audio tape by Folds in his own personal archives and specially remastered for this release.

This first try of the album, produced by Dave “Stiff” Johnson, includes early, alternate versions of seven tracks from the album, a performance of “Evaporated,” which would ultimately be re-recorded for the band’s 1997 sophomore album, Whatever And Ever Amen, plus three rare outtakes that didn’t make the eponymous debut (“Emaline,” “Dick Holster” and “Eddie Walker”). The Shelved First Attempt is being previewed with the fan favorite track “Underground (Shelved First Attempt).” 

Formats include 2CD and 2LP on 180-gram black vinyl, while the remaster of the original album as well as the Shelved First Attempt will both be available to stream and download. A limited amount of 1,000 copies of the vinyl signed by all three band members will be available exclusively at uDiscoverMusic.com

Pre-orders/pre-saves are available now: https://benfoldsfive.lnk.to/benfoldsfive30thPR

“Here’s my 59-year-old self’s take on the album we made when I was 28: Overall, it’s good!” writes Ben Folds in the anniversary edition’s liner notes. “It’s NOT the kind of record you’d hear produced these days. It’s pretty rough and tumble, mostly in a good way. And it’s emphatically unique. It’s from an era when you could still identify a band by the instrumentalists, before you’d even hear the vocalist. I don’t think that’s been a thing since computers allowed us to get things just right.” 

He continues, “this first Ben Folds Five record doesn’t even TRY to do the things most might aspire to, with or without the technology, and that’s one of the first things I hear while listening. Many indie rockers of the 90s claimed to be raw and not care. We actually lived that, though it’s just not obvious because it’s based around piano and complex songs, which was an odd combo,” adding “for better or worse – wow. I’m hearing a record that really just puts it out there, and I’m glad we did all of that. It also probably stunted the potential for the record in terms of commercial appeal. Who knows? But I’m all for it, at least for this first album… The “and all” that, along with the warts, means it’s a real snapshot of a time period. That’s rare, so I give this album a thumbs up, and now I’ll go back to not listening to my own music.”

About the Shelved First Attempt, Folds writes: “The budget from Caroline Records, as I recall, was about $14k, all-in. We spent all of that in a proper three-week session in Philadelphia with a proper producer who had a few hits under his belt, and who gave us a great deal. This version of the album was shelved and never saw the light of day. We had taken the time we needed, and the advice of the very competent producer, but it resulted in an album that didn’t feel like us. I only recently happened to have found a cassette of this shelved album. It’s not bad, though I recall it being hideous… It’s just not crazy like the album we all know.”

The original lineup of Ben Folds Five – that is, Ben Folds (piano, vocals), Robert Sledge (bass), and Darren Jessee (drums) – will further commemorate the milestone anniversary of Ben Folds Five with a hugely anticipated series of live performances, their first run of shows together in more than 13 long years.

Track listing (CD): 

DISC 1 – BEN FOLDS FIVE (REMASTERED)

1. Jackson Cannery
2. Philosophy
3. Julianne
4. Where’s Summer B.?
5. Alice Childress
6. Underground
7. Sports & Wine
8. Uncle Walter
9. Best Imitation of Myself
10. Video
11. The Last Polka
12. Boxing

DISC 2 – BEN FOLDS FIVE (SHELVED FIRST ATTEMPT)

1. Underground
2. Julianne
3. Uncle Walter
4. Alice Childress
5. Evaporated
6. Dick Holster
7. Philosophy
8. Boxing
9. Emaline
10. The Last Polka
11. Eddie Walker