Albums reissues, Part 1

The last couple of years a number of my favorite bands reissued their albums. They are usually remastered and have additional tracks and/or liner notes on the album. Most of the time, I already own the album in question. Sometimes on vinyl as well! Still, every-time it is a though decision: do I buy the remastered reissue with additional never-before-released material, or not.

 

In the case of the EMI remasters of British “crusties” New Model Army the decision wasn’t hard. Yes, I bought them as they included the b-sides. And yes, I often play the second cd with those b-sides. I bought the reissues of first three The Cult albums as well. Mainly for the liner notes. I like to read about the recording process of a band. The album “Electric” had a pre-history in the so-called Manor sessions. So, in that case liner notes are a welcome addition.

However, in the case of the more recent The Mission albums the liner notes were written by lead singer and sole surviving member Wayne Hussey. Which is nice, but it has the disadvantage of lacking a more objective outsider’s point of view. This was compensated by the nice booklet that included contemporary artwork. The Mission sprang forth of another British band, The Sisters of Mercy. Their first three albums were reissued in nice digipacks with liner notes. However, I only bought the first album, which I already had of course. The album, titled “First and Last and Always”, had a different mix, than a previous issue. It also had some interesting b-sides.Although the demo was a slight disappoint. The other reissues of the Sisters weren’t as interesting as the first. Fewer additional tracks and disappointing b-sides. In the case of “Vision Thing” that is. But, when I am in a record shop and see them, I tempted. Are the liner notes just as interesting as their first album? Is is worth buying them solely for the liner notes? The band had a turbulent past in between the first and the second album. Hussey and Craig Adams walked away and formed the aforementioned Mission. Leaving Andrew Eldritch all by himself to record “Floodland”.

So maybe someday I will buy them, maybe even all of them. Possibly with the remasters of Sonic Youth’s “Goo” and “Dirty”. Then I have them on CD, tape and as remastered CD as well.

Tags: New Model Army, Reissue, remaster, Sisters of Mercy, The Cult, The Mission