I'm sure this has been done before, but was listening to the EMI 100 years reissue version of Hounds Of Love driving home and "Under The Ivy" came up - one of my all time favourite track (I still remember seeing the video of just Kate Bush at the piano on The Tube). And this was a B-Side....

Anyway, got me thinking - examples where the bonus tracks / B sides are as good or if not better than the original album / A-Side and not just filler...

Few that come to mind
- the aforementioned "Under The Ivy"
- "Andy's Babies" - Lloyd Cole & Commotions / Rattlesnakes
- "Huckleberry Grove" - Ocean Colour Scene
- the whole of the extra disk on the Prefab Sprout Steve McQueen reissue, with the newly recorded acoustic versions (now that's how to do a reissue....)

Any more ?

We all see the continuos stream of issues from our favourite artists (especially true for those of use with 30 years of listening under our probably expanding belts).

These reissues are often reviewed in the usual music magazines / web sites etc etc but it seems to me they are reviewed in the context of the album alone - i.e. much as a new release is reviewed and are the songs on it any good.

Given that a significant proportion of the target market of these are likely to be people that already own / know / love these albums are the reviews somewhat missing the point - i.e I know I like the album but do the "remastering", "new digital transfer", extra tracks etc etc make this a worthwhile purchase / re-purchase or are the record company just fleecing me of my hard earned cash.

To the second point of this post - and without wanted to come across all What HiFi - do the reissues on SACD / DVDA (i.e. multichannel or better sound quality) add anything to these reissues and why don't any reviews ever seem to cover this (unless I read What HiFi). I recently replaced my DVD player and the new model I got happened to have SACD / DVDA capability and as I had a surround system, I have dabbled in some of these reissues.....

I actually thought the Genesis SACD's did add something to the original albums (although the new standard CD mix sucks), I love the multichannel version of Avalon / Roxy Music (no whizz bang effects, just a wonderful sonic landscape....) and thought Peter Gabriels "Up" really benefitted (although I heard that it was recorded as multi channel and then down mixed for the standard release).

Any other examples where mutichannel / re releases add to the original and make it worth re purchasing and should Word et al cover this aspect in the review......

Sat here late Friday night randomly dipping into my iTunes library and surfing the web, was listening to the brilliant Spilt Milk by Jellyfish. By chance looked up Jellyfish on Wikipedia and noted that Andy Sturmer, their songwriter / multi-instrumentalist followed Jellyfish by writing / producing with Japanese pop group Puff AmiYami and wrote the Teen Titans theme tune, Ben10 theme tune amongst others....

Strangely, coming home from dinner out this evening with the family, it was the kids (4 and 6) playlist on the iPod in the car and guess what was on it...... Teen Titans theme tune, Ben10 theme tune......

Any other "revered" artists that disappear and crop up in the unlikeliest places.... ???