Are there any worthwhile "bonus" tracks on CD reissues?
Posted by Kitson on 27 June 2008 - 10:15am.
Listening to the recent Podcast and the comments about Legacy edition reissues I was forced to agree that, despite forking out on quite a few of these over the years, they nearly always disappoint.
The only extra tracks on CDs that spring to mind are:
"Barbecutie" and "Lost & Found" on Sparks' Kimono My House CD, could have been hit singles in their own right.
Then there's a pretty good bunch on The Who Sell Out CD including "Early Morning Cold Taxi", "Melancholia" and "Girl's Eyes", all great tracks.
Other than those I'm hard pushed to think of much else that I can honestly say I actually listen to.
Are there any worthwhile CD reissues out there?
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Two come to mind
The only ESSENTIAL tracks I can think of is The Who's 1995 reissue of Who's Next, an album that really should have been a double album as they left several masterpieces off the original release. Tracks so good that they turn up on Best Of compilations.
As far as GOOD bonus tracks go, I would say that the 2CD Lloyd Cole and the Commotions reissue has some excellent bonus studio tracks which I've grafted onto he end of the album on my MP3 version (the BBC and live tracks are pointless and I haven't ripped them).
Waterboys
Extra track on This Is The Sea re-issue "Beverley Penn" is wonderful IMHO.
The curse of live add on tracks....
....which are seldom the bonus as advertised. However there are many unreleased tracks that turn up on re-issues and often there is no obvious reason as to why left off in the first place. My rule of thumb is if it is a studio out-take and otherwise unreleased, it is perhaps worth listening to and perhaps worth purchasing. Live and unreleased or alternate takes of already existing songs need a pinch of salt. Strangely, BBC sessions are the exception, as bands will often commit something slightly odd or unexpected thereto. Given the "interest" is often to the committed fan already, who will often have the "original" expurgated release, the extras I will oten seek to cherry pick as downloads, thus deploring the cynical companies who make such tracks undownloadable separately, "whole album only".
Best outtake ever is "Poor Wil and the Jolly Hangman", excluded from Fairports "Full House", despite retrospectively being the strongest song on it. Unfortumnately has a habit of being the "extra" on rather too many different retrospective takes of the Thompso/Fairport canon, so beware the "unreleased extra" that has already appeared as an unreleased extra elsewhere.....
Worst re-release has to be the Free CDs with 10 alternate versions of Alright Now, especially as the company have pulled that trick at least twice. The dodgy live tracks on the Blondie re-releases are a close 2nd.
The '2
The Super deluxe Bonus version of The Joshua Tree has some great stuff on it as well as a top notch live DVD and the forthcoming reissue of Boy collects a lot of early singles and unreleased tracks.
Another nod for the Waterboys, the deluxe version of "Fisherman's Blues" is a must have. In fact, get this as well for an even more complete picture of the sessions.
All the Elvis Costello double cd reissues from a few years back had good stuff on them as well.
What I really want is the Stones deluxe versions, only a matter of time of course.
Elvis Costello reissues...
Tell me about it. I own the "non-deluxe" editions and I refuse to pay again for the newer versions, but there are some tracks on there I'd dearly love to own. I'd absolutely love a copy of EC's cover of "What Do I Do Now?" on the "All This Useless Beauty" re-issue (well, not enough to pay £12 for a new CD, clearly). It frustrates me that I can't even pay to download that one track, none of the online stores seem to have it.
*sulks*
Waterboys....
I agree entirely as to the worth of Too close to heaven, but the expanded original was a step too far, as most fans would have the original and TCTH, not necessarily expecting the unreleased unreleased to follow, with the pleasure of having then having to buy the original bits again. I downloaded a few, but they do seem to be the dregs. I can't be arsed with alternate versions unless they are very alternate: maybe you can guide me, Pat?
Disc 2 Of Fisherman's Blues - The Lowdown
1. Carolan's Welcome - moving instrumental - makes me weep for the old country and I live in the place.
2. Killing My Heart - Early version of "When Ye Go Away" but with more of a country feel
3. You In The Sky - Big music, almost like their earlier stuff, a more sedate version of this will later appear on the under rated Book Of Lightning.
4. When Will We Be Married? - very different from the original version, done as a reel with extra Bodhran.
5. Nobody 'Cept You - mid paced country tune with extra mandolin, sounds a bit like Ronnie Lane's solo stuff.
6. Fisherman's Blues (Alt Version) - Very sedate version of the title track with extra tin whistle - avoid.
7. Girl Of The North Country - fantastic version of the old chestnut.
8. Lonesome And A Long Way From Home - another mid paced country tinged number, nothing wrong with that.
9. If I Can't Have You - Bluesy shuffle with bursts of sax - good
10. Rattle My Bones And Shiver My Soul - Sounds a bit like they're making it up as they're going along to a blues structure but not bad
11. Let Me Feel Holy Again - mid paced effort where Scott again tries to be Van Morrison. Not bad but it goes on too long.
12. Meet Me At The Station - gospel n' country effort - used to be great live if I remember rightly.
13. The Good Ship Sirius - about 40 seconds of instrumental - don’t bother
14 Soon As I Get Home - 12 minutes long ballad, shifts up a gear a couple of times - not bad
It's a pretty good strike rate for a bonus cd, I think we can agree but he should have gone the whole hog and released the sessions in a box.
Why, thank you, sir!
fabulous. From your description it sounds as if I need 1,3,4, 5, 8. 9 and 14.
(Girl from the North Country does my head in, whomsoever, as does Greensleeves on TCTH)
Slim Pickings
I'd agree with Pat, the Costello reissues had a high strike rate, the alt take of Kid About It on Imperial Bedroom stands out as worth the price of admission but I'm drawing the line at his new 'definitive' reissued reissues. Making your own cut downs of the Beatles' Anthology is a wise idea. The Legacy Edition (oh p-lease) of Jeff Buckley's Live at Sine stripped all the mystery and wonder from the very fine and well chosen original EP. The London Calling rehearsals haven't burnt a hole in my iPod though the DVD part of it contains several completely peerless live tracks, better than anything in the documentaries about the Clash. Richard and Linda Thompson reissues have some great unreleased and live track, as does the Watching The Dark collection. His recent box set of sometimes bootleg quality unreleased stuff does take things a little far though.
The Lexicon of Love
Had a very, very good version of "Theme from Mantrap" as part of the bonus tracks, along with the "Swap Shop" version. Rather perfunctory live disc with it...
Can they not be on a seperate cd
that I can leave in the shop!
Friendliness
The CD reissue of this Stackridge LP added several bonus tracks, including Purple Spaceships Over Yatton. A much-loved track from their concert performances, only available before as a single b-side.
bowie stuff
what about those ryko reissues in the early 90s ? great previously unreleased stuff like It's Gonna Be Me and Who Can I Be Now from the Young Americans sessions , or gear recorded for Low and Heroes - there should have been even more of this stuff added on .
The remarkable Robyn Hitchcock reissues are always crammed with great extras too !
Stanley Road
Some nice alternate versions, a good documentary and a Neil Young Cover. Bonus!
There is a wealth of good stuff on The Cure re-issues too.