[tweetmeme]Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs.
R.E.M.
RELEASE: Unplugged 1991/2001: The Complete Sessions
BACKSTORY: R.E.M. follows the 4LP Record Store Day release of its 1991 and 2001 “MTV Unplugged” sets with 2CD and digital editions this week. Features 11 songs that never aired on either broadcast. (Tracklist)
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
R.E.M.
RELEASE: Complete Rarities: I.R.S. 1982-1987
BACKSTORY: R.E.M. also is subject this week to a new 50-song, digital-only compilation of early material previously assembled on 1987′s out-of-print Dead Letter Office and other reissues and best-ofs. (Tracklist)
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
Devo
RELEASE: Something Else For Everybody
BACKSTORY: Devo this week releases an 11-track collection of demos and “focus group rejects” written and recorded between 2006 and 2009 during the making of 2010 comeback album Something For Everybody.
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
The Mission
RELEASE: Serpent’s Kiss: The Very Best Of
BACKSTORY: The reunited Mission this week release a new best-of in Europe featuring classics “Wasteland,” “Tower of Strength” and “Butterfly on a Wheel,” plus “Swan Song” off last year’s The Brightest Light.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott
RELEASE: What Have We Become
BACKSTORY: The Housemartins frontman Paul Heaton re-teams with his former Beautiful South bandmate Jacqui Abbott to record an album of brand-new music, due out this week in the U.K.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
Neville Staple
RELEASE: Ska Crazy
BACKSTORY: The former vocalist for The Specials returns with a new album of original and classic ska tracks, plus some dub mixes thrown in to boot. Tracks include “Rude Boy Returns,” “Roadblock” and “Johnny Too Bad.”
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
The Cramps
RELEASE: Flamejob
BACKSTORY: The Cramps’ sixth album is reissued by Drastic Plastic this week in its first vinyl pressing since 1994. Remastered, with updated rendering of original art on heavyweight vinyl jackets, according to the label.
BUY: Amazon.com
