R.E.M.'s "Up" 25th Anniversary Edition due Nov. 10 via Craft Recordings; previously unreleased “Daysleeper (‘Party of Five’ recording)

The 25th Anniversary Edition of R.E.M.'s bestselling 1998 album Up is due November 10 via Craft Recordings. The newly remastered reissue featuures a never-before-heard 11-song set from the band's taping of the TV show "Party of Five" along with expansive liner notes, new interviews with the band, HD-restored music videos, performance footage and more.

 

In celebration of the forthcoming reissue, the band is debuting the previously unreleased "Daysleeper ('Party of Five' Recording)" -- stream the track HERE. Check out the official media release below...Robert Kinsler

 

Craft Recordings is celebrating the 25^th anniversary of R.E.M.’s bestselling 11^th studio album Up with a series of expanded and remastered reissues, all of which are available for pre-order now and set for release on November 10. Created in partnership with the band, the Deluxe 2-CD/1 Blu-Ray edition offers a wealth of material for fans, including the band’s previously unreleased set from their guest appearance on the hit TV series “Party of Five.” Captured in 1999, the performance includes an 11-song setlist—including enduring hits like “Man on the Moon,” “Losing My Religion,” and “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)”—plus a spoken-word introduction. The accompanying Blu-ray features HD music videos from the 1998 album (“Daysleeper,” “Lotus” and “At My Most Beautiful”), a six-song performance from the era (titled Uptake) recorded in a London studio, the album’s original EPK, plus stunning hi-resolution and 5.1 surround sound audio. Housed in a 32-page hardcover book, the collection also includes new liner notes from journalist and Talkhouse Executive Editor Josh Modell (A.V. Club, SPIN, Rolling Stone, Vulture) featuring new interviews with the band members.

The expanded reissue, which features the album plus the “Party of Five” performance in its entirety, is also available in 2-CD, digital and hi-res configurations, while the 14-track, 2-LP album will be reissued on 180-gram vinyl. A limited-edition pressing on Green Marble vinyl is also available exclusively at R.E.M.’s official store along with special Up merchandise. All reissue formats feature newly remastered audio by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering.

Available to stream now is the remastered version of “Daysleeper,” as well as the band’s never-before-released performance of the song from the “Party of Five” taping. R.E.M.’s appearance on the teen drama (which launched the careers of Matthew Fox and Neve Campbell, among others) remains a fond memory. “The intersection of visual and musical art is always interesting, so it was cool to be a part of TV,” recalls bassist Mike Mills. Stream/share the “Party of Five” recording of “Daysleeper” HERE. Stream/share the remastered album version of “Daysleeper” and pre-order Up on 2-CD/1-Blu-ray, 2-CD, or 2-LP, and pre-save the deluxe digital album HERE.

The intimate concert, recorded at Los Angeles’ Palace Theatre, was populated by R.E.M. fan club members and served as an opportunity for the band to rehearse their latest material—plus beloved hits—ahead of touring. “There are dozens of great R.E.M. live sets out there, but nothing quite like this up-close oddity,” writes Josh Modell. “Loose and happy, the band runs through a good chunk of Up in front of a small crowd…Stipe is chatty, telling stories about accidentally ripping off Billy Corgan (and telling Corgan about it), playing with the Human League on a funny stage at that very venue, and more.”

About R.E.M.:

Having established a powerful legacy as one of the most enduring and essential rock bands in popular music history, R.E.M. pioneered the alt-rock movement of the ’90s, influencing the likes of Radiohead, Nirvana, Pavement and Pearl Jam. Formed in 1980, the group enjoyed an extraordinary three-decade-long run of creative vitality and multi-platinum sales before amicably disbanding in 2011. Despite great success, the band members never lost track of their core values—remaining outspoken in their views about political, social, and environmental issues, and never wavering when it came to artistic integrity. Throughout the course of their career together R.E.M. released a total of 15 studio albums, won three GRAMMY® Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

About Craft Recordings: 

Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., Joan Sebastian and Traveling Wilburys. Plus, the catalog recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likeness and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers. 

Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Photo credit Patrik Andersson

UP 25TH ANNIVERSARY TRACKLISTS:

Deluxe Edition (2-CD/1-Blu-Ray):

Disc 1 – Up (remastered audio)

1. Airportman

2. Lotus

3. Suspicion

4. Hope

5. At My Most Beautiful 

6. The Apologist

7. Sad Professor

8. You’re In The Air

9. Walk Unafraid

10. Why Not Smile

11. Daysleeper

12. Diminished

13. Parakeet

14. Falls To Climb

Disc 2 – Party of Five Recording

1. Introduction

2. What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?

3. Lotus  

4. Daysleeper

5. Country Feedback

6. Walk Unafraid

7. Losing My Religion

8. Parakeet

9. The Apologist

10. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

11. I’m Not Over You

12. Man On The Moon

Disc 3 – Blu-ray

1. Up – 5.1 Surround Sound

2. Up – Hi-Resolution Audio

3. This Way Up (press kit)

4. Uptake (six-song performance)

5. Daysleeper (music video) 

6. Lotus (music video)

7. At My Most Beautiful (music video)

Expanded Edition (2-CD/Digital):

Disc 1 – Up (remastered audio)

1. Airportman

2. Lotus

3. Suspicion

4. Hope

5. At My Most Beautiful

6. The Apologist

7. Sad Professor

8. You’re In The Air

9. Walk Unafraid

10. Why Not Smile

11. Daysleeper

12. Diminished

13. Parakeet

14. Falls To Climb

Disc 2 – Party of Five Recording

1. Introduction

2. What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?

3. Lotus

4. Daysleeper

5. Country Feedback

6. Walk Unafraid

7. Losing My Religion

8. Parakeet

9. The Apologist

10. It’s The End Of The World (And I Feel Fine)

11. I’m Not Over You

12. Man On The Moon 

Up (2-LP Remastered Vinyl):

Side A

1. Airportman
2. Lotus
3. Suspicion

Side B

1. Hope
2. At My Most Beautiful
3. The Apologist
4. Sad Professor

Side C

1. You’re In The Air
2. Walk Unafraid
3. Why Not Smile
4. Daysleeper

Side D

1. Diminished
2. Parakeet

3. Falls To Climb

Mark Farner's 'Rock 'N' Roll Soul: Live 1989' arrives Nov. 17 on DVD, CD & vinyl

Mark Farner performing at The Coach
House in August 2022.
Photo credit: Bob Steshetz

I just received an exciting update on a historic concert recording featuring singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist great Mark Farner. I am a big fan of the artist (read my review of his August 2022 Coach House performance here). Check out the official media release before for details on Farner's "Rock 'N' Roll Soul: Live 1989" title coming this fall...Robert Kinsler

MARK FARNER'S ROCK 'N' ROLL SOUL: LIVE 1989 ARRIVES NOVEMBER 17 ON DVD, CD & VINYL FROM LIBERATION HALL Features the former Grand Funk Railroad frontman's complete performance at "Woodstock: 20 Years After"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | September 19, 2023 — Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul: Live 1989 marks the first official release of Mark Farner’s performance at the “Woodstock: 20 Years After” reunion held in Carson, California. The DVD, CD and download will include the full 15-track setlist while the vinyl LP will feature nine classic Grand Funk Railroad songs. Farner has contributed new liner notes. All formats will be released November 17 by Liberation Hall and distributed by MVD Entertainment Group (USA) and Wienerworld (UK).   Farner was a founding member, the lead singer, and guitarist for Flint, Michigan’s Grand Funk Railroad, as well as the principal songwriter who wrote over 90 percent of their multi-million selling catalog. To date, Grand Funk Railroad has earned 10 platinum and 13 gold records and Farner has sold over 30 million records worldwide. His best-known composition for the group is the 1970 classic rock radio staple “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home).” He also wrote the 1975 hit “Bad Time,” the last of the band’s four singles to make the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. After Grand Funk disbanded in 1976, Farner released two solo albums before reuniting with drummer Don Brewer for a pair of albums with a revamped lineup. Farner became a born again Christian in the late 1980s and continues to record both secular and religious-themed material. From 1994-1995, he toured with Ringo Starr’s Allstars, which also featured Randy Bachman, John Entwistle, Felix Cavaliere, Billy Preston, and Starr’s son, Zak Starkey. He currently leads Mark Farner’s American Band.   “I was honored to be able to play the 1989 Woodstock Revisited festival with such greats as Edgar Winter; Humble Pie; Canned Heat; Iron Butterfly; Blood, Sweat and Tears; and Melanie,” Farner states in the liner notes. “Plus, it was hosted by Timothy Leary! God bless us all!”   Pre-order Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul: Live 1989 on CD, LP and download at Amazon. Pre-order Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul: Live 1989 on DVD at Amazon. The first digital single, “Some Kind of Wonderful,” is available now.   Farner will be a guest on Ingram Entertainment’s “Talk Shop Live” at 7:00 PM EDT on Tuesday, October 12. Fans will be able to submit questions and purchase autographed copies of Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul: Live 1989 at Talk Shop Live. MARK FARNER – Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul: Live 1988 (DVD, LIB-4041; LP, LIB-5165; CD/DL, LIB-5164) All songs by Mark Farner unless otherwise noted. TRACKLIST: 1. Are You Ready | 2. Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul | 3. Footstompin’ Music | 4. Airborne Ranger * | 5. Judgement Day Blues * | 6. Some Kind of Wonderful (John Ellison) | 7. Paranoid * | 8. Come to Jesus * | 9. Mean Mistreater | 10. Must Have Been Love * | 11. Bad Time | 12. I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home) | 13. Heartbreaker | 14. Isn’t It Amazing * | 15. The Loco-Motion (Gerry Goffin, Carole King)   * Appears on DVD, CD and download. Does not appear on LP. DVD Teaser Trailer

Todd Snider set to release Vaulted 'Crank It, We’re Doomed' album 16 Years after originally recorded

 

Fifteen-Track Compilation Available November 10 Via Aimless Records 

Pre-Order the album HERE

 

Album Features Guest Vocals by Kris Kristofferson 

and the Late Loretta Lynn

 

First Single, “Juice,” Out Now

 

 

Sometimes an artist makes a record, then decides not to release it. Neil Young and Prince are two artists who famously did that multiple times. Todd Snider is another artist who has done it, putting three albums on the shelf in a career now spanning three decades. Like these artists, Snider is just as committed to his art, and his decisions to shelve those three records were artistic ones. But now Snider has decided to take one of those albums off the shelf. Sixteen years after it was recorded, Crank It, We’re Doomed will finally get its release via Aimless Records on November 10.

 

Snider was in the midst of one of the most creative periods of his career when he recorded Crank It, We’re Doomed in 2007. He was writing at a frenetic pace and experimenting with musical ideas he would develop more fully on later releases. He not only finished and recorded the 15 songs on Crank It that year, he also wrote and recorded the seven songs that appeared on Shit Sandwich, the digital-only EP released in 2010 by his alter ego Elmo Buzz & the Eastside Bulldogs. The tracks on Shit Sandwich made up the bulk of Snider’s 2016 full-length release, Eastside Bulldog.

 

“It was very much a blur,” he says, looking back on that year. “A blur not because of the party going on, but because of how many songs I was coming up with. It was probably the pinnacle of my time making up songs. Like they were really coming at me, and I didn’t know what to do with them all.”

 

Crank It, We’re Doomed was supposed to be the follow-up to a pair of acclaimed records that had taken his career to another level — East Nashville Skyline and The Devil You Know. The album was mastered and ready to be manufactured when he decided to pull the plug on it.

 

When asked recently why he decided against releasing the album, Snider puts on his best movie trailer voice and says, “The year was 2007 —  the sea was angry that year.”

 

Snider gets the laugh he’s going for, but the question remains because the why is not so easy to explain. His decision to shelve the record all those years ago was as much intuitive as it was the product of deductive reasoning.

 

“At the end, I was torn,” he says. “I felt like not only did I have all these story songs, sort of normal songs, there also were all these protest songs. And really that is where I lost the plot. I had too many scenes in the movie, and I had too many songs. It was all over the map. But I also remember feeling like it wasn't done either. Like it needed more songs.”

 

Snider had intended Crank It, We’re Doomed to be a double album with the Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main Street, The Beatles (White Album) and Bob Dylan’s Desire as its sonic touchstones/boundaries, and it unquestionably shares some musical similarities with all three of those releases. But with 15 tracks totaling 49 minutes in length, Crank It does fall a bit short of double-album length. Exile has 18 tracks totaling 67 minutes, while the White Album has a whopping 30 tracks that run more than an hour and a half.

 

Although Snider decided to not release Crank It, We’re Doomed, he did include five of the tracks he recorded for Crank It on his next two albums (Peace Queer and The Excitement Plan), with three of the songs getting new titles. In addition, he recorded new versions of six other songs from the record which were released on The Excitement Plan and Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables. Some fans, possibly many, will prefer the original versions of the songs on Crank It, which in some cases are dramatically different. The record also includes four other tracks no one outside the musicians and Snider’s inner circle have ever heard, and those recordings are pure gold.

 

Snider recorded Crank It, We’re Doomed at Eric McConnell’s East Nashville studio where he recorded East Nashville Skyline and The Devil You Know and was backed by the core of musicians he worked with on those albums: guitarist Will Kimbrough, drummer Paul Griffith, violinist Molly Thomas, and either McConnell or Peter Cooper on bass. He also brought in keyboardist Jimmy Wallace for the sessions.

 

At some point after Snider decided to put Crank It, We’re Doomed on the shelf, the stereo masters were lost. Over the years, both Snider and McConnell made efforts to locate the masters with no luck. The subject came up again recently when they met to discuss making another record together.

 

“We were sitting there just wracking our brains, ‘Where could it be,’ ” Snider recalls. “And finally Eric said, ‘I guess DeMain might have it.’”

 

McConnell was referring to mastering engineer Jim DeMain, and sure enough, DeMain had the masters. Snider’s mythic, lost album was found.

 

After hearing the record for the first time in more than a decade, Snider was no longer bothered by it being “all over the map.” So he shared it with a few friends and advisors, who recognized the historical importance and also felt it has withstood the test of time. They all encouraged him to release it.

 

“I couldn’t see it conceptually back then,” Snider says. “But now I can see it was about a guy losing the plot.”

 

Crank It, We’re Doomed Track Listing:

1. From A Dying Rose

2. Juice

3. Handleman’s Revenge

4. Don’t Tempt Me (featuring Loretta Lynn)

5. The War on Terror

6. America’s Favorite Pastime

7. Doll Face

8. But Seriously Folks

9. West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown

10. Mercer’s Folly

11. What Made You Do It

12. The Last Laugh

13. Mission Accomplished (Because You Gotta Have Faith)

14. Slim Chance Is Still A Chance

15. Good Fortune (featuring Kris Kristofferson)

 

*Produced by Todd Snider and Eric McConnell; Recorded and mixed by Eric McConnell; Mastered by Jim DeMain

 

*Recorded at Eric McConnell’s studio in 2007

 

*All songs written by Todd Snider except “Don’t Tempt Me Baby,” written by Snider and Loretta Lynn, and “West Nashville Ballroom Gown,” written by Jimmy Buffett

 

Todd Snider 2023 Tour Dates:

Sep 24 - Mountain Stage - Franklin, TN - SOLD OUT

Oct 14 - Luckenbach Texas - Fredericksburg, TX^ - SOLD OUT

Oct 16 - Belly Up - Solana Beach, CA* - SOLD OUT

Oct 17 - Teregram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA*

Oct 18 - Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA*

Oct 20 - Lobero Theatre - Santa Barbara, CA*

Oct 21 - Fremont Theater - San Luis Obispo, CA*

Oct 22 - Rio Theatre - Santa Cruz, CA*

Oct 24 - Palace of Fine Arts Theatre - San Francisco, CA*

Oct 26 - Revolution Hall - Portland, OR*

Oct 27 - Revolution Hall - Portland, OR*

Oct 28 - Washington Center for the Performing Arts - Olympia, WA*

Oct 29 - Moore Theatre - Seattle, WA*

Nov 1 - Mount Baker Theatre - Bellingham, WA*

Nov 2 - McDonald Theatre - Eugene, OR

Nov 4 - Bally's Lake Tahoe - South Lake Tahoe, NV**

Nov 5 - Knitting Factory - Boise, ID

Nov 6 - The Commonwealth Room - Salt Lake City, UT

Nov 8 - Waiting Room Lounge - Omaha, NE

Nov 9 - Barrymore Theatre - Madison, WI

Nov 10 - The Castle Theatre - Bloomington, IL

Nov 11 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, IL - SOLD OUT

 

^with Hayes Carll and The Band of Heathens

*co-bill with Patty Griffin

**with special guest Jim Lauderdale

 

About Todd Snider

A fixture on the East Nashville singer-songwriter scene, Todd Snider is known for his irreverent humor and poignant lyrics delivered in classic troubadour style. With influences including Jerry Jeff Walker, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine and Woody Guthrie, Snider's live shows combine sharp songwriting, acclaimed musicianship and endearing storytelling for a one-of-a-kind night of modern folk music.
 
For more information, visit toddsnider.net.

 

Todd Snider | Photo Credit: Stacie Huckeba

New music: Graham Parker & The Goldtops, Jake Shimabukuro, ZZ Ward

Graham Parker, Jake Shimabukuro, and ZZ Ward are back with essential new albums.

Artist: Graham Parker & The Goldtops
Title: Last Chance to Learn The Twist (Big Stir Records)
You might like if you enjoy: James Hunter, Elvis Costello, Van Morrison
Tell me more: Veteran singer-songwriter Graham Parker is back with Last Chance to Learn The Twist, the English artist's first album release since 2018's Cloud Symbols. Parker is an artist able to inject himself in the songs and that superpower is on full display across his newly-released 13-track disc. On Last Chance To Learn The Twist, Parker is backed by The Goldtops (bassist Simon Edwards, drummer Jim Russell, guitarist Martin Belmont and keyboard player Geraint Watkins) as well as frequently from the Easy Access Orchestra horns and backing vocal duo The Lady Bugs. The dark and hypnotic opener The Music Of The Devil" (bolstered by Watkins' moody keyboards), ambitious multi-tiered "Grand Scheme Of Things," glorious genre-blending "Sun Valley," lovely ballad "It Mattered To Me" and aptly-pegged "Wicked Wit" are early standouts. The introspective "Shorthand," powerful folk rocker "We Did Nothing," Americana-flavored "Lost Track Of Time," mortality-focused gem "Last Stretch Of The Road" and New Orleans romp "Since You Left Me Baby" are among the terrific cuts that complete the album's masterful path. Information: bigstirrecords.com/graham-parker. 

Artist: Jake Shimabukuro
Title: Grateful (JS Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Jake Shimabukuro, Henry Capon, John Cruz, Hawaiian music
Tell me more: Jake Shimabukuro has long been recognized as a groundbreaking artist with his technical and spectacular talents as a master of the ukulele. Fans of traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music will appreciate the affecting approach that Shimabukuro and his parade of talented guests take across the two-disc Grateful. Singer-guitarist Henry Kapono joins with the touching "Sailin'," while Brother Noland is heard on the beautiful Hawaiian language song "Hualālai." Just as poignant is the instrumental "Pianoforte" featuring virtuoso violinist Ignace "Iggy" Jang and a gorgeous take on John Fogerty's "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" with Kawika Kahiapo. The album's title track "Grateful" features Justin Kawika Young, who brings a decidedly modern vibe to the album. Shimabukuro joins forces with John Cruz to effortlessly fuse the sounds of Hawaiian music, flamenco and jazz on the delightful instrumental "Song For Sin." Slack key guitar great Jeff Peterson joins Shimabukuro on an amazing instrumental take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." In all, Grateful features 22 collaborations between Shimabukuro and fellow Hawaii-based artists. A portion of the album proceeds will be donated to the Maui Strong Fund which is helping recover and rebuild communities affected by the recent Maui fires. Information: jakeshimabukuro.com. 

Artist: ZZ Ward
Title: Dirty Shine (Dirty Shine Records)
You might like if you enjoy: ZZ Ward, Larkin Poe, Janiva Magness
Tell me more: In her long-awaited return and first-ever independent album (Dirty Shine), American singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist ZZ Ward brings a decidedly cinematic and wide ranging approach to the track listing. Ward utilizes her own strong R&B singing amidst an expansive soundscape of electronica, hip-hop beats, melodic pop choruses, Delta blues and soul presented across the album. The defiant "Ride or Die" (featuring noted rapper Vic Mensa), wonderful Spaghetti western mining "Fadeaway," euphoric single "On One," infectious dance track "Dead or Alive," zealous "Baby Don't," blues-rock-dance brew "OverdoZZe," acoustic nugget "Tin Cups" where she shares lead vocals with Aloe Blacc and driving Southern blues closer "Don't Let Me Down" all shimmer on Dirty Shine.  Information: zzward.com. 

Robert Kinsler