In addition to the new releases above, it was a great year for vintage reissues and compilations. Here are my favorites, again in alphabetical order:
THE BEACH BOYS - PET SOUNDS 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION: The definitive edition of one of the greatest records ever made, with all tracks remastered both in the original mono (because Brian Wilson is deaf in one ear) and in stereo, and accompanied by a DVD of documentary footage and bonus tracks in full surround-sound. (All in a green velour wallet, for some reason.) Every track is an absolute treasure, and more than a few ("Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows" among them) are as good as anything ever done by anyone, ever. One of the great achievements in pop music history, made all the more astonishing by the fact that it was masterminded in every minute detail, in a fit of obsessive genius, by a mixed-up kid who was all of 23 years old. As essential as it gets.
WILLIE NELSON - THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC SESSIONS: Just before he emerged as a star, and then an American icon, with the release of
Red-Headed Stranger on the Columbia label in 1975, Willie Nelson made two wonderful records for Atlantic, 1973's
Shotgun Willie and 1974's
Phases and Stages, that contained some of his most enduring tunes -- "Whiskey River," "Stay All Night (Stay A Little Longer)" and his classic version of Leon Russell's "A Song For You" among them. This package collects both of those records, in beautifully remastered sound, along with a fabulous live set from the same era, recorded at the Texas Opry House. My folks used to cart me to Willie's shows when I was a kid, starting right around this time, so I have a great fondness for him, and especially for this period in his career. This is wonderful stuff.
R.E.M. - AND I FEEL FINE: BEST OF THE I.R.S. YEARS 1982-1987: For the better part of two decades, there was no better band on the planet than this one. This set captures them in the earliest and, for me, most exciting period of their career, from
Chronic Town and
Murmur, which literally changed my life, to
Lifes Rich Pageant and
Document, which ushered in the true radio hits and bigger sound that, as it turned out, better suited the arenas and stadiums they would have to play ever after. Of all the good musical fortune I've had in my life, perhaps the thing I treasure most of all is that I grew up when and where I did, and got to witness early R.E.M. first-hand, up-close and (no pun intended) time after time. Although I can quibble with a few of the omissions from this set (what, no "Harborcoat"?), the inarguably essential tracks are more or less all here, they sound amazing, and it still thrills me to the core to hear them. Whatever you do, be sure to get the 2-disc edition of this collection, which -- in addition to the familiar classics and favorites chosen by the band -- includes some great rarities, b-sides, live and previously-unreleased tracks as well.
THE REPLACEMENTS - DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I THINK I WAS? - THE BEST OF THE REPLACEMENTS: Finally, a best-of set, by one of the great bands of the 80s and 90s, that spans their entire career, from their emergence -- in all its sloppy, drunken, melodic glory -- on the tiny Twin Tone label through their more polished but stormy tenure on major label Reprise, by the end of which they were little more than a solo vehicle for singer/songwriter Paul Westerberg. The full scope of the band's power, and Westerberg's brilliance in his heyday as a writer, is impossible to capture on a single disc, but if you can have only one Replacements record in your collection, the greatest of all the great tracks are here, from "Color Me Impressed" to "I Will Dare" to "Kiss Me On The Bus" to "Alex Chilton," all beautifully remastered and sounding swell.
MATTHEW SWEET - GIRLFRIEND (REMASTERED SPECIAL EDITION): One of the finest power pop records of the 90s, and a personal favorite of mine, gets the deluxe remaster treatment, with bonuses galore. In addition to three tracks that appeared only on the Japanese edition of the original album, you get the entire companion disc,
Goodfriend, that was originally distributed only to radio execs, retailers and label insiders and has been available solely as a bootleg ever since. Featuring stripped-down demos, live tracks and, among other covers, a ferocious version of Neil Young's "Cortez The Killer," this second disc is worth the price of admission all by itself. As if the terrific songs and amazing guitar work by Robert Quine and Richard Lloyd on the original album weren't enough already. A killer record, if not already a classic.
THE BEACH BOYS - PET SOUNDS 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION: The definitive edition of one of the greatest records ever made, with all tracks remastered both in the original mono (because Brian Wilson is deaf in one ear) and in stereo, and accompanied by a DVD of documentary footage and bonus tracks in full surround-sound. (All in a green velour wallet, for some reason.) Every track is an absolute treasure, and more than a few ("Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows" among them) are as good as anything ever done by anyone, ever. One of the great achievements in pop music history, made all the more astonishing by the fact that it was masterminded in every minute detail, in a fit of obsessive genius, by a mixed-up kid who was all of 23 years old. As essential as it gets.
WILLIE NELSON - THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC SESSIONS: Just before he emerged as a star, and then an American icon, with the release of Red-Headed Stranger on the Columbia label in 1975, Willie Nelson made two wonderful records for Atlantic, 1973's Shotgun Willie and 1974's Phases and Stages, that contained some of his most enduring tunes -- "Whiskey River," "Stay All Night (Stay A Little Longer)" and his classic version of Leon Russell's "A Song For You" among them. This package collects both of those records, in beautifully remastered sound, along with a fabulous live set from the same era, recorded at the Texas Opry House. My folks used to cart me to Willie's shows when I was a kid, starting right around this time, so I have a great fondness for him, and especially for this period in his career. This is wonderful stuff.
R.E.M. - AND I FEEL FINE: BEST OF THE I.R.S. YEARS 1982-1987: For the better part of two decades, there was no better band on the planet than this one. This set captures them in the earliest and, for me, most exciting period of their career, from Chronic Town and Murmur, which literally changed my life, to Lifes Rich Pageant and Document, which ushered in the true radio hits and bigger sound that, as it turned out, better suited the arenas and stadiums they would have to play ever after. Of all the good musical fortune I've had in my life, perhaps the thing I treasure most of all is that I grew up when and where I did, and got to witness early R.E.M. first-hand, up-close and (no pun intended) time after time. Although I can quibble with a few of the omissions from this set (what, no "Harborcoat"?), the inarguably essential tracks are more or less all here, they sound amazing, and it still thrills me to the core to hear them. Whatever you do, be sure to get the 2-disc edition of this collection, which -- in addition to the familiar classics and favorites chosen by the band -- includes some great rarities, b-sides, live and previously-unreleased tracks as well.
THE REPLACEMENTS - DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I THINK I WAS? - THE BEST OF THE REPLACEMENTS: Finally, a best-of set, by one of the great bands of the 80s and 90s, that spans their entire career, from their emergence -- in all its sloppy, drunken, melodic glory -- on the tiny Twin Tone label through their more polished but stormy tenure on major label Reprise, by the end of which they were little more than a solo vehicle for singer/songwriter Paul Westerberg. The full scope of the band's power, and Westerberg's brilliance in his heyday as a writer, is impossible to capture on a single disc, but if you can have only one Replacements record in your collection, the greatest of all the great tracks are here, from "Color Me Impressed" to "I Will Dare" to "Kiss Me On The Bus" to "Alex Chilton," all beautifully remastered and sounding swell.
MATTHEW SWEET - GIRLFRIEND (REMASTERED SPECIAL EDITION): One of the finest power pop records of the 90s, and a personal favorite of mine, gets the deluxe remaster treatment, with bonuses galore. In addition to three tracks that appeared only on the Japanese edition of the original album, you get the entire companion disc, Goodfriend, that was originally distributed only to radio execs, retailers and label insiders and has been available solely as a bootleg ever since. Featuring stripped-down demos, live tracks and, among other covers, a ferocious version of Neil Young's "Cortez The Killer," this second disc is worth the price of admission all by itself. As if the terrific songs and amazing guitar work by Robert Quine and Richard Lloyd on the original album weren't enough already. A killer record, if not already a classic.
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