Matthew Sweet - Tomorrow's Daughter

Matthew Sweet returns to the road this spring and summer (and by road I really mean it - his dislike of flying is well documented) and surprisingly brings along the news of a new (re)release. It appears Tomorrow's Daughter is getting its own moment. Originally it was a bonus album for certain pledge levels of his long-gestated Kickstarter campaign for last year's Tomorrow Forever. This is his most significant one-two punch since 2003-2004 when his (at the time) Japan exclusive and utterly fantastic Kimi Ga Suki * Raifu was followed by the mostly acoustic Living Things.

Tomorrow's Daughter is worthy of its own release and in many ways is more focused and satisfying at 12 songs than its mother album that felt overlong at 17. It doesn't quite have a killer single like his best 90s work or even Tomorrow Forever, but for those of us that have been along every step of the way, it doesn't disappoint. For me, Something Someone and Ever After are standouts. No word on the official release date or whether it will be any different from last year's version, but then again, it's sometimes tough to get info on Sweet. All this was buried in an article posted on the Des Moines venue's event page for his show this summer. And buried in that article is an announcement of yet another new album called Wicked System of Things to be released later this year! Three albums in two years? How about some vinyl reissues of some older stuff too? Loving this resurgence.

Now back to the tour. It kicks off in Atlanta on May 23 and wraps up in Nashville in July. Keep it up, Mr. Sweet. The full tour is listed on his website. I'll see you in Des Moines June 27!

Matthew Sweet - iTunes
Matthew Sweet - Official Site

The Stage Is Set And The Show Is Beginning

Jason Falkner. Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. Brian Reitzell. All names that Too Poppers are likely familiar with. For context, how about Jellyfish, Moog Cookbook, The Grays, Imperial Drag, Air, and Beck? All three have been in or worked with those artists and together, they are TV Eyes.

I've been covering TV Eyes since the early days of Too Poppy. She's a Study was the first tune we all heard, instantly hooking us with the keyboards and beats that uncannily sound more authentic 80s than merely reverential 80s. Their debut album was finally released in 2006 after several months and years of being teased. Sadly, it was only released in Japan, as was their follow-up EP.

We should've seen this coming. Omnivore Recordings clearly must be run by fans of Jellyfish and its many branches - er, tentacles - given their ongoing reissue campaign. Indeed, on October 7, Omnivore is finally releasing TV Eyes' debut album stateside complete with most of the Softcore EP. CD. Digital. Yellow vinyl! I'll let the trailer finish this post off...



Pre-order

It All Comes Back In Good Time

Shockingly, The Posies released their debut album way back in 1988! Yep. Failure is 26 years old. I am way older than that and feeling it when I learned that they recorded this when they were teenagers! Seriously? At Least For Now and Longest Line were written and recorded by teenagers?

Failure is a fun listen because of how raw and homemade it sounds, yet it is absolutely the dawn of one of the greatest power pop artists of our generation. Just like they've done with their Jellyfish releases, Omnivore Recordings is memorializing this benchmark in the band's history with a deluxe reissue due August 19. The album is "restored" and includes an extra batch of rare tunes with one previously unreleased.

This is history, Too Poppers. Educate thyself.



Failure

Turn Around

The Postal Service teased everybody earlier today by posting a "2013" in the font style of their only full-length album Give Up leading some to conclude they were reuniting. However, now their official site states they will be reissuing Give Up in a remastered version with a bonus disc of 15 songs including two new ones! Strange how ten years justifies a completely remastered reissue, but there you go. Sub Pop has more detail including the bombshell that they in fact will be performing live together for the first time in ten years!

Get your crappy ten-year-old version of Give Up via iTunes and Amazon. Or wait until April 9!

Let's All Get Up and Dance to a Song

Grab your intoxicant of choice and hop a ride on the Magical Mystery Tour. Yep, the wacked-out remastered movie by The Beatles teased here is out today. Get the trippy online experience here. The actual movie and soundtrack have been redone and are available exactly where you'd expect them to be.

iTunes | Amazon

And never ones to miss a format, The Beatles have finally decided to honor the renaissance and release their catalog in vinyl - the way they were meant to be heard. Amazon has the box set for a nifty four hundies.

Step Right This Way

Few films could be better described as "of its time" than The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour. Released in 1967, it really is as non-sensical as you'd expect. No matter. The Beatles were making some of their best music at this stage. Just go along for the ride.



Out in October on Blu-ray and DVD, MMT is beautifully remastered and loaded with extras including new song edits. Curious. If you're lucky to live in a cool town, you might be able to catch it in theaters late in September! Pre-order here.

Holding On For Tomorrow

Now I know what I'm getting brother Way2Poppy for Christmas.
Blur celebrates their 21 long years with a long 21-disc box set called, uh, Blur 21.

• All seven newly expanded two-disc studio albums 
• Four discs of rarities, exclusive to this set. Includes 3½ hours of previously unreleased material 
• Three DVDs including over 2 hours of previously unreleased footage. Includes two pivotal live shows and an exclusive disc of video rarities. 
• Collectable 7" single of the rare and previously unreleased live recording of the Seymour-era track Superman. 
• Deluxe hard-bound book telling the story of Blur's 21 year career with extensive liner notes based on a brand new interviews with the band, illustrated with imagery of the era, including some previously unseen photos.

Blur 21 is an insane project for even the hardest core fans. I'd call myself a casual fan and personally believe they peaked at their second, most Brit-poppiest album, Modern Life Is Rubbish. I think their influence is a bit oversold, but they've certainly had some highlights. Their potentially last performance will appropriately be at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics.



All their albums have also been reissued.

iTunes | Amazon | Official Site

The Butter Wouldn't Melt So I Put It In The Pie

Paul McCartney's Ram is getting remastered "in a variety of formats, from single and double-disc editions to a four-disc box set that includes bonus tracks, a DVD, and a 112-page book." It's out May 22. In the meantime check out the shiny remastered version of intricately silly Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey here.

Pre-order here at Amazon.com

Get a Life, Put It In My Song

Brendan Benson's classic Lapalco is getting the remaster/reissue treatment. Two digital releases and two vinyl releases. Take your pick and you'll be treated to a bonus track or b-sides! Don't know Brendan Benson?! Oh boy, you have much to learn.

Buy here

Also of note, Brendan has been working on his new album. Even The Posies have stopped by to contribute! Can't wait.

Official site
Facebook
Twitter

We Can Take Dictation and Learn to Smile

Paul McCartney's DIY solo works McCartney and McCartney II are getting the deluxe treatment. Remastered single disc, two-disc, vinyl, and the ultimate four-disc w/DVD and book will be available June 14.

Because we've all been waiting for the remastered Temporary Secretary!

Thought of Giving It All Away

Paul McCartney and Wings' epic Band on the Run is getting another reissue treatment. I think this album has been babied more than any other Beatles related album. It is great though and it's ready for pre-order. Check out a plethora of options here. Yeah, I said plethora. If you want to wait it hits "stores" on November 2.

If you'd like a bigger chunk of Macca's history, Mull of Kintyre, the Scottish property that inspired the song, is ready for your purchase. It'll only set you back $4.5 million. Not too bad for 9 miles of coastline and a piece of musical history.

We've Been on This Shift Too Long

R.E.M.'s follow-up to Accelerate is ready to be mixed. The new album is expected out sometime next spring. Read more here.

In other news, the 25th (!!!) Anniversary edition of Fables of the Reconstruction was released today in a couple different formats:

iTunes
Amazon.com MP3
Amazon.com 2-CD set
Amazon.com vinyl set

Well I Tell Them There's No Problem, Only Solutions

Big news for John Lennon fans today. In honor of what would have been his 70th birthday this year, a new campaign called Gimme Some Truth hopes to net Yoko some more big bucks. His eight classic solo albums are being remastered and rereleased:

· John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
· Imagine (1971)
· Some Time In New York City (1972)
· Mind Games (1973)
· Walls and Bridges (1974)
· Rock ‘n’ Roll (1975)
· Double Fantasy Stripped Down (2010) / Double Fantasy (1980)
· Milk and Honey (1984)

Double Fantasy is the most curious one in the collected. Stripped Down? Was anybody really clamoring for a stripped down version ala Let It Be Naked? Feels like a bit of a money grab to me. Nonetheless, it'll be great to hear the classic remastered. Other notable releases in the campaign:

· A hits compilation in two editions titled Power To The People: The Hits
· A 4CD set of themed discs titled Gimme Some Truth
· A deluxe 11CD collectors box with the remastered albums, rarities, and non-album singles, titled the John Lennon Signature Box

It'll be a good year for Lennon fans. Hopefully we McCartney fans won't have to wait 20 years after his death for his catalog to get similar treatment.

Find all the details here. 

You've Taken This Too Far

It's hard to believe The Charlatans' debut Some Friendly was released 20 years ago. Tim Burgess reminisces track-by-track. There's even more of a celebration here, including Burgess' album-by-album commentary.

As is becoming customary at significant anniversaries, the band is re-releasing the album in an expanded edition that includes non-album singles and BBC sessions. Pre-order the import through Amazon.com - it's out May 18.

The Charlatans is one of those rare bands that did not peak with their first few releases. They've evolved and continue to put out worthy albums that even feel less dated than Some Friendly. Explore via Amazon.com or iTunes.

Isn't It Funny How You Shine?

I still can't believe it's been 20 years since the Stone Roses emerged as the most over-hyped band out of the UK since, well, you know ... Herman's Hermits. Thankfully the Stone Roses mostly lived up to that hype with their fantastic debut album, which is much revered to Toopoppydom. It was one of the only albums I've ever bought based on the cover artwork and a sticker description alone. What a payoff! Too bad the same accolades can't be applied to their ill-advised and disappointing Second Coming, despite its brief moments of brilliance.

We live in a commercial world so the best way to mark the occasion is to treat yourself to a remastered version of the album released today. Unfortunately the ultra limited edition collector's box set has already sold out. Check eBay. Plenty of other choice versions to choose from:

Digital Album (Amazon.com, iTunes)
CD (Amazon.com)
Deluxe Album - 2 CDs, 1 DVD (Amazon.com, iTunes)

It's Driving Me Mad

Incredible details about the upcoming Beatles' remastered CDs have emerged:

Bruce Spizer said, "These new CDs sound significantly better than what was first mastered 22 years ago. You will notice the difference. And, if you think about it, re-buying the same albums is something we, as Beatles fans, have been doing all our lives. I bought the albums when they came out in the sixties. I re-bought many of the albums in the early seventies because I had worn out my old copies from excessive play. Many fans re-bought the albums in the cassette and eight-track format. In less than 20 years, many fans had purchased the albums three to four times. Now, for the first time in 22 years, it's time to re-buy these albums again. And remember, you will be getting enhancements beyond dramatically improved sound, such as better packaging."

Mr. Spizer, who has heard the actual remasters, added, "I was impressed with how great everything sounded. Of course I expected the remasters to sound better the releases from 22 years ago, but they exceeded my expectations. The engineers at Abbey Road captured the spirit of the original recordings. They resisted the temptation to drastically boost the bass to make it sound more contemporary. There is none of the harshness and muddiness that was often found on CDs mastered in the eighties. The vocals and instruments have stunning clarity. You'll hear details in the music that you've never heard before. The remasters provide a fabulous listening experience."

Can't wait. Read all the nitty gritty here. Pre-order here.

I Want You So Bad

The Beatles catalog is getting the full remastered treatment - uh, except no digital release. Full announcement:

We are delighted to announce the release of the original Beatles catalogue, which has been digitally re-mastered for the first time, for worldwide CD release on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (09-09-09), the same date as the release of the widely anticipated "The Beatles: Rock Band" video game.

Each of the CDs is packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will also be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. On the same date, two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released.

The albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings. The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release.

The collection comprises all 12 Beatles albums in stereo, with track listings and artwork as originally released in the UK, and 'Magical Mystery Tour,' which became part of The Beatles' core catalogue when the CDs were first released in 1987. In addition, the collections 'Past Masters Vol. I and II' are now combined as one title, for a total of 14 titles over 16 discs. This will mark the first time that the first four Beatles albums will be available in stereo in their entirety on compact disc. These 14 albums, along with a DVD collection of the documentaries, will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set.

Within each CD's new packaging, booklets include detailed historical notes along with informative recording notes. With the exception of the 'Past Masters' set, newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere.

A second boxed set has been created with the collector in mind. 'The Beatles in Mono' gathers together, in one place, all of the Beatles recordings that were mixed for a mono release. It will contain 10 of the albums with their original mono mixes, plus two further discs of mono masters (covering similar ground to the stereo tracks on 'Past Masters'). As an added bonus, the mono "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" discs also include the original 1965 stereo mixes, which have not been previously released on CD. These albums will be packaged in mini-vinyl CD replicas of the original sleeves with all original inserts and label designs retained.

Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalogue will continue. There is no further information available at this time.

I Don't Care Where You've Been or What You Plan To Do

This is one of those rumors that I'm not sure I want to come true. One of those British tabloids is reporting the Stone Roses are planning a reunion tour this summer in support of a boxset rerelease of their self-titled debut, which easily ranks as a top-ten favorite around here.

Look, the Second Coming was hardly worthy of the title and nearly tarnished the legacy they left. But the debut was special. As Pitchfork notes, it "simultaneously gathers the disparate strands of UK rock in the 80s and predicts the Britpop of the 90s." Indeed, it's one for the ages. With that said, let it be. A reunion tour would be nothing but a money grab at worst and a nostalgic trip at best. Take a cue from The La's and keep it simple and cryptic.

Wow, twenty years though? Hell.

UPDATE: Ian Brown says no way. He's a bit important to the proceedings.

Too Late for That

The Pop Project has digitally re-released its 2002 album Life is Life. I haven't heard it, but if it's half as good as last year's Stars of Stage and Screen, it'll be twice as good as most of the shit you hear these days.

Download at Amazon.com or iTunes.

Life Again, Life Again

It's either 90s redux or acid reflux depending on your opinion of two stalwarts of the grunge era.

First, Pearl Jam is re-releasing their classic Ten on 3/23/09:

Four different versions of 'Ten' will be released, with each edition featuring the original and remastered version, plus a remix of the album by producer Brendan O'Brien.

The following features can be found across the editions:
DVD of previously unreleased 1992 Pearl Jam MTV Unplugged performance
LP of the band's 1992 'Drop In The Park' concert
Replica of Pearl Jam three-song demo cassette with Eddie Vedder's original vocal dubs
Bonus tracks including 'Brother', 'Just A Girl', 'State Of Love', 'Breath And A Scream', '2,000 Mile Blues' and 'Evil Little Goat'
Replica Eddie Vedder composition notebook filled with personal notes and images from the collections of Vedder and Jeff Ament

Second, Smashing Pumpkins' leader Billy Corgan said the Pumpkins will now only be a singles band because nobody listens to their albums anymore. He also said former Pumpkin James Iha drove him insane. That explains so much.

Download Pearl Jam's Ten here
Download Smashing Pumpkins' album nobody listened to here