The Smiths: The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (Warner Brothers/2017)

The Smiths haven’t really issued any really noteworthy product in many, many years. Johnny Marr remastered the four Smiths studio albums (and four compilation/live albums) in 2012. And The Sound Of The Smiths compilation in 2008. This year marks the first real year that The Smiths have a reissue campaign that will entice all Smiths fans alike.

Later this year the band will reissue The Queen Is Dead package that will include three CDs and one DVD. Earlier this Summer the title track was issued as a 12” and 7” single. And for Record Store Day The Boy With The Thorn In It's Side was released in a limited pressing of 12,000 copies. It's a teaser for the forthcoming box set. The A-Side is a “Demo Mix” of the well-known studio version. And isn't too different. The B-Side “Rubber Ring” is an “Early Drone Studios Version”, which was recorded at Drone Studios and very string-heavy.

Overall a very nice release. Cover star Albert Finney makes yet another appearance in the Smiths cannon. The truly noteworthy thing about this record is the political message that reads; “Trump Will Kill America”, which is etched in the runout groove of side A.

All in all, a wonderful release.

Here's the video review:

Special thanks to: Laurel.

The Beach Boys: Becoming The Beach Boys: The Complete Hite & Dorinda Morgan Sessions (Omnivore Recordings/2016)

Before the Beach Boys signed for Capitol in Spring of 1962, they recorded for the independent label Candix. The band, still in their teens recorded with producer Hite Morgan. These sessions yielded the "Surfin'" single (and it's rare B-Side "Luau"), and early versions of "Surfin' Safari" and "Surfer Girl". Also recorded was the bands "Barbie" single (which they recorded under the name Kenny And The Cadets). The band was still in its' beginning stages and Brian Wilson had only just begun to write songs. The band were also fairly rudimentary on their instruments.

This is definitely something that is nearly exclusively for hardcore Beach Boys fans. This is a nice piece for fans as it collects all their early material in one place. It's a Record Store Day release and comes in yellow, red or blue in a limited number of 3,000 copies.

Here's The Video Review:


Thanks to Dave Rerecich.
                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Gene Clark: Two Sides To Every Story (High Moon Records/2013)

The late, great Ex-Byrd Gene Clark never quite had the record sales to reflect the quality of his work. The soulfulness of his material was nearly without equal and the depth of feeling of his voice is truly exceptional. Recorded in 1976 on Clark's own dime, and originally released on RSO Records in 1977, on his fifth solo album Two Sides To Every Story, even if his muse seems to come and go, Clark is fine form.

The album's best original songs; "Silent Crusade", "Past Addresses", "Kansas City Southern", "Home Run King" - the album's lone single -  and "Lonely Saturday" all plainly lay bare Clark's greatest strengths. His ability to simplify his lyrics and still be somehow amazingly poetic are over these tracks. The covers of "Give My Love To Marie" and "In The Pines" are well-executed.

Clark is aided by plenty of country rock luminaries; Emmylou Harris, Doug Dillard and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter are all well-accounted for. The album was produced by Thomas Jefferson Kaye who produced Clark's previous album, the legendary No Other album. However, whereas No Other was wonderfully excessive, Two Sides To Every Story is a fairly scaled-back affair.

Reissued in 2013 on High Moon Records for Record Store Day in a limited-numbered pressing of 5,000 copies. It comes with a beautiful twenty-four page booklet and an MP3 download card twenty-one bonus tracks including a full set from 1975 and a twelve-minute promotional interview from 1974. However, it does not contain the album itself, only the twenty-one bonus tracks.

A beautiful package and a must have for fans of The Byrds, Gene Clark or classic country rock from he 1970's.

Here's the video review:

The Dream Syndicate: The Dream Syndicate EP (Blue Rose Records/2013)

Los Angeles, California's The Dream Syndicate were one of the leading lights from the early 1980's Paisley Underground scene. The poetic songs of guitarist/vocalist Steve Wynn seemed to successfully update the psychedelic garage rock of The Velvet Underground. The band existed from the early 80's till the late 80's and released five albums and one EP in that time. My personal favorites being their The Days Of Wine And Roses album and The Dream Syndicate EP.

The band had been together for less than one month when they recorded this. It was recorded in an afternoon, ostensibly as a four-song demo to get booked to play shows in the LA-area. "Sure Thing" has distinct Lou Reed feel to the vocals. While "That's What You Always Say" has a really nice late 60's fuzztone guitar part. "Some Kinda Itch" recalls Television. The recordings have a nice, homemade quality to them with controlled feedback and purposeful distortion outlining much of the proceedings.

The Dream Syndicate EP was first released in 1982 on Wynn's own Down There label and was reissued in a limited pressing of 1,000 copies for Record Store Day 2013 on the German label Blue Rose Records. It's a really nice pressing and the artwork is nicely restored and it features liner notes from Steve Wynn himself.

I love the record and would recommend it to anyone interested in the LA scene of the early 1980's.

Here's the video review:

The Electric Prunes: I've Got A World Of My Own (Sundazed Music/2016)

This Record Store Day birthed a single from The Electric Prunes. The Electric Prunes are well-known for the singles “I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night” and “Get Me To The World On Time”. Both songs were recorded in 1966 and were outtakes for the band's self-titled debut album. The Hollies cover “I've Got A Way Of My Own” features Byrdsian backing harmony vocals and the jaunty “World Of Darkness” sounds like an R&B garage rock standard.

A nice and welcome release from a band that doesn't have their back-catalog exploited as much as other bands.  

Here's The Video Review:

Cheap Trick: Found New Parts EP (Big Machine Records/2016)

Recent Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees Cheap Trick have been making music for over 40 years. Bang, Zoom Crazy Hello their 17th studio album is their first without co-founder Bun E. Carlos and first with Daxx Nielsen (son of guitarist Rick) is a very nice mix of everything that is great about the Trick.

This Record Store Day release offered the new 10” EP Found New Parts – a reference to their last 10” EP Found All The Parts. It's a four song-sampler from their new album. “When I Wake Up Tomorrow” sounds vocally like a David Bowie track and is a great recording. “No Direction Home” & “Do Yo Believe Me” reference Cheap Trick referencing The Beatles. “Arabesque” is repetitive and riffy and only appears on the Japanese version of the album.

The EP works as both a nice little sampler and a nice collectors piece for fans of the band.

Here's the video review:


Special thanks to: Bun E. Carlos and Big Machine Records.

Big Star: Complete Columbia (Volcano/2016)

This year's Record Store Day spawned a number of interesting releases. One of which was Complete Columbia from Memphis, TN cult legends, Big Star. On April 25, 1993 Big Star reunited to play at University Of Missouri. The band hadn't played together since early 1975, and given Chilton's inclination to dismiss the band in interviews it was surprising to even drummer Jody Stevens that the reunion ever happened. Fortunately, it did. The two students who were in charge of the Spring Fling concert at the University Of Missouri were huge Big Star fans and called Jody Stephens, at Ardent Studios (where Stephens still works). He agreed to do the show if Chilton would. To everyone's surprise, Chilton agreed.

The Posies' Jon Aur and Ken Stringfellow, filled in the line-up to replace the late Chris Bell on guitar and the (now) late Andy Hummel on bass, respectively. The band played a great, if sloppy, performance. Legendary music journalist Bud Scoppa, a huge fan of the band, was at this time head of A&R at Zoo Records, recorded the show and it was released to favorable reviews. The album cover artwork is something of a reference to the Radio City artwork and even features a photo from William Eggleston (who also took the photo that adorns Radio City).

The RSD release is the first domestic vinyl release of the album and contains six additional bonus tracks from the show. Upping the number of tracks to 21 over the 1993 CD's 14. It's an excellent and must-have release of any Big Star fan.

Here's The Video Review:

Off! : Live At Generation Records (Vice Records/2011)

Off! Is something of Los Angeles hardcore punk rock supergroup. Formed by Keith Morris of Black Flag and Circle Jerks and Steve McDonald of Redd Kross, Mario Rubalcaba of Rocket From The Crypt and Dimitri Coats from Burning Brides in 2009. The band quickly recorded and released The First Four Eps 7” box set in 2010 on Vice (Magazine) Records. The band is amazingly effective and and direct and have a refreshingly raw sound. Considering the bands' ages, they could come across really ineffective. Thankfully, that's not the case.

On October 22 in 2010 the band played a free show at Generation Records in New York. I attended the show and it was pretty awesome. Vice Records recorded the show and released the four-song Live At Generation Records 7”the following year on Record Store Day 2011. It's a well-performed, well-recorded affair. And it only hints at the loud greatness that was the show. The band sonically resemble early Black Flag, which shouldn't suprise anyone considering Morris was Black Flag's first ever vocalist.

Highly recommended for the punk rock set.

Here's the video review:

Big Star: Jesus Christ 10" EP (Omnivore Records/2015)

This was a pleasant surprise. I didn't even know about this until I wandered in to a local record store and saw this item staring right back at me in the Record Store Day/Black Friday section of 10" vinyl by the counter. Apparently, this is a taster of the forthcoming Complete Third box set coming out in 2016. This is the third Big Star release on Omnivore Records in the last few years (the others being the Nothing Can Hurt Me soundtrack and Live In Memphis) and by all accounts they've done right by Big Star fans.

What's on it? It 's the album version of the now-semi-holiday classic "Jesus Christ", the demo version of "Jesus Christ" (which made it's debut on the Keep An Eye On The Sky 2009 Rhino box set). Two untitled instrumentals by Chris Bell (that were in the Nothing Can Hurt Me documentary). A demo of "Big Black Car". "Thank You Friends (TV Mix)". And "Another Time, Another Place & You"

"Another Time, Another Place & You"  is something of a holy grail amongst Big Star fans as there is still some debate as to who plays on it, when it was recorded and what it's intended purpose was. Even the songwriting credits are somewhat mysterious. It was co-written with sometime drummer Richard Rosebrough and either Chris Bell or Alex Chilton. The credits in Nothing Can Hurt Me attribute it to Bell/Rosebrough while this record credits Chilton/Rosebrough.

These songs were the some of the last that band recorded (either demos or studio cuts in 1974 for the legendary Third album, and/or the Chris Bell tracks). It's a beautiful looking blue 10" EP and it sounds beautiful as well. It comes with an mp3 download card. The cover art comes from a 1973 Ardent Records promotional Big Star poster. It's so nice that these rare tracks are finally becoming commonplace for all to obtain and are out on various releases for Big Star obsessives like myself to pick up.

If you're a Big Star fan and a vinyl connoisseur, this item is just waiting to be purchased by you.

Here's the video review:

Van Dyke Parks: Song Cycle (Rhino Records/2013)

Van Dyke Parks is something of an enigma who has worn many hats in his long career. He has worked with The Beach Boys on their legendary Smile album and co-wrote "Sail On Sailor". He did the arrangements on Disney's The Jungle Book. He was the head of  Warner Brother's audio/video department in the 1970's. He was taught by Aaron Copland and sang for Albert Einstein in German as a child. He's recorded with The Byrds in the late 60's. He gave Buffalo Springfield it's name. He was a child actor and appeared in several films and television shows, including a neighbor of Ralph & Alice on The Honeymooners.

He's also released a few solo albums. The most notable of these was his debut album, Song Cycle. Song Cycle was originally released on Warner Brothers in 1968, and was recorded with a budget of $35,000 dollars making it the most expensive album at the time of its' release. It is an assemblage of various styles of American music. Ranging from old-timey American Ragtime and showtunes, traditional bluegrass, orchestrated suites all in an esoteric, psychedelic late 60's baroque pop art context. It's simultaneously backwards-looking and progressive. The songs are somewhat seamless and flow better than most albums of this sort IMHO. For starters, there are never any discernible lulls that seem to plague a good majority of so-called experimental pop music. Something is always taking place, and it's that very thing about it - which is wonderful - that may be off-putting some. I love Van Dyke Parks and love the album too.

This release was a limited edition 180-gram mono-pressing of 2,500 copies celebrating it's 45th anniversary. It was released by Rhino on Record Store Day of 2013 and it's basically a flawless release.

Here's the video review:

The Sunrays: Our Leader (Sundazed Music/2014)

The Sunrays were a mid 60's Sunshine Pop/Surf Pop band from southern California. They were managed by Murray Wilson, father of Brian, Dennis & Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys. Murray took up the role of as band manager after being fired by The Beach Boys for being deemed intolerable to work with. Murray also served as The Sunrays producer and got them signed to Capitol Records subsidiary, Tower Records in 1964. The band had hit singles with “I Live For The Sun”, “Andrea” and “Still” before disbanding 1967.

This single, which was released on Record Store Day of 2014, is comprised of “Our Leader”, which was a recording dedicated to Murray Wilson by the band and given to him on Christmas of 1965. It's a heart-felt token of appreciation to an individual whose reputation has been tarnished over the years.

“Won't You Tell Me” is a song that was composed by Murray Wilson and band leader Rick Henn to record, four years after the band's break-up. Recorded by the Wrecking Crew and some creative input and backing vocals from Dennis Wilson, it's something of a mini Sunshine/Baroque Pop classic.

The song was overdubbed with vocals from both Brian and Carl Wilson also in 1971. This version appears on the Beach Boys bootlegs Get The Boot and All This Is That.

Sundazed works its' usual magic and the vinyl is of the usual high-standards. It's nice yellow vinyl pressing and comes with four-pages of insightful and historical annotation from Rick Henn.

Very Highly Recommended for fans of The Beach Boys, Baroque Pop and Sunshine Pop of the 1960's.

Here's the video review:

The Seeds: Bad Part Of Town/Wish Me Up/Love In A Summer Basket/Did He Die (Sundazed Music/2013)

Los Angeles, California's The Seeds were a unique 60's band. They influenced bands in the genres of acid rock, garage rock, psychedelia and protopunk. They had a few hit singles in “Pushin' Too Hard”, “Can't Seem To Make You Mine” and “Mr. Farmer”. They're only now finally getting vinyl releases of the retro/revisionist variety. Sundazed Music has released such an item on Record Store Day of 2013. It's a double-seven-inch release of the bands two MGM singles. Recorded as a short-lived quintet at the end of the bands in 1970, the sound is similar to what the band had done on the GNP 
Crescendo label from 1965-1969.

“Love In A Summer Basket” and “Wish Me Up” are blissed-out would-be Summer Of Love concoctions that employ flutes, lazy guitars and Daryl Hooper's keyboards. “Bad Part Of Town” and “Did He Die” sound like early tracks by The Stooges. The latter of which retains an intensity not commonly associated with the late 60's/early 70's. I only wish this line-up had recorded more as than what's been made available (once again after having been out of print basically since their release).

Very highly-recommended!

Here's the video review: 

Chocolate Watch Band: In The Midnight Hour 7" Single (Sundazed Music/2012)

San Jose, California's The Chocolate Watch Band were one of the few bands from the 1960's that punk rockers held in high-esteem. They appeared in the 60's exploitation films Riot On The Sunset Strip and The Love-Ins. The band are comparable to the Syndicate Of Sound, The Electric Prunes and The Standells, only the Chocolate Watch Band were simultaneously more psychedelic and slightly harder-sounding than those bands. Their unique blend of Garage Rock and Psychedelia is just one reason why they still get tons of airplay on Little Steven's Underground Garage.

Released on Record Store Day 2012 on Sundazed Music, this single is a nice coup for fans of the band. Both “In The Midnight Hour” and “Psychedelic Trip” were produced by Ed Cobb and Engineered by Richard Polodor and are outtakes from the bands No Way Out album. I personally highly recommend seeking out The Chocolate Watch Band. This single is just a small taster that I'd suggest to anyone who like 60's Garage Rock and or 60's Psychedelia.

Here's the video review:

Thanks to: Sundazed Music, Jeff Jarema.

Paul Revere & The Raiders: Ride Your Pony 7" (Sundazed Music/2012)

Paul Revere & The Raiders were one of the most successful bands of the 1960's. They had a total of 15 Top 40 hit singles, were the house band on Dick Clark's variety program Where The Action Is and leaders  Mark Lindsay and Paul Revere co-hosted Happening '68 and It's Happening. They've also influenced a slew of bands with their blend of Garage Rock and Protopunk sound.

On Record Store Day in 2012 Sundazed Music released a single of outtakes on Red Vinyl. Both songs were produced by Terry Melcher (Melcher was responsible for the bands biggest 60's hits). A cover of the Lee Dorsey classic “Ride Your Pony” appears on the A-Side. Recorded in the Summer of 1965 for the Just Like Us! Album, the track would have been right at home on the album as it's something of a mini-rave-up of a 60's rock dance track.

The B-Side is the original “(You're A) Bad Girl”. It was recorded for The Spirit Of '67 album a year later than the A-Side, and it's a definite stand-out track. The verses are lightly psychedelic and the song itself, retrospectively sounds like it was a hit. It would have been a nice addition to the charts during the late-Summer of 1966.

If you've not heard Paul Revere & The Raiders and a fan of garage rock or sixties pop, you should definitely purchase this single. 


Here's The Video Review:

Thanks to: Sundazed Music and Domenic Priore.

Robyn Hitchcock: There Goes The Ice (Yep Roc/2013)

Formerly of The Soft Boys, The Egyptians and The Venus Three, Robyn Hitchcock has been reliably producing his blend of jangly psychedelic folk rock since the late 1970's. Since signing to the wonderful Yep Roc Records in 2004 he's had something of a creative second-coming. This release, which collects all five of Robyn's“Phantom 45's” is a nice two-disc 12” 45 RPM Record Store Day release.

The songs have a whimsical very dashed-off quality to them. Disposable in the best-possible sense.

“To Be Human” - which sounds like it could have been recorded for Eye, “Thank You Time Girl” and the title track – the latter containing KT Tunstall backing Robyn - are acoustic-based tracks. The upbeat “Twitch For Sam Surfer” features Green Gartiside of Scritti Politti on guitar and vocals. “I'll See You” and “After The Bullfight” feature Ex-Soft Boy & Egyptian drummer Morris Windsor. None of this material has been released in a digital format to my knowledge, so this is the most convenient-way of owning this material.

Robyn Hitchcock - whose vocals are a hybrid of his primary influences - Syd Barrett, Bob Dylan and John Lennon - has never been all that easy to recommend. He's beloved by critics (myself included) but to your more conservative average low-information consumer, his voice has always been something of a sore thumb. If you're a Robyn novice, a great starting point would be Fegmania!, Underwater Moonlight or Element Of Light. However for the converted, this release is well worth the time and effort as it stands up well with his newest releases.

Here's The Video Review:

Thanks to: Doug Mashkow of CD Island.

The Monkees: Selections From The Headquarters Sessions (Rhino/2012)

Aside from being known for their classic hit singles “I'm A Believer”, “Last Train To Clarksville” and “Daydream Believer”, the Monkees also had some notoriety for not being the actual musicians who played on the records. The Monkees was conceived by Bob Rafelson and Bert Schnieder as an American television show equivalent of The Beatles. Half of the Monkees were actors and the other half were musicians. As a need to promote The Monkees name, the band needed to tour - which necessitated the need for all four Monkees to learn their respective instruments. So for the Summer of 1967 the band toured the U.S.. For the first two Monkees albums studio musicians were used on all recordings except vocally.

However for the third album, Headquarters, the band played nearly all the instruments themselves. In 2000 Rhino released The Headquarters Sessions, an 84-track 3-CD set on their boutique Rhino Handmade label. Selections From The Headquarters Sessions is a vinyl-only condensation of that and is an eight-song mini album consisting of highlights from the recording sessions. “All Of Your Toys” which the band had earmarked as their third single was marred by problems involving the publishing and their producer Don Kirschner. The song is presented here in it's original mono version. Also appearing in its' mono version is the original version of Mike Nesmith's “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”. An alternate version (with an unused tag) of the single “Randy Scouse Git” is another highlight. Rounding things out are a few acoustic demos from Mike Nesmith the backing track for “No Time” and a solo Peter Tork banjo performance of the traditional “Cripple Creek”.

This release is limited pressing of 2,000 on red vinyl that was issued for Record Store Day 2012 on Rhino Records. It is basically for Monkees fans who can't get enough Monkees vinyl and as such a nice collection for them. 

Here's The Video Review:

The dB's: Revolution Of The Mind (Orange Sound Records/2013)

Winston-Salem North Carolina's The dB's were one of the leading-lights of the American Power Pop/Jangle Rock movement of the late 70's/early 80's. In 1988, after ten years and four albums the band called it a day. In 2005 the original line-up reformed to play various shows and in 2011 they released the Picture Sleeve single on their own Orange Sound Records (“The Label With Appeal”) and the Falling Off The Sky album on Bar/None Records in 2012.

Released on Record Store Day in 2013 Revolution Of The Mind (also on Orange Sound Records) is a four-song EP on Orange Vinyl in a limited pressing of 2,000 (and includes a digital download). The EP is basically a four-song distillation of makes the band special. The title-track is a minor-key rocker that features a hypnotic siren-esque lead guitar riff. “Lakefront” is compelling ballad with Mellotron-strings that would've been a lovely addition the most recent full-length album and recalls earlier dB's tracks such as “Nothing Is Wrong” and “From A Window To Screen”. “Orange Squeezer” is a whimsical Chris Stamey composition about a Dan Armstrong compressions pedal. And rounding things out is a live version of “pH Factor” (which first appeared as a the B-side to their 1982 “Neverland” single). “pH Factor, which references song author Peter Holsapple, is a sleepy Raybeats-like surf instrumental. And this is a very-well recorded live version of the song.

The EP is once again, a nice distillation of what makes the dB's a special band (i.e. good songwriting, a thoughtful approach to playing and challenging hooks). The vinyl itself is of nice quality and is on nice Orange Vinyl. All-in-all a nice piece for the dB's fan. And also quite appealing for the uninitiated as well.

Here's the video review:

The Cure: Entreat Plus (Rhino/Elektra/2012).

 Entreat is a live album that was recorded at London's Wembley Arena in July of 1989 in support of the bands' monumental and very successful Disintegration album. In fact Entreat is essentially the Disintegration album, in sequence, live.

Songs on Entreat Plus had previously had been released in dribs and drabs, namely on the Lullaby and Pictures Of You singles. And then in 1990 eight songs had been culled and released in the UK-only as mini-album Entreat. However all 12 songs from Disintegration had been performed at these Wembley shows and were amongst the most in-demand to be released from the band, for some time.

In 2009 the tracks were finally mixed by Robert Smith for the triple-CD reissue of Disintegration and for a subsequent vinyl-only release. After a few delays, it was finally released as a very-nice 180-Gram double-vinyl set on Elektra/Rhino for Record Store Day 2012.

If you are a fan of The Cure, this release is highly recommended. It's a beautifully-recorded
set, tastefully-performed and somehow manages to retain the integrity of the studio recordings - which is no easy feat. "Fascination Street", "Love Song", "Lullaby" and "Pictures Of You" are all given fine readings here.
Even Robert Smith's vocals - which can sometimes be stubbornly and willfully erratic (like a child
manipulating a temper-tantrum) are right on the mark. Alcohol was a main-factor in his live vocal performances in the mid 1980's. Here he sounds sober enough to execute everything perfectly. As are the members of The Cure, who were now without one-time-drummer-turned-keyboard-player Laurence Tolhurst.

This was basically The Cure at their peak, creatively. And they were seemingly at the peak of their powers live and Robert Smith as a songwriter seemed to be able to do no wrong.

Highly Recommended for the Cure fan.

Here's The Video Review:

Special Thanks to: Denver Gillette and Zorro Zero.

Hüsker Dü: Statues EP (Reflex Records 1980 & Numero Group 2013)

 After being passed over by Twin/Tone Records for local upstarts The Replacements, Hüsker Dü entered Blackberry Way Studios in Minneapolis to record their would-be debut 10" EP. They instead paired it down to a more financially-feasible 7" single and released it on their own Reflex Records. Taken long-thought lost safety masters, it has been issued on Record Store Day 2013 as a deluxe 7" EP on Numero Group Records, including the two tracks that were dropped once the 10" release was scrapped.

"Statues" has a nice cyclical flanged bass-line and is a Public Image Limited-esque Grant Hart song about the straitjacket of punk conformity. "Amusement" is live recording of a Bob Mould-penned song that obliquely refers to the band being slighted by Twin/Tone Records. "Let's Go Die" is a Greg Norton song that was previously appeared on the 1993 Rhino Records compilation Everything Falls Apart And More. "Writer's Cramp" is a previously unreleased mid-tempo Buzzcocks-flavored song written by Bob Mould.

It's a fine debut single, and it barely hints at the direction the band would next take. It neither points toward the amphetamine-fueled live album Land Speed Record nor the debut studio album Everything Falls Apart.

Released as part of Numero Group's 700 Line (reissues), limited to 4,000 copies (2,000 on white vinyl & 2,000 on black vinyl) and packaged in a 28pt board gatefold sleeve. The artwork is exactly duplicated from the original Reflex issue on this very nice release. If there are still any post-punk aficionados who have not yet heard Hüsker Dü (which to my mind is like a baseball fan not being all that familiar with who Nolan Ryan was), you need to hear this release, or New Day Rising, Flip Your Wig and Zen Arcade asap.

Here's the video review:

Thanks to Numero Group Records, Fake Name Graphx & Stephen Gersztoff.