Nana Vasconcelos - Saudades (ECM) - April
Part of ECM's Luminessence vinyl reissue series - this 1980 album is one of the most intriguing in their catalogue. The combination of Vasconcelos on berimbau, Egberto Gismonti (who also acted as arranger) and Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart is extraordinary.
Nancy Sinatra - Keep Walkin': Singles, Demos and Rarities 1965-1978 (Light In The Attic) - November
A grand tour through some lesser known gems from Nancy Sinatra's catalogue.
Neil Young - Chrome Dreams (Reprise) - AugustNeil Young and Crazy Horse - Official Archive Series Release Vol. 5
Neil Young - Time Fades Away 50
The overwhelming bounty of Neil Young archive material continues at a pace that remains pretty much impossible to manage. The pick of these has to be the long lost Chrome Dreams, which offers us a few great songs officially released for the first time and, although much of it appeared on other albums anyway, it's still a thrill to see it presented as originally intended. Undoubted highlights are Will To Love, Too Far Gone and Stringman. Also of note is High Flyin', the first official release for The Ducks, a somewhat democratic band Neil played with for a short time. The Official Archive Series Vol. 5 release packages together the superb Ragged Glory, Freedom, Arc and Weld and comes with sadly limited extras (although the package may be worth the investment for Born To Run alone). The 50th anniversary edition of Time Fades Away is a standard repress on coloured vinyl. The 1977 Ocean Budokan set was originally released as part of Archives II but now gets its own vinyl release and combines a solo acoustic first side with a Crazy Horse second side.
New Order - Substance 1987 (Warner) - November
Expanded version (4 discs) of classic compilation adding remixes and a live set.
In Utero's combination of Nirvana's most melodic and infectious material with their weirdest and most deranged makes it a deeply unusual album - and also arguably their best. Here is it expanded with a few bonus tracks and vast amounts of live material.
Limited edition vinyl run for 2021 album integrating the influence of sacred and religious music with contemporary electronics.
This probably should have gone in 2022's reissues list - although it had a vinyl repress in 2023 as well. Classic debut album from Nigerian Afro-rock band.
Vinyl reissue of driving live set first released by Ace in 2013.
Expanded reissue of the second Pale Saints album, with its beguiling combination of wafer thin, dreamy melodies and robust layers of guitar still working wonders.
Compilation of dub/ambient/techno compositions.
Vinyl reissue of one of the all time greatest funk records.
Box collecting the first three albums from the late composer and medium, compelling for its textures and tactility.
A 3 disc compilation to bring the PSB story up to date and, in essence, a perfect pop record.
Another of the most welcome reissues of the whole year and a bizarre but brilliant anomaly in Sanders' extraordinary catalogue. A very odd line-up of musicians (including Sanders' then wife Bedria playing a harmonium in spite of never having seen one before the session) resulting in a great work of spirituality and transcendence.
Phew - Our Likeness (Mute) -February
Spectacular avant-garde industrial debut solo record from the Japanese vocalist and a band including Jaki Liebzeit and Holger Czukay of Can.
Hopefully this expanded reissue presents an opportunity to reassess Prince's NPG era which produced some great songwriting (particularly the title track) and some insatiable minimalist grooves. A whole load of additional material here, from the questionable to the masterful, all with some imprint of the man's extraordinary musicianship. Also good to have the incredible ten minute extended mix of Gett Off.
Those who follow me will know that this is my favourite R.E.M. album for a whole host of reasons both personal and artistic. It's a much misunderstood record - there are common qualities from their earlier work here, just recontextualised with new sounds and textures. Michael Stipe is at his most honest and disarming lyrically here too. Sadly there are few extras, as has been the case all the way through this somewhat disappointing reissues series. One has to assume there just isn't all that much in the vault.
Irresistible Afro-Funk from 1976.
20th Anniversary vinyl reissue of this pioneering electronic work.
Outstanding 5CD retrospective of the idiosyncratic acoustic guitarist's work, some being made widely available for the first time here.
Great 1985 dancehall reggae album, recorded and produced by Ffrench alone. With just one caveat - in some cases, it's lyrically 'not very 2023' (hello 'Sweet Sixteen').
Robert Palmer - The Island Years 1974-1985 (Edsel/Demon)
A decidedly uncool and unfashionable artist these days, not least because of the Riptide era's now questionable videos and his rather naff suave image - but there is much to enjoy on Palmer's earlier albums, drawing from New Wave (Clues) and Little Feat-esque southern rock grooves (Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley). Another of those boxes not available for streaming in its entirety but where you can still find the individual albums perfectly easily online.
Second retrospective compilation album from the footwork innovator, focusing on tracks created between 2002 and 2007.
I have no idea what 'psychoacoustics' might be (it sounds like something straight out of the script of Ghostbusters), but the music collected here is bountiful evidence that Davachi is one of the most important musicians operating in the field of contemporary minimalist and ambient composition.
O'Connor's considerable talent had been somewhat neglected in recent years - this1994 album, now available on vinyl, ranks among her finest and is characteristically strident and uncompromising, from its opening
I'm not sure how many reissues this undoubtedly great pop record needs, but here's a mega deluxe 6CD version should you feel you need it.
Combines the albums Way Out West (a solid classic from 1957) and Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders (1958) with some additional alternate takes.
1970 live recording of busy, urgent small group jazz.
Wonderfully light and agile 1975 debut from the singer-songwriter.
One of SFA's more subtle albums, now remastered and expanded with a bounty of demos.
Massive box set collating Luke Haines' four excellent albums as The Auteurs, the Baader-Meinhof album and a host of B-Sides and extras.
The new mixes, incongruous presence of a 'new' song and the contentious choices of additional tracks make these the most controversial Beatles reissues for some time! But the music will never be anything but essential.
A 30th Anniversary deluxe edition that is considerably less 'deluxe' than the CD deluxe edition issued in 2010, but still one of the great British albums of the 90s.
Another of the great 90s indie albums expanded and reissued.
Limited edition 20th anniversary reissue of Indianapolis musician Stuart Hyatt's excellent gospel album.
In which the excellent jangle pop group had a brief flirtation with mainstream success.
Vinyl reissue of one of the group's more elaborate and ambitious albums. It was so good to have them back this year.
Massive expansion of the 80s classic, including 31 never before released recordings.
Expanded reissue of 1998 album, one of Vini Reilly's more sweetly melodic and immediate works, with vocal contributions from Eley Rudge.
The unexpected hit Natural One remains super well known of course, but this is a welcome chance to explore the entirety of Lou Barlow and John Davis' soundtrack for Larry Clark's still controversial film.
Now here is an anniversary that makes me feel old. I had a very fun night with The Hidden Cameras in Cambridge when this album came out, having interviewed Joel before the gig. Still probably the best example of Gibb's 'gay folk church music'.
Now here's an anniversary release that makes me feel *really* old. This album was a really crucial part of forming my music taste as a teenager. Some people find it ragged, imperfect and frustrating - but I find the goofiness is an inherent part of its appeal. And the first half is just perfect.
Another divisive but important alternative mix, and a comprehensive box set edition also including a remastered version of the original mix, demos and live recordings.
Comprehensive box set for the all female punky rock band, featuring Joan Jett.
Overdue and very welcome massive box set for a short lived but significant British band.
Collecting the complete works of Greg Dulli's project that followed the initial demise of The Afghan Whigs - just in case you have a spare £400! Highlights are the first album (which found Dulli experimenting more explicitly with contemporary R&B and electronic influences) and Blackberry Belle, after that it is admittedly diminishing returns.
(This really is completely ridiculous - does anyone buy these things? I mostly do this round-up for positive reasons but I'm also doing it to highlight some of these issues as well. Quite a lot can be found to stream or on Bandcamp, but the market for luxury vinyl products seems every bit as out of control as the gig ticket market. At some point, something has to happen that benefits ordinary fans. I don't mean to single out OLI here, who are a decent label doing good work for the most part).
The Vaselines - The Way Of The Vaselines: A Complete Story (Sub Pop) - October
First ever vinyl release for this important compilation. Not streaming, for whatever reason.
Vinyl reissue for live album capturing Phil Lynott's ever changing band at the peak of their powers in 1977.
Mesh-Key continue to introduce experimental music from Japan to a wider audience here - these are two weird and wonderful albums from Junko Tange (from 1979 and 1981 respectively).
Tom Waits - The Island Years - September/October
Bare bones remastered vinyl reissues of Waits' albums from Swordfishtrombones through to The Black Rider. One of the best run of albums in any catalogue.
A completely wonderful album, new to me this year. Clarinetist Scott spent six years in Asia, and brought Asian musicians to wider attention by including them on this fascinating example of East-meets-West jazz.
At last, a set from Cherry Red that is available to stream! This spans the eight singles and two albums made by the former Paul Weller associate. Great sophisticated 80s pop.
Two and a half hours of live improvised music from a 1989 set.
Tricky - Maxinquaye (Reincarnated) - October
A remastered version of the original album (still Tricky's masterpiece) alongside a new version and many more extras.
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