15 Brilliant Out-of-Print Albums
The 2000s have seen a host of wonderful re-issues; the Japan discography,Tom Verlaine's Dreamtime, Danielle Dax's Dark Adapted Eye, the Wipers Box Set, for instance. Even still, there are many more critically important albums and hidden gems that could certainly stand to be re-released. Many of these I hadn't realized were out-of-print until I began poking around Amazon/Amazon UK for the purpose of this list, though you may be in luck with some individual sellers there, on eBay, and particularly through GEMM. Hopefully, the music discussed here will lead you to some great discoveries!
Listed alphabetically by artist:
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 - Aphex Twin (1992)
This one registered as a huge ?! in my mind when I discovered it was no longer available in physical form. One of the grandest achievements in ambient and electronic music and vastly influential.
What Does Anything Mean? Basically - The Chameleons (1985)
Largely unrecognized in the field of post-punk, apart from a cult following, the Chameleons were also big-time precursors to shoegaze, especially throughout this album. The 25th Anniversary Edition of the Chameleons' Script of the Bridge is available as an import, though What Does Anything Mean? Basically hasn't been re-issued since the mid-90s. Have a listen to a Chameleons radio interview (part 1) around the time of this album's release; the rest of interview is available here.
Horse Rotorvator - Coil (1986)
Coil pioneered the industrial genre (founded by the late John Balance, who would later collaborate with Nurse With Wound and Psychic TV, amongst others), with Horse Rotorvator being a landmark release- darkly eerie and making for an incredibly intense listen. "Slur" (with guest vocals from Soft Cell's Marc Almond) appears in my 'Top 100 Fav Songs' iTunes playlist.
World Shut Your Mouth - Julian Cope (1984)
Known for founding the Teardrop Explodes (and the short-lived Crucial Three with Pete Wylie and Ian McCulloch), Julian Cope's impressive legacy of solo work is very much worth exploring. While Peggy Suicide (1991) remains his most acclaimed release, World Shut Your Mouth sounds very much ahead of, and likely providing direct inspiration to, the 90s Britpop movement. Oh, and check out his Head Heritage site, now we've breached the subject of Cope.
Woman's Gotta Have It - Cornershop (1995)
Heard this one thanks to AFIN contributor Ian (check out his Starter Guide: Cornershop post). When I Was Born for the 7th Time may be the critical, and commercial, choice, but Woman's Gotta Have It is most definitely Cornershop's best, not to mention one of the should-have-been-a-classic albums of the 90s. I have a particular weakness for sitars, what's more. Listen to "6 A.M. Jullandar Shere" (from official site)
Levitate - The Fall (1997)
One of the Fall's most inaccessible, bizarre albums (yes, standing out even within the context of their whole discography of 'inaccessible, bizarre albums'). A smorgasbord of styles and randomness- as puzzling as it is entertaining. Thanks to John P. for hooking me up with this and several other now-discontinued Fall releases!
Crazy Rhythms - The Feelies (1980)
Another criminally un-reissued album; the influence of the jangle-pop music of the Feelies has touched anything and everything under the vast 'indie rock' umbrella to the present-day. Present here is their cover of the Beatles song "Everybody's Got Something to Hide (Except for Me and My Monkey)", which makes a good case for trumping the original.
Live at Winterland - The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1987)
Originally recorded in 1968 and not released until 1987 (!), Live at Winterland is as crucial a recorded document as the Jimi Hendrix Experience's studio albums.
Autobahn - Kraftwerk (1974)
A turning point in German electronic/kraut group Kraftwerk's body of work, the title track "Autobahn" is one of their most important tracks; the album as a whole makes for a lovely listening experience while traveling anywhere (of course).
The Maria Dimension - The Legendary Pink Dots (1991)
Sounding less like it's from 1991 and more like a combination of great lost 60s-70s-80s albums, The Maria Dimension is the height of this quirky band's achievement (though Plutonium Blonde was a pleasant surprise in last year's releases). Have a listen to "The Grain Kings" (from official site).
Unanswerable Lust - Luxuria (1988)
Despite being familiar with (and loving) Magazine, I had no clue about Howard Devoto's subsequent band Luxuria (formed with Noko, a multi-instrumentalist he met through Pete Shelley), until I was reading an article about thenewno2 which compared the two bands' sounds. Like Magazine, this is wondrous, uncategorizable music that must be heard!
The Dance of the Moon and the Sun - Natural Snow Buildings (2006)
Unlike the other entries in this list, Natural Snow Buildings have consistently made their albums willfully obscure (typically under 200 copies)- a current search on Amazon or eBay will throw up nothing whatsoever. This group are a duo from France who have been putting out magically hypnotic psych-drone music since 1999. While The Dance of the Moon and the Sun is probably their 'best-known', this year's multiple-cassette limited release Daughter of Darkness is quite the achievement, and set to be one of my favourites of 2009- possibly one of the most powerfully epic albums I have heard. Ever. The entirety of 2003 album Ghost Folks is available for free download on Last.fm- check out "sun".
Feeding the Flame - Sad Lovers and Giants (1983)
(Thanks to Choutas at RYM for the recommendation) Like the Chameleons and the Sound, Sad Lovers and Giants were (and are) unheralded masters of the post-punk aesthetic, and beyond that into some of the most sublime, pure music you will find anywhere on Feeding the Flame. Stream "3 Lines" from Last.fm.
Jeopardy - The Sound (1980)
(Thanks to Matt M. for recommending this and Miss P's Rave and Roll article on the Sound) Described at allmusic as a musical blend of Joy Division and Echo & the Bunnymen, the Sound's string of releases (many of which were available as imports-only, in America) in the 1980s are all worthwhile, particularly Jeopardy and 1984 EP Shock of Daylight. Check out The Sound on MySpace Music.
Soul Kiss (Glide Divine) - Spectrum (1992)
A fairly recent discovery, arising out of some heavy Spacemen 3 listening last week. After psychedelic-space-rock group Spacemen 3 dissolved, Jason Pierce ("J. Spaceman") formed Spiritualized, Stewart Roswell ("Rosco") formed the Darkside, and Peter Kember ("Sonic Boom") formed Spectrum, and later, Experimental Audio Research. Debut Soul Kiss (Glide Devine) is a continuation of, and expansion upon, Spacemen 3 themes- heavenly, dreamy deliciousness. Come to think of it, Spectrum's recent War Sucks EP is ...(EDIT: now available through Mind Expansion, with vinyl coming soon as well)! Two tracks from his album Spectrum (1990), released under Sonic Boom and recorded while Spacemen 3 were still loosely together, are available for free download at Last.fm: "Help Me Please" and "Lonely Avenue"
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Reader suggestions are always welcome- what are your favourite albums currently out-of print?
13 COMMENTS / POST COMMENT:
*Fab* post - love the fact that you are giving validation to out of print music that is still vital to this day. I can't believe some of the stuff that crams the record shop bins in favor of gems that should be allowed to live on.
I'm totally shocked that both the Chameleons and the Kraftwerk albums (and, of course, the Sound)you've featured are unavailable. It's the world's loss by far.
Cheers,
MissP
xo
Oh, the Feelies. If anyone deserves a box set...
I am with ya on NSB's records. Truly great stuff.
@MissP: Hey, thanks- I was surprised about the Chameleons and Kraftwerk myself!
@Michael: The Feelies Crazy Rhythms had been set to be re-issued last year, but was then delayed...there's rumors of re-issues again this year (particularly since they're touring again)- I have hopes!
@icastico: wow, that's great to hear!! Natural Snow Buildings fans are a bit of a secret club, it seems. Someday, maybe, their releases won't be as extra-exclusive.
I believe NSB are being deliberate with their limited releases. I remember when no one knew Jandek, but a steady drip of obscure cool music sent to radio stations around the country served him well... eventually. NSB may be pursuing a similar strategy, assuming they are in it for the long haul...only now it is blogs rather than DJ's spreading the word.
i can't believe some of these albums are out of print. great post!
@icastico yep, seems music blogs are doing quite a job on getting the word out- popular over at Rate Your Music, too
@sarcasmus: oh I know! The ones that most urgently need re-issuing are probably Aphex Twin, the Chameleons, Kraftwerk, and The Feelies- what's more, there are even more Julian Cope albums out of print beyond his first, alas
nice piece, but "Selected Ambient Works" was re-released on CD with analogue remaster in 2006 and subsequently with digital remaster in 2008, and "Autobahn" is in print on EMI CD (although only on important for unlucky Statesiders). Sorry to be a pedantic arse (it's just sort of what i do).
Someone definitely needs to reissue all those old Fall LPs that became unavailable when Artful went bust, though. "The Marshall Suite", "Middle Class Revolt" and "Cerebral Caustic" are all also brill. If only i had Smith's number and about a spare 20 grand, i'd put them out meself.
EDIT > previous post deleted due to bad spelling and word arrangement
Brilliant post!
I come to your blog via BLIP.FM and how great is it to have found a link to this site.
Your listing of out of print records is fantastic and thankfully I even have a few. Sad though considering the calibre of all of these releases. The simple fact that people can't easily obtain Kraftwerk's Autobahn is a travesty.
Keep up the great work!
Sean
@tomasz: ahh, yeah I thought that Aphex Twin might at least be available digitally, since it is on Last.fm. Those Fall albums are definitely needed for the masses, though I must admit Cerebral Caustic flew right past me when I heard it. Still does.
@Sean Wraight: hey, thanks fellow Blipper- Everything is Pop is one of the grandest stations, for sure.
Both of your guys' sites are on the blogroll now, what's more!
dayum, your blog has really picked up a LOT of steam. i came back to it because i was searching for the "so young but so cold" comp, and recognized the link you had on a rate your music profile...
anyway thanks for linking to our blog so long ago. we've slowed down a lot but you're more than picking up the slack :D
Dan, thanks so much for your remarks! :D Hey! Student is really one of the greats, hope to see more posts on there in the future.
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