Best of 2020 — Reissues

Qobuz playlist; Dec. 2020

https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5388296

Unsurprisingly, nostalgia wielded a strong sway over 2020. After all, when the world outside brings anxiety, stress, and fear — and you’re stuck at home anyway — why not sink into the warm memories of “The Before Times?” Thankfully, the year that will live in infamy also happened to mark the anniversary of many monumental albums, yielding an array of deluxe reissues to mark the occasion. Iconic releases from the Doors, John Coltrane, En Vogue, Rush, David Bowie, and others celebrated various decade-marking birthdays, and their reissues were appropriately grandiose and exhaustive. In the case of the Grateful Dead, who released two career-defining albums in 1970, 2020 was a banner year for reissues, with American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead expanded with live sets (of course) and ancillary Angel’s Share compilations of demos, alternate takes, and studio outtakes. Other artists released multiple reissues, too, apropos of no anniversaries. PJ Harvey revisited Dry and To Bring You My Love, with accompanying demo-version releases, and the Prince estate set the bar for Super Deluxe reissues with a 92-track reconsideration of his iconic Sign O’ the Times album, boasting 45 previously unreleased tracks, which came after the reissue of two live albums from 1985 and 2002. Tom Petty’s Wildflowers and All the Rest compiled a definitive version of that album, while Joni Mitchell finally deigned to dig into her vaults and kick off her Archive series with a phenomenal, five-disc look at her early, pre-label life as a folk singer. Lou Reed, Neil Young, the Rolling Stones, Elvis, Iggy Pop, and Nina Simone all had important parts of their discography reissued, while other, less-heralded artists like Pale Saints, Zazou Biyake, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, and Masumi Hara were given well-deserved spotlights put on their important work. Not a bad year to stay home, after all. © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz

Playlist tracks

• Urge For GoingJoni MitchellArchives — Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963–1967)RhinoFolk/Americana 04:25

• Hand Me Down (Ripple) (Demo)Grateful DeadAmerican Beauty: The Angel’s ShareGrateful Dead — RhinoRock 04:06

• I Washed My Hands In Muddy WaterElvis PresleyFrom Elvis In NashvilleRCA Victor — LegacyRock 05:21

• In A Large Room With No Light (2020 Remaster)PrinceSign O’ The Times (Super Deluxe)Warner RecordsFunk 03:27

• I Was Just A Stupid Dog To ThemNina SimoneFodder On My WingsVerveJazz 02:25

• Long Snake Moan (Demo)PJ HarveyTo Bring You My Love — DemosUMC (Universal Music Catalogue)Alternative & Indie 05:36

• Dum Dum Boys (Alternative Mix)Iggy PopThe Bowie Years (7CD)UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)Rock 07:16

• Drummers from IbadanByard LancasterSoul Love Now: The Black Fire Records Story, 1975–1993StrutHip-Hop/Rap 04:09

• HexJon HassellVernal Equinox (Remastered)NdeyaAmbient 06:24

• Fell from the Sun (Remastered)Pale SaintsThe Comforts of Madness4ADAlternative & Indie 04:46

• Peace Frog/Blue Sunday (Take 4) (2020 Remaster)The DoorsMorrison Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)Rhino — ElektraRock 05:42

• You Don’t Know How It Feels (Home Recording)Tom PettyWildflowers & All The Rest (Deluxe Edition)Warner RecordsRock 04:40

• Sopa (Don’t Stand Back In Red)Zazou BikayeMr. ManagerCrammed DiscsWorld 05:24

• Birthday Gal (Demo)The ReplacementsPleased To Meet Me (Deluxe Edition)Rhino — Warner RecordsRock 04:40
• Hold On (Extended Version; 2020 Remaster)En VogueBorn to Sing (30th Anniversary Expanded Edition) [2020 Remaster]Rhino AtlanticR&B 05:15

• Sunset VillageBeverly Glenn-CopelandTransmissions: The Music Of Beverly Glenn-CopelandTransgressiveNew Age 07:20

• FloridaNeil YoungHomegrownRepriseRock 02:58

• Doncha of the Moon and StarsMasumi Hara4 X A DreamNumero GroupElectronic or Concrète 03:47

• Dirty Blvd. (Live at Wembley Arena, London, UK, 7/14/1989) (Live at Wembley Arena, London, UK, 7/14/89)Lou ReedNew York (Deluxe Edition)Rhino — Warner RecordsRock 04:18

• Strange Relationship (Live At The Aladdin, Las Vegas, 12/15/2002)PrinceLive At The Aladdin Las Vegas SamplerLegacy RecordingsFunk 03:44

• The Spirit Of Radio (Live in Manchester)RushPermanent WavesMercury RecordsRock 05:08

• The Creator Has A Master Plan (Live in Paris (1975))Pharoah SandersLive in Paris (1975)Transversales DisquesJazz 08:53

• ScarletThe Rolling StonesGoats Head Soup (2020 Deluxe)Polydor RecordsRock 03:44

• VegetablesLaughing GravyThe Land Of Sensations & Delights: The Psych Pop Sounds Of White Whale Records, 1965–1970Craft RecordingsPop 02:18

• Plants And Rags (Demo)PJ HarveyDry — DemosUMC (Universal Music Catalogue)Alternative & Indie 03:32

• SLEEPHiroshi YoshimuraGreenLight In The Attic RecordsWorld 06:25

• Naima (Alternate, Take 3) (2020 Remaster)John ColtraneGiant Steps (60th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) [2020 Remaster]Rhino AtlanticJazz 04:36

• Cumberland Blues (Live at the Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY 2/21/1971) (2020 Remaster)Grateful DeadWorkingman’s Dead (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)Grateful Dead — RhinoRock 04:55

• Black Country Rock (2020 Mix)David BowieMetrobolist (aka The Man Who Sold The World) [2020 Mix]Parlophone UKRock 03:36

• Possessed (Live in Syracuse, NY, 3/30/85)Prince And The RevolutionPrince and the Revolution: LiveWarner RecordsPop 04:24

• Vacation from RomanceJay DaysBetween the SwellsBranditmusicJazz 06:15