When Marshall Crenshaw launched a vinyl EP subscription service in early 2013 as a vehicle for his new music, the veteran singer/songwriter/producer set out to not make a new album.  Yet, as these things happen, he ended up with enough music to make one after all.  # 392: The EP Collection is a new 14-track album with twelve songs drawn from the six EPs released between 2013 and 2015, plus two exclusive bonus tracks.  All songs here make their CD debuts on this release.

Each vinyl EP, beginning with 2013's I Don't See You Laughing Now, featured one new composition, one cover version and one reinterpretation of a past Crenshaw favorite.  # 392 has six of those new songs and six covers, in addition to the two new bonus tracks (appropriately, one more cover and one more Crenshaw song.)  None of the reinterpretations are included; perhaps they will surface on a future CD!  The tuneful and delightfully venomous title track of that first EP, on which Crenshaw is supported by Graham Maby and Andy York, is one of the six new songs included on # 392.  I Don't See You Laughing Now included Jeff Lynne's hauntingly beautiful "No Time" from The Move's final album, Message from the Country (1971) as its cover selection. Crenshaw, on guitar, vibes, percussion and prominent toy piano (!), captured the essence of the evocative, dark ballad from the future ELO frontman.

The other original songs on # 392 are "Grab the Next Train," "Move Now," "Red Wine" and "Driving and Dreaming," all co-written with Dan Bern, as well as Crenshaw's solo composition "Stranger and Stranger."  The cover versions all beautifully showcase the various influences that have guided the artist's own pop songwriting career over the years.  In addition to the Jeff Lynne tune, Crenshaw delivers heartfelt renditions of classic songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David ("(They Long to Be) Close to You"), James McMurtry ("Right Here Now"), John Sebastian (The Lovin' Spoonful's gorgeously heartbreaking "Didn't Want to Have to Do It"), Bobby Fuller ("Never to Be Forgotten") and George Young (The Easybeats' "Made My Bed, Gonna Lie in It").  Crenshaw welcomed a wide variety of notable guest musicians like Glen Burtnik, Stephen Bernstein, Bryan Carrott, Byron House, Daniel Littleton, Jeffrey Foskett and the late Rob Morsberger to these sessions.  (The Beach Boys' Foskett adds the background vocals to a faithful remake of the Carpenters' classic, chart-topping version of the Bacharach/David song.)

The first exclusive bonus cut pays tribute to the late Phil Everly.  The Everly Brothers' "Man with Money" was recorded by Crenshaw with his touring mates The Bottle Rockets during the week after Phil's passing in January 2014.  The second of the bonus tracks, "Front Page News," is a demo made in the 1990s of a song written by Crenshaw and country songwriter Leroy Preston.

Crenshaw supplies the liner notes to this new collection which is available now from Red River Entertainment and Addieville Records.  You can order # 392: The EP Collection at the links below!

Marshall Crenshaw, # 392: The EP Collection (Red River/Addieville, 2015) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

1. Grab the Next Train
2. Move Now
3. Red Wine
4. Driving and Dreaming
5. Stranger and Stranger
6. I Don't See You Laughing Now
7. No Time
8. (They Long to Be) Close to You
9. Never to Be Forgotten
10. Right Here Now
11. Didn't Want to Have to Do It
12. Made My Bed, Gonna Lie in It
13. Man with Money
14. Front Page News (Demo)