Prog rock fans and Steven Wilson remix enthusiasts have another date to mark on their calendars: July 21, the release date for a greatly expanded edition of Marillion's classic Misplaced Childhood.
Released in June of 1985, Misplaced Childhood became the most successful release in the neo-prog quintet's ongoing career, topping the U.K. charts and staying in those charts for 41 weeks. Featuring semi-autobiographical lyrics from lead singer Fish that touched on love, loss and acceptance (admittedly aided by a 10-hour acid trip that birthed the concept), Marillion's mix of personal and familiar led to some of their best-received work, including the U.K. Top 5 hits "Kayleigh" and "Lavender."
The 4CD/Blu-ray box set version of Misplaced Childhood features the original remastered album (from the original analog 1/2" tape), a bonus disc of demos and B-sides (previously released in a 2CD edition in 1998 and expanded with a new stereo remix by Wilson of B-side "Lady Nina" in addition to the original) and two discs of an October 1985 live show in Utrecht, The Netherlands which featured a full performance of the album and more. The Blu-ray is packed with bonus features, including music videos, a new documentary featuring members of the band (including Fish, who left in 1988 after struggles with the band's management) and producer Chris Kimsey, and a new 5.1 surround mix by Wilson of the full album and "Lady Nina." It's all packed in a casebound book package with 60 pages of photos and liner notes by writer Dave Everley.
Additionally, a vinyl box set will include the remastered album and live concert across four LPs in total, packed in a 12" lidded box and featuring a full-size 24-page booklet with liner notes and a replica of the band's original tour program from the Childhood era.
Misplaced Childhood: Deluxe Edition (Parlophone/Rhino, 2017)
4CD/Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada (TBD) / Amazon U.K. (TBD)
4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada (TBD) / Amazon U.K.
Disc 1/LP 1: Remastered album (originally released as EMI MRL-2 (U.K.)/Capitol ST-12431 (U.S.), 1985)
- Pseudo Silk Kimono
- Kayleigh
- Lavender
- Bitter Suite
- Heart of Lothian
- Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)
- Lords of the Backstage
- Blind Curve
- Childhood's End?
- White Feather
Discs 2-3/LPs 2-4: Live At Muziekcentrum Vredenburg, Utrecht, The Netherlands - October 15-16, 1985 (previously unreleased except where noted)
- Emerald Lies (Intro)
- Script for a Jester's Tear
- Incubus
- Chelsea Monday (from "Heart of Lothian" single - EMI MARIL-5, 1985)
- The Web
- Pseudo Silk Kimono
- Kayleigh
- Lavender
- Bitter Suite
- Heart of Lothian
- Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)
- Lords of the Backstage
- Blind Curve
- Childhood's End?
- White Feather
- Fugazi
- Garden Party
- Market Square Heroes
Disc 4: Demos and B-sides
- Lady Nina (B-side to "Kayleigh" - EMI MARIL-3, 1985)
- Freaks (B-side to "Lavender" - EMI MARIL-4, 1985)
- Kayleigh (Alternative Mix) (12" B-side to "Kayleigh" - EMI 12MARIL-3, 1985)
- Lavender Blue (12" A-side - EMI 12MARIL-4, 1985)
- Heart of Lothian (Extended Mix) (12" A-side - EMI 12MARIL-5, 1985)
- Lady Nina (Steve Wilson Stereo Remix) (previously unreleased)
- Pseudo Silk Kimono (Demo)
- Kayleigh (Demo)
- Lavender (Demo)
- Bitter Suite: Brief Encounter/Lost Weekend (Demo)
- Lords of the Backstage (Demo)
- Blue Angel (Demo)
- Misplaced Rendezvous (Demo)
- Heart of Lothian: Wide Boy/Curtain Call (Demo)
- Waterhole (Expresso Bongo) (Demo)
- Passing Strangers: Mylo/Perimeter Walk/Threshold (Demo)
- Childhood's End? (Demo)
- White Feather (Demo)
Tracks 7-18 released on bonus disc of Misplaced Childhood reissue - EMI 72434 97034 2 1 (U.K.), 1998
Blu-ray
- Childhood Memories (Documentary, 72 mins)
- Misplaced Childhood (Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix)
- Lady Nina (Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix)
- Lady Nina (Steven Wilson Stereo Remix)
- Misplaced Childhood (96/24 KHz stereo remaster)
- Kayleigh (promo video)
- Lavender (promo video)
- Heart of Lothian (promo video)
- Lady Nina (promo video
Moo says
Who did the stereo 96/24 remaster? I hope & assume it's the same dreadful master they used for the 2 disc set.
This was also an early digital recording. Most early digital was 44/16 (or worse in some cases). I'm curious who that fits with the 96/24?
Moo says
I left the word "not" out above. It should have read, "I hope & assume it’s NOT the same dreadful master they used for the 2 disc set."
Teophilus says
Given the not so brilliant quality of the original recording, remastering it would be a tough act for any sound engineer anyway.