Though it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle among the more critically lauded Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street, The Rolling Stones’ 11th album, Goats Head Soup is worthy of reappraisal – and that time has finally come, as The Rolling Stones and UMe have announced a set of reissues slated for September 4 featuring new mixes, demos, alternate versions, and live material across a number of configurations.

Released in August 1973, Goats Head Soup was recorded across the world, with sessions taking place in the U.K., the U.S., and Jamaica, while mixing was undertaken in the U.K. and the Netherlands. The Jimmy Miller-produced sessions saw the Stones pair up with frequent collaborators Nicky Hopkins, Ian Stewart, Bobby Keys, and Jim Horn, as well as Billy Preston on keys for a set that featured successful singles like “Angie,” “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker),” and the cleverly edited “Star Star.”

The standard edition includes a new 2020 stereo mix on 1 CD.  The 2CD deluxe edition features the new mix plus a disc of rarities and alternate mixes. Among those 10 bonus tracks are Glyn Johns’ early mixes of “Silver Train,” “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker),” and “Dancing With Mr. D,” plus instrumental mixes of the latter two, a piano demo of “100 Years Ago,” an alternate mix of “Hide Your Love,” and three outtakes including a collaboration between Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, and Ric Grech called “Scarlet.” There’s also “Criss Cross,” an outtake recorded in Kingston and London during the album sessions and featuring guest musicians Jimmy Miller, Rebop, Bobby Keys, and Nicky Hopkins. It’s now been released as a preview single on streaming and download platforms and will be sent along to anyone who pre-orders the new set. A music video has also premiered, directed by Diana Kunst.

The most extravagant of the editions is the 3-CD/Blu-ray box set, featuring a total of 35 tracks. Presented in a hardbound volume, the box set includes all the tracks from the deluxe edition configuration, plus a bonus CD of the out-of-print and highly sought-after Brussels Affair concert, recorded on October 17, 1973 during a tour of Europe. The Blu-ray disc includes the new album mix in high-resolution 24bit/96kHz stereo, plus a 24-bit/96kHz DTS HD-encoded 5.1 surround mix and, for the first time in a Rolling Stones box set, a new and immersive Dolby Atmos mix of the album.

Vinyl aficionados won’t be left out, though. There will be a standard edition LP configuration featuring the new mix. A 2LP deluxe edition features the new stereo mix plus the the outtakes, alternate mixes, and demos on the second disc. That same program will also be pressed on a Rolling Stones online shop-exclusive transparent vinyl configuration housed in alternate album art. Finally, there’s a deluxe 4LP box set featuring the new mix, the bonus tracks, and the Brussels Affair concert.  The vinyl configurations have all been half-speed mastered, prepared by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, London and pressed on heavyweight, 180-gram vinyl. For the super nostalgic, there will be a cassette edition available exclusively on The Rolling Stones’ online store.

To whet your appetite for the reissue, check out “Criss Cross” on digital download and streaming platforms now.  Scroll down to peruse the complete track listings and to pre-order your preferred version.

The Rolling Stones, Goats Head Soup: Deluxe Edition (Polydor/Interscope/UMe, 2020)

3CD/Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Japan Your Local Record Shop
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
1LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
2LP clear: The Rolling Stones Shop
Cassette: The Rolling Stones Shop

CD/LP 1: Goats Head Soup remixed (originally released as Rolling Stones LP COC 59101, 1973)

1. Dancing With Mr D
2. 100 Years Ago
3. Coming Down Again
4. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)
5. Angie
6. Silver Train
7. Hide Your Love
8. Winter
9. Can You Hear The Music
10. Star Star

CD/LP 2: Rarities and Alternative Mixes

1. Scarlet
2. All The Rage
3. Criss Cross
4. 100 Years Ago (Piano Demo)
5. Dancing With Mr D (Instrumental)
6. Heartbreaker (Instrumental)
7. Hide Your Love (Alternative Mix)
8. Dancing With Mr D (Glyn Johns 1973 Mix)
9. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) – (Glyn Johns 1973 Mix)
10. Silver Train (Glyn Johns 1973 Mix)

CD 3/LP 3-4: Brussels Affair – Live 1973

1. Brown Sugar
2. Gimme Shelter
3. Happy
4. Tumbling Dice
5. Star Star
6. Dancing With Mr. D
7. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)
8. Angie
9. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
10. Midnight Rambler
11. Honky Tonk Women
12. All Down The Line
13. Rip This Joint
14. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
15. Street Fighting Man

Blu-ray (Dolby Atmos, 96kHz/24 bit high resolution stereo, and 96 kHz/24 bit DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1):

1. Dancing With Mr. D
2. 100 Years Ago
3. Coming Down Again
4. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)
5. Angie
6. Silver Train
7. Hide Your Love
8. Winter
9. Can You Hear The Music
10. Star Star
    plus:
11. Dancing With Mr. D (music video)
12. Silver Train (music video)
13. Angie (music video)