Tonight, Marshall Crenshaw takes his 40 Years in Showbiz! Tour to Manhattan's City Winery. (It's a show you can watch from the comfort of your home - hopefully my head won't be in the way!) Just as exciting as seeing this living power-pop legend celebrate his fourth decade of performing: some of his long-out-of-print classic albums are coming back into circulation courtesy of a new label home.
Earlier this month, Yep Roc announced a double LP expanded edition of Crenshaw's hook-filled debut album for Record Store Day Black Friday. In addition to the classic album, featuring the Top 40 hit "Someday, Someway" and a host of great cuts like "There She Goes Again," "Cynical Girl" and others, it'll feature newly redesigned artwork plus seven rare and unreleased cuts for hardcore fans, including a brace of four-track early versions of songs from the album recorded between 1980 and 1981.
And the timing couldn't be better: several of Crenshaw's classic albums, recorded in the '80s for Warner Bros. Records, have fallen out of circulation as the singer/songwriter has successfully claimed the copyright from his old label. Marshall Crenshaw, Field Day (1983), Downtown (1985) and Mary Jane & 9 Others (1987) are all digitally unavailable, as is Thank You, Rock Fans!!, a 1982 concert issued on vinyl by Warner's Run Out Groove in 2017. (When not keeping busy on other current projects, from a long-gestating documentary on legendary record producer Tom Wilson to tour dates on his own and with The Smithereens (following the passing of original frontman Pat DiNizio), Crenshaw has revisited some of his back catalogue, including an expanded reissue of 1999's Miracle of Science and a curated vintage live collection.)
The website Rock NYC recently confirmed some of Crenshaw and Yep Roc's plans for his Warner albums: Field Day is slated to get a similar reissue for its 40th anniversary next year. (Intervention Records issued an expanded vinyl edition of that album in 2017 that included the original US Remix EP.) It's a safe bet that a wider release of the expanded Marshall Crenshaw - especially digital and streaming editions - will be made public in the coming months. Look for information from us as it develops - and if you've somehow missed this album in the last 40 years, trust us that you'll want to make up for lost time this fall. Below, you'll find the track list for Yep Roc's expansion of Crenshaw's debut, available at all participating Record Store Day retailers November 25.
Marshall Crenshaw (40th Anniversary Edition) (Yep Roc, 2022)
LP 1: Original album (released as Warner Bros. BSK 3673, 1982)
- There She Goes Again
- Someday, Someway
- Girls...
- I'd Do Anything
- Rockin' Around in N.Y.C.
- The Usual Thing
- She Can't Dance
- Cynical Girl
- Mary Anne
- Soldier of Love (Lay Down Your Arms)
- Not for Me
- Brand New Lover
LP 2: Bonus material
- Look What I Almost Missed (Live)
- Brand New Lover (Alternate Take/Rough Mix)
- Something's Gonna Happen
- (You're My) Favorite Waste of Time (4-Track Home Recording)
- Just Not for Me (4-Track Home Recording)
- Someday, Someway (4-Track Home Recording)
- Mary Anne (4-Track Home Recording)
Tracks 1-2 released on expanded edition CD - Warner Archives/Rhino R2 79916, 2000
Track 3 released on Shake Records single SHK-104, 1981
Sean says
Will there be CD editions of these reissues as well?
David B says
Highly unlikely. Regretfully vinyl is seen as the only record medium noways. Way too many vinyl only issues, which is crazy when you think that over thirty years ago we were ditching vinyl and buying cds and nowadays with sacds, shm cds etc they're still sounding incredible.
Tod H. says
Although you are probably correct it still would really disappoint me if none of these WB titles are released on CD.
Galley says
Field Day was rumored to be released on SACD a few years ago. I don’t recall the label.
David Olstein says
Pretty stingy as far as the second LP is concerned. There must be room for another 4-5 tracks. And it's not as if there's a shortage of bonus track material.
Ed says
No CD, no buy...
Bill says
Exactly. And I am a huge fan.
zally says
why didnt they include a live show ?
David Olstein says
Money or lack of imagination. There's certainly enough material for a SuperDeluxeEdition of this album. But would anyone buy it (aside from me)?
Another Ed. says
A different cover shot, n'est-ce pas?
Chucky says
As the article states - "it'll feature newly redesigned artwork"
Steve C says
Why'd they put k.d. lang's picture on the cover?
Peter Rustin says
Really bummed that there is no cd...
Bill says
Seems shortsighted to say the least.