The Smiths

The Smiths’ The Queen is Dead – a towering album of ’80s British rock and arguably the definitive statement by the Manchester band – gets the deluxe, expanded treatment from Rhino.  This reissue has been approved by Morrissey, who offered in a statement, “You cannot continue to record and simply hope that your audience will approve, or that average critics will approve, or that radio will approve. You progress only when you wonder if an abnormally scientific genius would approve-and this is the leap The Smiths took with The Queen is Dead.” The 3-CD/DVD Deluxe Edition includes the original, remastered album (as-yet unconfirmed as to by who, though Johnny Marr oversaw previous mastering in 2011) plus:

• A bonus disc featuring nine demos and outtakes from the album sessions (only one of which has previously been issued) as well as the four B-sides from singles “The Boy with the Thorn In His Side” and “Bigmouth Strikes Again,” all newly remastered (it is unknown whether this disc finally replicates the segue between “Rubber Ring” and “Asleep” heard only on the original “Thorn” single)
• An unreleased show recorded in Boston less than two months after the album’s release
• A DVD featuring not only the album in hi-resolution stereo but Derek Jarman’s The Queen is Dead short film, featuring the title track, non-LP single “Panic” and “There is a Light That Never Goes Out” as soundtrack

The release will also be available as a 5-LP set and in 2-CD highlights form.