New releases: R.E.M., The Fall, Primal Scream, Love and Rockets, Devo, Breeders, Talking Heads

Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs.

R.E.M.

RELEASE: Green: 25th Anniversary Edition
BACKSTORY: The college-rock titans’ major-label debut is reissued this week in a 25th anniversary edition, packaging a remastered version of the original 1988 album with a 21-song live set recorded at the penultimate concert on the band’s massive Green World Tour
BUY: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl)

The Fall

RELEASE: Re-Mit
BACKSTORY: Mark E. Smith’s iconic post-punk act returns this week, in the U.K., with the band’s 30th studio album in 37 years — a 12-track collection that was preceded by a 7-inch single on Record Store Day and will be followed by a nine-date tour of the U.K. in May and early June.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk (CD, digital, vinyl)

Primal Scream

RELEASE: More Light
BACKSTORY: Primal Scream returns this week, in the U.K., with its 10th studio album, which was preceded by leader single “2013,” a sax-fueled rocker called that came with a pretty creepy video that features pinned moths, tied-up people and masked make-out sessions.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk (CD, digital, vinyl)

The Breeders

RELEASE: LSXX
BACKSTORY: The 20th anniversary reissue of the The Breeders’ breakout Last Splash is released this week, in the U.K., in a 3CD set and a mammoth 7-disc vinyl box set that features the original record, a live album, a collection of previously unreleased demos, non-album tracks and more.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk (CD, vinyl)

Love and Rockets

RELEASE: 5 Albums
BACKSTORY: The archival arm of Beggars Banquet this week, in the U.K., launches a new series of five-album catalog box sets, including a Love and Rockets collection that includes the band’s four ’80s albums — each with bonus tracks from previous reissues — plus a new compilation.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk (CD)

Gary Numan

RELEASE: 5 Albums
BACKSTORY: Beggars Archive this week also releases, in the U.K., a new five-disc box set from Gary Numan that collects three early ’80s albums — Dance, I, Assassin and Warriors, all with previous bonus material — and the 2CD live album Living Ornaments ’81.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk (CD)

Devo

RELEASE: New Traditionalists: Live 1981 Seattle
BACKSTORY: On Record Store Day last year, Devo released a 2LP vinyl live set recorded in Seattle during the New Traditionalists tour in 1981. This week, fans not into that whole vinyl thing will be able hear it, too, as the band releases the concert on CD — with two bonus tracks.
BUY: Amazon.com (CD)

Talking Heads

RELEASE: Speaking In Tongues
BACKSTORY: Rhino Records this week reissues, in the U.K., the fifth studio album from the Talking Heads in a new vinyl pressing. The record features the songs “Burning Down the House,” “Girlfriend is Better” and “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).” It will be released in the U.S. on May 21.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk (Vinyl)

Simple Minds

RELEASE: Icon
BACKSTORY: Jim Kerr and Co. this week are anthologized on one of Virgin Records’ new Icon budget compilations, an 11-track CD that focuses mainly on hits from the mid-’80s and later, including “See the Lights,” “Alive and Kicking,” “She’s a River” and, of course, “Don’t You (Forget About Me).”
BUY: Amazon.com (CD)