R.E.M.’s ‘New Adventures in Hi-Fi’ to receive 25th anniversary deluxe reissue

Photo by Chris Bilheimer

R.E.M. will continue its deluxe album reissue series this fall with an expanded 25th anniversary edition of New Adventures in Hi-Fi, the record the band made while touring 1995’s Monster and the final LP recorded before co-founder Bill Berry left the band.

The reissue of the 1996 album, the band’s 10th full-length overall, will be released Oct. 29 by Craft Recordings digitally and in a variety of formats now available for preorder, including a 3-disc deluxe edition with two CDs and a Blu-ray, a 2CD expanded edition and 2LP editions on black vinyl and limited-edition marbled vinyl (the latter only available through the band’s official store).

The New Adventures reissue is noticeably lighter on unreleased material than the band’s past deluxe reissues. The 3-disc deluxe edition includes a newly remastered version of the 14-track album on the first disc and 13 B-sides and rarities — nearly half of which are live tracks — on the second disc.

The Blu-ray includes a previously unreleased 64-minute outdoor projection film that was shown on buildings in five cities to promote the album’s release in 1996,  as well as an unreleased 30-minute electronic press kit about the album, the full record in Hi-Res and 5.1 Surround Sound audio, and five HD music videos.

The deluxe edition comes in a 52-page hardcover book with archival photos and new linter notes from journalist Mark Blackwell and commentary from all four band members, as well as Patti Smith, Thom Yorke and producer Scott Litt.

The 2CD edition includes the two discs from the deluxe edition plus a 24-inch by 24-inch poster, four collectable postcards and a booklet with new liner notes and archival photos.

The album, sans bonus material, also will be released on 180-gram vinyl on standard black vinyl or a marbled pressing limited to just 1,000 copies.

The band is previewing the reissue via the alternate version of “Leave,” which was recorded for and released on the soundtrack to the film “A Life Less Ordinary.”

Hear that below, see the band’s unboxing video and check out all the tracklists.

Deluxe Edition (2CD/1 Blu-ray)

Disc 1: New Adventures in Hi-Fi (remastered audio)
1. How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us
2. The Wake-Up Bomb
3. New Test Leper
4. Undertow
5. E-Bow the Letter
6. Leave
7. Departure
8. Bittersweet Me
9. Be Mine
10. Binky the Doormat
11. Zither
12. So Fast, So Numb
13. Low Desert
14. Electrolite

Disc 2: B-sides and Rarities
1. Tricycle (Instrumental)
2. Departure (Live Rome Soundcheck / Rome, Italy / 2/22/1995)
3. Wall of Death
4. Undertow (Live / Atlanta, GA / 11/18/1995)
5. Wichita Lineman (Live / Houston, TX / 9/15/1995)
6. New Test Leper (Live Acoustic / Seattle, WA / 4/19/1996)
7. The Wake-Up Bomb (Live / Atlanta, GA / 10/4/1995)
8. Binky the Doormat (Live / Atlanta, GA / 11/18/1995)
9. King of Comedy (808 State Remix)
10. Be Mine (Mike on Bus version)
11. Love Is All Around
12. Sponge
13. Leave (Alternate Version)

Disc 3: Blu-ray
1. R.E.M. Outdoor Projections – Saturday Sept 7, 1996 – 5 cities (64:56)
2. New Adventures in Hi-Fi EPK – previously unreleased 30 min version (29:13)
3. New Adventures in Hi-Fi 5.1 Audio
4. New Adventures in Hi-Fi – Hi-Resolution Audio
5. E-Bow the Letter (Music Video)
6. Bittersweet Me (Music Video)
7. Electrolite (Music Video)
8. How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us (Music Video)
9. New Test Leper (Music Video)

Expanded Edition (2CD)

Disc 1: New Adventures in Hi-Fi (remastered audio)
1. How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us
2. The Wake-Up Bomb
3. New Test Leper
4. Undertow
5. E-Bow the Letter
6. Leave
7. Departure
8. Bittersweet Me
9. Be Mine
10. Binky the Doormat
11. Zither
12. So Fast, So Numb
13. Low Desert
14. Electrolite

Disc 2: B-Sides and Rarities
1. Tricycle (Instrumental)
2. Departure (Live Rome Soundcheck / Rome, Italy / 2/22/1995)
3. Wall of Death
4. Undertow (Live / Atlanta, GA / 11/18/1995)
5. Wichita Lineman (Live / Houston, TX / 9/15/1995)
6. New Test Leper (Live Acoustic / Seattle, WA / 4/19/1996)
7. The Wake-Up Bomb (Live / Atlanta, GA / 10/4/1995)
8. Binky the Doormat (Live / Atlanta, GA / 11/18/1995)
9. King of Comedy (808 State Remix)
10. Be Mine (Mike on Bus Version)
11. Love Is All Around
12. Sponge
13. Leave (Alternate Version)

Vinyl (2LP black or marble)

Side A
1. How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us
2. The Wake-Up Bomb
3. New Test Leper

Side B
1. Undertow
2. E-Bow the Letter
3. Leave

Side C
1. Departure
2. Bittersweet Me
3. Be Mine
4. Binky the Doormat

Side D
1. Zither
2. So Fast, So Numb
3. Low Desert
4. Electrolite

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