Whether it’s via Press Releases or the blurb on those stick-on spec sheets on the back of music box sets, record labels can *sometimes* over-egg the pudding when it comes to the claims about the music contained within. With that in mind, here’s a lighthearted look at reissue and music box set PR….
“Career spanning” > The bits of the artist’s career the label have the rights to.
“Host of unreleased recordings” > Music rejected the first time around for being sub-standard.
“Rare photographs” > Photographs you’ve seen before.
“Remastered” > Louder, with less dynamic range than the CD you’ve owned for 25 years.
“Remastered by *insert name of artist*” > The artist sat there drinking tea, while a qualified engineer did the work.
“Remastered from the original tapes, where available” > Most of it isn’t from the original tapes.
“Complete Studio Recordings” > All of the studio albums, but no B-sides, remixes or tracks from compilations.
“Personally overseen by *insert name of the artist*” > The artist forgets to include half the rarities and leaves of stuff they don’t like anymore. Label too scared to argue.
“Previously unreleased on CD” > Until a fan informs them that it isn’t.
“Audiophile vinyl” > Vinyl.
“Pressed on 180g heavyweight vinyl” > So it must be good.
“Pressed on 200g heavyweight vinyl” > So it must be even better.
“Vinyl replica sleeve” > Cheap packaging solution (Japan excluded).
“25th Anniversary Edition” > 24th, 25th or 26th Anniversary Edition
“Lithograph” > Poster on posh paper.
“Poster” > Folded 32 times rendering it useless
“Tote Bag” > We’re getting desperate
“Keyring” > See ‘Tote Bag’
“As originally envisaged by the artist” > They’ve changed their mind.
“Limited Edition” > The label will stop producing it a some point.
“Bespoke packaging” > You’ll never be able to store it
“Seminal album” > Album.
“Landmark release” > Sold loads at the time.
“Influential” > Didn’t sell much at the time.
From the Superdeluxe website