This coming Tuesday, the limited-edition double vinyl gatefold 10″ EP from Cat Power hits the stores. Entitled Dark End Of The Street, it includes six bewitching cover songs from the Jukebox sessions and not included on that album. This would make a wonderful Christmas or Hannukah present for someone who likes gatefold covers, or cover songs, and it’s available for preorder now.
We have a lot of other deluxe packages from this year appropriate for stocking-stuffers or under-the-tree action. The deluxe 44-song, 48-page book, die-cut slipcase edition of Pavement’s Brighten The Corners, for example (and if you preorder now, you can still – just – get the ultra-limited live vinyl bonus LP, exclusive to this release). Two weeks ago we released Belle and Sebastian’s justly acclaimed BBC Sessions, with essential radio performances from their early 1996-2001 period. The deluxe version of the CD comes with a second disc containing a complete concert in Belfast from December 2001. The set includes covers of I’m Waiting For The Man, The Boys Are Back In Town and Here Comes The Sun. This is strictly limited and once it goes, it’s gone.
There’s also the deluxe version of the Mogwai’s latest, The Hawk Is Howling, which comes with a bonus DVD containing two videos for “Batcat” (including one nightmarish one directed by Dominic Hailstone of Chris Cunningham / Aphex Twin video fame), and a short documentary about the band by Vincent Moon.
And of course, last March, we released to-die-for versions of the three original Mission Of Burma albums on Ace of Hearts. We’ve banged on enough about the real all-analog mastering from the original tapes, the precious live footage from the late ’70s and early ’80s, the gatefold sleeves on the vinyl, and the books with interviews and photos and more. We’re prouder of these packages than any other reissue we’ve ever done. All three are available for a very short time longer in a vinyl bundle deal for 50 bucks.
There are also a few deluxe copies of Cat Power’s Jukebox left with the gatefold foil digipak and second CD. Then there’s just about every vinyl release from this year, nearly all printed at Stoughton and pressed on RTI HQ180 vinyl. Single LPs here and double LPs here.
Lovers of the first or second most popular rocker simulation console game will be thrilled to know 3 Mission Of Burma songs are now available for the XBox 360′s “Rock Band” ; “Mica”, “That’s When I Reach For My Revolver” and “That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate”. The Burma 3 pack is available for download for 440 Microsoft points, or you can order the songs individual for 160 points each. Whether Burma’s video game debut will prove to be as hot a seller as the Century Media Girls Of Metal Pack remains to be seen, but I must admit we’re feeling a little left out in the cold on this one. For the past 25 years, Matador’s team of programmers have been working on “The Deacons : Escape From Johnny D’s”, and it appears there will be little love for our pioneering title with all this Rock Bandmania going on.
While Matador’s dear pal Bob Moses has some fascinating Mission Of Burma-related content at smokemusicarchive, we’re happy to share the Oburma/Obama banner that was first displayed for Burma’s auctions to support MoveOn.org earlier this month. Copy the following code into your own blog, MySpace profile, whatever, and you too can hop on this change-loving bandwagon almost as slowly as we did.
(SMALL VERSION – links to MoveOn.org)
<a href=”http://www.moveon.org” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.matadorrecords.com/images/mission_of_burma/oburma-175×300.jpg” alt=”burma for obama” /></a>
(LARGE VERSION – links to MoveOn.org as well)
<a href=”http://www.moveon.org” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.matadorrecords.com/images/mission_of_burma/oburma-300×250.jpg” alt=”burma for obama” /></a>
Election day nears but as Obama might say, there is still work to be done. Mission of Burma have heeded the call to action by creating The Burma Auction. Not only will you help raise money for a good cause but you’ll also be able to land some pretty cool stuff as well.
And for everyone in NYC don’t forget that Burma play CMJ tomorrow night (10/23): Rhapsody Rocks Party at the Music Hall of Williamsburg with Jay Reatard, The King Khan & BBQ Show and The Dutchess & the Duke.
Mission of Burma presents…THE BURMA AUCTION In support of MoveOn.org and the Barack Obama Campaign, Mission of Burma is holding an auction of unique Burma memorabilia. All proceedings from the auction go to MoveOn.org and their mission. With your support, you are helping to bring real Americans back into the political process. Please visit MoveOn.org for more information.
2008′s CMJ Music Marathon in New York City begins tomorrow (10/21), but for us, the festivities start tonight with Shearwater’s performance at Le Poisson Rouge (LPR).
Find below, your guide to the official and unofficial CMJ Marathon showcases featuring a trio of Matador acts: Shearwater, Jay Reatard and Mission of Burma.
With quite the live-act triumvirate and manning of the 1′s and 2′s by Billy Hayes and Times New Viking at the Beggars/Matador After Party, this’ll be a week to remember.
(“a little less of Peter’s vocals in the monitor, thank you” – Clint Conley at Pitchfork ’08, photo swiped from Kirstiecat‘s Flickr stream)
The following dates, featuring Mission Of Burma performing a classic album or EP from front to back (yes, they play other stuff, too — if these shows were a ripoff, our bulletin board would be the first place to find out) are on sale right now.
9/25 – LA at Echoplex – Vs.
9/26 – SF at Independent – Signals, Calls & Marches
9/27 – SF at Independent – Vs.
9/29 – Portland at Doug Fir – Signals, Calls & Marches
9/30 – Vancouver at Plaza Nightclub – Signals, Calls & Marches
10/1 – Seattle at Neumo’s – Vs.
Two day passes for the San Francisco shows entitled the bearer to a Burma poster, which you can collect at the merch table on the 26th.
Hear Mission Of Burma play songs they haven’t played since reuniting, as they perform ‘Signals, Calls & Marches’ and ‘Vs.’ all the way through on the Definitive Editions Tour.
If you haven’t figured out how great these reissues are yet, read some reviews. Or better yet, listen to another remastered song, in 256K MP3 or high-quality WAV (your browser probably won’t play the WAV file, so right click / control click to download it to your hard drive — the sound quality is markedly superior to any MP3):
Mission Of Burma (shown above, performing ‘The Obliterati”s “Donna Sumeria” at last weekend’s Primavera Sound in Barcelona) are touring Europe as of this writing, and Roger Miller’s been chronicling the band’s adventures over at Burma’s MySpace page. My personal favorite passage would be Roger’s critique of Devo’s Primvera set :
I soldiered on until midnight (6 AM Boston time with 3 hours of sleep in a day and a half: the Jaegermeister helped alot) to catch DEVO. Finally, actual ideas executed well! What a joy! After a few of their famed videos, they launched into 3 synth-tracks from “New Traditionalists.” While this is not my fave LP of theirs by any means, it was totally charming. It seemed like they were gonna play the entire album, so i thought about leaving – I mean, who in their right mind would want to hear a band play an entire album?
For those of you who haven’t cottoned on to the gorgeous, powerful sound of the Mission Of Burma Definitive Editions yet, here is another extract.
“OK/No Way” was originally released in 1982 as the non-album B-side of their second single “Trem Two.” The remastered version is on the album Vs.: The Definitive Edition double vinyl, CD and digital album (MP3 or FLAC). A Clint Conley composition, it is one of my favorite Burma songs ever. At the time, it was taken as a nod to hardcore, though in fact Clint wrote it two years before hardcore existed. Rarely performed these days, you will have a chance to see it at the upcoming shows where the band will perform ‘Vs.’ in its entirety (see dates below).
Thu – 6/12 – Boston MA- Paradise – Playing “Signals” in its entirety
Fri – 6/13 – Boston MA – Paradise – Playing “Vs.” in its entirety
Sat – 6/14 – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom – Playing “Signals” in its entirety
Sun – 6/15 – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom – Playing “Vs.” in its entirety
Fri – 6/27 – Philadelphia PA – First Unitarian Church – Playing “Signals” in its entirety
Sat – 6/28 – Washington MD – Black Cat – Playing “Vs.” in its entirety
Fri – 7/18 – Chicago IL – Pitchfork – Playing “Vs.” in its entirety
Sat – 7/19 – Detroit MI – Bohemian National Home – Playing “Signals” in its entirety
In addition to upcoming dates in Boston, New York, DC and Philly, Mission Of Burma have just added a July 18 show at Detroit’s Bohemian National Home. ‘Signals, Calls & Marches’ will be performed from start to finish, though I suspect the set list will be a bit longer than that. Probably much longer.
The folks at Pitchfork.tv are screening the recent Mission of Burma documentary “Not A Photograph: The Mission of Burma Story” this week. The film features a laundry list of epic indie talking heads, classic clips and some incredible performances from M.O.B.’s initial 2002 reunion shows. If there is a better way to start your Saturday than with images of Burma killing it across 2 decades, an always excited Mike Watt, or a 5-guitar mega jam of “All World Cowboy Romance” we don’t know it.
See the whole thing HERE
Also, the Mission of Burma CD bundle is on sale for one final week HERE
(pic taken from the Wooster Collective. Trust us, the new Burma shirts are a) snazzier and b) will not mess with your head)
In addition to Mission Of Burma’s forthcoming two night stands at the Paradise (Boston) and Bowery Ballroom (New York), the band have just confirmed the following shows :
June 27 – First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA (performing ‘Signals, Calls & Marches’) – tickets
June 28 – The Black Cat, Washington DC (performing Vs.) – tickets
(it took 26 years, but Burma have finally emerged from Springa’s shadow — nice work!)
In addition to taking part in the forthcoming Pitchfork Festival on July 18, performing Vs. from front to back (prior to Public Enemy — finally, Professor Griff and Peter Prescott can meet in person after years of correspondence), Mission Of Burma have announced the following dates via a blast of unsolicited email :
Mission of Burma will be playing four shows this June in support of the recently released Mission of Burma: The Definitive Editions. The good folks at Matador Records and Rick Harte of Ace of Hearts have given Burma’s original material the deluxe treatment for the reissues, and each of these special performances will feature one of the albums Signals, Calls, and Marches or VS. in its entirety. This pre-sale is for limite! d number of two-day tickets available for each city, which are being sold at a discounted price ($35 for two shows vs. $20 per show), and will also include a beautiful Mission of Burma poster (to be picked up on the night of the show). Individual tickets will go on sale to the general public soon.
Thursday June 12 (performing ‘Signals Calls & Marches’)
Friday June 13 (performing ‘Vs.’)
The Paradise Rock Club, Boston , MA Tickets
Saturday June 14 (performing ‘Signals Calls & Marches’
Sunday June 15 (performing ‘Vs.’)
Bowery Ballroom, NYC, NY Tickets
And on top of all that, Burma have the following European dates written in bold ink in their personal diaries :
May 31 – Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona
June 2- Moby Dick, Madrid (with Shellac)
June 3 – Theatre, Gijon (with Shellac)
June 4 – Cafe Antzoki, Bilbao (with Shellac)
June 5 – BT59, Bordeaux
June 6 – Olympic, Nantes (with Shellac)
June 7 – Villette Sonique (with Shellac)
The mention of Mission of Burma reoccurs, albeit subtly but significantly, in Jonathan Franzen’s ‘The Corrections’. Unfortunately due to copyright issues I could not reference specific passages here. However I hope it will encourage more people to read this fantastic book.
For the first time, we’re making our annual ‘Intended Play’ label sampler available digitally. Click on the link to get a zipped file of all 12 tracks plus front and back artwork, and burn it yourself (or just listen to it digitally):
1. Jay Reatard Always Wanting More (from 7″ #3, due out June 17 June 24)
2. Times New Viking DROP-OUT (from Rip It Off, released January 22)
3. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Cold Son (from Real Emotional Trash, released March 4)
4. Shearwater Leviathan, Bound (from Rook, due out June 3)
5. Cat Power Metal Heart (from Jukebox, released January 22)
6. Matmos Polychords (from Supreme Balloon, due out May 6)
7. Mission Of Burma That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate (from Vs.: The Definitive Edition, released today, March 18)
8. Jaguar Love Bats Over The Pacific Ocean (from Take Me To The Sea, due out this summer August 19)
9. The Cave Singers Helen (from Invitation Songs, released last September)
10. Dead Meadow I’m Gone (from Old Growth, released February 5)
11. The New Pornographers All The Things That Go To Make Heaven And Earth (live) (from Live From Soho (iTunes Exclusive), released March 11)
12. Earles & Jensen Bleachy Is Back In Town, Look Out (from Just Farr A Laugh Vols. 1 & 2: The Greatest Prank Phone Calls Ever!, due out April 22 May 6)
The sharp-eyed among you will note that some of these tracks are not the ones released as promo MP3s to date.
We’ve got all widgetastic here at Matador Records and Filmworks, and we’d be very grateful if you added the above item to your blog, MySpace profile, etc. We’re not too proud to beg!
The second of our ongoing series of videos of the Burma vinyl mastering process. See George Marino, Ray Janos and Rick Harte hold forth on lacquer formulations and the Neumann VMS-70 lathe (not VMS-72 as the subtitle has it).
Matador’s Jesper Eklow filmed the process of cutting the vinyl for the Mission Of Burma LPs at Sterling Sound from the original tapes. Featuring legendary mastering engineer George Marino, this is the first of several clips we’ll be releasing on the subject.
Mission Of Burma: The Definitive Editions I, II and III (of their Ace Of Hearts catalog, recorded between 1979 and 1983) come out on March 18. Fully remastered from the original analog tape by Rick Harte, Ace Of Hearts owner, and the producer of the original records, the results are absolutely stunning.
We hereby present 256K MP3s and uncompressed WAV files of two tracks. The first track is “Max Ernst,” the B-side to the “Academy Fight Song” 7″ (their 1980 debut), in drastically improved sound. This song is included on the ‘Signals, Calls & Marches’ dbl LP + DVD / CD + DVD.
The second track is an unreleased live recording of “Weatherbox,” which will be available live ‘Horrible Truth About Burma’ dbl LP + DVD / CD + DVD.
Here is the complete track listing for the reissues:
Mission Of Burma: The Definitive Editions I, II and III
Remastered from the original analog tapes
I. Signals, Calls & Marches dbl LP + DVD / CD + DVD
The “Academy Fight Song” 7″ (1980):
1. Academy Fight Song
2. Max Ernst
Two unreleased studio tracks from the “Academy Fight Song” session (1980):
3. Devotion
4. Execution [not the rehearsal demo included on a Taang LP, but the actual studio version]
The original ‘Signals, Calls & Marches’ 12″ EP (1981):
5. That’s When I Reach For My Revolver
6. Outlaw
7. Fame And Fortune
8. This Is Not A Photograph
9. Red
10. All World Cowboy Romance
Companion DVD to Signals — Live at The Space (October 6, 1979) and The Underground (April 20, 1980):
a. This Is Not A Photograph (The Underground, 1980)
b. Secrets (The Space, 1979)
c. Devotion (The Underground, 1980)
d. Manic Incarnation (The Underground, 1980)
e. Eyes Of Men (The Underground, 1980)
f. Tremelo (The Underground, 1980)
g. Break On Through (The Space, 1979)
h. Head Over Head (The Underground, 1980)
i. Peking Spring (The Space, 1979)
j. OK/No Way (The Underground, 1980)
II. Vs. dbl LP + DVD / CD + DVD
The original Vs. LP (1983):
1. Secrets
2. Train
3. Trem Two
4. New Nails
5. Dead Pool
6. Learn How
7. Mica
8. Weatherbox
9. The Ballad Of Johnny Burma
10. Einstein’s Day
11. Fun World
12. That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate
Four bonus tracks (previously on the Ryko CD); tracks 13-15 were unreleased studio outtakes from the Vs. sessions, and 16 was the B-side of the 1982 “Trem Two” 7″ single:
13. Laugh The World Away
14. Forget
15. Progress
16. OK/No Way
Companion DVD to Vs. — Live at The Bradford Ballroom, March 12, 1983 (final Boston show, afternoon set):
a. The Ballad Of Johnny Burma (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
b. Red (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
c. Dirt (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
d. Forget (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
e. Secrets (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
f. Academy Fight Song (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
g. Trem Two (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
h. Sing-A-Long (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
i. That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
j. Weatherbox (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
k. That’s When I Reach For My Revolver (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
l. Learn How (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
m. OK/No Way (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
n. Fun World (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
o. All World Cowboy Romance (Bradford, 1983, afternoon set)
III. The Horrible Truth About Burma (live) dbl LP + DVD / CD + DVD
The original Horrible Truth live album, restored to its original sequence (1985, posthumously released):
1. Tremelo
2. Peking Spring
3. Dumbells
4. New Disco
5. Dirt
6. Go Fun Burn Man
7. 1970
8. Blackboard
9. He Is, She Is
10. Heart of Darkness
Bonus tracks, 3 of which were included on the Ryko CD, the fourth of which (track 12) has never been released:
11. That’s When I Reach For My Revolver
12. Weatherbox
13. Trem Two
14. Learn How
Companion DVD to The Horrible Truth — Live at The Bradford Ballroom, March 12, 1983 (final Boston show, evening set):
a. This Is Not A Photograph (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
b. Mica (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
c. He Is, She Is (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
d. Outlaw (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
e. Peking Spring (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
f. Trem Two (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
g. Go Fun Burn Man (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
h. Fun World (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
j. Blackboard (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
k. See My Friends (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
l. Max Ernst (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
m. That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
n. Einstein’s Day (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
o. Dumbells (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
p. That’s When I Reach For My Revolver (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
q. Secrets (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
r. Academy Fight Song (Bradford, 1983, evening set)
In addition, this DVD contains the original, abbreviated VHS program, with original titles, released by Ace Of Hearts through Atavistic in 1988, consisting of 11 of the above tracks.
All titles come with 32-page booklets with new interviews with the band and Rick Harte about the making of the records, as well as never-before seen photos and ephemera. The vinyl comes with full-size 12″ X 12″ booklets containing the same material plus some extras. The vinyl also comes with the DVDs, and MP3 download coupons.
The vinyl was mastered 100% all-analog in the case of I and II (not III) and pressed in HQ180 at RTI. It is housed in gorgeous heavy-duty Stoughton gatefold sleeves. We’ll have some video of the analog cutting process up shortly. Video of the analog cutting process can be watched here, with more clips to come shortly.
And yes, we will be launching have launched an incredible preorder deal (scroll down after clicking on link) for ordering the 3 CD+DVDs as a bundle very shortly on the Matador Store (please note: discount will not apply to the vinyl, one of the most expensive projects we’ve ever undertaken).
Mission Of Burma, performing “2twice” at last weekend’s Benefit For Burma shows in Allston, MA. Video courtesy of the Boston Phoenix. Embeded video (with an annoying advertisement) after the jump.
Simply put, some of the most important, daring and inspirational recordings in the history of American rock’n'roll will soon be available in lovingly expanded form. Out of print on CD for for the past 2 years, unavailable on vinyl for nearly two decades, Matador is pleased to reissue Mission Of Burma‘s classic Ace Of Hearts recordings. Fully remastered from the original tapes by producer Rick Harte and Sterling Sound’s George Marino, said reissues include new 32 page booklets featuring interviews with Rick Harte and the band…along with the following bonus bits :
Signals Calls & Marches LP/CD : The original 1981 12″ EP featuring “(That’s When I Reach For My) Revolver” plus the band’s debut 7″, “Academy Fight Song” b/w “Max Ernst”, along with two previous unreleased outtakes from those sessions, “Execution” and “Devotion”. Bonus DVD includes rare footage from an early gig at Boston’s The Space.
Vs LP/CD : Burma’s astonishing 1982 debut full length, plus 4 additional tracks. Bonus DVD consists of the full matinee performance from their infamous final hometown show at Boston’s Bradford Ballroom, March 12, 1983.
The Horrible Truth About Burma LP/CD : The posthumous (well, for Burma v. 1, anyway) live album culled from the final shows in Spring ’83, restored to correct sequence for the first time since initial release, plus four previously unreleased tracks from said gigs. Bonus DVD contains the entire evening set from the Bradford Ballroom show of March 12, 1983, previously available in partial form on an Atavistic VHS (currently out of print).
Vinyl versions of the above titles will feature gatefold sleeves, full booklets, the same bonus DVD’s as the CD versions, and coupons for full MP3 downloads.
On a more contemporary tip, our friends at Fenway Recordings inform us Mission of Burma are auctioning off 4 pairs of tickets for their Burma benefit concert this Sunday 1/20 at Great Scott in Allston, MA..
The auctions end on Thursday 1/17 around 6:30pm EST, and all proceeds go to the US Campaign for Burma. To bid on a pair of tickets, click here, here, here, or here.
(left to right : Roger Miller, Bob Weston, Clint Conley. Not shown : Peter Prescott, shaking down audience members for further donations. photo by Sheri Hausey. http://www.sherihausey.com)
Mission of Burma has teamed up with the US Campaign for Burma to put on a benefit concert for Burma on Jan 20th, with their friends The Neighborhoods and The In Out. The night will also include slides, images, video projection, and speakers about and from Burma.
It’s all happening on January 20 at Allston, MA’s Great Scott, and you can find tickets here.
