R.E.M. Appends Live LP to Reveal 25th Bday Edition
R.E.M. is celebrating a defining chapter of their catalog by unveiling a deluxe 25th anniversary edition of Reveal, expanding the original album with a trove of previously unreleased material.
This expanded package includes The Black Sessions Revealed, an exclusive 17-song performance recorded for Radio France in Paris back in May 2001. This addition offers fans a deep dive into the band’s creative process and live history, blending the raw energy of the original record with an intensely personal look at the music’s genesis.
The anniversary edition arrives on November 20 via Craft Recordings as a deluxe two-CD/Blu-ray set and an expanded digital edition. It pairs the original 12-track album with the complete Black Sessions performance, featuring Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills navigating beloved tracks like “The One I Love,” “Losing My Religion,” and “Man on the Moon.”
The true jewel of the anniversary release is The Black Sessions Revealed. This set captures the band—augmented by guitarist Scott McCaughey, keyboardist Ken Stringfellow, and drummer Joey Waronker—in a performance that is a rare document of the album’s early live life. Buck notes that the session offered “a cool performance of a lot of songs that we didn’t really play live that much,” offering a distinctly different perspective on the material.
The package goes beyond audio. The Blu-ray visual history is rich with Garth Jennings’ original music videos for tracks like “Imitation of Life” and “All the Way to Reno (You’re Gonna Be a Star),” along with the album’s original EPK. It is thoughtfully presented in a 32-page hardcover book filled with archival photographs and new liner notes from journalist Birgit Fuss, alongside reflections from the band members themselves.
For collectors, the physical release features unique elements. The Black Sessions Revealed will also receive its first standalone vinyl release as a two-LP set, available in neon orange and neon pink colors. R.E.M.’s online store will also offer exclusive neon orange vinyl of Reveal and neon pink vinyl of The Black Sessions Revealed.
The spirit of the album—which famously reached No. 1 in the U.K. and No. 6 on the Billboard 200—was forged during a time of transition for the band, following the departure of founding drummer Bill Berry. As Mike Mills recalls, the atmosphere of Reveal was born from that period, reflecting a shift in perspective that allowed the music to evolve into something both buoyant and deeply resonant.
Buy on Amazon
Credit
