R.E.M. announce 25th anniversary reissue of ‘Up’

R.E.M. have announced a 25th anniversary reissue of their 11th studio album ‘Up’ – find all the details below.

The Michael Stipe-fronted band released the original version of the record back in 1998, marking their first project since the amicable departure of their founding drummer Bill Berry.

Co-produced by R.E.M. alongside Pat McCarthy (U2, Counting Crows, The Waterboys) with assistance from Nigel Godrich (Radiohead), ‘Up’ features the singles ‘Daysleeper’, ‘Lotus’, ‘At My Most Beautiful’ and ‘Suspicion’.

Today (September 19) it has been announced that a series of expanded and remastered reissues of the album will arrive on November 10 via Craft Recordings. You can pre-order/pre-save your copy here.

Created in partnership with R.E.M., the deluxe 2CD/1 Blu-ray edition includes the band’s previously unreleased set from their guest appearance on the hit TV series Party Of Five in 1999.

The accompanying Blu-ray boasts HD music videos from the 1998 album (‘Daysleeper’ ‘Lotus’, ‘At My Most Beautiful’), a six-song performance from the era titled Uptake, the record’s original EPK, plus hi-resolution and 5.1 surround sound audio.

Housed in a 32-page hardcover book, the collection also includes liner notes from journalist and Talkhouse Executive Editor Josh Modell, featuring new interviews with members of R.E.M..

Additionally, the expanded reissue – consisting of ‘Up’ and the Party Of Five performance in its entirety – will be available on 2CD, digital streaming platforms, and hi-res configurations.

The 14-track, 2LP album, meanwhile, will be reissued on 180-gram vinyl. A limited-edition pressing on Green Marble vinyl is also available exclusively via R.E.M.’s official store along with special ‘Up’ merchandise.

All reissue formats feature newly remastered audio by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering.

R.E.M. have today shared the remastered version of ‘Daysleeper’ as well as their never-before-released performance of the song from the Party Of Five session. Check them out above.

R.E.M. announced their break-up in 2011. Two years ago, frontman Stipe – who has since launched a solo career – said that the group would “never reunite”.

“We decided when we split up that [a reunion] would just be really tacky and probably money-grabbing, which might be the impetus for a lot of bands to get back together,” he explained.

“We don’t really need that, and I’m really happy that we just have the legacy of the 32 years of work that we have.”