Pearl Jam Reissues ‘Vs.’ And ‘Vitalogy’ In 20th Anniversary Editions
It’s going to be a busy year, Pearl Jam fans. As part of its continuing 20th anniversary celebration which also includes a documentary, book, and mini-festival, Pearl Jam is re-releasing its classic 1993 and 1994 albums “Vs.” and “Vitalogy” in four special expanded editions due out on March 29 and available for preorder at PearlJam.com
All versions will include the original albums in remastered form plus a number of bonus tracks and other goodies. The Definitive Legacy Edition of 1993’s “Vs.” — the band’s seven-times platinum sophomore album — adds the previously unreleased acoustic version of “Hold On,” and studio outtake “Cready Stomp,” plus PJ’s cover of Victoria Williams’ “Crazy Mary.” The Definitive Legacy version of 1994’s “Vitalogy” throws in previously unreleased studio versions of favorites “Better Man,” “Corduroy” and a demo version of “Nothingman.” Both are available as 180 gram vinyl ($19.98 – $24.98) or CD ($9.98).
Upping the ante, the Deluxe Editions of each album ($29.98) include everything from the Legacy version plus “Live At The Orpheum Theater, Boston,” a recording of the band’s April 12, 1994 show which featured a unique setlist dreamed up by the crew. And for the die-hard fans, there is the 5LP, 4 CD, 1 Cassette Limited Edition Collector’s Edition version ($150). Similar to the massive 2009 collectors’ edition of debut album “Ten,” the new set includes the Definitive Editions of “Vs.” and “Vitalogy” along with remastered vinyl versions of both albums, a vinyl version of the 1994 Boston show, a cassette of highlights from Pearl Jam’s 1995 national “Monkeywrench Radio” broadcast, a notebook full of photos and artwork created by frontman Eddie Vedder and bassist Jeff Ament, plus an envelope full of posters and other memorabilia.
A fourth version of each album — the remastered version of each album on vinyl — becomes available on April 12 in honor of Record Store Day.
The band’s members will be individually busy before the reissues are released. Eddie Vedder has a March solo tour of Australia, meanwhile, an album and tour is coming from bassist Jeff Ament’s new side project Tres Mts, which features Kings X’s Dug Pinnick and former Fastbacks drummer Richard Suverud along with guest spots by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. The album, “Three Mountains,” is out March 9 and the tour runs March 16 – 27 including a stop to play NBC’s ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’ on March 24. But the special editions of “Vs.” and “Vitalogy” continue an all-year celebration of Pearl Jam’s 20th year as a band which will include a documentary directed by Cameron Crowe, an accompanying book and soundtrack, and a two-day mini-festival in late summer taking place in a location to be announced in the middle of America. The birthday festivities kicked off with the January release of “Live on Ten Legs,” featuring live tracks from 2003-2010.
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