no label / 57 tracks / 200x (?)

I usually refuse to review CD-Rs and tapes, but this one is too good to pass. These recordings have been distributed in tape trader circles for many years, and someone put them on CD-Rs (and various P2P platforms) for the new millennium. What this is is basically a complete set of the recordings from the October 1983 Zen Arcade sessions that have NOT been released, i.e. song versions that have been discarded in favor of other takes that were used for the original LP. So you get multiple versions of some tracks (many are instrumentals) as well as some entirely unreleased songs. Sound quality is not perfect but definitely enjoyable, and it's just amazing to hear alternate versions of songs from one of the best records in punk history. Hüsker Dü fans need to get this at all cost. With all the pointless punk reissues these days, THIS would be one that I'd be running to buy. [8]

Ich mache hier eine große Ausnahme und bespreche eine CD-R bzw. eine Cassette, weil sie einfach zu gut ist. Alle Outtakes der Zen-Arcade-Sessions auf drei CDs, wenn das kein Hammer ist… 57 unveröffentlichte Versionen (viele ohne Gesang), und sogar der eine oder andere unveröffentlichte Song. Der Sound ist etwas dumpf, aber erträglich. Im Vergleich zu all den schwachsinnigen Punk-Reissues wäre das mal ein wirklich sinnvolles Projekt…

Tracks: something i learned today / broken home, broken heart / chartered trips / hare krsna / indecision time / i'll never forget you / beyond the threshold / the biggest lie / pride / what's going on / masochism world / standing by the sea / somewhere / pink turns to blue / dozen beats eleven / turn on the news / newest industry / whatever / eight miles high / the tooth fairy and the princess / reoccurring dreams / chartered trips / hare krsna / one step at a time / monday will never be the same / [untitled piano piece aka granted] / never talking to you again / somewhere / one step at a time / pink turns to blue / newest industry / monday will never be the same / whatever / something i learned today / broken home, broken heart / chartered trips / indecision time / i'll never forget you / beyond the threshold / the biggest lie / pride / what's going on / masochism world / standing by the sea / somewhere / one step at a time / pink turns to blue / some kind of fun / turn on the news / newest industry / monday will never be the same / whatever / eight miles high / whatever / indecision time / somewhere / dozen beats eleven