Starting in the late ’60s, Strawbs created a folky blend of music that shifted and merged musically throughout a revolving door time of talented musicians (including Rick Wakeman). During their time, they released more than twenty albums. However, the strength of their career musically were classics like Ghosts (1975), Bursting At The Seams (1973), Nomadness (1975), Hero and Heroine (1974), and Burning For You (1977). Public awareness and acceptance was at the band’s peak creativity, and these albums easily represent that flow.
On May 29, Esoteric Recordings UK will deliver a Remastered and Expanded reissue of Strawbs‘s Burning For You. The original classic will be remastered from the original master tapes with four bonus tracks added. This set will provide a new booklet with a new notes by Strawbs founder and mainstay, Dave Cousins.
On May 29, Esoteric will also provide a 2020 Expanded and Remastered reissue of the 1978 Strawbs set, Heartbreak Hill. This reissue will add in five bonus tracks in addition to the 2020 remastering created from the original master tapes. As with Burning For You, Dave Cousins will write an essay for this reissue title’s booklet. Heartbreak Hill is separated from Burning For You in that while it was recorded in 1978, it was not actually released until 1995 for a variety of reasons. It is considered a “lost” set because it did not follow in the proper way.
For me, I’m most interested in Burning For You for the obvious catalog reasons.
Burning For You (Expanded and 2020 Remaster) – Strawbs
01 Burning For Me
02 Cut Like A Diamond
03 I Feel Your Love Coming On
04 Barcarole (For The Death of Venice)
05 Alexander The Great
06 Keep On Trying
07 Back In The Old Routine
08 Heartbreaker
09 Carry Me Home
10 Goodbye (Is Not An Easy Word To Say)
Bonus Tracks
11 Joey And Me (1976 Session Track)
12 Goodbye (Alternate Version)
13 Barcarole (For The Death Of Venice) [Instrumental]
14 Heartbreaker (The Intergalactic Touring Band)
Heartbreak Hill (Expanded and 2020 Remaster) – Strawbs
01 Something For Nothing
02 Another Day Without You
03 We Can Make It Together
04 Heartbreak Hill
05 Starting Over
06 Two Separate People
07 Desert Song
08 Let It Rain
Bonus Tracks
09 Bring Out Your Dead (Demo)
10 Another Day Without You (Demo)
11 Heartbreak Hill (Live 40th Anniversary – September 2009)
12 Starting Over (Live 40th Anniversary – September 2009)