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Echo & The Bunnymen’s ‘Evergreen’ issued on vinyl for the first time

And as a 2CD deluxe edition

By Paul Sinclair

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SDE Shop exclusive offers Peel Session CD free with all Evergreen pre-orders

London Records are to reissue Echo & The Bunnymen’s triumphant 1997 ‘comeback’ album Evergreen, which was notable for featuring the UK top 10 hit ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’.

The album has been remastered and will be issued on vinyl for the very first time. It will also be available as an expanded 2CD deluxe edition with 21 bonus tracks. Exclusive to the SDE shop is a 4-track CD EP called Peel Session 1997. This features four tracks recorded at Maida Vale and broadcast on 16 September 1997, three of which are previously unreleased (‘Rescue’ was on CD 2 of the of 1997 2CD special edition).

‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ was the band’s first top 10 hit in the UK since 1984’s ‘The Killing Moon’

Evergreen marked a critical and commercial renaissance for the band after more than half a decade’s hiatus. In January 1997 Will Sergeant, Les Pattinson and Ian McCulloch came back together in a recording studio for the first time in ten years. The band entered Doghouse studios in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, as fate would have it at the same time as Oasis, leading to ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ featuring a 24-year-old Liam Gallagher on backing “yeah, yeah, yeah!”s and tambourine shakes. 

The album entered the UK chart at number eight, in July 1997 and while the two further singles may not have repeated the success of the first, they were certainly popular enough and well played on the radio at the time (they were ‘I Want To Be There (When You Come)’ (#30) and ‘Don’t Let It Get You Down’ (#50)).

‘Just A Touch Away’ is highlighted by Ian McCulloch as one of the best songs on the album

This was the era in the UK of releasing two CD singles (CD 1 & CD 2) and so there were plenty of bonus tracks to go around. In fact remarkably, ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ had six new studio recordings across the seven-inch vinyl and both CD singles. All six of those tracks are appended to the album on the first disc in the forthcoming 2CD deluxe edition. The second disc consists of live tracks and some radio sessions (mostly acoustic).

Speaking about the album today, Ian McCulloch is modest enough. He says it contains “at least three great songs, which is three more than most bands have in their entire catalogue”. He’s referring to ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’, ‘Forgiven’ and ‘Just A Touch Away’.

Evergreen will be reissued on 9 December 2022 (was 18 November), via London Records. The SDE-exclusive Peel Session 1997 CD is limited and numbered and is supplied FREE with any order of the 2CD, vinyl or the bundle.

Order via the SDE shop using this link or the buttons below.

EU SHIPPING NOTES: If you are ordering from the EU please be aware that that goods may be subject to import VAT when they arrive from the UK. The prices the SDE shop charge you do not include VAT

Tracklisting

Evergreen Echo & The Bunnymen /

    • CD 1
      1. Don’t Let It Get You Down
      2. In My Time
      3. I Want To Be There (When You Come)
      4. Evergreen
      5. I’ll Fly Tonight
      6. Nothing Lasts Forever
      7. Baseball Bill
      8. Altamont
      9. Just A Touch Away
      10. Empire State Halo
      11. Too Young To Kneel
      12. Forgiven
      13. Watchtower
      14. Polly
      15. Hurracaine
      16. Colour Me In
      17. Antelope
      18. Jonny
    • CD 2
      1. I Want To Be There (When You Come)  (Live At The Improv Theatre, 1999)
      2. Rescue (Live At The Improv Theatre, 1999)
      3. Lips Like Sugar (Live At The Improv Theatre, 1999)
      4. Bedbugs And Ballyhoo (Live At The Improv Theatre, 1999)
      5. Nothing Lasts Forever (Radio One Jo Whiley Session, 1997)
      6. The Killing Moon (Radio One Jo Whiley Session, 1997)
      7. Baseball Bill (Live At The Kilburn National, 1997)+
      8. Just A Touch Away (Live At The Kilburn National, 1997)+
      9. I’ll Fly Tonight (Live At The Kilburn National, 1997)+
      10. Altamont (Live At The Kilburn National, 1997)+
      11. Lips Like Sugar (Whyt Radio Acoustic Version, 1997)
      12. I Want To Be There (When You Come) (Whyt Radio Acoustic Version, 1997)
      13. The Killing Moon (Whyt Radio Acoustic Version, 1997)
      14. Forgiven (GLR Robert Elms Acoustic Session, 1997)
      15. Nothing Lasts Forever (Radio One Live Lounge Session, 1999)
      +Previously unreleased

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54 Comments

54 thoughts on “Echo & The Bunnymen’s ‘Evergreen’ issued on vinyl for the first time”

  1. Finally getting around to really listening closely to the remaster. I like it. Sounds good, not too much loudness. Weird thing I noticed are two tracks have been edited: “Evergreen” no longer has the count in; “In My Time” has been edited down by 35 seconds! The edit is at the end part (“la la la” … the “hitching a ride” comes in right away instead of waiting a couple bars). Great to finally have proper good quality versions of these b-sides!

  2. Received my CD set ! Anyone else have weird drop outs on some tracks on CD2 or is my player in my truck konking out? I think this was and is a solid album from E&TB but this anniversary edition sure could use some liner notes restrospecting on this album… really enjoying this reissue but wish it included “everything related” as some others noted & I wish they’d reissue the Electrafixion deluxe edition because it wasn’t out in the states so I had no idea it was reissued until it was too late!
    Agree that Siberia was the best post-80’s Bunnymen album!

  3. Just wondering when and where the improv tracks were released previously.I have soundboard bootleg from that show which sounds great.If they had been released before on a legit release I’d have them already.Still enough unrealsed to make this a must have.

  5. I remember looking forward to this album so much. I had discovered the Bunnymen after their break-up, so it was exciting that they would be an ‘active’ band again. The day I went to pick it up I also noticed a new album from Radiohead on sale. I thought “I liked Creep, so I’ll pick this up too.” That album was OK Computer and I think I listened to Evergreen once or twice, thought “meh,” and went back to giving Radiohead its 100th spin. Just poor timing from Ian and the boys, but even without the competition, I thought this was a merely ‘okay’ album. Some of the albums that came after it were better.

    1. I sort of agree. It’s not up to the standard overall of the 1980s’ albums. For me, Siberia was their best album since the comeback. The first half of that album was as good as their best. I’d still take Evergreen over OK Computer, though. That’s as dull as yesterday’s dishwater.

    2. What Are You Going To Do is probably my favorite of the later albums. To me it’s mostly about Mac the crooner. Will didn’t really get my interest again until Siberia. (My kids got to grow up with that one. What If We Are was requested often.) Fountain has a cool cover. Meteorites is lyrically lazy.

  10. It’s strange but this is the only Echo and the Bunnymen album I don’t own. I think it slipped me by due to something negative I read about it and than giving a few songs a listen and not being taken so it’s passed me by all these years. Not even sure if it’s a loved addition to their discography. May have to give this 2 cd edition a shot.

    On another note EATB reissue campaigns have been pretty dry. I think I just have CD’s reissued ages ago. Would be nice to see a box set or clam shell reissue or something along those lines other than boring jewel case.

    1. They’ve re issued the first 4 LPs numerous times, Heaven Up Here even got the MOFI treatment (recommended).

      Nothing Lasts Forever is one of their best ever songs IMO.

      Plenty of ‘best ofs’ and a 4CD box anthology Crystal Days 79-99 plus they seem to issue plenty of live stuff and Record Store Day re-issues too.

      1. That last time that the five 80s albums were reissued on CD with bonus tracks was back in 2003. Those are expensive these days. Not sure how much extra stuff could be dug up to do anything different with them. They always seemed just right to me. The five albums are available cheaply without bonus tracks on one of those 5 original album sets, but that’s really only for someone discovering the group. Crystal Days (one of those career anthologies which seem to have gone out of fashion in recent years) is also pricey enough if looking for a mint copy. It’s a great set. Plenty of cheap compilations and live stuff about, it’s true.

    2. I think overall this album is a mixed bag. ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ is of course magnificent and one of their greatest songs but I think it does a lot of heavy lifting on this album. A few other good songs and the rest patchy (sounds like I agree with McCulloch)
      I love the Bunnymen and their first four classic albums and this obviously isn’t up there with those, but at the time in 1997 I think it was just good to have them back with a great single riding high in the charts. I’ll order this but may go for the Rough Trade green vinyl album (call me obvious).

  11. Does the bonus Peel Session 4-track CD have any packaging? A cardsleeve with a photo image on it? I may be missing it, but I don’t see any information about it.

  12. curiously (or annoyingly) on the Bunnymen store they also have a limited CD single (not as good as yours Paul) with a redundant first track and 3 more tracks from Kilburn. Surely they should have just put these on the 2nd cd?:
    Nothing Lasts Forever CD Single
    1. Nothing Lasts Forever (2022 Remaster)
    2. I Want to Be There (When You Come) (Radio One Live at The Kilburn National)
    3. Forgiven (Radio One Live at The Kilburn National)
    4. Nothing Lasts Forever (Radio One Live at The Kilburn National)

    1. I’m tempted to double-dip to get both exclusives but see the Bunnyment official store lists their bonus CD as a bundle only option with the white vinyl. The bonus CD in the SDE Shop has better tracks- I have the “Rescue (Peel Session)” from the original UK “Evergreen” bonus disc/Disc 2 and it’s one of the best versions I’ve ever heard. I’d imagine the other three tracks on the SDE bonus disc are just as good.

  13. I was late to the party and really got to know Echo and the Bunnymen when Electrafixion’s Burned album came out when I was in college. Played the heck out of Burned on my college radio show. Very excited for this release, which followed that period.

    1. absolutely agree…it’s my favorite of the second era Echo but has been so maligned since it was essentially an Ian album with guitar by Will lol hope it someday gets the respect it deserves among the faithful.

  15. Great release Paul! I don’t understand one thing: when you talked about “All six of those tracks are appended to the album on the first disc in the forthcoming 2CD deluxe edition” you mean the six version of “Nothing Lasts Forever” that will included in this 2cd edition? If yes, I didn’t see the six version in the tracklist… maybe I didn’t understand… Thanks in advance for any explanation.

  17. The last album with Les. The last truly incredible Bunnymen album, except maybe Flowers. The rest are just brilliant!
    First time on vinyl. White vinyl!
    What’s not to like .

  18. Weirdly seems to be missing the Don’t Let It Get You Down b-sides?
    Don’t Let It Get You Down (demo) from the 7″
    https://www.discogs.com/release/708619-Echo-The-Bunnymen-Dont-Let-It-Get-You-Down
    and the b-sides from the 2 CD singles (which were all full band Live At Glastonbury 1997 tracks – plus the BBC broadcast the whole blistering set so more could have been included)

    And what’s the deal with the 1999 Improv Theatre show tracks being on there? That was a promotional appearance for the following album 2 years later?! Only 1 of the 4 tracks selected is from Evergreen so I’m struggling to get why its included. That said – I have never seen it released anywhere, so good to have it but not sure why it’s not marked as previously unreleased

        1. The Kilburn gigs had a lot of crowd chatter from the bar that was close to the stage and pissed Mac off and his voice wasn’t great on songs like Lips Like Sugar and I wanna be there, so perhaps some of the recordings aren’t their best. They sounded much tighter on the Improv gig. (I’ve just listened to them both) Both of those gigs were FM broadcasts, so perhaps that’s why they’ve pulled tracks from them?

          1. It’s more the timing of the Improv Theatre gig. It was a promo appearance for the release of the following LP (What Are You Going To Do With Your Life) in April 1999. It would have made sense as an extra on a deluxe version of that LP, but not here

          2. Yeah I agree, just seen that they’ve put 3 more Kilburn tracks on a bonus CD single on the Bunnymen store, which makes the Improv stuff even more redundant.

    2. I’d also like to hear Glasto in superlative quality, I was at that one and Ian was a bit mouthy – giving the crowd some stick for getting involved with the TV cameras and giving the Glastonbury organisation a bit of stick along the way, maybe not the best gig to put out, unfortunately.

  19. Nice one Paul, instant buy from me as I’ve been waiting for this one vinyl since, well 1997.
    So the addition of the 3 unreleased Peel sessions from that year is fantastic. There have been several CD releases with bonus tracks over the years, one had 4 Peel sessions from 1999 and another had 10 Peel Sessions from 79 – 97 (Rescue from 97) So this is great thank you!
    Hopefully What Are You Going To Do With Your Life, The Fountain and Electrafiction will be following soon!

    1. Electrafixion’s ‘Burned’ on vinyl is top of my most wanted list. I know Will wants it released and has said that there’s more in the archive that could be appended to a future reissue.

  21. Got the 2 CD version and both CD singles of Nothing Lasts Forever, back in the day. However there’s enough extra material here to make it a worthwhile purchase.

  23. My first SDE order too! 2cd plus bonus Peel session, get in! Great work, Paul.

    Also, is “Nothing Lasts Forever” the greatest comeback single ever? I’ve read the small print and it’s either that or Blondie “Maria”.

        1. Except ‘I Still Have Faith In You’ was the actual comeback song and that isn’t as good as ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’ which followed later on that day :)

          1. Abba was pretty epic but I’m plumping for ‘Where Are We Now’ just because nobody saw it coming; I’ll bet even Iman didn’t know and thought David was just going to get his newspaper everyday.

          2. “Later on that day”

            If the phrase “Chronological Semantics” ever existed it would have existed solely for that point. Having said that “I still have Faith in you” is still pretty powerful even though, as you say not quite up there with DSMD. :)

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