NewsLevel 42: deluxe reissues
Two years on from their super deluxe edition of Level 42‘s 1987 hit album Running In The Family, Universal Music / Polydor have turned their attention to a three further albums, with Standing In The Light (1983) and Staring At The Sun (1988) both being issued as two-CD deluxe editions and True Colours from 1984 being expanded with four bonus remixes.
Standing In The Light was notable for containing the band’s first UK top ten hit in the form of The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up). Two remixes of that single features amongst the 12 bonus tracks and its B-side Can’t Walk You Home features in two variants.
The follow-up to Standing In The Light was True Colours. While that long-player couldn’t repeat the feat of spawning a top ten hit, the album does feature top 20 single Hot Water which ever since has become a firm fan favourite and a stalwart of live performances. Included in the expanded single CD edition is the ‘Remix’ but the better mix by far is the 10 minute long ‘Master Mix’, which is a truly definitive version. Thankfully, this mix is also included.
1988’s Staring At The Sun matched the number two chart placing of its predecessor Running In The Family (they never did have a number one album) but didn’t come close to matching that albums run of top ten hit singles. The new deluxe edition features a plethora of remixes and bonus tracks across two discs.
All three Level 42 reissued will be released on 27 October 2014.
Standing In The Light (2CD Deluxe)
- • UK Pre-order: Standing In The Light
- • USA Pre-order: Standing in the Light
- • GERMANY Pre-order: Standing in the Light
- • FRANCE Pre-order: Standing in the Light
True Colours (Expanded Edition)
- • UK Pre-order: True Colours
- • USA Pre-order: True Colours
- • GERMANY Pre-order: True Colours (Expanded Version)
- • FRANCE Pre-order: True Colours
Staring At The Sun (2CD Deluxe)
- • UK Pre-order: Staring At The Sun
- • USA Pre-order: Staring at the Sun
- • GERMANY Pre-order: Staring at the Sun
- • FRANCE Pre-order: Staring at the Sun
Track listings
Standing In The Light (2CD Deluxe)
Disc: 1
1. Micro-kid
2. The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)
3. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
4. Dance On Heavy Weather
5. A Pharoah’s Dream (Of Endless Time)
6. Standing in the Light
7. I Want Eyes
8. People
9. The Machine Stops
10. Micro-kid (Single Version)
11. Can’t Walk You Home (Edit)
12. Micro-kid (Dub Version)
Disc: 2
1. Micro-kid (Remix)
2. Can’t Walk You Home
3. The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (12″ Extended Version)
4. Out of Sight, Out of Mind (Extended Version)
5. Micro-kid (Specially Remixed Version)
6. Standing in the Light (Extended Version)
7. Micro-kid (Remix)
8. The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (Upfront Mix)
9. Micro-kid
True Colours (Expanded)
1. The Chant Has Begun
2. Kansas City Milkman
3. Seven Days
4. Hot Water
5. A Floating Life
6. True Believers
7. My Hero
8. Kouyate
9. Hours By the Window
10. The Chant Has Begun (Powermix)
11. Hot Water (Master Mix)
12. The Chant Has Begun (Unique Mix)
13. Hot Water (Remix)
Staring At The Sun (2CD Deluxe)
Disc: 1
1. Heaven in My Hands
2. I Don’t Know Why
3. Take a Look
4. Over There
5. Silence
6. Tracie
7. Staring at the Sun
8. Two Hearts Collide
9. Man
10. Gresham Blues
11. Three Words
12. Heaven in My Hands (7″ Version)
13. Tracie (Single Version)
14. Silence
15. Man
Disc: 2
1. Heaven in My Hands (Extended Version)
2. Take a Look (Extended Mix)
3. Tracie (Extended Mix)
4. Take Care of Yourself (Extended Version)
5. Two Hearts Collide (Remix)
6. Starchild (Remix)
7. Heaven in My Hands (US Remix)
8. Tracie (US Remix)
9. Take Care of Yourself (Remix)
10. Two Hearts Collide (7″ Remix)
11. Heaven in My Hands (Original Version)
1. Micro-Kid
Standing In The Light (2CD Deluxe)
- • UK Pre-order: Standing In The Light
- • USA Pre-order: Standing in the Light
- • GERMANY Pre-order: Standing in the Light
- • FRANCE Pre-order: Standing in the Light
True Colours (Expanded Edition)
- • UK Pre-order: True Colours
- • USA Pre-order: True Colours
- • GERMANY Pre-order: True Colours (Expanded Version)
- • FRANCE Pre-order: True Colours
Staring At The Sun (2CD Deluxe)
- • UK Pre-order: Staring At The Sun
- • USA Pre-order: Staring at the Sun
- • GERMANY Pre-order: Staring at the Sun
- • FRANCE Pre-order: Staring at the Sun
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I’m new to this site but checked it out to see what everyone thought about these reissues. Here is my take. I too have all the double cd’s remastered by Jon Astley. Glad to have them, but the new Standing In The Light and True Colours sound so much better then the 2000 redo’s as those were very bright, the drums had no real bottom and fullness to them. Mark King sounded shrill along with his bass sounding to thin. I have heard them live and the 2000 redo’s don’t do them justice.These new one’s have not one bit of digititis to them yet the top end is there 100%. The drum kit sounds full and rich like a drum kit should. Mark’s bass has nice bottom and his voice sounds like it does live. As far as all the tado about the extra cuts, well I for one never cared about the alternate takes or remixes. One or two are ok, but I guess I don’t care enough to make it a point of contention. I am completely stoked about these new versions. I hope they do the whole catalog so I can trade in the one’s from 2000, but until such time.
Doing a tiny bit of research there’s ‘b’ sides that are missing too. The ‘b’ of Micro kid is just one!
Not only is Microkid (Extended Version) missing which still hasn’t been on CD, according to a customer review on amazon, Track 5 is supposed to be Micro-Kid (Specially Remixed Version) but is the same as Disk 1 track 12 which is the Dub version.
If they’re gonna reissue True Colours & SITL for the second time why can’t they make a proper job of them!
Having listened to both these now i have found the sound quality ok but i now regret buying True Colours because it’s not worth the price i paid for it the lack of extras on it are terrible and it’s not as if there isn’t plenty of material lying about that they could have used on this. Staring At The Sun is worth it though and not hearing that mix of Starchild before i actually quite like it. Still waiting for Standing In The Light to come but omitting that original 12 inch mix of Micro Kid is just crazy even more so as i saw it elsewhere claiming that mix was on it.
Just checked the timings on Amazon. Looks like Micro Kid (live) is the Wembley version.
The 7:15 mix was 1st released commercially on the 2000 reissues (If it’s the same one, haven’t picked up these reissues yet) It was originally only available on a promo 12″ (Very rare in this format) Is the live version from Wembley ’86? As this was released as a b-side to ‘To Be With You Again’ Would’ve much preferred the 8:10 mix!
Unbelivable. 6 mixes of my fav L42 song and not one is the original UK 12″ (YET again). 6th mix is Live (it was never listed before release what version this was). The 4th mix (Disc 2, track 1) comes up on iTunes as (Remix). On the cover it states (12″ extended). It has a time of 7:15. Original UK 12″ is around 8:10 and is by far the best mix. Now looking forward to my guy posting the vinyl rip! Dismayed to hear that Neil reports mistakes already. I only have the double CD’s didn’t give them my money for a single edition as refuse to encourage that kind of rubbish. As annoying, i saw them for the 5th time 5 days ago and they didn’t play Micro kid. They have never played Micro kid live in front of me. It was on the Live at the Metropolis Studio CD/DVD and is amazing
Ooh, huge mistakes, doesnt bode well does it…
Got Staring At The Sun and True Colours this morning not listened to them yet but as far the remastering goes there is no mention of who actually did it only says mastered at abbey road studios. The Bonus tracks 12 and 13 on True Colours Hot Water and The Chant are both radio edits and there is a mistake in the booklet for True Colours where they are talking about Mark Kings solo album Influences trying to make out it was released in 2004.
No release date in Australia yet?
Can anyone comment on the remastering job please… are they brickwalled as previously feared??
Talking about vinyl reissues.The Back to black vinyl reissue company has on there website World Machine up for release on 180g.
Standing In The Light is still £15.99 on Amazon i told them about a lower price but they have just ignored it so i cancelled my order from them and ordered it from base.com who are selling it for £11.99.
The Starchild remix was released on the 2nd 12″ edition of Take Care Of Yourself which is why it’s included.
Herr Angela – the reason that Starchild is on SATS is because it was re done then as a B-side with the mega Alan Murphy featuring heavily and thus is an edgier version than the original – hence its inclusion.
Still, what’s the point. Just heard that version and it really sucks.
Any chance of an Australian pre-order or do we have to wait until the actual release date?
[…] For full tracklistings click here: http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/level-42-deluxe-reissues/ […]
This is somewhat good news, but what about remastered vinyl releases? CD is convenient, but sound quality always suffers in comparison to what is currently being remastered and released on 180g vinyl.
Staring at just over £10 on amazon this morn – good price for a comphrehensive remix suite (bar one!)
This new bunch of reissues will not replace the 2000 versions for me, but the only reason to buy Standing In The Light again is that this edition finally will include the extended version of the hard-to-find extended version of Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind. But why took it so long before this version appears on a reissue .. Oow yeah … recordcompanies need some refunds periodically …. A new remaster is not needed: the 2000 versions sound still good and Level 42 is a good band, but they didn’t record their albums using the Steely Dan approach.
see you at luxorlive arnhem 31 okt 2014
Andrew, this ain’t no rush job to coincide with the tour, as the L42-website did not mention the re-issues up until today. Also, do you remember that Mr King had added “bonus tracks” to the remasters of the first three albums which weren’t even performed by the classic L42-line up that recorded the albums in the first place? I am very disappointed about True Colours just being a single-disc. And I am still wondering why Starchild is being included on Staring At The Sun. We all know that there are demos of unreleased songs lurking somewhere and one might wonder why none of these have been used to bolster the new “deluxe-editions”.
There is a mix of Starchild on the b side of the 12 inch of Take Care Of Yourself remixed by Bryan ‘Chuck’ New which lasts for 7:25. I hope it’s that mix that’s included.
Okay, but Starchild is a non-SATS-era track.
Remixes and Dubs suck……I mean who the hell listens to 80 remixes, super remixes and super duper remixes?? Find some live tracks.
You’re new to this blog, aren’t you?
Lol, Pete
I’m still missing the 12″ of Are You Hearing on cd. The Ultimate Collection II had it, but they botched the transfer, as it was in mono…
I missed out on the Ultimate Collection II so I hope a deluxe version of ‘The Pursuit of Accidents” will be the next release. With all the b-sides and remixes/extended versions from this album, is there any other original material yet to be released on CD?
There was later a corrected pressing of “The Ultimate Collection II”. A similar problem(presenting some songs in a mono sound taken from one channel of a stereo mix) also occurred on “Disc One” of the 4-CD box “Level 42-Living It Up”, though, to my knowledge, there was never a corrected pressing. I had to make my own replacement disc(I had to buy “Level Best” to get the single edit of “The Chinese Way”), but had all of the other tracks that were needed to create a replacement disc. Five of the songs on “Disc One” of “Living It Up” were affected by this problem, and original Level 42 drummer Phil Gould was the first person to bring it to Universal Music’s attention….apparently to no avail.
What a shame – another wasted opportunity.
This smacks of a rush job to get them out to coincide with the tour and hope that the inevitable emotion of seeing them live will make folk want to buy more….why not get you involved Paul, and do it properly – take more time and release a damn fine proper set like the superb TFF ones – we would gladly wait a few months to have one quality release out rather than chuck out these for just a few extra tracks that most of us have anyway.
shame :-(
Do you know what i cannot believe this. I have just paid one of the best vinyl-rippers there is to buy and rip Micro Kid (UK 12″) via way of donation as it has never appeared on CD. Thought about it time and time again then finally decided only last week that it will never appear on CD. A few days later this is announced. I’m gob-smacked. As it’s my fav L42 track i’m also amazed that no-one has mentioned it’s non appearance on CD to date. I also note that Micro Kid is the only track not mentioned when it comes to mix names so i’m still not sure if the UK 12″ mix will be included. But as 7 mixes on there (not 6 as stated above – someone can’t count!), the chances are VERY likely. What timing. Almost looking forward to someone complaining about the sound quality!
I mentioned six versions of Micro Kid because i wasn’t including the album version and nobody has mentioned that Out of Sight, Out of Mind (Extended Version) has never appeared on CD before either. As far as the sound goes it’s not too much to ask for a decent remaster instead of the brickwalled rubbish we were subjected to in 2000.
Lol but that ‘s still 7 versions! Agree hope these are mastered well but the whole L42 catalogue is a complete joke and mess reading from these comments and as people state why do a single disc edition of True colours? Utterly crazy in 2014. Also people keep stating rush job to do with tour. Really? Tour announced start of year and has began. Use your brains people
My biggest fear is that these will be brickwalled.
Six different versions of Micro Kid on Standing In The Light what’s that all about ? I see amazon is at it’s silly pricing again asking £15.99 for Standing In The Light yet the other two are only £11.99 and Staring At The Sun is a double as well.
Is the remix (not the Master Mix) of Hot Water just the single version, or something different?
I’m pretty sure it will just be the single version. I wonder what The Chant Has Begun (Unique Mix) is.
Neil, the so calles Unique Mix is the old regular 12″ mix, nothing fancy.
Could be I guess. There was a ‘normal’ 12″ version though, wasn’t there? So that’s not included?
Yeah Mike, that’s the 7″ edited version. Just listened to the “newly” mastered SATS – utter rubbish. But then again, that album was recorded in a lousy way and it will never sound good, I guess. But the sound quality fits the songs. Utter rubbish as well. I mean, Tracie, come on!
What’s the point of all these L42-repackagings? It’s the third time that most of the albums do appear on CD and the new ones still don’t feature the few demos that had been put on the 2000-remasters. No 2-disc-set for True Colours? Pathetic. It’s L42’s most brilliant album and it certainly deserves a deluxe-treatement. Most of the demos for True Colours sound absolutely amazing and it’s just stupid that none of those appear on this “expanded edition”. Having said all that, it all is way better than the god awful deluxe-edition of Running In The Family or the re-releases featuring live-tracks from the laughable L42-Line-Up of today. But when and where will we get the Thunderthumbs-12″-mixes on a CD?
Good new. Further 12″ remixes previously available only on vinyl finally on cd! Sadly, the only 12″remix still unreleased on cd is To Be With You Again (ADSC mix),from the Running In The Family album. The 2000 remastered 2cd set Running in the family/Heaven in my hands features by mistake the ADSC dub to the place of the listed ADSC mix….
I missed out on the Ultimate Collection II which contained many unreleased 12″ Mixes on CD. Earlier this year, I digitised my vinyl version to pc instead.
Like many folk, I’ll be buying these releases for a third time for a handful of missing tracks. I’d rather have something physical for my money not an mp3. A pity the price doesn’t reflect this fact!
Why create two deluxe editions and just an expanded version of True Colours? Okay, the bonus tracks fit on to one disc so why not add a live CD or a bonus DVD?
Level 42 were one of my favourite ’80s bands and made some great albums. I have these already in the series where they packaged 2 albums together. It would be nice to get these editions for the extra remixes but I can’t see me getting them straight away. There’s just too many SDEs coming out these days!
I still love Level. Going to see them in 3 weeks again. Bring on those deluxes!
I still have a headache from listening to the 2000 remasters. I hope that this time they hire a mastering engineer without a hearing problem. The loudness war is over guys !!
I agree, going to wait on sq reviews on these
Good spot. there should be two extended remixes and a 7″ mix of Take A Look. Either someone has made a boo-boo or they couldn’t get clearance Clarence
Take A Look (remix) is on Level Best and probably a million other Level compilations but what’s the other Extended mix of Take A Look that’s missing then, thought there was only one?
No worries, just discovered it’s the one that was on SATS 2000 remaster. Would there have been space on Disc 2 for these additions? Even so this has to be the most complete remaster of a Level 42 album.
Small point is Take A Look (Remix) is missing from Staring, odd, otherwise good collectionn.
The album versions of Love Games, Turn it On & Starchild never appeared on a Level 42 CD until the 2000 remasters. Although I’m sure
Starchild appeared before this on a German compilation cd (I think) so it will be unremastered. Should be on the discogs site.
Thanks Simon.
Are these just the 2000 2disc remasters repackaged? Will the Staring at the Sun album have that horrible version of Two Hearts Collide with the God-awful reverb/echo on the drums making the snare sound like a hair metal band? I don’t mean to be a grump, but I love that album and hope these were actually handled and re-worked, and not just shuffling old product with new clothes on.
Good news. Re – the first s/t album. Does anybody have an unremastered copy of this on CD with the album [not extended] versions of Turn It On, Love Games and Starchild. I own two copies of the unremastered CD – one inlay states that it has the normal album versions of the three tracks, the other CD’s inlay states that it has the extended versions. However both discs play the extended versions of the three tracks.
Nice, Level 42 were one of my favourite bands from the 80’s. I hope that the first “Level 42” album will get the deluxe treatment. Maybe they should bring you in Paul. Then we know for sure it will be amazing, knowing what you brought to the table with the 2 Tears For Fears boxsets.