In the world of the music business there are few releases that are more ardently frowned upon than the annual crop of album re-issues. From one genre to the next every genre sees its own share of re-issues released each year totalling some years close to a hundred if not more. That is counting re-issues from every genre of the mainstream and independent music industry. The reason that re-issues are so oft frowned upon is that nine times out of ten they are little more than contractually obligated space fillers that acts churn out between new albums in order to appease their bosses at their respective record labels. The result is that few re-issues (regardless of genre) ever really offer any real value to audiences. BUt then there are some that actually do bear at least some value. In fact some are surprisingly well worth the listen and even the purchase. This year, Judas Priest’s classic album Defenders of the Faith has proven to be one of those re-issues that actually stands out. Fates Warning’s classic album A Pleasant Shade of Gray is another one of those worthwhile re-issues at least for rock audiences. The same can be said of Anthrax’s re-issue of Spreading the Disease. The rock realm isn’t the only one that saw some worthwhile new re-issues this year. The R&B industry saw a worthwhile re-issue from British R&B star Rainy Milo in her album This Thing of Ours. Even the World Music realm saw at least one worthwhile re-issue in the form of Flavia Coelho’s Mundo Meu. These are just some of the rare worthwhile re-issues to be released this year. There are others, too. And they are all here on the Phil’s Picks list of 2015’s Top New Re-issues. Once again, fifteen total albums have been noted with the top ten being the best and the bottom five still being enjoyable enough to deserve honorable mention. All things considered 2015 saw some rather interesting and enjoyable re-issues. And they are listed here. For your consideration, dear readers, are 2015’s Best New Music Re-Issues.
PHIL’S PICKS 2015 BEST NEW MUSIC RE-ISSUES
1. FATES WARNING — A PLEASANT SHADE OF GRAY
2. JUDAS PRIEST — DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH
3. ANTHRAX — SPREADING THE DISEASE
4. THE ROLLING STONES — STICKY FINGERS
5. KELAKOS — UNCORKED: RARE TRACKS FROM A 70S BAND
6. EUROPE — WAR OF KINGS
7. SAXON — HEAVY METAL THUNDER
8. SAXON — THE SAXON CHRONICLES
9. MEMPHIS MAY FIRE — UNCONDITIONAL
10. RAINY MILO — THIS THING OF OURS
11. FLAVIA COELO — MUNDO MEU
12. RED LINE CHEMISTRY — CHEMICAL HIGH AND A HAND GRENADE
13. FREEDOM CALL — 666 WEEKS BEYOND ETERNITY
14. NIRVANA — NIRVANA
15. CROWBAR — EQUILIBRIUM
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