Winnipeg’s The Watchmen Return with a Deluxe Reissue

G&B Guest Blogger Vanessa Azzoli reports The Watchmen return September 16th with a Deluxe 20th Anniversary Edition release of their platinum certified sophomore album “In the Trees” with a 2 disc release featuring rare demos, live tracks and acoustic performances.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their quintessential, platinum certified sophomore album ‘In The Trees’, iconic Canadian alt-rockers The Watchmen have announced the September 16th release (via Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company), of a two-disc, deluxe edition of the breakthrough album that catapulted the band into stardom – delivering their unique style and sound to the masses. In support of the release, The Watchmen have also revealed a handful of live dates, including a double shot at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto September 18th and 19th, Mavericks in Ottawa September 20th and more throughout 2014.

Disc One of the Deluxe Edition features the JUNO Award nominated ‘In The Trees’ in its remastered form, and also includes some never-before-heard demos of album outtakes. The follow-up to 1992’s ‘McLaren Furnace Room’ (named for the band’s rehearsal space in the basement of the McLaren Hotel), ‘In The Trees’ was a definitive album for The Watchmen (Danny Greaves, Joey Serlin, Sammy Kohn and Ken Tizzard), with success vindicated by radio stats, album sales and a supporting tour that spanned nearly two years and took the band around the world.

Disc Two includes an amazing and rare glimpse at the album’s humble beginnings, with demos from the fall of 1993 when Pete Loewen was still on bass as well as the first demo sessions following the recruitment of new bassist Tizzard. Additionally, it captures The Watchmen live via a soundboard recording for a Dutch Radio station, and wraps with a live acoustic version of ‘In My Mind’, recorded at the Q107 studios in Toronto.

Arguably one of the most commercially successful Canadian bands of the mid to late 90s, The Watchmen saw three of their albums certified gold – McLaren Furnace Room (1992), Silent Radar (1998) and Slomotion (2001) – in addition to the platinum certification of “In The Trees”. “In The Trees” (Deluxe Edition) includes heavy hitting singles ‘Boneyard Tree,’ ‘All Uncovered’ and ‘Lusitana,’ reminding all of us of the hauntingly soulful vocals of Greaves, complimented by Serlin’s melodic guitar and Kohn’s hypnotic percussion.

This September, fans should be on the lookout for “Uncovered: The Story of The Watchmen”, Toronto-based author Vanessa Azzoli’s writing debut (Eternal Cavalier Press), which combines extensive research and unfettered access to the band to tell the story of The Watchmen’s twenty-plus years on the road – captivating and genuine.

Pre-order “In The Trees” on iTunes on August 26th.

For more information and a full list of tour dates please visit www.the-watchmen.com

IN THE TREES Track listing:

Disc One

1. 34 Dead St.
2. Boneyard Tree
3. Lusitana
4. Wiser
5. Calm
6. All Uncovered
7. In My Mind
8. Laugher
9. The South
10. Born Afire
11. Vovo Diva
12. Middle East
13. Nothing (Demo Outtake)
14. Take My Fever (Demo Outtake)
15. Hurting Place (Demo Outtake)
16. Dragon (Demo Outtake)
17. In The Trees (Demo Outtake)

Disc Two

1. 34 Dead Street (Demo)
2. Boneyard Tree (Demo)
3. Lusitana (Demo)
4. Wiser (Demo)
5. Calm (Demo)
6. All Uncovered (Demo)
7. In My Mind (Demo)
8. Laugher (Demo)
9. The South (Demo)
10. Born Afire (Demo)
11. Vovo Diva (Demo)
12. Middle East (Demo)
13. Lusitana (Live)
14. All Uncovered (Live)
15. Boneyard Tree (Live)
16. Middle East (Live)
17. In My Mind (Acoustic)

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