VARIOUS – Why Don’t You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-1965 – 2LP – Oxblood and Gold Vinyl [OCT 18]

2LP – Limited Edition Oxblood and Gold Vinyl housed in a Gatefold Sleeve. Includes in-depth booklet with unseen photos, liner notes by Richie Unterberger and an essay by Lenny Kaye. Restored and remastered by Grammy-nominated mastering engineer John Baldwin.

First official anthology of Lou Reeds work for Pickwick Records 1964-1965.
Features rarities, cult classics (The Primitives The Ostrich (the track credited with bringing The Velvet Underground together), & previously unreleased material (The Beachnuts “Sad, Lonely Orphan Boy“).
Produced in partnership with Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive.
20-page LP book featuring unseen photos and essays by Lenny Kaye & Richie Unterberger.
Remastered by GRAMMY-nominated engineer John Baldwin.
Art Direction & Design by multi-GRAMMY-winning artist Masaki Koike at Phyx Design.

The latest installment in LITAs critically acclaimed Lou Reed Archive Series is a compilation of pop songs penned by Reed during his mid-60s stint as a staff songwriter for the long-defunct label Pickwick Records. The compilation follows on the heels of Lou Reeds Hudson River Wind Meditations (2023) and Words and Music, May 1965 (2022).

One of the most original and innovative figures in music history, Reed (1942-2013) first gained recognition as co-founder and frontman of the massively influential Velvet Underground. Over the course of his five-decade career, the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer brought his singular vision to an eclectic expanse of musical endeavours, including era-defining albums like 1972s Transformer and wildly experimental works like the 1975 avant-garde noise classic Metal Machine Music. But before establishing himself as an enduringly iconic singer, songwriter, musician, and poet, Reed got his start as an in-house songwriter (and occasional session guitarist/vocalist) for Pickwick Recordsa label specializing in sound-alike recordings that emulated the major pop hits of the day. Encompassing everything from garage-rock and girl-group pop to blue-eyed soul and teen-idol balladry, Reeds output for Pickwick ultimately offers a fascinating early glimpse at his ever-evolving and truly limitless artistry.

The album has been restored and remastered by Grammy-nominated mastering engineer John Baldwin. Both the 2xLP and CD editions feature in-depth booklets with unseen photos, liner notes by Richie Unterberger (renowned music journalist and author of such acclaimed titles as White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground day-by-day), and an essay by Lenny Kaye (the legendary guitarist, Patti Smith Group co-founder, writer, producer, and curator of seminal garage-rock anthology Nuggets).

It features rarities, cult classics (The Primitives The Ostrich), and previously unreleased material (The Beachnuts Sad, Lonely Orphan Boy).

Tracklist:

The Primitives – The Ostrich
The Beachnuts – Cycle Annie
The Hi-Lifes – I’m Gonna Fight
The Hi-Lifes – Soul City
Ronnie Dickerson – Oh No Don’t Do It
Ronnie Dickerson – Love Can Make You Cry
The Hollywoods – Teardrop in the Sand
The Roughnecks – You’re Driving Me Insane
The Primitives – Sneaky Pete
Terry Philips – Wild One
Spongy and the Dolls – Really – Really – Really – Really – Really – Really Love
The Foxes – Soul City
The J Brothers – Ya Running but I’ll Getcha;
Beverley Ann – We Got Trouble
The All Night Workers – Why Don’t You Smile
Jeannie Larimore – Johnny Won’t Surf No More
Robertha Williams – Tell Mamma Not to Cry
Robertha Williams – Maybe Tomorrow
Terry Philips – Flowers for the Lady
Terry Philips – This Rose
The Surfsiders – Surfin’
The Surfsiders – Little Deuce Coupe
The Beachnuts – Sad Lonely Orphan Boy
The Beachnuts – I’ve Got a Tiger in My Tank
Ronnie Dickerson – What About Me