The late Mark Lanegan’s acclaimed 2004 album Bubblegum is getting a deluxe 20th anniversary reissue, featuring loads of previously unreleased songs and demos, including a collaboration with Beck.
Titled Bubblegum XX, the reissue arrives August 23rd, and marks the first posthumous release since Lanegan’s passing in February 2022.
The original Bubblegum album, which has been remastered, features a who’s who of guest musicians, including Lanegan’s Queens of the Stone Age bandmates Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri, and Troy Van Leeuwen, as well as Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli, and classic Guns N’ Roses members Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin, among others. Singer PJ Harvey contributes vocals to two of the songs: “Hit the City” and “Come to Me.”
The collaboration with Beck, “Union Turnpike,” is a song that Lanegan had hoped to include on the original version of Bubblegum, but Beck was unable to contribute at the time, likely due to working on his own 2005 album, Guero. Beck recorded his vocals and harmonica earlier this year to finally complete the track.
Among the other rarities are a series of tunes that Lanegan recorded with Van Leeuwen in various hotel rooms. “So these hotel demo sessions were basically forgotten,” Van Leeuwen said in a statement. “When I heard the news of Mark’s passing, these memories started rushing back to me. I searched through my archive of drives and somehow magically was able to open up these sessions. … It’s a true gift from Mark to those of us who love him and his unvarnished expression of beauty. With every listen, I am humbled and honored to share his gift with you.”
The deluxe reissue comes in a limited edition 4-LP/3-CD box set, complete with a 64-page hardback booklet featuring essays by Homme, Van Leeuwen, McKagan, Alain Johannes, and more. Separate 2-LP editions of just the Bubblegum album are available in transparent red or black vinyl.
Pre-orders for the box set are available here, while the 2-LP vinyl editions can be pre-ordered here. See the artwork and complete tracklist for the 4-LP edition below.
Bubblegum XX 4-LP Artwork:
Bubblegum XX 4-LP Tracklist:
Bubblegum:
A1. “When Your Number Isn’t Up”
A2. “Hit the City” feat. PJ Harvey
A3. “Wedding Dress”
A4. “Methamphetamine Blues”
B1. “One Hundred Days”
B2. “Bombed”
B3. “Strange Religion”
B4. “Sideways In Reverse”
C1. “Come to Me” feat. PJ Harvey
C2. “Like Little Willie John”
C3. “Can’t Come Down”
D1. “Morning Glory Wine”
D2. “Head”
D3. “Driving Death Valley Blues”
D4. “Out of Nowhere”
Here Comes That Weird Chill (Methamphetamine Blues, Extras & Oddities):
A1. “Methamphetamine Blues”
A2. “On The steps of the Cathedral”
A3. “Clear Spot”
A4. “Message to Mine”
A5. “Lexington Slow Down”
A6. “Skeletal History”
B1. “Wish You Well”
B2. “Sleep With Me”
B3. “Sleep With Me – Version…”
B4. “Sympathy” (previously only available on the Has God Seen My Shadow anthology)
B5. “Mirrored” (B side from “Hit the City” single)
B6. “Mud Pink Skag” (B side from “Hit the City” single)
Demos & Unreleased Songs:
A1. “Heard a Train” *
A2. “Union Tombstone” feat. Beck *
A3. “Josephine” *
A4. “Kingdom” *
A5. “Soldier” *
A6. “Little Willie John” * (Alternate version of “Like Little Willie John”)
A7. “Blood (Crackers & Honey)” *
B1. “You Wild Colorado” ** (Johnny Cash cover)
B2. “Revolver” ** original demo of a song eventually recorded with Isobel Campbell
B3. “Leaving New River Blues” ** (previously only available on the Has God Seen My Shadow
Anthology as “Heaven Is Dry”)
B4. “St. James Infirmary” **
B5. “Willie John” ** (Alternate version of “Like Little Willie John”)
B6. “Pure Religion” ** (Alternate version of “Strange Religion”)
* outtake
** Troy Van Leeuwen Hotel session
