Chrysalis 5099923270121.
Hot on the heels of Ian's 2012 album When I'm President comes this 4-CD box set neatly packaging Ian's Chrysalis albums from 1979 to 1981.
Discs 1 and 3 comprise his two studio albums of the period (1979's You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic and 1981's Short Back 'n' Sides), while Disc 2 gives us his 1980 live album Welcome To The Club. For the fan who probably has these already, disc 4 is the most interesting comprising as it does the audio from the live video Ian Hunter Rocks. Never before issued on CD, these tracks are a worthy addition to Ian's live output. OK, so Mick Ronson isn't here (it is Robbie Alter on guitar) but that doesn't matter so much. At least Ian is brave enough to try something new style-wise: these tracks are sufficiently different from the ...Club tracks that the listener doesn't feel overwhelmed.
No issue like this is complete these days without bonus tracks, and we have them here in abundance. They are also different from the tracks on the individual albums (...Club excepted) that the fan who has everything won't be disappointed.
The booklet is good but not exceptional (Ian's track-by-track comments are the same as on previous reissues). Sound quality is excellent throughout.
All in all, highly recommended, to the die-hard and the casual fan alike.