The first two albums from Dream Syndicate frontman Steve Wynn get the deluxe Omnivore Records treatment! 1990’s Kerosene Man is bolstered by six rare live recordings from a promo EP, while 1992’s Dazzling Display (featuring guest shots by R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, The Bangles’ Vicki Peterson, and Flo and Eddie) gains six bonus tracks including covers of Paul Simon and Sonic Youth! Both titles have been remastered and are released with the participation of Steve Wynn!
The Debut solo album from founding member of The Dream Syndicate, remastered and expanded with 6 live bonus tracks from a rare promotional EP.
Sure, I was nervous. I had spent most of my adult life making music with The Dream Syndicate—a very good, successful band, with musicians I still considered very good friends. Bands break up because the members hate each other, or because nobody cares, or because someone in the band joins The Rolling Stones, or something. That wasn’t the case with us. I just wanted to try something different. I wanted to play different kinds of music, make new sounds, play with new people. I wasn’t running away from anything. I was just running towards something new. —Steve Wynn (from his liner notes)
After nearly a decade fronting The Dream Syndicate, Steve Wynn struck out on his own with a debut solo album. With Wynn originals and help from friends including Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde), D.J. Bonebrake (X), Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), and even Mark Walton from The Dream Syndicate, 1990’s Kerosene Man showed a new side to Steve, while retaining everything that attracted music lovers to him in the first place. “Tears Won’t Help” became a radio staple, and “Carolyn” found its way to MTV.
Kerosene Man returns nearly two decades later, remastered and expanded. The 11 tracks from the original release are now joined by six live recordings from the rare, promo only vinyl Straight To The Swapmeet: Legendary Authorized Bootleg. His second solo album, Dazzling Display, has also been remastered and expanded with 6 bonus tracks. That album was another star-studded affair.
Second solo album from founding member of The Dream Syndicate, remastered and expanded with 6 bonus tracks.
I’ve had the chance to revisit Dazzling Display in the course of writing these liner notes and putting together this reissue and, as is often the case, time has brought its merits into focus. Here’s the bottom line. It’s a really fun record. It was made with a fan’s enthusiasm as a reflection of the things that made me happy and got me excited in 1991. It may not have been the right record for its time and it may not have been the right record for this particular recording artist. But it sure feels good to listen to it now.
And in 2018, that’s what matters most of all. Enjoy. It truly is a dazzling display. —Steve Wynn (from his liner notes)
The Fat Angel Sings 