Cass McCombs announces the reissue of his first three records — his debut EP Not The Way, and first two albums A and PREfection — out September 6th via 4AD, and the “As Paint on Fur Tour.” Remastered at Abbey Road, these records are finally back in print for the first time since their original release by Monitor Records and 4AD in the early 2000s. The reissues will be available worldwide digitally, on CD and pressed on black vinyl in their original sleeves with an OBI strip and new printed inner art.
Between the years 2002 and 2005, McCombs began the gradual process of unveiling his gifts to us. With the inaugural EP Not the Way (2002), the first full-length utterance A (2003), and the sophomore LP PREfection (2005), McCombs delivered a delicate and soulful jab-cross-right hook combo that gently knocked the underground back on its feet. In the years since, which have seen McCombs thrive and evolve as a songwriter, a musician, and a man, these foundational albums have only gained power with age. Taken as a group, they tell the story of one of the truest musical talents of the past couple decades, as he goes from nascent crooner to early maturity. As relevant, refreshing, and compulsively listenable in 2024 as they were in the early 2000s, Not the Way, A, and PREfection have been formative documents for fans and fellow musicians alike since their respective releases.
To celebrate the announcement, McCombs unveils a never heard before demo of PREfection’s “Sacred Heart,” alongside a new video filmed by the renowned skater Jerry Hsu. Additionally, McCombs will release a limited-edition cassette, 2000-2004 Demos, Live and Radio, via Orindal on September 6th.
This September, McCombs will embark on the “As Paint On Fur Tour,” taken from a lyric from Not the Way’s “So Damn Pure.” The set promises to be “something old, something new,” in the spirit of always being onto the next artistic endeavor. West Coast shows will be supported by Papercuts, and East Coast by Advance Base. A full list of dates is included below, and tickets will be on sale here tomorrow, July 2nd at 11 AM EST.
Pre-order Not the Way, A, PREfection Reissues
Cass McCombs “As Paint On Fur Tour”:
Wed. Sept. 19 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Moe’s Alley *
Thu. Sept. 20 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel *
Fri. Sept. 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room *
Wed. Sept. 25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ^
Thu. Sept. 26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s ^
Fri. Sept. 27 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar ^
* w/ Papercuts
^ w/ Advance Base
Not The Way Tracklist
A1. Not the Way
A2. So Damn Pure
A3. Opium Flower
B1. Your Mother and Father
B2. Nobody’s Nixon
B3. It’s Getting Colder
A Tracklist
A1. I Went to the Hospital
A2. Bobby, King of Boys Town
A3. What Isn’t Nature
A4. AIDS in Africa
A5. A Comedian is Someone Who Tells Jokes
B1. Gee, It’s Good to be Home
B2. Meet Me Here at Dawn
B3. When The Bible Was Wrote
B4. My Pilgrim Dear
B5. Bedding Down Post-Xmastime
B6. My Master
PREfection Tracklist
A1. Equinox
A2. Subtraction
A3. Multiple Suns
A4. Tourist Woman
A5. Sacred Heart
B1. She’s Still Suffering
B2. Cuckoo
B3. Bury Mary
B4. City of Brotherly Love
B5. All Your Dreams May Come True
