The Old 97’s burst onto the alt-country scene in 1994 with their independently released debut, Hitchhike To Rhome. With subsequent albums on Bloodshot, Elektra, New West, and ATO Records, the quartet became one of the Americana genre’s most enduring bands.
To celebrate this anniversary, Omnivore Recordings will reissueHitchhike, the band’s first album, with an expanded release on 2-CD, digital, and — for the first time — on double LP. Street date is November 17, 2014.
When band member and set co-producer Ken Bethea was revisiting the original tapes for this reissue, he discovered a treasure trove of eight extra tracks cut at the album sessions — many of which the band hadn’t even remembered recording. It seemed the perfect time to bring those previously unissued songs to light and add the tracks from their first four-song demo cassette to round out the early picture of the 97’s.
The 2-CD version of Hitchhike To Rhome contains the original album, coupled with a second disc of those 12 rare and unreleased tracks, many mixed from the original multi-tracks for the first time by longtime Old 97’s engineer Rip Rowan. The double LP (limited edition first pressing on translucent orange vinyl) features the LP on three sides with six of the recently unearthed tracks on Side 4. The download card included gives the buyer the complete 2-CD program. Both formats include rare photos, memorabilia and notes from Bethea.
The entire album has been remixed from original session tapes by Rip Rowan.
From the Too Far To Care reissue complete with demos (also available separately on vinyl as They Made A Monster), to the band’s sessions with the great Waylon Jennings, Omnivore continues to add to the Old 97’s legacy with this integral, early part of their history and catalog.
Return to the origins of the Old 97’s with Return to Rhome!
CD TRACK LIST:
Disc One
St. Ignatius
504
Drowning In The Days
Miss Molly
Dancing With Tears
4 Leaf Clover
Wish The Worst
Old 97’s Theme
Doreen
Hands Off
Mama Tried
Stoned
If My Heart Was A Car
Desperate Times
Ken’s Polka Thing
Tupelo County Jail
Disc Two
St. Ignatius (demo cassette version)
Drowning In The Days (demo cassette version)
Making Love With You (demo cassette version)
Stoned (demo cassette version)
Dancing With Tears (demo)*
Ivy (demo)*
Eyes For You*
Crying Drunk*
Victoria*
Old 97’s Theme Spgeddi*
Alright By Me*
Desperate Times*
LP TRACK LIST:
Side One
St. Ignatius
504
Drowning In The Days
Miss Molly
Dancing With Tears
Side Two
4 Leaf Clover
Wish The Worst
Old 97’s Theme
Tupelo County Jail
Doreen
Hands Off
Side Three
Mama Tried
Stoned
If My Heart Was A Car
Desperate Times
Ken’s Polka Thing
Tupelo County Jail
Side Four
Crying Drunk*
Dancing With Tears (demo)
Ivy (demo)*
Victoria*
Eyes For You*
Old 97’s Theme Spgeddi*
* Previously unissued
