It's become the vogue to revisit seminal albums in a live environment - Tull/Aqualung,Waters/Dark Side,Purple/In Rock,Lou Reed/Berlin. And now, the latest on the conveyor belt to get the Deluxe Edition Reissue treatment - Sonic Youth's 1988 album Daydream Nation.

Regularly making those infuriating Best Ever album lists, Daydream Nation is being re-issued with bonus tracks, extensive new liner notes, and unseen photos. And for the serious collector on a 4-disc vinyl set.

Daydream Nation was the band's 6th album, their first double, and their last for an indie label before signing to Geffen. It was their best selling LP to date and is widely regarded as their masterpiece.

The Deluxe Edition features the remastered original album on disc one plus a home demo of Eric's Trip. The second disc features 15 live unreleased performances from their Daydream Nation tour.

Plus, you get four studio tracks - Within You Without You (a Beatles cover), Computer Age, Electricity and a cover of Mudhoney's Touch Me, I'm Sick. All have appeared in various guises, but mainly on tribute albums.

The band will be performing the set in its entirety around North America and Europe, touching down at the Roundhouse for 3 nights at the end of August.

Atmospheric, adventurous and discordant. From an age when rock was un-formulaic - which is just how it is supposed to be.

****½

Review by Pete Whalley