James Chance & the Contortions' 'Buy' Set for Deluxe Reissue

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Nov 6, 2014

No wave sax blaster James Chance's first full-length with the Contortions, Buy, has been treated to various represses and anniversary packages since the Ze imprint delivered it back in 1979. UK label Futurismo is next in line, though its 35th anniversary vinyl edition of the album will also have fans contorting themselves to a couple bonus tracks.

News of the repress was delivered through Futurismo today (November 6), and it's been fit with a loose due date of early 2015. A press release describes Buy, which followed the Contortions' four-song contribution to the No New York compilation, as "a bittersweet pill of funk disco nihilism."

Fuelled by confrontational grooves, the album puts Chance's skronked sax lines and mutated James Brown screeches front and centre, but also showcases the uniquely frazzled slide guitar of Pat Place on tracks like "Designed to Kill" and "Bedroom Athlete." The album also features the original twitchy version of band anthem "Contort Yourself," later reinterpreted in a disco fashion when Chance rebranded himself James White on his Off White LP.

Though the official tracklisting has yet to be unveiled, Futurismo revealed in a message to Exclaim! that the repress beefs up the original nine-song effort with a pair of tracks ("Terminal City" and "Incorrigible") that were recorded between 2007and 2008 during a brief reformation. Produced by Chance in New York, the recordings also feature Place and guitarist Jody Harris.

The redux will also come packaged in "a mirror varnished gatefold sleeve," and will include a booklet featuring rare photography from the late Anya Phillips and new liner notes from Chance.

You can hear the album's "Designed to Kill" below.

As previously reported, Futurismo also has the live Devo LP Miracle Witness Hour landing November 24.

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