Wilco Announce Deluxe Reissue of A Ghost Is Born for 20th Anniversary

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Wilco have announced a deluxe reissue of their fifth studio album, A Ghost Is Born, to mark its 20th anniversary. The box set will be out on February 7th, 2025 via Nonesuch Records, but you can hear an alternate version of “Handshake Drugs” recorded at New York’s Sear Sound now. Stream it below.

The expanded edition of the 2004 Grammy-winning album will be available as either a 9xLP and 4xCD package or a 9xCD set. It will feature 65 previously unreleased tracks, comprised of alternates, outtakes, and demos. The reissue also includes a complete 2004 concert recording from Boston’s Wang Center and Wilco’s “fundamentals” workshop sessions for A Ghost Is Born. Pre-orders are ongoing.

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The recording sessions for A Ghost Is Born began in early 2002, when they tracked it live at Chicago’s Soma E.M.S. studio with engineer Chris Shaw and Jim O’Rourke, the latter of whom mixed Wilco’s previous album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Those sessions were used to create sketches for their new music using Tweedy’s notebooks of lyrics, poetry, and prose before the band headed to New York’s Sear Sound in the fall of 2003 to finish recording.

Marking Wilco’s second release on Nonesuch Records, A Ghost Is Born peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. In 2005, the album won Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Recording Package.

Next month, Wilco will close out 2024 with a string of US tour dates. Get your tickets here.

A Ghost Is Born Deluxe Edition Packaging:

wilco a ghost is born 20th anniversary deluxe reissue packaging

A Ghost Is Born Deluxe Edition Tracklist:
A Ghost Is Born
01. At Least That’s What You Said
02. Hell Is Chrome
03. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
04. Muzzle of Bees
05. Hummingbird
06. Handshake Drugs
07. Wishful Thinking
08. Company in My Back
09. I’m a Wheel
10. Theologians
11. Less Than You Think
12. The Late Greats

dBpm: Outtakes/Alternates 1
01. At Least That’s What You Said (8/13/02 SOMA-Chicago)
02. Hell Is Chrome (10/5/03 SOMA-Chicago)
03. Spiders (Kidsmoke) (9/28/03 SOMA-Chicago)
04. Muzzle of Bees (7/15/03 SOMA-Chicago)
05. Hummingbird (2/8/02 SOMA-Chicago)
06. Handshake Drugs (11/13/03 Sear Sound-NYC)
07. Wishful Thinking (11/1/03 Sear Sound-NYC)
08. Company in My Back (2/8/03 Hothouse-St. Kilda, Melbourne, Australia)
09. I’m a Wheel (August 2002 SOMA-Chicago)
10. Theologians (3/19/03 SOMA-Chicago)
11. Less Than You Think (11/11/03 Sear Sound-NYC)
12. The Late Greats (7/19/03 SOMA-Chicago)
13. Kicking Television (3/18/03 SOMA-Chicago)
14. The High Heat (2/5/02 SOMA-Chicago)
15. Panthers (March 2003 SOMA-Chicago)
16. Diamond Claw (3/21/03 SOMA-Chicago)
17. Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard (June 2002 SOMA-Chicago)
18. More Like the Moon (2/8/02 SOMA-Chicago Version)
19. Improbable Germany (10/7/03 SOMA-Chicago)

Unstitched: Outtakes/Alternates 2
1. Handshake Drugs (First Version) (6/26/02 SOMA-Chicago)
2. Hummingbird (February 2002 SOMA-Chicago)
3. The High Heat (2/4/02 SOMA-Chicago)
4. Spiders (Kidsmoke) (February 2002 SOMA-Chicago)
5. Diamond Claw (March 2003 SOMA-Chicago)
6. Muzzle of Bees (October 2003 Sear Sound-NYC)
7. Like a Stone (11/10/03 Sear Sound-NYC)
8. Leave Me (Like You Found Me) (6/26/02 SOMA-Chicago)
9. Losing Interest (11/11/03 Sear Sound-NYC)
10. Old Maid (6/26/02 SOMA-Chicago)
11. Spiders (Kidsmoke) (August 2002 SOMA-Chicago)
12. Panthers (October 2003 Sear Sound-NYC)
13. Muzzle of Bees (7/16/03 SOMA-Chicago)
14. Diamond Claw (10/9/03 SOMA-Chicago)
15. Losing Interest (7/20/03 SOMA-Chicago)
16. Spiders (Kidsmoke) (October 2003 SOMA-Chicago)
17. The Thanks I Get (6/26/02 SOMA-Chicago)
18. Two Hat Blues (March 2003 SOMA-Chicago)
19. Improbable Germany (January 2002 The Loft-Chicago)

The Hook at The Wang (Live October 1, 2004 at the Wang Center-Boston, MA)
01. Muzzle of Bees
02. Company in My Back
03. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
04. A Shot in the Arm
05. Hell Is Chrome
06. Handshake Drugs
07. Jesus, Etc.
08. Hummingbird
09. I’m Always in Love
10. At Least That’s What You Said
11. Ashes of American Flags
12. Theologians
13. I’m the Man Who Loves You
14. Poor Places
15. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
16. She’s a Jar
17. A Magazine Called Sunset
18. Kingpin
19. The Late Greats
20. I’m a Wheel
21. Via Chicago
22. California Stars
23. Christ for President