Tracklisting:
Ballad of Big Nothing
Waltz #2 (XO)
Pictures of Me
The Biggest Lie
Alameda
Between the Bars
Needle in the Hay
Last Call
Angeles
Twilight
Pretty (Ugly Before)
Angel in the Snow
Miss Misery (early version)
Happiness (single version)
Release Date: November 1, 2010
USA LP [Kill Rock Stars KRS541]
This compilation album, sort of a greatest hits, was released in 2010. This is the original US pressing on vinyl. It's on 180g vinyl. The front shrinkwrap has a sticker on it that says songs from each of Elliott's albums are on here and that it's on 180g vinyl and it includes a download code. It comes with a double sided insert. One side of the insert has song info and credits. The other side has text written by Larry Crane in 2010. The credits state that photography is by Sean Shroff. Barcode according to Discogs is 759656054119. Etchings on side A are KRS-541-A and S-73615. Etchings on side B are KRS-541-B and S-73616.
Some photos taken from discogs.com.
USA LP [Kill Rock Stars KRS541; 2021 reissue]
This compilation was reissued on vinyl by Kill Rock Stars in 2021. There are not many differences between this pressing and the 2010 pressing but there are a few. The barcode on the actual back cover is the same as the 2010 pressing. But the shrink wrap has a new barcode of 759656054157. The download code that comes in this pressing is a much tinier rectangle paper than the huge one in the 2010 pressing. This one has a photo of the album cover while the 2010 pressing download code paper had the Kill Rock Stars logo on it. The other difference is in the matrix numbers. The 2010 pressing had hand etched numbers and letters. The ones for this pressing look to be computer or laser etched (I don't know the proper terminology). The A-side for this pressing has LP-KRS-541 and 169285E1/B. The B-side etchings are LP-KRS-541 and 169285E2/A. Those etchings are quite different from the 2010 pressing (see entry above). Everything else (insert, etc.) appear identical to the 2010 pressing.
USA LP [Kill Rock Stars KRS541; red and black vinyl 2021 reissue]
This reissue of the Introduction compilation album was available exclusively through Barnes and Noble. It is on red and black vinyl and was limited to 500 copies. Like all other US pressings of this album, it has a clear sticker on the front of the shrink wrap explaining that it has songs from all his albums and that it's 180g vinyl and that a download card is included. The album cover and insert are also identical to the 2010 original pressing and the black vinyl 2021 reissue. It includes a special sticker noting that it's a Barnes and Noble exclusive and that it's limited to 500 copies, along with the color of vinyl being mentioned. The download card is the same as the black vinyl 2021 reissue (really small rectangular slip, not like the large 2010 one) and the matrix numbers and style on the inner grooves are also the same as that black vinyl 2021 pressing (different from the 2010 original). The shrink wrap has a blank rectangular sticker over the barcode to block out the original barcode on the back cover.
Matrix/etchings are laser/computer etched and are:
The A-side for this pressing has LP-KRS-541 and 169285E1/B. The B-side etchings are LP-KRS-541 and 169285E2/A
This reissue of the Introduction compilation album was available exclusively through Barnes and Noble. It is on red and black vinyl and was limited to 500 copies. Like all other US pressings of this album, it has a clear sticker on the front of the shrink wrap explaining that it has songs from all his albums and that it's 180g vinyl and that a download card is included. The album cover and insert are also identical to the 2010 original pressing and the black vinyl 2021 reissue. It includes a special sticker noting that it's a Barnes and Noble exclusive and that it's limited to 500 copies, along with the color of vinyl being mentioned. The download card is the same as the black vinyl 2021 reissue (really small rectangular slip, not like the large 2010 one) and the matrix numbers and style on the inner grooves are also the same as that black vinyl 2021 pressing (different from the 2010 original). The shrink wrap has a blank rectangular sticker over the barcode to block out the original barcode on the back cover.
Matrix/etchings are laser/computer etched and are:
The A-side for this pressing has LP-KRS-541 and 169285E1/B. The B-side etchings are LP-KRS-541 and 169285E2/A
USA LP [Kill Rock Stars KRS541; pink vinyl 2021 reissue]
This 2021 reissue of this compilation is on pink vinyl. It was part of Kill Rock Stars' celebration of their 30th anniversary as a record label. Like many other KRS releases, it was given a very limited run on pink vinyl, just 91 copies. All copies are numbered.
In February 2024, Kill Rock Stars put a limited amount of additional pink vinyl copies up for sale for many of Elliott's records, including this one. These ones were not numbered but presumably everything else about these are the same as the 2021 pink vinyl copies. They were listed as a "warehouse find" so they probably had a few left over of each release, that they put for sale at this time. The few of them that I've seen have had a small round sticker on the shrink wrap that says "Ltd. Edition Colored Vinyl" and has the KRS logo on it.
The one major exception to all this was the self-titled pink copies sold in 2024. These were in regular, single LP self-titled sleeves as opposed to the 2021 pink copies that came with the coffee table book and two LP's. These may not have been leftovers but an actual full batch of 91-ish (it said 115 copies on the KRS bandcamp page) that were never sold in 2021 and were only sold in 2024.
Photos taken from the KRS Facebook post about the pressing, from Charlie Ramirez, and from Discogs.
USA LP [Kill Rock Stars KRS541; 2021 black vinyl reissue for KRS 30th anniversary]
Kill Rock Stars reissued this compilation in 2021 with a special sticker on the shrink wrap to celebrate the label's 30th anniversary. My copy is still sealed but I am pretty sure it's black vinyl and nothing different or special on this pressing other than the hype sticker on the front. There was a different black vinyl reissue from 2021 (a few entries above) and this may be the same as far as matrix numbers, etc. go but I'm not sure since mine is sealed. Interestingly, this pressing has no barcode whatsoever on the back cover. All other US pressings I've seen have a barcode (although they are sometimes covered with blank stickers or new barcodes in some cases). But this is the only one with no barcode printed on the actual jacket.
USA LP [Kill Rock Stars KRS541; 2023 black vinyl with KRS sticker]
Kill Rock Stars reissued this compilation with a KRS sticker on the shrink wrap in late 2022 or early 2023 (as they did with some or all of the other albums that are on KRS). The sticker is similar to the 2021 sticker used to celebrate the label's 30th anniversary. But this sticker just has the KRS logo and no mention of 30 years. They seemed to first show up on social media and in stores around mid-January of 2023. Presumably, the record itself is the exact same pressing as the 2021 pressing with the same matrix and everything but I'm not positive. It is on black vinyl. The sticker has the same blurb about the album that the 2021 sticker had. Please see the photos below for the hype sticker (which you can compare to the 30th anniversary one).
USA LP [Kill Rock Stars KRS541; clear with black and silver splatter vinyl 2023 reissue]
This reissue of the Introduction compilation album was available exclusively through Amazon. It is on clear vinyl with black and silver splatter and was limited to 500 copies. It includes a unique hype sticker noting that it's an Amazon exclusive along with the color of vinyl being mentioned and a small blurb about the album. The hype sticker doesn't mention the quantity made for this pressing but the Amazon listing where you could buy it mentioned it being limited to 500 copies.
Some photos taken from amazon.com.
USA LP [Kill Rock Stars KRS541; white in clear vinyl with black splatter 2023 reissue]
This reissue of the Introduction compilation album was available exclusively through Newbury Comics. It is on white in clear vinyl with black splatter and was limited to 500 copies. It includes a unique hype sticker noting that it's a Newbury exclusive along with the color of vinyl being mentioned and that it's limited to 500 copies. The sticker also has a barcode on it.
Some photos taken from discogs.com.
USA LP [Kill Rock Stars KRS541; indie exclusive silver vinyl 2024 reissue]
This compilation was reissued again in 2024 on silver vinyl. This is labeled as indie exclusive vinyl meaning it was supposedly sold just through independent record stores. There is no information on how many were pressed as far as I know. It comes with a hype sticker on the front cover as seen in the photos below. Other than that and the vinyl color, it should be identical to all past pressings.
Photos below taken from discogs.com.
Photos below taken from discogs.com.
USA CD [Kill Rock Stars KRS541]
This is the original US CD pressing of this compilation album. The front artwork is the same as on the LP except it's cropped a bit. Elliott's left arm is cut off on the CD version while it's visible on the LP. The song listing on the back doesn't have a space between songs 7 and 8. It's just listed in one long list since this is the CD version and there are not two sides. It comes with an eight page booklet that has all the same information as the insert from the LP. Barcode according to Discogs is 759656054126.
USA Promo CD [Kill Rock Stars KRS541]
The album was promoted in the US with this promo CD put out by Kill Rock Stars. It does not come with a front insert. It only comes with a back insert that has both the front artwork from the commercially released CD and the song listing from the back of the regular release. Unlike most CD versions (but like the LP), the photo of Elliott is not cropped and you can see his whole left arm. There is also promotional and copyright information on this insert and it mentions the release date. It also states that it's for promotional use only and not for sale. The CD itself looks exactly the same as the commercial release. Some copies have a sticker on the front of the jewel case from Terrorbird, a publicity/licensing company, with details on masters and publishing along with a paragraph about Elliott and his music.
Some photos taken from discogs.com.
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Europe LP [Domino WIGLP265]
This European pressing of the LP came out in 2010 upon the album's initial release. According to Discogs, a sticker on the front states that it comes on 180g vinyl. It appears to include the same insert as the US LP. Like the 2017 reissue in the entry below, the album title and the catalog number on the spine are printed much smaller than on all the Kill Rock Stars pressing. Other than that, the packaging is identical to other pressings other than record label/legal info. Barcode according to Discogs is 5 034202 026518.
Europe LP [Universal Music Group 4752948; 180g 2017 reissue]
This reissue was part of Universal's Back to Black vinyl series and is on 180g vinyl. The front of the shrink wrap has the typical Back to Black series sticker on it. Elliott's name and the album name are written significantly smaller on the spine than on all the KRS copies of this record. Barcode according to Discogs is 0602547529480.
Europe CD [Universal International Music 0602547529473]
This CD is listed on Discogs as being a 2010 pressing and all dates on the packaging only mention 2010. But since it's on Universal (who reissued the vinyl in 2017), perhaps it actually came out in 2017? Mostly everything about the packaging on this is the same as the US pressing other then record label/copyright info, etc. It does say made in EU on the CD face but also mentions the Netherlands on it too. Barcode according to Discogs is 0602547529473.
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Japan CD [P-Vine/Kill Rock Stars PCD-22342]
Unlike most Japanese pressings, this one does not add any extra tracks. It comes in a jewel case and has an obi as most Japanese pressings do. According to Discogs, it comes with a 20 page booklet with Larry Crane's liner notes in Japanese and lyrics in both Japanese and English. This is in addition to the typical booklet that it also comes with. The face of the CD is silver for this Japanese pressing while pressings from all other countries I've seen have a white CD face (see photo below). Barcode/matrix info according to Discogs:
- Barcode: 4 995879 223420
- Matrix / Runout: PCD-22342 MT C01
- Mastering SID Code: IFPI L263
- Mould SID Code: IFPI 4477
Some photos taken from discogs.com.
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South Korea CD [Domino WIGCD265SK]
This CD from South Korea comes in a standard jewel case. The front of the shrink wrap has a round sticker that is all in Korean. It comes with the typical booklet for this release plus an extra 12 page booklet that is unique to this release (see a few photos below). It has the typical Domino catalog number but with SK added to the end, so it's WIGCD265SK. Barcode is 8 804795 015759
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Taiwan CD [Domino WIGCD265TW]
This pressing from Taiwan comes in a standard jewel case. It has an obi that goes around the left side of the jewel case. The only English words on the obi are Elliott Smith, An Introduction To, Miss Misery, and Angeles. The copies I have seen only have the normal booklet but no special booklet for this specific pressing. The back cover states that it was made in Taiwan. Barcode/matrix info according to Discogs:
- Barcode: 4 714127 662473
- Rights Society: BIEM/MCPS
- Label Code: LC 10192
Some photos taken from discogs.com.
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UK/Europe CD [Domino WIGCD265]
There is very little info on the Discogs listing for this exact pressing and no photos unique to this pressing. Typically, the Domino UK/Europe pressings are identical to the US pressings other than record label/copyright details. Barcode/matrix info according to Discogs:
- Barcode (Scanned): 5034202026525
- Label Code: LC 10192
- Rights Society: BIEM/MCPS
UK/Europe Promo CD [Domino WIGCD265P]
This is a promo copy of the CD put out by Domino in 2010. It comes in a slimline jewel case. The art is the same as the original US CD but a little less cropped, as a bit more of Elliott's left arm is visible. The left side of the front artwork also has a black strip stating that it's a promotional copy and not for sale. The back part of the insert looks similar to the regular CD back with the songs listed there. The written information by Larry Crane from the original CD is not present at all in this promo. The CD itself is very similar to the commercial pressings.
Some photos taken from discogs.com.