20th Anniversary Deluxe 2LP Reissue Marks Album's First Appearance on Vinyl; Newly Mastered by George Horn and Anne-Marie Suenramat at Fantasy Studios with Four Bonus Tracks

Craft Recordings offer up a deluxe 20th anniversary reissue of Filter's platinum-selling, sophomore album Title of Record, newly remastered and available on vinyl for the first time with four bonus tracks: "(Can't You) Trip Like I Do" (originally recorded for the cult-classic soundtrack Spawn The Album), "Jurassitol" (previously released on The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), plus remixes of the singles "The Best Things (Humble Brothers Remix)" and "Take a Picture (H&H Remix)." The 2LP-set also features new liner notes by author, journalist, and Side Jams podcast host Bryan Reesman.

First released in 1999, Title of Record was a sonic breakthrough for the Cleveland, OH band. Following four years as a touring guitarist for Nine Inch Nails, primary member Richard Patrick formed Filter in 1993 with guitarist and programmer Brian Liesegang. Their 1995 debut, Short Bus, blended industrial pop with post-grunge metal, and became a best-seller, thanks to the hit single "Hey Man Nice Shot." Though Liesegang departed the band just two years later, Patrick enlisted two of his touring band members (guitarist Geno Leonardo and bassist Frank Cavanaugh), along with drummer Steven Gillis, to work with him in the studio. D'Arcy Wretzky of The Smashing Pumpkins and cellist Eric Remschneider (The Smashing Pumpkins, Veruca Salt, Plain White T's) were also collaborators.

The recording process for Title of Record was not so straightforward. The album took over four years to record, due in part to strife between bandmates, Patrick's struggles with substance abuse, and a tumultuous affair between Patrick and Wretzky (which was anonymously woven into many of the songs on the album, including "Miss Blue," "It's Gonna Kill Me" and "I'm Not the Only One"). In the reissue's liner notes, Patrick recalls, "My behavior started getting worse, and my temper would flare up. It was hard dealing with me high...and coming down from that."

Dark as the themes were on Title of Record, the album was melodically diverse, offering a more radio-friendly sound than Short Bus, with lush, vocal harmonies, introspective lyrics and even touches of psychedelia. Perhaps the best example of this is in the album's second single, "Take a Picture," which would go on to become the band's biggest hit. Written about Patrick's inebriated antics on a plane trip, the languid melodies portrayed the musician's state of mind at the time. "[The song had] this luscious bed of gorgeous chords and dreamy sound because itʼs what drugs feel like," explains Patrick (who has been sober since 2002). "It was the reality of being a drug addict or an alcoholic – Iʼm either dreaming or Iʼm not."

Upon its release, Title of Record was a commercial victory, peaking at the Number 30 spot on the Billboard 200, and opening the door for nearly a year of touring by the band. The album also won wide critical acclaim – Entertainment Weekly declared that Filter's "Attention to melody and craft is refreshing," while Rolling Stone praised Patrick as, "The most expressive and daring of the new industrial rockers, the most willing to expose the vulnerability that lurks behind the jackboots and black leather trench coat." Listening to the album again, 20 years later, Patrick reflects, "Title of Record is Filter's crowning achievement. Our signature album. It's amazing how much I loved making this record even though it almost killed me."

Features:
• 20th anniversary deluxe vinyl 2LP reissue from Craft Recordings
• Available on vinyl for the first time
• Mastered by George Horn and Anne-Marie Suenramat at Fantasy Studios
• Includes four bonus tracks
• New liner notes by Bryan Reesman