Laid

*Laid* proved to be James’ best known and most critically revered album. Though recorded concurrently with their follow-up album (*Wah Wah*) in a six-week period at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Complex with producer Brian Eno, *Laid* was considered the more conventional, song-oriented collection. This deluxe edition adds demos, live tracks, radio sessions, B-sides, and previously unreleased rarities to better understand the era and to collect all the relevant material regarding *Laid* in one place. A B-side such as “The Lake” is evidence that the original 13-track album wasn’t long enough to feature all the session highlights.

After having become superstars in the U.K. with songs like "Sit Down" and then undergone an acoustic American tour opening for Neil Young, James took a consciously quieter, subtler turn with its follow-up to Seven, Laid.