Grandaddy, the California indie rock group, marked the 20th anniversary of their seminal 2000 album The Sophtware Slump with a special reissue. The 20th anniversary edition, released on November 20, 2020, comes as a 4xLP set via Dangerbird Records, which includes the remastered version of the original The Sophtware Slump album, Sophtware Slump … On a Wooden Piano, a new version of the album where Grandaddy’s core songwriter Jason Lytle performs the entire album solo on piano, creating a stripped-back, intimate take on the original material, and two LPs of rarities that include previously unreleased material like the Signal to Snow Ratio EP and Through a Frosty Plate Glass EP, which are available on vinyl for the first time.
The new piano version, Sophtware Slump … On a Wooden Piano, was born out of the global pandemic, which, as Jason Lytle shared in a press release, unexpectedly led him to a deadline for completing the project. Lytle’s approach for this version was to strip down the electronic textures of the original album, focusing on the emotive strength of the songs through solo piano arrangements. The release was a return to simplicity, echoing the DIY ethos of their early years.
To accompany the release, Grandaddy also shared a video for the piano version of “Jed’s Other Poem (Beautiful Ground),” giving fans a preview of the new rendition of this classic track.
This anniversary reissue not only honors the original album but also brings fresh life to it with the addition of new material, giving both longtime fans and new listeners a chance to explore the beloved Sophtware Slump era in a new light.
