Boston's favorite purveyors of slowcore melancholy, Horse Jumper of Love, are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their debut album the only way a band in 2025 knows how: by reissuing it with a bunch of stuff nobody asked for but everyone will secretly want. The deluxe edition, out September 25 via Run for Cover, includes remastered originals, unreleased tracks, demos, and alternate takes. And because the universe has a sense of humor, they've also dug up "Heather," a song recorded in 2013 that was apparently too raw for the original release - now it's out for the world to hear.
The original album, released on Disposable America, became an underground staple in the DIY slowcore and shoegaze scenes through sheer word of mouth - because nothing says 'DIY' like a band that name-drops a museum security guard in their liner notes. The deluxe version is a 2xLP vinyl pressing that comes with a tab book of the nine original songs hand-drawn by singer-guitarist Dimitri Giannopoulos, an essay about the album's making, pictures from first tours, scans of handwritten notes-turned-lyrics Giannopoulos wrote while working as a museum security guard, and - wait for it - 'one secret.' Because nothing says 'mysterious' like a band that's been around a decade and still can't resist a good tease.
But that's not all. The band is also hitting the road for a North American and European tour where they'll perform their self-titled album in full - because why not relive your youth in front of strangers? The U.S. and Canada leg kicks off September 25 in Brooklyn at Warsaw and winds through Los Angeles (The Regent), Austin (Antone's), Chicago (two nights at Empty Bottle, because one night of slowcore isn't enough), Detroit, Toronto, and Montreal before wrapping October 23. Then, after a brief pause to catch their breath, they fly to London for a November jaunt across Europe, including stops at Pitchfork Festival in London, plus shows in Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Paris, Bruges, Amsterdam, Berlin, Athens, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Bucharest, Lisbon, Barcelona, Madrid, and Dublin. Because if you're going to be melancholic, you might as well do it internationally.
For those keeping score at home, the deluxe tracklist features 22 songs, including the original nine, plus gems like 'Heather (2013),' 'Hole (Electric),' 'Ugly Brunette (4-Track),' and the ominously titled 'Trees or Tape Hiss.' It's a treasure trove for completists and a headache for anyone who thought they had the album memorized. And if you're wondering what a 'tab book' is, it's exactly what it sounds like: guitar tabs, hand-drawn, because even in the digital age, there's something charming about a band that still thinks in paper.
So mark your calendars, book your flights, and prepare to hear 'Spaceman' live for the hundredth time - because Horse Jumper of Love are determined to make sure you never forget their debut, even if you tried.