THE REVEREND SHAWN AMOS Celebrates 25 Years of Harlem with Remixed and Remastered Anniversary Via East Iris Records
- Kaylor Girls
- Sep 8
- 2 min read
Twenty-five years after its original release, The Reverend Shawn Amos’ acclaimed debut album, Harlem, returns in a fully remixed and remastered 25th Anniversary Edition, available now via East Iris Records.
Originally released in 2000, Harlem was a striking and unconventional debut that wove together elements of blues, folk, country, and gospel—while telling personal and historical stories rooted in Black American experience. At a time when the pop charts were dominated by boy bands and glossy production, Amos offered something timeless and unflinchingly honest.
Now, the 25th Anniversary Edition brings renewed clarity and intimacy to the music. Longtime collaborator and producer Pat Kraus—who mixed the original album in 1999 from a home studio setup in Burbank, CA—has returned to remix the record using the original Roland VS-880 files and today’s tools. The result is a vibrant reimagining of an album that has quietly endured through word of mouth and critical acclaim.
Signature tracks such as “Independence Day,” “Blackface,” and “Vicious Circle” are newly mixed to highlight Amos’ distinctive vocal performances, full of raw emotion and lyrical depth. What began as a modest, DIY project among friends has aged into a deeply resonant work that feels more relevant than ever.
“It really was overwhelming in so many ways,” Amos said after hearing the new mixes. “I’m still processing, to be honest. And continue to be so grateful that this full circle has happened with us.”
In celebration of the reissue, Shawn Amos will perform Harlem live in its entirety at AmericanaFest in Nashville next month, followed by selections from his recent funk-driven release, Dance Party!—marking a rare and powerful convergence of past and present on stage.
The album’s themes of identity, injustice, generational trauma, and resilience remain urgent in today’s cultural landscape. Music writer and cultural critic Ernest Hardy, in new liner notes for the anniversary edition, writes: “Shawn sings with a sincerity at odds with the template crooning that now infects so much American singing… Anyone who’s listened to his music immediately feels the heart there, his desire to connect from the deepest part of himself.”
Harlem was originally recorded in apartments across Los Angeles—bedrooms turned into vocal booths, lunch breaks used to track drums in living rooms, upright pianos dragged upstairs by hand. The sessions featured contributions from musicians including Marc Olson of The Jayhawks and Neil Young & Crazy Horse guitarist Poncho Sampedro.
Upon its original release, Harlem received strong critical praise but limited commercial attention, with only a small number of CDs pressed. Digital distribution was not yet widespread. Over the years, the album has gained a cult following among fans and fellow musicians for its lyrical power, genre fusion, and unfiltered emotional honesty.
This 25th Anniversary Edition includes remixed and remastered versions of the original songs, newly written liner notes from both Ernest Hardy and Pat Kraus, and will be available in digital, CD, and limited-edition vinyl formats. Select editions may include previously unreleased material and archival live recordings from the Harlem era.
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