Ten Years After – Sssssh (1969): 2025 Reissue Review
3CD Deluxe Edition & Double Vinyl
The reissue campaign for classic rock continues to gain momentum, and today I’m looking at one of the true milestones of late-60s British blues-rock: Ten Years After’s 1969 breakthrough album, Sssssh. This new 2025 edition arrives in two formats — a beautifully presented 3CD mediabook and a double vinyl LP — both offering a fresh stereo mix, the original 1969 version, and a blistering live recording from Helsinki, also from ’69.
For anyone discovering Ten Years After for the first time, or for seasoned fans who’ve travelled with Alvin Lee and the band for decades, this reissue provides a superb opportunity to re-engage with one of their defining moments.
Inside the 3CD Edition
The 3CD mediabook set is wonderfully put together. Inside the sturdy, glossy package you’ll find:
CD1: The brand-new 2025 stereo mix
CD2: The remastered original 1969 mix
CD3: Live in Helsinki 1969 — an absolutely ferocious performance
The booklet is excellent: background on the band, period clippings, imagery, essays, and credits for all mixes and remastering. I’ve always loved memorabilia-driven packaging, and this set really leans into that nostalgic, tactile experience. It feels curated with fans in mind, presenting Sssssh through the lens of its era as well as its new sonic identity.
If you want maximum content, this is the edition to go for — and many Ten Years After fans will likely pick up both formats for different listening moods.
Inside the 2LP Vinyl Edition
The double vinyl edition mirrors the classy approach used for Robin Trower and UFO reissues:
LP 1: 2025 stereo mix
LP 2: Live in Helsinki 1969
It comes housed in a gatefold sleeve featuring the original back-cover essay, new notes, replicated artwork from the CD booklet, and some great period photos.
There’s also an OB strip, now familiar from these reissue campaigns, highlighting the album’s key features — 2025 mix, live material, mastering and cutting by Air Mastering, etc. I tend to tuck mine inside the sleeve to keep them pristine.
While the inner sleeves aren’t polylined, they are glossy and printed with text and artwork, offering a premium feel. The vinyl labels feature the striking red Sssssh emblem.
The presentation is elegant, respectful, and beautifully consistent with the accompanying CD series.
About the Album – Why Sssssh Matters
Originally released in 1969, Sssssh was a turning point for Ten Years After. It captured the band stepping into a new level of confidence and power, blending blues roots with a more urgent, electrified approach that would soon make them festival favourites — most famously at Woodstock.
Tracks like “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl,” “I Don’t Know That You Don’t Know My Name,” and “I Woke Up This Morning” showcase Alvin Lee’s increasingly explosive guitar technique, backed by the tight rhythmic foundation of Leo Lyons, Chick Churchill and Ric Lee.
It’s an album that bridges pure blues-rock with the more improvisational fire that would soon define the band’s live identity.
The 2025 Stereo Mix vs. the 1969 Original
A key part of this reissue is the brand-new stereo mix.
Let me be clear: this isn’t about replacing history. The original mix still sounds superb, and it remains a vital document of its time. But the 2025 mix gives you a different viewpoint — fresh clarity, more space, and a slightly more modern presentation while still respecting the album’s DNA.
For me, it’s simply another way to experience music I love.
Both are valid, both enjoyable, neither overwrites the other.
Live in Helsinki 1969
I actually jumped back into this review during editing because the live recording deserves special attention. The more I listened, the more I felt compelled to highlight how extraordinary it is.
Yes, there are moments when the vocals feel slightly distant — but the guitar tone, the energy, and the sheer velocity of Alvin Lee’s playing are astonishing. This is a guitarist in full flight.
Highlights:
“Spoonful” – a molten, improvisational workout with jaw-dropping speed
“I Can’t Keep From Crying Sometimes” – not just blues phrasing, but genuine jazz lines played with lightning precision
A band completely locked in, sounding dangerous, exciting and utterly alive
Back in the day, many of us were listening to Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, and others pushing boundaries. It’s easy to forget now just how fiery and technically astonishing Alvin Lee was. This recording puts that firmly back into perspective.
It makes you wonder where he might have gone had he pursued his jazz leanings more openly — the potential direction is fascinating.
For fans of blues-rock, improvisation, power trios/quartets, and vintage live recordings, this is essential listening.
This 2025 reissue of Ten Years After – Sssssh is superb.
The packaging is strong across both formats, the mixes complement each other beautifully, and the live material is nothing short of revelatory.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or stepping into Ten Years After for the first time, this is a superb way to experience the band at a pivotal moment.
I’m also pleased to see Chris Kimsey and the team continuing this run of Ten Years After, UFO, and Robin Trower titles with such care. These are exactly the kinds of reissues that keep the legacy of physical media not just alive, but thriving.
If you’re a fan, you’ll love it.
If you’re new, you could do far worse than starting right here.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
