2003 reissue of album originally released in 1989, includes three bonus tracks, 'Fingernail Moon', 'Two Minute Pop Song' & 'Nightshade'. Digipak. Restless.

In the mid-'80s, the last thing the world expected from the frosty hometown of Prince and the Replacements was a band that perfectly captured the spirit of Gram Parsons. Long before anyone had heard of alt-country, the Jayhawks redefined the Minneapolis sound and damn near perfected it on this 1989 sophomore effort. From the evocative pop of "Two Angels" to the hauntingly resonant "I'm Still Dreaming, Now I'm Yours," it's less rock-centric than the group's subsequent George Drakoulias-produced albums, but no less memorable. All in all, a perfect showcase for Mark Olson and Gary Louris's songwriting and harmonies. --Bill Forman

Originally released in 1989, Blue Earth collects early Jayhawks demo recordings made between 1986 and 1989. While the band had produced a very limited run of their self-titled debut in 1986, this was the first mainstream release to provide a showcase for the songwriting tandem of Mark Olson and Gary Louris--a kind of Midwestern Lennon and McCartney who brought their bittersweet vocal harmonies and opaque lyrics to a nascent alt-country scene. Still rough around the edges, Blue Earth shows the young band very much in the thrall of the Byrds ("Five Cups of Coffee") and Gram Parsons in particular ("Commonplace Streets," "The Baltimore Sun," "Sioux City"). But also here are two impeccable songs that point the way forward: the sublime "Two Angels" and "Martin’s Song." Both would resurface in more polished form on their masterful follow-up Hollywood Town Hall. This 2003 reissue includes three previously unreleased tracks--"Fingernail Moon," "Two Minute Pop Song," and "Nightshade"--that are effective examples of the band at this formative period. Sure, greater things were just over the horizon, but no serious Jayhawks fan will want to overlook Blue Earth. --Mark Walker