Under Japanese influence...
Following on from the current EMI Japan mini sleeve reissues, Sony Music in Japan plan to release the last five David Bowie studio albums: 01. Outside, Earthling, 'hours...', Heathen and Reality, in a similar format.
However, as far as I can make out, these releases (commonly referred to as paper jacket editions) are aimed more at the Japanese market with no plans to export in the way that EMI Japan have made their editions available worldwide.
Also, they obviously won't be 'vinyl replicas', particularly as two of the albums, 'hours...', and Reality never received an official vinyl release and Outside was only released as a heavily edited vinyl LP.
Here's a summary of all five releases:
OUTSIDE (5119349) (re-issue of the original 2-CD UK Version)
EARTHLING (5119359) (re-issue of the original 2-CD UK Version)
HOURS (5119369) (re-issue of the original 2-CD UK Version)
I'm presuming the above will be the same as the double disc versions that were made available in the UK in 2004, pictured above. (06.22.04 NEWS: LIMITED EDITION SONY DBL DISCS DUE FOR SEPTEMBER & 08/28/04 NEWS: FIVE SETS OF SONY REISSUES TO BE WON)
HEATHEN + Bonus Tracks:
Sunday (Moby Remix)
A Better Future (Remix by Air)
Conversation Piece
Panic In Detroit (Outtake from a 1979 recording)
Wood Jackson (bonus track from the original Japanese version of HEATHEN)
REALITY + Bonus Track:
Waterloo Sunset (bonus track from the original Japanese version of REALITY)
At the moment these reissues are scheduled for a March 21st release. We're hoping to get some competition copies of these too...you'll be the first to know when we have.
Speaking of vinyl editions, wouldn't a vinyl box set of all five of the above be nice? It's good to sow a seed sometimes.