Some 80s synthpop records do more than withstand their era; they remain a vital part of club culture long after their debut. Forty years after its release, Book of Love’s self-titled album is returning in a special anniversary edition. With the band’s songs still spun by DJs worldwide, and the album’s breakthrough single “Boy” finding fresh attention after its appearance in the 2025 film Companion, the timing feels especially apt.
Rhino Records will release the remastered 40th Anniversary edition of Book of Love’s self-titled debut on June 26 as a clear-vinyl pressing, marking the first official vinyl reissue of the album since its original release. The set will include refreshed artwork created with original art director Nick Egan, a four-page insert featuring outtakes from Michael Halsband’s original photo session, and new liner notes by music historian Kurt B. Reighley.
Originally issued on April 1, 1986, Book of Love introduced the New York synth-pop quartet’s mix of drum-machine propulsion, crystalline hooks, and emotionally charged songwriting with tracks including “Boy,” “I Touch Roses,” and “You Make Me Feel So Good.” The band’s trajectory changed after a demo reached DJ and producer Ivan Ivan, who passed it on to Sire Records founder Seymour Stein, leading to the group’s recording contract and placing Book of Love among the era’s emerging synthpop vanguard.
The group — Susan Ottaviano, Ted Ottaviano, Jade Lee, and Lauren Roselli — soon found itself in bigger rooms, opening for Depeche Mode in 1985 and again in 1986 during the Black Celebration era, a pairing that helped cement Book of Love’s place in the wider synth-pop conversation on both sides of the Atlantic.
The anniversary edition has been remastered by original engineer Ted Jensen. Rhino says the release also features updated packaging created in collaboration with Egan to mark the album’s 40th birthday, along with new reflections on the record’s making and legacy drawn from interviews with founding members Susan Ottaviano and Ted Ottaviano.
A new remix of “Boy” by Grammy-winning producer Dave Audé is out now to coincide with the announcement. Written by Ted Ottaviano, “Boy” remains one of the album’s defining songs, centered on a bright, bell-like chime motif that gives the track its buoyant, almost weightless feel. Beneath that glow, however, the song sketches a quiet emotional imbalance: a narrator reaching toward someone who remains just out of grasp, romantically and emotionally out of step.
In later interviews, Ottaviano explained that “Boy” was inspired by Boy Bar, the exclusive gay club in Manhattan’s East Village, giving the single a specific New York cultural anchor beneath its broader ache of longing. That friction between brightness and hurt helped make the song an underground club touchstone, particularly among LGBTQ+ listeners, and remains central to the album’s lasting appeal four decades later. Its recent appearance in Companion has only added another layer to that afterlife, placing the song before a new generation of listeners.
Marking 40 years since the release of their self-titled debut, Book of Love said they were especially happy to see Rhino issue the newly remastered album on vinyl as well as digitally, adding that the record has never sounded better.
They added: “Working with Rhino on this anniversary vinyl edition has truly been a labor of love. This album has always had a life of its own, and it’s been incredibly meaningful to revisit it. We’ve been fortunate to reunite much of the original creative team for this special release. We’re so grateful for the love this record has received over the years and are excited to celebrate this milestone with all of you. Stay tuned, more to come!” – Susan, Ted, Jade, and Lauren
The 40th anniversary edition of Book of Love is due out June 26 via Rhino Records. Pre-order here.
Dave Audé’s remix of “Boy” is available now. Listen here.
Follow Book of Love:
The post NYC Synthpop Quartet Book of Love to Release 40th Anniversary Edition of Self-Titled Debut appeared first on Post-Punk.com.
