Bernie LaBarge Bargin' In Deluxe Edition 2-Disc Remastered AOR Album

For a classic AOR listen with room to explore beyond the original album, Bernie LaBarge’s Bargin' In Deluxe Edition brings the remastered release together with rare and previously unreleased tracks. It’s a two-disc set centered on the Canadian guitarist and singer-songwriter’s work.

If you’re looking for a focused return to the album, the remastered presentation keeps Bargin' In at the center. If you want a broader look at its associated sessions and material, the expanded edition adds more than a dozen rare and unreleased tracks.

The collection also offers a way to explore LaBarge’s music in the context of his career as a performer and songwriter. Its archival additions make this release more than a straightforward reissue.

At a glance

Bargin' In is a classic AOR album by Bernie LaBarge, presented here as a fully remastered Deluxe Edition expanded to two discs. The added material includes “Catwalk,” from 1972, and a remix of “Work For Me,” a song famously covered by Long John Baldry. These selections give listeners specific points of connection to the wider material gathered for this edition, while the original album remains its focus.

The remaster and remixes draw on original multitrack tapes digitized by Metalworks Studios in Toronto. Remix engineers David Tedesco, Terry Brown, and Mike Duncan, along with mastering engineers JK Northrup, Joao Carvalho, and Abbey Road engineers, contributed to the release. For listeners interested in how a classic recording is revisited, that process is part of the edition’s appeal.

Practical tips

Approach the set as both an album and an expanded release: start with Bargin' In for LaBarge’s original AOR work, then explore the additional tracks for a wider view of the music assembled here. The confirmed highlights include the 1972 recording “Catwalk” and the “Work For Me” remix, making them useful reference points when browsing the expanded material.

This edition also has context beyond one release. LaBarge was active in Canadian bands including Bond, Rain, Sweet Blindness, Zwol, Stem, Stingaree, and The Dexters, and later worked with artists such as Kim Mitchell, David Clayton-Thomas, and Long John Baldry. That background helps place the album within a broader career in Canadian music without taking the focus away from the record itself.

Best use cases

Choose this release for a classic AOR album experience with additional archival material, or when you want to explore Bernie LaBarge’s work beyond a single familiar track. The two-disc format suits listeners who value an expanded edition, while the remaster offers a fresh presentation of sessions revisited using their original multitrack tapes.

It can also make sense for listeners following the people and recordings connected to Canadian rock. The inclusion of “Work For Me” is especially relevant if you know the song through Long John Baldry’s version and want to hear LaBarge’s associated material in this expanded album setting. Those looking primarily for the core album can focus there, those drawn to rarities have the added tracks to explore.

Is it worth it?

Bargin' In stands out as a two-disc remastered edition that combines LaBarge’s classic AOR album with more than a dozen rare and unreleased tracks. Its named highlights, including “Catwalk” and a remix of “Work For Me,” give the expansion a clear connection to the artist’s wider musical story. For listeners who want the album itself alongside substantial additional material, this edition brings both into one release.