In January 1972 the Flatlanders travelled to Tommy Allsup's Odessa, TX studio at the urging of a local radio DJ. The 14 songs recorded on reel-to-reel tape arguably marked the birth of alternative country music. Celebrating their 40th anniversary, the founding fathers of Americana release a collection of these recordings as The Odessa Tapes, which capture the blend of country, folk, roots and cosmic energy the Flatlanders pioneered. Also included is a DVD featuring an interview about the early days of their career, and a booklet that includes unreleased archival photos. Limited edition 180-gram vinyl will also be available.