Rock — All Formats  

The Rittor Music Japan Bible Of Extreme Metal – a discography book that covers brutal music in a beautiful way! The cover art is extremely metal – but the book actually covers more than just "extreme metal" – it spans the metal genre from it's origins to today – and in exhaustive detail! The text is mostly in Japanese, with the exception of the chapter titles, band names and album titles – but the appeal of the book is largely visual! It assembles the album cover art of key titles in a bunch of categories – including the precedent-setting early legends, the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, Thrash, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Grindcore, Gothic Metal, Hardcore and more. Paperback, 252 pages.

Easily one of our favorite albums by Tim Buckley – and a record that really opens up with some key jazzy touches! Buckley's still got his roots in folk here, and his vocals are yet to hit the extremes of Starsailor or Lorca – but there's also a new sense of inflection to the way he puts over the lyrics, shaded in by use of vibes, kalimba, harmonium, and harpsichord – the latter two of which are played on the session by Don Randi! Tracks are relatively short, but high in concept – and include the protest song "No Man Can Find The War", plus "Hallucinations", "Phantasmagoria In Two", "Carnival Song", "Pleasant Street", "Morning Glory", and "Goodbye & Hello".

A seminal album by El Kinto – a short-lived but crucially important group in the Uruguay rock scene of the late 60s! El Kinto were a seminal link between the beat group sounds of the earlier South American scene, and some of the headier, tripper work to come in the psychedelic years – and their music was an unusual blend of local roots and more ambitious rock – served up in styles that were somewhat different than the candombe music of other artists on the scene. Core rock instrumentation was often augmented by a bit of Latin percussion – used in a way that created a nicely earthy feel at the bottom of most of the tunes, which was in contrast to the cleaner, but also somewhat spare use of guitars on the top. There's a criss-crossing sensibility here that's not unlike Brazilian Tropicalia at times – although clearly not as politically motivated, nor as culturally radical – and what really blows us away about these tunes is the overall sense of sound – a simple, but extremely effective placement of all the simplest elements, to create music without easy comparison (even though we've been trying for the last few lines!) Group members include percussionist Ruben Rada and South American rock legend Eduardo Mateo – and the album features 14 tracks that include "Jose", "Mejor Me Voy", "Don Pascual"," Voy Pensando", "Esa Tristeza", "Yo Volvere Por Ti", "Estoy Sin Ti", and "Pippo". Great reissue – very heavy vinyl and cover, and with an insert with notes!

Extremely heady work from the French scene of the early 70s – and hardly the Latin Rock album you might guess from the title! Ergo Sum have a sound that's as contemplative as their name – a slow-building, almost brooding blend of jamming, jazzy work on flute, Fender Rhodes, organ, guitar, violin, bass, and drums – all topped by the distinctive vocals of Lionel Ledissez, who's got a raspy, rough-edged appeal that almost sounds like Cat Stevens gone to seed! The lyrics are all in English, which adds to the appeal of the record – and the flute and keyboard parts are handled by Jean Guerin. Titles include "Night Road", "John's Nightmare", "Faces", "Second Rebirth", and "Albdion Impressions". As with all Lion reissues, the production is wonderful – lots of notes and photos on the music, plus bonus tracks that include "Mexico (inst)", "It's Me", "Tijuana", and "All's So Comic".

An amazing record from the young Lee Hazlewood – recorded in the years before working with Nancy Sinatra, and done with a very hip edge that stretches way past its date of origin – to a time ten years later, when the LA scene would be in the midst of a fascination with country and roots music! Hazlewood is the lost link in that tradition, and this album is key proof of that fact – served up with a mixture of warmth, cynicism, and just plain wit that was extremely unusual for the early 60s. Lee uses the fictional town of Trouble as the setting for the 10 little story tracks in the album – which are great little songs about love, life, not loving, and not living. The music is deceptively simple, and Hazlewood weaves the songs together with narration that brings the whole thing alive nicely – really showcasing the warmth and wit that makes his music so special. Titles include "We All Make The Flowers Grow", "Six Feet Of Chain", "Trouble Is A Lonesome Town", "The Railroad", "Run Boy Run", "Son Of A Gun", and "Look At That Woman". Rare mono mix, beautifully presented with great sound and loads of notes – and also features a huge amount of bonus tracks too! Bonus tracks include "It's An Actuality", "Forth Worth", "I Guess It's Love", and the incredible promo-only "Lee Hazlewood Autobiography" – which features Hazlewood telling his life story set to his own acoustic guitar playing, with even more wit than on the album – plus two vocal tunes with Duane Eddy – "The Girl On Death Row" and "Words Mean Nothing" – and four more recorded under the name of Mark Robinson – "Pretty Jane", "Want Me", "Can't Let Her See Me Cry", and "I've Made Enough Mistakes Today".

An amazing record from the young Lee Hazlewood – recorded in the years before working with Nancy Sinatra, and done with a very hip edge that stretches way past its date of origin – to a time ten years later, when the LA scene would be in the midst of a fascination with country and roots music! Hazlewood is the lost link in that tradition, and this album is key proof of that fact – served up with a mixture of warmth, cynicism, and just plain wit that was extremely unusual for the early 60s. Lee uses the fictional town of Trouble as the setting for the 10 little story tracks in the album – which are great little songs about love, life, not loving, and not living. The music is deceptively simple, and Hazlewood weaves the songs together with narration that brings the whole thing alive nicely – really showcasing the warmth and wit that makes his music so special. Titles include "We All Make The Flowers Grow", "Six Feet Of Chain", "Trouble Is A Lonesome Town", "The Railroad", "Run Boy Run", "Son Of A Gun", and "Look At That Woman". Rare mono mix, beautifully presented with great sound and loads of notes – and also features a huge amount of bonus tracks too! Bonus tracks include "It's An Actuality", "Forth Worth", "I Guess It's Love", and the incredible promo-only "Lee Hazlewood Autobiography" – which features Hazlewood telling his life story set to his own acoustic guitar playing, with even more wit than on the album – plus two vocal tunes with Duane Eddy – "The Girl On Death Row" and "Words Mean Nothing" – and four more recorded under the name of Mark Robinson – "Pretty Jane", "Want Me", "Can't Let Her See Me Cry", and "I've Made Enough Mistakes Today".

The Incredible String Band are paired down to the core duo of Mike Heron & Robin Williamson for their third and possibly best album – the truly incredible Hangman's Beautiful Daughter – using the studio as a most impressive adjunct member of the group at this point! This is an extremely talented pair – each playing myriad instruments – sitar, organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord, gimbri, whistle, pipe, oud, mandolin, mouth harps and more. Previous vocal collaborator Licorice sings on one song, and Dolly Collins and David Snell contribute flute organ, piano and harp – but the main duos incredible way of layering their magic with multitracking in the studio the real masterstroke of the effort. Titles include "Koeoaddi There", "Witch's Hat", "The Water Song", "Swift As The Wind", "Nightfall", "Waltz Of The New Moon", "Three Is A Green Crown" and more.

An incredible record from Labi Siffre – spare, simple, and totally beautiful – in a space beyond category! The album is the sort that should have been a real standout in the 70s – early work by one of the freshest songwriters to hit the British scene, sung in a style that's a bit jazzy, a bit soulful – with playful inflections that never get in the way of the beautiful lyrics at all. Labi's got a unique blend of modes here that ranks with a rare few in music – Terry Callier, Joni Mitchell, and a few other beyond-category artists from the same generation. The whole thing's extremely beautiful – and Labi's voice and guitar are backed by some subtle arrangements that shade in the bottom with electric keys, a bit of bass, spare strings – and sometimes nothing at all! Titles include "Thank You Lucky Star", "Bless The Telephone", "There's Nothing In The World Like Love", "You're Lovely", "A Number Of Words", "Who Do You See", "Not So Long Ago", "Relax", and "Interlude". CD also features 6 bonus tracks that include "Oh What A Day", "Seasons Come Seasons Go", "Get To The Country", and "Fallin For You".

A much-needed look at the incredible German music scene of the 70s – a sprawling landscape of prog, fusion, electronics, and more – all put together beautifully here with the usual completeness we've come to expect from Soul Jazz! Many of the names are familiar – the sorts you've either passed by in the record racks, or seen priced up high in the collectible imports up on display – and if you've never dipped into these grooves, this set is a perfect way to start – as the folks at Soul Jazz have really tuned their ears well, to pick out key tracks that really resonate strongly with music of the 21st Century – a good deal of which was influenced by these groundbreaking acts. Some cuts are long, but never too overindulgent – and the instrumentation and production techniques are really mindblowing – extremely creative, and often presented here in their most open, honest form. As usual with Soul Jazz, the notes are wonderful – and titles on this second volume of the vinyl include "Fly United" by Amon Duul II, "Soham" by Deuter, "I Want More" by Can, "Geradewohl" by Roedelius, "No Man's Land" by Tangerine Dream, "Daydream" by Ash Ra Tempel, "High Life" by Ibliss, and "Heisse Lippen" by Cluster.

Some of the darkest music ever recorded by the quirky German pop group Der Plan – their soundtrack for the 1982 film Die Letzte Rache, recorded in a series of short and quirky little tunes! The sound here is similar to Dar Plan's other albums of the time, but perhaps a bit bleaker at times – with traces of post-industrial instrumentation littered alongside more playful and upbeat numbers. The group's sense of humor is still very firmly in place, but it's also got a lot more bite than usual – as does their overall work with electronics, which seems to have advanced incredibly by this point – able to stretch between the abstractions of Jon Appleton and the directed messages of Bruce Haack. And despite the fact that many of the tunes are extremely short, they're also extremely memorable as well – playful little experiments in soundshapes and tone that have stood the test of time extremely well! Titles include "Oh Oh Oh", "Ich Bin Es", "Zur Alten Dschunke", "Die Wuste", "Junger Mann", "Fruchte Radio Special", "Older Nicht", and "Das Ende". CD also features 6 bonus tracks from the film Grottenolm!

Some of the darkest music ever recorded by the quirky German pop group Der Plan – their soundtrack for the 1982 film Die Letzte Rache, recorded in a series of short and quirky little tunes! The sound here is similar to Dar Plan's other albums of the time, but perhaps a bit bleaker at times – with traces of post-industrial instrumentation littered alongside more playful and upbeat numbers. The group's sense of humor is still very firmly in place, but it's also got a lot more bite than usual – as does their overall work with electronics, which seems to have advanced incredibly by this point – able to stretch between the abstractions of Jon Appleton and the directed messages of Bruce Haack. And despite the fact that many of the tunes are extremely short, they're also extremely memorable as well – playful little experiments in soundshapes and tone that have stood the test of time extremely well! Titles include "Oh Oh Oh", "Ich Bin Es", "Zur Alten Dschunke", "Die Wuste", "Junger Mann", "Fruchte Radio Special", "Older Nicht", and "Das Ende". CD also features 6 bonus tracks from the film Grottenolm!

A much-needed look at the incredible German music scene of the 70s – a sprawling landscape of prog, fusion, electronics, and more – all put together beautifully here with the usual completeness we've come to expect from Soul Jazz! Many of the names are familiar – the sorts you've either passed by in the record racks, or seen priced up high in the collectible imports up on display – and if you've never dipped into these grooves, this set is a perfect way to start – as the folks at Soul Jazz have really tuned their ears well, to pick out key tracks that really resonate strongly with music of the 21st Century – a good deal of which was influenced by these groundbreaking acts. Some cuts are long, but never too overindulgent – and the instrumentation and production techniques are really mindblowing – extremely creative, and often presented here in their most open, honest form. As usual with Soul Jazz, the notes are wonderful – and titles on this first volume of the vinyl include "Devotion" by Between, "Dino" by Harmonia, "This Morning" by Gila, "Rambo Zambo" by Kollektiv, "La Chasse Aux Microbes" by Michael Bundt, "It's A Rainy Day Sunshine Girl" by Faust, "Hallo Gallo" by Neu, "Rheinita" by La Dusseldorf, and "Morgengruss" by Popul Vuh.

A wonderful departure for Kevin Ayers – an album that's a lot lighter and more whimsical than his original fame with Soft Machine! The tunes are extremely playful, and often quite catchy – almost a Donovan-esque blend of folksy roots and jazz inflections – but tuned a bit more towards trippier ends, thanks to instrumentation that includes celeste, electronics, flute, oboe, kazoo, cello, organ, and a wide range of different guitars! David Bedford handled arrangements, and other players on the session include some ex-Soft Machine comrades – like Hugh Hopper and Robert Wyatt! Ayers' vocals are produced with a nicely compressed quality that squeezes them in alongside the instrumentation – and titles include "Joy Of A Toy Continued", "The Lady Rachel", "All This Crazy Gift Of Time", "Eleanor's Cake", and "Girl On A Swing".

REM's major label debut – the culmination of years spent inching closer and closer to the mainstream – and one of the best examples of the past several decades of a band rooted in the indie rock underground reinventing themselves as superstars, without compromising their uniqueness or overall greatness! The previous couple of albums showed that REM was capable of producing songs with sing-a-long potential – and more powerful rock songs – along with their uniquely moody, often acoustic-based songcraft. This is where they took the biggest step yet in that direction. Michael Stipe really stepped out his shell like never before around this time, and his evolution from indie rock poet to extroverted showman is amazing. Titles include "Pop Song 89", "Get Up", "You Are Everything", "Stand", "World Leader Pretend", "The Wrong Child", "Orange Crush", "Turn You Inside Out", "Air Shirt" and "I Remember California".

One of a rare few albums ever from singer Patty Waters – an extremely experimental vocalist who was part of the mid 60s ESP Records scene! Patty was one of the first to ever go way past conventional singing – and work more in a vocalizing style that had just begun in avant classical – often more concerned with sounds and shapes than melody and music! Sometimes, though, she hits a surprisingly soulful note – almost a touch of Nina Simone's righteousness, before moving into more experimental territory once again. Waters is almost the Cathy Berberian of the jazz vocal world – and works here with a hip ESP lineup that features either Dave Burrell, Burton Greene, or Ran Blake on piano – depending on the track – plus Giuseppi Logan on flute, Perry Lind on bass, and Scobe Stroman on drums. The set was recorded live, but with great fidelity that really respects the subtle moments of Waters' vocals – and titles include "Wild Is The Wind", "Song Of Clifford", "Song Of The One I Love" and "Song Of Life With Hush Little Baby".

A much-needed look at the incredible German music scene of the 70s – a sprawling landscape of prog, fusion, electronics, and more – all put together beautifully here with the usual completeness we've come to expect from Soul Jazz! Many of the names are familiar – the sorts you've either passed by in the record racks, or seen priced up high in the collectible imports up on display – and if you've never dipped into these grooves, this set is a perfect way to start – as the folks at Soul Jazz have really tuned their ears well, to pick out key tracks that really resonate strongly with music of the 21st Century – a good deal of which was influenced by these groundbreaking acts. Some cuts are long, but never too overindulgent – and the instrumentation and production techniques are really mindblowing – extremely creative, and often presented here in their most open, honest form. As usual with Soul Jazz, the notes are wonderful – and titles include "Devotion" by Between, "Dino" by Harmonia, "This Morning" by Gila, "Rambo Zambo" by Kollektiv, "La Chasse Aux Microbes" by Michael Bundt, "It's A Rainy Day Sunshine Girl" by Faust, "Hallo Gallo" by Neu, "Rheinita" by La Dusseldorf, "Morgengruss" by Popul Vuh, "Fly United" by Amon Duul II, "Soham" by Deuter, "I Want More" by Can, "Geradewohl" by Roedelius, "No Man's Land" by Tangerine Dream, "Daydream" by Ash Ra Tempel, "High Life" by Ibliss, and "Heisse Lippen" by Cluster.

A much-needed look at the incredible German music scene of the 70s – a sprawling landscape of prog, fusion, electronics, and more – all put together beautifully here with the usual completeness we've come to expect from Soul Jazz! Many of the names are familiar – the sorts you've either passed by in the record racks, or seen priced up high in the collectible imports up on display – and if you've never dipped into these grooves, this set is a perfect way to start – as the folks at Soul Jazz have really tuned their ears well, to pick out key tracks that really resonate strongly with music of the 21st Century – a good deal of which was influenced by these groundbreaking acts. Some cuts are long, but never too overindulgent – and the instrumentation and production techniques are really mindblowing – extremely creative, and often presented here in their most open, honest form. As usual with Soul Jazz, the notes are wonderful – and titles include "Devotion" by Between, "Dino" by Harmonia, "This Morning" by Gila, "Rambo Zambo" by Kollektiv, "La Chasse Aux Microbes" by Michael Bundt, "It's A Rainy Day Sunshine Girl" by Faust, "Hallo Gallo" by Neu, "Rheinita" by La Dusseldorf, "Morgengruss" by Popul Vuh, "Fly United" by Amon Duul II, "Soham" by Deuter, "I Want More" by Can, "Geradewohl" by Roedelius, "No Man's Land" by Tangerine Dream, "Daydream" by Ash Ra Tempel, "High Life" by Ibliss, and "Heisse Lippen" by Cluster.

Another wonderful album from this groundbreaking Chicago combo! The group's now a permanent quartet, with the extremely great addition of Jeff Parker on guitar and electronics – and the album continues to push the boundaries of Rob Mazurek's unique sound. The liner notes on the back refer to a NY Times article that described the group's sound as "painterly", and to us, that's a pretty fair estimation of their sound. The group work in wide washes of sound – structured around conventional jazz traditions, but touched with a more abstract approach derived from their connection to the Chicago rock and experimental scene. Titles include "Warm Marsh", "Elroy", "504", "The World Has Changed", "Woman In Motion", and "Antiquity".

A Brazilian rock classic! The band had a very sophisticated sound that mixes nice vocal production with spare arrangements supported by guitar, piano, and bass. The sound is difficult to describe – but the record has some extremely compelling songwriting, and great vocal work that carries the strength of the tracks, whether or not you understand Portuguese. Titles include "Sangue Latino", "O Vira", "Primavera Nos Dentes", "Amor", "Assim Assado", and "As Andorinhas". Nice cover, too – with the band's heads on a table!