Rock — All Formats  

A collection of outtakes from the Deserter’s Songs sessions! Includes home demos and otherwise rougher, early versions and otherwise alternate mixes – pretty wonderfully fleshed out, though, even in blueprint form. A very worthy batch of rare versions of songs from their one-time underappreciated/now acknowledged classic Deserter's Songs – plus more from the sessions. 11 in all: "Piano Vs Telephone (Home Cassette Tape Demo)", "Pick Up, If You're There (DJ Nickel 1998 Remix)", "Endlessly (Tascam 8-Track Reel To Reel Demo)", "A Soft Kiss (For Waking Up) (Home Cassette Tape Demo)", "Goddess On A Hiway (1989 Home Cassette Tape Demo)", "Night On Panther Mountain (Unreleased Mix)" and more.

Perhaps the most beloved of albums by Mercury Rev – and also their most unique! This is a band that was just about the least predictable group to appear on a major label during the early 90s "alternative" feeding frenzy – certainly one of those great bands whose influence and impact extends far beyond however many records they sold at the time. Deserter's Songs has textures picked up from classic ornate pop, waltzy numbers and dreamy atmosphere to spare– paired with off kilter vocals and a freewheeling, creative sensibility. A classic! Includes "Holes", "Tonite It Shows", "Endlessly", "I Collect Coins", "Opus 40", "Hudson Line", "The Happy End (The Drunk Room)", "Goddess On A Hiway", "The Funny Bird", "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp".

Funky stuff from this obscure rock band that played with more of a soul sound than a lot of their contemporaries! The live material's pretty darn great from an instrumental standpoint, with lots of heavy conga-driven grooves (thanks to King Errison), and plenty of guitar and sax work, very much in the funky style of Mandrill on their early albums. Titles include "Runaway People", "Big Dealer", "Tycoon Bufoon", "If You Don't Like My Music", and "Hold On".

Brilliant garage psyche from Blues Magoos – a group that's raw and punchy enough to pummel, but pulled off some sweeter numbers and lighter harmonies incredibly well! Walloping drums, excitable vocals and wailing organ grooves – the cracked the charts, but still bring a fully charged proto punk vibe. Totally excellent, the kind of thing we wish were staples of oldies radio, but for whatever reason are left to deeper rock diggers to discover all these years later. Includes "Sometimes I Think About", "Love Seems Doomed", "Worried Life Blues", "Tobacco Road", "One By One" and "I'll Go Crazy".

Don't mix these guys up with the bigger-name Genesis – because this combo doesn't feature Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel – and instead is an American group from the late 60s that works in a sweetly melodic approach to psychedelia! Some tunes are heavy on the fuzz, with guitars right out front – but others have a slightly more baroque style that befits the group's image on the cover – little bits of woodwind and cello that sweeten the tunes nicely. But it's really the heavier guitars that make the record great – played sharply, and with great focus – sounding especially nice alongside some of the sweeter female vocals. Titles include a roaring 16 minute track titled "World Without You", plus shorter numbers like "Angeline", "Ten Second Song", and a version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne".

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".

Motorhead tearing it up in the early 80s and arguably hitting their absolute peak – the final album with the classic trio lineup of Lemmy, Fast Eddie Clarke and Philthy Animal Taylor – capping off one of the most trailblazing periods for any band in rock & roll history! Iron Fist is as unrelenting and stubbornly gruff as the preceding Overkill and Ace Of Spades LPs, a loud and clear statement that this band was committed in full to the sound they created. Includes "Iron Fist", "Hert Of Stone", "I'm The Doctor", "Loser", "Shut It Down", "Speedfreak", "(Don't Need) Religion", "Bang To Rights" and more.

The first album by Palais Schaumburg – and easily the hardest set the group ever recorded – a really mad batch of rhythms that comes off with raw post punk energy! At some level, the group share a lot with some of their post-prog German contemporaries – some of the noisy elements of Einsturzende Neubauten, the hypnotic grooves of Die Krupps, or the playful electronics of Pyrolator – yet at another level, Palais Schaumburg also remind us a lot of the arty, dubby groups of the UK scene at the time – with the basslines up a fair bit in the mix, and cold-toned lyrics that snap along with the skittish rhythms amidst the occasional flurry of horns – almost in a space between The Slits, Rip Rig & Panic, and the more experimental pre-country years of The Mekons. Great stuff all around – very ripe for rediscovery today – with tracks that include "Die Freunde", "Wir Bauen Eine Neue Stadt", "Gute Luft", "Grunes Winkelkanu", "Morgen Wird Der Wald Gefegt", "Madonna", and "Eine Geschichte". This 2CD version features a whopping 12 bonus tracks too – rare material from the same vintage of the album, including some live recordings too. Bonus cuts include "Telephon", "Herzmuskel", "Gute Luft (live)", "Rote Lichter", "Macht Mich Glucklich Wie Nie", "Kinder Der Tod (version)", and "Rote Lichter (live)".

A weird and wild concept album – a 70s recasting of Bizet's Carmen, with some cool moogy touches, and vocals from Melba Moore!

The second album from underappreciated metal progenitors Sir Lord Baltimore – Brooklyn's entry in the blueprints of heavy rock – not quite as brawny as their Kindom Come, but with a more purposeful sense of groove! How is this band not a staple of classic hard rock radio? Ridiculous, that. Titles include the 11 minute "Man From Manhattan" plus "Where Are We Going", "Chicago Lives", "Loe And Behold", "Woman Tamer" and "Caesar LXXI".

This is the third movement in the fantastic pop symphony that is Spanky & Our Gang! The record's perhaps their oddest to date – and mixes groovy vocal stylings with some fairly advanced production approaches that work perfectly with the incredible songs written by Stuart Scharf and Bob Dorough. The voices swirl about in a mad rush – interweaving lines of melody and poetry, punctuated by strange sounds, spacey airy instrumentation, and wonderful little rhythms. Titles include "Anything You Choose", "1-3-5-8", "Without Rhyme Or Reason", "Give A Damn", and "Nowhere To Go".

The first rumblings of the pop genius in Yello's music – a record that still has all the best quirky electronics of their first two sets, but which also focuses that energy into a sound that's often more direct and oddly hook-oriented on the best numbers! There's a really percussive vibe going on here – a quality that makes the album almost more darkly rhythmic than other efforts, but which also pushes some tunes ahead with quite a sense of drive – mixing early samples, analogue electronics, and Dieter Meier's always-great vocals into a sound that's still better than many of the countless groups who sprung up in Yello's wake. Titles include "I Love You", "Swing", "Heavy Whispers", "Crash Dance", "Lost Again", "Smile On You", "Pumping Velvet", and "Salut Mayoumba".

Rarely has a compilation on an artist ever been done so well! This materful set compiles all of the rare recordings made by The Left Banke for Mercury during the late 60's – and it puts all 26 tracks together with a great set of notes that details the rocky history of the group. If you don't know The Left Banke, their unique style of "baroque rock" is a wonderful mix of groovy organ, electric harpsichord, and swirling strings – all set as instrumentation for some of the tightest, grooviest little songs you'll ever hear. Nearly every track on here is a toe-tapping hummer, and even if you know their big hits like "Walk Away Renee" and "Pretty Ballerina", you'll still find lots of other goodies like "Desiree", "Ivy Ivy", "Barterers & Their Wives", and "I Haven't Got The Nerve". Great stuff, and a CD that we're never without on a road trip!

One of the most soulful sets ever recorded by the Buddy Miles Group – a really searing set of live performances from 1971, often done in a way that has the band stretching out and jamming heavily! The core group seems a bit bigger than usual – with a lineup that includes guitar and organ alongside some heavier tenor, alto, trumpet, and trombone. The horns come on strong, but are offset by lots of searing guitar from Charlie Karp – and Buddy, as usual, is a real monster on the drum kit. There's plenty of instrumental moments here that cook with funky soul intensity – and titles include "Wrap It Up", "Joe Tex", "Take It Off Him & Put It On Me", "Down By The River", "Place Over There", "The Segment", and "Them Changes".

Bluesy soul from Buddy Miles – an album that was half-produced by Jimi Hendrix, and which showcases the really crowd-pleasing side of Miles' sound! Tracks are a mix of soul covers and original numbers – done in a mode that puts plenty of guitar out front in the mix, and which uses Buddy's screaming vocals a bit more than his heavier drums. Horns are used on most numbers to give them a bit of southern soul inflection, and titles include a great live jamming take on "Wrap It Up", the funky "Destructive Love", and the cuts "Cigarettes & Coffee", "Miss Lady", "Texas", and "My Chant".

Pure crossover genius from Buddy Miles – a great mix of funky soul and rockish touches – and the kind of record that easily put Buddy in the same camp as Sly Stone or The Isley Brothers with mainstream audiences of the time! Tracks here are a bit longer and more jamming than work by either of those two artists – with the kind of heavy guitar and horns that played heavily to the Fillmore crowd – but the overall sound of the record is a fair bit more soulful and even funkier than some other Miles' efforts from the earlier years too, with plenty of his tight drums in the mix! Titles include a great 12 minute reading of the title track "We Got To Live Together" – plus "Take It Off Him & Put It On Me", "Runaway Child", "Walking Down The Highway", and "Easy Greasy".

The first half of the "Cynus X1" journey – plus "Closer To The Heart", "Xanadu", and "A Farewell To Kings".

Heavy rock with a killer groove and a mighty thing to behold – and from Brooklyn! Sir Lord Baltimore aren't mentioned enough among the first wave of groups that would seen be defined as heavy metal, but they absolutely deserve to be. Pure bombast and thunderous rock that's of the same school of brawn as Sabbath. Titles include "Master Headache", "Pumped Up", "Kingdom Come", "Hell Hound", "I Got A Woman" and more.

The second bright blast of garage psych grooves from Blues Magoos – their excellent Electric Comic Book set for Mercury – just as great as the first album! At this early point, the group brings a deliriously high energy approach, even in the studio – we can only imagine how incredible the live show must have been – but still with catchy harmonies and a wicked sense of humor. The organ and heavy drums is the bedrock for garage rock to come, too! Titles include "Pipe Dream", "There's A Chance We Can Make It", "Gloria", "Summer Is The man", "Baby I Want You", "Take My Love", "Rush Hour" and more.

Genius, pure genius – and a record that will completely revise your thinking about Rod Stewart! Amazing arrangements, acoustic instruments going crazy, and oh those drums! Titles include "Gasoline Alley", "My Way Of Giving", "Cut Across Shorty", "Lady Day", "Jo's Lament", and "Country Comforts".

Thin Lizzy's 70s rock masterpiece! Sure it's the mainstream radio fare of the period, but this is one of those albums that put the classic in classic rock! The definitive Gorham-Robertson twin guitar attack keeps this set rocking nicely and Lynott's in prime form with a batch of extra classy hooks under the tough rock exterior. 9 tracks in all, with both well known numbers like "Jailbreak", "The Boys Are Back in Town" and 'Cowboy Song" and equally excellent sleepers like "Warriors", "Emerald" and "Fight Or Fall".

A bit of a notorious record in the good Captain's career, cut in the transition between the original Magic Band and the fine later lineup that was responsible for the excellent LPs on Virgin. The sound is pretty spare, and without the mindbending twists and turns that Beefheart had made his trademark up to this point, and as such, is more of a straight blues and rock record. Van Vliet still sounds great, croaking his idiosyncratic lyrics in his own bad to the bone manner. 9 tracks in all, including "Party Of Special Things", "Same Old Blue3s", "Observatory Crest", "Pompadour Swamp", "Captains Holiday", "Rock N Roll's Evil Doll", "Further Than We've Gone", "Twist Ah Luck" and "Bluejeans & Moonbeams".

The first album by Palais Schaumburg – and easily the hardest set the group ever recorded – a really mad batch of rhythms that comes off with raw post punk energy! At some level, the group share a lot with some of their post-prog German contemporaries – some of the noisy elements of Einsturzende Neubauten, the hypnotic grooves of Die Krupps, or the playful electronics of Pyrolator – yet at another level, Palais Schaumburg also remind us a lot of the arty, dubby groups of the UK scene at the time – with the basslines up a fair bit in the mix, and cold-toned lyrics that snap along with the skittish rhythms amidst the occasional flurry of horns – almost in a space between The Slits, Rip Rig & Panic, and the more experimental pre-country years of The Mekons. Great stuff all around – very ripe for rediscovery today – with tracks that include "Die Freunde", "Wir Bauen Eine Neue Stadt", "Gute Luft", "Grunes Winkelkanu", "Morgen Wird Der Wald Gefegt", "Madonna", and "Eine Geschichte". Special limited package also features the bonus Single Kabinett EP – plus six more live tracks, all previously unreleased – and a 20 page booklet as well!

A super tripped-out blend of rock, funk, and soul – easily one of Buddy Miles' most mindblowing albums – and a classic that never lets up at all! Buddy's leading the whole group on drums – really kicking things large from behind the kit – while the rest of the group jams in a heavy style that's got plenty of fuzzed-out guitar and jazzy horn riffs – virtually a blueprint for countless other rock funk groups that copped Buddy's style in years to come. The drums alone are worth the price of admission – but the whole album's so right, tight, and outta sight that it's been a favorite in our crates for years! Titles include "Train", "Let Your Lovelight Shine", "Don't Mess With Cupid", "Funky Mule", and "Wrap It Up".

Lovely 60s girl pop from Lesley Gore – the sweet, soaring, brightly sunny Magic Colors album – released in full for the first time ever – and with a huge assortment of bonus tracks, too! Magic Colors should have come out on Mercury in 1967, but it wasn't to be. Well, better late than never, right? It's fluffy, but fun – with sweet vocals by Leslie and with arrangements by Bob Crewe, Jack Nitzsche, Gamble & Huff, Thom Bell and others. The album tracks include "It's A Happening World", "Magic Colors", "Brink Of Disaster", "I'm Fallin' Down", "To Sir With Love" and more. Includes a whopping 15 bonus singles: "Summer And Sandy", "Small Talk", "I Can't Make It Without You", "Summer Symphony", "One By One", "Wedding Bell Blues" and more. 25 tracks in all!

Amazing sounds from Lee Hazlewood – some of his most offbeat, unbridled recordings ever – and that's saying a lot if you've already heard his classics for Mercury, MGM, and Reprise! The package here brings together rare work from Lee's own LHI label – packaged beautifully with a rich set of notes, session details, and some amazing photos that follow in the spirit of the nutty-looking cover image! Hazlewood's voice is sublime throughout – that deeper-than-deep quality that always leaves us breathless – perfect for the sly wit and and "aw shucks" sensibility of the tunes – and also for unlocking the growing adult sensuality that Lee was letting into his work at the time. A few female singers step forth in that great Hazlweood duet mode – Nina Lizell, Suzi Jane Hokom, and Ann Margret – who each sing on a few tracks – but Lee's in the lead on most numbers, and titles include the previously unreleased "I Just Learned To Run" – plus "The Bed", "Sleep In The Grass", "The Night Before", "If It's Monday Morning", "Won't You Tell Your Dreams", "Hey Cowboy", "No Train To Stockholm", "What's More I Don't Need Her", "Trouble Maker", and "Nobody Like You".

Amazing sounds from Lee Hazlewood – some of his most offbeat, unbridled recordings ever – and that's saying a lot if you've already heard his classics for Mercury, MGM, and Reprise! The package here brings together rare work from Lee's own LHI label – packaged beautifully with a rich set of notes, session details, and some amazing photos that follow in the spirit of the nutty-looking cover image! Hazlewood's voice is sublime throughout – that deeper-than-deep quality that always leaves us breathless – perfect for the sly wit and and "aw shucks" sensibility of the tunes – and also for unlocking the growing adult sensuality that Lee was letting into his work at the time. A few female singers step forth in that great Hazlweood duet mode – Nina Lizell, Suzi Jane Hokom, and Ann Margret – who each sing on a few tracks – but Lee's in the lead on most numbers, and titles include the previously unreleased "I Just Learned To Run" – plus "The Bed", "Sleep In The Grass", "The Night Before", "If It's Monday Morning", "Won't You Tell Your Dreams", "Hey Cowboy", "No Train To Stockholm", "What's More I Don't Need Her", "Trouble Maker", and "Nobody Like You".

A masterpiece from SF rocker Steve Miller – and a perfect summation of the years of blues, soul, funk, and rock he'd been soaking up in the Bay Area scene! The album crossed over instantly with the massive cut "Fly Like An Eagle" – already great on its own, but supported here with the massive "Space Intro", which adds an extra minute of cool electronics to the tune. Other great cuts include the amazing funky rocker "Take The Money And Run", plus "The Window", "Mercury Blues", and "Dance, Dance, Dance".