A four-pack of albums from this seminal group – all brought together in a single set! Where Were You is a seminal set from the Sunset Strip scene of the 60s – and just the kind of record that shows why the changes taking place in Cali were so important to the growth of so much other music at the time! A few years before, and The Grass Roots would have been a pop folk combo re-tuning traditional tracks for the coffeehouse scene – but here they're taking off with some post-folk modes that are partly sunshine pop, partly the headier currents that were the darker side of the west coast – all put together with superb production by PF Sloan and Steve Barri – who also penned some of the best tunes on the record. Titles include the great "Where Were You When I Needed You" – plus "Only When You're Lonely", "Look Out Girl", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "I've Got No More To Say", "I Am A Rock", "Tell Me", and "Mr Jones". Let's Live For Today is maybe the most famous record ever given to the world by California quartet The Grass Roots – famous for its title tune, and for the way that it effortlessly blends together folk inclinations and psych inspirations! The record's definitely one of those that showed the world that there was something new in the air at the time – put together with perfect production in the studio from Steve Barri and PF Sloan – who are in territory that's somewhere between the best from Brian Wilson and Abbey Road Studios – but a bit more understated than both! Titles include the classic "Let's Live For Today" – plus "Things I Should Have Said", "Wake Up Wake Up", "No Exit", "This Precious Time", "House Of Stone", "Is It Any Wonder", and "Tip Of My Tongue". Feelings is a great departure for The Grass Roots – a set that has the group taking a stronger role overall in the instrumentation and songwriting on the record – at a level that makes the whole thing a fabulous extension of all the genius they'd given the world on previous sets! There's still that cool blend of post-folk and psychedelic elements taking place here – gently swirled together with acoustic and electric guitars setting the tunes up just right – all with a late 60s Cali vibe that's as great today as when it was recorded. Titles include "The Sins Of A Family Fall On The Daughter", "Melody For You", "You Might As Well Go My Way", "Dinner For Eight", "Good Things Come To An End", "You & Love Are The Same", and "Hey Friend". CD

Really great vocal work from legendary underground figure Brion Gysin – best known as a poet, but also a key European connection for the American beats – and a frequent partner in the language experiments by William S Burroughs! Here, Gysin mixes his words in both singing and spoken styles – a bit more of the former than some of his recordings with avant jazz musicians – and hits a groove that bubbles over with all sorts of cool funky touches that often recall the vibe of the Ze Records material from the French scene of the early 80s. Ramuntcho Matta handles production and the main creative direction of the music – and opens the door to work from Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Lizzy Mercier Descloux and Caroline Loeb on vocals, and Yann Le Ker on bass and guitar,. Titles include "Sham Pain", "Junk", "Kick (discomix)", "Stop Smoking", and "Baboon". LP also features the unreleased tracks "Kick (alt 7" mix)" and "Kick (alt 7" inst)" – plus "All Those Years", "VVV", and "Stop Smoking (alt mix)". (Spoken Word, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

French rocker Johnny Hallyday hits the 70s, with a sound and style that's a bit funky, and a bit touched by some of the crossover American trends coming out of the LA rock scene. This one's arranged mostly by Mickey Jones and Tommy Brown, who'd done some excellent work with Hallyday on earlier records – and the music is kind of a post-Muscle Shoals/Memphis sound, with lots of honky tonk piano, bubbling organ riffs, and backings that are generally more in the soul/rock camp than in Hallyday's earlier pop rock style. Titles include "La Joi", "L'Autre Motif", "Flagrant Delit", "Fils De Personne", and "Fille De La Nuit". (French, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

French rocker Johnny Hallyday hits the 70s, with a sound and style that's a bit funky, and a bit touched by some of the crossover American trends coming out of the LA rock scene. This one's arranged mostly by Mickey Jones and Tommy Brown, who'd done some excellent work with Hallyday on earlier records – and the music is kind of a post-Muscle Shoals/Memphis sound, with lots of honky tonk piano, bubbling organ riffs, and backings that are generally more in the soul/rock camp than in Hallyday's earlier pop rock style. Titles include "La Joi", "L'Autre Motif", "Flagrant Delit", "Fils De Personne", and "Fille De La Nuit". (French, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

French rocker Johnny Hallyday hits the 70s, with a sound and style that's a bit funky, and a bit touched by some of the crossover American trends coming out of the LA rock scene. This one's arranged mostly by Mickey Jones and Tommy Brown, who'd done some excellent work with Hallyday on earlier records – and the music is kind of a post-Muscle Shoals/Memphis sound, with lots of honky tonk piano, bubbling organ riffs, and backings that are generally more in the soul/rock camp than in Hallyday's earlier pop rock style. Titles include "La Joi", "L'Autre Motif", "Flagrant Delit", "Fils De Personne", and "Fille De La Nuit". (French, Rock) CD

A classic run of records from Waylon Jennings – brought together in a single package! First up is Lonesome Onry & Mean – a pivotal album for Waylon Jennings – the record where he really found the new direction that would finally get him the fame he deserved – delivered in a way that's free from all the later cliches, and which also ties Waylon pretty strongly to the hipper currents of the underground – especially that point where singer/songwriter genius intersected with country! The production is his own, and vastly different than the late 60s records – even though we love those to death too – and that magical Jennings vocal approach does fantastic things to tunes by Steve Young, Mickey Newbury, Kris Kristofferson, and others! Titles include the fantastic "Lonesome Onry & Mean", plus "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues", "Freedom To Stay", "Lay It Down", "You Can Have Her", "Pretend I Never Happened", "San Francisco Mabel Joy", "Sandy Sends Her Best", and a great take on "Me &Bobby McGee". Honky Tonk Heroes is genius material from Waylon Jennings – one of those career-defining records from the early 70s that completely put him on top, and heralded a whole new generation in country music! The set's maybe equally noteworthy as a showcase for the up-and-coming Billy Joe Shaver, who wrote much of the songs on the record – and it's also a great showcase for the important production talents of Tompall Glaser, who really gets the spirit of the music right! Titles include great versions of "Honky Tonk Heroes", "Old Five & Dimers Like Me", "Ride Me Down Easy", "Black Rose", "Willy The Wandering Gypsy & Me", "Omaha", and "Ain't No God In Mexico". This Time is one of those Waylon Jennings records from a time when he could do no wrong – fighting the stronger powers at RCA to really find his voice – recording at the studio of Tompall Glaser, with great production help from Willie Nelson – who was enjoying his own transformation at the time too! As with the previous two gems from this period, the choice of material and presentation is great – songs by Willie, JJ Cale, and Billy Joe Shavers – in a set of titles that include "Heaven Or Hell", "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way", "This Time", "Pick Up The Tempo", "If You Could Touch Her At All", "Walkin", "Slow Rollin Low", "Louisiana Woman", and "Slow Movin Outlaw". Ramblin Man is Waylon Jennings at peak mid 70s perfection! Ramblin' Man fits in stylistically with the gruff honky tonk hero mode he first fully realized a couple albums earlier, but he's still fiercely blazing trails here, pairing his gruff lead vocals with sweeter female harmonies on some tracks, changing the groove from laidback swagger to fast-paced honky tonk, working in some tender ballads with the gruffer numbers...Waylon at his best. Starts up with the eternal title track and equally classic "Rainy Day Woman" and hardly lets up in greatness from there, with "Cloudy Days", "The Hunger", "It'll Be Her", a great cover of the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider", "Memories Of You And Me", "Amanda" and more. Features bonus tracks too – "Laid Back Country Picker", "The Last One To Leave Seattle", "Big Big Love", "Got A Lot Going For Me", "The Last Letter", and "The One I Sing My Love Songs To". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

A killer set from Master's Apprentices – one of those obscure groups from the start of the 70s who managed to get top-shelf treatment in the studio, and used it to create a mini-masterpiece like this! The group were no strangers to recording by the time of the set – they'd had a hit back home in Australia in the late 60s, and a few other albums under their belt – so it's clear that they knew what they really wanted to get out of their chance to record at Abbey Road, by making a record that's got all these great sonic elements that don't just come from the instrumentation and vocals – but from the way the whole thing is put together! Vocals are flanged out nicely next to the guitars – almost with a quality like The Move, but maybe a bit more hard-rocking at times – and often very tuneful too, such that there's enough gems on the record that the whole thing really should have been a hit and continuing classic from the period. Titles include "The Lesson So Listen", "Answer Lies Beyond", "Beneath The Sun", "Games We Play", "Melodies Of St Kilda", and "Southern Cross". CD

The near-complete work of one of the all-time great but overlooked groups of the UK scene of the late 60s – a group who jumped between a few different labels, mostly issued a handful of singles, yet managed to create a huge amount of magic at the time! You'll not find The Mirage in the history books, but they definitely gave the UK scene a few great singles, enough to get them onto the BBC – where a few of these tracks were recorded – and somehow managed to keep on working on great music, despite record label politics that would have buried most other acts of the generation. There's a tuneful approach to psych that begins some of the material, with maybe the odd freakbeat moment too – a quality that comes out even more strongly as the group morphs through a few later identities, including Yellow Pages, Portebello Explosion, and the really great Jawbone – the last of whom finally got a chance to record a full length album! The 3CD package divides up nicely – CD1 features singles and BBC tracks by The Mirage, plus a few by Portebello Explosion and Yellow Pages; CD2 features some stunning unheard outtakes that are maybe even more amazing than some Mirage singles; and CD3 features the full Jawbone album from 1970, a set that echoes some of the earlier moments, but with even sharper instrumentation and a nicely compressed sense of production. 3CD set features 60 tracks in all, and very detailed notes on the group and their music! CD

A stunner of a set from Ken Vandermark & co as Powerhouse Sound – a riveting 2CD batch of rhythmic juxtaposition inspired by dub, sound collage production, and free rock caterwauling – done with a pair of line-ups in both Oslo and Chicago! The Oslo group is heavy with bass and stuttering electronic manipulations, and features Vandermark, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten and Nate McBride on electric bass, Pall Nilssen-Love on drums and Lasse Marhaug on electronics. The Chicago crew runs through variations of the material and changes up the instrumentation with Vandermark, John Herndon on drums, Jeff Parker on guitar and McBride on bass. Disc one (Oslo version) includes "Shocklee (For Hank Shocklee)", "King To Crown (For King Tubby), "Coxsone (For Coxsone Dodd)", "2-1-75" (For Miles Davis), "Acid Scratch (For Lee Perry)", "Exit-Salida (For Burning Spear)" and "New Dirt (For The Stooges)". Disc two (Chicago version) includes "Old Dictionary (For Bernie Worrell)", "King To Crown Pt 1/Acid Scratch Pt 2", "Coxsonne", "2-1-75" and "New Dirt/King To Crown Pt 2". (Jazz, Rock) CD

Bubblegum glam badassery from Suzi Quatro – her namesake and possibly best album – leading off with the killer "48 Crash" and barely letting up from there! Punchy, arse kicking and catchy rock & roll from a real 70s pioneer! It's a ridiculous shame that on our shores, Suzi is better remembered for Happy Days than this damned record! Other tracks include "Glycerine Queen", "Shine My Machine", "I Wanna Be Your Superman", "All Shook Up", "Skin Tight Skin", "Get Back Mama", "Shakin All Over" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album where Bruce Springsteen really settles in as The Boss – gritty, chest-pumping anthems all the way here on this one! Born In The USA is so exuberant and full of life, even when Bruce is angry –as he is on the title track – his charisma is so strong that you'd be forgiven for thinking he's cheerleading, when he's really criticizing. Strong stuff, even if you might want to skip over couple of overplayed numbers – with "Cover Me", "Darlington County", "I'm On Fire", "I'm Going Down", "My Hometown", "Glory Days", "Born In The USA", "No Surrender", "Bobby Jean", "Dancing In The Dark", and "Working On The Highway". CD

An amazing movie in sound – supposedly music (and more) that was going to be used in a film project, issued to the public while Zappa was trying to raise money for production! The album's one of the most tripped-out studio efforts to date from the group – loads of overdubbing, and wonderfully complicated instrumentation – with some especially great keyboards from Don Preston and Ian Underwood, whose keys alone almost preface the future of fusion – while, at the same time, display some key links to 20th century avant music as well! Vocals are dropped in at just the right time, but the instrumental interplay is what really makes the record special – over many short tracks that include "Mr Green Genes", "We Can Shoot You", "Dog Breath Variations", "Sleeping In A Jar", "The Legend Of The Golden Arches", "Uncle Meat", "Cruising For Burgers", and "King Kong" in many variations. LP, Vinyl record album

An early gem from Warren Zevon – his first for Asylum and a creative peak – with some of his best remembered songs, and deeper album cuts that are just as great! Zevon's dark sense of humor comes through here, especially on the all time classic "Poor Poor Pitiful Me", but there's some sweeter and more tender material, too. Produced by Jackson Browne and featuring a hell of a great group on the sessions, from Phil Everly, to Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, Carl Wilson, Bobby Keyes and others. "Frank & Jesse James", "Mohammed's Radio", "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", "Carmelita", and "Backs Turned Looking Down The Path". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unique country collections we've ever heard – in part because the artists aren't from Nashville, nor Bakersfield, and instead hail from the British scene of the 60s! The tunes here are all country-styled numbers – and some are country music classics – but they get very unique delivery here by UK groups who've soaked up all the best Brit Invasion modes of the period – all to make for a presentation that's very different than you might expect! We normally associate beat groups of the time with a strong influence from R&B, but these cuts uncover a surprising country influence too – as you'll hear on a whopping 30 tracks from artists who include Sonny Webb & The Cascades, Nashville Teens, Jerry Williams & The Violents, Lee Curtis & The All-stars, The In-Crowd, Bobby Patrick Big Six, The Hollies, Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, King Size Taylor & The Dominoes, Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four, Tony Sheridan, and many others. (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

Music from Freddie Allen, Kingston Trio, Johnny Moore's Three Blazers, Roger Miller, Waylon Jennings, The Coasters, Bobby Hall And The Kings, Jody Miller, Dallas Frazier, The Love Affair, and more - 25 songs in all. (Soul, Rock) CD

Fuzzy guitars, analog electronics, moody production, and slightly sinister vocals – all elements you'll find in abundance here, in this well done look at UK work from a generation when the US scene was dipping into modes that were later dubbed "post-rock" – and helped to define the style of a generation! The British take on this territory is nicely different from American work of the time – and there's maybe a larger, wider palette of approaches going on – elements borrowed from other styles and generations, but woven into these wonderful waves of sound that made for a great farewell to the 20th century! The collection is in a slightly newer range than we're used to hearing from Ace Records, but they do an equally great job with the material – as the choice of cuts is superb, and the detailed notes provide plenty of direction throughout the musical journey. Titles include "City Poison" by Moonshake, "Second Language" by Disco Inferno, "Darling Effect" by Insides, "Starry Night" by Laika, "Every Day Shines (D mix)" by Earwig, "Play Away" by Electric Sound Of Joy, "Through You" by Seefeel, "Loose Threads" by Pram, "In The Light Of Time" by Flying Saucer Attack, "The Weight" by Hood, "A Street Scene" by Bark Psychosis, "Naturally Occurring Anchors" by Spoonfed Hybrid, In The Event Of Just Looking" by Appliance, "Sun Drawing" by Movietone, and "A Cherry Wave From Stranded Youngsters" by Mogwai. LP, Vinyl record album

The rainy season's plenty pleasant with a collection like this – a batch of 30 rain-themed tunes from the worlds of soul, rock, country, and vocal music of the 50s and 60s – all served up with the top-shelf level of presentation we love from Bear Family! The cuts are great – a really unusual mix of material that will help make the cloudiest day a lot more pleasant – all presented with detailed notes on all the many different artists you'll find within! Titles include "Just Walkin In The Rain" by The Prisonaires, "Face In The Rain" by Chas McDevitt, "Raining" by Jerry Byrne, "So What Let It Rain" by Lefty Frizell, "Sittin Home Prayin For The Rain" by Bobby Lord, "It Rains Rain" by Bill Wimberley & The Country Rhythm Boys, "The Rains Came Down" by Dorsey Burnette, "Ain't Never Seen So Much Rain Before" by Christine Kittrell, "Raindrops Keep A Fallin" by El Pauling & Royal Abbit, "Rhythm Of The Rain" by The Cascades, "It Might As Well Rain Until September" by Carole King, "Walking In The Rain" by Robert & Johnny, and "Rain Rain" by George Jones. CD

With Bob Weir, Dave Torbert, Matthew Kelly, Robby Hoddinott, and Chris Herold. LP, Vinyl record album

Warm, mellow, and completely sublime – the mighty America at the height of their powers – working with a quality that nobody else can match! The trio wrap together all the best ideas that were bubbling under in the LA scene of the late 60s – vocal harmonies, studio perfection, and even touches of rootsy instrumentation – yet find a space to work all these elements together in a rich sound that's completely unique – amazingly understated at times, despite a near-perfect level of production! The whole album's great – even their original version of "Muskrat Love" – nestled in here next to "Rainbow Song", "Submarine Ladies", "Molten Love", "Green Monkey", and "Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

That's Band X, not Brand X – and they're a damn funky jazz combo from the 70s – one whose work is filled with plenty of sharp changes and wonderfully chromatic moments! Rhythms are at the core of the set – lots of choppy drum parts that are mighty nice, bumped along by sweet compressed basslines too – and other instrumentation includes lots of vibes, reeds, and a bit of keyboards from time to time – used in really creative ways! If we had to come up with a comparison, we might say these guys sound a bit like some of the best work by Steve Grossman and the PM Records crew in the 70s – but they've definitely got their own vibe too. Titles include "Home", "Black Hole", "Rip Van Winkle", "Red Cloud", "Trullion Alastor", "Afterthought", and "Picking Mushrooms With Rabbit". (Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the best album ever from this seminal British jazz rock combo – a record that really has the group stretching out in the expanded space of a concert setting! Colosseum were already one of the best groups to mix jazzy currents and heavy rock modes – but they really set a fire with this brilliant live album – which really gave the group plenty of room to show off their instrumental chops! Immediate Records star Chris Farlowe is on vocals – but the real charm of their sound comes from the tenor and soprano sax work of Dick Heckstall Smith, the Hammond and vibes of Dave Greenslade, and the heavy drums of Jon Hiseman – who really keeps things in the pockage, and provided more than a few funky passages on the album. Titles include "Lost Angeles", "Rope Ladder to The Moon", "Walking In The Park", and a version of Michael Gibbs' "Tanglewood 63". LP, Vinyl record album

A searing set of recordings from Cyril Davies – originally the harmonica player in the early group of Alexis Korner, but working here at the head of his own group – singing as well, next to additional vocals from Long John Baldry! The set brings together rare BBC and Hullabaloo recordings by the combo – which also features guitar from Geoff Bradford, and both organ and piano from Keith Scott – a tight combo who really make the group jump as they turn out out mod blues remakes of a host of American tunes – plus a few other surprises along the way! Vinyl features 26 tracks in all – and titles include "Country Line Special", "Good Understanding", "Leave My Woman Alone", "My Babe", "Harmonica Breakdown", "Preaching The Blues", "Money's Getting Cheaper", "I'm Ready", and "Chicago Calling". LP, Vinyl record album

The final third of Jackie DeShannon's legendary run for Imperial Records in the 60s – a smashing batch of singles that really represent some great musical growth at the time! On these sides, Jackie's even more soulful than before – definitely taking inspiration from the generation of singers who were singing her songs – and from the growing wave of girl vocalists who were working with more soulful styles too – especially those from the Brill Building scene. The result is a great blend of New York uptown and LA sunshine – a superb batch of tunes that really sums up the unique place that Jackie DeShannon had in modern music. Many tunes are originals by Jackie – and the set also features great tunes penned by Jimmy Holiday and Bobby Womack too – titles that include "Changin My Mind", "I Keep Wanting You", "What Is This", "Nicole", "Nobody's Home To Go Home To", "You Keep Me Hangin On/Hurt So Bad", "Brighton Hill", "Christmas", "Keep Me In Mind", "Bird On The Wire", "What Was Your Day Like", "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "Always Together", and "Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown". CD

A landmark album from the mighty Bob Dylan – a 2LP set of studio work, which was quite rare at the time – and a set that has Dylan stretching out all his creative powers in newly different directions! The album had a long genesis in the studio – some early work with The Band, then Dylan breaking off with Al Kooper and Robbie Robertson to head down to Nashville – where they interacted with key country session musicians to make this masterful blend of music – work that's not country at all, but which is also moving past Dylan's folk roots too – with a blend of music that still as mindblowing today as it was back in the mid 60s! This is definitely one of those double-length sets that makes fantastic use of all the extra space – overflowing with gems that include "Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35", "Visions Of Johanna", "Pledging My Time", "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again", "Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat", and "Just Like A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that has Family very much at the top of their game – and working in a format that some of their contemporaries were trying on record at the time – serving up one side of live material, and one set in the studio! Although the group are sometimes linked to the prog scene of the time, there's a quality here that's often more hard rock overall, especially on the live material – very thunderous drums and heady guitar work, and vocals from Roger Chapman singing at the rawer side of his spectrum! Titles include "Part Of The Load", "Willow Tree", "Good News Bad News", "Holding The Compass", "Anyway", and "Normans". 2CD edition is overflowing with bonus material – the cuts "Normans (US LP edit)", "Hung Up Down (1970 single)", "Strange Band (studio)", and "The Weavers Answer (1970 single)" – plus a bonus CD with a dozen more tracks from a BBC Top Gear session in September, 1970! CD

A record that marks a slight shift for Family – maybe a more focused approach to songwriting, yet one that's still very much their own – given the undeniably wild vocals of the legendary Roger Chapman! Chapman's knocking it out of the park here – even nudging aside John Wetton, who doesn't sing as much as before – as the group swerve between hard rock moments and some even cooler, artier touches – on titles that include "Burlesque", "Bolero Babe", "Coronation", "Dark Eyes", "Broken Nose", "My Friend The Sun", "Glove' , "Top Of The Hill", and "Ready To Go". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "The Rockin Rs", and early Olympic Studios versions of tracks, never issued before – plus five more numbers from a BBC Bob Harris Show performance in 1971. CD

The final studio album from Family, and a set that really has the group coming down strongly on all the best elements they crafted together on previous records! The vocals of Roger Chapman, as always, are a real charm – some of the most distinct of his generation, and perfectly at home in rootsier modes and more hard rocking passages – which are balanced out nicely on the record, and given a lean push forward with great guitars and keyboards – but never in a style that's too polished or commercial. In fact, given the lack of huge chart success for the group – at least on our side of the ocean – it's a strong testament to the quality of their work that they kept on going this strongly. Titles include the instrumental "Banger", plus "Sweet Desiree", "Suspicion", "Leroy", "Buffet Tea For Two", "Boom Bang", and "It's Only A Movie". 2CD edition features lots of bonus tracks – the single cuts "Drink To You" and "Stop This Car" – and early versions of "Boom Bang", "Suspicion", and "Stop This Car" – plus 14 more live tracks all recorded for the BBC in 1973! CD

One of Serge Gainsbourg's best albums ever – a set that we love every bit as much as his Melody Nelson classic, or his killer records with Jane Birkin! The set was recorded in the mid 70s, and it features amazing orchestrations from Alan Hawkshaw – backings that are even better than Hawk's previous sound library work, and which are filled with loads of cool spare moogy and electronic bits filtering in and out of the mix! Some tracks bubble with the same brooding brilliance and funky touches that you'd find on the Melody Nelson album – and others have a uniquely spacey quality that's unlike any of his other work! Tracks include "Transit A Marilou", "Aeroplanes", "Variations Sur Marilou", "Premiers Symptomes", and "Lunatic Asylum". A great record – and one of the first of Serge's that we'd recommend! 2CD version features a whole bonus set of instrumental tracks from the album sessions – and alternate versions of "Transit A Marilou", "Lunatic Asylum", "Meurtre A L'Extincteur", and "Ma Lou Marilou". (French, Rock) CD

A freaky, fuzzy set from High Tide – a record that some folks know for its groundbreaking use of electric violin, but one that's equally great as a heavy guitar-driven monster! These guys definitely turn things right up to 11, right from the start – and come on with a hard-wailing style that was years ahead of its time – and right on that cusp when psych energy was starting to turn into hard rock! There's a few mellower moments, but the set's definitely got a lot more bracing power than its title or cover might make you expect – on titles that include "Futilist's Lament", "Death Warmed Up", "Pushed, But Not Forgotten", "Walking Down Their Outlook", "Missing Out", and "Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

Rockabilly legend Billy Joy definitely rocks – hardly a household name in the 50s, but a killer figure in the rock and roll underground – and one whose fame has just grown more and more over the years! The package is a beautifully-done tribute to Benny's genius – and presents the most hard-rocking of his important 50s recordings, as well as a host of unreleased tracks from later demos too! Joy's guitar work alone is amazing, but when it's coupled with the kickass rhythms of the tunes, the music really takes off to a whole new level – burning with the power you'd expect from the classic Johnny Burnette Trio – and that's before Benny's gritty vocals even come into play! CD features 30 tracks in all – including some lost recordings from the 70s – titles that include "Rollin To The Juke Box Rock", "Dark Angel", "Miss Bobby Sox", "Little Red Book", "Button Nose", "Come Back", "Wild Wild Lover", "In Study Hall", "Crash The Party (unedited)", "Spin The Bottle (Nashville demo)", "Big John Taylor", "High High School Baby", and "Nosey Nosey Neighbors". CD

A groundbreaking record from Kraftwerk – a set that unified the 70s worlds of analogue electronics and prog rock – yet somehow managed to set the scene for a whole new sound to come! The album's a treasure all the way through – slow-building, and with beautiful bubbling moments that have these surprisingly simple hooks – heard to best effect in the album's classic title cut "Autobahn" – but echoed nicely through the album's other longer tracks too – "Kometenmelodie 1 &2", "Mitternacht", and "Morgenspaziergang". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking little record – and one that's hardly ever been matched again! Liquid Liquid sprang onto the scene with this amazing debut EP for 99 Records – a set that's got a wicked blend of funky drums, post-punk darkness, and this cool criss-crossing of modes that perfectly sums up the genius of the New York scene at the time! The record features lots of percussion throughout – drums, roto toms, congas, and plenty more – mixed with these brooding basslines that remind us of Jah Wobble at his best, and echoey production that almost feels like an American take on Martin Hannett at his best – especially at those moments when weird, eerie vocals drift through the instrumentation, barely at the edge of hearing. Titles include the classic "Bellhead" – plus "Groupmegroup", "Rubbermiro", "Lub Dupe", and "New Walk". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of the most successful albums of the British jazz rock years – but still a longtime favorite of ours as well! Mike Oldfield sets a whole new standard here for concept rock – not only by working on a single album-length composition that spans all of sides one and two, but also by playing all instruments himself – in a one man symphony of sound that's pretty darn great! The main theme of the piece will be recognizable from it's stripped-down use in The Exorcist – but we really love Oldfield's expansion on it here in a range of different overdubbed instruments, which are also sometimes processed – and then introduced by Mike in a spoken part that's one of the highlights of the album. LP, Vinyl record album

The very first album from Pacific Gas & Electric – the hard-wailing west coast group who later recorded more famously for Columbia Records, but who are completely on fire here! The set was done for the Bright Orange subsidiary of Kent Records – that LA imprint who did such a great job with blues, soul, and R&B in the 50s and 60s – and who really let the group here stay close to their blues inspirations, while also letting their freak flag fly with some very cool Cali elements too! As with so many of the other groups of their time who maybe started out in blues, PG&E are quickly moving into territory that's all their own – taking off with psychedelic elements and strongly soulful touches – served up with some great lead guitar work from Glenn Schwartz, some heavy fuzz bass by Brent Block, and raw vocals from Charlie Allen. Tracks include a great remake of the Bobby Blue Bland Tune "Cry Cry Cry" – plus"Wade In The Water", "The Motor City Is Burning", "The Hunger", "Long Handled Shovel", "Jelly Jelly", "Stormy Times", and "Live Love". CD

A landmark album from John Prine – his Atlantic debut, done at a time when he was emerging from the second generation of the Chicago folk scene – with a style that set the tone for countless singer/songwriters in years to come! The record has immediate appeal to ears tuned towards hip country, folk, and the more personal side of rock at the time – as Prine sings his material with a wry wit that's simultaneously heartbreaking, with support from the great Reggie Young on guitar and Bobby Emmons on organ – plus work on two tracks from scenemate and soon-to-be-star Steve Goodman on guitar. Titles include the seminal "Hello In There" – a tune that's hard to believe was written by a 24 year old – plus "Six O'Clock News", "Sam Stone", "Donald & Lydia", "Illegal Smile", "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore", and "Far From Me". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible debut from Public Image Limited – one of the most striking records of its generation, and a huge surprise – given that the Sex Pistols had broken up just a few months before! The record is the key transition of Johnny Rotten into John Lydon – and the whole thing is light years ahead of the Pistols in terms of boundless creativity and originality – different from Lydon's own earlier revolutionary punk act and different from pretty much everything else on the late 70s landscape – even darker than punk, if you can imagine that! The dissonant, driving post punk guitars and sneering vocals are recognizable, sure – but the dubby textures and more angular touches are so far outside the box and so hugely influential that it's hard to fathom myriad underground rock acts existing without it. Of course, part of the credit also goes to the amazing band that John Lydon assembled to put the whole thing together – a quartet that includes incredible guitar from Keith Levene, and heady bass from Jah Wobble – both key parts of the sound. Titles include "Theme", "Religion", "Religion II", "Annalisa", "Public Image", "Low Life", "Attack" and "Fodderstompf". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible debut from Public Image Limited – one of the most striking records of its generation, and a huge surprise – given that the Sex Pistols had broken up just a few months before! The record is the key transition of Johnny Rotten into John Lydon – and the whole thing is light years ahead of the Pistols in terms of boundless creativity and originality – different from Lydon's own earlier revolutionary punk act and different from pretty much everything else on the late 70s landscape – even darker than punk, if you can imagine that! The dissonant, driving post punk guitars and sneering vocals are recognizable, sure – but the dubby textures and more angular touches are so far outside the box and so hugely influential that it's hard to fathom myriad underground rock acts existing without it. Of course, part of the credit also goes to the amazing band that John Lydon assembled to put the whole thing together – a quartet that includes incredible guitar from Keith Levene, and heady bass from Jah Wobble – both key parts of the sound. Titles include "Theme", "Religion", "Religion II", "Annalisa", "Public Image", "Low Life", "Attack" and "Fodderstompf". LP, Vinyl record album

A Spanish album that brings together two classic early records from this great guitarist! First up is the self-titled John Renbourn – the first full album from acoustic genius Renbourn – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Next is Another Monday – one of Renbourn's most obscure records, and a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A really weird, really moody sort of record – one that was issued in the mid 80s, but by a guy who seems to think that he's still working in the singer/songwriter generation of the late 70s! For Scott Seskind, punk and new wave never happened – as the songs here are personal, heartfelt, and delivered with this darkly-presented folk style – not the sunny optimism of the early 60s, but more that smoky haze from the second half of the decade – infused with the realization that the revolution wasn't gonna happen, with more focus on personal issues. There's some great moody echo in the production, which really helps set the tone – and titles include "War", "Empty Arms", "Unknown & Disliked", "Bobby Sands", "You're The Reason", "This Is My Country", "Out Of The Blue", "Our Ring", and "Been Waitin". CD

A really weird, really moody sort of record – one that was issued in the mid 80s, but by a guy who seems to think that he's still working in the singer/songwriter generation of the late 70s! For Scott Seskind, punk and new wave never happened – as the songs here are personal, heartfelt, and delivered with this darkly-presented folk style – not the sunny optimism of the early 60s, but more that smoky haze from the second half of the decade – infused with the realization that the revolution wasn't gonna happen, with more focus on personal issues. There's some great moody echo in the production, which really helps set the tone – and titles include "War", "Empty Arms", "Unknown & Disliked", "Bobby Sands", "You're The Reason", "This Is My Country", "Out Of The Blue", "Our Ring", and "Been Waitin". LP, Vinyl record album

Really early genius from The Sonics – and the kind of music that reminds us why the legendary group still continue to sound so wonderful after all these years! The Sonics had an edge that was different than most of their contemporaries – definitely honed on plenty of influences from earlier rock and R&B, but also letting loose with a kind of frenzy that not only made them one of the most stunning acts of the early garage psych years, but which continued to get the group plenty of interest once punk rolled in too. The highlights here might well be the group's standout originals – "The Witch", "Psycho", and "Strychnine" – worth the price of admission alone – but laid out here next to other great cuts that include "Do You Love Me", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Boss Hoss", "Money", "Walking The Dog", Nighttime Is The Right Time", and "Dirty Robber". LP, Vinyl record album

Really beautiful work from Stackridge – an early set, and one that's got the group working in more prog-oriented territory overall – yet still with a tightness to the tunes that avoids any side-long jams or solos that overwhelm the vocals and melody! Instrumentation includes bits of violin and flute next to more conventional guitar – and the tunes have that very special Stackridge blend, a bit hard to describe, but very different than so many American groups of the period. Titles include "Keep On Clucking", "Teatime", "Anyone For Tennis", "Syracuse The Elephant", "Father Frankenstein Is Behind Your Pillow", and "Lummy Days". 2CD version features the singles-only tracks "Slark", "Purple Spaceships Over Yatton", "C'Est La Vie", and "Do The Stanley" – plus 8 more tracks from a BBC concert in 1972! CD

A legendary project from Tortoise – kind of the "part 1.5" to their tremendous debut – as it features material from that record, remixed by members of the group and other key figures on the Chicago scene – all as a real testament to the many criss-crossing styles and modes that were taking place during these key post-rock years! The original material was performed by the version of the group that featured Bundy K Brown, John Herndon, John McIntire, Doug McCombs, and Dan Bitney – and remixes are by McEntire and Brown from the group – plus Steve Albini, Brad Wood, Casey Rice, Jim O'Rourke, Rick Brown, and even Mike Watt! Titles include "Alcohall", "Your New Rod", "Cobwebbed", "Tin Cans (Puerto Rican mix)", "Initial Gesture Protraction", "The Match Incident", and "Not Quite East Of The Ryan". LP, Vinyl record album

Nick Waterhouse keeps winning us over again and again with his music – which seems to get better and better with each new release! This album might be Nick's most compelling so far – a nicely gritty set that almost takes us back to that hip London stretch in the 60s, when British singers were effortlessly blending together American styles from soul, jazz, and blues – into a hip-stepping mode that was completely outta sight! Not that Nick's a retro artist trying for an old-styled sound – just that he's one of the few in decades who can get such a clear, focused groove out of all the right elements – and all without making it sound forced at all. A record you can easily file next to classics by Bobby Scott, George Fame, and Zoot Money – with titles that include "Stanyan Street", "The Old Place", "Katchi", "Tracy", "LA Turnaround", "It's Time", and "I Had Some Money". (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A massive tribute to this groundbreaking, genre-busting label – a short-lived imprint on Island Records that was put together by Brian Eno in the mid 70s – all to showcase some of the best new experiments in avant classical and minimalist music! There's a special sort of quality to these records – work that maybe has a bit more "heart" than some of the colder, more academic work of the period – even in comparison to some of the other records issued by some of these artists – warmer and more personal than the productions of Cramps or CRI, for example – and always seeming to have that special sort of sonic brilliance that Eno brought to his own music of the time! The label only issued ten full records, but that makes for a very unified vibe for the entire catalog – which is collected here with a huge booklet of notes inside the box set. Albums include The Sinking Of The Titanic by Gavin Bryars, Voices & Instrumentals by Jan Steele & John Cage, Irma by Tom Phillips, Pavilion Of Dreams by Harold Budd, Decay Music by Michael Nyman, Discreet Music by Brian Eno, New & Rediscovered Musical Instruments by Max Eastley & David Toop, Music From The Penguin Cafe by Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Machine Music by John White & Gavin Bryars, and Ensemble Pieces by Christopher Hobbs, John Adams, & Gavin Bryars. (Out Sound, Rock) CD

A very cool little set – maybe not the deepest dive into the decade of the 70s, in that the package isn't full of unissued tracks or super-rare singles – but it does represent a great look at the decade that goes way past the hits, and much farther than the charts – including the sort of material that was slightly ignored at the time, but has gone on to be really appreciated in more recent years! The book-style set is filled with great choices and unusual tunes – work from both the US and UK scenes, some of it by bigger names represented here by more unusual cuts – some by others who barely cracked the mainstream, but did some great work at the time. There's one full CD of female artists, and a pretty unusual mix of titles – 71 titles in all, by artists who include Murray Head, The Records, Ronnie Lane, Terry Reid, Sandy Denny, Wendy Waldman, Freddie King, Montrose, Tim Buckley, Don Nix, Jerry Williams, Big Star, Tony Joe White, Delaney & Bonnie, John Prine, Michael Franks, Bobby Charles, Andy Pratt, Hirth Martinez, Robert Palmer, Jess Roden, Roy Harper, Patto, Sharks, The Roches, Linda Lewis Valerie Carter, and many others! CD

Compiled for Louisiana World's Fair in New Orleans in 1984, with selections by Huey Piano Smith, Frankie Ford, Dr John, Jimmy Clanton, Earl King, Bobby Marchan, Joe Tex, and others. LP, Vinyl record album