A 40th anniversary look at The Cult, in all their many early formations too – along with other 80s-sensitive articles on Ruts DC, Pauline Murray, Stranglers, Crass Records, Motorhead, JJ Burnel, Madness, and some of the other sorts of artists who always make Vive Le Rock such a blast from the past – and a surprising reminder of who's still out there and working! Magazine

One of the most striking albums of the Krautrock generation – a project that has singer Gille Lettmann acting as Starmaiden – in a set of tracks that features contributions from a whole host of other contemporaries too! Klaus Schulze provides keyboards amidst all sorts of fuzzy guitar and offbeat production – and the tunes are shorter, and maybe more conventional in structure than other records of the scene at the time – but still given a very wild spin overall. Timothy Leary drops in at one point – maybe no surprise, given the trippiness of the record – and titles include "Right Hand Lover", "Lord Krishna", "Electronic Rock Zeitalter", "Meine Kosmische Musik", and "Power Drive". CD

The never-issued second set from this ultra-hip supergroup of the Krautrock generation – a set that was recorded right ever their amazing debut, but which was never issued at the time! If anything, this record is maybe even more of a cosmic exploration than the first – with fantastic electronics used in all these amazing ways – almost predicting the shift that would take place on the German scene in the big Sky Records years, from a time when artists like this learned that sometimes less is more – and more effective too! A few playful moments almost hit at the AtaTak new wave to come too – and titles include "Tarot", "Psi", "Tutenchanamun", "Leonardo", and "Cagliostro". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from one of the heaviest hard rock bands of the 60s – presented here on a set of demo tracks that were originally broadcast on San Francisco radio, and helped the group earn their recording contract with Philips Records! Blue Cheer were maybe the first group to think of turning their amps up to 11 – and there's a rawness to this work that may even top the fire of their classic debut, with really mindblowing guitar from Leigh Stephens all the way through! Titles include the 10 minute jammer "Doctor Please", a killer take of "Summertime Blues", and the mighty fierce "Second Time Around". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late 70s performance from Bobby Bradford and his Extet – a group that wasn't nearly as well documented as his combo with John Carter, but one that's almost equally great! The material here is from a 1977 radio broadcast, and is very well recorded – quite open and unrestrained, with lots of space for the group to open up in a range of new ideas! Bradford's in the lead on cornet, and other members include James Newton on flute, Richard Rehwald on bass, and John Goldsmith on drums – the latter two of whom we don't know at all, but both players who really hold their own in the company of these horn heavyweights. Newton's flute has a nice degree of bite, and matches the fire in Bradford's horn nicely – and like other records of the time from Bobby, there's a nice sense of soul and structure – a bit more tightness than work of the period from the east coast, and a somewhat spiritual undercurrent, even when things get a bit free. Titles include "Improvisation #12", "Blue Monk", "She", and "Comin On" – and the CD also features the bonus track "She", recorded in 2003 as a duet between Bradford and Vinny Golia. CD

A deep dive into the work of pianist Raymond Fol as a leader – material that includes a number of rare broadcast tracks, and a handful of records that have Fol in the spotlight – something that didn't happen all that much, even though Raymond played on dozens of important sessions for other musicians on the French scene! The set begins with Fol's initial four track EP for Columbia, a trio date that's followed by more live recordings in Paris – then steps into an assortment of unusual dates from the late 50s – including two tracks with singer Annie Fratellini, three with trumpeter Nonzio Rotondo and tenorist Enzo Scoppa, and more trio recordings as well. CD2 features rare broadcast material from the 60s – including one title with Donald Byrd on trumpet, and six more with a septet that also includes Ivan Jullien and Roger Guerin on trumpets! The package has copious notes on Fol and his contribution to the postwar scene in Paris – and the 2CD collection features a massive 38 tracks in all, with titles that include "Hush", "Melancholia", "Scandinavian", "Lazy Lady Daisy", "John's Groove", "Tune Up", "Circeo", "Thrilling", "Oh My Lord", "Out Of Art", "Where Is Salvador", and "Little Niles". CD

A stunning book – even more amazing than we were expecting, and we were really expecting a lot! This is a heavy, hardcover, full color volume that takes a deep dig into the world of British jazz during some crucial modern years – presented with oversized images throughout, in the manner of some hefty art book from Taschen or one of those other fancy publishers! Author Richard Morton Jack presents listings for hundreds of crucial albums – each with both front and back cover artwork reproduced in full, in a size that's about a square 9" for most of the records, on pages that are much larger, with text at the bottom on each record, and even inner label reproductions! If you love Brit jazz from this period as much as we do, you'll find plenty to love – as the book contains listings for crucial records by giants like Joe Harriott, Stan Tracey, Graham Collier, Mike Westbrook, John Stevens, Don Rendell, and dozens of others – not just familiar albums, but really rare ones we've never seen before – work on the Lansdowne series on Columbia, and other labels that include RCA, EMI, Argo, and CBS – plus smaller indies too. The book is as beautiful as having an original pressing of one of these gems in your hands – and given that most of the originals go for hundreds of dollars, if/when you can find them, the book is a hell of a deal. Hardcover, 372 pages, and in full color throughout. Book

A treasure trove of work from the European scene – recordings that were unissued at the time, but which feature fantastic performance by American soloists done for Austrian radio! The core group is led by trombonist Eich Kleinschuster – a player from Vienna who never got much notice on our side of the Atlantic, but who was a fantastic host for visiting musicians in a series of broadcast concerts done by the Austrian radio – with Erich as the leader, and a fair bit of work on piano and Fender Rhodes from the mighty Fritz Pauer – a talent you'll know from some key MPS Records sessions of the period! And the vibe here is very much like MPS at its best – a great meeting of talents, at a level that rises everyone else involved – which makes these sessions superb throughout, no matter the soloist. This Volume 3 features three great tracks with trumpeter Carmell Jones – "And Things Will Change", "Fantangolin", and "The J Dance" – and three more with trumpeter Art Farmer – "Eau Sauvage", "Red Jeans", and "Alisarb". There's also six great tracks with trombonist Slide Hampton, who also helps with arrangements – on titles that include "New World", "Spain", "Ok Persson", "Wide Slide", "Soulsides", and "TEE". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of work from the European scene – recordings that were unissued at the time, but which feature fantastic performance by American soloists done for Austrian radio! The core group is led by trombonist Eich Kleinschuster – a player from Vienna who never got much notice on our side of the Atlantic, but who was a fantastic host for visiting musicians in a series of broadcast concerts done by the Austrian radio – with Erich as the leader, and a fair bit of work on piano and Fender Rhodes from the mighty Fritz Pauer – a talent you'll know from some key MPS Records sessions of the period! And the vibe here is very much like MPS at its best – a great meeting of talents, at a level that rises everyone else involved – which makes these sessions superb throughout, no matter the soloist. This Volume 1 features six tracks from the mighty tenorist Clifford Jordan – on "Looking Across", "872", "Leavin Train", "Impressions Of Scandinavia", "Vienna", and "Sandra". Trumpeter Charles Tolliver shows up on the remaining five titles – on titles that include his fantastic "On The Nile", plus "Lil's Paradise", "Paper Man", "Right Now", and "Household Of Saud". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of work from the European scene – recordings that were unissued at the time, but which feature fantastic performance by American soloists done for Austrian radio! The core group is led by trombonist Eich Kleinschuster – a player from Vienna who never got much notice on our side of the Atlantic, but who was a fantastic host for visiting musicians in a series of broadcast concerts done by the Austrian radio – with Erich as the leader, and a fair bit of work on piano and Fender Rhodes from the mighty Fritz Pauer – a talent you'll know from some key MPS Records sessions of the period! And the vibe here is very much like MPS at its best – a great meeting of talents, at a level that rises everyone else involved – which makes these sessions superb throughout, no matter the soloist. This Volume 2 features six tracks with the great tenorist Joe Henderson joining the group – on titles that include "Mamacita", "Recorda Me", "Inner Urge", "The Kicker", "Serenity", and "Chelsea Bridge". Seven more titles feature the fantastic trumpeter Dusko Goykovich, with work from Hans Salomon on tenor and bass clarinet, and Jimmy Woode on bass – on titles that include "Formel", "As Usual", "Moustache", "Sega Se Karame", and "Tell It Like It Is". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of early R&B by one of the genre's best – the mighty Amos Milburn, a singer who brought a new level of hardcore to the genre! The set features recordings taken from the vaults of Aladdin Records – issued here for the first time! LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant live set from the key 60s years of the Thelonious Monk Quartet – material recorded in Tokyo as part of a TV broadcasting – done with excellent sound, and different than the album release of material that came out from Columbia Records at the time! The group here features pure genius – a balance of Monk's modern piano with sax, bass, and drums at a level that's almost an answer to that pairing in the late 50s Dave Brubeck group – Monk really pushing the edges, alongside the stunning Charlie Rouse on tenor, with Butch Warren on bass and Frankie Dunlop on drums. This version of the group would be gone by the end of 1963, but sound wonderful here – on titles that include "Epistrophy", "Evidence", "Just A Gigolo", "Blue Monk", and "Ba Lou Bolivar Ba Luse Are". LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed treasure from the early 80s west coast scene – a trippy little record that was one of the shining jewels in the new psych underground – quite a shift from the LA hardcore sound of a few years before! Yet unlike some of their contemporaries, Rain Parade were hardly copping any sort of easy retro modes – as their approach here is leaner, maybe a bit colder, and almost influenced by post-punk styles in the same way that some of the better UK bands were at the time – almost as if there was a synchronous explosion of fuzzy energy between the group and the Creation Records generation to come. The whole thing holds up wonderfully over the years – maybe even more so, given the passage of time, and the legions of other groups who never made the music this well. Titles include "Talking In My Sleep", "I Look Around", "This Can't Be Today", "Look At Merri", "Saturday's Asylum", and "Kaleidoscope". (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.) LP, Vinyl record album

A sprawling set of rare singles in a variety of genres – and a set that's maybe one of the most essential in the "state" series from the Be! Records label! Previous entries have included Michigan, Texas, and other states with a well-known recorded legacy – but this time around, the package focuses on cuts from a range of scenes in Virginia and West Virginia – really rare music on a variety of very small labels – done in modes that run the gamut from rockabilly to garage, to country and a bit of pop as well! As with other volumes, the package is as magnificent as the music – as the set comes with a huge 12" square hardcover book – 120 pages of information, session details, label scans, and more – in support of a wealth of music from tiny labels that include Dominion, Cozy, Fernwood, Mart, Nu-Kat, Tip Top, and other long-gone record companies from the glory days of the indie 7" single. The set features 145 tracks in all – music from Johnny Gravely, Big Al Walker, The Reactors, Butch Lester, Paul Young & The Versatones, George Curtus, Johnny Boni, Bob Varney, Dusty Owens, Hasil Atkins, Keith Anderson, Dorse Lewis, Jeanette & Hubert, Buddy Watson, and countless others! CD

In 1994 when everyone seemed to be turning hardcore, Common Sense wasn't having it – and gave the world this superb second album that formed a key part of his soon-to-be huge legacy! The album's very near and dear to our Chicago-born hearts – and is filled with introspective tales of growing up and living on the South Side, given perfect support by the production of No ID – a real overlooked hero of this generation! The album was made with little regard to trends of the time, and that's given it a timeless quality that really holds on over the years – maybe even more so than some of Common's later, bigger records. The set features two guest appearances by Y-Not aka Twilight Tone – and titles include "I Used To Love HER", "Book Of Life", "Chapter 13", "Nuthin' To Do", "In My Own World (Check The Method)", "Maintaining", "Communism", "Watermelon", "Thisisme", and "Sum Sh*t I Wrote". (And bonus trivia – Chicago station WHPK, a breeding ground for Dusty Groove, even gets a mention on the set!). This excellent 2LP deluxe vinyl reissue includes a side featuring 3 bonus tracks – "Resurrection 95", "Resurrection (Large Professor mix)", and "Resurrection (Extra P rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sonny's brilliant west coast sessions for Contemporary – records that shouldn't sparkle as much as they do, but which actually stand with his best work of the 50s! Sonny's blowing in front of a session of "leaders" that includes Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne, and Victor Feldman, who plays vibes on one track. Sonny's the real leader here, though – as his bold, proud tenor tone really takes front seat, carving lines that never get tired, bringing a sparkle into tunes like "You", "How High The Moon", "I've Found A New Baby", "The Song Is You", and "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star". Heck, even with songs like those, the album should be weak – but there's an undeniable magic that really makes it great! Includes alternate versions of "You", "The Song Is You", and "I've Found A New Baby". CD

A landmark album in a landmark package – a set that takes this gem from Sly & The Family Stone, presses it up on a special hi-fidelity gold CD, then cradles the whole thing in special box with a heavy hardcover book with lots of new notes – and a fabric American flag sewn right onto the cover! The album's a wonderful moment Sly and crew – moving way past the straight funk approach of earlier records, into a complicated crossover soul style that's filled with warmth and righteousness! Despite the political tone implied by the "riot" in the title and the co-option of the American flag on the cover, the album's strongest suit is its warmth and personal soul message – sometimes filled with politics, sure, but always sounding like a sexy love song, no matter how hard it tries to get righteous! The flow is wonderful throughout – a very well-thought out album that shows that Sly was singing way past the singles scene – and the record's filled with great cuts like "Family Affair", "Luv N Haight", "Brave & Strong", "You Caught Me Smilin", and "Thank You For Talkin To Me Africa". Also features "There's A Riot Going On" – which runs for "0:00" minutes! The whole thing's completely sublime already – but in this special box, it's really something else. CD

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". Also includes the bonus track "Hang On To Your Ego". CD

Freddie King first rose to prominence in the 60s as a hell of a guitarist with a penchant for searing licks – but 70s records like this really put him over the top as a vocalist too! The set was done for Leon Russell's Shelter label – and Russell produced and plays piano and organ on the record, yet still gives Freddie all the space he needs in the lead – which he does wonderfully, both on vocals and his own "singing" guitar! Don Preston is in the small group on second guitar, and there's some nice use of organ as well – and titles include "You Was Wrong", "Can't Trust Your Neighbor", "The Sky Is Crying", "I'd Rather Be Blind", and "Me and My Guitar". CD

A brilliant live set from the key 60s years of the Thelonious Monk Quartet – material recorded in Tokyo as part of a TV broadcasting – done with excellent sound, and different than the album release of material that came out from Columbia Records at the time! The group here features pure genius – a balance of Monk's modern piano with sax, bass, and drums at a level that's almost an answer to that pairing in the late 50s Dave Brubeck group – Monk really pushing the edges, alongside the stunning Charlie Rouse on tenor, with Butch Warren on bass and Frankie Dunlop on drums. This version of the group would be gone by the end of 1963, but sound wonderful here – on titles that include "Epistrophy", "Evidence", "Just A Gigolo", "Blue Monk", and "Ba Lou Bolivar Ba Luse Are". CD

An incredible early album from the LA scene – very different than the hardcore and the new wave that was dominating the city at the time – and done in a style that's much more UK post-punk overall – almost with a feel that's like some of the best early releases on Factory Records! The album was reportedly recorded in a parking garage, and definitely has a dark sound to match – a moody blend of tribal percussion, brooding bass, edgey guitar, and these raw, stark lyrics that really get to the point right away! The set was the first in the longer legacy of Independent Project, and is maybe still the best – with titles that include "Attempted Coup Madagascar", "The Ivory Coast", "Next To Nothing", "Zulu Zulu", "Real Men", and "When All Else Fails". Great reissue pressing – with a full disc of material that represents the early recordings by the group before the label – 11 more tracks, recorded in various parking garages at UCLA! The package also features very detailed notes – finally getting past the mystery of the original release. CD

One of the most unique packages we've ever seen from the mighty Mosaic Records – not a set that focuses on a specific artist or record label – but instead a treasure trove of freshly-unearthed material from the archives of Bill Savory – a legendary sound engineer whose work for Columbia Records helped transform our understanding of classic jazz! The sides here aren't Bill's work for that label – but instead feature recordings he made of rare broadcast performances – material that's surprisingly well-recorded, given Savory's skills with the technology of the times – which means that these tracks are way more than the kind of fuzzy radio tapes that used to show up on older jazz bootleg albums. Mosaic did a great job of restoring these materials, and presenting them with wonderful clarity – in a succession of late 30s performances that feature rare work by Count Basie, Albert Ammons, Mildred Bailey, Teddy Wilson, Glenn Miller, John Kirby, Carl Cress, Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Fats Waller, Lionel Hampton, Roy Eldridge, Jack Teagarden, and other giants of the swing generation. There's 108 tracks in all – including a few surprisingly long performances – and the whole thing comes with the usual hefty Mosaic Records package of notes and photos! CD

Mac Curtis rocks, that's no lie – and this well-done collection shows that the southern legend kept on going strongly long after his famous late 50s singles for King Records! The set's got plenty of that classic King material – really hardcore work that rivals some of the best rockabilly that others were cutting for Sun Records at the time – and it follows up with some surprisingly great later material too, done for the smaller Rollin Rock label, but with an equally sharp edge – surprisingly timeless sounds, given the time – and handled in a lean style that really matches the older cuts. As always with Bear Family, the presentation is great – excellent sound, detailed notes, and 32 tracks that include "Rockin Mother", "Party Line", "Say So", "Just So You Call Me", "Grandaddy's Rockin", "Sidething", "Little Miss Linda", "Hard Hearted Girl", "Half Hearted Love", "That Ain't Nothin But Right", "No", "For Your Love", "Missy Ann", "Been Gone A Long Time", and "Show Me The Money". CD

A huge amount of 70s material from the legendary Paul Desmond – all recorded during the year of 1975, with backing from a shifting group of Canadian players – and most of it unissued until now! You'll know some of these tracks from the albums Paul Desmond Quartet Live (A&M), Paul Desmond (Artist House), and Like Someone In Love (Telarc) – but together, the tracks present a much bigger picture of Desmond's genius at the time – really moving past some of the more rigid roles he'd have in his 60s work with Dave Brubeck. Players on most numbers are the trio of Ed Bickert on guitar, Don Thompson on bass, and Jerry Fuller on drums – a really great combo, and the mix of guitar with Desmond's sharply-blown alto is wonderful – a perfect upfront setting for his sound. A few more tracks feature trombonist Rob McDConnell in place of Bickert – which makes for a different, but equally compelling sound – and the whole thing features 51 long tracks, 32 of which appear here for the first time ever – all with the usual great Mosaic Records booklet of notes and presentation. CD

Genius, pure genius! (Have we said that about Lee too many times before?) The work of Lee Hazlewood is beyond description – a bit of vocals, a bit of country, a bit of lounge, and a bit of rock – all wrapped up with a sinister edge that has you believing that this was the man who used to refer to his frequent musical partner as "Nasty" Sinatra over the headphones during recording sessions! The set features 35 tracks from Lee's obscure years at MGM records – wonderful vocal tunes that rank with some of his best ever, plus a few weird instrumentals, recorded by Lee Hazlewood's Woodchucks. Insanely wonderful stuff – records that we come back to again and again and again over the years – finally presented in their entirety, with a great set of notes on the music! Tracks include "Hands", "Mannford Oklahoma", "This Town", "Sand", "Child", "Little War", "Fort Worth", "Summer Wine", "I Move Around", "After Six", "Batman", "Summer Nights", "Suzi Jane Is Back In Town", "In Our Time", "When A Fool Loves A Fool", and "So Long Babe". CD

A pair of albums from Rain Parade – back to back on a single set! First up is Emergency Rail Power Trip – an undisputed treasure from the early 80s west coast scene – a trippy little record that was one of the shining jewels in the new psych underground – quite a shift from the LA hardcore sound of a few years before! Yet unlike some of their contemporaries, Rain Parade were hardly copping any sort of easy retro modes – as their approach here is leaner, maybe a bit colder, and almost influenced by post-punk styles in the same way that some of the better UK bands were at the time – almost as if there was a synchronous explosion of fuzzy energy between the group and the Creation Records generation to come. The whole thing holds up wonderfully over the years – maybe even more so, given the passage of time, and the legions of other groups who never made the music this well. Titles include "Talking In My Sleep", "I Look Around", "This Can't Be Today", "Look At Merri", "Saturday's Asylum", and "Kaleidoscope". Explosions In The Glass Palace is fuzzy magic from The Rain Parade – an EP, but one that's every bit as important to their catalog as their full length debut! In fact, the record might be an even purer distillation of their sound – recorded by a four member lineup, with a nice focus on the more subtle elements of their songwriting skills, and sometimes augmented by just a bit of light strings, in a really nice way. Titles include "Broken Horse", "Prisoners", "You Are My Friend", "Blue", and "No Easy Way Down". CD

Early live recording from Savage Republic – a band from the LA scene, but very different than the hardcore and the new wave that was dominating the city at the time – and done in a style that's much more UK post-punk overall – almost with a feel that's like some of the best early releases on Factory Records! CD

A rare slice of work from the great Sandie Shaw – material she recorded for broadcasts, at the time she was also serving up her classic material for Pye Records – easily some of the coolest, grooviest Brit female pop of the time! The presentation here is a nice change from the famous singles – in that although there's a fair bit of material penned by Chris Andrews, who gave Sandie some hits, there's also some nice covers of tunes of the time too – done in some straighter readings for BBC Top Gear shows, and given a different spin on some Shindig recordings, and a number of tracks from the Sandie Shaw Supplement program! The set's got 19 tracks in all – and titles include "I'd Be Far Better Off Without You", "Girl Don't Come", "Homeward Bound", "Route 66", "Day Tripper/Ticket To Ride", "Coconut Grove", "Love Letters", and "Do You Know The Way To San Jose". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album of soul duets – and one of the deeper records cut by Betty during the 60s! The arrangements are by the great Marty Paich, and although there's some singers in the background, the overall sound is still pretty nice and soulful. Betty's high voice works well with Ray's raspy low one – especially on their classic duet version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside". Other tracks include "For All We Know", "Every Time We Say Goodbye", "Side By Side", and "You & I". CD

Maybe the biggest album ever from Three 6 Mafia – a set that has the trio really hitting on all burners for the harder side of the spectrum in the 21st Century! By the time of the set, hardcore was mainstream – and few folks know how to explore that territory like Three 6 – years from time when anyone had to worry about offending anyone too much with a record that was stepping too hard, and just able to revel in the kind of vibes they first crafted many records back. The set features the big single "Stay Fly", with work from Young Buck and Eightball – plus the cuts "Roll With It", "Knock Tha Black Off Yo Ass", "Half ON A Sack", "Hard Hittas", "Poppin My Collar", "Don't Violate", "Don't Cha Get Mad", "Dancin On A Pole", "Got It 4 Sale", and even the "Stay Fly (still fly rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

The full story of one of the most important indie labels in the world of folk, roots, and acoustic music – an imprint who are maybe only second to Folkways Records fo the way they've not only preserved the past, but helped foster a new future as well! Rounder Records was begun as a labor of love in the Boston scene after the more popular folk boom of the 60s – and as the dust settled from the years of Kingston Trio and The Brothers Four, Rounder helped find a way forward for the more interesting, more important acoustic artists – while also opening the door to new sounds and styles along the way – a huge legacy that ended up including superstars as well as very obscure musicians and singers. The book has a great narrative drive, and really gets at the kind of enthusiasm that started the label and kept it going and growing for decades – tracing both its influence on other musical scenes, and the way that artists continued to help Rounder from ever falling into cliche. Hardcover edition is 196 pages, with some black and white images. Book

Includes music from the Chordcats, Rose Marie McCoy, Floyd Dixon, Playboys, Sheiks, Sh-Booms, and Margie Day. CD

A well-written account of one of the most important record labels in the early years of 78rpm singles – the legendary Paramount Records, home to important work from blues legends like Son House, Skip James, and Blind Lemon Jefferson – and key jazz musicians such as King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Fletcher Henderson! The label was up in Wisconsin, an unlikely spot to showcase sounds that came from the south – but as the title indicates, Paramount was an important cultural partner to the great northward migration after WWI – a relationship that's brought out here in vivid detail, but with a narrative sensibility that would also make for one hell of a movie! Scott Blackwood provides details on the artists and their scenes alongside the label's history and production process – and as fans of Paramount know, the whole thing culminates in a very famous story at the label's end. Book is hardcover, 199 pages, with a fair bit of black and white images. Book

An incredible companion to the book Enjoy The Experience – and like that volume, a set that's filled with gems from the obscure sides of the American recording industry – vanity and privately pressed records that are plenty darn groovy, and pretty darn funky in all the right spots! The book is a painstakingly researched collection – and this soundtrack is just as carefully put together – with a great range of styles – heavily steeped in freaky funk, upbeat boogie, acid folk, offbeat psych, and trippy jazz! The range of sounds is really wonderful – with a feel that's somewhere between a Trunk Records or Finders Keepers compilation – and titles include "Intro (Excerpt)" by The Muzzy Band, "Spacing Out" by The Invaders, Diska Limba Man" by Medico Doktor Vibes, "Music Slave" by Jade, "White Panther" by Arcesia, "Never Come Back" by Boa, "ESP Switch" by Michael Farneti, "6.4 = Makeout" by Gary Wilson, "Just To Say Goodbye" by Russ Saul, "Cadillac Woman" by Stephen David Heitkotter, "Piledriver" by Dennis The Fox, "Old Time Feeling" by Circuit Rider, and "666" by Ray Torske. CD

A fantastic look at the underground world of jazz record bars in Tokyo – served up here in a stunning array of full color photographs that showcase dozens of spots! The book is a great document of the "jazz kissa" – small bars where the owner is a lover of music, has a huge jazz record collection, and pours out drinks while spinning records in a very intimate, laidback space! Most of these club have stunning sound systems – often pictured in the book – and they are tiny, with just a few seats for drinkers/listeners – which makes the experience of enjoying a classic jazz record there feel even more unique. There's a bit of text, but most of the hardcover volume is full color photographs – presented in beautiful artbook style. Book

A seminal moment in leftfield music – maybe the crowning achievement of Captain Beefheart, and a landmark collaboration with Frank Zappa as well! Zappa produced, and gave the group plenty of room to stretch out on this double-length set done for his Bizarre Records imprint – which allowed the Captain the kind of freedom that Frank was getting at the time – which meant there was no need for a hit, no need to tone things down, and plenty of patience for all the record's amazing instrumental twists and turns, and Beefheart's madcap sense of humor as well! The Cap sings, and plays saxes and bass clarinet – and the record's got some really incredible guitar work from Zoot Horn Rollo and Antennae Jimmy Semens – really setting the stage for countless other guitarists in years to come. Tracks include "Dachau Blues", "Hair Pie", "Moonlight On Vermont", "Sweet Sweet Bulbs", "China Pig", "My Human Gets Me Blues", and "Dali's Car". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal moment in leftfield music – maybe the crowning achievement of Captain Beefheart, and a landmark collaboration with Frank Zappa as well! Zappa produced, and gave the group plenty of room to stretch out on this double-length set done for his Bizarre Records imprint – which allowed the Captain the kind of freedom that Frank was getting at the time – which meant there was no need for a hit, no need to tone things down, and plenty of patience for all the record's amazing instrumental twists and turns, and Beefheart's madcap sense of humor as well! The Cap sings, and plays saxes and bass clarinet – and the record's got some really incredible guitar work from Zoot Horn Rollo and Antennae Jimmy Semens – really setting the stage for countless other guitarists in years to come. Tracks include "Dachau Blues", "Hair Pie", "Moonlight On Vermont", "Sweet Sweet Bulbs", "China Pig", "My Human Gets Me Blues", and "Dali's Car". LP, Vinyl record album

Four full albums from the great Martin Denny – presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is the initial Exotica album – the birth of a sound and the birth of a legend – Martin Denny's first album in the Exotica series, and a record so great it named an entire genre! Denny certainly didn't invent the tropical style of easy listening that came to be known as "exotica" in the 50s – but with a record like this, he delivered the goods better than anyone else – by taking away all the too-sweet styles of Hawaiian music, and serving up a stripped-down, jazzy kind of sound! The album features Denny's classic original quartet – with Arthur Lyman on vibes and Augie Colon on bongos – and titles include "Stone God", "Jungle Flower", "Busy Port", "Lotus Land", and his hit recording of "Quiet Village". Exotica 2 is the second album in Denny's legendary Exotica trilogy – a set of records that provided the extreme definition of the small sub-genre that today has become the stuff of legend! Denny's still working here in his classic format – a small group with heavy piano lines, playful percussion, and some birdcalls sung by the members of the group! The set's a mix of strange songs from strange sources, all given the sublime Denny twist – and titles include "Singing Bamboos", "Escales", "August Bells", "Ebb Tide", "Rush Hour In Hong Kong", and "Soshu Night Serenade". Exotica 3 is sublime late 50s work from Martin Denny – his third album under the Exotica banner, and almost a deeper and weirder album than the other two! The sound here is extremely haunting – even more freed from conventional melody than the rest, and very fixated on the tonal possibilities that could be produced from Denny's unique grouping of percussion, piano, bass, and vibes. There's few tricks or gimmicks on the set – just a spare and other-worldly approach to music that's totally great! Titles include "Manila", "Mama Iti E Papa E", "Bamboo Lullaby", "Ringo Oiwake", "Moon Of Manakoora", "Congo Train", and "Beautiful Kahana". Quiet Village is an undisputed classic in the exotica genre – and the record that yielded Martin Denny his biggest hit! The title track "Quiet Village" was originally written by Les Baxter, but it was Martin Denny's approach that really managed to send the tune over the top – using spare percussion, rhythmic piano, and just the right amount of vibes and bird calls to give the track a really haunting feel. That approach is echoed throughout the set – with shifting instrumentation that includes celeste, bongos, marimbas, and marimbula as well! Titles include "Quiet Village", "Paradise Found", "Sake Rock", "Martinique", "Tune From Rangoon", and "Pagan Love Song". CD features bonus tracks too – "Llama Serenade" and "The Enchanted Sea" and more. CD

The second album in Denny's legendary Exotica trilogy – a set of records that provided the extreme definition of the small sub-genre that today has become the stuff of legend! Denny's still working here in his classic format – a small group with heavy piano lines, playful percussion, and some birdcalls sung by the members of the group! The set's a mix of strange songs from strange sources, all given the sublime Denny twist – and titles include "Singing Bamboos", "Escales", "August Bells", "Ebb Tide", "Rush Hour In Hong Kong", and "Soshu Night Serenade". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album in Denny's legendary Exotica trilogy – a set of records that provided the extreme definition of the small sub-genre that today has become the stuff of legend! Denny's still working here in his classic format – a small group with heavy piano lines, playful percussion, and some birdcalls sung by the members of the group! The set's a mix of strange songs from strange sources, all given the sublime Denny twist – and titles include "Singing Bamboos", "Escales", "August Bells", "Ebb Tide", "Rush Hour In Hong Kong", and "Soshu Night Serenade". Japanese CD features full stereo and mono mixes of all tunes on the set! CD

Some of our favorite work ever from the mighty Lee Hazlewood – material recorded under his own name for Reprise Records – during a stretch when he was also producing for the label with Nancy Sinatra and Dean Martin! The 2CD set features 3 full albums, plus great bonus tracks too – and the assembled lot is as great of a tribute to Hazlewood's genius as we've ever seen! First up is The NSVIPs – a set that follows up the same sort of "story song" format that Lee laid down on his wonderful Trouble album for Mercury – but done here with themes that are a bit hipper, and more wry – in keeping with his Reprise persona. Next is Friday's Child, which has some of Hazlewood's most beautifully-penned tunes – tracks that mix the whimsy of his bigger hits with some great darker elements. Last up is the amazing Love & Other Crimes – one of our favorite albums of the 60s, magically recorded in Paris with a very unique sound – and a style that's a bit different than some of Hazlewood's other records. Titles include "First Street Blues", "I Had A Friend", "Everybody Calls Me Something", "Me & Charlie", "A Real Live Fool", "Hutchinson Jail", "By The Way", "Houston", "Morning Dew", "The House Song", "Love & Other Crimes", "Pour Man", and "Wait & See". Bonus tracks are great too – and include Hazlewood tracks "Ode To Billie Joe", "Rainbow Woman", "I Am You Are", and "Charlie Bill Nelson" – plus other gems that include "Just Bluesin" and "Houston" by Sanford Clark, "A Stranger In Town" by The Vanguards, "The Whisk" by The Whisk Kids, "Zapata" by Jack Nitzsche, "What Are We Gonna Do In 64" by The Wildcats, "Our Man Flint" by The Ring A Dings, and "This Town" by Duane Eddy. 55 tracks in all. CD

Early genius from these Bay Area stalwarts – one of the greatest rock records of its time! Surrealistic Pillow is the second Jefferson Airplane album, but they took a number of huge creative leaps in the 8 months or so between their debut record and this one. This one is where they're joined by psych siren Grace Slick, but it's not just the line-up change that sets it apart. Surrealistic Pillow is a perfect title, as it's comforting and disorienting at the same time. It's also the magical confluence of wildly different spirits – with standout contributions by the entire band. Titles include the seminal "White Rabbit" – plus "Embryonic Journey", "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "DCBA 25", "How Do You Feel", "Today", "She Has Funny Cars", and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Early genius from these Bay Area stalwarts – one of the greatest rock records of its time! Surrealistic Pillow is the second Jefferson Airplane album, but they took a number of huge creative leaps in the 8 months or so between their debut record and this one. This one is where they're joined by psych siren Grace Slick, but it's not just the line-up change that sets it apart. Surrealistic Pillow is a perfect title, as it's comforting and disorienting at the same time. It's also the magical confluence of wildly different spirits – with standout contributions by the entire band. Titles include the seminal "White Rabbit" – plus "Embryonic Journey", "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "DCBA 25", "How Do You Feel", "Today", "She Has Funny Cars", and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". CD

A great lost chapter in the career of Darlene Love – a soul singer who's maybe known best for her early work with Phil Spector in The Crystals – but who ended up with a long legacy in music, which is partly added to by this collection! The core of the set features some mid 60s recordings that Love made as the lead singer in The Blossoms – a great west coast female soul trio, represented here by a number of excellent singles for Reprise Records – including "That's When The Tears Start", "Good Good Lovin", "My Love Come Home", "Lover Boy", "Deep Into My Heart", and "Let Your Love Shine On Me". Those cuts are followed by two solo efforts for Reprise by Darlene – "Too Late To Say You're Sorry" and "If" – then preceded by a few other unusual sessions, including the track "TV Commercials" with guitarist Barney Kessel, and two Lee Hazlewood-related projects on "What Are We Gonna Do In 64" and "3625 Groovy Street", both issued under the name of The Wildcats. The set ends with a few cuts from later years – that time when Darlene was getting attention from a whole new generation – on the tracks "River Deep Mountain High", "He's Sure The Boy I Love", and two versions of "Mr Fix It". LP, Vinyl record album

Rudy Ray Moore cut some mighty raunchy records in his time – but this one may well the be the raunchiest, and maybe the funkiest too! The album's an instruction of "the proper way to make love to a lady" – but done in true Rudy Ray style, with very down-to-earth language that really takes off from the first few sentences – serving up an array of explicit descriptions and references to body parts that make the most hardcore hip hoppers seem like they're singing nursery rhymes! The music is wonderful, too – very funky congas and drums, pounding away behind the vocals, with some funky guitar touches too – all at a level that really makes the raw lyrics move. Parental Guidance is highly recommended – but that's also part of the pleasure of the record, too! LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant little comeback album for Roxy Music – their first album in 4 years after Siren, and a well-done departure that takes off from older records without losing any of their greatness! In a way, the set's almost the group's Lodger – a similar effort to Bowie's record from the same time that reflects a move away from heavier styles of earlier years, but never loses the edge of the group's best work. Manifesto also reflects some of the lessons learned by Bryan Ferry on his solo records – a bit leaner and cleaner presentation of the songs – but the album itself is also strongly a group production effort, and certainly feels that way in its use of Phil Manzenera's great guitars and Andy Mackay's horn arrangements. Titles include "Ain't That So", "Stranger Through The Years", "Trash", "Manifesto", "Angel Eyes", "Spin Me Round", "Cry Cry Cry", and "My Little Girl". CD

The lovely Jane Birkin is maybe most famous for her late 60s duets with Serge Gainsbourg, but the singer's also got a huge legacy of great music as well – both with Serge and on her own! Author Gary Simons digs deep into the long legacy of Jane Birkin's recordings – from those late 60s/70s moments when Serge was writing a lot of her material and handling production – to that surprisingly long run in later life, when after the passing of Gainsbourg, she turned into a creative force on her own – far more so than anyone might have guessed from her early teen years as an actress. Simons presents Birkin's discography in a very cool way – with full color pages that focus on each album, with images of the album covers and other details – plus other notes on the contents. The book begins with an essay on Jane, then runs through all the records – even up to the recent complete CD box set. The book is relatively slim, but hardcover and well done – full color images throughout! Book

Writer Paul Steinbeck has already given us a great book on the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – but this time around, he looks at the larger scene from which they came, the groundbreaking AACM moment in jazz, which emerged in Chicago in the late 60s! Steinbeck provides some cultural and historical context, but also focuses in on key recordings that helped to define the special genius of AACM musicians and their united vision – with an approach that's build around different records on a chapter by chapter basis – even leading up to a few more recent recordings that show the continuing influence and growth of the organization. Along the way, Steinbeck provides some musical notations and deeper analysis of the sounds from his perspective as a musicologist – very illuminating to us, as we tend to have much more of a visceral response to these records – a lineup that includes Air Time by Air, Levels & Degrees Of Light by Muhal Richard Abrams, Sound by Roscoe Mitchell, Voyager by George Lewis, Nonaah by Roscoe Mitchell, Composition 76 by Anthony Braxton, Ten Freedom Summers by Wadada Leo Smith, and Mandorla Awakening II by Nicole Mitchell. The hardcover book features many charts and scores throughout – and is a total of 272 pages in length. Book

An incredible guide to sound library music around the world – one that features artwork from countless different labels, and brief notes on their history and output! The package is quite unique – not really a discography, not really an art book – but kind of a mix of both – and the only resource so far we've seen for tracking down the elusive musical gems that have come out of sound library sources of the 50s, 60s, and 70s! The book lists hundreds of records from 230 different labels – each presented alphabetically, with information and history on each label – alongside a huge amount of color images of the covers that are as beautiful as the music contained within. Trunk Records head Jonny Trunk put the whole thing together – and this huge second edition is twice as big as the first – really showing the full scope of new information on some of the more obscure labels that have come into play in recent years. 248 pages, hardcover, full color – and beautiful! Book

Raw, raunchy sounds – all pulled together from a time before soul and rock even existed! Most of the work here is from the classic catalog of King Records – a killer imprint in the postwar R&B market, and a company who wasn't afraid to do what it took to make a knockout record! In the case of these tracks, the singers often hit some fairly suggestive material – often hidden in early 50s innuendo, but barely so – with a vibe that's often nastier than even the most hardcore rockabilly sounds to come! The music here has its roots in blues, but is inflected with plenty of jazz, and the presence of the singers often point the way towards soul music – especially the James Brown crowd that would later rise at the same label. Titles on this volume include "Sexy Ways" by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, "Lolly Pop Mama" by Wynonie Harris, "I Want A Bowlegged Woman" by Bull Moose Jackson, "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" by Billy Ward & The Dominoes, "Will You Be Mine" by The Swallows, "Leave My Kitten Alone" by Little Willie John, "Sixy Minute Man" by Billy Ward & The Dominoes, and "Lovin Machine" by Wynonie Harris. CD

Raw, raunchy sounds – all pulled together from a time before soul and rock even existed! Most of the work here is from the classic catalog of King Records – a killer imprint in the postwar R&B market, and a company who wasn't afraid to do what it took to make a knockout record! In the case of these tracks, the singers often hit some fairly suggestive material – often hidden in early 50s innuendo, but barely so – with a vibe that's often nastier than even the most hardcore rockabilly sounds to come! The music here has its roots in blues, but is inflected with plenty of jazz, and the presence of the singers often point the way towards soul music – especially the James Brown crowd that would later rise at the same label. Titles on this volume include "Keep On Churnin Till The Butter Comes" by Wynonie Harris, "Drill Daddy Drill" by Dorothy Ellis, "The Coffee Grind" by Hank Ballard, "Silent George" by Lucky Millinder with Myra Johnson, "Rocket 69" by Todd Rhodes with Connie Allen, and "Chocolate Pork Chop Man" by Pete Guitar Lewis. CD

Mute Records was one of the most striking British labels of the post-punk years – second maybe only to Factory Records for the way it mixed art and design to package modern music – a legacy that began with the label's very first 45, and continued through countless great albums and singles for years to come! This beautiful volume is an especially strong look at the first decade or so of Mute – and showcases the way it found new styles to present its music – a rich legacy of sounds from Nick Cave, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Fad Gadget, Nitzer Ebb, Einsturzende Neubauten, and many others – a mode that continued even after Mute had found bigger fame in the mainstream, and started to issue some of its productions on major labels. The book traces hundreds of images, and even includes label scans, mock-ups, and other related work – along with a complete representation of the label's albums too. This hardcover edition is full color throughout, over 300 pages, and a great companion to the classic music of Mute! Book

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". This "complete" package follows up the core tracks with live material recorded at the Royal Roost, even before the original studio sessions – in a group that features Mike Zwerin on trombone with Konitz, Mulligan, Lewis, and Roach – plus a bit of vocals from Kenny Pacho Hagood. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Moon Dreams", "S'Il Vou Plait", "Move", "Birth Of The Cool Theme", "Godchild", and "Budo". CD

Early genius from these Bay Area stalwarts – one of the greatest rock records of its time! Surrealistic Pillow is the second Jefferson Airplane album, but they took a number of huge creative leaps in the 8 months or so between their debut record and this one. This one is where they're joined by psych siren Grace Slick, but it's not just the line-up change that sets it apart. Surrealistic Pillow is a perfect title, as it's comforting and disorienting at the same time. It's also the magical confluence of wildly different spirits – with standout contributions by the entire band. Titles include the seminal "White Rabbit" – plus "Embryonic Journey", "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "DCBA 25", "How Do You Feel", "Today", "She Has Funny Cars", and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". CD

Roxy Music's third album, and a record that really shows that the group have found a tremendous voice of their own – quite a thing to do, given the heady brew of records that were coming out in the year of 1973! There's a style here that's familiar enough to draw the listener in – maybe some echoes of territory you might hear in work from David Bowie, Lou Reed, John Cale, or the now-solo Brian Eno – but once inside, you find yourself in a completely different world – a mad blend of guitars and strings, saxophones and electronics, all used in these ways that are tuneful enough to be catchy, but also deeply unsettling too – as are the lead vocals of Bryan Ferry, who comes across like some older European singer who's been let out of the madhouse for the sessions. This isn't a singles-heavy record, but instead an album-length journey that never gets old, even as the years move on – and which is as powerful to new ears discovering the record for the first time as to longtime fans. Titles include "Street Life", "Just Like You", "Amazona", "Psalm", "Serenade", "A Song For Europe", "Mother Of Pearl", and "Sunset". CD

The first-ever album from Gil Scott-Heron – and a perfect bridge between the world of his writing and the years to come of musical transformations that would forever change the American scene! The set's not the warm, jazzy soul of some of Gil's later records – and instead, there's a really raw vibe, mostly with Gil speaking instead of singing – often with just heavy percussion at the core, and these really righteous words served out over the top! All the work is his own, and the album's a showcase for his brilliant protest poetry – the most famous example of which is included in "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", which leads off the album with an especially righteous groove! The set's a key link in the African American musical tradition of the 20th century – and proof that the underground, while not always afforded a good place in the broadcast markets of the US, could always burst forth in the "narrowcast" medium of recorded music. A landmark album – one we like even better than the early work by the Last Poets – and great all the way through! Tracks include "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", "Whitey On The Moon", "Who'll Pay Reparations On My Soul?", "The Subject Was Faggots", and "Brother". CD

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". CD

An album that's got all sorts of wonderful jazzy goodness going on – not just all sorts of great keyboard work from the leader Dana Kaproff, but also a full ensemble feel that really helps the whole thing soar! The approach is 70s jazz funk, of mid-decade mode – and the tunes are a blend of CTI-styled tunes with others that have a richer color palette that maybe invokes electric jazzy soundtrack work of the period too – all blended together with a top-shelf sound for such an obscure indie release! Rocky Davis plays additional Fender Rhodes on the record, and most of the other players are equally obscure – as is Dana Kaproff himself – but that doesn't stop the whole thing from being a sweet electric gem, with titles that include "Piranha", "Brownstones", "Mariposa", "Sandcastle", "Snowdrift", and "Aviary". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever album from Gil Scott-Heron – and a perfect bridge between the world of his writing and the years to come of musical transformations that would forever change the American scene! The set's not the warm, jazzy soul of some of Gil's later records – and instead, there's a really raw vibe, mostly with Gil speaking instead of singing – often with just heavy percussion at the core, and these really righteous words served out over the top! All the work is his own, and the album's a showcase for his brilliant protest poetry – the most famous example of which is included in "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", which leads off the album with an especially righteous groove! The set's a key link in the African American musical tradition of the 20th century – and proof that the underground, while not always afforded a good place in the broadcast markets of the US, could always burst forth in the "narrowcast" medium of recorded music. A landmark album – one we like even better than the early work by the Last Poets – and great all the way through! Tracks include "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", "Whitey On The Moon", "Who'll Pay Reparations On My Soul?", "The Subject Was Faggots", and "Brother". LP, Vinyl record album