A very cool package – one that brings together two rare albums issued alongside the early rise to fame of Mad Magazine – plus rare bonus tracks too! First up is the stunning Musically Mad set, led by Bernie Green – one of the maddest bachelor pad albums to come out on RCA during the late 50s – and it features a nutty set of tunes released in conjunction with Mad Magazine, whose Norman Mingo contributed a fantastic cover painting of Alfred E Neuman! Instrumentation is very percussive-heavy – and there's plenty of odd sound effects, like warbling brass, air-squeezed hands, clanging anvils, crazy voices, and "clinkerated chimes" – all of which makes for a cartoony sound that definitely fits the promise Mad spirit! Titles include "Anvils, Of Course", "Concerto For Two Hands", "Laughing Raymond", "The Green Bee", and "Give Me That Good Old Progressive Jazz". Next is Mad Twists Rock & Roll – maybe the coolest of all the Mad Magazine records from the early days – a set done in collaboration with Big Top Records, as sort of a parody of the rock and roll that label was putting out at the time! Most songs are surprisingly strong rock numbers, but the lyrics are often jokes about the usual themes handled at the time – but given the level of presentation and strength of the overall record, the whole thing maybe just serves to remind us how important novelty records were to the birth of rock and roll! Titles include "She Got A Nose Job", "Let's Do The Pretzel", "Throwing The High School Basketball Game", "Someone Else's Dandruff", "When My Pimples Turned To Dimples", and "Blind Date". CD also features some rare bonus tracks from singles too – "It's A Gas", "She Lets Me Watch Her Mom & Pop Fight", "Potzrebie", "Meet The Staff Of Mad", and "What Me Worry". CD

Two full albums from one of the most popular jazz singers of his day – back to back on the same CD, with bonus material too! First up is the album I Worry About You – fantastic work from Arthur Prysock – a singer who really helped redefine the role of the male singer in the 60s, even though he's hardly remembered today! The title cut is one of his anthems – the kind of song that's heartfelt, yet masculine at the same time – almost a different twist on territory that singers like Jerry Butler or Chuck Jackson would explore in their work. Great arrangements – with a mix of strings and jazz – and titles include "I Worry Bout You", "My Everything", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "You Loved Me Yesterday", and "Keep A Light In The Window For Me". Next is Sings Only For You – a beautiful record from a hell of a great singer – one who established a genre that was all his own, and set a whole new standard for male jazz singers in the 60s! Arthur Prysock's got some of the depth of the Billy Eckstine generation that came before him – but he's also got a mode that's more personal, almost conversational too – sophisticated, but never stand-offish – just this hip cat that really knows how to deliver a tune and make it his own! The arrangements here really fit that style too – nicely understated, but again with all these modern elements that really make things great – as Prysock makes his way through tunes that include "Only For You", "Let Her Wonder", "When I Fall In Love", "Imagination", "Don't Quit Me Now", and "Time After Time". CD features four bonus tracks – "Do You Believe", "Good Rockin Tonight", "One More Time", and "Pianissimo". CD

A amazing look at the British indie scene during one of its greatest stretches – the mid 80s period when it seemed like new labels and new bands were springing up every week! The 2CD set takes its name from the influential C86 collection put together by NME at the time to showcase some of the best work – but this version expands the lineup to a whopping 72 tracks in all, and really stretches the scope to include some real lost gems. There's plenty of great work here from a time before the scene got mis-led by dance rhythms and too many stimulants – a cornucopia of long-lost labels and groups – most of them jangle pop wonders with great talents for penning simple, catchy little tunes! Titles include "World's No Place" by The Jasmine Minks, "Everything's Going Right" by The Avons, "Don't Slip Up" by Meat Whiplash, "Billy Liar" by North Of Cornwalls, "Outback Jazz" by Blue Aeroplanes, "Run To The Temple" by Bogshed, "Therese" by The Bodines, "Happy Head" by Mighty Lemon Drops, "Velocity Girl" by Primal Scream, "This Boy Can Wait" by The Wedding Present, "New Way" by Big Blame, "Console Me" by We've Got A Fuzzbox, "Inside" by 14 Iced Bears, "Darkess & Colour" by The Railway Children, and "Hedonist Hat" by Pigbros. Lots lots more! CD

A really wonderful album from the height of the exotica years – but a set that's got a fair bit more jazz in the mix than most from that generation too! Gene Rains plays vibes – and moves between moodier moments, ala Martin Denny/Arthur Lyman, and more straightforward jazz styles – which often have some great modal elements in the mix! The Rains group played hotels in Hawaii during the late 50s and early 60s – but are maybe more like a Pacific take on territory of the Quartette Tres Bien, thanks to strong work from Allen Watanabe on drums, Archie Grant on bass, and Byron Peterson on piano. Titles include "Mapuana", "Bancock Cock Fight", "Tiki", "Off Shore", "Shadow Of Love", "Jasmine & Jade", and "Lonely Winter". CD