... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Not a true history of the Grateful Dead, but instead an important early album of well-selected live tracks – presented in a way that hints at the huge run of archival material that would see the light of day in the 21st Century! The release came out in the early 70s, but features tracks recorded at the Fillmore in 1970 – split into both an electric and an acoustic set, and hand-picked by the group's famous soundman, Owsley Bear Stanley – in part as a tribute to then group member, Pigpen, who sings lead on a number of tracks! Titles include "Black Peter", "Wake Up Little Susie", "Katie Mae", "Dark Hollow", "Hard To Handle", and "Smokestack Lightnin". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Thurston Moore, the Stone Roses, Teenage Fanclub, White Zombie, the Roots, Hardvark, Sonic Youth, Southern Culture On The Skids, and Elastica, CD

The era that catapulted cult heroes Devo into pop culture history – with bubblier synths, catchier hooks, and crazier multimedia shenanigans than ever before from these pioneers of the video era – and time capsule pop angle aside, it's still one of the best and most innovate albums of its time! It's pretty hard to imagine the early 80s without Devo, but the group and this record is just as amazing decades later, since there was never anyone else like them! Includes "Girl U Want", "It's Not Right", "Whip It", "Freedom Of Coice", "Cold War", "Don't You Know", "Gates Of Steel" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A wonderful set from the early 70s – a record that has John Fahey opening up even more than before, on three very long tracks that really extend his ideas into a much more open space! The territory is maybe a bit more in the mode of Robbie Basho or Sandy Bull – and the pieces themselves are dedicated to Fahey's guru, Swami Satchidananda – with some of the Eastern elements you might expect! Yet John's longstanding tradition to reworking an American idiom is still strongly in place – maybe just inflected with a new spirit breathed into the nation in the late 60s – and opened up with wonderful interplay on the strings of the guitar. Titles include "When The Fire & Rose Are One", "Thus Krishna On The Battlefield", and "Fare Forward Voyagers". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

Excellent live work by The Association – quite different than their earlier pop hits, but still with the same great harmony feel! The style here is in the rougher, more guitar-based mode of albums like Birthday and Stop Your Motor – and the band really sounds great in this live setting, which helps us to understand just how much of their magical sound came from the group itself, and not just Warner Brothers studio tricks. The set's got 22 tracks in all – 2LPs worth of music – and titles include "Dream Girl", "Goodbye Columbus", "I'll Be Your Man", "Never My Love", "Seven Man Band", "Cherish", "Requiem For The Masses", "Are You Ready", "Just About The Same", and "Along Comes Mary". CD

... CD

A really important album on the west coast country rock scene – recorded with help from the great Buddy Emmons on steel guitar! (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

(Folk/Country, Rock) CD

... CD

Southern rock meets southern soul – all in this groundbreaking set from the team of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett! The quality quotient here is quite high – light years beyond so many later folks who tried for this territory, but then slicked it up for radio airplay – and in another world, both singers might have been just cutting gritty 45s for a colorblind local audience – had Elektra Records not given them such a great shot with this classic! The already great Bramlett core sound gets strong support here from studio stalwarts like Bobby Whitlock, Bobby Keys, and Jim Price – and Leon Russell and Rita Coolidge also lend their talents to the proceedings too – on titles that include "Get Ourselves Together", "Ghetto", "Love Me A Little Bit Longer", "Soldiers Of The Cross", "Dirty Old Man", and a great take on "Do Right Woman". CD

... CD

Includes the tracks "Cross My Heart", "Flower Lady", "I've Had Her", "Miranda", "The Party", and "The Crucifixion". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

(Vocalists, Rock) CD

The British Invasion, served up by 60s LA – as the hits of Lennon & McCartney are recast as groovy instrumentals through the studio talents of Jack Nitzsche! The cover promises "The Greatest Hits Of All Times – Arranged For The Greatest Dancing Of All Time" – and while we can't promise that these tunes are dancefloor material for everyone, they still come out sounding pretty darn great – more in a rocking American way, with lots of double-timed rhythms, honking sax bits, and strutting guitars that are a good deal fiercer than the jangle pop of the originals. Titles include "Chains", "She Loves You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "From Me To You", "Please Please Me", "All My Loving", and "It Won't Be Long" – plus the Nitzsche originals "Ringo" and "Beatle-Mania". (Now Sound, Rock) CD

... CD

A crucial album in the sound of late 60s Warner – recorded by west coasters The Beau Brummels in the heart of Tennessee, at the legendary studios of country producer Owen Bradley! This meeting of west and country is fantastic – a really incredible extension of earlier folksy rock styles forged by Dylan, Fred Neil, Tim Buckley, and others – handled with incredible care, and a style that's equally honest and ironic – but coming together with a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – one of those rare few albums that somehow draws from a wealth of inspiration, but manages to make something completely standout in the process – almost a Feelies/Good Earth for its own generation! Tremendous stuff – and titles include "Jessica", "Bless You California", "I'm A Sleeper", "Little Bird", "Turn Around", and "An Added Attraction". CD

A tremendous album from The Beau Brummels – one of the lesser-remembered groups from the late 60s Warner hipster heyday! At some level, the group's a folk-rock outfit – with the left-of-center feel of some of Fred Neil's best work for Capitol, and a similar blend of east coast honesty and west coast mind expansion. The format here is remarkably simple, but handled with some nice touches by producer Lenny Waronker, who really brings a lot more out of the band than on their earlier indie recordings. Titles include "Are You Happy", "The Wolf Of Velvet Fortune", "The Keeper Of Time", "Only Dreaming Now", "Magic Hollow", "Painter Of Women", and "Triangle". CD

One of the best records ever from Beaver and Krause – largely because there's not so much noodling! This one features the pair on moog and organ, with help from Dave Grusin on piano, Milt Holland on percussion, Howard Roberts on guitar, and Bud Shank on reeds. The sound isn't jazz at all – but more a mix of spacey grooves and bubbling bits, with much more of a song-like structure than on other records. There's a few nice cuts here that almost hit a groove, and even when they don't, they still have a nice stripped down moogy sound that's very pleasing. Titles include "Spaced", "Salute To The Vanishing Bald Eagle", "People's Park", "Walking Green Algae Blues", and "Another Part Of Time". CD

An early moment of genius from The Electric Prunes – and exactly the kind of record that shows why they were a cut above their contemporaries, and why Warner really backed them strongly right from the start! There's a depth here that rivals some of the group's Sunset Strip contemporaries – and although David Axelrod's not working with them on the record, there's still lots of dark corners and sharp edges – really thoughtful sounds that are spun out wonderfully on fuzzy guitars and organ, with some nicely subtle drums in the rear. Tracks include "I Has Too Much To Dream (Last Night)", "Try Me On For Size", "Get Me To the World On Time", "About A Quarter To Nine", and "Luvin". CD

... CD

... CD

A late 60s Elektra set – with songs and lead vocals by Bob Segarini – and titles that include "Windy Day", "You Got A Lot Of Style", "Sing A Song", "New York City", "Love Love Love", "Love For A Long Time", and "Rock & Roll Circus". CD

... CD

... CD

The man with one of the most godlike voices in rock is back in action – heard here in a recent recording, one of the few post-70s sides that really does him justice! Colin's breathiness is a bit faded, but cast in professional arrangements that still have enough space to let him dominate the material – and the set's also got an interesting choice of songs that shows that Colin's not content to just rehash his older hits, as he did on a few other recent projects. Titles include "Levi Stubbs' Tears", "Tearing The Good Things Down", "The Radio Was Playing Johnny Come Lately", "What Is Love", "Oxygen", "If I Said", and "Breakaway". CD

Another dynamite effort from The Ex! By 1985 the Dutch collective had their jackhammer guitar and sharp, intelligent lyrical roar honed to a precise, tense science – and it's at this point that they really started allowing the tribal, earthy percussion that would later help define the groove pound its way to the surface. Truly amazing stuff – a pivotal moment in the Ex's career and an easy choice as one of their finest. Tracks include "Nurse!", "Soviet Threat", "MMM Crisis", "Rock", "White Liberals", "Everything We Never Wanted", "Hit The Headlines", "Friendly Neighbours" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning introduction to the music of Nino Ferrer – one of the coolest, grooviest French singers of the late 60s and 70s – an artist who never gets the same sort of exposure as Serge Gainsbourg, France Gall, or some of his other contemporaries – but who we think is equally great! Nino can bring in bits of soul, mod, bossa, or other elements to his music – and as the 70s move in, he still keeps things very groovy by moving into headier territory that uses organ, guitar, and drums in ways that open up and make the music even cooler than before! This package features 40 gems from Nino – a tremendous selection of great tracks that includes "Vomitation", "Cannabis", "Vivent Les Moules", "Le Sud", "La Rua Madureira", "Les Hommes A Tout Faire", "L'Arbre Noir", "On He Hein Bon", "Je Vends Des Robes", "Le Roi D'Angleterre", "La Banda A Ferrer", "Je Vous Dis Bonne Chance", "Moses", "Un An D'Amour", "L'Angleterre", "Knou", "Bloody Flamenco", and "Sodome Et Gomorrhe". Also features the rare soundtrack tune "La Route". (French, Rock) CD

A stunning introduction to the music of Nino Ferrer – one of the coolest, grooviest French singers of the late 60s and 70s – an artist who never gets the same sort of exposure as Serge Gainsbourg, France Gall, or some of his other contemporaries – but who we think is equally great! Nino can bring in bits of soul, mod, bossa, or other elements to his music – and as the 70s move in, he still keeps things very groovy by moving into headier territory that uses organ, guitar, and drums in ways that open up and make the music even cooler than before! This package features 40 gems from Nino – a tremendous selection of great tracks that includes "Vomitation", "Cannabis", "Vivent Les Moules", "Le Sud", "La Rua Madureira", "Les Hommes A Tout Faire", "L'Arbre Noir", "On He Hein Bon", "Je Vends Des Robes", "Le Roi D'Angleterre", "La Banda A Ferrer", "Je Vous Dis Bonne Chance", "Moses", "Un An D'Amour", "L'Angleterre", "Knou", "Bloody Flamenco", and "Sodome Et Gomorrhe". Also features the rare soundtrack tune "La Route". (French, Rock) CD

A stunning introduction to the music of Nino Ferrer – one of the coolest, grooviest French singers of the late 60s and 70s – an artist who never gets the same sort of exposure as Serge Gainsbourg, France Gall, or some of his other contemporaries – but who we think is equally great! Nino can bring in bits of soul, mod, bossa, or other elements to his music – and as the 70s move in, he still keeps things very groovy by moving into headier territory that uses organ, guitar, and drums in ways that open up and make the music even cooler than before! This package features 40 gems from Nino – a tremendous selection of great tracks that includes "Vomitation", "Cannabis", "Vivent Les Moules", "Le Sud", "La Rua Madureira", "Les Hommes A Tout Faire", "L'Arbre Noir", "On He Hein Bon", "Je Vends Des Robes", "Le Roi D'Angleterre", "La Banda A Ferrer", "Je Vous Dis Bonne Chance", "Moses", "Un An D'Amour", "L'Angleterre", "Knou", "Bloody Flamenco", and "Sodome Et Gomorrhe". Also features the rare soundtrack tune "La Route". (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

One of the most brilliant moments of genius from Paul McCartney & Wings – and a set that has Paul working with the group in perfect album formation – able to craft enough songs that became hit singles, yet also fit the whole thing together in a superb sonic reality that made the whole thing even more wonderful as a full length record! The shift of moods, tones, and sounds are as varied as the choice of celebrities appearing with the group on the cover – and the interplay between Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine has really hit its stride – on titles that include one of our all-time Wings favorites, "Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five" – plus "Band On The Run", "Bluebird", "Jet", "Mrs Vanderbilt", "Let Me Roll It", "Mamunia", "No Words", and "Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me)". 2CD version features the original 10 track US version of the album on CD1 – then CD2 features unreleased rough mix versions of 9 tracks from the record! CD

First up is Can't Stand The Rezillos – a record with guitars fast and hard enough to almost be late 70s punk rock, but which often comes off with a more playful, whimsical new wave sort of approach! Tracks are short and hook-heavy – produced by Bob Clearmountain with that razor-edged quality he brought to his best work of the time – and the trading off of lead vocals between Fay Fife and Eugene Reynolds makes the record hang nicely in a space between Blondie and The Ramones! Titles include "Flying Saucer Attach", "No", "Top Of The Pops", "2000 AD", "It Gets Me", "Glad All Over", and "Cold Wars". Next is Mission Accomplished – a fierce little live set from The Rezillos – one that comes as quite a surprise, since the group had only issued one studio set before – but a great choice overall, as the live setting really seems to set them on fire! Things here are harder, faster, and sharper than on their debut – with more punk speed and energy in the guitars, even if the songs themselves are more in a power pop mode – as tuneful as they are quick-moving! The concert was actually the group's last – recorded at a time when they'd announced a breakup – and that maybe gives the whole thing an urgency that was missing before, and which really makes us wish they'd kept recording. Titles include "Top Of The Pops"," Mystery Action", "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite", "Thunderbirds Are Go", "No", "Teenbeat", "Ballroom Blitz", "Destination Venus", and "Culture Shock". CD

Billed as "The Original Walker Brothers" on the cover, this one features tracks that Scott cut in the US with John Stewart, in the years before he moved to England and became super-huge stars. The tracks have less of that "wall of sound" style than their later work, and more of a rock n roll type groove. Titles include "Greens", "Diskoteque", "Without Your Love", "Wallflower", "Ham Hocks", "Chick's Choice", and "Swingin At The Batcave". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredibly groovy album – filled with instrumental tracks that shift between funky big band and groovy 60s soundtrack – all arranged by Mike Nesmith and Shorty Rogers! The feel here is like that of some of Rogers' other groovy late 60s instrumental one-off albums – like his hot rod, dune buggy, or surf-orchestra sides – and Nesmith brings in a slightly cynical tone that manifests itself in the choice of some of the instrumentation for the tracks, and the overall setting of the record. Think Monkees instrumentals gone groovier, and you've got part of the picture – but there's also plenty of snippets of Sunset Strip hip and Warner Brothers longing for the past too! Titles include "While I Cried", "Don't Cry Now", "Tapioca Tundra", "Nine Times Blue", "Carlisle Wheeling", and "You Told Me". (Now Sound, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A host of raw rockers that were originally served up as 7" singles – all blasting out together with a tremendous amount of power – as if you're enjoying a night with choice cuts all stacked up in the jukebox pictured on the cover! The set's way more than any sort of oldies collection – as the music here is heavy on guitars, and effortlessly moves between blasts of fuzz and cleaner lines – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – all with a sense of urgency that's delivered in the short space of the few minutes that would fit on a vintage 45! Richard Hawley curated the set, but even if you're not hip to his name, you'll find plenty here to dig if you love rare cuts of this sort – and as usual, Ace did a superb job with the presentation, sound quality, and notes! Titles include "Neb's Tune" by Ahab & The Wailers, "Cuttin Out" by The Pirages, "Feels Like A Woman" by The Troggs, "Buzzzzz" by Jimmy Cordon, "Bawana Jinde" by Al Duncan, "Dead End (part 1)" by The Executioners, "Where You Gonna Go" by Art Guy, "Long Line Rider" by Bobby Darin, "It's Nothing To Me" by Sanford Clark, "Jungle Walk" by The Dyna Sores, "Nasty" by The Timekeepers, "Quasimoto" by The Road Runners, "Swinging Drums" by Ronny Kae, and "Honky" by The Ho-Dads. CD

A host of raw rockers that were originally served up as 7" singles – all blasting out together with a tremendous amount of power – as if you're enjoying a night with choice cuts all stacked up in the jukebox pictured on the cover! The set's way more than any sort of oldies collection – as the music here is heavy on guitars, and effortlessly moves between blasts of fuzz and cleaner lines – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – all with a sense of urgency that's delivered in the short space of the few minutes that would fit on a vintage 45! Richard Hawley curated the set, but even if you're not hip to his name, you'll find plenty here to dig if you love rare cuts of this sort – and as usual, Ace did a superb job with the presentation, sound quality, and notes! Titles include "Neb's Tune" by Ahab & The Wailers, "Cuttin Out" by The Pirages, "Feels Like A Woman" by The Troggs, "Buzzzzz" by Jimmy Cordon, "Bawana Jinde" by Al Duncan, "Dead End (part 1)" by The Executioners, "Where You Gonna Go" by Art Guy, "Long Line Rider" by Bobby Darin, "It's Nothing To Me" by Sanford Clark, "Jungle Walk" by The Dyna Sores, "Nasty" by The Timekeepers, "Quasimoto" by The Road Runners, "Swinging Drums" by Ronny Kae, and "Honky" by The Ho-Dads. LP, Vinyl record album

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. 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

A great package that includes the "final" concert by David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars persona – recorded at London's Hammersmith Odeon in 1973, and pulled from the soundtrack to the DA Pennebaker film of the same name! The original film featured Bowie, Mick Ronson, and the rest of the Spiders jamming their way through the guitar-heavy tunes of the Ziggy era, plus a few choice bits from earlier years. Titles include "Ziggy Stardust", "Watch That Man", "Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud", "All The Young Dudes", "Oh You Pretty Things", "Moonage Daydream", "Changes", "My Death", and "Hang Onto Yourself". Plus, this 50th Anniversary edition features much better mastering than the original – and also includes the not-reissued Jeff Beck appearances on "Jean Genie/Love Me Do" and "Round & Round". CD

A wild little concept album from the Four Seasons – one that's packaged in newspaper-style cover, and which presents tunes that almost have that late 60s British "snapshots of life" approach to pop – particularly that put forth by The Kinks on Village Green Preservation Society. The album's a true genius effort from Bob Gaudio – now risen to the ranks of producer for the group, and also the key songwriter for the album too – working here in tandem with the great Jake Holmes, a wonderful choice for a record like this! Arrangements are inventive, playful, and definitely at a level that shows some influence from Pet Sounds or Sgt Peppers – but there's also a focused, all-pop approach to the tunes too – one that's hook-heavy even when trippy, and which shows that the Four Seasons were as great at psychedelic and Sunshine Pop as any of the groups they'd inspired over the years. Titles include "Saturday's Father", "Wall Street Village Day", "Wonder What You'll Be", "Soul Of A Woman", "Something's On Her Mind", "American Crucifixion Resurrection", and "Mrs Stately's Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most brilliant moments of genius from Paul McCartney & Wings – and a set that has Paul working with the group in perfect album formation – able to craft enough songs that became hit singles, yet also fit the whole thing together in a superb sonic reality that made the whole thing even more wonderful as a full length record! The shift of moods, tones, and sounds are as varied as the choice of celebrities appearing with the group on the cover – and the interplay between Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine has really hit its stride – on titles that include one of our all-time Wings favorites, "Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five" – plus "Band On The Run", "Bluebird", "Jet", "Mrs Vanderbilt", "Let Me Roll It", "Mamunia", "No Words", and "Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me)". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge run of music from this legendary psychedelic band – all served up here in a single set! First up is their Part 1 album – the initial uttering from the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – a group with a heady sound that definitely lives up to their name! There's less "pop art" going on here than just trippy psych – served up at a level that makes the group one of the best bigger label examples of the style at the time – and definitely a lot more edgey than some of their labelmates on Warner. Jimmy Bowen produced, but really keeps all the edges intact – and titles include the completely insane "Help I'm A Rock" (actually about a rock calling for help!) – plus "Shifting Sands", "1906", "Transparent Day", "Here's Where You Belong", and "If You Want This Love". Next is Volume 2 – the amazing second album from this ultra-cool group – a set that's even weirder and wilder than their debut! The trio are maybe one of the few who really live up to the farthest expectations of the psych generation – as they're really open to let their minds fly in their choice of lyrics, instrumentation, and overall presentation of the record – which hardly seems the sort to yield any sort of singles at all, even though a few of the tunes are downright catchy! Instead, the whole thing's put forth as a dark statement on late 60s society – with a sound that's as heavy as the subject matter, and not afraid to really pus all the freak and fuzz as far as it can go! Quite surprising, even for the Reprise label – and tracks include "Queen Nymphet", "Tracy Had a Hard Day Sunday", "In the Arena", "Smell of Incense", "Suppose They Gave A War & No One Comes", "Overture Wcpaeb (part 2)", and "Carte Blanche" – which supposedly they were given in recording the album! Next is Child's Guide To Good & Evil, the third album in the continuing genius of the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – a group who are certainly as experimental as their name would imply, but who can also come across with some warmer Sunshine Pop touches too! And it's that which makes the group so wonderful – the blend of freak and sweet, of fuzz and fun – all given a special shape in the studio through the genius of producer Jimmy Bowen, whose work here with Bob Markley is superb – and very much open to the best freedoms that Warner was offering its creative talents at the time! The song titles are equally superb – and titles include "A Child's Guide To Good & Evil", "Ritual #1", "Anniversary of World War III", "Eighteen Is Over The Hill", "As Kind As Summer", and "Our Drummer Always Plays In the Nude". CD 4 features 18 more bonus tracks – rare takes and alternate mixes of titles that include "Watch Yourself", "Ritual #1", "As Kind As Summer", "Eighteen Is Over The Hill", and "Until The Poorest People Have Money To Spend" – plus other tracks too. And all the other three albums are presented in both mono and stereo mixes – which makes for 84 tracks in the full set! CD

A great look at the changing tone on the American scene at the end of the 60s – that moment when Vietnam, social unrest, and many other problems weighed heavily on the country's consciousness – and made their presence manifest in all sorts of pop music as well! We're not talking about the familiar sounds of the Woodstock generation – but instead more mainstream artists who had never touched on politics or social issues before – but suddenly found themselves singing alongside the underground about the bigger problems of the day. This package is a superb look at that moment – put together by the team who've given us the great English Weather and Paris In The Spring collections for Ace – with the same care for choice of tracks, and a wealth of wonderful notes that really get at the nature of these unusual tunes. Titles include "Clean Up Your Own Back Yard" by Elvis Presley, "Wine In The Wind" by Anita Kerr Singers, "Paint Me Black Angels" by Eartha Kitt, "This Crazy World" by Paul Anka, "Questions" by Bobby Darin, "Do You Believe This Town" by Dean Martin, "Cardboard California" by Buddy Greco, "Cherrystones" by Eugene McDaniels, "Save The Children" by Teresa Brewer, "Welfare Hero" by Johnny Tillotson, "What Do We Do With The World" by Bing Crosby, "4th Of July" by The Beach Boys, "Mr Businessman" by Ray Stevens, "Paint America Love" by Lou Christie, "Hitchhiker" by The Four Preps, "Brand New Day" by Della Reese, "Saturday's Father" by The 4 Seasons, and "Southbound Jericho Parkway" by Roy Orbison. CD

More of an EP than and LP, since the tracks are pretty short, and there's only 6 of them: "Freedom Of Choice Theme Song", "Whip It", "Girl U Want", "Gates Of Steel", "Be Stiff" and "Planet Earth". This was only available for a brief period of time, more or less a limited edition release. LP, Vinyl record album

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

Hard to believe this excellent series is hitting its ninth volume – and this time around, Ryley Walker is at the helm – making excellent musical choices that really keep things fresh! As with previous volumes, the focus is on the most creative talents of the acoustic underground – usually heard here in a solo setting, but sometimes with light additional instrumentation – pushing forward that tradition of music that Tompkins Square has been so essential in capturing in recent years – almost as if the label has become the Takoma Records of the 21st Century! Walker makes some great choices here, and focuses on some overlooked and up-and-coming talents, including a few from our hometown of Chicago. Tracks include "Wooden Waltz" by Eli Winter, "Leicester Hwy" by Shane Parish, "Boat Ride" by Kendra Amalie, "World Of Objects (guitar edit)" by Fire Toolz, "Knots Where Never Was" by Lucas Brode, "Seedlings" by Dave Miller, "Variations On Themes For Blind Dogs" by Pete Fosco, and "I Used To Sing" by Matthew Rolin. (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

That slightly creepy photo on the cover makes the kids look a bit more like cult members than the kind of sunny, happy flower children you might normally expect – and that's actually part of the quality of the package, too – as the set really gets at all the wonderful tensions taking place in American music in 1967 – a time of great freedom and optimism, but one with an undercurrent of darkness as well! The set really dives deeply into the crucial year of 1967, and goes way past the oldies and radio hits that most people associate with the musical moment – to bring together all sorts of cool cuts that often were only trading hands with the deeper chapters of the underground, mixed with a few other tracks from artists who got more play at the time, but were also changing the system from within! As with other Grapefruit collections, the notes and presentation are as great as the song choices – and the set features 85 titles in all, with work from The Balloon Farm, Gates Of Eden, Zodiac, Vanilla Fudge, Red Crayola, Lemon Drops, Cyrkle, Peppermint Trolley Company, Tim Rose, Spike Drivers, Blues Magoos, Sound Barrier, Grateful Dead, Thursdays Children, The ID, Zakary Thaks, Velvet Underground, Clear Light, Critters, Sagittarius, Jim & Jean, Sonny, Blue Things, Morning Dew, and many others! CD

Looking for the magic? There's plenty of it here – a really magical blend of 70s American groups who were working in territory that was neither classic rock, nor punk, nor prog, metal, or other big styles at the time – hitting a unique blend of modes that was partly a revival of simpler styles of earlier years in rock music, but also embracing some of the more advanced studio and recording techniques of the time – catchy, yet never overtly commercial – but instantly appealing too! Phew – if it sounds like we're spinning a lot of plates at once, that's what it takes to come up with the special sound of these tracks – served up in a wonderfully-done collection that really opens up past some of the more obvious choices, and flies the power pop banner in some surprising territory that really works well. There's a massive 76 titles on the set, all presented with very detailed notes – with work from Eric Carmen, The Runaways, Cheap Trick, Andrew Gold, The Babys, Tommy Hoehn, Spitballs, The Moberlys, Grin, Bread, Flamin Groovies, Blue Ash, The Wackers, Stories, Crabby Appleton, Target, Tim Moore, Nils Lofgren, Sneakers, The Quick, Tuff Darts, 20/20, Cheese, The Names, Moon Martin, The Knack, Greg Kihn, and many others! CD

Girl rock galore – a cool little set that brings together important female cuts from the late 70s punk years, then moves forward to show just how much the underground exploded from the 90s into the 21st Century! The set's got plenty of the energy you'd expect from the title – and as with other collections on Ace, the track list is superb – lots of great choices throughout – and supported with a very detailed booklet of notes that ties everything together, and really fills you in on some of the lesser-known artists in the set. CD features 24 tracks in all – and titles include "Spirit FM" by Bad Moves, "Take It Off" by The Donnas, "Out Of Time" by Vibeke Saugestad, "I'll Be Alright" by Baby Shankes, "We Only Come Out At Night" by The Sugar Store, "Peter Gunn Locomotion" by The Delmonas, "Hanging On The Telephone" by Blondie, "Cmon & Kiss Me" by Sun 60, "The Teens Are Square" by The Courettes, "Teenage Kicks" by Dawn Chorus & The Bluetits, "In The City" by Cocktail Slippers, "Juvenile Thrills" by The Launderettes, "Dancing With Joey Ramone" by Amy Rigby, "Rock Boys" by Suzy & Los Quattro, "Take It All Away" by Girlschool, "Unforgiven" by The Go Gos, and "Da Doo Ron Ron/I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Dollyrots. CD

The sprawling 1970 Self Portrait from Dylan – a record that caps off the most unpredictable period of his career – a mix of classic level Dylan originals and some really interesting choices of covers. A 2LP set with "Let It Be Me", "Days Of 49", "Alberta #4", "All The Tired Horses", "Copper Kettle", "Take A Message To Mary", "Wigwam", "The Mighty Quinn", "The Boxer", "Gotta Travel On", "Little Sadie", and "Blue Moon". Titles include "Let It Be Me", "Days Of 49", "Alberta #4", "All The Tired Horses", "Copper Kettle", "Take A Message To Mary", "Wigwam", "The Mighty Quinn", "The Boxer", "Gotta Travel On", "Little Sadie", and "Blue Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

A great overview of their seminal Atlantic years – with some really great track choices! CD

A well-remembered set from The Cocteau Twins' sublime 80s run on the 4AD label – a set that was one of the duo's first American titles, culled together from some of their early singles and import EP releases! The song choices are wonderful – some of the most focused, expressive cuts from the first few Cocteau years – magical moments that have the wordless vocals of Liz Frazier carving out these really beautiful melodies – while lush keyboards and splashy rhythms fill in the background with that unique 4AD style of production. There's still never been anything like the group at this point over all the years that have past – and the album's filled with gems that include "Wax & Wane", "Pearly Dewdrop Drops", "From The Flagstones", "Lorelei", "Aikea Guinea", "Pepper Tree", and "Musette & Drums". LP, Vinyl record album