A set that's got a slightly different vibe than previous Stackridge albums – yet which also continues that special sort of hard to define quality that always made the group so unique! There's a feel to the set that's maybe a bit in keeping with the image on the cover – slight touches of an older carnivalesque aesthetic, yet filtered through that cool British 70s production style – compressing any prog influences down to modes that often have some very slight glammy touches around the edges, which also steps up some of the hooks on the tunes as well! Titles include "Benjamin's Giant Onion", "Grease Paint Smiles", "Spin Around The Room", "Rufus T Firefly", "No One's More Important Than The Earthworm", and "Highbury Incident". 2CD set features a full bonus CD of live BBC material! CD

A weird idea for a collection, but a great one too – a set that brings together a batch of train-themed tunes from the 60s, and uses the transportation narrative as a way to unlock ideas of personal freedom and social change! The "train" here isn't just a gimmick – and instead focuses on the way that the mode of transportation helped open up new ideas and new vistas in the postwar years – a way of getting out, and getting past – served up here in a range of soul, blues, and other styles too! The set's got 25 tracks in all, put together with the usual top-shelf Ace Records approach – and titles include "Freedom Riders" by Harold Jackson, "Steam" by Caroline Day, "Number 9 Train" by Tarheel Slim, "Hurry Hurry Choo Choo" by Sharon Tandy, "Memphis Train" by Rufus Thomas, "Won't Be Long" by Dusty Springfield, "The Downbound Train" by Chuck Berry, "Train To Skaville" by The Ethiopians, "Go Go Train" by Jackie Pain, "Freedom Train" by James Carr, "This Train" by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, "Up The Line" by Little Walter, "Death Train Blues" by Daddy Long Legs, "Stop That Train" by Keith & Tex, "Country Line Special" by Cyril Davies, and "Big Train" by Bobby Wayne. (Soul, Rock) CD

Classics from the vaults of Sun Records – not just bit rock hits, but some more obscure blues and country as well! Titles include "Bear Cat" by Rufus Thomas, "Baker Shop Boogie" by Willie Nix, "Red Velvet" by The Kirby Sisters, "Oh Red" by Howlin Wolf, "Ooby Dooby" by Roy Orbison, "Drinkin Wine Spodee O Dee" by Malcolm Yelvington, "Call Me Anything But Call Me" by Big Memphis Ma Rainey, and "Feelin Good" by Little Junior's Blue Flames. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Loudon Wainwright III albums of the 70s, and a nice encapsulation of his rambling creative spirit – featuring one side of studio recordings ranging from small combo rockers to voice and guitar backed sparseness, to Carribbean pop flavors – and one side recorded live at The Bottom Line in a more introspective folk style. Titles include "Sweet Nothings", "The Lowly Tourist", "Kings And Queens", "On The Rocks", "Guru", "Mr Guilty", Unrequited To The Nth Degree", "Old Friend", "Rufus Is A Tin Man" and more. CD

One of the greatest albums to come from the New York underground of the early 80s – even if it was a relatively big "hit" on a major label! Laurie Anderson is in perfect form here – drawing on a strong tradition of avant garde performance, but without any of the indulgences that would mire down performance art in years to come. Instead, she's got a clean, clear style that's simply amazing – spoken passages that are poetic and pointed, but which also have a slight undercurrent of wit – a charming quality that never takes itself too seriously, even when the sounds and styles are somewhat dark. Instrumentation includes some great rhythm passages from David Van Tieghem, plus surprising performances from Rufus Harley on bagpipes and George Lewis on trombone. Titles include "From The Air", "Big Science", "O Superman", "Born Never Asked", "Walking & Falling", "Example #22", "Let X = X", and "It Tango". LP, Vinyl record album

The last album that Bob Seger recorded with his early System group, and a set that's still got more of the hard rock and psych elements that Bob was using during his initial late 60s rise to fame! There's a rawness here at times that will surprise folks who only know Seger's late 70s mainstream classics – yet Bob's already got that nicely soul-drenched approach to vocals too, which makes for a nice change from the usual underground group of the time. Dan Watson provides great piano and organ, Pep Perrine handles some mighty heavy drums, and titles include "Big River", "Mongrel", "Lucifer", "Teachin Blues", "Song To Rufus", "Leanin On My Dreams", "Highway Child", and a heady take on "River Deep Mountain High", with some mighty nice guitar! CD

One of the greatest albums to come from the New York underground of the early 80s – even if it was a relatively big "hit" on a major label! Laurie Anderson is in perfect form here – drawing on a strong tradition of avant garde performance, but without any of the indulgences that would mire down performance art in years to come. Instead, she's got a clean, clear style that's simply amazing – spoken passages that are poetic and pointed, but which also have a slight undercurrent of wit – a charming quality that never takes itself too seriously, even when the sounds and styles are somewhat dark. Instrumentation includes some great rhythm passages from David Van Tieghem, plus surprising performances from Rufus Harley on bagpipes and George Lewis on trombone. Titles include "From The Air", "Big Science", "O Superman", "Born Never Asked", "Walking & Falling", "Example #22", "Let X = X", and "It Tango". CD

Killer early work from Renee Geyer – her first album as a solo act, and the kind of set that really made her one of the best artists on the Australian scene at the time! There's a blend of mellow funk and soul here that's totally wonderful – very much in the territory of the hippest American acts of the time, and served up by the Mother Earth group – who were kind of the Rufus to Renee's Chaka Khan! Titles include "Just Like A Woman", "Moon Dance", "Space Captain", "Mascara Blues", "Them Changes", "If Only You Believe", "Lean On Me", and "There's No Such Thing As Love". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Loudon Wainwright III albums of the 70s, and a nice encapsulation of his rambling creative spirit – featuring one side of studio recordings ranging from small combo rockers to voice and guitar backed sparseness, to Carribbean pop flavors – and one side recorded live at The Bottom Line in a more introspective folk style. Titles include "Sweet Nothings", "The Lowly Tourist", "Kings And Queens", "On The Rocks", "Guru", "Mr Guilty", Unrequited To The Nth Degree", "Old Friend", "Rufus Is A Tin Man" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A now-classic update of the famous Christmas album format – one done for the 21st Century crowd, but with a nice mix of older and younger artists – all serving up a blend of original tunes and holiday classics in new modes! Titles include "Green Grows The Holly" by Calexico, "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" by The Civil Wars, "The Christmas Song" by Paul McCartney, "Wonderful Christmastime" by The Shins, "Sleigh Ride" by Fun, "Baby It's Cold Outside" by Rufus Wainwright & Sharon Van Etten, "It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas" by Fruit Bats, "Senor Santa" by Y La Bamba, "Auld Lang Syne" by Andrew Bird, "May Every Day Be Christmas" by Irma Thomas, "That's What I Want For Christmas" by Holly Golightly, "The Man With The Bag" by Black Prairie with Sallie Ford, "Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me" by Eleanor Friedberger, and "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" by The Head & The Heart. (Holiday Music, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums to come from the New York underground of the early 80s – even if it was a relatively big "hit" on a major label! Laurie Anderson is in perfect form here – drawing on a strong tradition of avant garde performance, but without any of the indulgences that would mire down performance art in years to come. Instead, she's got a clean, clear style that's simply amazing – spoken passages that are poetic and pointed, but which also have a slight undercurrent of wit – a charming quality that never takes itself too seriously, even when the sounds and styles are somewhat dark. Instrumentation includes some great rhythm passages from David Van Tieghem, plus surprising performances from Rufus Harley on bagpipes and George Lewis on trombone. Titles include "From The Air", "Big Science", "O Superman", "Born Never Asked", "Walking & Falling", "Example #22", "Let X = X", and "It Tango". LP, Vinyl record album