The masterpiece by one of the greatest genuine rock bands of all time – finally remastered! Let It Be veers all over the place, or at least as much as jangly rock music can, in the best way possible. Includes the pseudo twangy opener "I Will Dare", with the distinctly midwestern hardcore of the group's earlier years showing up on "We're Coming Out" and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", and Westerberg's great heart-on-sleeve, ragged balladry appearing for the closers. Like the Meat Puppets and X, the 'Mats really found themselves after they shed the rigid rules of punk rock, and developed into something every bit as genuine. They followed the rock songbook just enough to keep their work warm and familiar, but with way too huge and hard-pounding heart to ever seem even the least bit derivative. Hell, they even make Kiss's "Black Diamond" sound sincere! Other tracks include "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Seen Your Video", "Gary's Got A Boner", "Sixteen Blue" and "Answering Machine". CD

The masterpiece by one of the greatest, most sincere rock bands of all time! Let It Be veers all over the place, or at least as much as jangly rock music can, in the best way possible. Includes the pseudo twangy opener "I Will Dare", with the distinctly midwestern hardcore of the group's earlier years showing up on "We're Coming Out" and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", and Westerberg's great heart-on-sleeve, ragged balladry appearing for the closers. Like the Meat Puppets and X, the 'Mats really found themselves after they shed the rigid rules of punk rock, and developed into something every bit as honest and heartfelt. They followed the rock songbook just enough to keep their work warm and familiar, but with way too huge and hard-pounding heart to ever seem even the least bit derivative. Hell, they even make Kiss's "Black Diamond" sound sincere! Other tracks include "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Seen Your Video", "Gary's Got A Boner", "Sixteen Blue" and "Answering Machine". LP, Vinyl record album

The masterpiece by one of the greatest genuine rock bands of all time – finally remastered! Let It Be veers all over the place, or at least as much as jangly rock music can, in the best way possible. Includes the pseudo twangy opener "I Will Dare", with the distinctly midwestern hardcore of the group's earlier years showing up on "We're Coming Out" and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", and Westerberg's great heart-on-sleeve, ragged balladry appearing for the closers. Like the Meat Puppets and X, the 'Mats really found themselves after they shed the rigid rules of punk rock, and developed into something every bit as genuine. They followed the rock songbook just enough to keep their work warm and familiar, but with way too huge and hard-pounding heart to ever seem even the least bit derivative. Hell, they even make Kiss's "Black Diamond" sound sincere! Other tracks include "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Seen Your Video", "Gary's Got A Boner", "Sixteen Blue" and "Answering Machine". Includes 6 bonus tracks of outtakes & demos. CD

Titles include "Paint It Black", "Stupid Girl", "Lady Jane", "Under My Thumb", "Flight 505", "High & Dry", and "Going Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary greatest hits collection from the Rolling Stones – one that was so popular back in the day, it was maybe the one Rolling Stones album that everyone had in their collection! The package was a great way for folks to go back and catch up after digging in deep on Exile On Main Street and Let It Bleed – and the set has work from the earliest years of The Stones all the way up to those classics – a killer set list that includes "Get Off Of My Cloud", "Gimme Shelter", "Brown Sugar", "Wild Horses", "Honky Tonk Women", "Sympathy For The Devil", "Satisfaction", "Ruby Tuesday", "Play With Fire", "Paint It Black", "Jumpin Jack Flash", "Street Fighting Man", "Midnight Rambler (live)", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "Time Is On My Side", "Heart Of Stone", "19th Nervous Breakdown", "Let's Spend The Night Together", and "Mother's Little Helper". LP, Vinyl record album

Loads of late 60s classics from the Rolling Stones – served up in a special set dedicated to the late Brian Jones! The music here really shows the darkening side of the Stones' sound – and titles include "Paint It Black", "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby Standing In The Shadow", "2000 Light Years From Home", "Mother's Little Helper", "She's A Rainbow", "Let's Spend The Night Together", and "Street Fighting Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Very early work from Savoy Brown – given great blues-heavy production by Mike Vernon & Gus Dudgeon! Plenty of great guitar from Kim Simmonds, vocals from Brice Portius, and titles that include "Little Girl", "The Doormouse Rides The Rails", "Shake Em On Down", "I Smell Trouble", "Black Night", and "High Rise". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy psych from Detroit, in the years before Bob Seger became a "lighters in the air" peddler of redneck theme songs. Cut from the same cloth as the early Mitch Ryder, Amboy Dukes and Grand Funk that were the hallmark of the Motor City rock sound of the day, most of the tracks on this outing are concise rockers, but the band delves into a bit of nice jamminess on side 2. Includes 'Tales Of Lucy Blue", "Ivory", "Gone Down Home", "Train Man", "White Wall", "Black Eyed Girl", "2 + 2 = ?" and "Doctor Fine". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the sweetest singer-songwriter records of the mid 70s country rock era – beloved by fans, but largely unknown to the masses after all these years! Black Rose is JD Souther's second record, and it's a thing a beauty – produced by Peter Asher and featuring a who's who Souther's famous friends and lot of the great California session musicians of the time, but it's really about the intimate songcraft and the warmth of Souther's voice. Really beautiful stuff and it sounds as great as ever! Includes "Banging My Head Against The Moon", "If You Have Crying Eyes", "Your Turn Now", "Faithless Love", "Baby Come Home", "Silver Blue", "Midnight Prowl", "Doors Swing Open", "Black Rose" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed masterpiece, and a record we never tire of hearing – unabashedly the inspiration for our years of jazzy exploration as adults, even though it was probably the closest thing we ever got to the genre as wee lads! Walter Becker & Donald Fagan raise their already-high bar to new heights here – creating one of those rare records that flows together so beautifully, it's hard to remember where some songs begin and others end. There's a sense of perfection in everything about the record – the sound, the songs, the instrumentation – all woven together beautifully without any sense of self-consciousness. One majestic flow that starts with "Black Cow", and runs through classics that include "Aja", "Deacon Blue", "Peg", "Home At Last", "I Got The News", and "Josie". CD

An incredible run of music from this legendary group that was the first musical step for singer Van Morrison – a group so great, Van would still have had one hell of a career, even if he didn't do anything else! Right from the start, Them were a very special group – as steeped in American soul and R&B influences as many of their British contemporaries, but gifted with a rare ear to match the deepness of the originals with a flavor of their own – yet one that was also very individual as well! Morrison's singing is a big part of that approach – much more raw than in later years – but the overall conception is very important too – as Them never tries to rock too hard, or push things too far – and instead finds the way to lay back in the groove, and really let their tunes open up with a lot of soul. This excellent 3CD set features everything the group recorded in their short span – all the material from their two full albums, lots of singles as well, and even a full disc of mostly-unreleased rare tracks – including demos, alternates, and BBC performances. 69 tracks in all, with a big booklet of notes – and titles that include "I Gave My Love A Diamond", "Gloria", "My Lonely Sad Eyes", "I Got A Woman", "Could You Would You", "Something You Got", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "The Story Of Them (parts 1 & 2)", "Half As Much", "Don't Start Crying Now", "One Two Brown Eyes", "Richard Cory", "Friday's Child", "Bring Em On In", "Hey Girl", "Out Of Sight", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", and "I'm Gonna Dress In Black". CD

Ulmer on Blue Note – who'd a thunk it? And oddly, although the album's on one of the most jazz-based labels at the time, it's also one of Ulmer's most rock-oriented – with strong lead vocals on nearly every track, and an overall style that's as bluesy as it is experimentally jazzy. Ulmer's clearly emerged as a star in his own right (or own mind) by the time of the album – and there's less of the shared group dynamic of the harmelodic years, and more of a style that's set up to support his lead presence. Players include Bill Laswell, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and Nicky Skopelitis – and titles include "I Belong In The USA", "Lady Blue", "After Dark", "Black Sheep", and "Show Me Your Love America". (Jazz, Rock) CD

Ulmer on Blue Note – who'd a thunk it? And oddly, although the album's on one of the most jazz-based labels at the time, it's also one of Ulmer's most rock-oriented – with strong lead vocals on nearly every track, and an overall style that's as bluesy as it is experimentally jazzy. Ulmer's clearly emerged as a star in his own right (or own mind) by the time of the album – and there's less of the shared group dynamic of the harmelodic years, and more of a style that's set up to support his lead presence. Players include Bill Laswell, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and Nicky Skopelitis – and titles include "I Belong In The USA", "Lady Blue", "After Dark", "Black Sheep", and "Show Me Your Love America". (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Wabash Cannonball", "I Walk The Line", "San Antonio Rose", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "Oh, Lonesome Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A career-spanning collection of work from The Violent Femmes – the group's own evolution, put together by the band itself – and one that mixes key album cuts with b-sides, demos, and even live material too! The set includes all the best cuts from the early albums on Slash, and lots of other goodies too – with titles that include "Country Death Song", "Gordon's Message", "Gimme The Car", "Blister In The Sun", "Gone Daddy Gone", "36 24 36", "Lies (live)", "Degradation", "I Hate The TV", "America Is", "Old Mother Reagan", "Kiss Off (live)", "Johnny (live)", "I Held Her In My Arms", "Jesus Walking On Water", "Out The Window", "Dance MF Dance", "Degradation", "Black Girls", and "Vancouver (live)". LP, Vinyl record album

Wilco continuing the looser, less self-consciously experimental, more straightforward songcraft road they'd been traveling on since Sky Blue Sky, after the art rock leaning previous few LPs – including the classic Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – but Wilco being Wilco, their version of straight forward songcraft has more depth and diverse instrumentation than just about any other contemporary rock peers! And after some years of feeling underserved by the "alt country" tag and steering clear of anything too twangy, it's kinda nice to hear the more lap steal and Byrds-y harmonies back in the fold without discarding the art rock textures. Good stuff from a great band in it for the long haul! Includes "Wilco (The Song)", "Deeper Down", "One Wing", "Bull Black Nova", "You And I", "You Never Know", "Country Disappeared", "Solitaire", "I'll Fight", "Sonny Feeling" and "Everlasting Everything". CD

The last true masterpiece by the greatest rock band to ever come out of the late 70s and early 80s L.A. scene. More Fun In The New World serves in a lot of ways as X's upright middle finger to the early years of the Reagan era, with the anthemic opener "The New World", and the ballad "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts", perfectly encapsulating the fear and loathing brought about by the ridiculous politics that infected the entire decade. The album is very much a sequel to the amazing Under The Big Black Sun, full of razor pop anthems, Billy Zoom's punkabilly guitar acrobatics, and amazing depth thanks to John and Exene's sensitive and perceptive song writing. Awesome! Other tracks include "True Love", "We're Having Much More Fun", "Poor Girl", "Make The Music Go Bang", "Devil Doll", "Painting The Town Blue", "Hot House", "Drunk In My Past", "I See Red", and "True Love Part 2". LP, Vinyl record album

A key part of the initial tremendous legacy of X – one of the greatest run of records that any group could ever hope for! This third set has the group honing and refining their sound even more – losing none of their roots in the LA hardcore scene, but also inflecting their sound with a complexity that none of their previous scenemates could match – a sense of musicianship that was never too polished, but always razor sharp – at a level that brought even more righteous power to their lyrics and completely unique songplay. The quartet are one of the greatest ever in rock and roll – and this album's a classic that transcends time and style – essential listening on a shortlist of the best guitar-based sounds of the late 20th century. Titles include "The Hungry Wolf", "Riding With Mary", "Under The Big Black Sun", "Blue Spark", "Because I Do", and "Motel Room In My Bed". LP, Vinyl record album

A key part of the initial tremendous legacy of X – one of the greatest run of records that any group could ever hope for! This third set has the group honing and refining their sound even more – losing none of their roots in the LA hardcore scene, but also inflecting their sound with a complexity that none of their previous scenemates could match – a sense of musicianship that was never too polished, but always razor sharp – at a level that brought even more righteous power to their lyrics and completely unique songplay. The quartet are one of the greatest ever in rock and roll – and this album's a classic that transcends time and style – essential listening on a shortlist of the best guitar-based sounds of the late 20th century. Titles include "The Hungry Wolf", "Riding With Mary", "Under The Big Black Sun", "Blue Spark", "Because I Do", and "Motel Room In My Bed". 5 bonus tracks including "Breathless (single mix)", "Riding With Mary (single version)", "X Rewrites El Paso (rehearsha)/Because I Do (TV mix/inst)", "Universal Corner (live)" and "How I (Learned My Lesson) (live)", for a total of 16 songs in all CD

If you ever needed a record to convince you that The Yardbirds are pure genius, this one is it! Roger The Engineer captures all that was great about the group at their start – their sharp guitars, their undeniable wit, and that really special way they had of turning their bluesy inspirations into something completely new and different for the mod 60s scene! Jeff Beck is amazing on guitar – and the set's one of those that will have you go "oh yeah, that's why he was so important" – setting fire to the rest of the group, who themselves explode in ways that are mindblowing – and the whole thing's a blueprint for countless records to come from other artists who never got things this right. Titles include "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago", "Over Under Sideways Down", "Lost Women", "The Nazz Are Blue", "Jeff's Boogie", "What Do You Want", "He's Always There", "Turn Into Earth", and "Pyscho Daisies". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful world of weird and wild tracks from the 45rpm underground – exactly the kind of unusual records that first got Lux and Ivy inspired when they were first forming The Cramps! The mix of artists here is great – there's a bit of soul, a bit of rock, a touch of exotica, and plenty other unusual styles too – and cuts are marked both with unusual instrumentation and production techniques, and just an all-out effort to have as much fun as possible in the recording studio! Titles include "Leather Jacket Cowboy" by Pepper Pots, "You Tarzan Me Jane" by Glen Willings, "Mr Cool" by The Leeds, "Sugar Diabetes" by Eddie Banks, "Voo Doo Drums" by Aki Aleong, "Lose My Mind" by Herbert Henson, "Sound Off" by Titus Turner, "Pulp Wood Charley" by Wee Willie, "Pug Nose & Pony Tail" by Wally Hughes, "Atlantis" by The Blue Bells, "Shawnee" by The Premiers, "Cave Man" by The Vibrations, "The Inebriated Surfer" by Tornadoes, and "Black Lace" by April Stevens. CD

Soundtrack to the much-hyped full length animated feature film – based on the popular sci-fi magazine of the time! The music here has little to do with the story, but there are plenty of great late 70s major label rockers in the lineup – on a set of tracks that includes "I Must Be Dreamin" and "Reach Out" by Cheap Trick, "Heavy Metal" by Sammy Hagar, "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars" by Blue Oyster Cult, "Mob Rules" by Black Sabbath, "True Companion" by Donald Fagen, "Prefabricated" by Trust, "Blue Lamp" by Stevie Nicks, "Crazy" by Nazareth, "Open Arms" by Journey, "Queen Bee" by Grand Funk Railroad, "All Of You" and "Heavy Metal" by Don Felder, "Radar Rider" by Riggs, and "Working In The Coal Mine" by Devo. (Soundtracks, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, UFO, Black Sabbath, Rose Tattoo, Judas Priest, Angel Witch, Iron Maiden, Venom, Queensryche, Metallica, Motorhead, Blue Oyster Cult, and more! CD

Includes selections by Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, Swinging Blue Jeans, Cilla Black, Freddie & The Dreamers, and The Hollies. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most awe-inspiring Nuggets sets yet – a massive ode to the late 60s San Francisco scene – a wide, wide breadth of amazing singles from a disparate selection of acts – bound by a 120-page hardcover, richly illustrated book! Love Is The Song We Sing isn't at all the lumbering box of hippie nostalgia you might be expecting – it's weighted very heavily in leftfield obscurities, out numbering the big hits by at least 10-to-1 – with harshly buzzing tunes, groovy psychedelia, and topical folk tunes alike. The book is full of great photos, in buoyant color and stately black & white, with notes on each individual track, an essay & track commentary by Alec Palao, a piece by early Rolling Stone figurehead Ben Fong Torres, and an additional piece by Gene Sculatti. This is one of the best Rhino boxes we've ever seen, and that's saying something, isn't it – with amazing songs by Dino Valente, Country Joe & The Fish, Blue Cheer, Sly Stone, Ace Of Cups, Count Five, Moby Grape, Beau Brummels, Flamin' Groovies and many more! Disc one "Seismic Rumbles" includes "Let's Get Together" by Dino Valente, "You Were On My Mind" by We Five, "Number One" by Charlatans, "Can't Come Down" by Warlocks, "She's My Baby" by Mojo Men, "Human Monkey" by Frantics and loads more. Disc 2 "Suburbia" includes "Psychotic Reaction" by Count Five, "Foolish Woman" by Oxford Circle, "Rubiyat" by Immediate Family, "Hearts To Cry" by Frumious Bandersnatch and more. Disc 3 "Summer Of Love" includes "Carl Street" by Mystery Trend, "Superbird" by Country Joe & The Fish, "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane, "Summertime Blues" by Blue Cheer, "Underdog" by Sly & The Family Stone, "Loading Zone" by Bells and lots more. Disc 4 "The Man Can't Bust Our Music" includes "Evil Ways" by Santana, "Revolution" by Mother Earth, "I'm Drowning" by Flamin' Groovies, "Dark Star" (single version) by Grateful Dead, "Get Together" by The Youngbloods and more. 77 tracks on 4CDs! CD

An amazing set that documents the early years of the Zamrock scene – the funk and psych informed Afro Rock pioneered by vocalist and African guitar legend Rikki Ililonga and his group Musi-O-Tunya in Zambia from 1973 to 1976 – and compiled beautifully in this great set from Now Again/Stones Throw! It's incredible stuff that blends fuzzed out guitar psychedelia, raw rhythms and brass-heavy funky soul. Ililonga's legacy is represented strongly on the record made by the group he founded, Musi-O-Tunya – who work with electric guitar, bass, sax, western and African drums and percussion – as well as the Zambia album, credited to Rikki Illilonga, in which he sings and plays all instruments except trumpet. The set also includes his Sunshine Love album, in which he sings and plays all instruments except bass and drums – and a it's got a rawer, bluesier psych soul approach overall. The CD version compiles most tracks from those albums plus Musi-O-Tunya's Wings Of Africa LP and bonus tracks from 7-inches from the time. 31 tracks on 2 CDs and comes a great, book-bound package with extensive liner notes by Eothen Alapatt and an interview of Ililonga by Eothen. Disc one includes Musi-0-Tunya tracks "Tsegulani", "Mpondolo", "Walk And Fight", "The Sun", "Dark Sunrise", "The Wings Of Africa", "Jekete Yamankowa" (Parts 1 & 2), "Mpulula", "Smoke" and more. Disc 2 features tracks from the Rikki Ililonga cuts "Sansa Kuwa", "Sheebeen Queen", "Stop Dreaming Mr D", "The Nature Of Man", "The Queen Blues", "Working On The Wrong Thing", "Sunshine Love", "Angel Black" and more. (Global Grooves, Rock) CD

Early brilliance from Joe Walsh – whose guitar and vocals are amazing here! Titles include "Take A Look Around", "Funk #48", "Bluebird", "Collage", "Lost Woman", and "Fred". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Excellent work by The Kinks – cut right on the cusp of their earlier bluesier years, and their perfect picture postcard pop sides of the late 60s! The album's got a number of groovy little tunes that virtually put the jangle in 60s pop – with impeccable writing by Ray Davies, and all those little twists and turns that make his songs so great. And the themes, styles, and overall presentation of the whole thing are really stretching out nicely – with a sense of wit and critique on British society that really have the group coming into their own! Titles include "Party Line", "Dandy", "Session Man", "Rainy Day In June", "Most Exclusive Residence For Sale", "Fancy", "You're Lookin Fine", and "Sunny Afternoon". CD also features bonus tracks – "Mr Pleasant", "This Is Where I Belong", "Mr Reporter", "I'm Not Like Everybody Else", and "Big Black Smoke". CD

One of the most monumental debuts in rock history – a record that hit the world like a led zeppelin, and left an impression for years to come! Led Zeppelin pretty much took over rock right from the beginning – which isn't too surprising, given that Jimmy Page had an in-demand guitar heavy for years already – but the power of this debut is still astonishing after all these years – a blistering blend of bluesy roots, psych fuzz, and razor-sharp instrumental dexterity! The whole thing's a gem – and titles include "Good Times Bad Times", "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" "You Shook Me", "Dazed And Confused", "Your Time Is Gonna Come", "Black Mountain Side", and "I Can't Quit You Baby". CD

One of the most monumental debuts in rock history – a record that hit the world like a led zeppelin, and left an impression for years to come! Led Zeppelin pretty much took over rock right from the beginning – which isn't too surprising, given that Jimmy Page had an in-demand guitar heavy for years already – but the power of this debut is still astonishing after all these years – a blistering blend of bluesy roots, psych fuzz, and razor-sharp instrumental dexterity! The whole thing's a gem – and titles include "Good Times Bad Times", "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" "You Shook Me", "Dazed And Confused", "Your Time Is Gonna Come", "Black Mountain Side", and "I Can't Quit You Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Moby Grape's self-conscious, but hardly less groovy late 60s excursion into loose, free form and largely instrumental psychedelia – the sweet and therefore appropriately titled Grape Jam! GJ is really a world away from their earlier rock regalia – with superstar special guests Al "How Does It Feel" Cooper and Mike Bloomfield brought in the flesh out the open-ended sounds. The sounds roll from walloping instrumental rock, to bluesier jams, to some driving nearly funky bits! Titles include "Never", "Boysenberry Jam", "Black Currant Jam", "Marmalade" and "The Lake". LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's a real step forward for The Rolling Stones – a set that really marks the emergence of the Jagger/Richards team as a songwriting powerhouse for the 60s – and which has the group moving past bluesy roots into some nicely trippier territory at times! Everything from the previous years is still nicely intact – but the band are definitely on the way towards that Stones sound that made them very distinct from other blues-inspired UK acts of their generation – heard here in a mix of classic singles and overlooked LP tracks that include "Paint It Black", "Stupid Girl", "Lady Jane", "Under My Thumb", "Flight 505", "High & Dry", and "Going Home". CD

A set that's way more than the classic rock outing of some of the group's Bay Area contemporaries – as the young Carlos Santana finds a way to mix inspirations from blues and Latin music into this fierce fusion of so many different elements at once – stretching out, jamming, and touching decades of listeners in the process! The whole thing's a perfect sonic blend – guitar, keyboards, and plenty of percussion – on the group's stunning remake of "Oye Como Va", their fusion of "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen", and the cuts "Se A Cabo", "Samba Pa Ti", "El Nicoya", and "Singing Winds Crying Beasts". LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed masterpiece, and a record we never tire of hearing – unabashedly the inspiration for our years of jazzy exploration as adults, even though it was probably the closest thing we ever got to the genre as wee lads! Walter Becker & Donald Fagan raise their already-high bar to new heights here – creating one of those rare records that flows together so beautifully, it's hard to remember where some songs begin and others end. There's a sense of perfection in everything about the record – the sound, the songs, the instrumentation – all woven together beautifully without any sense of self-consciousness. One majestic flow that starts with "Black Cow", and runs through classics that include "Aja", "Deacon Blues", "Peg", "Home At Last", "I Got The News", and "Josie". LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed masterpiece, and a record we never tire of hearing – unabashedly the inspiration for our years of jazzy exploration as adults, even though it was probably the closest thing we ever got to the genre as wee lads! Walter Becker & Donald Fagan raise their already-high bar to new heights here – creating one of those rare records that flows together so beautifully, it's hard to remember where some songs begin and others end. There's a sense of perfection in everything about the record – the sound, the songs, the instrumentation – all woven together beautifully without any sense of self-consciousness. One majestic flow that starts with "Black Cow", and runs through classics that include "Aja", "Deacon Blues", "Peg", "Home At Last", "I Got The News", and "Josie". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the first true moment of greatness from Thin Lizzy – a record that really has them coming into their own, with a sharpness that really points the way at their later classics – and that unique approach that has Phil Lynott standing out as one of the most unique singers of his generation! There's still a bit of a bluesy undercurrent at the start, but as the album comes together some really tremendous songs emerge – tuneful yet rocking, and with a surprising undercurrent of soul as well. Titles include the classic "The Rocker", the great "Mama Nature Said", and "The Hero And The Madman", "Vagabond Of The Western World", and "A Song For While I'm Away". 2LP set features all sorts of great bonus material – tracks from singles that include "Whiskey In The Jar", "Black Boys On The Corner", "Randolph's Tango", "Broken Dreams", "Here I Go Again", "A Ride In The Lizzy Mobile", and "The Rocker (edit)" – plus "Whisky In The Jar (alt mix extended)", "Black Boys On The Corner (alt)", and "Gonna Creep Up On You (acetate mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the first true moment of greatness from Thin Lizzy – a record that really has them coming into their own, with a sharpness that really points the way at their later classics – and that unique approach that has Phil Lynott standing out as one of the most unique singers of his generation! There's still a bit of a bluesy undercurrent at the start, but as the album comes together some really tremendous songs emerge – tuneful yet rocking, and with a surprising undercurrent of soul as well. Titles include the classic "The Rocker", the great "Mama Nature Said", and "The Hero And The Madman", "Vagabond Of The Western World", and "A Song For While I'm Away". Amazing 3CD set – features bonus tracks on CD1, including "Whiskey In The Jar", "Black Boys On The Corner", "Randolph's Tango", "Broken Dreams", "The Rocker (single edit)", "Here I Go Again", and "A Ride In The Lizzy Mobile". CD2 features rare radio work – a whole bunch of BBC sessions plus RTE Radio material too! CD3 features live tracks, demos, and rare outtakes – lots more rare goodies! Blu-ray audio features an Atmos mix, a 5.1 mix, and a stereo mix of the album – plus bonus Atmos mixes of some of the singles. Comes in a great box, along with a 60 page booklet with new notes and unpublished artwork! CD

A heck of a discovery – early recordings Townes Van Zandt cut in mid 60s Nashville – a couple of years before his official solo debut, and a soul shakingly beautiful mix of his country folk blues storytelling and some more rollicking numbers that work exceptionally well! One of the things that's most striking about it is how wise and knowing his songs and his voice are this early in his game, with the more intimate voice and guitar numbers sounding great. The few songs with busier instumentation work, too, and that's even more surprising give the Townes loner folk ouvre. We didn't think there could be much Townes left unreleased, especially of this quality! Titles include "Black Widow Blues", "Maryetta's Song", "Hunger Child Blues", "Black Jack Mama", "When Your Dream Never Dies", "Big Country Blues", "Gypsy Friday", "Colorado Blues", "Black Crow Blues" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of overlooked albums from UK group Vinegar Joe – packaged here with bonus tracks as well! First up is the group's debut, Vinegar Joe – a record with a UK blend of roots rock and deeper blues currents – but served up in that 70s style that takes all the best elements way past their familiar incarnations! The group sports two singers – a young Robert Palmer and female vocalist Elkie Brooks – and although Palmer would soon emerge as a more pop-oriented artist, he's got plenty of soulful chops here – but maybe still only second to Elkie, who soars out with the sort of inspiration that must have touched Janis Joplin as well. Titles include "Circles", "Leg Up", "See The World", "Never Met A Dog", "Live A Little Get Somewhere", and "Avinu Malkenu". Next up is Rock & Roll Gypsies – a record with a really wonderful sound – tight, but never too polished – maybe that UK love of American soul inspirations that folks know more famously in work by artists like Joe Cocker or Traffic, but which is served up here with a really unique feel by the overlooked Vinegar Joe! The group sports a fantastic lead female vocalist in Elkie Brooks, who'd later go on to make some great records on her own – and a young Robert Palmer rounds out the lyrics with a quality that's so different than his later work, and maybe even more soulful overall. Titles include "Falling", "It's Gettin To The Point", "Buddy Can You Spare Me A Line", "Angel", "No One Ever Do", "Forgive Us", and "Charley's Horse". Last up is Six Star General – the third album from Vinegar Joe, and a set that we're not sure got the same global circulation as the earlier albums – which is a real shame, as the group here are maybe even more focused on their sound than before! By this point, Robert Palmer has left the group, but the wonderful Elkie Brooks is still in the lead on guitar – and the group have impeccable instrumentation from Jim Mullen on guitar, Keef Harley on drums, and Mike Deacon on keyboards. Titles include "Proud To Be", "Black Smoke Rising From The Calumet", "Let Me Down Easy", "Fine Thing", "Lady Of The Rain", and "Dream My Own Dreams". Also features bonus tracks "Speed Queen Of Ventura", "Long Way Round", and single versions of "Black Smoke Rising From The Calument" and "Rock & Roll Gypsies". CD

One of the best by The White Stripes – delivering on the rambunctiousness of their blues punk roots while making their greatest creative strides yet! There's a few more tracks with acoustic guitar and keyboards here, and some songs that honestly feels a bit like Led Zeppelin with the indulgent rock star bombast trimmed away. It's a more ambitious set from Jack and Meg than we expected to come after their more primal early recordings – and that's a good thing! Includes the hits "Seven Nation Army" and "The Hardest Button To Button" – plus "Black Math", "In The Cold, Cold, Night", "Ball And Biscuit", "Little Acorns", "Hypnotize", "Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine", "It's True That We Love One Another" and more. CD

Gritty and powerful grooves from The Yardbirds – a set that mixes bluesy guitars and psych in a pretty incredible way – all infused by excellent work from the young Jimmy Page, at a level that predicts course he's take with Led Zeppelin just a few years later! By the time of Little Games, the group are really hitting their stride – moving way past simple mod modes or garage grit, to find that sharp-edged sound that made the Yardbirds one of the best of their generation – and a huge influence on groups for years to come. The set was produced by Mickie Most – and titles include "Little Games", "Smile On Me", "White Summer", "Glimpses", "Drinking Muddy Water", "Little Soldier Boy", "Only The Black Rose", "No Excess Baggage", and "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor". LP, Vinyl record album

A hot host of killer rockabilly, R&B, and other smoking styles from the late 50s and early 60s – all pulled together in tribute to the long-running Rocks series from Bear Family records! The package has 30 tracks in all, the the blend of artists is really great, and shows just how much blues, R&B, and other pre-soul styles were important on the scene next to the rising wave of rockabilly and other early rock styles. And in fact, the package probably has more from those worlds of music than you'd expect from an collection that foregrounds the word "rock" – key proof that the name was initially lifted from black music, then used to peddle white pop as the years went on. Features work from The Treniers, Roy Milton, Little Junior Parker, Ella Mae Morse, Arthur Crudup, The Drifters, 5 Royales, Shirley & Lee, Amos Milburn, Lloyd Price, Slim Harp, Clyde McPhatter, Louis Prima, and many others! CD

One of the most comprehensive sets we've ever seen to look at the legacy of the legendary Lee Hazlewood – and one of the few to focus on the impact he's had on the 21st Century! Lee's songs have become the stuff of legend over the years – not just his own recordings, but classic tracks sung by the Sinatra family members, Dean Martin, and countless others – who are usually features on similar sets under the Hazlewood banner. But this package goes those one better – and looks mostly at material from the past 20 years – plus a few older songs – showing that, if anything, the present century has given Lee's music even more power than ever in the hands of diverse talents like these. As with more "vintage" sets from Ace Records, the presentation is great – a lot of tracks, and very detailed notes that really like the Hazelwood heritage to all this recent music. Titles include "A Cheat" by Jarvis Cocker & Richard Hawley, "Some Velvet Morning" by Primal Scream & Kate Moss, "First Street Blues" by Mick Harvey, "I'm Glad I Never" by Jesus & Mary Chain, "Sand" by Holly Golightly, "Look At That Woman" by Gallon Drunk, "You Turned My Head Around" by Dean & Britta, "I'd Rather Be Your Enemy" by Boyd Rice, "Summer Wine" by Ville Valo & Natalia Avelon, "Paris Summer" by Frances Ruffelle, "My Autumn's Done Come" by Mark Morriss, "No Train To Stockholm" by Dan Michaelson & The Coastguards, and "Long Black Train" by Thriftstore Masterpiece with Frank Black. Also includes vintage songs – "She Comes Running" by Waylon Jennings, "The Man Who Made An Angel Cry" by Loy Clingman, "Lady Bird" by Virgil Warner & Suzi Jane Hokom, and "Friday's Child" by Billie Dearborn. CD