The final album by The Replacements – and a nice one, even if it's closer to a debut solo album for Paul Westerberg than it is to the rest of the 'Mats ouvre! This is a classic example of an album with strengths we either refused to acknowledge back in the day as Replacements classicists, or simply overlooked – but it sounds pretty damn good all these years later. Scott Litt's co-production is clean sound, but not too polished, and titles include "Merry Go Round", "One Week At A Time", "Nobody", "Bent Out Of Shape", "Sadly Beautiful", "Someone Take The Wheel", "When It Began", "All Shook Down", "Attitude", "Torture", "The Last" and more – plus this CD reissue adds 11 bonus tracks, including some great early demo recordings! CD

The one where The Black Crowes really started expanding their creative reach beyond being a hell of a solid torch carrier of the swaggery soul rock sound of The Faces and Stones! They're still not reinventing the wheel (nor trying to), but they do begin to jettison the classic rock radio approach of earlier records for a hard grooving, album-oriented sound that's a LOT stronger than we credited them for back in the day! They wear their influences on their sleeves as proudly as ever, but there's so many of them, and it all sounds so good...damn! Respect long overdue, and proudly paid. Titles include "Gone", "A Conspiracy", "She Gave Good Sunflower", "Ballad In Urgency", "Wiser Time", "Descending" and more. CD

Very cool work from the Irish avant garde of the early 70s – served up here by a key member of what must have been a pretty small scene! Roger Doyle is a drummer, with experience in jazz – but here, he's working in this huge variety of experimental sounds – leading a Moondog-like combo on one track, directing a trio of ancient instruments on another, playing solo piano with effects, and even creating some tape experiments too! There's a very freewheeling sound to the whole album – stepping between instrumental modes and styles in this way that we might dub as playful, but which has such a compelling quality, it's way deeper than you might expect. True genius from an overlooked talent – with titles that include "Why Is Kilkenny So Good", "Oizzo No", "Theme From Emptigon", "Extra Bit", "Obstinato", and "Bitter Sweet Suite". (Out Sound, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from start to finish – and easily one of the most compelling experimental sets from the 70s! Call it a "auralgraphic entertainment", or "an incredible mental experience" – both claims listed on the title – and you wouldn't even be getting half of the picture of this amazing set – because the music rolls out here in a really dreamy blend of folksy elements, found sounds, and electronics – on two long tracks that each run for a side apiece – but which have far more song-structure than you might expect! There's no jamming, but no sloppiness either – and instead, Bill Holt finds a way to bring together disparate sounds and ideas in this really dynamic way – but also with a subtlety that few other later works like this ever thought to try. The record has been legendary for decades – and for good reason, too – and if you're not in an altered state, it will definitely get you there – and if you are, you'd better hold onto your hat! LP, Vinyl record album

The first album in Dylan's so-called "Christian Period", but it's not really the uber-dramatic departure from the "old" Dylan that it was treated as at the time – gospel soul backing vocals and testifying lyricism for sure, but it sounds more like gospel has come to Dylan than it sounds like Dylan has "gone gospel". Slow Train Coming has a focused approach, ala Blood On The Tracks, even if this train doesn't come close to crossing over onto those particular tracks – and the return to a leaner, more focused vibe is welcome one. It's got stellar studio players in the mix, and producer Jerry Wexler's production touches on a soul sound, but smartly hews to Dylan's vocal style and lyrical focus. Dylan's high bar for a masterpiece given his trailblazing past didn't give this record or the following couple much a chance to succeed on their own merits back in the day, but all these years later...wow, this is really good, passionate stuff. Includes "Gotta Serve Somebody", "Precious Angel", "I Believe In You", "Slow Trait", "Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking", "Do Right To Me Baby (Do Unto Others)", "When You Gonna Wake Up", "Man Gave Name To All The Animals", "When He Returns". (Cassettes, Rock) Cassette

A groundbreaking album from the young John Hartford – not really folk, not really country – but a unique hybrid of both, and done with a good ear for unique sounds as well! Hartford's a really unique artist, especially at this key point in his career – and he's working here with producer David Bromberg, who himself was also helping to reinvent acoustic music at the time. The Warner Brothers placement of the record is key – as Hartford's got this sense of the past, mixed with the irony of the present – one which strongly echoes some of the hip rock contemporaries on the label, particularly the up and coming brand of post-Sunset LA talents. Titles include "Turn Your Radio On", "Up On The Hill Where They Do The Boogie", "First Girl I Loved", "With A Vamp In The Middle", and "Tear Down The Grand Ole Opry". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing little record – easily one of the coolest albums ever on the legendary Ovation label – and a set that has the small imprint almost hitting the heights of their Chicago neighbor Cadet Records! The core sounds here are from the folksy duo of Chuck Hollins and Dave Starr – but their music is really expanded with some key studio touches – jazzy inflections from session players, some slight fuller arrangements – and an overall vibe that carries the same sense of hope and new voice that you'd find in records by Terry Callier or Rotary Connection! The dawn of the 70s was a great time to push the boundaries of what could be done with folk and psychedelic trappings, and these guys really find a great little space – balancing trippy lyricism, lots of ethereal atmosphere, and a few heavily percussive jams! Titles include "Talking To Myself", "Krishna Dov", "Cry Baby Cry", "Twin City Prayer", "John Hurt", "Hard Headed Women", "Lovable", "Digress", "Staying High", "Sidewalk's Talkin'", and "Feelin' Good". CD features bonus tracks that include a 9 minute outtake of "Hard Headed Woman" – plus single versions of "Feelin Good" and "Lovable". CD

Arthur Lee left his group Love behind for this early 70s debut as a solo act – but the record also seems to have Lee returning to some of the heavier blues-inspired sounds of that group's early years too! Lee is a monster here in the spotlight – fantastic guitar lines effortlessly flying from his fingers, vocal power that's more varied and dynamic than some of his later Love performances, and a sense of occasional wit that's echoed by the cover. Arthur also wrote, produced, and arranged the whole thing – which was recorded in Hollywood with help from some of his friends – on titles that include "Hamburger Breath Stinkfinger", "He Knows A Lot of Good Women", "You Can Save Up To 50% But You're Still A Long Ways From Home", "He Said She Said", "Love Jumped Through My Window", "Everybody's Gotta Live", and "You Want Change For Your Rerun". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "Pencil In Hand", "Looking Glass Looking At Me", and unreleased versions of "Everybody's Gotta Live", "He Knows A Lot Of Good Women", and "EZ Rider". CD

A classic introduction to the music of Love – put together by Elektra Records after the group's first few monumental albums! Few groups were as great at the start and changed so quickly as Love – and you can hear it all here – from the gritty, garagey Sunset Strip sounds of the start – to the sublime direction they would take on Forever Changes. Titles include "Hey Joe", "My Little Red Book", "Signed DC", "Alone Again Or", "Your Friend & Mine – Neil's Song", "You Set The Scene", "Good Times", "Andmoreagain", "Your Mind & We Belong Together", "She Comes In Colors", "7 & 7 Is", and "Orange Skies". LP, Vinyl record album

The one where The Black Crowes really started expanding their creative reach beyond being a hell of a solid torch carrier of the swaggery soul rock sound of The Faces and Stones! They're still not reinventing the wheel (nor trying to), but they do begin to jettison the classic rock radio approach of earlier records for a hard grooving, album-oriented sound that's a LOT stronger than we credited them for back in the day! They wear their influences on their sleeves as proudly as ever, but there's so many of them, and it all sounds so good...damn! Respect long overdue, and proudly paid. Titles include "Gone", "A Conspiracy", "She Gave Good Sunflower", "Ballad In Urgency", "Wiser Time", "Descending" and more. (Cassettes, Rock) Cassette

Neon smiles, and plenty of sublime sounds from Bliss Band – a real under-discovered group from the AOR scene of the late 70s – and one who should have been huge! These guys have it all – a great way with a hook, a tight way of crafting a tune, and this special sort of sound that stands apart from the chart hits of the period – yet somehow manages to have all the right elements firmly intact. It's 1979, and these guys aren't new wave or disco – and instead have this commitment to the kind of sharp songwriting and lyrical delivery that the best acts were using five years before and turning into superstars – maybe a moment that Paul Bliss and his group arrived to late to enjoy, although you'd never guess it from the quality of their work on this record! One to file proudly next to your Ned Doheny albums – with titles that include "Stagefright", "Hollywood", "Someone Else's Eyes", "Chicago", "We Never Had It So Good", and "If It Takes Until Forever". CD

The 6th volume of American Recordings from Johnny Cash – recorded in the months between June's & Johnny's passing – produced by an increasingly reverent Rick Rubin and put together with care and consideration. Cash sounds justifiably weary on these late recordings, with songs chosen from the work of great friends, admirers and the Man In Black himself. Includes "Ain't No Grave", "Redemption Song", "For The Good Times", "Satisfied Mind", "I Corinthians 15:55", "I Don't Hurt Anymore", "Cool Water", "Last Night A Stranger Had A Dream" and "Aloha Oe". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

Vancouver rockers Chilliwack are Riding High indeed on this mid 70s set – with a tighter groove than ever before, with nice, punchy rhythms, biting electric guitar, and big vocals – really a sweet set of uber-tuneful 70s rock that sounds as good to our ears as a heck of a lot of the classic rock radio fodder that's been over (and over and over and over...) played for so many years. They have the hooks and the power of the better remembered rockers of the day, without the staleness and cheesiness of many of the superstars of the era, and a more varied and unpredictable range. Titles include "Come On Over", "Crazy Talk", "Makin Time", "Riding High", "Time Don't Mean A Thing To Ya", "Far Side Of The Sun" (a two part suite) and more. CD

Sleazy, greasy early 80s trash rock from the one-and-only Cramps – live at New York's Peppermint Lounge! Includes Cramps classics "You Got Good Taste", "I Ain't Nothin But A Gorehound", "Beautiful Gardens" and more, plus that vicious Cramps take on "She Said" by hillbilly trash rock progenitor Hasil Adkins, "Faster Pussycat" and more. Lux sounds lucid as he ever does one second and like he's about the choke death seconds later, which is The Cramps personified, right? LP, Vinyl record album

We love the idea of spending the summer with Shelly Fabares – especially if it would sound as groovy as this rare gem from the 60s! Shelly's not the best singer you'll ever find, and the tunes here are hardly personal tunes from her heart – but the album's production and presentation are flawless – and one of the best examples of great girl pop you'll ever find from the time! Maestro Stu Phillips arranged and produced, and has a very good ear for the right mix of jaunty and weepy sounds that work with Fabares vocal range – at a level that often leans heavy on echo to really resonate some of the best moments in the set. The album's a real pop masterpiece – and titles include "Johnny Loves Me", "Johnny Get Angry", "See You In September", "Palisades Park", "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", "The Things We Did Last Summer", and "It Keeps Right On A Hurtin". LP, Vinyl record album

Late 60s psych from Texas – the self-titled set from Fever Tree – which finds group adapting some outside penned tunes of the day nicely into the good natured psychedelic groove. The arrangements are what make the group special, rolling from soaring pop sounds into harder edged TX school of psychedelia, and back again. Instrumentation includes the kind of core rock sound with keys, harp, flute, cello and more – and the record even sports some string & horn arrangements by David Angel and Gene Page! Titles include "Imitation Situation 1", "Where Do You Go?", "Return Of The Native", "Man Who Paints The Pictures", "The Sun Also Rises", "Unlock My Door", "Come With Me" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Despite the innocence of the title and cover image, the grooves here are pretty darn mature – really hard-jamming fusion tracks served up with Jerry Goodman on electric guitars and violin, and Jan Hammer on a wealth of groovy keyboards! Hammer's still a bit restrained at this point – not nearly a schlocky as in later years, and with a good ear for unusual sounds from the Moog, Oberheim, and electric piano – all used nicely here with plenty of cool effects. Goodman himself sings a bit on the record, but not much – and the whole thing has a fusion feel that's very much like other releases at the time on the Nemperor label. Titles include "Steppings Tones", "Night", "Full Moon Boogie", "No Fear", "I Remember Me", "Country & Eastern Music", "Topeka", and "Earth (Still Our Only Home)". (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The first full length collaboration between blues, soul and rock slide guitar eclecticist Ben Harper and harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite – and it's win for both – with a vibe that's rooted in many traditions, but feels right at home in both Harper's and Musselwhite's wheelhouses. We expected a blues & soul covers set when we first heard that this project was in the works – and while the prospect of these 2 fellows working together on the classic Americana songbook sounds like a pretty good idea to us – we're actually all the more impressed with this all originals take on classic styled craft. A bit of blues and blues rock, a bit of gospel, and a bit of southern styled folk soul – and a bunch of great songs! It's a full band set up for the most part, too, as opposed to a spare duos set – and the titles include "Don't Look Twice", "I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone", "We Can't End This Way", "You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend), "I Ride At Dawn", "Get Up!", "She Got Kick", "Blood Side Out" and "All That Matters Now". CD

A groundbreaking album from the young John Hartford – not really folk, not really country – but a unique hybrid of both, and done with a good ear for unique sounds as well! Hartford's a really unique artist, especially at this key point in his career – and he's working here with producer David Bromberg, who himself was also helping to reinvent acoustic music at the time. The Warner Brothers placement of the record is key – as Hartford's got this sense of the past, mixed with the irony of the present – one which strongly echoes some of the hip rock contemporaries on the label, particularly the up and coming brand of post-Sunset LA talents. Titles include "Turn Your Radio On", "Up On The Hill Where They Do The Boogie", "First Girl I Loved", "With A Vamp In The Middle", and "Tear Down The Grand Ole Opry". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

The first-ever live album from Joni Mitchell – and a record that sounds a fair bit different than a concert set might have during the Reprise years – as Joni's got plenty of help from Tom Scott & The LA Express, who bring a tight yet intimate vibe to the proceedings! Joni's definitely a superstar at this point – as you might guess from the size of the amphitheater on the cover – but she's also got an even stronger ability to come across with a personal, pointed style – one that's very different than the overblown hype of so many other 70s live albums. The set includes a few tracks not yet on albums, and a nice mix of material – including the live version of "Big Yellow Taxi" that ended up as a hit single – and the cuts"You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "Blue", "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "Both Sides Now", "Real Good For Free", "Jericho", "Circle Game", "Cactus Tree", "The Last Time I Saw Richard", "People's Parties", and "Woodstock". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful stuff – Nilsson's soundtrack for one of the strangest movies of the 60s – a mad film directed by Otto Preminger, and featuring a cast of characters that included Jackie Gleason, Frank Gorshin, Peter Lawford, Cesar Romero, and Groucho Marx as God! The sounds are a weird hippy dippy soundtrack style – but also drenched in Nilsson's wry wit, which keeps them from being too silly, a good thing, if you've seen the movie! The highlight of the album is the incredible "The Cast & Crew" – a number that rolled at the beginning of the film, in which Nilsson sings the name of everyone associated with the production – including the lighting guys and electrician! Other tracks include "Green Bay Packers March", "Angie's Suite", "The Tree", and "Garbage Can Ballet". (Soundtracks, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic follow up to Queen's Night At The Opera album – and like that one, a complete sonic masterpiece from start to finish – the kind of record that has the group hitting on all burners, and forging a non-stop blistering assault of sounds that would forever cement their legacy in 70s music! There's not one element here that seems to be amiss, or dominating in the lead – the vocals might shine one minute, guitars the next, drums following – but it's the overall blend and shift of sounds throughout that really keep things exciting. As such, it's almost impossible to single out a key cut or song – because the whole thing works together so well – with selections that include "Tie Your Mother Down", "Long Away", "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy", "White Man", "Somebody To Love", "White Man", "Teo Torriatte", "Drowse", and "You Take My Breath Away". (Cassettes, Rock) Cassette

Afro-psychedelia from Chrissy Zebby Tembo – a set recorded in the Zambian scene of the early 70s, and served up in a blend of fuzzy guitar, funky drums, and some really unusual vocals! At times, Chrissy's voice almost sounds like it's being processed – filtered down nicely amidst the fuzzy guitar and bass, which themselves are kicked along by some especially great drums – not conventionally funky in the familiar Afro 70s mode, but really finding a heavy groove that's totally great! Some numbers get mighty dark, given the heavy use of fuzz – and titles include "Fisherman", "I've Been Losing", "Gone Forever", "Feeling Good", "My Ancestors", and "Trouble Maker". (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool sounds from the 60s scene in Italy – music that's clearly inspired by the best British female pop of the period, and also a bit by Detroit soul – with maybe just a touch of French "yeh yeh" modes thrown in for good measure! Yet because the sounds come from a scene that was also reinventing the sound of movies with its studio genius, there's also a really special vibe going on here – in part because the music often features contributions from soundtrack and sound library maestros – including Nora Orlandi, Berto Pisano, Alessandro Alessandroni, Bruno Nicolai, and others – who put these tunes together with a wonderfully spacious, wonderfully creative vibe – which really helps take them past their basic musical influences. The set list is every bit as well-chosen as the Ace Records collections of 60s French female pop – and titles include "Il Beat Cos'E" by La Ragazza, "Cartoline" by Mina, "Le Ragazze Semplici" by Orietta Berti, "E Proprio Inutile" by Meri Marabini, "Coccodrillo" by Ornella Vanoni, "Se Mi Vuoi Mi Vuoi" by Catherine Spaak, "Il Treno" by Rita Pavone, "A Me Piace Lui" by Vibeke, "Come Ti Vorrei" by Iva Zanicchi, "Tamburino Ciao" by Milva, "Zero In Amore" by Gigliola Cinquetti, "Il Paradiso" by Patty Pravo, and "Una Stanza Vuota" by Lisa Gastoni. CD

A surprising side of the legendary Stax Records – especially if you only know the Memphis powerhouse as an outlet for funk and soul! There was always a bit of crossover between country and soul – even in the early days, a label like King Records could easily handle both – or a company like Atlantic could find a way to make its soul singers handle country tunes with ease. Yet the approach here is pure country – tracks recorded during the final few years of Stax – at a time when the company was both growing strongly, thanks to the fame of Isaac Hayes and others – and also trying out new ideas to round out the strength of their operation. Given their proximity to Nashville, and the fact that Memphis studios like Sun or Ardent had handled country-styled sounds – the move seemed to be a good one, and definitely comes across here in the quality of the tracks! The music has a nice left-of-Nashville vibe – almost like some of the growing wave from Austin soon to come, but also a bit like the cooler indie 45 country market of the 70s – which is finally getting its due these days. Either way, the sounds here are way past the hits, and way past the more standard modes of the time – and show that Stax Records could bring as much of a magic touch to country as they could to other sounds they recorded. Titles include "Hippie From The Hills" by Roland Eaton, "The River's Too Wide" by Karen Casey, "That Glass" by Eddie Bond, "Sweet Country Music" by Becki Bluefield, "My Girl" by Danny Bryan, "Satisfied Woman" by Paige O'Brian, "All The Love You'll Ever Need" by Cliff Cochran, "A Mom & A Dad For Christmas" by Lee Denson, and "Truck Driver's Heaven" by Roger Hallmark. (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Vancouver rockers Chilliwack are Riding High indeed on this mid 70s set – with a tighter groove than ever before, with nice, punchy rhythms, biting electric guitar, and big vocals – really a sweet set of uber-tuneful 70s rock that sounds as good to our ears as a heck of a lot of the classic rock radio fodder that's been over (and over and over and over...) played for so many years. They have the hooks and the power of the better remembered rockers of the day, without the staleness and cheesiness of many of the superstars of the era, and a more varied and unpredictable range. Titles include "Come On Over", "Crazy Talk", "Makin Time", "Riding High", "Time Don't Mean A Thing To Ya", "Far Side Of The Sun" (a two part suite) and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from this jazzy UK combo! Although Colosseum are probably best known as a hard rocking progressive band, they certainly had plenty of jazz touches – and this album spawned the great groover "Elegy", which has become something of a jazzy dancefloor classic over the years! Overall, the record's got some very tight drumming, plenty of hard-wailing organ work, and a basic groove that takes off where the beat groups of the 60s left off – pushing into more expansive, more progressive jazz territory. Chris Farlowe's vocals can be good or bad, depending on the moment – but on the funkier cuts, like "Elegy", "Ropeladder To The Moon", and "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice", they have a sort of madness that makes sense, and which really sounds great. Other tracks include "The Grass Is Greener", "Lost Angeles", "Jumping Off The Sun", and "Butty's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

This one-man orchestra just keeps on getting better and better with each new record – working with the funk you'd expect from the name, but also all these cool and moody touches that mix together David Axelrod-like ambition with some of the sharper snap of hip hop production! This time around, Seth Applebaum has a fair bit of strings and horns in the mix – plus added voices, some strong lead singers – and an array of sonic touches that make for a richness that's much deeper than it is ghostly! Previous records were good, but Seth's really onto something great hear – and mixes together strands of sounds into something that's much richer than its parts – emerging as a surprising maestro for the underground, on titles that include "Stoop Talk", "Mourning", "Drop Me A Line", "Little Bird", "Fuzzy Logic", "Quiet Soul", "Tojours", "Queen Bee", and "Cost Of Living". (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely sounds from Masumi Hara – an album that was originally issued in 1984, and which ties together a few different strands running through Japanese music at the time – some of the more electronic pop-styled elements in the post-city pop generation, and some of the mellower, more atmospheric styles of the ambient scene! The result is an album that's got a surprising amount of depth, and a good deal of charm – an album that's playful one minute, and dreamy the next. Titles include "To live in the Sea", "Living With Sound", "Twist", "Doncha Of The Moon & The Stars", "Futon Making", "The Deepest Of Nights", and "Orion". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing little record – easily one of the coolest albums ever on the legendary Ovation label – and a set that has the small imprint almost hitting the heights of their Chicago neighbor Cadet Records! The core sounds here are from the folksy duo of Chuck Hollins and Dave Starr – but their music is really expanded with some key studio touches – jazzy inflections from session players, some slight fuller arrangements – and an overall vibe that carries the same sense of hope and new voice that you'd find in records by Terry Callier or Rotary Connection! The dawn of the 70s was a great time to push the boundaries of what could be done with folk and psychedelic trappings, and these guys really find a great little space – balancing trippy lyricism, lots of ethereal atmosphere, and a few heavily percussive jams! Titles include "Talking To Myself", "Krishna Dov", "Cry Baby Cry", "Twin City Prayer", "John Hurt", "Hard Headed Women", "Lovable", "Digress", "Staying High", "Sidewalk's Talkin'", and "Feelin' Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A key second chapter in the long and wonderful career of Joni Mitchell – a set that brings together the four albums she recorded for the Asylum label in the mid 70s – a post-Blue period that really had Joni opening up and exploring a lot in her music – including a jazzier side of the spectrum that never showed up as strongly before! First up is For The Roses – a sometimes-overlooked album in the career of Joni Mitchell – but a set that's every bit as great as the two huge hits that bracket it! Joni's really finding a great way forward, sounding more mature, and bringing some jazzier currents into her music – thanks in part to help from reedman Tom Scott and bassist Wilton Felder of The Crusaders – and a style of songwriting that's sometimes more fluid than before, and often a lot more biting too! Titles include "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "For The Roses", "Barbangrill", "Cold Blue Steel & Sweet Fire", "Let The Wind Carry Me", "Lesson In Survival", and "Judgement Of The Moon & Stars". Court & Spark is a key record in the second chapter of Joni Mitchell on record – a set that has both her vocals and her overall music style flowing with all these amazing touches you might not have heard a few years before – jazzier currents in her music that really set the album apart from earlier work in Joni's career! Mitchell responds to the music with soaring vocals that are completely wonderful, and nicely changed up in character from tune to tune – given backing by a host of great jazz and studio players who include Tom Scott on reeds and Joe Sample on keyboards! Titles include her classic version of "Twisted" – a redone version of the old Annie Ross track – plus the classic hit "Help Me", and "Just Like This Train", "Car On A Hill", "Court & Spark", "Down To You", "Free Man In Paris", and "People's Parties". Miles Of Aisles is the first-ever live album from Joni Mitchell – and a record that sounds a fair bit different than a concert set might have during the Reprise years – as Joni's got plenty of help from Tom Scott & The LA Express, who bring a tight yet intimate vibe to the proceedings! Joni's definitely a superstar at this point – as you might guess from the size of the amphitheater on the cover – but she's also got an even stronger ability to come across with a personal, pointed style – one that's very different than the overblown hype of so many other 70s live albums. The set includes a few tracks not yet on albums, and a nice mix of material – including the live version of "Big Yellow Taxi" that ended up as a hit single – and the cuts"You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "Blue", "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "Both Sides Now", "Real Good For Free", "Jericho", "Circle Game", "Cactus Tree", "The Last Time I Saw Richard", "People's Parties", and "Woodstock". Hissing Of Summer Lawns is a further step forward in the career of Joni Mitchell – a record that not only continues the jazzier currents she explored in the 70s, but also brings in a whole bunch of different modes as well – so much so, it's almost as if Joni's daring anyone to still call her a folk singer with the album! The themes are wonderfully sophisticated, as is the songwriting – the king of material that would keep Mitchell strong for decades, while so many of her contemporaries faltered – as you'll hear on the tracks "In France They Kiss On Main Street", "Sweet Bird", "Shadows & Light", "The Boho Dance", "Don't Interrupt The Sorrow", "The Jungle Line", and "Edith & The Kingpin". CD

Never-heard early sounds from the young Lou Reed – early recordings of material that helped cement his fame in the Velvet Underground – uncovered after being lost for almost 50 years! The tracks here are early demos of both songs that the Velvets would famously soon record, and other material that they didn't – done by Lou with help from John Cale on a number of the tracks, and already in a surprisingly dark sort of style – despite the fact that the instrumentation is mostly just a single guitar alongside the vocals! With that approach, there's maybe a slight nod to the Greenwich Village scene in terms of the presentation – and served up that way, you can hear just how strongly the young Reed is already shaking up the scene in New York – almost as if he's using the modes of the folkies as ammunition to mow them all down. The package features never-heard takes of "Heroin", "I'm Waiting For The Man", and "Pale Blue Eyes" – plus "Too Late", "Buttercup Song", "Buzz Buzz Buzz", "Stockpile", "Men Of Good Fortune", and even "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard early sounds from the young Lou Reed – early recordings of material that helped cement his fame in the Velvet Underground – uncovered after being lost for almost 50 years! The tracks here are early demos of both songs that the Velvets would famously soon record, and other material that they didn't – done by Lou with help from John Cale on a number of the tracks, and already in a surprisingly dark sort of style – despite the fact that the instrumentation is mostly just a single guitar alongside the vocals! With that approach, there's maybe a slight nod to the Greenwich Village scene in terms of the presentation – and served up that way, you can hear just how strongly the young Reed is already shaking up the scene in New York – almost as if he's using the modes of the folkies as ammunition to mow them all down. The package features never-heard takes of "Heroin", "I'm Waiting For The Man", and "Pale Blue Eyes" – plus "Too Late", "Buttercup Song", "Buzz Buzz Buzz", "Stockpile", "Men Of Good Fortune", and even "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams". CD features bonus tracks – an alternate of "I'm Waiting For The Man", and versions of "Don't Think Twice It's All Right", "Gee Whiz", "Baby Let Me Follow You Down", "W&XYZ Blues", "Lou's 12 Bar Instrumental", and the creepiest version of "Michael Row The Boat Ashore" you'll ever hear! CD

Never-heard early sounds from the young Lou Reed – early recordings of material that helped cement his fame in the Velvet Underground – uncovered after being lost for almost 50 years! The tracks here are early demos of both songs that the Velvets would famously soon record, and other material that they didn't – done by Lou with help from John Cale on a number of the tracks, and already in a surprisingly dark sort of style – despite the fact that the instrumentation is mostly just a single guitar alongside the vocals! With that approach, there's maybe a slight nod to the Greenwich Village scene in terms of the presentation – and served up that way, you can hear just how strongly the young Reed is already shaking up the scene in New York – almost as if he's using the modes of the folkies as ammunition to mow them all down. The package features never-heard takes of "Heroin", "I'm Waiting For The Man", and "Pale Blue Eyes" – plus "Too Late", "Buttercup Song", "Buzz Buzz Buzz", "Stockpile", "Men Of Good Fortune", and even "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

The noisy, nasty side of French new wave – not the too-clean sounds that always got shoved off on the rest of the world as a Paris export back in the day – but the grittier, dirtier electronic numbers that clearly set the tone for the big French explosion in recent years! The styles here are much more similar to work coming out of the UK and Germany at the time – particularly the latter, and the kind of playful but noisy work you might find on a label like Ata Tak – which would be a good comparison for lots of the great grooves here. Titles include "Pretty Day" by Mary Moor, "Game & Performance" by Deux, "Polaroid Roman Photo" by Ruth, "Aller Simple" by Vitor Hublot, "Viol Af Dis" by Casino Music, "Terroriste" by Vox Dei, and "Ping Pong" by Act. LP, Vinyl record album

70s psychedelia from the northeastern state of Pernambuco, Brazil – incredible stuff that combines rawly percussive tropical sounds with a world of psychedelic creativity and possibilities – one of the best compilations ever put together by Mr Bongo! Lula Cortes was a pivotal figure in the scene and he's pretty well represented here, including his influential recordings with Ze Remalho. Even more exciting, though, is the stuff we've never been fortunate enough to hear before now – and there's a pretty good deal of it! The fusion of global psych and folk sounds into a distinctly Brazilian sound is nothing short of amazing – regional and traditional percussion underneath sitars, lutes, keyboards and more. It features songs by the great Lula Cortes & Ze Ramalho, Geraldo Azevedo & Alceu Valenca, Marconi Notaro, Flaviola E O Bando Do Sol and The Gentleman. 19 tracks in all: "Sorriso Delvagem" by The Gentlemen, "O Tempo" and "Desespero" by Flaviola E O Bando Do Sol, "Antropologica", "Maracatu" and "Fidelidade" by Marconi Notaro, "Mister Misterio", "Virgem Virginia" and more by Geraldo Azevedo & Alceu Valenca, "Bailado Das Muscarias" and "Maracas De Fogo" by Lula Cortes & Ze Ramalho, "Noite Preta" by Lula Cortes and more. (Brazil, Rock) CD