... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most mind-expanding albums we've ever heard from Jack Bruce – a really strong outing from 1974, one that shows him growing and growing as an artists in his years away from Cream! The tracks have a feel that's a bit more wiry than some of Bruce's other solo work – stripped down so that the jazzy changes emerge a bit more, and Bruce's vocals come to the forefront – singing in a style that's oddly confident, but still possessed of all the quirks that have always made them so striking. In a way, the record's a nice compression of certain progressive ideals – all filtered down into the singer-songwriter mode with surprising intimacy. Titles include "Keep It Down", "Peaces Of Mind", "Golden Days", "Timeslip", "One", and "Running Through Our Hands". CD also features bonus tracks – alternates of tunes on the album! CD

One of the most mind-expanding albums we've ever heard from Jack Bruce – a really strong outing from 1974, one that shows him growing and growing as an artists in his years away from Cream! The tracks have a feel that's a bit more wiry than some of Bruce's other solo work – stripped down so that the jazzy changes emerge a bit more, and Bruce's vocals come to the forefront – singing in a style that's oddly confident, but still possessed of all the quirks that have always made them so striking. In a way, the record's a nice compression of certain progressive ideals – all filtered down into the singer-songwriter mode with surprising intimacy. Titles include "Keep It Down", "Pieces Of Mind", "Golden Days", "Timeslip", "One", and "Running Through Our Hands". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those 70s rock albums that seems to turn up in a fair bit of collections of hip soul and jazz – a bit like the work of Harvey Mandel, and with a similar blend of blues rock currents with farther-reaching ideals! Roy Buchanan is spectacular on the guitar here – the kind of player who almost could have fronted a bigger arena rock group, given his chops – but who choses instead to keep things close to the chest, with the more down to earth vibe of his look on the cover – even though his playing here is pretty outta sight. Roy's got some great help on the album – including some of the MGs on a version of "Green Onions" – plus more guitar from Steve Cropper on other tracks, plus piano from Jan Hammer, bass from Stanley Clarke, and drums from Narada Michael Walden. Other titles include "Judy", "Your Love", "Done Your Daddy Dirty", "The Circle", and "Hidden". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most stunning debut albums of the 70s – and a set that burst on the scene with a sound that summed up a generation, but which had never been heard this clearly before! This self-titled Clash album was different from other landmarks of the time – work by the Sex Pistols, Ramones, and others – as the group had a sense of raw power, but also a tunefulness too – a way of pushing their message into territory that others wouldn't have reached – with tunes that were as surprisingly hummable as they were politically correct! There's a bit less Jamaican influence here than in later Clash years, but that quality is still present somewhat – and over the years, this is definitely a set we can return to again and again – with no sense of apology or outdated ideals at all. Nearly every cut's a classic – and titles include "Janie Jones", "Career Opportunities", "Police & Thieves", "Garageland", "Clash City Rockers", "I Fought The Law", "White Riot", "London's Burning", "White Man In Hammersmith Palais", and "I'm So Bored With The USA". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most stunning debut albums of the 70s – and a set that burst on the scene with a sound that summed up a generation, but which had never been heard this clearly before! This self-titled Clash album was different from other landmarks of the time – work by the Sex Pistols, Ramones, and others – as the group had a sense of raw power, but also a tunefulness too – a way of pushing their message into territory that others wouldn't have reached – with tunes that were as surprisingly hummable as they were politically correct! There's a bit less Jamaican influence here than in later Clash years, but that quality is still present somewhat – and over the years, this is definitely a set we can return to again and again – with no sense of apology or outdated ideals at all. Nearly every cut's a classic – and the original UK tracklist includes "Janie Jones", "Career Opportunities", "Police & Thieves", "Garageland", "White Riot", "London's Burning", "Deny", "I'm So Bored With The USA". CD

One of the highest points in the solo career of Sandy Denny – a set that has her working with a hip array of British musical contemporaries, but also getting some sublime larger orchestrations from Harry Robinson and Bob Leaper too! The mix of folksy elements and higher ideals is wonderful – very much in that transformative style that Island Records was bringing to British folk at the start of the 70s – maybe most famously in the work of Nick Drake, but also with Sandy Denny at her best! Titles include "Like An Old Fashioned Waltz", "Whispering Grass", "Friends", "Dark The Night", "Solo", "No End", and "Until The Real Thing Comes Along". CD

The only album ever recorded by this obscure Canadian group – and a pretty darn great mix of hard rock influences and hippy, dippier touches! The group use Hammond organ as much as guitar on most of the tracks – creating a sound that's swirling, building, and almost spiritual at times – thanks to some higher ideals espoused in the lyrics! Other instrumentation includes heavy bass and drums – the usual, but used in ways that reach some loftier new heights, especially on the more extended numbers – which have jazzy, proggy elements. Titles include the jamming "Dil Kusha", plus "Of Lambs & Wolves", "Eyes Of Nature", "Seasons Of Change", and "Sun Shines In The Winter". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully noisy, messy grooves from the mighty Mark Stewart – working here in the best spirit of the On-U sound years – when just about anything was allowable in the studio! Stewart's equally influenced by punk and dub, but also has a sound that's completely his own – very dark and moody, and filled with political energy from the Reagan/Thatcher era – with instrumentation from a host of other On-U label mates – including musicians from New Age Steppers, African Head Charge, and The Dub Syndicate – brooding under the kind of trippy percussion that only Adrian Sherwood could deliver at the time. A huge bridge between London of the punk years, and England of the Massive Attack/Tricky generation – with titles that include "Liberty City", "The Paranoia Of Power", "High Ideals & Crazy Dreams", "None Dare Call It Conspiracy", "Learning To Cope With Cowardice", "Blessed Are Those Who Struggle", and "Don't Ever Lay Down Your Arms". LP, Vinyl record album