Fairport Convention are down to a quartet here, but still sounds fantastic – with Simon Nicol on guitar and dulcimer, Dave Pegg on bass and violin, Dave Swarbrick on mandolin and violin, and Dave Mattacks on drums and piano – and vocals from all members of the group. (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. CD reissue adds 4 single edits and the previously unissued "Jam #2". CD

The second chapter of the underground Boston legacy of Dredd Foole & The Din – a strong stretch of material from a time when Dredd was working with the Volcano Suns! Early Din-related material had Mission Of Burma providing the instrumentation – and the shift here to Volcano Suns makes for music that's maybe a bit more in tune with the American underground of the mid 80s – that shift away from punk that made the Suns' own recordings so crucial, and which saw some of this material released during the glory days of Homestead Records! The package features two full albums – Eat My Dust Cleanse My Soul and Take Off Your Skin – both reissued here for the first time – plus lots of live material, recorded both at The Rat in Boston, and at CBGB – plus some rare studio material too – all in a package that has detailed notes, new mixing, and a total of 40 tracks in all. Titles include "No Gun", "I'm Crying", "Not The Same", "People Are Strange", "Paralyzed", "Criminal", "Greatest Band In Hell", "Shoulda Known Better", "So Strange", "I Can't Stand It", "Sonic Web Theme", "Not A Beast", "Slack", and "Put Down". CD

The first solo set from Peter Gabriel – and a record that was quite a surprise upon initial release – kind of a stripped-down variant of the energy that Gabriel brought to his early work with Genesis, presented in a nicely lean way that allowed for all the best focus on his key ideas! The style here is light years away from the last moments Gabriel was with Genesis – although there's still a few nice touches of the Lamb Lies Down generation, too – and the vocals are more pointed, more focused, and arguably more personal too. Instrumentation holds up better than you might expect – especially as there was no move at all to nod to the nascent punk generation – and titles include the hit "Solsbury Hill", plus "Modern Love", "Slowburn", "Humdrum", "Waiting For The Big One", "Down The Dolce Vita", and "Here Comes The Flood". LP, Vinyl record album

Life after Peter Gabriel – with Phil Collins doing a surprisingly great job on vocals – free from all the tripe of later years! The group are still very much in the mode of their early prog years, but balance things out with a few catchier tunes – a mode that's a bit like the Selling England By The Pound album, sans Gabriel. Collins is learning how to express himself soulfully, but not in a commercial way – and the few off moments are more than balanced with some wonderfully tight instrumental work – on tracks that include "Dance On A Volcano", "Robbery Assault & Battery", "Ripples", "Trick Of The Tail", and "Mad Man Moon". CD

Life after Peter Gabriel – with Phil Collins doing a surprisingly great job on vocals – free from all the tripe of later years! The group are still very much in the mode of their early prog years, but balance things out with a few catchier tunes – a mode that's a bit like the Selling England By The Pound album, sans Gabriel. Collins is learning how to express himself soulfully, but not in a commercial way – and the few off moments are more than balanced with some wonderfully tight instrumental work – on tracks that include "Dance On A Volcano", "Robbery Assault & Battery", "Ripples", "Trick Of The Tail", and "Mad Man Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

The first proper album by Americana rock supergroup Golden Smog – featuring members of Wilco, The Jayhawks & Soul Asylum among others – very much living up to the kind of trends-be-damned album that would come from these guys circa 1995 – inspired by the best acoustic-leaning classic rock of the 70s, sans cliche and feeling fresh all over again! There's a lot to love here for fans of pre-Summerteeth era Wilco and American Recordings era Jayhawks – which is to say it soundly ignores the noisier sounds of the rock mainstream at the time for a more down home vibe. Includes "V", "Pecan Pie", "Glad U Sorry", "He's A Dick", "Red Headed Stepchild", "Williamton Angel", "Friend", "Nowhere Bound", "Radio King" and more. CD

A really cool British group, and one who work here with equal influences from blues and jazz – all at a level that has the complex riffing of a group like Colosseum mixed with some of the earthier woodwinds of Jethro Tull! Female lead singer Linda Rothwell has a really unique style, and one that doesn't try too hard to ape bigger American names of the time – while Joseph Rosbotham provides loads of cool work on flute and tenor, which further underscores the album's special kind of sound. Malcolm Grundy turns in some excellent work on guitar – and titles include "Port & Lemon Lady", "Hunters Song", "Men", "I Heard A Song About A Friend", "Emerge Breath Sunshine Dandelion", and "Prism". CD

Bratty Bay Area pop punks Green Day hit the bigtime – paving the way for FAR too many lesser acts to hit paydirt, sure, but you can't get too mad at Billie Joe, Mike and Tre for that when this one is still such a blast decades later! Nowhere near as lowbrow as the title or cover art would make it look, it's actually one the better rock & roll albums of its era to convey the thoughts and feelings of bored, lonely, angry and in some ways pretty depressed youth...somehow doing that through catchy sing-a-long anthems. Pretty amazing thing to pull off, actually! Includes "Longview", "Welcome To Paradise", "Chump", "Basketcase", Pulling Teeth", "When I Come Around", "She", "Sassafras Roots" and more. CD

Bratty Bay Area pop punks Green Day hit the bigtime – paving the way for FAR too many lesser acts to hit paydirt, sure, but you can't get too mad at Billie Joe, Mike and Tre for that when this one is still such a blast decades later! Nowhere near as lowbrow as the title or cover art would make it look, it's actually one the better rock & roll albums of its era to convey the thoughts and feelings of bored, lonely, angry and in some ways pretty depressed youth...somehow doing that through catchy sing-a-long anthems. Pretty amazing thing to pull off, actually! Includes "Longview", "Welcome To Paradise", "Chump", "Basketcase", Pulling Teeth", "When I Come Around", "She", "Sassafras Roots" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

(Cassettes, Rock) Cassette

... LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful package of rare work from the archives – two never-released recordings, brought together in a cool book-style package! First up is Living City – breathtakingly organic sounds from Jon Hassell – performing here live, and at a level that's a nice evolution from his studio modes in the earlier part of the 80s – with all sorts of long-blown lines, and nicely complex elements in the sound! Hassell handles both his famous electrified trumpet and keyboards, with a group that includes keyboards, guitar, bass, and percussion samples – all mixed live by Brian Eno, who definitely adds a darkness to the whole proceedings – recalling the Fourth World experiments that he and Hassell had done about a decade before, but with a quality that really respects all the growth that Jon went through as an artist in the intervening years. Titles include "Ituri", "Alchemistry", "Mashujaa", "Paradise Now", "Nightsky", and "Adedara Rising". Next is Psychogeography – very heady work from Jon Hassell – a set that almost seems to showcase his skills as a producer as much as it does his always-creative work on trumpet and keyboards! The sound here is often very layered and dense – maybe Hassell's own take on the noisier territory of Miles Davis electric imports of the 70s – but warmer, and with more of the organic elements that we love in some of Jon's other material. The recordings have never been issued – and are reworked elements of some material that went into the City/Works Of Fiction album – but with a quality that's very different than that. Tracks are shorter than some of Hassell's ususal work, which only increases their density – as Jon plays with work from a group that uses guitar, bass, keyboards, and plenty of live and sampled percussion. Titles include "Cityism Superdcub", "Harambe", "Freeway", "Midnight", "Favela", "Waterfront District", "Cloud Shaped Time", and "Emerald City". CD

A fantastic testament to the far-reaching genius of the young Richie Havens – a double-length set that makes full use of its expanded space to really offer up so many different slices of Havens special sort of magic on the late 60s scene! There's a mixture of live and studio tracks on the set, and gentler numbers mixed with more expansive modes – served up with a host of varied guest performers who really keep things interesting. The lineup includes Colin Walcott on sitar, Warren Bernhardt on keyboards, Weldon Myrick on steel guitar, and Jeremy Steig on flute – all hip cats on their own, really expanding the vibe of this record in a wonderful way. Havens has plenty of great arrangements on the record, in addition to his excellent work on guitar and raspily charming vocals – and titles include his classic "Indian Rope Man", plus "I Pity The Poor Immigrant", "Lady Madonna", "Stop Pulling & Pushing", "Putting Out The Vibration & Hoping It Comes Home", "Cautiously", "The Parable Of Ramon", "Priests", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "For Haven's Sake", "Wear Your Love Like Heaven", and "Run Shaker Life/Do You Feel Good". (Soul, Rock) CD

A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". CD

A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". Packaged in a nice foldout sleeve, with printed inner-sleeves, poster, program and insert of notes mostly in Japanese. CD

Some of the fullest, freakiest sounds we've ever heard from Karl Hector & The Malcouns – and a set that almost has the contemporary combo resonating with some of the older psych and fuzz that often gets reissued on the Now Again label! JJ Whitefield – of Whitefield Brothers/Poets Of Rhythm fame – is at the helm of the group, and also handles the production – and the whole thing is a deep shift from the sharper, funkier style of his early material – as this record's really awash in fuzz and long, languorous space – drawing elements from older funk, jazz, and global elements, and pushing them all through a mighty cool psych-styled filter. Marja Burchard sings some cool wordless vocals on the record, but most of the focus here is instrumental – with great organ, vibes, moog, and plenty of fuzzy guitar. Titles include "Crawling Through Your Mind", "Hymnins (extended)", "Inhale/Exhale", "Mother Seletta", "Dekagon", and "Asteroid". (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic mix of heady sounds and heavy funk from The Heliocentrics – and a record that continues the vibe of their previous set – in which the team of Malcolm Catto and Jake Ferguson were joined by the lovely vocals of Barbora Patkova! Patkova's presence is just what the group needs to really ground their sound – a female singer up front, but one who's as equally comfortable with distortion, fuzz, and echoey spaces as the two instrumentalists – a trio who continue that unique tradition of psychedelic funk that we first loved in Catto's early work on Mo Wax! Titles include "99% Revolution", "Hanging By A Thread", "Nonsense (part 1)", "Light In The Dark", "People Wake Up", "Burning Wooden Ship", and "Elephant Walk". (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The third solo album from Steve Hillage – a much more focused effort than before, and a record that features production from Malcolm Cecil of Tonto's Expanding Head Band! The album's still got plenty of trademark Hillage guitar work, but it's also got a fair bit more focused tunes than before too – a bit less jamming and more hook-heavy vocals – all wrapped up in some nicely fuzzy production from Cecil. The album's still a fair bit darker than you might guess from the cheesy cover – and titles include "Saucer Surfing", "Octave Doctors", "Not Fade Away", "Motivation", "Hello Dawn", and "Light In The Sky". CD

The Hurley machine keeps heaving forward – stepping out here in a set of contemporary recordings, but with sounds that are as timeless as anything else we've heard from him before! The album begins with a haunting number that features just vocals and electric piano – but played in ways that are almost like hammered dulcimer – and two more cuts feature wonderfully spooky pump organ, pulsating in ways that make the music sound even moodier than ever. Other tracks feature acoustic guitar, but still mighty nice, with all the Hurley charm in the vocals – and titles include "The Corridor", "In The Morning", "Tea", "Meara O'Reilly", and "Shockoe Bottom". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The Hurley machine keeps heaving forward – stepping out here in a set of contemporary recordings, but with sounds that are as timeless as anything else we've heard from him before! The album begins with a haunting number that features just vocals and electric piano – but played in ways that are almost like hammered dulcimer – and two more cuts feature wonderfully spooky pump organ, pulsating in ways that make the music sound even moodier than ever. Other tracks feature acoustic guitar, but still mighty nice, with all the Hurley charm in the vocals – and titles include "The Corridor", "In The Morning", "Tea", "Meara O'Reilly", and "Shockoe Bottom". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A really inventive album from the key years of the British psych scene – and a set that goes way beyond even the important experiments of the bigger names of the time! Clark Hutchinson is just a duo – Mick Hutchinson on guitars, piano, and lots of percussion – and Andy Clark on keyboards, saxes, and flute – both members of the group Sam Gopal's Dream, stepping out here on a series of long tracks that draw from jazz, Indian music, and other global styles! The titles hint at a lot of improvisation – but in a style that's more proggish than free jazz and it's clear that budding studio modes were used to nicely layer the performances by both musicians, for an even fuller sound. Titles include "Improvisation On A Modal Scale", "Textures In 3/4", "Improvisation On An Indian Scale", and "Acapulco Gold". 2CD version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Summer Seemed Longer", "Can't Carry On", "Seymour's Boogie", "Crow Jane", "Bad Loser", and "Someone's Been At My Woman". CD

A really inventive album from the key years of the British psych scene – and a set that goes way beyond even the important experiments of the bigger names of the time! Clark Hutchinson is just a duo – Mick Hutchinson on guitars, piano, and lots of percussion – and Andy Clark on keyboards, saxes, and flute – both members of the group Sam Gopal's Dream, stepping out here on a series of long tracks that draw from jazz, Indian music, and other global styles! The titles hint at a lot of improvisation – but in a style that's more proggish than free jazz and it's clear that budding studio modes were used to nicely layer the performances by both musicians, for an even fuller sound. Titles include "Improvisation On A Modal Scale", "Textures In 3/4", "Improvisation On An Indian Scale", and "Acapulco Gold". 2CD version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Summer Seemed Longer", "Can't Carry On", "Seymour's Boogie", "Crow Jane", "Bad Loser", and "Someone's Been At My Woman". CD

The Incredible String Band are paired down to the core duo of Mike Heron & Robin Williamson for their third and possibly best album – the truly incredible Hangman's Beautiful Daughter – using the studio as a most impressive adjunct member of the group at this point! This is an extremely talented pair – each playing myriad instruments – sitar, organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord, gimbri, whistle, pipe, oud, mandolin, mouth harps and more. Previous vocal collaborator Licorice sings on one song, and Dolly Collins and David Snell contribute flute organ, piano and harp – but the main duos incredible way of layering their magic with multitracking in the studio the real masterstroke of the effort. Titles include "Koeoaddi There", "Witch's Hat", "The Water Song", "Swift As The Wind", "Nightfall", "Waltz Of The New Moon", "Three Is A Green Crown" and more. (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

The Incredible String Band are paired down to the core duo of Mike Heron & Robin Williamson for their third and possibly best album – the truly incredible Hangman's Beautiful Daughter – using the studio as a most impressive adjunct member of the group at this point! This is an extremely talented pair – each playing myriad instruments – sitar, organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord, gimbri, whistle, pipe, oud, mandolin, mouth harps and more. Previous vocal collaborator Licorice sings on one song, and Dolly Collins and David Snell contribute flute organ, piano and harp – but the main duos incredible way of layering their magic with multitracking in the studio the real masterstroke of the effort. Titles include "Koeoaddi There", "Witch's Hat", "The Water Song", "Swift As The Wind", "Nightfall", "Waltz Of The New Moon", "Three Is A Green Crown" and more. (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely subtle album from the Incredible String Band – a set that maybe doesn't have the same sort of fanfare as their earliest albums, but which also has the group really honing their sound! Make no mistake, there's nothing commercial or pop-oriented going on – it's just that Mike Heron and crew have really found a way to make a lot with a little – using acoustic guitar, violin, dulcimer, and bits of other instrumentation in these ways that have the relaxed nature of a folk group, but with more far-reaching power that befits their role in the British scene of the time. Heron's vocals are always wonderful – and Robin Williamson sings as well, as does Licorice McKechnie – and titles include "Black Jack Davy", "The Letter", "This Moment", and "Fair As You". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique project from the Serbian underground of the 80s – a record that mixes together global elements, electronics, and some other live instrumentation – all in a way that's as tuneful as it is experimental, and which has a nice sort of post-punk sense of freedom throughout! The music reminds us a lot of some of our favorite work from farther up on the European scene – particularly records on the Crammed label, as this set shares a similar sense of wider sensibilities coming into play with new technologies of the time, yet handled in a way that's very personal and poetic. The duo bring a bit of vocals to the record, but most of the music comes from the interplay between acoustic and electronic elements – on titles that include "Gitanes", "Gajeiro", "Rhinoceros II, "Sometimes At Nine", "In The Sky", and "Rumba Balcana". LP, Vinyl record album

A lesser-known late 70s album from Carole King – recorded for Capitol, with titles that include "Everybody's Got The Spirit", "Venusian Diamond", "Changes", "Wings Of Love", "Mainstreet Saturday Night", and "Sunbird". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from The Kinks – a set that's got all the wit of their late 60s material, a bit of the rootsy currents of Muswell Hillbillies, and a lot more bite than the group would have in some of their next few albums to come! Ray Davies' pen is razor-sharp, as is his vocal approach – and the songs are maybe even more gritty than the group would have done a few years before – furthered by some of the instrumental currents that also bring in a few acoustic elements and some Americanized riffs, which are then also matched by an occasional twang in Ray's vocal presentation. Plus, the double-length set also features one album of studio material, and a second live album – almost as a "bonus" thrown in for good measure. Studio tracks include the hit "Celluloid Heroes", plus "Here Comes Yet Another Day", "Maximum Constipation", "Unreal Reality", "Hot Potatoes", "Motorway", and "Supersonic Rocket Ship" – and live cuts include "Skin & Bone", "Alcohol", "Banana Boat Song", "Lola", "Holiday", and "Mr Wonderful". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from The Kinks – a set that's got all the wit of their late 60s material, a bit of the rootsy currents of Muswell Hillbillies, and a lot more bite than the group would have in some of their next few albums to come! Ray Davies' pen is razor-sharp, as is his vocal approach – and the songs are maybe even more gritty than the group would have done a few years before – furthered by some of the instrumental currents that also bring in a few acoustic elements and some Americanized riffs, which are then also matched by an occasional twang in Ray's vocal presentation. Plus, the double-length set also features one album of studio material, and a second live album – almost as a "bonus" thrown in for good measure. Studio tracks include the hit "Celluloid Heroes", plus "Here Comes Yet Another Day", "Maximum Constipation", "Unreal Reality", "Hot Potatoes", "Motorway", and "Supersonic Rocket Ship" – and live cuts include "Skin & Bone", "Alcohol", "Banana Boat Song", "Lola", "Holiday", and "Mr Wonderful CD

A key transitional album for The Kinks – a record that took them from the lighter "picture postcard" rock of their late 60s albums, into the headier concepts that would mark most of their early 70s work! The concept here is fortunately a light one – a faux-hillbilly sort of groove, carried off by Ray and the group in a nice mix of London Muswell and East Tennessee. The tunes are nicely short and focused, with some older styles of music that almost give the record a Tom Waits-ish feel at times – and titles include "Muswell Hillbilly", "Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues", "20th Century Man", "Skin & Bone", "Alcohol", and "Have A Cuppa Tea". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the many chapters of Jimi's career before his famous Experience recordings – a set of hard rocking soul tracks with singer Curtis Knight, recorded in a really lively sort of party feel! The quality of the set almost makes us think this one was a live session – especially on the really great 10 minute track "Get That Feeling" – a stone jamming number that features some mean funky guitar from Jimi, and some screaming vocals from Curtis! Other titles include "How Would You Feel", "Simon Says", "Hush Now", "Welcome Home", and "Strange Things". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

It's definitely a computer world when you're inside the mind of Kraftwerk – the machine made man, given a wonderful showcase here for the new decade! The sound is maybe a bit leaner and even more electronic than before – with the introduction of some digital elements, and a mix of beats and keyboards that was already showing the nascent hip hop scene that the German quartet were still ahead of the pack when it came to grooves like this! Did these guys invent electro soul? Hearing a record like this it's hard not to think so – thanks to tracks that include "Computer Love", "Computer World", "Pocket Calculator", "Home Computer", "Numbers", and "It's More Fun To Compute". CD

Two albums from the duo of Neil Larsen & Buzz Feiten – back to back in a single set! First up is the self-titled Larsen Feiten Band – a fantastic bit of AOR – served up here by two musicians with a background in jazz, and a great way of harmonizing their vocals together! Larsen is Neil Larsen, who plays keyboards and sings – and Feiten is Buzz Feiten – guitarist and musical partner who helps make Neil sound even tighter and groovier here than on his solo records! The duo work with a core quintet, plus some added horn arrangements – in a style that's definitely in the hipper side of the AOR spectrum, which yields up plenty of rewarding listening all these many years later. Titles include "She's Not In Love", "Aztec Legend", "Make It", "Morning Star", "Over", "Danger Zone", and "Who'll Be The Fool Tonight". On Full Moon, the duo of Neil Larsen and Buzz Feiten sound mighty nice – Buzz on guitars and vocals, Neil on keyboards – stepping out with some added horns, tight arrangements, and a groove that takes the 70s AOR ethos into great territory for the 80s! The record's almost more of the sort you'd expect to hear in 1977 – no tinny production, no shift to drum machines for the rhythms – just rock-solid instrumentation from a really great group, tight songwriting, and catchy tunes that include "Twilight Moon", "Little Cowboys", "Standing In Line", "Hero's Welcome", "The Visitor", and "Phantom Of The Footlights". CD

A heady mix of fuzzy funk and psychedelic production – served up here as a duet between Little Barrie and Malcolm Catto! Catto's on drums, with the same rock-solid style that we've loved right since his Mo Wax days – and Barrie handles guitar and vocals – with that more pronounced lyrical mode that he's had in recent years, yet still all filtered down in the mix – thanks to some nicely trippy production from Catto in his Quatermass Soundlab! The whole thing's a great blend of psych and funk – on titles that include "You're Only You", "Repeater #2", "Rest In Blue", "TRABS", "Steel Drum", "After After", and "Repeater #1". (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The wonderful first solo album from Nils Lofgren – done with this lean, tight sound that's nicely different than his previous work with Grin – and which really lets Nils show off all the best sides of his vocals and guitar! The group is just a core trio with Wornell Jones on bass (later of solo funk fame) and the great Aynsley Dunbar on drums – a player whose compact energy really brings a nice kick to the tunes, without ever overdoing things at all! Nils himself is stunningly charming on vocals – and also handles guitar, piano, and organ – as well as backup vocals, through the magic of overdub. In an era of rock overindulgence, the intimacy of the record is a really welcome change – although Lofrgren manages to come across with a real fullness too – almost like Todd Rundgren's self-created projects. Titles include "Keith Don't Go", "Back It Up", "One More Saturday Night", "Be Good Tonight", "Can't Buy A Break", "Duty", and "The Sun Hasn't Set On This Boy Yet". LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful record from the Japanese electro scene at the start of the 80s – a record that's got some of the catchy synth modes of the period, but which also has a fair bit of other elements going on too! Logic System features keyboards from Hideki Matsutake – best known for his keyboard programming with YMO – and here, his style expands into some wider modes that almost remind us of our favorite French soundtrack styles of the period – slight currents of sentiment, and a richness of expression that goes way past the more familiar simpler forms of the keyboards. There's definitely some catchier tunes too, and the balance is very nice – on a set that's mostly instrumental, save for some occasional vocoded bits. Titles inlcude "Metamorphism", "Equivalent", "Be Yourself", "Prophet", "Morpheus", and "Venus". (Japanese, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible batch of prime garage rock era nuggets from the Peruvian scene – fuzzy gems by the Saicos! The Saicos bring a sense of menace to these tunes – with a guitar tone touched with an eerie vibe, and lead vocals that are really piercing and gravelly in that instills this primordial edge that needs to be heard to be believed – but that balance it off with some moddish, British invasion grooves, too. The overall sound manages to blend both the heavy menace of cult acts like the Monks and the Seeds with the tunefulness of the Animals – and clear precursor the garage punk for decades to come! Titles include "Come On (Ven Aqui)", "Ana", "Demolicion", "Lonely Star (Estrella Solitaria)", "Cememterio", "Te Amo", "Fugitivo De Alcatraz", "Salvaje", "El Entierro De Los Gatos", "Besando A Otra" and "Intensamente". Comes with a great booklet, too! LP, Vinyl record album

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An album that definitely lives up to its title – as the set is definitely a turning point in the career of John Mayall, and the debut of brand new lineup that helped move his music past a the straighter sound of American blues! There's still plenty of blues at the core – and great vocals and harmonica from the leader – but the lineup also features no drums at all, which gives very open space to freeplay between the acoustic guitar of Jon Mark, the bass of Steve Thompson, and the wicked work of Johnny Almond on tenor, alto, and flute! The jazzy elements that Almond brings to the music are wonderful – and really open up the sound, and showcase a whole new side of Mayall's talents too – as the group here play live at the Fillmore East, on titles that include "The Laws Must Change", "California", "I'm Gonna Fight For You JB", "Room To Move", and "Saw Mill Gulch Road". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the best ever efforts from the Monkees – really the first album where Mickey, Peter, Davy and Mike took creative control from the TV people – and created and album of groovy late 60s pop to rival those of their influences! Headquarters famously features a lot more original material than previous LPs – and it still sounds remarkably fresh! It really doesn't feature any of their huge hits, so it stands up really well without the crutch of nostalgia! Titles include "You Told Me", "I'll Spend My Life With You", "Band 6", "I Can't Get Her Off My Mind", "Mr Webster", "Sunny Girlfriend", "Zilch", "No Time", "Early Morning Blues And Greens", "Randy Scouse Git". LP, Vinyl record album

A sharp blend of edgey guitar, offbeat vocals, and lots of other electronic elements – but still served up with plenty of warmth, thanks to the unique approach of Thiago Nassif! Nassif works here with contributions from Vinicius Cantuaria and Arto Lindsay – and in a way, his music is in a similar territory to both of those artists – but as unique as any of their recordings over the years too! Nassif clearly understands the deeper corners of Brazilian music, and has an ear for more experimental modes – but also finds a way to make music with a very personal statement, as he weaves together electric drums with real percussion, guitar loops and keyboards, and even some "Venom synth" of his own. Titles include "Pele De Leopardo", "Voz Unica Foto Sem Calcinha", "Plastico", "Trepa Trepa", "Feral Fox", and "Transparente". (Brazil, Rock) CD

A sharp blend of edgey guitar, offbeat vocals, and lots of other electronic elements – but still served up with plenty of warmth, thanks to the unique approach of Thiago Nassif! Nassif works here with contributions from Vinicius Cantuaria and Arto Lindsay – and in a way, his music is in a similar territory to both of those artists – but as unique as any of their recordings over the years too! Nassif clearly understands the deeper corners of Brazilian music, and has an ear for more experimental modes – but also finds a way to make music with a very personal statement, as he weaves together electric drums with real percussion, guitar loops and keyboards, and even some "Venom synth" of his own. Titles include "Pele De Leopardo", "Voz Unica Foto Sem Calcinha", "Plastico", "Trepa Trepa", "Feral Fox", and "Transparente". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A sharp little record that's as well put-together as its 70s cover – served up by a group who certainly have some of the rootsy modes you'd guess from their name, but honed into a sharper studio sound, thanks to production help from Terry Melcher and Mark Lindsay! The record's one of those real 70s mysteries – a set that got plenty of care from the label, and which is filled with catchy tunes that could have crossed over big on AM radio – but which were maybe lost in the shuffle, while the promotion team behind the record were sneaking into some Sunset Strip lounge for mid-afternoon cocktails. Melcher and Lindsay also apparently appear on the record – and titles include "One More Round", "Piece Of My Life", "Together Now", "Tracy", "Ain't It Sad", "Whatcha Treatin Me So Bad For", and "Love You Tonight". CD

A seminal blend of folk roots and jazz improvisation – with Ralph Towner on guitar, Collin Walcott on sitar, oboe and horn from Paul McCandless, and bass and flute from Glen Moore. Titles include "North Star", "Children Of God", "Naiads", "Shard", "Bell Spirit", and "The Swan". (Jazz, Rock) CD

Beautiful work from The Paris Sisters – one of the coolest, grooviest girl groups of the 60s – and one who've got a sound that's really a cut above most of their contemporaries! There's something strangely sinister about this trio – not just the sweet sounds you might expect, but also this undercurrent of darkness that often seems emphasized in the hip production they receive – work on these cuts by 60s studio giants like Phil Spector, Jack Nitzsche, Nik Venet, and Terry Melcher – who move these gals past simple Brill Building pop, into territory that's often a lot spookier. The package is the first to really offer up the full spectrum of the trio's genius – and features five never-issued tracks, plus work the girls did for Reprise, MGM, Columbia, Mercury, and Capitol Records – all with the usual top-shelf Ace Records presentation and notes. Titles include "Stand Naked Clown", "You", "Baby That's Me", "Lonely Girl", "When I'm Alone With You", "See That Boy", "Greener Days", "He Knows I Love Him Too Much", "My Good Friend", "Be My Boy", "Play It One More Time", "I Came A Long Way To Nowhere", "Long After Tonight Is Over", "Dream Lover", and even a "Diet Rite Commercial". CD

An album of fragile beauty and buried darkness – in a space that's somewhere between the work of Nico and Brigitte Fontaine, but a fair bit sweeter overall! Emmanuelle Parrenin sings here in a timeless style that might almost be called folksy – especially in the return to tradition styles of the UK 70s scene – but it's also got a slightly headier feel overall, almost trippy at times, with a sense of crumbling innocence that's further underscored by spare instrumentation that includes hurdy-gurdy, spinet, and dulcimer. Most tunes just feature vocals and some combination of these instruments – and a few numbers feature slightly larger backing, but never a full group mode. Titles include "Ritournelle", "Leiturgie", "Copraze", "Lecharpe De Soie", "Ce Matin A Fremontel", and "Belle Virginie". Amazing vinyl reissue – very heavy cover and vinyl, and beautifully done overall! LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a wonderfully dramatic sort of approach – post-psych, but still plenty heady – and served up by a mysterious deep-voiced singer who had many people thinking that Jim Morrison had done some mojo rising at the time! Yet the set's hardly a Door-styled effort, either – as these guys hail from Detroit, and definitely echo with some of the freakier, spookier side of their city's scene – able to fold hard-edged expressions into a warmer sort of flow, one touched with hypnotic darkness that's very different than any sort of major label record from the mid 70s! If the set were a late 60s Dunwich production that got placed at Mercury, its sound would make a lot more sense – but somehow it's even cooler as a lost relic from the time, but one that sounds nothing like the rising AOR generation. Titles include "Half A Life", "Devil's Child", "Black Magic/White Magic", "Merlin", "Stand Beside My Fire", "Welcome To Hell", and "Spiders Will Dance On Your Face While You Sleep". CD

A seminal set from 70s Pink Floyd – a set that took all the energy of Dark Side Of The Moon, and refined it into an even more complex sonic setting! The songs here move out spaciously – still very unified as an overall album, but often with all of these longer-form musical ideas, and mature textural elements that really show the progression the group had made in just a few short years – almost as if they were revisiting the open-ended feel of their immediate records after the departure of Syd Barrett – but with a massive amount of new information about the possibilities of the recording studio, and their own skills as musicians. The whole thing's wonderful – always taken better as a whole than in just small slices – and titles include "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", "Welcome To The Machine", "Have A Cigar", and "Wish You Were Here". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from 70s Pink Floyd – a set that took all the energy of Dark Side Of The Moon, and refined it into an even more complex sonic setting! The songs here move out spaciously – still very unified as an overall album, but often with all of these longer-form musical ideas, and mature textural elements that really show the progression the group had made in just a few short years – almost as if they were revisiting the open-ended feel of their immediate records after the departure of Syd Barrett – but with a massive amount of new information about the possibilities of the recording studio, and their own skills as musicians. The whole thing's wonderful – always taken better as a whole than in just small slices – and titles include "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", "Welcome To The Machine", "Have A Cigar", and "Wish You Were Here". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Principal Edwards Magic Theatre – and arguably even better than the first, thanks to some really focused production from Nick Mason! The sound here has more of the building elements of psychedelia you'd expect from Mason's history with Pink Floyd – and a bit less of the flowery looseness of Principal Edwards' debut – and the new focus is a really welcome addition, as it helps the group find a new level of power in their music they might never have attained! There's still plenty of folksy instrumentation and trippy themes in the tunes – but the guitars are more electric, the studio tricks more dynamic, and the overall record is a much more pleasing bit of ear candy that stands up well to the test of time. Titles include "Freef", "Total Glycerol Esther", "Mc Alpine's Dream", and "Asmoto Running Band". LP, Vinyl record album

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A landmark bit of avant prog psych from the American underground of the late 60s – the astral mindblower that is God Bless The Red Krayola & All Who Sail It! This second album is the group's early masterpiece – a brilliant, jarring psychedelic work of genius! It's got the strangeness of the Parable LP, but Mayo & the boys have a way with strange melody that escaped the earlier album. It's often buried under the astral wierdness and abrasive tendancies, but it nevertheless casts a spooky glow throughout! Tracks inclcude "Ravi Shankar: Parachutist", "Leejol", "Night Song", "Green Of My Pants", "The Jewels Of The Madonna", "Tina's Gone To Have A Baby", "Say Hello To Jamie Jones", and "Coconut Hotel". LP, Vinyl record album

A big stack of singles from one of the coolest groups on the American scene of the 70s – one who are remembered for a few key singles, but delivered a heck of a lot more greatness over the space of the decade! Redbone are maybe best known for their makeup – as the group featured Native and Mexican American members – but they also stood equally well next to their contemporaries on the airwaves, with a great ear for a catchy groove and a way of mixing soulful currents with rock expressions that was perfect for the AM radio generation! And it's on their singles that the group maybe excelled the most – able to come up with tunes that were short and catchy, but also had all these cool twists and turns too – as you'll hear on the big mix of styles on this 36 track collection that brings together all the a-sides and b-sides of their classic singles! Tracks include their huge hit "Come & Get Your Love" – plus "Message From A Drum", "One Monkey", "Physical Attraction", "Turquoise Eyes", "Crazy Cajun Cakewalk Band", "New Blue Sermonette", "Alcatraz", "We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee", "Wovoka", "Clouds In My Sunshine", "Checkin It Out", "I've Got To Find The Right Woman", "Niji Trance", "The Witch Queen Of New Orleans", and "Light As A Feather". CD

A rare gem produced by the Cali pop genius team of Terry Melcher and Bruce Johnston – with some of the surf rock elements you'd know from Johnston's work in the Beach Boys! "Titles include "Three Window Coupe", "Bonneville Bonnie", "Beach Girl", "Surf City", "Wah-Wahini", "Red Hot Roadseter, "Summer USA", "One Piece Topless Bathing Suit" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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Slayer's fastest, darkest, heaviest album ever – and a defining moment in thrash metal! In the world of heavy rock, there's before Reign In Blood, and after Reign In Blood. Slayer redefined the genre, there's just no getting around it! In the 1980s, when pious or otherwise moral watchdogs were eyeing pop culture for boogeymen, Slayer was more than willing to be the world's scariest band – but beyond the calculated outrageousness, it's simply amazing music – bringing hardcore punk speed into the heavy metal mold. Best metal album ever? Includes "Angel Of Death", "Piece By Piece", "Necrophobic", "Altar Of Sacrifice", "Jesus Saves", "Criminally Insane", "Reborn", "Epidemic", "Post Mortem" and "Reigning Blood". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest of all Dusty Springfield albums – a gem of a record that mixes British pop, soul, and some very groovy orchestrations! The whole session has that kind of soaring, soulful bounce that Dusty had on her best records – but which was possibly never done nearly as well as on this one! Backings are conducted by Alan Tew, Peter Night, Arthur Greenslade, and Wally Stott – Brit Easy giants all of them – and tracks include sublime gems like "Bring Him Back", "Don't Let Me Lost This Dream", "I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face", "Sunny", "Welcome Home", and "Broken Blossoms". (Vocalists, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Steely Dan really hitting the heights – moving into hipper, more sophisticated territory than before – pushing the envelope with both their music and lyrics, which are completely sublime! It's hard to put our finger on the magic of this one, but it's the perfect summation of everything that's come before, with a bit of a nod towards the future – yet all with a simple, song-based charm that we really love. The Becker and Fagan team get some key studio help here – showing a move away from previous group-based recordings – and Phil Woods turns in some especially nice work on his sublime solo for "Doctor Wu". Other tracks include "Black Friday", "Bad Sneakers", "Any World That I'm Welcome To", "Your Gold Teeth II", "Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More", "Throw Back The Little Ones", and "Everyone's Gone To The Movies". LP, Vinyl record album

A gorgeous album from the UK folk scene – vocals and guitar from Cyril Tawney, with accompaniment on concertina, melodeon, and dulcimer – all of which makes for a very haunting, moody vibe! (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous document of work by Jake Thackray – one of the most unique talents on the British music scene of the 60s, but an artist who's sadly been un-remembered over the years! At first glance, Jake's definitely a folkie, but he's also one with a strong influence from French singer/songwriters like Jacques Brel or George Brassens – and takes key inspiration from them in the depth and darkness of his work. Like both Brel and Brassens, Thackray's got a style that's almost out of time – one that's ageless at some points, but with a very contemporary way of viewing the world – personal, pointed, and penned with an incredible sense of wit. In an era when most folkies were attacking the political or pushing into the fantastic, Jake spent careful time looking at human foibles and the complexities of interpersonal relationships – always from a distance, but close enough to note the odd humor in even the most banal situations. This wonderful set brings together 4 of Thackray's albums for EMI – Bantam Cock, Last Will & Testament, Jake's Progress, and On Again On Again – all of which feature Jake's slightly jazz-inflected vocals alongside acoustic guitar and very spare, but well-chosen additional instrumentation. Package also features a full disc of unreleased material – including different versions of other tunes on the albums. 97 tracks in all, and a wonderful musical discovery throughout! Titles include "The Cactus", "Country Bus", "Brother Gorilla", "The Girl In The Window", "Ulysses", "Scallywag", "Salvation Army Girl", "On The Shelf", "Go Little Swale", "Isabel Makes Love On National Monuments", "Joseph", "Famous People", "The Gravedigger", and "Leopold Alcocks". CD

A legendary project from Tortoise – kind of the "part 1.5" to their tremendous debut – as it features material from that record, remixed by members of the group and other key figures on the Chicago scene – all as a real testament to the many criss-crossing styles and modes that were taking place during these key post-rock years! The original material was performed by the version of the group that featured Bundy K Brown, John Herndon, John McIntire, Doug McCombs, and Dan Bitney – and remixes are by McEntire and Brown from the group – plus Steve Albini, Brad Wood, Casey Rice, Jim O'Rourke, Rick Brown, and even Mike Watt! Titles include "Alcohall", "Your New Rod", "Cobwebbed", "Tin Cans (Puerto Rican mix)", "Initial Gesture Protraction", "The Match Incident", and "Not Quite East Of The Ryan". LP, Vinyl record album

The Ventures were furiously productive in the early 60s – delivering gem after gem – and this is among the best! Telstar is somewhere near the ninth record by the group, offering a dizzying mix of covers of some of the most popular songs of the day. The guitar still leads as the main sound on these tracks but they do expand the instrumentation to include organ, trumpet, mandolins and harpsichord as well. They sing a little on some of the tracks but they mainly stay in the instrumental realm. Greatness! Tracks include "Telstar", "The Lonely Bull", "Mexico", "Calcutta", "Apache", "Never On A Sunday", "Tequila", "Green Onions", "Let There Be Drums", and "Red River Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

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(Folk/Country, Rock) CD

(Folk/Country, Rock) CD

A timeless jangly country rock album from a band that didn't sound like it was setting out to reinvent the wheel, even if they ultimately almost did! At the time, pressure was pretty high to live up the preceding legacy of the Uncle Tupelo and contemporaneous debut of Son Volt, but in hindsight, this is just a straight up, no bs, solid, tuneful batch of songs that don't sound at first like they're among best of their kind until you realize you're humming and singing them to yourself days, years and decades later! Includes "I Must Be High", "I Thought I Held You", "Dash 7", "Blue Eyed Soul", "Shouldn't Be Ashamed", "It's Just That Simple", "Casino Queen" and more. CD

A modern country rock masterpiece. Wilco's second album, an unlikely (for its time) major label double album does an incredible job of showing stylistic breadth and sprawl behind lyrical and emotional consistency, arrangements-wise recalling the best of the band's more adventurously rootsy forbears enough to not unfairly call it "alt-country" at the time, but it's ultimately timeless. Here we are decades later and it doesn't sound like it's aged a day. Includes "Misunderstood", "Far, Far Away", "Red-Eyed And Blue", "Forget the Flowers", "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)", "Kingpin", "Whole Would You Wanna Live", "Dreamer In My Dreams" and more. CD

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