... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great package – one that features some wildly experimental work from French electronics whiz Philippe Besombes! First up is the album Libra – tripped out electronics meet progressive rock jamming – all in a weird and wonderful film score from the early 70s! The record's one of the best by French experimentalist Philippe Besombes from the time – and it's got a style that sort of starts in the territory of Francois De Roubaix similar electronic work for film – but gets a lot darker and noisier right away! There's a textural depth here that's really great – almost a pre-industrial music exploration of sounds – but the work's also not that over-indulgent, either – and Besombes always has a great way of getting back to a tune, especially on the shorter tracks. Titles include "La Plage", "Rugby", "Ceremonie", "Hache 06", "La Ville", "Les Cosmonautes", "Tis A Song", "Boogimmick", and "PJF 261". Next is the record Esombeso – also release as Ceci Est Cela – a strange mix of sound library electronics and much more experimental work from Philippe Besombes – a set that carries echoes of some of the best Italian soundtrack electronics of the 70s, but which also features much darker, more turgid moments as well! The album collects some of Besombes' performances for ballet and other settings – and stands as an even starker document of his talents than some of the other albums issued under his name in the 70s. Titles include "Pawa"," Geant", "Seul", and "Ceci Est Cela". Next are two more albums done under the name Hydravion – both of which show Besombes turning his electronics into tighter, more song-based territory – although not without some noise from time to time – shorter tracks that sometimes get a bit tuneful, but which are still light years from mainstream music of the period. CD set also features bonus tracks for the first two albums – 8 more numbers that include "L'Or Des Fous", "Traversee", "Trio", "Piano Prepare", "Orgue Hache", and "Chocolate Cream". CD

The amazing first album from Big Star – a set that came out of nowhere, made hardly a ripple on the charts, yet went onto crash in big waves of sound for generations to come! The style here is unlike thing else before – hardly what you'd expect from the group's Memphis roots or Alex Chilton's previous performances – yet the group's music has become a generation-defining sound in the way it blends southern inflections with harder rock influences, and a lean, gritty quality that's arguably in a late 70s space between punk and power pop. Every element is wonderful – guitars that are powerful, but never indulgent – vocals that are moving, but never overly emotive – and a balance between sensitive and searing moments that even The Replacements could never hope to match. A landmark all the way through – with tracks that include "Feel", "Ballad Of El Goodo", "In The Street", "The India Song", "When My Baby's Beside Me", "Give Me Another Chance", "Don't Lie To Me", "Thirteen", "Watch The Sunrise", and "Try Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Heady and heavy work from Billy Bond and La Pesada Del Rock & Roll – a guitar heavy group from Argentina, and one with plenty of blues rock overtones! The guitars are definitely turned up to 11 here – jamming with an intensity to match some of the best hard rock sides from Peru reissued by the Lazarus label in recent years – and like those sets, there's a sound here that's an intensification of earlier beat group modes – taken into much harder territory for the 70s. The production is great – earthy, trippy, and a little bit spooky – and the album's got an oddly unsettling feel, one that's familiar at first, but then increasingly estranged as the record moves on. Quite compelling, and with 16 tracks that include "Dueno De Tu Piel", "El Parque", "Buen Dia Senor Presidente", "Divertido Reventado", "Salgan Al Sol", "La Maquina", "Voy A Ver Un Amigo", "Para Que Nos Sirven", and "La Marcha De San Lorenzo". (Brazil, Rock) CD

Caspar Brotzmann on guitar, Eduardo Delgado Lopez on bass and vocals, and Danny Arnold on drums. (Jazz, Rock) CD

A mid 70s set from Can that's still very much in the best spirit of their earliest work – mostly longish tracks and all quite hypnotic – wonderful stuff from the team of Irmin Schmidt, Jacki Liebezeit, Holger Czukay, and Michael Karoli. Sure, Damo's not on vocals any more, but the instrumentation's still pretty darn great – and Can is also working more explicitly established global genre elements, but still really sounds like no one other than Can. Traces of reggae mix alongside many other rhythmic elements, jagged experimentalist touches, 70s ambient energy, and imaginative jams galore from one of the most creative combos of its time! Titles include "Chain Reaction", "Quantum Physics", "Dizzy Dizzy", and "Splash". CD

Mindblowing music from Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band – a record that's got plenty of garagey grit at the core, but which also has a heady freak rock vibe overall! The 1967 album really captures this perfect moment – one when so many artists like Don Van Vliet had their feet in older rockish modes, but were really tripping out with new ideas – able to get nice and freaky in the course of a short tune, yet still never lose a groove that really helped send the music home! In other words, there's nothing too hippieish about the record, and nothing that's ever too self-indulgent – yet the blend of organ, guitar, and drums is completely mindblowing – and as revolutionary today as it was back then. Titles include "Abba Zabba", "Dropout Boogie", "Zig Zag Wanderer", "Electricity", "Yellow Brick Road", "Grown So Ugly", and "Autumn's Child". CD

A really great collection of rare work from this hard-edged rocker – unusual singles for labels that include Ekko and Silver, and even some live radio work from London in 1960! LP, Vinyl record album

Essential early material by Gal Costa! The record is her first after the immediate Tropicalia years, and it's a stunning blend of styles that seems to draw heavily from changes going on in the American rock scene at the time. The core of the music is still steeped in Brazilian elements – but there's a lot of influences coming into play on the album, like bluesy rock phrasing, showy nostalgia-heavy arrangements, psychedelic production elements, and some of the baroque orchestrations that would show up on Gal's later albums in the 70s. Includes a wonderful version of Caetano's "London London" and "Dixa Sangrar", the moody bossa "Falsa Baiana", Gilberto Gil's "Lingua Do P" and "Mini Misterio", and the tracks "The Archaic Lonely Star Blues", "Love, Try, & Die", and "Hotel Das Estrelas". Great cover, too! (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic array of really cool songs – all written and recorded by Tom Dawes of The Cyrkle – as part of a big career as a jingle writer after his group cut a famous theme song for 7 Up! The music here is great – work from a time when jingles for TV and radio ads were like mini songs in and of themselves – often as catchy as anything on the charts, if not more so – so that the tunes you'd hear for a few short seconds would stick in your head all day long! If you dig sunshine pop, there's plenty to love here – and remember that the great Roger Nichols also gave the world a wonderful tune that was originally designed as a jingle. Some of the tracks here never made it to the TV screen, others are classics – and the set includes songs written for Windex, GI Joe, Alka Seltzer, Calgon, Stridex, Murine, Hartford Insurance, Thom McCann, Life Savers, Timex, Ford, and many others. (Sound Library, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of jazzy magic from Fagen – stepping out from the cover of Steely Dan after the Gaucho album, and sounding pretty darn great on his own! The record is almost nostalgic, going back to a 50s of Brubeck, abstract expressionism, and pre-Castro Havana – filled with images that are a bit less oblique than those of Fagen's work with Steely Dan, and a love for the subject matter that makes us like the record even more. Musically, the set follows strongly from Gaucho, but has perhaps a bit more straight jazz – and titles include "The Goodbye Look", "Walk Between Raindrops", "IGY", "Green Flower Street", and "New Frontier". CD

A wonderfully expansive album from The Incredible String Band – initially performed as a stage project with the Stone Monkey dance troupe, and featuring the ISB at their most evocative and creative! Some tunes have a darker, sinister undercurrent – that link between the band and the acid folk underground – but others are more hippy dippy, with playful touches that still seem to have this undercurrent of evil somehow – an offbeat quality that really marks the special way that British groups like this were taking folk in very odd directions at the time – never losing sight of roots, but still never having the sense of optimism or indulgence of American acts. The double-length set has loads of especially nice instrumental moments – both acoustic and electric – and titles include "Bridge Song", "El Wool Suite", "The Juggler's Song", "Bad Sadie Lee", "Partial Belated Overture", "Walking Along With You", "Invocation", and "Robot Blues". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A killer classic from Iron Butterfly – a group who always had way more to offer than their hits, as you'll find out when dipping into this full length set! The album's worth it alone for the organ lines – which kind of take off from the territory of The Doors, but are often more unusual – and mixed with vocals that can have an eerie sensibility, but without ever sounding indulgent! The music's not pop psych, but it's also never too full of itself – and titles include "In The Crowds", "In The Time Of Our Lives", "Soul Experience", "Lonely Boy", "Belda Beast", and "Filled With Fear". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "White Bird", "Bombay Calling", "Bulgaria", "Time Is", and "Girl With No Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible treasure from the late 60s underground – the one and only album from the Jelly Bean Bandits, a group who really should have been huge! These guys are hardly the sweeter pop act you might expect from their name – and instead, they've got a rock-solid sound that's very heavy on the drums – then followed up by some very sinister organ and guitar! Lead vocals from Billy Donald are really great – with a nicely dark undercurrent that stands with the bigger names of his generation, but which never falls into any sort of overindulgence. Most tunes are somewhat short, but pack plenty of power from the bottom on up – and titles include "Happiness Girl", "Country Woman", "Poor Precious Dreams", "September Rain", "Goodtime Feeling", "Tapestries", and "Say Mann". LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin are well on their way to becoming superstars with this set – a package that revisits scraps of songs they'd never been able to work just right in the past, and has a way of making them all shine freshly in a very different light! Sure, the funk trio at the core are still in place – but the music has this more expansive quality, and almost a sunny vibe that fits the image of the window on the cover – as things are warmed up with a bit of smoothness that really complements their groove – almost a nod to mellower soul at times, which will really surprise listeners of some of their other work. Yet at the same time, Khruangbin never stop reworking themselves – either through collaborations with others, or fresh projects like this – with tracks that include "May Ninth", "Three From Two", "Juegos Y Nubes", "Todavia Viva", "Pon Pon", "Farolim De Felgueiras", and "Les Petits Gris". (Deep Funk, Rock) CD

Very experimental work from this loose Canadian collective of the late 60s – but a set that's filled with some surprisingly cool touches too! The album's almost more of a "happening" in the studio at times – with free-flowing energy between jazz musicians, rockers, poets, electronocists, and more experimentally sonic scientists – shifting styles quickly from track to track, but occasionally hitting some straighter, funkier moments that are totally great – almost a more tripped-out version of some of the French electronique work we love so much from the 60s – and a record that's mindblowingly beautiful in its sense of freedom and creativity. The whole thing's a sonic trip through incredibly fresh territory – never too overindulgent, and beautifully balanced both in sound and execution. Titles include "Ode A L'Affaire", "J'Ai Perdue 15 Cents Dans Le Nez Froid", "Finale", "Viens Danser Le OK La", "Agnus Dei", "Desafinado", "She's Leaving Home", and "Intermezzo". 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 mindblowing bit of psych from the late 60s – and a record that has way more to offer than just the usual fuzzy guitar, thanks to key use of moog, theremin, and tape tricks! There's a really freaky feel to the record from the start – a quality that's hipper than most of the underground at the time, almost an ironic take on the usual – sometimes through thoughtful lyricism, other times via a more experimental music approach that almost hints at some 70s prog and post-prog styles – yet presented here in much shorter form, without any overindulgence at all! The record's one that really transcends its time – a compelling little set that offers plenty more than just its existence as a rare relic – and which actually features many tunes that would make perfect covers for the contemporary scene today. Titles include "That's Another Story", "Machines", "This Is It", "This May Be Goodbye", "It Comes On Anyhow", and "Sex & Violence". CD features bonus tracks – "Rose Coloured Glasses", "Love", ""Comic Strip", "Every Single Word", "Let The Boy Pretend", and "Have Mercy". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

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

... LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever album from The Monkees – a set that's overflowing with great numbers from the teams of Boyce & Hart and Goffin & King – plus one original by Mike Nesmith himself! The whole thing's groovy as groovy can be – and despite any thoughts that folks at the time might have had about these guys being just a TV one-off, the album's got fantastic staying power over the years – thanks to wonderful vocals, impeccable production, and a great selection of songs! Titles include "Theme From The Monkees", "Just Doesn't Seem To Be My Day", "Last Train To Clarksville", "Sweet Young Thing", "Papa Gene's Blues", "Take A Giant Step", "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day", and "Saturday's Child". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A nice Japanese collection – with an unusual cover image! Titles include "Words", "Valleri", "Shades Of Gray", "I Wanna Be Free", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Steppin Stone", "Star Collector", "She", "Last Train To Clarksville", and "Listen To The Band". LP, Vinyl record album

The second full length set from The Monkees – a record that was issued at a time when global interest in the group was at an early peak, and when the group were able to deliver way more than just the "More" promised in the title! All the vocal performances here are top shelf – that careful blend of pop catchiness and deeper feeling that made the group such a sly act over the years – a depth that's sometimes overshadowed by their initial reputation as a packaged pop product – but which is certainly evident over the years, especially with repeated plays of a treasure like this! The album's overflowing with gems – including "She", "Your Auntie Grizelda", "Steppin Stone", "Mary Mary", "Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow", "The Day We Fall In Love", "Laugh", and "Sometime In The Morning". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from The Monkees – maybe the record that really had them coming together and finding that special groove that was all their own! The set features their completely sublime "Pleasant Valley Sunday" – but also has this great range of unusual material that seems to let everyone get some great space in the spotlight, while also hinting at trippier inclinations too – on other cuts that include "Love Is Only Sleeping", "She Hangs Out", "Cuddly Toy", "Hard To Believe", "What Am I Doing Hangin Round", "Star Collector", "Salesman", "Star Collector", and the completely bizarre "Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The second sublime album from Neon Philharmonic – and one that seems to go even deeper than the first in its blend of ambitious musical themes and mature lyrical ideas! The presentation here is even more symphonic than on the first record – but at a level that's never soppy or sleepy – as there's a gentle groove on most tracks, loping around in these really lovely modes that make the tunes sparkle and glisten with the best sort of late 60s Warner Brothers wit! There's this wonderful mix of longing, nostalgia, and a kind of new vision for post-60s adulthood to the record – very hard to describe, but completely wonderful – at once completely heartfelt, but also with a great sense of distance on itself. Titles include "Long John The Pirate", "Do You Remember Dresden", "You Lied", "Forever Hold Your Peace", "Harry", and the wonderful "F Scott Fitzgerald & William Shakespeare". LP, Vinyl record album

The second set of madness from the legendary Os Mutantes – and like the first, an album done in close collaboration with arranger/producer Rogerio Duprat, whose talents add a new level of genius to the record! The album's got a compelling mix of styles that strikes out on the very first tune – a playful pastiche that's partly postmodern, partly psychedelic, and still tremendously powerful decades later – even if you can't understand most of the lyrics! Styles are just about impossible to pin down, but that's what makes the record so unique and essential – and if you ever needed one album to convince you of the mindblowing energy taking place during the Tropicalia years, this one may well be it! A few tracks are written by Tom Ze, and titles include "Dom Quixote", "Dia 36", "Magica", "Rita Lee", "Algo Mais", "Qualquer Bobagem", and "Fuga No II". (Brazil, Rock) CD

Seminal sounds from Placebo – one of the hippest electric groups going on the European scene of the early 70s, thanks to some great keyboards and electronics from the legendary Marc Moulin! Placebo's sound here is a unique approach to funky jazz – one that certainly draws from the electric modes of the American scene, and without any of the jamming elements of other Euro fusion groups – but there's also a touch of rockish inflection at points too – especially in the way the rhythms have a tightly pulsating groove. There's none of the indulgence of prog, but there's definitely a lineage going on somewhere in the mix too – and in addition to Moulin's keyboards, the group also features great horns from Nick Fissette, Alex Socrier, and Richard Rousselet. Titles include "Bolkwush", "Temse", "Balek", "Phalene", "Re-Union", and "Only Nineteen". (Jazz, Rock) CD

If you're looking for true 70s prog genius, you might well look no further than SBB – a Polish trio who cut records like this, to rival the bigger-known artists in the western European scene! The album's a masterpiece of jazz-inspired creation throughout – three long tracks, all filled with sharp changes in time and mood, and graced with these wonderfully strong solos on guitar, Fender Rhodes, and Hammond – all without sounding too over-indulgent to lose their way! There's a bit of vocals on the record, but the core appeal is the instrumentation, which is superb throughout – on titles that include "Pamiec W Kamien Wrasta", "Z Ktorych Krwi Krew Moja", and "W Kolysce Dloni Twych". CD features long bonus tracks – "Fos", "Toczy Sie Kolo Historii", and a live radio take of "Z Ktorych Krwi Krew Moja". CD

Rare radio work by SBB – a legendary Polish trio who easily rivaled the biggest jazz rock groups on the British and German scenes of the 70s! SBB have this great lean sound that's part fusion, part rock – with searing guitar work from Apostolis Antymos, driven by heavy drums from Jerzy Piotrowski, and laced with basslines, piano, keyboards, and a bit of vocals from Jozef Skrzek – often with this power that builds and builds as the tunes go on – never getting trapped in the mire of too-indulgent solo moments, and instead soaring forward with a sense of cohesion that made the trio one of the best East European acts of the decade. Titles include "Pater", "Marsz Galernikow", "Na Ten Czas", and "Przebudzenie". CD

The crowning achievement of Spirit – a wonderful blend of many musical strands at once – and a set so successful for the group, you probably could have found in any college dorm room in the early 70s! The record's really a cut above for their generation – an expansive effort that hangs together with a bit of a concept, and which interweaves strands of rock, folk, and a bit of jazz – yet also a record that has a lot more polish than other efforts of its type, and which trades a bit of psychedelic indulgence for a tighter focus that really lets the best tunes sparkle wonderfully! Production is great – clear, but trippy at the same time – and Randy California's guitar work has never sounded better. Titles include "Nature's Way", "Animal Zoo", "Love Has Found A Way", "Mr Skin", "Soldier", "Street Worm", and "Space Child". LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed and insanely overstuffed look at the Tremeloes – one of those groups from the 60s who are known for an odd single or two – but who have a tremendous recorded legacy that finally gets its due in this mighty box set! The Tremeloes were perfect at turning out the right sort of pop psych tunes that made the British charts sparkle in the late 60s – numbers that were catchy, but inventive too – never too indulgent, but really well-crafted with just the right attention to guitar work next to the vocals. Their singles did well, but the group recorded a huge amount of material for CBS during their time as a group – all of which is included here, a total of 165 tracks, plus a big booklet of notes. In addition to singles and b-sides, the set features the albums Here Come The Tremeloes and Alan Dave Rick & Chip – both in mono and stereo – the albums World Explosion, Suddenly You Love, Live In Cabaret, and Master – plus a rare unissued soundtrack for the film May Morning! There's lots of bonus material, unreleased tracks, and rare European singles too – which makes for a wonderfully groovy collection overall. CD

A Tom Verlaine double header – two albums back to back on a single CD! First up is the fantastic first solo album from Tom Verlaine – a set recorded shortly after the breakup of Television, but with a vibe that almost makes it feel like the group's third album! The songs are maybe a bit tighter, but no less creative – both from a lyrical and sonic perspective – and Verlaine's got that fantastic sense of edge in his vocals, which can even make some of the nicer lyrics feel a bit nasty – but all at a level that's never overstated, and which should be a blueprint for later generations of singers who always try too hard. Titles include "The Grip Of Love", "Kingdom Come", "Mr Bingo", "Yonki Time", "Red Leaves", and "Last Night". On Dreamtime, Tom Verlaine has lost none of his edge – and instead has almost emerged as one of the most mature singer/songwriters on the New York scene – an underground-to-mainstream poet to match the skills of Lou Reed and Patti Smith! The album's got a vibe that's almost like Reed's work of the time – in that Tom's an artist who clearly knows the path to the dark side, and ways to overindulge – but always instead finds a way to keep things well-crafted and economical, but without sacrificing his sound or his intellect. Titles include "Penetration", "The Blue Robe", "Mr Blur", "A Future In Noise", "Down On The Farm", "Without A Word", and "Fragile". CD

Melodic psychedelia from 70s Iran – an incredible full scale anthology of recordings by guitarist and vocalist Kourosh Yaghmaei from the pre-revolution years – and an absolute treasure! Kouroush often recorded with his brothers – Kourosh singing lead and playing guitars or bass – with Kamran Yaghmaei on guitars and backing vocals and Kambiz Yaghmaei on keys and backing vocals. Other players contribute drums, bass and occasional additional elements – harmonica or horns on few tracks. The sound is a really wonderful amalgam of western garage, psych and strains of funk with native Iranian modes and tempos. The songs here sink in on an emotional level without us knowing a word of the language – the passionate vocals work wonderfully in that regard – but musically, it's innovative stuff that's nicely tripped out and heavily rhythmic, without compromising the melodic sensibility. The heavy duty 3LP set features 21 tracks in all – in a sweet 6 panel gatefold with a 24 page booklet – featuring extensive notes and photos, with Kourosh's story told in autobiographical detail. Like other recent Now Again packages, it's really beautifully done! Titles include "Gol E Yakh", "Dar Enteha", "Paiz", "Leila", "Del Dareh Pir Misheh", "Shirin Joon", "Ghazal", "Mosafere Shahre Baran", "Saghe", "Niyayesh", "Saraabe Toe", "Baroona", "Khaar", Bachehaye Khoobe Koocheh" and more. (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The new sound of the European scene at the end of the 70s – music that carries plenty of inspiration from post-punk modes, but which also carries forth some key elements of prog as well – all at a level that's quite a surprise if you only know more iconic material of the time! The artists here aren't all British or European, but the sound within definitely showcases the way that later electronic experiments of the 70s were thinning down in the work of underground UK and German labels – and also showing the way that the instrumental excesses of the earlier part of the decade were being packed down into more economical packages, but all without losing any sense of freshness or experimentation! The set takes its title from a song on the last Bowie Berlin album – a great reference for the music – and titles include "Tight As A Drum" by Thomas Leer, "Silent Command" by Cabaret Voltaire, "Theme For Great Cities" by Simple Minds, "White Car In Germany" by The Associates, "Nite Flights" by The Walker Brothers, "3,000,000 Synths" by Chaz Jankel, "Nightcrawler" by Patrick Cowley, "Riot In Lagos" by Ryuichi Sakamoto, "Silicon Chip" by Basil Kirchin, "Ode To Perfume" by Holger Czukay, "Do Weit So Gut" by Harald Grosskopft, "The Farther Away I Am" by Daryl Hall (with Robert Fripp), and "Patriarcat" by Areski & Brigitte Fontaine. LP, Vinyl record album

Mad music from the Dutch scene of the 70s – music recorded either in The Netherlands, or the Dutch part of Belgium – pulled together here in a collection that's filled with ear-opening funky gems! The music here isn't straight soul, funk, or jazz – but rather criss-crossing musical styles that often have a little bit of each – often with these qualities that remind us of better-known soundtrack or folk-funk songs from the time – but which take on very different qualities, given the difference in language! There's plenty of great drums throughout, loads of killer keyboards, and basslines that can make just about any sort of song a funky nugget – and as with other titles on the Sdban label, the whole thing's a real revelation – a gateway to music that we never would have discovered otherwise – but now find that we can't live without. Titles include "Eva's Pakje" by Jimmy Frey, "Zomerliefde" by Laurentius, "Onheil" by Lamp & Lazerus, "Gemendg Gevoel" by Herman De Bruycker, "Wie Weet" by Spectrum, "Het Oink Beest" by Elly & Rikkert, "Maan Dag" by Daan Broos & Dapokaster, "Nooit Meer" by Josine Van Dalsum, "Handicap 2000" by Daan Broos, "Het Huis Van Wilde Tederheid" by Luk Bral, and "Hollandse Taal" by Moeder En Haar Jongens. (Funky Compilations, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

(Funky Compilations, Rock) CD

(Funky Compilations, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The cover looks like a soundtrack – but the set's filled with early gems from Hickory Records – tracks from Bob Luman, Dan Folger, Mark Dinning, Bobby Lord, Earl Sinks, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic introduction to one of the most confusing British styles of the 70s – the huge pub rock moment that preceded punk, and which offered up a stripped-down approach to the music that helped set the scene for plenty of later changes to come! The name is a bit tricky to explain – much of these bands did play pubs and smaller venues, but they also represented a shift amidst the rising tide of arena rock and overblown concept albums – artists who were maybe getting back to basics with tight, sharp songcraft, and the kind of hooks that first made rock and roll so great in the first place – but also served up with all the sense of variety that had crept into the music from the start! There are a few big names that have always been associated with pub rock – but this set is the first we've seen to really showcase the true scope of the music – with 71 tracks in a nice slipcase with detailed notes - work by Chris Spedding, Moon, Legend, Wild Angels, Dr Feelgood, Flip City, Byzantium, Razorbacks, Chaz & Dave, Fox, Count Bishops, Mott The Hoople, Ducks Deluxe, Kiburn & The High Roads, National Flag, Jona Lewie, Roogalator, Deep Feeling, Status Quo, Steve Ellis, STray, The Pirats, Squeeze, Merton Parkas, Inmates, Ian Gomm, and many others! CD

30 tracks from Gene Vincent, Lenny Welch, Dan Folger, Bobby Bare, Wayne Newton, the Cascades, Titus Turner, Jerry Fuller, Lou Jordan, and more. CD

The amazing first album from Big Star – a set that came out of nowhere, made hardly a ripple on the charts, yet went onto crash in big waves of sound for generations to come! The style here is unlike thing else before – hardly what you'd expect from the group's Memphis roots or Alex Chilton's previous performances – yet the group's music has become a generation-defining sound in the way it blends southern inflections with harder rock influences, and a lean, gritty quality that's arguably in a late 70s space between punk and power pop. Every element is wonderful – guitars that are powerful, but never indulgent – vocals that are moving, but never overly emotive – and a balance between sensitive and searing moments that even The Replacements could never hope to match. A landmark all the way through – with tracks that include "Feel", "Ballad Of El Goodo", "In The Street", "The India Song", "When My Baby's Beside Me", "Give Me Another Chance", "Don't Lie To Me", "Thirteen", "Watch The Sunrise", and "Try Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking live work from Can – a set that's very different than their studio work of the time, and which maybe gives an idea of how they came up with all the fantastic sounds on their famous albums! The set's really just one long freewheeling performance – driven by stunning instrumentation from Irmin Schmidt on keyboards, Holger Czukay on bass, Michael Karoli on guitar, and Jaki Liebezeit on his fantastic funky drums – all topped by lyrics from Damo Suzuki that really send the whole thing over the top – and maybe give structure to the jam at the core of the set. The double length package features five passages of music – all hard-driving genius! CD

A great little relic from the San Francisco scene of the late 60s – the first album released by a group who'd been making some big waves in the city for the past few years, but never hit the fame of some of their contemporaries! The group originally featured Dan Hicks – of Hot Licks fame – who had departed by the time of this recording, yet still left some of his own love of roots elements in their sound. But there's some rougher moments too – sharper guitars, and a bit bolder vocals – alongside other tunes that have a slightly warmer, more nostalgic appeal. Titles include "Time To Get Straight", "High Coin", "Easy When I'm Dead", "When I Go Sailin By", "Wabash Cannonball", and "When The Movies Are Over". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little relic from the San Francisco scene of the late 60s – the first album released by a group who'd been making some big waves in the city for the past few years, but never hit the fame of some of their contemporaries! The group originally featured Dan Hicks – of Hot Licks fame – who had departed by the time of this recording, yet still left some of his own love of roots elements in their sound. But there's some rougher moments too – sharper guitars, and a bit bolder vocals – alongside other tunes that have a slightly warmer, more nostalgic appeal. Titles include "Time To Get Straight", "High Coin", "Easy When I'm Dead", "When I Go Sailin By", "Wabash Cannonball", and "When The Movies Are Over". CD

Prepare to discover your new favorite artist – a tremendously hip cat who never got his due – and who should be held as high on these shores as British talents like Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, or John Martyn! Like all of those three, Davy Graham is a complete original – a guy with an acoustic guitar, but light years beyond familiar folk – often using all these jazzy changes in his style, and mixing his own music with songs by Dylan, The Beatles, Muddy Waters, and even Art Blakey – but all in ways that are completely transformative, and which maybe use the familiar songs just as a way for Graham to show us how individual he can be – because even a song we know sounds nothing like the original. His guitar work is superb – full of all the fresh ideas, unusual phrasings, and special sounds that the best of his generation were bringing to acoustic music – and titles include "Lotus Blossom", "Down Along The Cove", "Stan's Guitar", "Bulgarian Dance", "Buhaina Chant", "I'm Ready", "Getting Better", "Hornpipe For Harpsichord Played Upon Guitar", and "Pretty Polly". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "White Bird", "Bombay Calling", "Bulgaria", "Time Is", and "Girl With No Eyes". CD

One of the more song-based sets from Phil Manzanera – a really wonderful record that definitely foregrounds all the magic he was bringing to early records by Roxy Music, but put out here in a nicely different way as well! Things are never too prog-indulgent – and Manzanera's got some wonderful help to make the record really come out great – including key vocal moments from Brian Eno, John Wetton, and Robert Wyatt – and a hip lineup of instrumentalists who include Andy MacKay on saxes, Eddie Jobson on keyboards, and Charles Hayward on percussion! Phil's got a wonderfully strong sense of rhythm on most numbers – almost at the level of his Listen Now album – and titles include Eno's wonderful performance on "Big Day", plus "Miss Shapiro", "East Of Echo", "Lagrima", "Alma", "Carhumba", "Same Time Next Week", "Frontera", and "The Flex". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great way to listen to the music of Harry Nilsson – as the all-singles set is not only a career-spanning collection of his work for RCA, it also includes a lot of very cool tracks that were b-sides, which stand nicely here next to the classics! The genius of Nilsson knows no bounds – and the package shows a great evolution over the decade of recordings that feature in the 63 track collection – from Nilsson's earlier role as a quirky pop singer, to that point when his persona rose strongly in the public eye, and also really helped transform the way he put over a tune! The package features loads of gems that were not on the full length albums of the time – and titles include "Yellow Man", "Waiting", "Freckles", "Buy My Album", "Are You Sleeping", "Without You", "Jump Into The Fire", "Turn On Your Radio", "Makin Whoopee", "Remember Christmas", "The Lottery Song", "Ain't It Kinda Wonderful", "Don't Forget Me", "Mucho Mungo/Mt Elga", "Something True", "Kojak Columbo", and "As Time Goes By". CD

A legendary set from the Canadian 60s underground – a landmark record from a group who've gone onto become huge over the years with psych collectors, even though they never cracked the charts (or the US market) at the time! The set's way more than just another obscure rock release – as it's got a sharpness, tightness, and sense of songcraft that matches some of the bigger names in the US scene at the time – put together with a style that knows when to open up, but never loses itself in self-indulgence either. There's some surprisingly strong harmonies throughout the tunes – which often have a fuzzy, rollicking edge, but without losing sight of the sunny groove – and titles include "Epistle To Paradise", "Shadows Of Your Mind", "Art's A Happy Man", "Bridge Under A Sky", the epic centerpiece "You Don't Care", "Face Behind The Sun", "Dainty General Rides", and "Civilization Machine". CD

29 songs. CD

One of the greatest rock albums to come out of Detroit in the 60s – even if these guys aren't as well known as The Stooges or MC5! There's a similar brilliance here, though – a heady brew of ripping guitars, burning Hammond, and massively pounding drums – all recorded with a slightly garagey edge and expansively searching quality that stretches things out without overindulging in too much jamming. There's also a really dark feel to the record too – one that has the same sense of danger and urgency as SRC's bigger contemporaries, yet never sounds forced. Titles include "Onesimpletask", "Daystar", "Exile", "Marionette", "Black Sheep", and "Refugeve". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of drawn-out fusion – played by a British trio that features electric keyboards, bass, and percussion! The tracks have a jamming jazz-rock approach – but never get too overindulgent, and never fall into the traps of some of the other British groups of the time. Instead, the groove is pure – with some nice dropped-out moments that have the keyboards working on lines that sound like they might have been lifted off of one of Sonny Fortune's great mid-70s albums. The lineup features Peter Robinson on Fender Rhodes and other keyboards, Alyn Ross on bass, and Morris Pert on drums and percussion – plus some guest soprano sax from Robin Thompson on three of the four songs. All tracks are long, and titles include "Stardance", "Orinoco", and "From The Region Of Capricorn". CD

Not rock n roll, but some great King Records R&B from the 50s – work by Titus Turner, Annie Laurie, Bill Jennings, 5 Royales, Otis Williams & The Charms, James Brown, Hank Ballard, Little Willie John, and others! (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The new sound of the European scene at the end of the 70s – music that carries plenty of inspiration from post-punk modes, but which also carries forth some key elements of prog as well – all at a level that's quite a surprise if you only know more iconic material of the time! The artists here aren't all British or European, but the sound within definitely showcases the way that later electronic experiments of the 70s were thinning down in the work of underground UK and German labels – and also showing the way that the instrumental excesses of the earlier part of the decade were being packed down into more economical packages, but all without losing any sense of freshness or experimentation! The set takes its title from a song on the last Bowie Berlin album – a great reference for the music – and titles include "Tight As A Drum" by Thomas Leer, "Silent Command" by Cabaret Voltaire, "Theme For Great Cities" by Simple Minds, "White Car In Germany" by The Associates, "Nite Flights" by The Walker Brothers, "3,000,000 Synths" by Chaz Jankel, "Nightcrawler" by Patrick Cowley, "Riot In Lagos" by Ryuichi Sakamoto, "Silicon Chip" by Basil Kirchin, "Ode To Perfume" by Holger Czukay, "Do Weit So Gut" by Harald Grosskopft, "The Farther Away I Am" by Daryl Hall (with Robert Fripp), and "Patriarcat" by Areski & Brigitte Fontaine. CD

With Mitch Easter, Peter Holsapple, Vulgar Boatmen, Doll Squad, and more! (Cassettes, Rock) Cassette

Psychedelia meets British pop – in a really special musical moment that's forever come to be known as shoegaze! The work here comes from a time when the UK scene was really moving past punk rock, and starting to let its guitarists open up in the kind of longer, fuzzy solos that were big in the late 60s – along with all the sort of heady production modes that made such music sound even better, but always with the kind of leaner, more focused lessons learned from the post-punk years! The result is a special sort of sound that can trip out as needed, but never get too overindulgent to lose the tune – the balance that first came to play on the early singles of Creation or 4AD, then found flower in so many other UK groups as the years went on. These glorious years are presented here in a big 5CD set – one that comes in a book-styled package with loads of notes on the music – alongside 87 tracks by artists who include Blow Up, The Honey Buzzards, Submarine, Bailter Space, The Curtain Society, Mercury Rev, An April March, Spacemen 3, The Hinnies, Spiritualized, Moose, Spitfire, Moonshake, Bark Psychosis, AR Kane, Jesus & Mary Chain, Lush, Ride, The Darkside, Velocity Girl, Bleach, Catehrine Wheel, See See Rider, Cranes, Chapterhouse, Telescopes, Sun Dial, Medicine, Sweet Jesus, Luna, Astrobrite, and many more! CD

The mighty Imperial Records was home to a fair bit of pop, blues, and R&B in the postwar years – but the label also had a slightly secret history as a hotbed for raw rock and hard-edged singles during the same stretch of time! Imperial was an indie, and one that kept an ear to the ground for new sounds far beyond its home in LA – a legacy that certainly comes through in the R&B they recorded, and the paths they forged in hillbilly music too – and which also really shows in this great mix of rare singles from back in the day! A few artists are are ones you'll know from other musical moments in their lives, and most of the rest are pretty darn obscure – yet, as always, Bear Family does a great job of telling their stories and sharing the music in the CD's very big booklet of notes, label scans, and other vintage images. 35 tracks in all – with tracks from Gloria Jean Pitts, Merle Kilgore, Bob Luman, Jackie Walker, Slick Slavin, Burnette Brothers, Tommy Lomonte, The Sidewinders, Nick Venet, Ronnie Smith, Dennis Herrold, Dub Dickerson, Jackie Walker, and others. CD

Includes tracks by Dennis Bell, Roy Hargrave, Lois Williams, Merrie Kilgore & the 4 Bs, the Stompers, Vinny & Kenny, Jessie Cotton, Larry Finnegan, Stag Lee, Nina & Jack, Tony, Bob & Jimmy, Lalo Guerrero and more. CD

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

The landmark first album from Buffalo Springfield – a warmly collaborative record that would set the scene for countless work to come from the LA scene! Right from the start, there's something special going on here – a bit of the twang the Byrds were exploring at the time, and a very strong move past any sort of folk tendencies any of the group members might have had a few years before – but all without going into some of the too-sunny styles that were peaking in west coast pop. Instead, there's this current of darkness and subtle wit that really shines through – all without any psychedelic indulgence, and balanced perfectly amidst the guitars of Steven Stills, Richie Furay, and Neil Young – each of whom get a chance to sing on the record too. Bassist Bruce Palmer and drummer Dewey Martin complete the group – and titles include the classic "For What It's Worth" – plus "Nowadays Clancy Can't", "Leave", "Pay The Price", "Burned", "Do I Have To Come Right Out & Say It", and "Everybody's Wrong". (Cassettes, Rock) Cassette

Titles include "My Back Pages", "Mr. Spaceman", "It Happens Each Day", "Reputation", "I Am A Pilgrim", and "Draft Morning" – 24 tracks total. CD

A mid 70s set from Can that's still very much in the best spirit of their earliest work – mostly longish tracks and all quite hypnotic – wonderful stuff from the team of Irmin Schmidt, Jacki Liebezeit, Holger Czukay, and Michael Karoli. Sure, Damo's not on vocals any more, but the instrumentation's still pretty darn great – and Can is also working more explicitly established global genre elements, but still really sounds like no one other than Can. Traces of reggae mix alongside many other rhythmic elements, jagged experimentalist touches, 70s ambient energy, and imaginative jams galore from one of the most creative combos of its time! Titles include "Chain Reaction", "Quantum Physics", "Dizzy Dizzy", and "Splash". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music from Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band – a record that's got plenty of garagey grit at the core, but which also has a heady freak rock vibe overall! The 1967 album really captures this perfect moment – one when so many artists like Don Van Vliet had their feet in older rockish modes, but were really tripping out with new ideas – able to get nice and freaky in the course of a short tune, yet still never lose a groove that really helped send the music home! In other words, there's nothing too hippieish about the record, and nothing that's ever too self-indulgent – yet the blend of organ, guitar, and drums is completely mindblowing – and as revolutionary today as it was back then. Titles include "Abba Zabba", "Dropout Boogie", "Zig Zag Wanderer", "Electricity", "Yellow Brick Road", "Grown So Ugly", and "Autumn's Child". CD version has 7 bonus tracks, with alternate takes and more. Essential! CD

A stunner of a set from Caravan – and a record that we'd stand right next to some of the bigger albums of the early 70s prog generation in the UK! The instrumentation is fantastic –schooled in an earlier mod era, but turned towards more ambitious ends – yet still with a sense of groove that comes through in the basslines and drums, and which keeps things from ever sounding too indulgent – all while the band seeks to top Yes or King Crimson at their own game! The keyboards are especially great – fantastic work from David Sinclair – but the whole group is wonderful – with Richard Coughlan on drums, Richard Sinclair on bass, Jimmy Hastings on sax and flute, and Pye Hastings on some amazing guitar. Titles include "As I Feel I Die", "If I Could Do It All Over Again I'd Do It All Over You", "Hello Hello", "Limits", "Asforteri", and "With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It/Martinian/Only Cox/Reprise". CD

With David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, Van Dyke Parks, David Lindley, Kazu Matsui, Amy Madigan, John Hiatt, Lee Ving, Emil Richards, and others. (Soundtracks, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic freewheeling sounds from Cos – a 70s Belgian group who were equal parts jazz and prog – often working with a tight quality that really drew the best of both worlds together! Cos has a lineup that changes often over the years – and which includes work on keyboards from the mighty Marc Moulin, and bass from Marc Hollander – before his later fame in Aksak Maboul – but the real giant here might well be multi-instrumentalist Daniel Schell, whose work got the group going in the first place, alongside female vocalist Pascale Son! Like Schell, Son's got plenty of roots in jazz – but the duo work here with the other musicians in this evolving exploration of the hippest corners of 70s music – a journey that's got plenty of funky jazz along the way, and the great keyboards you'd expect from Marc Moulin – but also some nicely offbeat art rock moments too. This collection brings together the group's best tracks from their mighty run – and titles include "Einstein J'Taime", "Oostend Oostend", "Babel", "L'Idiot Leon", "Nog Verder", "Flamboya", "Postaeolian Train Robbery", "Achtung TV Watchers", "Perhaps Next Record", and "Halucal". LP, Vinyl record album

A haunting debut from singer Julee Cruise – collaborating with filmmaker/songwriter/producer David Lynch and his Twin Peaks soundtrack composer Angelo Badalamenti! The album was underappreciated at the time, perhaps because its loose connection to Lynch's Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet was too big of a pop culture hurdle for critical minds to clear, but it really deserves a reassessment. The mix of nostalgic 50s ballroom pop and ethereal modern dream pop is unique, kind of otherworldly, and Julee's gorgeous vocals carry it over with style to spare. Wierd and beautiful – there's really nothing else like it! Titles include "Floating", "Falling", "I Remember", "Mysteries Of Love", "Into The Night", "I Float Alone", "The Swan", "The World Spins" and more. CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

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

An amazing set – all four of the legendary Warner Brothers albums by harmony giants Harpers Bizarre – plus bonus tracks too! First up is Feelin Groovy – the fab first LP by Harpers Bizarre! The group were one of the strangest pop ensembles operating in the seminal LA scene of the mid 60s – ostensibly a sweet harmony vocal group, but with a strangely childish approach that also had an ear open for the mind-blowing production styles of the Brian Wilson era. Van Dyke Parks was a big supporter of the group – and they perform a sublime version of his tune "Come To The Sunshine" as the leadoff track on the album – and even though Van Dyke didn't handle the arrangements of the record, the style of the music is very similar to his own, with guitar, bass, and drums coming into play with strings, woodwinds, and baroque orchestral touches. The record is as dark as it is sublime – one of those pop gems that hit big, but which has a brooding depth bubbling underneath the sugary coating – ala Pet Sounds. Tracks include "Happy Talk", "The Debutantes Ball", "I Can Hear The Darkness", "Raspberry Rug", and their huge hit version of "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy)". Next is Anything Goes – the group's second album – and while it has a lot of similarities with the first, it's also a lot deeper of an expression of their strange blend of harmony vocals, sweet 60s pop, and the nostalgia for the early 20th century that was running through the Burbank Warner scene that included a young Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Lenny Waronker, and other LA underground of the mid 60s. The whole record fits together beautifully – beginning with an old-timey radio kind of announcer, then sliding into sublimely crafted harmony tunes that include originals from the LA luminaries and the group, plus a few other surprising covers. Titles include the hit version of "Anything Goes", plus "The Biggest Night Of Her Life", "Milord", "Virginia City", "High Coin", "Jessie", "This Is Only The Beginning", and "You Need A Change". The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre is the third album by Harpers Bizarre – and one that shows them growing in leaps and bounds with each new release! The record is a sublime fusion of sweet pop California 60s harmonies (ala The Sandpipers or The Lettermen), baroque arrangements with a fake dreamy nostalgia (ala Van Dyke Parks or Randy Newman), and drug-addled underground takes on the eazy sound of the generation (ala Brian Wilson or Love). This album is one of their most perfectly-realized visions, and it features a great blend of older songs, all hipped-up to modern LA arrangements by the likes of Nick De Caro, Perry Botkin, and others. The record has an approach that's simply mindblowing when you consider the amount of funds and effort that must have been put into a record that would only be truly appreciated 40 years later – and it's filled with great titles that include "Me, Japanese Boy", "Look To The Rainbow", "Funny How Love Can Be", "Mad", "Green Apple Tree", and "Las Mananitas". Last up is the group's fourth album, unfortunately, the last Warner album by Harpers Bizarre – one of the few testaments of genius left to us by this incredible group! The record shows the group moving past the sweet pop and dreamy nostalgia of earlier albums – tentatively stepping into the haze of the late 60s LA scene with a blend of songs that share a lot musically with earlier work, but which also seem to have a more adult approach to some of their themes. Arrangements are by the group mostly – with help from pop geniuses like Jack Nitzsche, Nick De Caro, Lenny Waronker, Harry Nilsson, and Perry Botkin Jr. The harmonies are sublime – and the group effortlessly blends original tunes like "Soft Soundin Music", "All Through The Night", "When The Band Begins To Play", and "There's No Time Like Today, along with bizarre covers like "Hard To Handle", "Something Better", "I Love You Alice B Toklas", and Jim Pepper's "Witchi Tai To", which is worth the price of the record alone! Bonus tracks include "Both Sides Now", "Small Talk", "Poly High", "If We Ever Needed The Lord Before", "Malibu U", "Cotton Candy Sandman", "Lost My Love Today", and "Bye Bye Bye". CD

A stone classic from the legendary Hawkwind – a set that's steeped in all their best space rock modes of the 70s – yet which also has a wonderfully sharp sort of focus too! Keyboards, guitars, and drums soar to the skies right from the start – prefacing an intensity that so many others would later cop from the group, but never get this right – quite possibly because the simple 70s production really helps bring all the best elements right down on the money! In ways, the set almost echoes earlier psych performance and production – yet there's also a cleaner, clearer vibe going on – one that magically steps around the overindulgence of prog and the thinness of some of the later psych of the next decade. Titles include "The Demented Man", "Magnu", "Standing At The Edge", "Warriors", "Kings Of Speed", and "The Wizard Blew His Horn". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter", "Mother Russia", "Public Enema Number One", "Holy Smoke", "Tailgunner", and "Run Silent Run Deep". CD

A sublime pop psych classic from Tommy James & The Shondells – a record that's quite different than some of the janglier work the group was issuing a few years before – and a perfect example of the way that just a few slight studio tricks can really transform a record! The tunes are all short and focused, but produced with lots of cool reverb, echo, and fuzzy touches on the sides – never overindulgent, and still plenty tuneful – but with so many weird little edges that they come through with a sound that's still pretty darn fresh after all these years – even if you think you know these guys from their hits. Titles include "Kathleen McArthur", "Do Something To Me", "I Am A Tangerine", "Smokey Roads", and "Breakaway" – plus the classic hits "Sugar On Sunday", "Crystal Blue Persuasion", and "Crimson & Clover". LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin are well on their way to becoming superstars with this set – a package that revisits scraps of songs they'd never been able to work just right in the past, and has a way of making them all shine freshly in a very different light! Sure, the funk trio at the core are still in place – but the music has this more expansive quality, and almost a sunny vibe that fits the image of the window on the cover – as things are warmed up with a bit of smoothness that really complements their groove – almost a nod to mellower soul at times, which will really surprise listeners of some of their other work. Yet at the same time, Khruangbin never stop reworking themselves – either through collaborations with others, or fresh projects like this – with tracks that include "May Ninth", "Three From Two", "Juegos Y Nubes", "Todavia Viva", "Pon Pon", "Farolim De Felgueiras", and "Les Petits Gris". (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin are well on their way to becoming superstars with this set – a package that revisits scraps of songs they'd never been able to work just right in the past, and has a way of making them all shine freshly in a very different light! Sure, the funk trio at the core are still in place – but the music has this more expansive quality, and almost a sunny vibe that fits the image of the window on the cover – as things are warmed up with a bit of smoothness that really complements their groove – almost a nod to mellower soul at times, which will really surprise listeners of some of their other work. Yet at the same time, Khruangbin never stop reworking themselves – either through collaborations with others, or fresh projects like this – with tracks that include "May Ninth", "Three From Two", "Juegos Y Nubes", "Todavia Viva", "Pon Pon", "Farolim De Felgueiras", and "Les Petits Gris". (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A true masterpiece of late 60s pop – music originally recorded for a TV special in 1969 – and one of the Kinks' greatest albums ever! The semi-concept album traces the woes, worries, and hopes of a British family, as one half is on the verge of emigration to Australia. The work comes out of the sort of songwriting that Ray Davies had been perfecting on albums like Village Green and Something Else – but the overall style is more sophisticated, yet not nearly as self-indulgent as some of the 70s concept clunkers. Instead, the songs are brilliantly tight, and stand on their own well past the concept of the original album. Titles include "Victoria", "Brainwashed", "Australia", "Shangri-La", "Mr Churchill Says", and "Yes Sir No Sir". LP, Vinyl record album