Not The Cars' first album, but the one that definitely catapulted them from Boston underground to mainstream fame – quite a surprise, given the style that most of the bigger acts were laying down at the time! And of course, we say that from the more mainstream bent of our American market – where punk had yet to penetrate the radio and other outlets – which made the new wave sounds of The Cars a surprisingly strong tilt in a more contemporary direction for both major labels and broadcast radio. All these many years later, the group's elevated to classic rock status, but that's only because of the strength of the songs – a classic lineup that includes "Let's Go", "Candy O", "Night Spots", "You Can't Hold On Too Long", "Got A Lot On My Head", "It's All I Can Do", and "Since I Held You". LP, Vinyl record album

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somewhat – and over the years, this is definitely a set we can return to again and again – with no sense of apology or outdated ideals at all.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

One of the best American psyche albums we've heard from the late 60s – a near-perfect record that's head and shoulders above the rough experimentation of most other groups from the period! Colours spell their name with a definite British twist, and there's clearly a Beatles influence going on here – a sound that's almost pre-Sgt Peppers, but which has wonderfully complicated time changes, vocal parts, and production techniques that must have cost a pretty penny to such a little-known group! Horns and strings are arranged by Dave Roberts, and handled with a sensitivity that almost matches The Zombies' best at times – and the tunes themselves are a fresh variety of odd themes, including one number about robbing a liquor store. Titles include "Brother Lou's Love Colony", "Bad Day At Black Rock Baby", "Love Heals", "Rather Be Me", "I'm Leaving", "Cataleptic", "Don't You Realize", and "Lovin". CD

Alice Cooper at his most sinister – crossing over big, but still keeping plenty of the lean, mean edge from the early days! The package does more than enough to live up to the hype that was building around Cooper at the time – building hip up as much as a baby-chopping monster as much as a hard Detroit rocker – and the album's filled with well-focused tunes that definitely helped propel hard rock into the American mainstream! Titles include the classic "No More Mr Nice Guy" – plus "Elected", "I Love The Dead", "Hello Hooray", "Sick Things", and "Billion Dollar Babies". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Country Joe & The Fish – one of those albums that brought the new psychedelic sound strongly into the mainstream – but all without softening up or commercializing it at all! There's still a very sharp edge to the record – mean organ lines, fuzzy guitar, and lots of cool production that makes the sounds weirder and more watery than before – even the vocals, which have this edge that nobody would ever refer to as Sunshine Pop! In a way, the whole set's as sinister as any of the most groundbreaking albums on Elektra from the time – and definitely shows that both Vanguard and the group were at the forefront of the new psych recording scene. Titles include "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine", "Super Bird", "Death Sound", "Sad And Lonely Times", "The Masked Marauder", "Grace", and "Bass Strings". LP, Vinyl record album

A key later album from Dion – and a set that shows a newly maturing style in his music! The album was something of a follow-up to Dion's huge single "Abraham Martin & John" – the bittersweet track that was a surprise late 60s hit for the singer – and which allowed him to explore much more introspective space on this album. The style is extremely folksy throughout – with a lot of acoustic guitar next to Dion's vocals, which are themselves often recorded with a slightly echoey, almost watery quality. There's definitely echoes here of Tim Buckley and Tim Hardin, but the record's got its own soul as well – thanks to a newly fragile quality in Dion's voice. Titles include "Abraham Martin & John", "Sisters Of Mercy", "Both Sides Now", "Sun Fun Song", "He Looks A Lot Like Me", "The Dolphins", and "You Better Watch Yourself". CD featuers the bonus track "Daddy Rollin". CD

A treasure trove of work from a singer who's finally getting his due – Louisiana legend Jimmy Donley, an artist whose career was as short-lived as his time on the planet – but who worked during the early 60s in a wonderful blend of soul, R&B, and rough-edged rock! The package is amazing – and a much-needed look at this artist who burned incredibly brightly for a few short years, before taking his own life in the mid 60s. Jimmy's a hell of a singer, and a damn great songwriter too – and according to the notes, most of the tunes on the set originated with him, but were sold quickly to others to earn cash – a fact that hardly keeps the music from being a great representation of Donley's genius. There's definitely some echoes of New Orleans soul in the recordings, but given that many of the sessions were handled by Huey P Meux, there's also a west Louisiana vibe, too – with almost some grittier east Texas elements as well. The sound is quite unique – and uniquely breathtaking in this scope – a 2CD set that features 20 songs issued on singles for the Tear Drop label – plus another 36 tracks as demos, duets, and other rare material! Titles include "A Woman's Gotta Have Her Way", "Think It Over", "Strange Strange Feeling", "Love Bug", "Baby Ain't That Love", "Just A Game", "Santa Don't Pass Me By", "Baby Heaven Sent Me You", "Loving Cajun Style", "Forever Lillie May", "I Still Care", "It's Time To Say Goodbye", and "I'll Keep On Movin". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

One of the tightest, grooviest albums on the short-lived rock years of the mostly-jazz Mainstream Records label – a treasure trove of tuneful tracks that spin out like some of the best late 60s work by The Zombies or The Left Banke! There's a starkness to the tunes that recalls some of the other Mainstream efforts of the period – although the overall sound is warmer, with great harmonies from two singers, in a way that really opens up the more melodic elements of the tunes, while still keeping some of that psychedelic edge that makes all the Mainstream releases from this time so wonderful. The album has a vibe that's all its down – definitely different than some bigger label effort or a more mainstream Cali production – and the quality of songwriting is superb throughout. Titles include "Seems I've Changed", "No Thanks Mr Mann", "Winner Loser", "Seven North Frederick", "Remembering Sunnybrook", and "Caught In The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different album than most of the other records issued on the Flying Dutchman label at the start of the 70s – not funk, or jazz, or soul material – and instead a stunning hard rock monster that's every bit as revolutionary as titles in those other genres on the label! The group are definitely working with some heavy equipment here – fierce drums, fuzzy guitar, monstrous basslines – all wrapped together at a level that's got some echoes of the new UK hard rock scene, but also maybe some of the slight fuzzier touches around the edges from some of the US underground groups recording for Mainstream. Titles include "97 Days", "Lazy Livin", "Bye Bye Baby", "Shadows Of Life", "She's Gone", "First Time Last Time", and a pretty freaky cover of "Gimme Some Lovin". LP, Vinyl record album

Four incredible albums from the young Georgie Fame – plus a bonus CD of rare material, bonus tracks on all CDs, and 18 previously unreleased tracks – all in a box set with a 48 page book, 5 postcards, and a poster too! First up is Rhythm & Blues At The Flamingo – blistering early work from a young Georgie Fame – a set that definitely lives up to the Rhythm & Blues in the title! The set was recorded live at London's hip Flamingo club – and Georgie and The Blue Flames are very much in command of the crowd – burning with the intensity of a American small organ combo, especially the early 60s variety that often played equal parts soul jazz and R&B! Georgie's on the Hammond, and also sings with a rough-edged style that's plenty soulful, and incredibly appealing – a mode that oozes charisma, but never sounds fake or forced. Titles include "Do The Dog", "Eso Beso", "Work Song", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Shop Around", "Humpty Dumpty", and "You Can't Sit Down". Fame At Last is a brilliant mix of jazz, soul, and R&B – all filtered through a mod sort of London freshness, as early proof that the city could always take some great things from our own musical roots, and feed it back to us with a whole new flavor! Georgie's no copycat here, though – and the sound is instantly Fame-like – a style that's really not the sort that any Americans were doing at the time, and certainly never this well. Hard-burning Hammond colors most of the tunes here – played with a tightly vamping quality – but it's Georgie's charmingly crackling vocals that really win us over! Titles include "Gimme That Wine", "Pink Champagne", "Monkeying Around", "Green Onions", "Let The Sunshine In", "Get On The Right Track Baby", "I'm In The Mood For Love", and "I Love The Life I Live". Sweet Things is a definite sweet thing from Georgie Fame – a record that has him filling in his sound even more than before, with tremendously soulful results! The backings here are bigger than before – a bit tooled in an American soul mode, but still with that beautifully raspy Georgie Fame touch – lots of jazzy inflections on the vocals, and a way of handling a tune, even a familiar one, and really working it on his own level. Hammond still fills in most of the tunes, but other instrumentation includes some nice African percussion from Speedy Acquaye, saxes from Pete Coe, and some nice bold drums from John Mitchell. These come out to the forefront on the classic funky tune "Music Talk" – and still sound great on other numbers that include "The World Is Round", "Last Night", "Dr Kitch", "My Girl", "Ride Your Pony", and "Sweet Thing". Sound Venture is one of the jazziest early albums from Georgie Fame – a set that has him singing with the big band of Harry South, at a level that's a lot more complicated than some of his other work with The Blue Flames! The style here still has that mod 60s London feel, but it also has some deeper inflections as well – modes borrowed a bit from Jon Hendricks or Mose Allison, yet served up with even greater complexity – at a level that really points towards the tremendous growth Fame would unleash over the next few years. Members of the group include Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe, Dick Morrisey, Kenny Wheeler, and many other key Brit jazz figures of the time – and titles include "Three Blind Mice", "Dawn Yawn", "Feed Me", "Lovey Dovey", "Lil Darlin", "Lil Pony", "I Am Missing You", and "Many Happy Returns". CD5 is Bend A Little – a package with 20 unusual titles – demos, rare tracks, and outtakes – including unreleased tracks, IBC recordings, and even two German tracks too! Plus, each individual CD comes with bonus tracks – 40 bonus tracks, in addition to the 20 more titles on the Bend A Little set – a huge amount of material! (Vocalists, Rock) CD

A long-overdue package – one that finally brings together all the many strands of music from underground Cali rock legend Merrell Fankhauser! CD1 features some of Merrell's earliest music – a host of early singles by Merrell & The Exiles, some of which were issued on the Glenn and Golden Crown labels – mixed here with rare unissued titles too – for a whopping 19 tracks that offer up a rare look at Fankhauser's earliest years! CD2 features the classic Fapardokly record – a lost bit of legend from the west coast scene of the 60s – and a record that's maybe best-known as a showcase for the early genius of Merrell Fankhauser – who wrote most of the songs on the set, a good number of which were actually recorded for the record by his previous group, The Exiles! Yet despite that little bit of trivia, there's a great vibe going on here – a seminal shift in the Cali scene from garagey work to trippier modes – served up beautifully on titles that include "Glass Chandelier", "Suzie Cryin", "Tomorrow's Girl", "Lila", "Mr Clock", "No Retreat", "Gone To Pot", "When I Get Home", "Supermarket", and "The Music Scene". CD3 features the album Things, recorded by Merrell Fankhauser & HMS Bounty – a perfect blend of Fankhauser's earlier garage rock modes and latter trippier styles! The tunes are short and wonderfully tuneful – produced at Gold Star studios, with a simple, straightforward style that makes all the deftness of the songwriting come through even more – an approach that, although supposedly steeped in Pacific Ocean inspiration, almost feels more like that great moment when some UK groups of the mid 60s were tripping out, but not too much. Titles include "Lost In The City", "Your Painted Lives", "In A Minute Not Too Soon", "A Visit With Ashiya", "The Big Gray Sky", and "Rich Man's Fable". CD4 features MU – an incredible record, and one that really lives up to all its well-deserved legend over the years – one of those sets that's not just rare, but which has all the chops to really deliver the goods! A few short years before, Merrell Fankhauser was recording garage and psych on the LA scene – but here, he steps off the latter with a bit of post-60s hangover – working with a current of darkness that really changes things up, while still providing a great outlet for his legendary work on guitar – and his mindblowing sense of a lyric! Titles include "Ballad Of Brother Lew", "Eternal Thirst", "Too Naked For Demetrius", "Mumbella Baye Tu La", "The Clouds Went That Way", and "Nobody Wants To Shine". CD5 features MU's The Last Album – 20 more tracks recorded in 1974, but unissued for many years – and CD6 features the legendary Maui album from the enigmatic Merrell Fankhauser – a self-released set that drew inspiration from his time in Hawaii – even though the set was mostly recorded in LA and San Francisco! The tunes are beautiful – nicely evolved from Merrell's psych of earlier years, with a much more personal vibe – yet all without some of those west coast cliches that were creeping into more mainstream music of the period. You might get the vibe partly right if you could maybe imagine a more personal singer/songwriter take on the AOR vibe of the period – with leaner, better instrumentation and unslick production – but that's also only part of the picture too! Titles include "On Our Way To Hana", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Garden In The Rain", "Waterfall", "The Source", "Sail It Over The Ocean", and "We Were All Free". Box set features a very detailed book of notes – bonus tracks added to most of the albums, and a massive 95 tracks in all! CD

A really cool little record that's essentially the start of the great musical legacy of Ellen McIlwaine – a group effort, but one that still features Ellen on vocals and arrangements – as well as work on harmonica, guitar, and organ! The style is more blues-influenced than some of the acoustic moments of McIlwaine's great Polydor records from a few years later – but as with those, there's also a genre-defying approach that's mighty nice – with some currents of funk in the offbeat arrangements, which really keeps things interesting! Lead guitar is from Chris Zaloom, who has a heavier, headier quality than you might expect – and titles include "Crawling Kingsnake", "The Letter", "Mossy Dream", "Billy Gene", "Born Under A Bad Sign", and "Bow'd Up". CD

A wild little concept album from the Four Seasons – one that's packaged in newspaper-style cover, and which presents tunes that almost have that late 60s British "snapshots of life" approach to pop – particularly that put forth by The Kinks on Village Green Preservation Society. The album's a true genius effort from Bob Gaudio – now risen to the ranks of producer for the group, and also the key songwriter for the album too – working here in tandem with the great Jake Holmes, a wonderful choice for a record like this! Arrangements are inventive, playful, and definitely at a level that shows some influence from Pet Sounds or Sgt Peppers – but there's also a focused, all-pop approach to the tunes too – one that's hook-heavy even when trippy, and which shows that the Four Seasons were as great at psychedelic and Sunshine Pop as any of the groups they'd inspired over the years. Titles include "Saturday's Father", "Wall Street Village Day", "Wonder What You'll Be", "Soul Of A Woman", "Something's On Her Mind", "American Crucifixion Resurrection", and "Mrs Stately's Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest French female singers of the 60s – presented here in a classic collection of work! If you've gotta dig one gal vocalist of the Parisian scene of the time, Gall is definitely your girl – as her brash, bold style of singing really sums up the hippest, grooviest French styles of the time! Many tracks here were penned by some of the best French arrangers and composers of the period – including a fair bit by Serge Gainsbourg, who really helped Gall find her groove, and moved her from being just another girl singer to one of the more powerful 60s voices in French pop! There's even a few funky numbers in the mix, and the rest mostly have a modly snapping 60s groove – of the sort that's being heavily revived these days – and titles include "Pense A Moi", "Laisse Tomber Les Filles", "Attends Ou Va T'En", "Nous Ne Sommes Pas Des Anges", "Poupee De Cire Poupee De Son", "N'Ecoute Pas Les Idoles", "Baby Pop", "Les Sucettes", "Cet Air-La", "Bebe Requin", and "24/36". (French, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful early solo moment from the great Robin Gibb – done during a brief breakup of The Bee Gees, at a time when the young Robin was bursting with new ideas he wanted to try on his own! The style here is beautiful – a lush array of strings and orchestrations amidst Gibb's heavenly vocals – very much in the spirit of his wonderful leadoff track for Odessa, maybe even taken to the next level by all the work on this record! The sound is definitely in keeping with late 60s Bee Gees – but also has elements of Burt Bacharach and Scott Walker too – which makes for a really heavenly blend throughout. Titles include "Gone Gone Gone", "The Worst Girl In This Town", "Weekend", "Saved By The Bell", "Most Of My Life", and "August October". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most haunting project to date from Ruth Goller – an important collaborator on the contemporary London scene, but one who's got a style that's much more than jazz – one that's definitely pushed to the limits here! The set features Goller on electric and acoustic bass, with overdubbed vocals that are often layered in very cool ways – and augmented track to track by guest work on drums, electronics, vibes, and sanza – instruments that are often used in ways that bring a slight touch of organic acoustic energy to the more layered proceedings. The textures of the vocals are very evocative – almost a blend of an older 4AD aesthetic with improvised music – and titles include "Next Time I Keep My Hands Down", "Below My Skin", "How To Be Free From It", "Don't Follow Me", "She Was My Own She Was Myself", and "All The Light I Have I Hand To You". (Jazz, Rock) CD

Maybe the most haunting project to date from Ruth Goller – an important collaborator on the contemporary London scene, but one who's got a style that's much more than jazz – one that's definitely pushed to the limits here! The set features Goller on electric and acoustic bass, with overdubbed vocals that are often layered in very cool ways – and augmented track to track by guest work on drums, electronics, vibes, and sanza – instruments that are often used in ways that bring a slight touch of organic acoustic energy to the more layered proceedings. The textures of the vocals are very evocative – almost a blend of an older 4AD aesthetic with improvised music – and titles include "Next Time I Keep My Hands Down", "Below My Skin", "How To Be Free From It", "Don't Follow Me", "She Was My Own She Was Myself", and "All The Light I Have I Hand To You". (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most haunting project to date from Ruth Goller – an important collaborator on the contemporary London scene, but one who's got a style that's much more than jazz – one that's definitely pushed to the limits here! The set features Goller on electric and acoustic bass, with overdubbed vocals that are often layered in very cool ways – and augmented track to track by guest work on drums, electronics, vibes, and sanza – instruments that are often used in ways that bring a slight touch of organic acoustic energy to the more layered proceedings. The textures of the vocals are very evocative – almost a blend of an older 4AD aesthetic with improvised music – and titles include "Next Time I Keep My Hands Down", "Below My Skin", "How To Be Free From It", "Don't Follow Me", "She Was My Own She Was Myself", and "All The Light I Have I Hand To You". (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A four-pack of albums from this seminal group – all brought together in a single set! Where Were You is a seminal set from the Sunset Strip scene of the 60s – and just the kind of record that shows why the changes taking place in Cali were so important to the growth of so much other music at the time! A few years before, and The Grass Roots would have been a pop folk combo re-tuning traditional tracks for the coffeehouse scene – but here they're taking off with some post-folk modes that are partly sunshine pop, partly the headier currents that were the darker side of the west coast – all put together with superb production by PF Sloan and Steve Barri – who also penned some of the best tunes on the record. Titles include the great "Where Were You When I Needed You" – plus "Only When You're Lonely", "Look Out Girl", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "I've Got No More To Say", "I Am A Rock", "Tell Me", and "Mr Jones". Let's Live For Today is maybe the most famous record ever given to the world by California quartet The Grass Roots – famous for its title tune, and for the way that it effortlessly blends together folk inclinations and psych inspirations! The record's definitely one of those that showed the world that there was something new in the air at the time – put together with perfect production in the studio from Steve Barri and PF Sloan – who are in territory that's somewhere between the best from Brian Wilson and Abbey Road Studios – but a bit more understated than both! Titles include the classic "Let's Live For Today" – plus "Things I Should Have Said", "Wake Up Wake Up", "No Exit", "This Precious Time", "House Of Stone", "Is It Any Wonder", and "Tip Of My Tongue". Feelings is a great departure for The Grass Roots – a set that has the group taking a stronger role overall in the instrumentation and songwriting on the record – at a level that makes the whole thing a fabulous extension of all the genius they'd given the world on previous sets! There's still that cool blend of post-folk and psychedelic elements taking place here – gently swirled together with acoustic and electric guitars setting the tunes up just right – all with a late 60s Cali vibe that's as great today as when it was recorded. Titles include "The Sins Of A Family Fall On The Daughter", "Melody For You", "You Might As Well Go My Way", "Dinner For Eight", "Good Things Come To An End", "You & Love Are The Same", and "Hey Friend". CD

Prime Grateful Dead from the mid 70s – a time when the group were traveling famously around the globe, spinning out long songs with plenty of solos – but also able to keep on coming up with nicely sharp songs on records like this! By this point in their career, they're so instrumentally strong, they hardly need to show off – that is, they certainly do, but in a much more subtle way than before, and maybe than in a live setting – packing decades of roots and years of deftness into songs that include "Franklin's Tower", "Crazy Fingers", "Sage & Spirit", "Blues For Allah", "Sand Castles & Glass Camels", and "The Music Never Stopped". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare English language recordings from the sublime Francoise Hardy – music that's every bit as wonderful as her famous French recordings – and even more compelling to our Anglo-styled ears! The vocals are wonderful – sung with this sense of darkness that's almost got an echo of Nico at points, given the accent – set to backings that balance this darkness with a bit more light, but never in ways that are overly poppy – and which definitely continue that more sophisticated style that Hardy always brought to her music! There's less "yeh yeh" to the tracks than a few years before – and Francoise is definitely digging deeper music at this point in her career – sometimes with a breathy brilliance that's a bit like Jane Birkin too. Titles include "Bown Bown Bown", "Till The Morning Comes", "Loving You", "In The Sky", "Midnight Blues", "Magic Horse", "Song Of Winter", "Strange Shadows", "Ocean", "The Garden Of Jane Delawney", "Sometimes", "Let My Name Be Sorrow", "Times Passing By", "I Just Want To Be Alone", and "Suzanne". (French, 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". Packaged in a nice foldout sleeve, with printed inner-sleeves, poster, program and insert of notes mostly in Japanese. CD

Rare rock from the Japanese scene of the postwar years – but sounds that definitely have a universal appeal overall! Masaaki Hirao is way more than just a novelty remake of American rockers of the time – as he's got a sharp-edged sound that easily rivals the best we had to offer here in the US – the charm of Elvis, the propulsion of Johnny Burnette, and the offbeat appeal of Buddy Holly! Yet the sounds here are often quite their own thing, too – especially on the Japanese language numbers which make up most of the set, and which have Masaaki stepping away from straight American cover versions, and really doing some great things on his own. The guitar lines are especially great – recorded with brilliant twang and echo that really matches the power of the vocals – and the set features some mighty nice live tracks that are even more biting than the studio material! 10 cuts in all – including "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", "Hoshi Wa Nandemo Shitteiru", "Isuki No Komoriuta Rock", "Crazy Love", "Ooh My Soul", "Jenny Jenny", "Miyo Chan", and "Blue De Memphis". LP, Vinyl record album

A heady set from mid 70s South Korea – the debut album from a mighty edgey little trio! The album's not nearly as psych as some of the other Korean efforts from the period – as the group's got a tight groove on most numbers, with a definite funk influence on the drums and bass – mixed nicely with heavy use of fuzz guitar, and Shin's weirdly soulful vocals! The set's not really a funk album, but it's not really funky rock either – kind of a unique hybrid, and a very original little set – especially when you throw the oddness of the Korean vocals into the mix. Titles include "Lady", "I Do Not Know", "Rising Sun", "I Love You", "Long Long Night", and "I Think There Was Someone Else". (Global Grooves, Rock) CD

A heady set from mid 70s South Korea – the debut album from a mighty edgey little trio! The album's not nearly as psych as some of the other Korean efforts from the period – as the group's got a tight groove on most numbers, with a definite funk influence on the drums and bass – mixed nicely with heavy use of fuzz guitar, and Shin's weirdly soulful vocals! The set's not really a funk album, but it's not really funky rock either – kind of a unique hybrid, and a very original little set – especially when you throw the oddness of the Korean vocals into the mix. Titles include "Lady", "I Do Not Know", "Rising Sun", "I Love You", "Long Long Night", and "I Think There Was Someone Else". (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest work you'll ever hear from the young Jim Osterberg – material that features the famous Stooges frontman playing drums, and doing a slight bit of singing! The group sound a fair bit like you might expect from the cover – a tight, sharp, local combo who do a great job both with their own material, and some of the well-chosen covers they recorded – the kind of stomping garagey material that would have been a hit in the small Michigan clubs at the time! Most vocals are by guitarists Nick Kolokithas and Jim McLaughlin, the latter of whom formed the group with Iggy – and Osterberg does sing lead on a pretty great version of "California Sun", and also contributed the original composition "Again & Again" – a tune that definitely points the way towards The Stooges, and is one of the creepiest things on here. Other titles include "Mona", "I Don't Know Why", "Slow Down", "Walk Don't Run", "Out Of Limits", "Surfin Bird", "Things We Said Today", and "Wild Weekend". Collection features a great range of material – even some early 1963 demos, when the group with just a trio! LP, Vinyl record album

A really game-changing set from late 60s Japan – a group who work with a title in English, but a sound that was definitely helping to give the younger Japanese scene a vibe that's all its own! The Jacks definitely have some of the psychedelic touches you might guess from their image on the front, but they also carry forward older styles of Japanese vocal inflections – especially modes that you'd be more likely to hear from a singer with a melancholy vibe! That mix of vocals and fuzzy guitars is wonderful – especially as the lyrics often have this nearly heartbreaking feel, even if you can't understand the lyrics – underscored by electric guitar that seems informed by ways of playing the shamisen, and even percussion work on the drums that feels more earthy than most rock groups. The whole thing is a mindblowing masterpiece – and although lyrics are in Japanese, English titles for the tunes include "Love", "500 Miles From The Sky", "Love Generation", "Stop The Clock", "Vacant World", "Marianne", and "Gloomy Flower". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic final studio album from Jefferson Airplane – a set that's definitely different than their early work, and which shows the new directions that members would soon take on their own – but done with a vibe that's also a fantastic evolution of the core group's famous sound! The guitar work is even more complex than before – Jorma Kaukonen really blowing us away with his skills, but never in a show-offy way, as the whole thing is wrapped around these honest core rhythms that are almost a rootsier take on psyche elements – with Grace Slick's lead vocals almost coming off with a Sandy Denny quality at times. Titles include "Long John Silver", "Aerie (Gang Of Eagles)", "Twilight Double Leader", "Milk Train", "The Son Of Jesus", "Easter", "Trial By Fire", and "East Starch Mom". LP, Vinyl record album

Rockabilly legend Billy Joy definitely rocks – hardly a household name in the 50s, but a killer figure in the rock and roll underground – and one whose fame has just grown more and more over the years! The package is a beautifully-done tribute to Benny's genius – and presents the most hard-rocking of his important 50s recordings, as well as a host of unreleased tracks from later demos too! Joy's guitar work alone is amazing, but when it's coupled with the kickass rhythms of the tunes, the music really takes off to a whole new level – burning with the power you'd expect from the classic Johnny Burnette Trio – and that's before Benny's gritty vocals even come into play! CD features 30 tracks in all – including some lost recordings from the 70s – titles that include "Rollin To The Juke Box Rock", "Dark Angel", "Miss Bobby Sox", "Little Red Book", "Button Nose", "Come Back", "Wild Wild Lover", "In Study Hall", "Crash The Party (unedited)", "Spin The Bottle (Nashville demo)", "Big John Taylor", "High High School Baby", and "Nosey Nosey Neighbors". CD

It's hard to go wrong with The Kinks at this point in their career – a time when even at their most basic, the group had something special that set them apart from most of their contemporaries! There's a definite bluesy undercurrent to most of the music here – an aspect that Ray Davies would shake a bit more in later years, but which here comes to light in a really good way – mixing up some rootsy energy with the jangly guitar lines that the Kinks used to shade in their grooves. Titles include the classic "So Tired Of Waiting" – plus "Come On Now", "So Long", "Something Better Beginning", "Come On Now", "Nothing In The World That Can Stop Me Worryin Bout That Girl", and "Look For Me Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most successful of the later Kinks albums – thanks to the hit single "Come Dancing", which kind of tied together the group's later leanings with some of their sweeter, nostagic approaches from the 60s. In fact, there's a quality to the set that really has Ray Davies going back to his "little pictures" sort of approach – wrapping up individuals and individual subjects nicely in the space of 3 to 4 minutes. Titles include "Labour Of Love", "Definite Maybe", "State Of Confusion", "Heart Of Gold", "Young Conservatives", "Cliches Of The World", and "Come Dancing". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool album from the Japanese scene of the 80s – one that's much more experimental and creative than some of the city pop material of the time – with a shifting style of music that really keeps things interesting! Ryuichi Sakamoto helped with the first track on the set, which also rounds out the end of side one – and there's definitely elements of the YMO-era electro pop on the record, but mixed with more instrumental material that partly echoes the ambient sounds of the era – but also with more experimental material that's sometimes playful, sometimes a bit dark – almost echoing some of the hipper New York downtown experiments of the Laurie Anderson generation. Koharu Kisaragi handles most of the work herself - through a variety of keyboards, samples, and electronics next to her vocals – but there's also some live percussion, piano, bells, and recorder on the record too. Titles include "Neo Plant" in two versions – plus "Paraffin", "Bon Voyage", and "Traumerei". (Japanese, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A garage pop monster from The Knickerbockers – a set that smokes from the start with their super-huge hit "Lies" – then grooves into a rowdy batch of groovers that almost have the feel of the early fab four at their best! Like The Beatles, the group definitely has a way of harmonizing along with their tunes – bringing in a sweetly melodic quality, even when rough around the edges – which makes for a great mix of sounds we can really endorse. Titles include "Lies", "Just One Girl", "Can't You See I'm Trying", "Wishful Thinking", "You'll Never Walk Alone", and "I Can Do It Better" – This version features 4 bonus tracks including a short interview with Beau & John Charles! CD

Amazing sounds from Polish composer Andrzej Korzynski – penned for a legendary horror film from the early 80s! The movie goes way beyond typical grit and gore – with a surreal bent that's made it the stuff of much discussion over the years – and Korzynski's music definitely lives up to the spirit of the images on the screen – mixing 80s electronics with offbeat strings, odd percussion, and other compelling bits – often used in very short songs that shift often throughout the course of the album – easily making the record one of the most playful we've ever heard from Finders Keepers – yet also one of the darkest too! A few sweet keyboard melodies offset some of the spookiness in a nice way – and titles include "Helen Has Green Eyes", "Opetanie 1", "The Night The Screaming Stops", "Blue Ford B AZ6", "Heinrick's Demise", "Mark Looks In The Fridge", "What Is It", and "Closely Observed Anna". (Soundtracks, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

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 lost gem from the LA scene of the 60s – a set that was originally cast as an exploitation of the heady Sunset Strip scene, but which actually features a fair bit of excellent work by the young JJ Cale! Cale arranged and produced the set, and wrote some tunes too – and the record features lots of his own great guitar – really kind of weird and trippy, and played in a style that's deft, but kind of weirdly sonic too! Half the tunes are covers of the most tripped-out psych numbers of the time, and the rest are great originals – with vocals that are right on the money, but still take second stage to the great guitar. Titles include "Pot Luck", "Non Stop", "Kicks", "Arriba", "Sunshine Superman", "Over Under Sideways Down", and "Sunset & Clark". CD

Overlooked genius from Led Zeppelin – an album that was missed by many the first time around, because of it's tight focus and simplicity! For the set, the group step back just a bit from their more stylistically sprawling tendencies – almost as if they got some of the more ambitious ideas out of their system with Physical Graffiti, or simply wanted to get out there and kick some ass – a back to basics move, and one that sees some tremendous guitar work from Jimmy Page! The album still has some longer songs and complicated changes – this is Led Zeppelin, after all – and the lack of over-played classic rock radio fodder actually makes this one a better listen nowadays than the more iconic albums. Includes "Achilles Last Stand", "For Your Life", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", "Candy Store Rock", "Hots On For Nowhere", and "Tea For One". CD

Soulful sounds from 70s Chile – and a record that easily rivals some of the best acoustic work from the post-Tropicalia generation in Brazil! Manduka's got a heady sound that's very much in keeping with his image on the cover – a freer sort of approach to the music than the decade before – with these long-flowing tracks that intertwine folksy elements and regional touches, but always with some slight undercurrent of jazz – almost at a level that rivals the acid folk of the UK scene of the same time, but with a definite deeper South American vibe. The vocals are sublime – extremely haunting, even beyong the boundary of language – and often recorded with some echo around them and the guitar, in a manner that recalls some of the best Geraldo Vandre material. Instrumentation includes some light backing on flute, bongos, acoustic guitar, and harmonica – often used in a gentle, watery sort of way. Completely sublime – one of those lost global gems you'll treasure for years – with titles that include "Entra Y Sale", "Naranjita", "Oiticumana", "De Un Extranjero", "Brasil 1500", and "Patria Amada Idolarada Salve Salve". (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Motor City madness from the MC5 – a searing batch of work that still has the groups kicking out the jams whenever possible! Guitars are fuzzy, freaky, and full-on – played with plenty of force by Fred Smith and Wayne Cramer, and driven home with some heavy drums by Dennis Thompson – almost a blues into funk approach, via hard rock – and definitely standard-setting work for the time. The album's often overlooked in favor of their debut, but it's well worth seeking out – and features tracks that include "Future/Now", "Skunk (Sonicly Speaking)", "Poison", "Gotta Keep Movin", and "Sister Anne". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning spinoff from the first incarnation of King Crimson – a brilliant record from the team of Ian MacDonald and Michael Giles – both of whom move into territory that's quite different than their work with the more famous Fripp-led group! There's definitely elements here of the music the pair brought to King Crimson – but the songs are looser, more personal, and often have more jazz-rock elements in the mix – which can even result in some cool funky passages at times that are a quite soulful surprise! The album also features strong lyrical contributions from Peter Sinfield, who also sounds a bit hipper here – and work from Steve Winwood, who may well be one of the forces for the more soulful side of the spectrum. Lots of nice flute lines – almost Harold McNair-ish at times – and titles include "Suite In C", "Flight Of The Ibis", "Is She Waiting", "Tomorrow's People The Children Of Today", and "Birdman". LP, Vinyl record album

MGMT's debut and certainly one the biggest spacey pop albums of the 00s, possibly THE biggest! The enduring hits "Time Time Pretend" and "Electric Feels" blend dense layers of vintage synth and keys with a modern sheen and memorable hooks – and there are plenty more like that here, with just hint of melancholy under the bright sound. Dave Friedmann, whose deft hand on some of The Flaming Lips most loved recordings was a great choice by MGMT to co-produce – we couldn't imagine any more appropriate! "Weekend Wars", "The Youth", "Kids", "4th Dimensional Transition", "Pieces Of What", "The Handshake", "Future Reflections" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A searing album of Tuareg guitar from Mdou Moctar – coming across here with even more power and intensity than ever before! For years, African guitar styles have been gaining plenty of attention in the larger world of rock – and here, the sound is almost as of Mdou Moctar is trying to bridge that gap – turning in tracks that almost defy the boundaries of nation and language, with an appeal to just about anyone with an ear for amazing guitar work, psychedelic elements, and music that really knocks it out of the park! The drums of Souleymane Ibrahim push the whole thing tremendously – with a driving power different from other Tuareg albums – and Moctar's guitar can only respond with really frenzied solo work throughout. Titles include "Takoba", "Sousome Tamacheq", "Modern Slaves", "Oh France", "Funeral For Justice", and "Djallo #1". (Global Grooves, Rock) CD

A searing album of Tuareg guitar from Mdou Moctar – coming across here with even more power and intensity than ever before! For years, African guitar styles have been gaining plenty of attention in the larger world of rock – and here, the sound is almost as of Mdou Moctar is trying to bridge that gap – turning in tracks that almost defy the boundaries of nation and language, with an appeal to just about anyone with an ear for amazing guitar work, psychedelic elements, and music that really knocks it out of the park! The drums of Souleymane Ibrahim push the whole thing tremendously – with a driving power different from other Tuareg albums – and Moctar's guitar can only respond with really frenzied solo work throughout. Titles include "Takoba", "Sousome Tamacheq", "Modern Slaves", "Oh France", "Funeral For Justice", and "Djallo #1". (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the darker records to ever come out under the Moebius name – a set done in collaboration with legendary soundman Conny Plank and Mani Neumeir of Guru Guru – all key German talents of the 70s, ready to take on the new decade and beat them at their own game! There's lots of cold wave and post punk energy going on here – electronics that are more aggressive and sharp-edged than some of the earlier music that Moebius recorded – almost as if he knew all along that he could twist things a bit more heavily, which he definitely does here – on cuts that include "Speed Display", "Load", "Pitch Control", All Repro", "Search Zero", and "Recall". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from Nico – material recorded for the BBC during that wonderful early 70s stretch when she had firmly broken from the Velvet Underground, and was really making some mindbending music of her own! The vibe here is a lot like Desertshore – with very spare instrumentation made mostly from long lines on harmonium, providing very moody waves of sound next to the singer's incredible vocals – which have a more powerful, hypnotic quality in the setting than they ever did in a bigger group – a minimalist power that clearly owes a bit of a debt to Terry Riley and LaMonte Young, but which is definitely imbued with Nico's own strong spirit. The four tracks here are a crucial addition to her all-too-small catalog from the time – and titles include "No One Is There", "Frozen Warnings", "Janitor Of Lunacy", and "Secret Side". Only four tracks – but all of them are great! LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from Nico – easily one of her most haunting albums ever, and a huge step forward even from the sublime Chelsea Girl record! John Cale produced and arranged the album, and plays some extra-spooky harmonium throughout – an instrument that's got the same low, dead tones as Nico's vocals – which makes for a wonderfully haunting blend! Parts of the record echo the minimal explorations that Cale did with Terry Riley, but in a different way – with heroin definitely playing strongly as part of the aesthetic. The album's a gem through and through – definitely one of the few crucial solo works from Nico – and titles include "My Only Child", "All That Is My Own", "Afraid", "Janitor Of Lunacy", and "Abschied". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty wild stuff from Annette Peacock – almost a "no wave" record at times, with lots of quirky art rock overtones next to the jazz vocal stylings that are more of her typical bag. The album's got lots of heavy guitars from rockers that include Mick Ronson, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford, and Brian Godding – but it's also got a kind of cool approach to the music that goes for some nice faux-soulful takes on a few tracks, creating funk where we wouldn't expect it – and going for some warmer moments that soften Annette in ways that sound very nice. Our favorites are the cuts "This Feel Within", "Real & Defined Androgens", and "Questions" – and other titles include "Don't Be Cruel", "Dear Bela", and "My Mama Never Taught Me How To Cook". (Vocalists, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album from the American underground of the late 70s – the debut of Pere Ubu, bursting forth from the Cleveland scene with a sound to challenge the greatness of anything coming from New York or LA at the time! The album's not exactly punk, not exactly art rock, but has strong elements of both – all wrapped around the unique conception of singer Dave Thomas, whose vocals are some of the oddest ever recorded! The tunes here are a lot more straightforward and upfront than some of Pere Ubu's later work – in a way that definitely makes the album their biggest favorite with new generations of indie rockers. But there's also still a fair number of more experimental touches too – odd sonic tricks and almost-abstract moments that were quite revolutionary for the time – especially from Cleveland! Titles include "Non Alignment Pact", "The Modern Dance", "Chinese Radiation", "Real World", "Life Stinks", "Over My Head", and "Humor Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet psychedelic set, but one with very mysterious origins – originally recorded as a sound library session, by a group that was really the better-known Nuova Idea! The album's definitely got a vibe that fits its sound library roots – all instrumental, with a bit less bravado than most psyche albums of this type – almost more of a focus on the rhythms, which stretch out strongly amidst the Hammond and guitar solos on the set. The whole thing's still pretty rockish, but also has a deeper sensitivity to the overall sound too – a quality that's partly due to production efforts of Giampiero Reverberi. Titles include "Easy", "Psycheground", "Traffic", "Ray", and "Tube". CD

One of the most progressive albums on the American scene of the late 60s – a set that's definitely psych, but which has a put-together quality that's something else as well! The group still have plenty of the optimistic charms you'd expect from their placement on the SF scene of the period – but there's a way of stepping out and really letting loose instrumentally that's pretty great too – in ways that are different than the Dead on record, at least at the time – and captured surprisingly well by Capitol. Dino Valenti delivers some great lyrics – and titles include "Gold & Silver", "The Fool", "The Pride Of Man", "Light Your Windows", and "Dino's Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Prime live material from the Ramones – recorded on the final night of 1977, right when the group was at the height of their power! If you ever got a chance to see The Ramones back in the day, the sound was really amazing – every bit as short, sharp, and focused as the studio records – but even more so, as the group would work through their set list with razor-sharp intensity, almost this juggernaut of punk rock sound that never lets up from start to finish! That quality is definitely in place here, as the whole thing tears through an incredible set list that includes "California Sun", "Rockaway Beach", "Teenage Lobotomy", "I Wanna Be A Good Boy", "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker", "Suzy Is A Headbanger", "I Don't Care", "Havana Affair", "We're A Happy Family", "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue", "Let's Dance", "Chainsaw", "Do You Wanna Dance", "You're Gonna Kill That Girl", "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment", "Glad To See You Go", and "Blitzkrieg Bop". CD

A record that gave Rare Earth one of their biggest hits ever – their hard-burning "I Just Want To Celebrate" – a killer classic that played big on both sides of the fence, and which definitely established the group as a soulful force that kept on going! At some level, the set almost seems to have them bringing in as much influence from the cultural crossroads of the Bay Area scene as the Detroit influences of their earlier work – maybe in part because the congas are really up in the mix on many tracks, which creates some slight Latin currents along with the Family Stone sort of energy that has the group rising up together on most of the cuts! Titles include "I Just Want To Celebrate", "If I Die", "The Seed", "Road", "Any Man Can Be A Fool", "Someone To Love", and very cool reworking of "What'd I Say". LP, Vinyl record album

The last-ever album from the legendary Lou Reed – and a set that's completely different from the sounds he gave the world in the Velvet Underground, and on most of his solo work in recent decades too! The music is spare and ambient, and very much lives up to the "meditations" in the title – inspired strongly by Lou's love of Tai Chi, but also delivered with a quality that echoes a lot of the ambient work of Brian Eno too! There's a great sense of texture and tone here – really slow-building, quiet-shifting sound that has this really subtle, almost earthy power – definitely music that is designed to alter the body and mind, but in very peaceful ways. Titles include "Move Your Heart", "Find Your Note", "Wind Coda", and "Hudson River Wind". CD

The last-ever album from the legendary Lou Reed – and a set that's completely different from the sounds he gave the world in the Velvet Underground, and on most of his solo work in recent decades too! The music is spare and ambient, and very much lives up to the "meditations" in the title – inspired strongly by Lou's love of Tai Chi, but also delivered with a quality that echoes a lot of the ambient work of Brian Eno too! There's a great sense of texture and tone here – really slow-building, quiet-shifting sound that has this really subtle, almost earthy power – definitely music that is designed to alter the body and mind, but in very peaceful ways. Titles include "Move Your Heart", "Find Your Note", "Wind Coda", and "Hudson River Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

A Spanish album that brings together two classic early records from this great guitarist! First up is the self-titled John Renbourn – the first full album from acoustic genius Renbourn – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Next is Another Monday – one of Renbourn's most obscure records, and a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued material from the legendary Arthur Russell – a set of tracks that's maybe closest in spirit to his groundbreaking World Of Echo album – as it blends together voice, cello, effects, and plenty of the echo promised in the title – all with a style that's beyond easy description, and completely sublime throughout! This work captures Russell at his most creative – definitely more of an artists' musician than the sort who'd tried to crack more mainstream modes in his earlier years – almost set free to find that special voice that was always inside him, delivered in a style that's undeniably his, and years ahead of its time! And although we've loved some of the other issues of his lost material by Audika, this set may well be the best of the recent batch – with titles that include "The Boy With A Smile", "Fuzzbuster #6", "Not Checking Up", "Telling No One", "In The Light Of A Miracle", "Very Reason", and "Picture Of Bunny Rabbit". CD

Never-issued material from the legendary Arthur Russell – a set of tracks that's maybe closest in spirit to his groundbreaking World Of Echo album – as it blends together voice, cello, effects, and plenty of the echo promised in the title – all with a style that's beyond easy description, and completely sublime throughout! This work captures Russell at his most creative – definitely more of an artists' musician than the sort who'd tried to crack more mainstream modes in his earlier years – almost set free to find that special voice that was always inside him, delivered in a style that's undeniably his, and years ahead of its time! And although we've loved some of the other issues of his lost material by Audika, this set may well be the best of the recent batch – with titles that include "The Boy With A Smile", "Fuzzbuster #6", "Not Checking Up", "Telling No One", "In The Light Of A Miracle", "Very Reason", and "Picture Of Bunny Rabbit". LP, Vinyl record album

The warm sound of the Sea & Cake gets a just a touch more guitar based on their lucky 7th album – with a bit more of a kick in the drums and bite to the strings in spots – a subtle but definite change from the one of the most consistent indie pop crews ever This time out, longtime producer/drummer John McEntire stays behind the drums and other percussion and lets producer Brian Paulson man the booth – which may, or may not be the reason for the slightly punchier vibe, but it works. This is still very much the Sea & Cake we've loved since the get go – there's no mistaking Sam Prekop's vocals – but there's an anthemic turn or two applied to their mannered genius. Some reviewers give them flak for supposedly repeating themselves, but those folks need to listen more closely. Titles include "Up On Crutches", "Too Strong", "Crossing Line", "Coconut", "Exact To Me", "Lightning", "Introducing", "Left On" and "Transparent". LP, Vinyl record album

Dark, moody work from Second Layer – a UK post-punk group with ties to The Sound, working here with a fair bit of drum machine rhythms and the sorts of low-noise elements you might find in a record of the time on Factory Records! Like some of the best Factory folk, Second Layer have a slight undercurrent of punk at times – but take their music to much spookier territory with a sound that's pretty brooding, and almost a garagey take on spacier modes of the previous decade – definitely in territory that you might hear on a Martin Hannett production. Titles include "Zero", "Japanese Headset", "Black Flowers", "Underneath The Gloss", "Definition Of Honour", "In Bits", and "Fixation". LP, Vinyl record album

Seompi may not have been the first group to bring some wilder sounds to the scene down in Texas – but they're definitely one that are years ahead of their time, and work with a doom-heavy approach here that's very different than more conventional psych and fuzz! There's a very heady vibe to most tracks – darker even than hard rock, with moody production that makes the vocals and guitars sound especially spooky – which is maybe why most of these tracks were never issued at the time. Titles include "Summer's Comin On Heavy", "Almost In The Whole", "Slide Slide", "Lay On The Floor", "Awol/Elijah", "Question Of Nobility", and "We Have Waited". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic sounds from the well-named "prince of power pop" – the mighty Phil Seymour, a singer who only gave us a few albums at the start of the 80s – but a singer who really helped to define a generation at the time! Seymour came onto the scene after the initial ripples of punk and new wave – and, in a way, his music was almost more of a basic return to standard rock and roll – but without all the overblown trappings of the 70s, in a way that really just focused on the singer and the song, and Seymour's incredible talent for putting over a hook! Titles include "Precious To Me", "I Found A Love", "Let Her Dance", "Won't Finish Here", "Baby It's You", "Love You So Much", "Trying To Get To You", and "Then We Get Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Really early genius from The Sonics – and the kind of music that reminds us why the legendary group still continue to sound so wonderful after all these years! The Sonics had an edge that was different than most of their contemporaries – definitely honed on plenty of influences from earlier rock and R&B, but also letting loose with a kind of frenzy that not only made them one of the most stunning acts of the early garage psych years, but which continued to get the group plenty of interest once punk rolled in too. The highlights here might well be the group's standout originals – "The Witch", "Psycho", and "Strychnine" – worth the price of admission alone – but laid out here next to other great cuts that include "Do You Love Me", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Boss Hoss", "Money", "Walking The Dog", Nighttime Is The Right Time", and "Dirty Robber". LP, Vinyl record album

The first, and perhaps the most conventional album by Spanky & Our Gang – but still pretty darn insane! The group are a strange mix of 60s styles – with bits of We Five, bits of Harpers Bizarre, bits of The Association – but a totally strange and totally fun approach to pop that's very much their own. Cuts on the album are a mix of originals and covers – and highlights include the incredible "5 Definitions Of Love" by Bob Dorough, "Distance" by Joe Renzetti, "Commercial" by the band, and the track "It Ain't Necessarily Bird Avenue". Great groovy stuff – and with arrangements by Renzetti, Dorough, and Stuart Scharf. LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a record from a Japanese band who answered to nobody else – a combo who could come on with the ferocity of James Gang or some of their contemporaries, but also hit some even wilder, more experimental moments too – something they definitely do here in the space of the double-length of the album – which mixes full-on jammers full of fuzz and bluesy riffs with some of the weirder moments you might find on the farther reaches of The Beatles' White Album! Vocals are all in English, and given that the album was issued on Atlantic, we're not sure why they never tried to push these guys bigger in the states – as they're better than most of the rest of the period. Titles include "Sniffin & Snortin", "Run And Hide", "Bad Woman", "Red Doll", "Flat Fret Swing", "Calm Down", "Search For Love", "Wanna Take You You", and "Song For An Angel". LP, Vinyl record album

The final album from Spooky Tooth – at least during their initial run – and a surprisingly strong set that really points to a huge amount of new directions and ideas! Mike Patto is in the group this time around – and the presence of his vocals and deft instrumental work really give Spooky Tooth a renewed focus and sense of energy – which seems to push the guitars of Mick Jones into territory that's even bolder than before – with more than a few hints of the Foreigner to come! Gary Wright's vocals are still at center stage, but the whole album almost feels like the whole group coming together to really stretch their wings and soar. Titles include "Fantasy Satisfier", "Two Time Love", "Higher Circles", "Hell Or High Water", "The Hoofer", "I'm Alive", and "The Mirror". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sunshine pop from the Strawberry Alarm Clock – an album that's a bit trippy, a lot sunny – and just the right mix of psych and harmony soul! There's some wonderful overlooked nuggets on the record – tunes that go past their chart hits, and which really remind us that the group was definitely a cut above most of their contemporaries – with these edges and surprises that really keep things interesting. The mighty George Tipton helped arrange some of the best cuts – and titles include the massive "Barefoot In Baltimore" – a perfect bridge between the earlier 60s harmony sounds, and the headier mode of the later generation – as well as the tracks "Sea Shell", "Lady Of The Lake", "A Million Smiles Away", "Shallow Impressions", and "Eulogy". LP, Vinyl record album

A full on funky set from French maestro Sauveur Mallia – a record that mixes his own work on bass, keyboards, electronics, and samples with some slight touches over the top on trumpet, trombone, and saxophone too! The style is definitely a lot more 80s than some of Mallia's 70s work – plenty of the more compressed elements you'd know from film scores of the time, and electric drum rhythms and basslines – all popping and percolating in different ways from track to track! The set's credited to the group Swing Family, but it's clear that the whole thing is mostly Mallia's own work – on titles that include "Gentleman & Musician", "Film Action", "Episode Double", "Musical Stars", "Music Force", "Mission Africa", and "Greewich Boulevard". (Sound Library, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from a singer who really should have gotten bigger fame at the time – an artist who played keyboards with Doug Sahm, and definitely absorbed some of that Texas brew of sounds – but who also has a soulful style that's very much his own when he steps out in the lead! Part of the album's strength is its soul-drenched arrangements from Harold Batiste – served up in a way that might well make the set Wayne Talbert's most soulful at the time – although as with the others, there's some original material here that's especially nice, and quite unusual – and which really works well with his raspy vocals! Titles include "I Put A Spell On You", "She Put The Hurt On Me", "Trouble", "Take Another Look", "Mr Barley Corn", "I Found A Little Girl", "Don't You Know Little Girl", "Getting Married Soon", "Life's Windows", and "Crankiola Narcissis Buds". CD

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

Tripped-out and wonderful sounds from Witch – served up in this excellent early record from the Zamrock kings of the 70s! Lyrics are in English, and have these dark tones that work perfectly with the group's offbeat guitar and organ lines – sometimes mixed here with acoustic guitar that changes things up from the fuzzier sound of their debut a bit – yet which still maintains a definitely trippy feel! The style isn't really psyche, but isn't Afro Funk either – and almost has some of the unique criss-crossing of modes you'd find in the hippest South American groups of the time. Titles include "Mushed Potatoe", "It's Alright", "Chance", "Young Lady", "Living In The Past", and "She Is Mine". (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A heady, hairy solo album from the great Roy Wood – very different than his material with Wizzard, and definitely a solo set, given that Roy handled everything about the album himself – from all the vocals and instruments, to all the production and arrangements, to all the artwork on the cover! The record's also got this very unusual pastiche of styles, too – each song is very different, almost as if the album's an experiment by Wood, trying out different facets of his musical ability – and combining them into a set that's way more experimental than you'd guess for the time, or for a record on a major label. Some tracks are very tuneful and catchy, but sit next to looser, more openly-shaped work – and the balance is fantastic, a bit like a classic Todd Rundgren record – where you'd have a brilliant radio-ready track right next to a looser bit of sonic creativity. Titles include the Brian Wilson-like "Why Does Such A Pretty Girl Song Those Sad Songs" – plus "Look Thru The Eyes Of A Fool", "Interlude/Get On Down Home", "Mustard", "Any Old Time Will Do", and "The Rain Came Down On Everything". LP, Vinyl record album

Finer moments from Frank Zappa, but some lost moments too – given that all the tracks on the set are previously unreleased – and are pulled from both live and studio recordings during Zappa's formative late 60s/early 70s stretch! The package is a real treasure trove – a reward to fans of Frank who've waited so long for music like this – sounds to rival some of the most groundbreaking music from Zappa's years at Verve and Reprise, with incredibly deft instrumental interplay – often a bit more improvised in the live tracks than on the full albums of the time! The sound quality is pretty nice, especially given that a few of these tracks are from near-lost tapes or cassettes – and the package is very well-done – with super-heavy vinyl, and notes on all the tracks. Titles include "Sleazette", "The Walking Zombie Music", "Music From The Big Squeeze", "The Subcutaneous Peril", and "Pumped & Waxed". LP, Vinyl record album

A key record in showcasing Frank Zappa's blend of complicated compositions and all-out jamming – that mix of hard rock and serious songwriting that would direct his energy for most of the 70s – yet still pretty darn raw at this point! The album's a live one – with some of the same great spontaneous energy of the Fillmore set, but even less silliness – even amidst the album's longer songs and weirdass lyrics! The set begins with the extended "Billy The Mountain" – definitely a journey in music – then rolls into "Call Any Vegetable", "Eddie Are You Kidding", "Magdalena", and "Dog Breath". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different picture of the British scene than you might know from the worlds of classic rock and chart hits of the early 70s – as this collection focuses on a really special sort of sound that hints at the bleaker, less satisfying sides of English life – often with a slightly sinister quality that might come as a big surprise! The package is a follow-up to previous gems from compilers Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – like the compilations English Weather and State Of The Union – and like those, there's a wonderfully unified vision to the whole package – almost a mini-sociology statement, but one that's completely fun – given the fantastic range of music chosen for the album. Tracks are a non-stop surprise all the way through – as glammy bits mix with offbeat pop, catchy prog, and plenty of other tunes that maybe defy any sort of generic description altogether! Titles include "Rod" by Matchbox, "Kill" by Mike McGear, "Part Of The Union" by The Brothers, "The Hertfordshire Rock" by Ricky Wilde, "Sailing" by Sutherland Brothers Band, "And The Fun Goes On" by Lieutenant Pigeon, "War Against War" by Pheon Bear, "Roly Pin" by Roly, "Stardust" by David Essex, "What Ruthy Said" by Cockney Rebel, "Why Am I Waiting" by Robin Goodfellow, "Urban Guerilla" by Hawkwind, "Londonderry" by Phil Cordell, and "Cut Loose" by Stud Leather. CD

A nice little collection, and one that definitely fits the sunny Cali look on the cover – as the set mixes together vintage jazz and AOR from the 70s, but also includes some cuts from the present as well – all with a timeless vibe that almost creates a new sort of genre unto itself! Acoustic and electric elements share the sound equally, as do vocal and instrumental modes – and there's a style to the set that's maybe as if you've come into the SoCal scene during the height of the big label recordings of the 70s – but maybe stumbled on some smaller studios down the road apiece where more personal, interesting music is taking place. Titles include "Let Love Flow" by Monica Rypma, "You Never Sang This Song" by Guy Maxwell, "Sunday Morning" by Pixie Lauer, "Ride That Train" by Guy Schwartz, "Make Believe" by Jim Lamarche, "Land Of Wonder" by Maria Fant, "Misterios" by Diana Pequeno, "Marie" by Airbone, "Summer Days/Golden Haze" by White Feature, and "Phone Home" by Michael Welch. (Funky Compilations, Rock) CD