The mighty debut of Grand Funk Railroad – a set that has them bursting out of the box as one of the hardest-hitting power trios on the American scene! Like contemporaries ZZ Top or James Gang, these guys have clearly been influenced by the best electric blues of the previous decade or two – but are already turning that inspiration into some harder rocking modes – really prefacing all the guitar hero groups to come along in the next few years! Mark Farner's work on the guitar is fantastic, and he also adds in a bit of harmonica too – but the whole thing is definitely a group effort – thanks to heavy bass from Mel Schacher and pounding drums from Don Brewer! Titles include "Anybody's Answer", "Time Machine", "Into The Sun", "Heartbreaker", "Call Yourself A Man", "Ups & Downs", "TNUC", and "High On A Horse". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare rocker from Jamul – a group who are somewhere right on the cusp between blues rock and hard rock territory – working with equal amounts of both in this obscure debut! The record's a great illustration of the way that so many groups who grew up playing blues rock in bars during the 60s were discovering styles that were forming into hard rock at the start of the 70s – guitar lines informed by older modes, but played with a heck of a lot more power – and vocals that push things a bit more than any blues singer might – to the point where they often hit a rasping sort of frenzy! There's still a bit of the old modes here – occasional harmonica lines and slower numbers – but it's the heavier tunes that really shape the record. Titles include "Ramblin Man", "Valley Thunder", "All You Have Left Is Me", "I Can't Complain", "Nickel Thimble", and "Sunrise Over Jamul". LP, Vinyl record album

Philadelphia Freedom from Elton John – a trio of tracks recorded with legendary Philly Soul producer Thom Bell, all with a Sigma Sound vibe that's quite different than most of John's other work at the time! In fact, although these tracks were recorded right at the height of the disco era, they're quite restrained and more focused on a soulful sound overall – in a style that's very similar to Davie Bowie's great Philly Soul recordings on the Young Americans album! MFSB, Bell & James, Bobby Eli, and many other key Philly talents are in the lineup – and titles include "Mama Can't Buy You Love", "Are You Ready For Love", and "Three Way Love Affair". This version features six tracks in all – more than the original EP release – including "Shine On Through", "Country Love Song", and "Nice & Slow". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant bit of psychedelia – still as fresh today as it was many decades back – and the crowning achievement of Pink Floyd during the early Syd Barrett years! The album's got all the best elements of the group firmly in place – the penchant for long-jamming tracks that still manage to always maintain a sharp edge – mixed with some of the wittier, more playful lyrics that Barrett brought to the group – all wrapped up with a sense of depth and darkness that goes way beyond most of their contemporaries. The record's a masterpiece through and through – from its first guitar-heavy jam on "Astronomy Domine", through the strutting, vamping madness of "Bike" – all up and down other gems that include "Lucifer Sam", "The Gnome", "Take Up Thy Stethoscope & Walk", "Interstellar Overdrive", "Chapter 24", and "The Scarecrow". LP, Vinyl record album

A key album in the post-Hendrix tradition of funky black rock – and the only album ever recorded by Cleveland's Purple Image! The approach here follows nicely in the same territory worked by Funkadelic and Fugi in the early days – a heady, fuzzed-up blend of trippy guitars, heavy rhythms, and some nice sweeter soul touches – all in a mode that swings nicely between really messed-up tunes, and others with a lighter, more soul-based approach. Side two of the record is dominated by the great jamming track "Marching to a Different Drummer" – easily enough to rival anything on Funkadelic's Free Your Mind album – and other cuts include "Living In the Ghetto", "Why", "Lady", and "We Got To Pull Together". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The first really major album from Rare Earth – issued on their own self-named subsidiary of Motown! The set's a perfect blend of the rich undercurrents of the heady Detroit scene of the late 60s – at one level a tripped-out rock record with styles that almost hint at MC5, at another level a batch of blue-eyed funky soul, with keen appreciation for the grooves coming out of the headier end of the Motor City indie spectrum! There's lots of tripped-out guitar work on the set – reminiscent of contemporary work by Dennis Coffey and George Clinton – mixed with a Mitch Ryder, R&B-inspired vocal style that actually comes across pretty darn well. Added to this is the group's flat-out ability to jam – showcased best in the side-long title cut "Get Ready" – a massive jammer which runs for nearly 22 minutes, and takes up all of side two! Other tracks include "Train To Nowhere", "Magic Key", "Tobacco Road", and "In Bed". 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

The heavy groove of Deep Purple continues – in a style that's a bit more song-focused and guitar-led than the group's debut – but still pretty darn great nonetheless! Some of the rumbling bass of before has been toned down a bit, but that leaves plenty of space for more jamming guitar work from Ritchie Blackmore – as well as more soaring Hammond lines, and vocals that almost hint at soulful influences from time to time. The record's got a slightly heartfelt quality that's almost a surprise – and titles include covers of "Kentucky Woman", "We Can Work It Out", and "River Deep Mountain High" – plus the originals "Wring That Neck", "Listen Learn Read On", and "The Shield". LP, Vinyl record album

Two very unusual albums from the great Graham Bond – back to back in a single set! Holy Magick is quite spiritual, almost supernatural at times – very much what you'd expect from the cover and title! The record's light years away from Bond's British beat group work of a few years before – and has a quality that almost mixes headier rock influences with the spiritualism of the post-Coltrane generation – as the record almost goes farther in a direction that was somewhat initiated by Albert Ayler's more rock-like leanings at the end of his life. Many numbers have chorus vocals rising up behind Bond's lead – and while his own work on alto sax is somewhat displaced by strong use of guitar on many tracks, there's still a fair bit of jazzy elements going on in the mix – particularly on side two, which features Graham laying down some strong lines on the Hammond. Titles include "Aquarius Mantra", "Praise City Of Light", "12 Gates To The City", "Invocation To The Light", "The Qabalistic Cross", "The Pentagram Ritual", "The Holy Words", "The Judgement", and "The Magician". Holy Magick is an equally unusual record from a very unusual player! Altoist Graham Bond had a long and varied career before he made this groovy rock/jazz album in the early 70s. He started as a committed Brit modernist, playing in Don Rendell's early group, then moved into the Beat Group era, with his Graham Bond Organization that featured him on organ and alto. This session recorded with his group Magick shows a similar extension from the Beat Group sound that was taken by Brian Auger – lots of longer jamming cuts, still with the R&B tinged jazzy playing at its base, but with spiritual jazz on the vocals at times, and almost a bit of prog as well. The heart of the whole thing's still nice and jazzy, though – and titles include "Druid", "Ajama", "Forbidden Fruit", and "Moving Towards The Light". CD

The start of a fantastic chapter for the legendary Arthur Brown – the first album issued with his Kingdom Come group, a combo who were even more insane than his Crazy World project of the late 60s! Brown is the quintessential front man here – singing in this really dynamic, dramatic way that's years ahead of its time – much more upfront than so many of the singers of the psych generation, and even the new hard rock vocalists too – at a level that makes music like this a great inspiration for so man styles to come! The instrumentation is as dynamic as the vocals, too – not prog jamming, but instead this really focused, fused blend of heavy drums, searing guitar, and organ – all sending things way way over the top. Titles include "Internal Messenger", "Night Of The Pigs", "Trouble", "Sunrise", "Brains", the "Galactic Zoo/Space Plucks" medley, "Creep", and "Creation". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous set from one of the best – and most under-recognized – groups of the British jazz rock scene at the end of the 60s! The group have an approach that mixes heavy blues-influenced jamming with some of the lighter, more lyrical touches that were showing up at the time – in a way that gives them a firmly grounded sound at one level, but also a slightly more sophisticated, contemplative approach – making the group almost a UK equivalent to the sound of the Steve Miller Band at the time. The jazzier tracks on the album feature work by some great straight British players – including Harry Beckett and Ray Warleigh – and the album's also got a few nice slightly funky cuts that are known for their breaks! Tracks include "The Dansette Kid", "Hickory", "Not Foolish, Not Wise", "Poor Mabel", "Believe In Me", "Don't Give Up", "Hickory", and "Tadpole". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster of a jazz rock set from drummer Keef Hartley – a player who initially came to fame for his funky grooves in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers! Hartley's sound here is a great mix of rootsy rock and some of the jazzier touches that were creeping into the London scene at the time – with plenty of tightly snapping rhythms at the bottom of the tunes, enough to create a nice funky rock undercurrent on most numbers. The set's made even better by some great keyboard work from Mick Weaver – and the best cuts have some really jamming elements that let Weaver open up on organ and electric piano. Titles include "Roundabout", "Overdog", "Imitations From Home", "We Are All The Same", "Enroute", and "Plain Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

A storming mix of R&B, early soul, and rare rockers – all hand-picked by the famous team of Keb Darge and Little Edith! We first knew Keb as an expert in raw funk over 20 years ago – back at a time when few DJs cared about the style – and you can definitely hear Keb's funk-trained ears at work here – as the tunes are all plenty raw and filled with sharp edges – way way different than any mainstream assumptions you might have about rock or soul from this time! The vibe is similar to some of the best Cramps-fueled compilations, or some of the hipper Norton titles – and titles include "Get Whiz" by The Dazzlers, "Jam & Jelly" by The Col-Lee Jets, "Shis Kebab" by The Black Albinos, "Dance Franny Dance" by The Floyd Dakil Combo, "Nervous Breakdown" by Gregory Dee & The Avanties, "Steady With Betty" by Benny Joy, "Please Give Me Something" by Bill Allen & The Back Beats, and "The Shake" by George Fleming. (Funky Compilations, Rock) CD

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

The seminal first album from Egg – a legendary trio that featured a young Dave Stewart on organ, piano, and tone generator – and a key force in the Brit jazz rock scene of the early 70s! The album's sound is especially noteworthy in that there's really no guitar at all in the group – just bass, drums, and keyboards – plus vocals from Mont Campbell, in a dark, spacey sort of mode. The titles give a good feel of the spiralling depth of the album – and include "While Growing My Hair", "They Laughed When I Sat Down At The Piano", and "The Song Of McGillicudie The Pusillanimous Or Don't Worry James Your Socks Are Hanging In The Coal Cellar With Thomas". The second side of the album features the extended "Symphony No 2" – broken into movements 1, 2, and 3 – plus the more improvisational "Blane". LP, Vinyl record album

British blues meets LA's Laurel Canyon – a trans-Atlantic (or is it Pacific?) blend that makes for one of John Mayall's most compelling albums of the 60s! The album was recorded after the breakup of the Blues Breakers group – but it still features strong support from Mick Taylor on guitar – a key factor in the previous combo's sound, given almost even more space here to stand out front with Mayall. Other instrumentation includes bass and drums, plus a bit of tablas – and the overall approach is a lot more spare than other Blues Breakers sets – still bluesy in approach, but with some definite freer-thinking moments too, picked up from a trip to Laurel Canyon that was Mayall's inspiration for the set. Titles include "Walking On Sunset", "Vacation", "Ready To Ride", "Medicine Man", "Miss James", "The Bear", "First Time Alone", and "Fly Tomorrow". CD

Forget The Stooges, forget Alice Cooper, forget the White Stripes, and maybe even forget Funkadelic – because this landmark album is one that really put the ferocity of the Detroit scene on the map – rising up the city's legacy of raw sounds next to their better-known soul and pop of the 60s – and forever putting MC5 on the great rock and roll map! The group had been honing their craft in the city for a few years before this set – and it was the genius of Elektra Records to capture them live at the city's Grande Ballroom, and not in the studio – which is part of the intensity of the record's charm, especially on the sometimes-edited bit of profanity. Titles include the seminal "Kick Out The Jams", plus "Come Together", "Rocket Reducer No 62", "Borderline", "Motor City Is Burning", "I Want You Right Now", and "Starship". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Madness, Ramones, Generation X, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Elvis Costello, The B-52's, Plastic Bertrand, The Trashmen, Lene Lovich, and more. CD

A landmark album from The Allman Brothers – and a set that forever set the standard for double live albums in the 70s! The expanded format really let the group open up and show the strengths they had already developed as a live act, long before they walked into the studio for their initial album – as the tracks are often quite long, and let you hear the way they approached the process of creation – using lots of jamming energy that's really let loose here on the longer tunes, which are awash in amazing guitar and organ solos! Dickey Betts and Duane Allman are fantastic together – and titles include the side-long "Whipping Post" and "You Don't Love Me" – plus "Hotlanta", "In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed", "Statesboro Blues", "Stormy Monday", and "Done Somebody Wrong". LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful solo album from Jon Anderson – best known as the lead singer of Yes, stepping out here with a set that matches the solo projects of Chris Squire and Steve Howe from the same time! Yet unlike those efforts, this one is truly a solo recording – as Anderson not only sings, but handles all the instruments himself – keyboards, guitars, and everything else – folded together in a sound that's very faithful, thanks to work from Mike Dunne, who'd handled a lot of the sound for recordings by Yes! Given that Anderson's not an instrumental virtuoso, like some of his bandmates, the record is a nice change from some of the side-long power jams of mid 70s Yes – tunes that together tell a story, but which have a lyrical, personal vibe that also really suits the charms of Jon's vocals. The set feels nicely like a mid 70s side-chapter of Yes – in ways that are different than the solo records by Howe and Squire – and titles include "Ocean Song", "To The Runner", "Flight Of The Moorglade", "Solid Space", "Dance Of Rampart/Olias", and "Meeting/Sound Out The Galleon". LP, Vinyl record album

The Beatles at their late best – on 1968's self-titled set – now immortalized as The White Album! The White Album capped offed a period of intense creativity for the band with a double that's as freewheeling as anything they'd ever release. It's got raw rockers with wry lyricism, tender acoustic balladry, psych blues jams and some flat out weird bits. As was always the case, John's and Paul's songs cover the majority of the sides, but The White Album also features what's arguably George's most vital moment as a Beatle with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Other tracks include "Back InThe USSR", "Dear Prudence","Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "Martha My Dear", "Rocky Raccoon", "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", "Julia", "Yer Blues", "Sexy Sadie", "Helter Skelter", "Revolution 1", Good Night" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A deep dive into the genius of Faust – material recorded by the groundbreaking experimental collective at their home base during the early 70s, none of issued at the time! The work here stands as a seminal addendum to the too-small catalog of the group's material from these days – and the sounds within really show Faust at their most creative – moving through the kind of sonic territory that you'd know from their records, but presented here as if you've discovered an album that you somehow passed by! Some tracks are spare and moody, others driving and jamming – and throughout the material, Faust show that really unique ear for mixing live instrumentation and studio experimentation – all at a level that was very much their own, even in the heady company of the Krautrock generation. The material was originally part of the expensive Faust box set, but is presented here as a standalone release – and titles on volume two include "Danach", "Lampe An Tur Zu Leutte Rein", "Wir Wollen Mehr Volumen Kriegen", "Arrampicarsi Sul Vesuvio", "As Tu Vu Mon Ombre", "Ma Trompette", and "Dampf". CD

The Grateful Dead in the early 80s – still going strong in a live setting, and with a vibe that's maybe even closer to their roots than some of their Arista studio material at the time! The set is a massive ten-sided representation of a show that has the group soaring and stretching out on nearly every track – with jamming versions of "Ramble On Rose/El Paso", "Althea", "Feel Like A Stranger", "Stella Blue/Good Lovin", "Space/The Other One", "Uncle John's Band/Drums", "Ship Of Fools", "Estimated Prophet", "China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider/Samson & Delilah", "Deep Elem Blues", "New Minglewood Blues", "Beat It On Down The Line", "US Blues", and "Bird Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary live set from the Grateful Dead – served up here in a set so big, it needs 16 sides' worth of vinyl to deliver the music! There's loads of long jams here – the kind of criss-crossing, song-shifting material that makes the Dead so wonderful at this point in their career – as you'll hear on tunes that include "Dark Star", "Here Comes Sunshine", "Around & Around", "Not Fade Away/Goin Down The Road Feelin Bad", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry", "That's All Right", "Promised Land", "Dark Star/He's Gone", "Wharf Rat/Truckin", "Ramble On Rose", "Jack Straw", "Wave That Flag", "Morning Dew", "Beat It On Down The Line", "Looks Like Rain", "Box Of Rain", "El Paso", "Bird Song", "Playing In The Band", "Big River", "Eyes Of The World", and "Stella Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing music from the greatest chapter of the legendary Louvin Brothers – the kind of work that's made them a legend for generations! Handpicked Songs features Louvin classics chosen by a reverent group of singers and songwriters that really run the gamut – Dolly Parton, Beck, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Hilman, Emmylou Harris, Will Oldham, Zooey Deschanel, The Black Angels, Mark Lanegan, M Ward, and Jim James – but all artists who have been undeniably influenced by Ira and Charlie Louvin, and their way of melding melancholy harmonies into something that goes way beyond everyday country music! The packaging is great – very much up to the Light In The Attic standard – and titles include "Almost Persuaded", "My Baby's Gone", "I See A Bridge", "Knoxville Girl", "Great Atomic Power", and "Alabama". (Folk/Country, 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

Frank Zappa's got some fantastic fusion touches on this sweet little set from the 70s – thanks to keyboards and a bit of vocals from George Duke, heavy drums from Chester Thompson, and even some brief help from Johnny Guitar Watson! The set's still got a very Zappa-esque feel, but it's clear he's also letting Duke stretch his wings a bit too as there's parts of the record that almost echo the style of some of George's more far-out recordings for MPS. The balance is great – and one that makes the album a lot more soulful at points than we're used to hearing from Zappa. Titles include "Florentine Pogen", "Can't Afford No Shoes", "Inca Roads", "Po-Jama People", "Evelyn A Modified Dog", and "San Ber'Dino". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant bit of psychedelia – still as fresh today as it was many decades back – and the crowning achievement of Pink Floyd during the early Syd Barrett years! The album's got all the best elements of the group firmly in place – the penchant for long-jamming tracks that still manage to always maintain a sharp edge – mixed with some of the wittier, more playful lyrics that Barrett brought to the group – all wrapped up with a sense of depth and darkness that goes way beyond most of their contemporaries. The record's a masterpiece through and through – from its first guitar-heavy jam on "Astronomy Domine", through the strutting, vamping madness of "Bike" – all up and down other gems that include "Lucifer Sam", "The Gnome", "Take Up Thy Stethoscope & Walk", "Interstellar Overdrive", "Chapter 24", and "The Scarecrow". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-collected batch of tracks from the mighty MC5 – easily the second heaviest sound to come out of the 60s Detroit rock scene after The Stooges! The package offers up the classic uncensored version of "Kick Out The Jams" – the controversial cut whose story is almost more famous than the band itself – plus loads of other gems that include "I Can Only Give You Everything", "Looking At You (A Square single version)", "Ramblin Rose", "Come Together", "Rocket Reducer 62", "Teenage Lust", "Tonight", "High School", "Call Me Animal", The American Ruse", "Shakin Street", "The Human Being Lawnmower", "Miss X", "Sister Anne", "Skunk", and "Over & Over". CD

Live Roxy Music, from a time when John Wetton was in the group on bass – with titles that include "Do The Strand", "Out Of The Blue", "The Bogus Man", "Both Ends Burning", "Chance Meeting", "If There Is Something", "In Every Dream Home A Heartache", and "Pyjamarama". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's way more than the classic rock outing of some of the group's Bay Area contemporaries – as the young Carlos Santana finds a way to mix inspirations from blues and Latin music into this fierce fusion of so many different elements at once – stretching out, jamming, and touching decades of listeners in the process! The whole thing's a perfect sonic blend – guitar, keyboards, and plenty of percussion – on the group's stunning remake of "Oye Como Va", their fusion of "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen", and the cuts "Se A Cabo", "Samba Pa Ti", "El Nicoya", and "Singing Winds Crying Beasts". LP, Vinyl record album

Pull on your board shorts, fasten those bikinis, and look out for speeding hot rods – we've got a killer batch of movie surf grooves for you soak up! Summer Beach Baby gathers up some of most sun-soaked, cornball fun tunes from the mid 60s surf days – soundtrack cuts featuring cast members and participating music groups from camp classics like Bikini Beach and Dr Goldfoot And The Bikini Machine – and features standout work by a few rock and garage heroes, to boot! 19 tracks in all: "Beach Party" by Frankie Avalon, "Secret Surfin' Spot", "Surfin' And A-Swingin'" by Dick Dale, "Pajama Party" by Annette, "Ride The Wild Surf" by Jan & Dean, "Bikini Drag" by The Pyramids, "Love's A Secret Weapon" by Donna Loren, "Gotcha Where I Want You" by The Exciters, "Surf Party" by The Astronauts, "Girls On The Beach" by The Beach Boys, "Hot Rod Roadster" by The Rip Chords and more! (Soundtracks, Rock) CD

A lovely set of modern French work from Camille – done in a style that mixes the earthy with the electronic – in a way that's vaguely reminiscent of the modes used by Benjamin Biolay or Keren Ann, but which has a spirit that's clearly its own as well! Camille has a very strong vocal presence on the set – breathy and intimate one moment, but deeply soulful the next – in a way that's especially resonant with the more acoustic elements on the album, and which produces a really compelling sound overall. There's a criss-crossing of modes here that almost seems to borrow inspiration from some of the recent Trama generation in Brazil – but the overall presentation is quite specifically French, and extremely poetic as well. Titles include "Vous", "Assise", "Baby Carni Bird", "Senza", "Janine II", "Vertige", "Au Port", and "Pale Septembre". (French, Rock) CD

A wonderfully weird combination of sounds – one that might almost be called psychedelic jazz at times, yet which also has a more freewheeling quality as well! Brent Cordero plays a very cool combo organ next to piano and synth on the record – in a core trio that features Ryan Sawyer on drums and Peter Kerlin on a variety of basses – which are then augmented by differing contributions from track to track, shaping the color palette of the record in a wonderful way! Players include Daniel Carter on alto and flute, James Brandon Lewis on tenor, Jessica Pavone on viola, Aaron Siegel on vibes, and Adam Amram on congas – each making great contributions to the record – on ttles that include "Movement To Protect The People", "Decolonize This Place", "White Supremacy In Black Face", "Pyrrhic", "Between The Carrot & The Stick", and "Affordable For Who". (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The third album recorded by British jazz rockers Egg – a set done only after the group had reformed for Virgin Records, and easily their most complicated work to date! By the time of this recording, the members of the core trio – especially keyboardist Dave Stewart – had really honed their skills, and were able to work in a range of jamming, jazzy modes. Much of the focus here is on the instrumentation – especially Stewart's work on organ – and the session adds in extra oboe, bassoon, clarinet, and "germophone" – plus a trio of voices on one number. The sound is progressive without being overindulgent – and titles include "Germ Patrol", "Pielude", "Wind Quartet 1", "Wring Out The Ground Loosely Won", and "Enneagram". LP, Vinyl record album

Early prog jazz genius from the mighty Embryo – and an album that perfectly fuses their love of world rhythms and electric jamming grooves – at a level that made them one of the coolest groups on the European scene at the time! Core work here is by a trio – and the percussion by Edgar Hofmann ranges from playful to hypnotic – with heavy drums and basslines crafting some incredible rhythms that spin out strongly – sometimes jamming, sometimes a bit looser – and often topped with great work on flute by Hansi Fischer, and this ultra-cool Leslie piano played by Christian Burchard – which has a nice fuzzy sound. The album's got lots of other sweet organ and mellotron lines – and Hofmann also plays soprano sax and violin as well – on titles that include "Tausendfussler", "Time", "Revenge", "Espagna Si Franco Finished", "Try To Be", and "Change". (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A deep dive into the genius of Faust – material recorded by the groundbreaking experimental collective at their home base during the early 70s, none of issued at the time! The work here stands as a seminal addendum to the too-small catalog of the group's material from these days – and the sounds within really show Faust at their most creative – moving through the kind of sonic territory that you'd know from their records, but presented here as if you've discovered an album that you somehow passed by! Some tracks are spare and moody, others driving and jamming – and throughout the material, Faust show that really unique ear for mixing live instrumentation and studio experimentation – all at a level that was very much their own, even in the heady company of the Krautrock generation. The material was originally part of the expensive Faust box set, but is presented here as a standalone release – and titles on volume two include "Danach", "Lampe An Tur Zu Leutte Rein", "Wir Wollen Mehr Volumen Kriegen", "Arrampicarsi Sul Vesuvio", "As Tu Vu Mon Ombre", "Ma Trompette", and "Dampf". 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". CD