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Includes the hit song "Wicked Game". CD

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A huge record in its day and it hasn't aged a minute since! On Psychocandy the Reid brothers took all the underground Brit indie psych revival modes and filtered them through the Velvet Underground at their noisiest, then paired melodies learned from sources as sweet as 60s Wall Of Sound pop and the Beach Boys to ferociously fuzzy guitars – and stunning found a way to spring this onto to fringes of the mainstream on both sides of the Atlantic! Hugely influential – a record that points the way towards sounds so many would soon follow. Titles include "In A Hole", "The Hardest Walk", "Taste The Floor", "Just Like Honey", "Never Understand", and "You Trip Me Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that really broke Jethro Tull out of the prog rock underground and into the mainstream – and a set that showed that the group weren't just a combo with creative use of flute, but a band that could really rock off their ass when they wanted to! Previous records were all pretty great, but there's definitely something special in the air with this one – an extra-amped version of the group that even seems to have Ian Anderson's flute blowing out all stops, and his vocals sounding even more menacing than before! Martin Barre's maybe the real master, though – searing on guitar, and punctuating all of Anderson's efforts with his own mad energy – on titles that include the classic "Aqualung", plus "Wondering Aloud", "Cheap Day Return", "Cross Eyed Mary", "My God", "Slipstream", "Locomotive Breath", "Wind Up", and "Mother Goose". LP, Vinyl record album

An early gem from Jethro Tull – and a set that has the group really reaching forth with some of their more complicated, jazz-based musical impulses – while still holding onto some of the rawer power of the early days too! The album's lesser-known than some of the group's earlier hits – which may well make it even fresher all these many years later – a really stunning set of sounds that showcases the newly lyrical sensibility of Ian Anderson – both vocally and on flute – as well as the searing guitar of Martin Barre, which was really becoming a core element of the group at this point. Titles include "For Michael Collins Jefferey & Me", "Inside", "Play In Time", "Sossity You're A Woman", "With You There To Help Me", and "Nothing To Say". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early work from Jethro Tull – a formative set that really has the group deepening both their themes and their music! There's still a bit of blues rock at the core – but also some richer, more lyrical modes too – and Ian Anderson does a perfect job of bridging both worlds with his sublime work on flute – an instrument that must have seemed like an odd lead for a rock group at the time, but which is no surprise in the same generation that artists like Herbie Mann and Roland Kirk were making their own hip records – not to mention the great Harold McNair, who was a UK contemporary of Andreson. The whole thing's great – a record that's ripe for rediscovery, and which really gives back year after year – and titles include "A New Day Yesterday", "Back To The Family", "Fat Man", "Reasons For Waiting", "Nothing Is Easy", and the classic instrumental "Bouree". LP, Vinyl record album

Jethro Tull's classic prog album–or is it a parody of a prog album? The LP-length "song", filled with dense lyrics, alternates between hard rock, English folk, and classical. LP, Vinyl record album

Funky bluesy flutey magic from The Tull – includes a wonderful version of Roland Kirk's "Serenade To A Cuckoo" – plus "My Sunday Feeling", "Dharma For One", "It's Breaking Me Up", and "Song For Jeffrey". LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

Great material from the tail end of their Reprise years – non-album tracks, collected to form one great last record! Titles include "Pictures In The Sand", "Where Did The Spring Go", "When I Turn Off The Living Room Light", "There Is No Life Without Love", "Til Death Do Us Part", "Groovy Movies", "Misty Water", and "Where Did The Spring Go". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Ray Davies is really coming into his own by the time of this third album by The Kinks – penning almost all the tunes in the set, and really starting to stretch out with some of his more unique ideas! The songs are already beginning to show that picture postcard side of British pop that was the Kinks stock in trade during their best years – and the themes and subjects are really expanded from the group's music of the previous years – already shaking off their American influence, and bringing the world a decidedly English version of rock and roll. Of course, the album does feature the group's wonderful cover of "Milk Cow Blues" – still a nice link to the earlier years – plus the Davies originals "When I See That Girl Of Mine", "I Am Free", "Till The End Of The Day", "The World Keeps Going Round", "I'm On An Island", "It's Too Late", "You Can't Win", "Where Have All The Good Times Gone", "Gotta Get The First Plane Home", and "Ring The Bells". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes their classic "Well Respected Man", the great "See My Friends", and other titles that include "I Need You", "Who'll Be The Next In Line", "Wait Till The Summer Comes Along", "Never Met A Girl Like You Before", "Such A Shame", and "It's All Right". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums from The Kinks – the kind of material that pulled them strongly past their bluesy, garagey roots – into a role that has them giving some of the clearest, keenest visions of 20th Century British society – with all of its joys and worries! The tunes here are wonderful – well-penned little odes to the common man and fading scenes and styles of the UK – presented together as a sublime portrait of a late 60s England that hardly any other group would try to touch – all with wit and wisdom from the great Ray Davies, and loads of tuneful work from the rest of the band. Titles include "Do You Remember Walter?", "Picture Book", "Sitting By The Riverside", "Village Green", "All Of My Friends Were There", and "The Village Green Preservation Society". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion", "So Tired Of Waiting For You", "Till The End Of The Day", and "A Well Respected Man". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that maybe marked the close of one chapter of The Kinks, and the start of another – music that still holds on to some of the best elements of their late 60s Village Green era, but which also moves the group into some of the headier territory of their Muswell Hill/RCA years too! Ray Davies has never sounded more earnest – still able to pull off wit when needed, but also more down to earth – and because of the massive title hit, the set was also one that put the group in front of the ears or more folks than had been hearing them in previous years. Titles include, of course, the mega-hit "Lola" – plus "This Time Tomorrow", "Apeman", "Strangers", "The Contenders", "Long Way From Home", "Rats", and "Top Of The Pops". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Wickedly clever British pop – plucked from our favorite period of this legendary British band! The record features the group hitting their songwriting stride – moving past the simple topics of earlier songs, into a flurry of snapshots of British life in the postwar years. Each song is a brilliant three minute ode to a certain aspect of life in England – served up with razor-sharp wit, and a creatively catchy approach to songwriting that few of the group's contemporaries could ever hope to match! The album features some of the best-known Kinks tunes from this time, plus overlooked gems – and titles include "Waterloo Sunset", "David Watts", "Death Of A Clown", "Two Sisters", "Situation Vacant", "Afternoon Tea", and "No Return". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

(Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

(Folk/Country, Rock) CD

(Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

(Vocalists, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Not the kind of straight Latin music you might expect, but a wonderful album of 60s pop from Trini Lopez – served up in a groove that's a fair bit like some of the contemporary Latin-tinged projects recorded over at A&M! Most numbers here are familiar ones, but recast in Spanish language lyrics, and given arrangements that mix jaunty 60s pop with south of the border-styled rhythms – all with a feel that's slightly loungey, but in a very nice way! Titles include "San Francisco De Assisi", "Pancho Lopez", "Spanish Harlem", "Watch What Happens", "Amor", "Tengo Nada", and "Yours". (Vocalists, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

HP Lovecraft drummer Michael Tegza soldiers on with a new group as Lovecraft – with a tighter sound that blends hard driving drums and guitars with more delicate, harmony vocal accented songcraft! It's a far cry from the psychedelic experimentation of HP Lovecraft – but it's actually a pretty impressive rock record in its own right – prefiguring the later 70s rock sounds long before the better known giants of the decade! Titles include "We Can All Have It Together", "Brother I Wonder", "Love Has Come To Me", "Will I Know When My Time Comes", "Two Step Hustle", "Lady Come Softly", "The Dawn", "Never Gonna Go Back", "Dear" and "Hopefully". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the greatest albums ever from Joni Mitchell – and maybe one of the most go-to records in her legendary catalog! The record set a new high mark for singer/songwriter material in the 70s – and there's an intimate, upfront quality here that's even more striking than Mitchell's early work – personal storytelling, with a slightly poetic vibe, set to spare acoustic backing that really makes the presence of the lyrics stand out even more. Well worth all the praise and attention the album's gotten for decades – with titles that include "All I Want", "My Old Man", "Little Green", "Carey", "Blue", "California", "This Flight Tonight", "River", "A Case Of You", and "The Last Time I Saw Richard". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from Joni Mitchell – and maybe one of the most go-to records in her legendary catalog! The record set a new high mark for singer/songwriter material in the 70s – and there's an intimate, upfront quality here that's even more striking than Mitchell's early work – personal storytelling, with a slightly poetic vibe, set to spare acoustic backing that really makes the presence of the lyrics stand out even more. Well worth all the praise and attention the album's gotten for decades – with titles that include "All I Want", "My Old Man", "Little Green", "Carey", "Blue", "California", "This Flight Tonight", "River", "A Case Of You", and "The Last Time I Saw Richard". CD

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Joni Mitchell's second album, and the one where she really seemed to find her voice – quickly moving past the more folk-styled music of her roots, into that special territory that was very much her own! The album has some incredibly deep songwriting for such a young artist – tunes that are unabashedly full of love, wonder, and worry – graced with acoustic guitar and those amazing vocals – exploding into sunshine and life with a power that still holds up strongly after all these years! Stephen Stills plays bass and guitar on the record, but Joni clearly doesn't need any superstar help at all – as she shines brilliantly on titles that include "Both Sides Now", "I Don't Know Where I Stand", "Chelsea Morning", "Tin Angel", "That Song About The Midway", "Songs To Aging Children Come", and "I Think I Understand". CD

Joni Mitchell's second album, and the one where she really seemed to find her voice – quickly moving past the more folk-styled music of her roots, into that special territory that was very much her own! The album has some incredibly deep songwriting for such a young artist – tunes that are unabashedly full of love, wonder, and worry – graced with acoustic guitar and those amazing vocals – exploding into sunshine and life with a power that still holds up strongly after all these years! Stephen Stills plays bass and guitar on the record, but Joni clearly doesn't need any superstar help at all – as she shines brilliantly on titles that include "Both Sides Now", "I Don't Know Where I Stand", "Chelsea Morning", "Tin Angel", "That Song About The Midway", "Songs To Aging Children Come", and "I Think I Understand". LP, Vinyl record album

Joni Mitchell's second album, and the one where she really seemed to find her voice – quickly moving past the more folk-styled music of her roots, into that special territory that was very much her own! The album has some incredibly deep songwriting for such a young artist – tunes that are unabashedly full of love, wonder, and worry – graced with acoustic guitar and those amazing vocals – exploding into sunshine and life with a power that still holds up strongly after all these years! Stephen Stills plays bass and guitar on the record, but Joni clearly doesn't need any superstar help at all – as she shines brilliantly on titles that include "Both Sides Now", "I Don't Know Where I Stand", "Chelsea Morning", "Tin Angel", "That Song About The Midway", "Songs To Aging Children Come", and "I Think I Understand". LP, Vinyl record album

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The mindblowing full length debut of Joni Mitchell – and a record that instantly set a whole new tone for singer/songwriter material in the late 60s! Joni had years of folk experience before this set, but the record is something else entirely – dark at times, deeply personal, and inflected with an understanding of jazz phrasing that haunts some of the guitar work, and maybe a bit of the vocals – yet all in a way that's very different than much of Mitchell's later work too. The record is definitely one of those landmarks in this moment of an artist who emerges fully formed, with a sound that's all their own – resonating with a strength that's as powerful now as it was way back then! Titles include "I Had A King", "Sistowbell Lane", "The Dawntreader", "Cactus Tree", "Song To A Seagull", "The Pirate Of Penance", "Nathan La Franeer", and "Night In The City". LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing full length debut of Joni Mitchell – and a record that instantly set a whole new tone for singer/songwriter material in the late 60s! Joni had years of folk experience before this set, but the record is something else entirely – dark at times, deeply personal, and inflected with an understanding of jazz phrasing that haunts some of the guitar work, and maybe a bit of the vocals – yet all in a way that's very different than much of Mitchell's later work too. The record is definitely one of those landmarks in this moment of an artist who emerges fully formed, with a sound that's all their own – resonating with a strength that's as powerful now as it was way back then! Titles include "I Had A King", "Sistowbell Lane", "The Dawntreader", "Cactus Tree", "Song To A Seagull", "The Pirate Of Penance", "Nathan La Franeer", and "Night In The City". LP, Vinyl record album

Joni's third beautifully-voiced, gorgeously-composed album for Reprise, following up on her already solid standard of taking a significant step forward in craft and spirit from one album to next! Joni has this perfect way of making you feel like she's singing only for you, but in a way that's big and open enough for the whole world to listen in. The arrangements and production are so good here, too, bringing in lightly jazzy sax, clarinet and flute without compromising on the intimate nature of the songs. Titles include "Morning Morgantown", "For Free", "Conversation", "Ladies Of The Canyon", "The Arrangement", and "The Priest". LP, Vinyl record album

Joni's third beautifully-voiced, gorgeously-composed album for Reprise, following up on her already solid standard of taking a significant step forward in craft and spirit from one album to next! Joni has this perfect way of making you feel like she's singing only for you, but in a way that's big and open enough for the whole world to listen in. The arrangements and production are so good here, too, bringing in lightly jazzy sax, clarinet and flute without compromising on the intimate nature of the songs. Titles include "Morning Morgantown", "For Free", "Conversation", "Ladies Of The Canyon", "The Arrangement", and "The Priest". LP, Vinyl record album

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An imagined bit of rootsiness from Tracy Nelson and Mother Earth – recorded with a nicely countrified setting at the Jack Clement studios in Nashville, then given a sweeter mixdown back in LA! As with other Mother Earth albums, Nelson's strong lead presence is what really makes the record work – slightly folksy, but really coming across here with a surprising degree of soul that moves the simple country rock mode into a deeper sound than we might have guessed. Titles include "Tonight The Sky's About To Cry", "Temptation Took Control Of Me & I Fell", "Soul Of Sadness", "I'll Be Long Gone", "Bring Me Home", and "There Is No End". LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Have You Seen My Baby", "Mama Told Me Not To Come", "Suzanne", "Yellow Man", "Old Kentucky Home", and "If You Need Oil". CD

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A gem of an album from Randy Newman – a masterpiece of understated with from the mid 70s, and one of his most fully-conceived records for Warner Brothers! The album offers up a vision of the south, past and present, through Newman's eyes – eyes that are partially clouded by the distance of the scene seen from the vantage point of smoggy LA, but which still manage to pull out various strands of life with surprising poignancy. It's easy to write this one off as some sort of slap against the face of the backward south in the 70s, but Newman actually approaches his subjects with some sort of subtle tenderness – not nearly as mean as you might think on first listen, as evidenced by the beautiful orchestrations he penned for the sessions. Titles include "Birmingham", "Marie", "Rednecks", "Louisiana 1927", "Rollin", "Back On My Feet Again", and "Wedding In Cherokee County". CD

Produced by Jeff Lynne, Mark Knopfler, and James Newton Howard – and titles include "Masterman & Baby J", "Roll With The Punches", "Falling In Love", "Bad News From Home", "Dixie Flyer", "New Orleans Wins The War", and "Red Bandana". LP, Vinyl record album

An insanely wonderful first album from Randy Newman – and a perfect example of the way his unique style was a key confluence of all the best elements simmering underneath both late 60s LA and late 60s Warner Brothers! There's an instantly nostalgic quality to the record, but one that's nicely undercut by Newman's familiar sense of wit – a bit more subtle here, and presented with amazing backings from Van Dyke Parks – who almost brings in a lightly symphonic touch at times. The work's almost in the vein of hipper jazz sides by Bob Dorough or Dave Frishberg at the time – and although some of the tunes are familiar from later versions, they still sound best here in Randy's originals. Titles include "Love Story", "So Long Dad", "I Think He's Hiding", "Laughing Boy", "Cowboy", "The Beehive State", "Davy The Fat Boy", and "Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad". CD

An insanely wonderful first album from Randy Newman – and a perfect example of the way his unique style was a key confluence of all the best elements simmering underneath both late 60s LA and late 60s Warner Brothers! There's an instantly nostalgic quality to the record, but one that's nicely undercut by Newman's familiar sense of wit – a bit more subtle here, and presented with amazing backings from Van Dyke Parks – who almost brings in a lightly symphonic touch at times. The work's almost in the vein of hipper jazz sides by Bob Dorough or Dave Frishberg at the time – and although some of the tunes are familiar from later versions, they still sound best here in Randy's originals. Titles include "Love Story", "So Long Dad", "I Think He's Hiding", "Laughing Boy", "Cowboy", "The Beehive State", "Davy The Fat Boy", and "Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad". LP, Vinyl record album

A great document of the brilliant wit of the young Randy Newman – recorded in a nice stripped-down setting! Titles include "Tickle Me", "Lover's Prayer","Maybe I'm Doing It Wrong", "Davy The Fat Boy", and "Lonely At The Top". CD

A record that will make you forgive Randy for all the later sweeter soundtrack work! Titles include "Burn On", "God's Song", "Political Science", "Old Man", "He Gives Us All His Love", and "Simon Smith & The Amazing Dancing Bear". CD

Titles include "Burn On", "God's Song", "Political Science", "Old Man", "He Gives Us All His Love", and "Simon Smith & The Amazing Dancing Bear". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that will make you forgive Randy for all the later sweeter soundtrack work! Titles include "Burn On", "God's Song", "Political Science", "Old Man", "He Gives Us All His Love", and "Simon Smith & The Amazing Dancing Bear". CD

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". CD

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

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

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

The British Invasion, served up by 60s LA – as the hits of Lennon & McCartney are recast as groovy instrumentals through the studio talents of Jack Nitzsche! The cover promises "The Greatest Hits Of All Times – Arranged For The Greatest Dancing Of All Time" – and while we can't promise that these tunes are dancefloor material for everyone, they still come out sounding pretty darn great – more in a rocking American way, with lots of double-timed rhythms, honking sax bits, and strutting guitars that are a good deal fiercer than the jangle pop of the originals. Titles include "Chains", "She Loves You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "From Me To You", "Please Please Me", "All My Loving", and "It Won't Be Long" – plus the Nitzsche originals "Ringo" and "Beatle-Mania". (Now Sound, Rock) CD

A groovy set from singer & songwriter Peter Gallway and his group Ohio Knox – with sort of oddball, yet totally catchy post psychedelic folk rock tunes taken to a deeper level thanks to impeccable musicianship! Guest players contribute vibes, congas, horns and chorus vocals on some tunes, one of whom is John Sebastian – whom Gallway feels like a kindred spirit to. Includes "Taking It Easy", "Land Of Music", "That Lady", "Calamity Jane", "There Comes A Time", "Baby Sox Knox", "No Sleep For The Wicked", "Abigail Archer", "North Country Laura" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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Both albums complete on one CD! First up GP – a mindblowing solo debut from Gram Parsons – music that's nicely different than his work with both the Flying Burrito Brothers and The Byrds, and which shows Gram really stepping out into the role of a 70s superstar – to which he would have ascended, were he not taken from us all too soon! There's a fragility to the record that's wonderful, even when things are tight – a quality echoed by vocals from Emmylou Harris, and which comes through especially strongly on Parsons' on tunes. Backing features all sorts of country studio greats – including James Burton on guitar and dobro, and Buddy Emmons on steel guitar – and titles include the completely sublime "She" – a cut that should have been a 70s classic – plus "Still Feeling Blue", "We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning", "Streets Of Baltimore", "That's All It Took", and "Cry One More Time". Next is Grievous Angel, one of the most beloved country rock albums of all time! This album is likely to have cemented Gram's legacy even if he didn't pass away before it's release – it's really that good – mixing mournful honk tonk laments, bleary-eyed barroom rockers and soul searching lyricism in a way that was pretty damn distinctive in the 70s. It's bookended by the (arguably) 2 greatest songs he ever wrote, "Return Of The Grievous Angel" and "In My Hour Of Darkness", plus "Love Hurts", "Brass Buttons", "$1000 Wedding", a rockin' cover of Tom T Hall's "I Can't Dance" and "Hickory Wind". And for all the praise we just heaped on Gram Parsons in the preceding sentences, there's no discounting the importance of co-singer and ""In My Hour Of Darkness" co-writer Emmylou Harris, who's like the beautifully voiced angel on Gram's shoulder. CD

An incredibly beautiful album from Pearls Before Swine – one that uses light orchestrations to create a baroquely folksy sort of feel – easily elevating the album past previous efforts, into classic territory we'd rank with the best from Nick Drake or Leonard Cohen! The whole album's great – with fragile and haunting songs from Tom Rapp, all supported by sparsely arranged instrumentation that includes harpsichord, flute, oboe, cello, and dobro. Genius throughout – and a clear inspiration for music still being made 30 years later – with classic tracks that include "The Jeweler", "Rocket Man", "Song About A Rose", "The Old Man", "When The War Began", and "From The Movie Of The Same Name". LP, Vinyl record album

A return to folksier forms for Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine – working here in territory that's very different than some of the baroque light arrangements used on previous records. Rapp's emerging as a more confident singer/songwriter – recording in an almost Dylan-like setting, but with more of the irony of Leonard Cohen, and as always, working in a timeless idiom that's still beginning to be understood more than 30 years after its inception. Beautiful work throughout – as earthy as it is majestic – and with titles that include "My Father", "The Man", "Once Upon A Time", "City Of Gold", "Nancy", and "Wedding". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing start to a short but legendary run from Pentangle – a group who played strongly on the guitar genius of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, but who also adds in a fantastic sense of rhythm too – really transforming the music in the process! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from this legendary group – worth it alone for the guitar interplay between John Renbourn and Bert Jansch, but featuring sublime vocals, and fantastic use of electric bass too! LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

Just when The Ramones were fading into cultural oblivion in the mid 80s – despite being the defining NYC punk band and a group that distilled the previous couple decades of the best and fiercest rock & roll into their own influential blasts – this epic compilation brought about their first and only gold record. Hey ho to Ramones Mania for bringing the boys to the kids of the 80s and cementing their legendary reputation! Includes the best of the early classics and also the most tolerable of their 80s efforts to this point: "I Wanna Be Sedated", "Teenage Labotomy", "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker", "We're A Happy Family", "Bonzo Goes To Bitburg", "Psycho Therapy", "Rock N Roll High School" and many more. CD

Post Pearls Before Swine work from Tom Rapp – a record that has him stepping out as a solo act, but with a feel that's quite similar to his recordings with the group! The mood here is laidback and slightly folksy – but also augmented more by piano than by guitar, and recorded with a watery style that works wonderfully with Rapp's sad-tinged vocals. A number of the songs appear to be remakes of versions from earlier years – and titles include "Snow Queen", "The Jeweler", "Rocket Man", "Sail Away", "Full Phantom Five & I Shall Not Care", "These Things Too", and "Grace Street". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Shake", "Respect", "Try A Little Tenderness", and "I've Been Loving You Too Long" by Otis Redding – and "Like A Rolling Stone", "Rock Me Baby", and "Wild Thing" by Jimi Hendrix. (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

(Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work on guitar and sitar from the great John Renbourn – with flute from Ray Warleigh, plus concertina, viola, and percussion – on titles that include "Trotto", "Lamento Di Tristan", "Veri Floris", "Alman", "The Lady & The Unicorn", and "My Johnny Was A Shoemaker". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

The final album by The Replacements – and a nice one, even if it's closer to a debut solo album for Paul Westerberg than it is to the rest of the 'Mats ouvre! This is a classic example of an album with strengths we either refused to acknowledge back in the day as Replacements classicists, or simply overlooked – but it sounds pretty damn good all these years later. Scott Litt's co-production is clean sound, but not too polished, and titles include "Merry Go Round", "One Week At A Time", "Nobody", "Bent Out Of Shape", "Sadly Beautiful", "Someone Take The Wheel", "When It Began", "All Shook Down", "Attitude", "Torture", "The Last" and more. CD

The final album by The Replacements – and a nice one, even if it's closer to a debut solo album for Paul Westerberg than it is to the rest of the 'Mats ouvre! This is a classic example of an album with strengths we either refused to acknowledge back in the day as Replacements classicists, or simply overlooked – but it sounds pretty damn good all these years later. Scott Litt's co-production is clean sound, but not too polished, and titles include "Merry Go Round", "One Week At A Time", "Nobody", "Bent Out Of Shape", "Sadly Beautiful", "Someone Take The Wheel", "When It Began", "All Shook Down", "Attitude", "Torture", "The Last" and more – plus this CD reissue adds 11 bonus tracks, including some great early demo recordings! CD