Very cool stuff – and a very strange record for Gary McFarland! The album features tracks that are a lot more vocal-oriented than his earlier work – but the same great sense of wild arrangements and strange subtle genius is still firmly in place. McFarland, as much as any idiosyncratic song craftsman of the era , had an expert way of layering intricate instrumentation in a way that was always loose and in service of the vocals. This record is a fine example that talent, and a lovingly groovy and strange batch of tunes, too! Vocals are handled mostly by Peter Smith, but McFarland also joins in on a number of tracks. True genius pop – on a par with the best 60s Nilsson albums, or some particularly great moments from Spanky & Our Gang. Titles include "Poor Daniel", "Dance With Me", "Straight Arrow", "Salvation Army Rags", "Rain On The Ocean" and "All My Better Days". (Jazz, Rock) CD

One of the best, most influential indie singer-songwriter records of the 90s – and maybe the best ever by the late, great Elliot Smith! In the noisy indie rock early 90s, vulnerable, quietly-recorded, largely solo acoustic confessionals were not par for the course, but Elliot Smith was by no means an average indie rocker. It was pretty devastating stuff, even before Elliott's death, and especially so in retrospect – but there's so much heart and such a careful ear for intimate pop songwriting, it's never a depressing listen. A true classic. Includes "Speed Trials", "Alameda", "Ballad Of Big Nothing", "Between The Bars", "No Name No. 5", "Rose Parade", "Angeles", "Cupid's Trick", "2:45 AM", "Say Yes" and more. CD

Perfect early work from The Cure from the heart of the late 70s post-punk era – music that's short, sharp, and surprisingly powerful after all these years! The trio here has all the best sharp edges that made them a real standout in the post-punk years – and Robert Smith reminds us that although his vocals have gone onto be the stuff of legend, it may well have been his guitar work that first got him noticed! Really just guitar, bass, and drums – but used extremely well – on titles that include "Another Day", "Subway Song", "10:15 Saturday Night", "Accuracy", "Grinding Halt", "Three Imaginary Boys", "It's Not You", and "So What". LP, Vinyl record album

Bob Dylan's fourth record, and close runner up to Freewheelin' as the masterpiece of this early stage of his career. While the overly arch Times They Are A Changin' pretty much stood as the cornerstone of classifiable folk rock at the time, Another Side is just that. Dense, elliptical, and downright surreal at times, with some of the protesty stuff that made the media so happy & hungry, but much more layered and poetic. Another side is also much more reverent of and indebted to the Harry Smith field recordings that Bob studied so hard, the stuff that finally caught on with the general public in the early 90s. Titles include "Spanish Harlem Incident", "It Ain't Me Babe", "Ballad In Plain D", "Black Crow Blues", "I Don't Believe You", "Motorpsycho Nitemare", "To Ramona", "Chimes Of Freedom", "My Back Pages", and "I Shall Be Free No 10". LP, Vinyl record album

Perfect early work from The Cure from the heart of the late 70s post-punk era – music that's short, sharp, and surprisingly powerful after all these years! The trio here has all the best sharp edges that made them a real standout in the post-punk years – and Robert Smith reminds us that although his vocals have gone onto be the stuff of legend, it may well have been his guitar work that first got him noticed! Really just guitar, bass, and drums – but used extremely well – on titles that include "Another Day", "Subway Song", "10:15 Saturday Night", "Accuracy", "Grinding Halt", "Three Imaginary Boys", "It's Not You", and "So What". LP, Vinyl record album

A mad mix of loud guitar, wild samples, and heavy Brazilian percussion – all nicely topped with the soulful vocals of Chico Science! The record's one of the group's earlier ones, and it's filled with a sense of raw power and experimentation that easily demonstrates why the band grabbed so much attention so quickly. Forget all those cliches you keep hearing about the postmodern power of Tropicalia – this stuff's equally as complex, and filled with bits and pieces you wouldn't even imagine! Titles include "Da Lama Ao Caos", "Salusatiano Song", "Riso Flora", "Coco Dub", "Rios, Pontes & Overdrives", and "A Cidade", which has a nice little snippet from Mark E Smith! (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Bob's fourth record, and close runner up to Freewheelin' as the masterpiece of this early stage of his career. While the overly arch Times They Are A Changin' pretty much stood as the cornerstone of classifiable folk rock at the time, Another Side is just that. Dense, elliptical, and downright surreal at times, with some of the protesty stuff that made the media so happy & hungry, but much more layered and poetic. Another side is also much more reverent of and indebted to the Harry Smith field recordings that Bob studied so hard, the stuff that finally caught on with the general public in the early 90s. Titles include "Spanish Harlem Incident", "It Ain't Me Babe", "Ballad In Plain D", "Black Crow Blues", "I Don't Believe You", "Motorpsycho Nitemare", "To Ramona", "Chimes Of Freedom", "My Back Pages", and "I Shall Be Free No 10". CD

The fantastic and nicely expanded Ace Story Vol 2 – the seminal series of one time vinyl only Ace Records compilations of standout late 50s/early 60s New Orleans R&B, with a bit of rock & roll & blues! Like Vol 1 of the CD revisit/revival, the 12 tracks from the original vinyl compilation are fleshed out with an addition dozen tracks that are just as great! It's steeped heavily is fantastic late 50s Crescent City R&B, jump blues and more – great stuff from Eddie Bo, Little Shelton, Jimmy Clanton, Huey Piano Smith, Earl King, Gene & Al's Spacemen, Big Boy Myles and more! 24 tracks in all: "Blow Wind Blow" by Junior Gordon, "Roberta" by Frankie Ford, "Sea Cruise" by Little Shelton, "Chickee Wah-Wah" by Bobby Marchan, "Curiousity" by Joe & Ann, "Teen Age Rock" by Little Booker, "Little Girl" by Earl King, "New Orleans" by Big Boy Myles, "Looped" by Joe Dyson with Johnny Collins and many more. (Soul, Rock) CD

A mad mix of loud guitar, wild samples, and heavy Brazilian percussion – all nicely topped with the soulful vocals of Chico Science! The record's one of the group's earlier ones, and it's filled with a sense of raw power and experimentation that easily demonstrates why the band grabbed so much attention so quickly. Forget all those cliches you keep hearing about the postmodern power of Tropicalia – this stuff's equally as complex, and filled with bits and pieces you wouldn't even imagine! Titles include "Da Lama Ao Caos", "Salusatiano Song", "Riso Flora", "Coco Dub", "Rios, Pontes & Overdrives", and "A Cidade", which has a nice little snippet from Mark E Smith! (Brazil, Rock) CD

With Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Cyril Davies, Jeff Beck, Santa Barbera Machine Head, and Stuff Smith. LP, Vinyl record album

Weird mix of stuff on here, with The Bangles, Aerosmith, Poison, Joan Jett, Roy Orbison, and Slayer – but it was the record that broke Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise" onto the world, and you've got to love it for that. Also includes LL Cool J's great "Goin' Back To Cali", one of the greatest soundtrack cuts of the 80's! (Soundtracks, Rock) CD

Covers from Aram, The Smithereens, Kurt Neumann, John Wesley Harding, Nils Lofgren, John Hiatt, Dave Alvin, Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, Martin Zellar, Marshall Crenshaw, Syd Straw, and more. CD

... CD

Few songwriters have had such a lasting impact on modern music as Leonard Cohen – an incredible songsmith when he first emerged in the late 60s, and one who continued to create songs at the top of his game for many years after! And although Cohen's own recordings are the stuff of legend – essential to any collection of hip, thoughtful music – many others have picked up his tunes and really done great things with them – a fair bit of whom are included in this set! The package has an unusual scope – in that it includes selections by some of the artists recording right when Leonard was getting his start on record – then jumps forward to the 21st Century, to showcase a number of more contemporary recordings that show just how timeless Cohen's lyrics can be. As always with Ace, the presentation is wonderful – with detailed notes on all the selections – and titles include "So Long Marianne" by Noel Harrison, "Joan Of Arc" by Anna Calvi, "Show Me The Place" by The Webb Sisters, "Anthem" by Father John Misty, "The Stranger Song" by Emmylou Harris, "Blue Alert" by Madeleine Peyroux, "Closing Time" by Fairport Convention, "A Thousand Kisses Deep" by Ann Wilson, "Nightingale" by Anjani, "Is This What You Wanted" by Last Shadow Puppets, "Story Of Isaac" by Judy Collins, "Here It Is" by Jonathan Richman, and "You Know Who I Am" by Mama Cass. CD