... CD

A famous date that showcases the Chess Records influence on the sound of the Brit rock scene – one that has a number of key players "giving back" to the label, and working on a special date with Howlin Wolf! Wolf's rough vocals are in the lead on all tracks, and he also plays a bit of harmonica and guitar as well – and other artists include Steve Winwood on piano and organ, Eric Clapton on guitar, Bill Wyman on bass, and Charlie Watts on drums – all players who are respectful of the original bluesy sound of Chess, and who clearly dig the opportunity to show off their chops in the setting. Titles include "I Ain't Superstitious", "Poor Boy", "Do The Do", "Red Rooster", "Built For Comfort", "What A Woman", "Highway 49", "Who's Been Talking", and "Rocking Daddy". (Blues, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... CD

A famous date that showcases the Chess Records influence on the sound of the Brit rock scene – one that has a number of key players "giving back" to the label, and working on a special date with Howlin Wolf! Wolf's rough vocals are in the lead on all tracks, and he also plays a bit of harmonica and guitar as well – and other artists include Steve Winwood on piano and organ, Eric Clapton on guitar, Bill Wyman on bass, and Charlie Watts on drums – all players who are respectful of the original bluesy sound of Chess, and who clearly dig the opportunity to show off their chops in the setting. Titles include "I Ain't Superstitious", "Poor Boy", "Do The Do", "Red Rooster", "Built For Comfort", "What A Woman", "Highway 49", "Who's Been Talking", and "Rocking Daddy". (Blues, Rock) CD

... CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

A great bit of funky rock, with slight bluesy touches – and a hard overall sound that has bits of the San Francisco sound to it, though they were actually from the east coast, and featured a young Billy Joel rocking in an entirely different vein than his later piano-man years . There's a great break on the cut "4 O'Clock In The Morning" – and other tunes include "Country Boy", "Night After Day", "Cat", "Land Of Despair", and "Hotel St George". LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by T-Bone Burnett. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal record in the career of the great Matt Berry – a set that firmly established him as a musical act away from his work on the screen – not his first album, but one that really seems to have Berry finding his very unique voice! A number of the tunes have a slight nod to spookiness – an element that maybe prefaces Berry's role in What We Do In The Shadows – and the instrumentation has more Wicker Man-like elements at times than some of the mod-styled backings on other of Matt's records – although you can definitely hear his love of vintage keyboards on the album too. Tracks include "Vintage Dance", "Farewell Summer Sun", "Bonfire", "The Signs", "Solstice", "Wolf Quartet", "Fallen Angel", and "October Sun". This edition features all sorts of great tracks recorded at the original sessions – almost doubling the size of the record with cuts that include "Fire Chant", "Food Chain Blues", "October", "Sea Chant", "Honky Knock", "Venison Sketch", "The Dawn", and "To The Floor". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a much harder edge than you'd expect from the cover – not the ancient vibe of a medieval crusade, or the religiosity in the title – and instead this searing entry to the hard rock underground at the time! The group have a really heavy Black Sabbath sort of sound – with excellent lead guitars from Bob Cooke, and a sinister sound that has the grooves really dipping down into the depths, pushed even further by evil-edged vocals from singer Lynden Williams. The album's got the raw power of Sabbath's best work – and the whole thing's a killer record that should have been an instant classic. Titles include "Midnight Steamer", "Frustration", "Hooded Eagle", "Primitive Man", "She Came Like A Bat Out Of Hell", and "When The Wolf Sits". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Howlin' Wolf, Ma Rainey, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ike Turner & His Kings Of Rhythm, Lou Sargent, Johnny Cash, Warren Smith, Carl Perkins, Billy Love, James Cotton, and Frank Frost. LP, Vinyl record album

Prog rock was shifting a bit as 1974 came into view, but the leading lights of the scene were still going strong – sometimes with new modes and slight shifts in production techniques that showed that the music was evolving very strongly, and not just content to mire in the modes of an initial wave of activity! If anything, most of the cats on this set are even sharper musicians and more daring songwriters than a few years before – which means that sometimes, there's an even more focused approach to the music – a bold message that can come across strongly, without a full side album jam – and with production elements that don't oversaturate as much, which almost seems to indicate that the prog scene of the moment were having some thoughts about musical shifts to come! As with the other titles in this series, the box features a superb set list – really well-chosen cuts that go past the obvious – accompanied by a very hefty set of notes on each act and the tunes within. 4CD set features 51 tracks in all – work from Caravan, Hawkwind, Gong, PFM, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Peter Hammill, Neutrons, Nektar, Hatfield & The North, Traffic, Gravy Train, Darryl Way's Wolf, Procol Harum, Jethro Tull, Stackridge, Greenslade, Strawbs, Kevin Ayers, Jack Bruce, and others! CD

Classics from the vaults of Sun Records – not just bit rock hits, but some more obscure blues and country as well! Titles include "Bear Cat" by Rufus Thomas, "Baker Shop Boogie" by Willie Nix, "Red Velvet" by The Kirby Sisters, "Oh Red" by Howlin Wolf, "Ooby Dooby" by Roy Orbison, "Drinkin Wine Spodee O Dee" by Malcolm Yelvington, "Call Me Anything But Call Me" by Big Memphis Ma Rainey, and "Feelin Good" by Little Junior's Blue Flames. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Billy "The Kid" Emerson, Carl Perkins, Billy Lee Riley, Earl Hooker, Ray Harris, Little Milton, Johnny Cash, James Cotton, Howlin' Wolf, Roy Orbison, The Miller Sisters, Rosco Gordon, and Charlie Rich. LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of older record companies got in on the action during the early days of rock and roll – but few folks did it as well as RCA Records – home, of course, to Elvis Presley – and also to all the great lesser-known gems featured in this set! Some tracks are by artists who would break big on later labels, or others who might have stepped over a bit from country – but the bulk of the collection represents all the great singles that RCA cut during the late 50s and early 60s – including some on its sub-labels, where the company was going strong in the worlds of underground styles! Given that this excellent series already looked at RCA once before, it's a further testament that there's an additional 35 rocking gems to be pulled from the label's catalog – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Wild Child" by David Hill, "Get On The Right Track" by Joe Clay, "Rainbow Doll" by Jimmy Dell, "Welcome To The Club" by Jean Chapel, "Wolf Boy" by Sammy Salvo, "Hoebe Snow" by Benny Martin, "Never Been Kissed" by Marlin Greene, "Chicken House" by Dave Rich, "Heart Of A Fool" by Lee Denson, "Almost Eighteen" by Roy Orbison, "That Weepin Willow Tree" by Ray Griff, and "Dumb Bunny" by Bill Carlis. CD

A record with a much harder edge than you'd expect from the cover – not the ancient vibe of a medieval crusade, or the religiosity in the title – and instead this searing entry to the hard rock underground at the time! The group have a really heavy Black Sabbath sort of sound – with excellent lead guitars from Bob Cooke, and a sinister sound that has the grooves really dipping down into the depths, pushed even further by evil-edged vocals from singer Lynden Williams. The album's got the raw power of Sabbath's best work – and the whole thing's a killer record that should have been an instant classic. Titles include "Midnight Steamer", "Frustration", "Hooded Eagle", "Primitive Man", "She Came Like A Bat Out Of Hell", and "When The Wolf Sits". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first giant hits by the Grateful Dead – and a record that has the group tightening things up a bit more, and stepping into some of the country-tinged territory of The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers! Turns out, the move is a great one – as the songs come across with a real down to earth charm that maybe humanizes the group a bit more for the uninitiated listener – a mix of northern Cali pastoral with some of the musical dexterity they'd brought with them from the Haight – folded together perfectly, with a quality that's made the album one of their best-remembered over the decades. Titles include "Uncle John's Band" – maybe their biggest hit at the time – plus "Dire Wolf", "New Speedway Boogie", "Cumberland Blues", "Casey Jones", "Easy Wind", "High Time", and "Black Peter". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Wolf Run (parts 1 & 2)", "Just For Love (parts 1 & 2)", "Freeway Flyer", "Gone Again", and "Fresh Air". LP, Vinyl record album

A key part of the initial tremendous legacy of X – one of the greatest run of records that any group could ever hope for! This third set has the group honing and refining their sound even more – losing none of their roots in the LA hardcore scene, but also inflecting their sound with a complexity that none of their previous scenemates could match – a sense of musicianship that was never too polished, but always razor sharp – at a level that brought even more righteous power to their lyrics and completely unique songplay. The quartet are one of the greatest ever in rock and roll – and this album's a classic that transcends time and style – essential listening on a shortlist of the best guitar-based sounds of the late 20th century. Titles include "The Hungry Wolf", "Riding With Mary", "Under The Big Black Sun", "Blue Spark", "Because I Do", and "Motel Room In My Bed". 5 bonus tracks including "Breathless (single mix)", "Riding With Mary (single version)", "X Rewrites El Paso (rehearsha)/Because I Do (TV mix/inst)", "Universal Corner (live)" and "How I (Learned My Lesson) (live)", for a total of 16 songs in all CD

Prog rock was shifting a bit as 1974 came into view, but the leading lights of the scene were still going strong – sometimes with new modes and slight shifts in production techniques that showed that the music was evolving very strongly, and not just content to mire in the modes of an initial wave of activity! If anything, most of the cats on this set are even sharper musicians and more daring songwriters than a few years before – which means that sometimes, there's an even more focused approach to the music – a bold message that can come across strongly, without a full side album jam – and with production elements that don't oversaturate as much, which almost seems to indicate that the prog scene of the moment were having some thoughts about musical shifts to come! As with the other titles in this series, the box features a superb set list – really well-chosen cuts that go past the obvious – accompanied by a very hefty set of notes on each act and the tunes within. 4CD set features 51 tracks in all – work from Caravan, Hawkwind, Gong, PFM, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Peter Hammill, Neutrons, Nektar, Hatfield & The North, Traffic, Gravy Train, Darryl Way's Wolf, Procol Harum, Jethro Tull, Stackridge, Greenslade, Strawbs, Kevin Ayers, Jack Bruce, and others! CD

A really unusual collection, with a sound that's very much its own – a set that seeks not to pin down a certain scene or style of music – but instead maybe capture a special mood, one that's very much in line with the title! There's definitely a certain sort of melancholy to the set – yet that's only part of the picture too – as many of these cuts have a vibe that's post-folk, post-Sunshine pop – maybe a bit rootsy in production, but also served up with a mature approach to songwriting and vocals that really set the tunes apart. You might think of these artists as being farther left field of America at their height – and we mean that in the best way possible – working with some of the harmonies and blueness of Alzo & Udine, and in a similar mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation that really fits the spirit of the lyrics. The liner notes are a bit scant on dates or information on most of the artists – the compilers prefer more to talk about themselves – but the music speaks volumes by itself, on tracks that include "Holy River" by Space Opera, "Loaves & Fishes" by Willow, "NY Survivor" by Randy & The Goats, "Illusion" by Norma Tanega, "Tomorrow Is Gone" by Jode, "Sad About The Times" by West, "The Running Water" by The Smubbs, "Here Comes The Sun" by Oliver Klaus, "Wolf" by Antonia Lamb, "Lover Now Alone" by Kevin Vicalvi, "Sails Across The Sea" by Bob Metzdorf, "Maybe Someday Maybe Never" by Dennis Stoner, and "Lonely City" by Hollins Ferry. CD

A tremendous album from The Beau Brummels – one of the lesser-remembered groups from the late 60s Warner hipster heyday! At some level, the group's a folk-rock outfit – with the left-of-center feel of some of Fred Neil's best work for Capitol, and a similar blend of east coast honesty and west coast mind expansion. The format here is remarkably simple, but handled with some nice touches by producer Lenny Waronker, who really brings a lot more out of the band than on their earlier indie recordings. Titles include "Are You Happy", "The Wolf Of Velvet Fortune", "The Keeper Of Time", "Only Dreaming Now", "Magic Hollow", "Painter Of Women", and "Triangle". CD

A set that's definitely Pure Jerry – as the record features Jerry on acoustic guitar and vocals, with just the acoustic bass of John Kahn for support! The music has that core acoustic Garcia roots sensibility – that sideline that Jerry started developing alongside his work with the Grateful Dead, almost from the start – but which really blossomed on performances like this in the 80s. Titles include versions of "Little Sadie", "Deep Elem Blues", "Jack A Roe", "Dire Wolf", "Bird Song", "Ripple", "Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie", "Spike Driver Blues", and "Friend Of The Devil". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic Halloween rockers – a whole host of original tracks recorded in the best mid 60s garage/monster mode – at a level that definitely makes this full length set the top of the stack for the short-lived genre! The package came out on the small Power Records label, who sometimes would use other big names in no-name presentations like these – and although the players aren't listed, the instrumentation is great – lots of sharp guitar lines, tenor solos, and all sorts of weird effects and production twists and turns – which keeps things spooky throughout! Titles include "Good River", "Weerdo The Wolf", "Knives & Lovers", "Ghoul Days", "A Hearse Is Not A Home", and "3 Little Weirds". (Halloween, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A key part of the initial tremendous legacy of X – one of the greatest run of records that any group could ever hope for! This third set has the group honing and refining their sound even more – losing none of their roots in the LA hardcore scene, but also inflecting their sound with a complexity that none of their previous scenemates could match – a sense of musicianship that was never too polished, but always razor sharp – at a level that brought even more righteous power to their lyrics and completely unique songplay. The quartet are one of the greatest ever in rock and roll – and this album's a classic that transcends time and style – essential listening on a shortlist of the best guitar-based sounds of the late 20th century. Titles include "The Hungry Wolf", "Riding With Mary", "Under The Big Black Sun", "Blue Spark", "Because I Do", and "Motel Room In My Bed". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Obray Ramsey, Merle Haggard, Dixie Cups, Cannon's Jug Stompers, Marty Robbins, Bob Dylan, Charlie Patton, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, Henry Thomas, Jimmy Reed, and more – 17 tracks total. CD

Oh for the glory days of the 7" single – that magical late 50s/early 60s time when it seemed like there was an endless supply of weird and wonderful records all the time – and at prices that allowed them to circulate easily, even if they weren't big hits! (And why are 7" singles so expensive these days?) The package is a fantastic testament to that wonderful musical moment – when you might stumble across a backroom jukebox, stuffed with overlooked gems – just waiting for you to discover them, and get them blasting out of the bassy speaker with the drop of your dime. Few folks know this generation better than Lux and Ivy of The Cramps – a pair who were record collectors before they even made a single of their own – and the set features a stunning 50 rare nuggets – with titles that include "The Mash" by Bud Spudd & The Sprouts, "No Time" by The Titans, "Purr Kitty Purr" by Sid King & The Five Strings, "Time Machine" by The Gamblers, "Little Bitty Girl" by The Memories, "The Little Martian" by Jan Amber, "The Last Meal" by Hurricane Harry, "Hello Schoolteacher" by The 4 After 5s, "Peach Fuzz" by Bob Taylor, "Zindy Lou" by The Mariners, "My Memories Of You" by Yolanda & The Natural, "Wolf Call" by Mark Anthony, "Nameless" by Bob Strauss, "Heartbeat" by The Threeteens, "I Dreamed I Was Elvis" by Sonny Cole & The Rhythm Roamers, "Mental Cruelty" by Larry & Dixie Davis, and "Bodacious" by The US Rockets. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing slow about this mid 70s album from Steppenwolf – a set that has the group really coming back into the fray, after John Kay had left for a bit and recorded as a solo act! All the raw power of the group is still very much at play here – plenty of searing guitars, at that level that made Steppenwolf such a key precursor to the hard rock sound of the 70s – maybe answered to by the group themselves here, who felt a need to reform and show the younger acts how things were done! But there's also some fuller production at times too – touches of soul inspiration that hit a few of the songs, but without ever knocking the guitars out too much – on titles that include "Get Into The Wind", "Children Of The Night", "Smokey Factory Blues", "Morning Blue", "A Fool's Fantasy", and "Gang War Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Born To Be Wild", "Sookie Sookie", "Berry Rides Again", "Your Wall's Too High", and "Desperation". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Sooki Sooki", "Don't Step On The Grass Sam", "The Pusher", "Magic Carpet Ride", and "Tighten Up Your Wig". CD

A tripped-out batch of freedom rock tunes – pulled together to accompany Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper's famous trip across the wasteland of late 60s America! The set includes Steppenwolf's anthemic "Born To Be Wild", as well as their "The Pusher" – plus "Kyrie Eleison" by The Electric Prunes, "Don't Bogart Me" by The Fraternity Of Man, "Wasn't Born To Follow" by The Byrds, "If You Want To Be A Bird" by The Holy Modal Rounders, "It's Alright Ma" and "Ballad Of Easy Rider" by Roger McGuinn, & "If Six Was Nine" by Jimi Hendrix. (Soundtracks, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Titles include "Born To Be Wild", "Rock Me", "Move Over", "Snowblind Friend", "Ride With Me", "Magic Carpet Ride", "The Pusher", "Sookie Sookie", "Screaming Night Hog", "Monster", "Tenderness", and "Jupiter's Child". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing slow about this mid 70s album from Steppenwolf – a set that has the group really coming back into the fray, after John Kay had left for a bit and recorded as a solo act! All the raw power of the group is still very much at play here – plenty of searing guitars, at that level that made Steppenwolf such a key precursor to the hard rock sound of the 70s – maybe answered to by the group themselves here, who felt a need to reform and show the younger acts how things were done! But there's also some fuller production at times too – touches of soul inspiration that hit a few of the songs, but without ever knocking the guitars out too much – on titles that include "Get Into The Wind", "Children Of The Night", "Smokey Factory Blues", "Morning Blue", "A Fool's Fantasy", and "Gang War Blues". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

It's a long way from The Mamas & The Papas by this time for John Phillips – standing on the beach on the cover, all bedraggled in a dirty hat and coat, with a long beard, and a worn-out look on his face – but that change turns out to be a great one for him, as you'll hear on the set! The style here is much rougher and earthier than the sweeter pop of the 60s – a batch of Laurel Canyon folksy numbers that show the hipper side of Phillips that didn't always get expressed in his former pop years. Titles include "April Anne", "Captain", "Drum", "Someone's Sleeping", "Holland Tunnel", and "Mississippi". Plus, the CD features 8 more bonus tracks, most of which are previously unreleased – "Shady", "Lonely Children", "Lady Genevieve", "The Frenchman", "16mm Baby", and "Black Girl". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Sooki Sooki", "Don't Step On The Grass Sam", "The Pusher", "Magic Carpet Ride", and "Tighten Up Your Wig". LP, Vinyl record album

Bang On A Can. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A groundbreaking step forward for one of the most legendary bands in the Kraut rock scene of the early 70s – a record that's still as heavy on instrumentation as their debut, but which also makes just the right use of vocals to really blow up the sound! The core of the group features all sorts of guitar, electronics, and organ from Manuel Gottsching, guitar and bass from Hartmut Enke, and drums and vibes from Wolfgang Muller – but it may well be the presence of singer John L that really opens the record up, as John uses his voice almost more like an instrument – and a moodily powerful one at that! The set's got three long tracks – "Flowers Must Die", "Look At Your Sun", and "Schwingungen". CD

Sacrilicious psychobilly sleaze from The Cramps – tearing into the 80s with Songs The Lord Taught Us – one their best ever albums! The Cramps may have ticked off aging proto rock fans of the time with their ghoulish take on the style, along with their punk demeanor, but producer Alex Chilton sure did "get it", right? As if we didn't already adore that dude! CLASSIC! Titles include "TV Set", "Rock On The Moon", "Garbage Man", "I Was A Teenage Werewolf", "Mystery Plane", "I'm Cramped", "Tear It Up" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Tom Waits's follow-up to Rain Dogs – and a batch of songs that do double duty as a straight-up, stand alone record from his wild years at Island Records – and also as the musical accompaniment to a play he co-wrote with wife Kathleen Brennan! (As Chicagoans, we have a special fondness for that side of the project, since the play premiered here with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.) It's a prime batch of Waits songcraft from this most amazing creative peak period – with the trademark gritty, howled vocals, primal drums, pre-rock horns. Titles include "More Than Rain", "Way Down In The Hole", "Straight To The Top", "Telephone Call From Istanbul", "Train Song", "Cold Cold Ground", "I'll Be Gone", "Yesterday Is Here", "Blow Wind Blow", and "Hang On St Christopher". LP, Vinyl record album