A tremendous overview of some really important years in British music – a period that sometimes gets overlooked, due to the huge explosion of psych, prog, and other styles – but one that's equally creative in its own sort of way! First off, forget the term "folk rock" – because although that's what this music might be, it's also very different than the pop folk modes that were big on the US scene in the mid 60s – as this folk rock scene instead represented a host of British musicians really retrenching, and finding their own sort of styles – sometimes borrowing bits from the ancient past of England, other times bringing forth a contemporary way of putting over a tune – at a level that might have gotten commercial and overproduced if these guys were working on the American west coast, but which instead has a nicely unadorned quality here. At a time when most American labels (and listeners) were really leaving folk music behind, these artists were able to often work free from the needs of a big commercial hit – and make genius music that's gone on to transform many minds over the decades. The set moves way past the obvious – and features a whopping 60 tracks in all, with lots of notes in the package – and even includes a few never-issued tracks as well. Includes work by Harvey Andrews, Jade, Michael Chapman, Andy Roberts, Mr Fox, Pentangle, Shirley Collins, Prelude, Heron, Mike Cooper, Paul Brett's Sage, Lifeblood, Dando Shaft, Canticle, Jeremy Harmer, Bridget St John, Al Jones, Bill Fay, Fairport Convention, The Woods Band, Matthew's Southern Comfort, The Johnstons, Beau, Richmond, Chimera, Spirogyra, and many others! CD

A huge package – all the material on the double-length Woodstock and Woodstock 2 albums – plus an hour of unreleased music! Features tracks from Jimi Hendrix, Richie Havens, Tim Hardin, Country Joe McDonald, Canned Heat, The Band, Joe Cocker, Santana, Mountain, The Who, Janis Joplin, and others! CD

A record that's every bit as weird and wild as its cover – and the only album ever recorded by this overlooked band – a late 60s act who were hip enough to be on the lineup at Woodstock, even though they never seemed to crack the big time after that! Yet although Quill were left out of the film version of the concert, their music here is more than heady enough to live up to the famous company in which they traveled – certainly psych, but with some deeper currents on the guitar that almost verge into hard rock at times – at a level that makes us wonder where they might have gone had they hung on a bit longer! Titles include "Thumbnail Screwdriver", "The Tube Exuding", "BBY", "Yellow Butterfly", "Too Late", and "Shrieking Finally". CD

The complete albums of this really unique group – all wrapped up in a single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is the self-titled debut – described on the cover as "Eight high-octane musicians who met and jammed in the great peanut butter octopus that is Los Angeles!" The record's got a really trippy approach that's partially folk rock, partially psychedelic soul, and which also has some great touches of groovy harmony pop and Latinized LA rhythms – all wrapped up in some totally great production overall! The whole thing skims and sings around like some of our favorite sunshiney pop from the time – almost a meeting of Triste Janeiro and Mamas & The Papas – with some great instrumental touches that include cello and electric harpsichord! Female lead vocals on most tracks, but the album also spins out nicely, so that you get plenty of instrumental passages too! Titles include "Why Oh Why", "Motherless Child", "Here We Go Again", "For Pete's Sake", "What's Wrong", "Come Take A Walk", and "In A Rainbow". Next is Just For You – the group's second album – and a really sweet batch of tracks that mix together rock and soul influences with touches of west coast hippy jazz, in a style that's almost an LA answer to Rotary Connection, but without all the baroque arrangements. The set's got a great version of "Compared To What", and the extended jazzy jammer "Just For You" – plus the cuts "Day Song", "Just For You", "Look Out", "Without Me", and "Windlace". Last up is Melon – a great little set from Sweetwater – a rock combo at heart, but one who also bring in a nice sense of soul too! The album follows strongly from other of their Reprise releases – almost funky in parts, with drums that kick in nicely, and a flowing sense of groove that features keyboards, flute, and added percussion that helps to spice things up. Most tracks have vocals, but there's some very strong standout instrumental moments – and titles include "Take It From Splice Boys", "Naturally", "Don't Give A Hoot", "Get It While You Can", "I'm Happy Today", "Rejoice The Smile Of Man", and "Join The Band". 2CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including one recorded at Woodstock! CD

A great look at the farther reaches of the American underground scene in the mid 80s – years after punk and post-punk modes – and a portrait of a whole generation who rose up in their wake, but maybe made music that was something else entirely! 20 years hence, these guys might have been garage rock bands – and while they've got some of that spirit, they've also learned the sharper guitar edges of the late 70s/early 80s scene – but work towards songs that are sometimes more personal, and subjects that are more down to earth. At some level, these groups are America's version of the C86 generation – but more obscure, with less polish, as they were never likely to get the airplay or press of the British scene – which is what makes the music even more compelling, especially as some of these guys were very tied to local scenes. The package is great – with an enormous booklet of notes that's worth the price alone – in support of 28 tracks that include "The Meeting" by Pop Art, "Change" by Holiday, "When Do You Say Hello" by Great Plains, "Say Goodbye" by Riff Doctors, "Misery Me & You" by White Sisters, "Is It You" by The Darrows, "Seven Steps Down" by Salem 66, "Five O'Clock" by Three Hits, "She Collides With Me" by Sex Clark Five, "All My Friends" by Primitons, "All That Stuff" by The Windbreakers, and "Trusted Woods" by The Reverbs. CD