Fuzzy guitars, analog electronics, moody production, and slightly sinister vocals – all elements you'll find in abundance here, in this well done look at UK work from a generation when the US scene was dipping into modes that were later dubbed "post-rock" – and helped to define the style of a generation! The British take on this territory is nicely different from American work of the time – and there's maybe a larger, wider palette of approaches going on – elements borrowed from other styles and generations, but woven into these wonderful waves of sound that made for a great farewell to the 20th century! The collection is in a slightly newer range than we're used to hearing from Ace Records, but they do an equally great job with the material – as the choice of cuts is superb, and the detailed notes provide plenty of direction throughout the musical journey. Titles include "City Poison" by Moonshake, "Second Language" by Disco Inferno, "Darling Effect" by Insides, "Starry Night" by Laika, "Every Day Shines (D mix)" by Earwig, "Play Away" by Electric Sound Of Joy, "Through You" by Seefeel, "Loose Threads" by Pram, "In The Light Of Time" by Flying Saucer Attack, "The Weight" by Hood, "A Street Scene" by Bark Psychosis, "Naturally Occurring Anchors" by Spoonfed Hybrid, In The Event Of Just Looking" by Appliance, "Sun Drawing" by Movietone, and "A Cherry Wave From Stranded Youngsters" by Mogwai. CD

Fuzzy guitars, analog electronics, moody production, and slightly sinister vocals – all elements you'll find in abundance here, in this well done look at UK work from a generation when the US scene was dipping into modes that were later dubbed "post-rock" – and helped to define the style of a generation! The British take on this territory is nicely different from American work of the time – and there's maybe a larger, wider palette of approaches going on – elements borrowed from other styles and generations, but woven into these wonderful waves of sound that made for a great farewell to the 20th century! The collection is in a slightly newer range than we're used to hearing from Ace Records, but they do an equally great job with the material – as the choice of cuts is superb, and the detailed notes provide plenty of direction throughout the musical journey. Titles include "City Poison" by Moonshake, "Second Language" by Disco Inferno, "Darling Effect" by Insides, "Starry Night" by Laika, "Every Day Shines (D mix)" by Earwig, "Play Away" by Electric Sound Of Joy, "Through You" by Seefeel, "Loose Threads" by Pram, "In The Light Of Time" by Flying Saucer Attack, "The Weight" by Hood, "A Street Scene" by Bark Psychosis, "Naturally Occurring Anchors" by Spoonfed Hybrid, In The Event Of Just Looking" by Appliance, "Sun Drawing" by Movietone, and "A Cherry Wave From Stranded Youngsters" by Mogwai. LP, Vinyl record album

First up is Can't Stand The Rezillos – a record with guitars fast and hard enough to almost be late 70s punk rock, but which often comes off with a more playful, whimsical new wave sort of approach! Tracks are short and hook-heavy – produced by Bob Clearmountain with that razor-edged quality he brought to his best work of the time – and the trading off of lead vocals between Fay Fife and Eugene Reynolds makes the record hang nicely in a space between Blondie and The Ramones! Titles include "Flying Saucer Attach", "No", "Top Of The Pops", "2000 AD", "It Gets Me", "Glad All Over", and "Cold Wars". Next is Mission Accomplished – a fierce little live set from The Rezillos – one that comes as quite a surprise, since the group had only issued one studio set before – but a great choice overall, as the live setting really seems to set them on fire! Things here are harder, faster, and sharper than on their debut – with more punk speed and energy in the guitars, even if the songs themselves are more in a power pop mode – as tuneful as they are quick-moving! The concert was actually the group's last – recorded at a time when they'd announced a breakup – and that maybe gives the whole thing an urgency that was missing before, and which really makes us wish they'd kept recording. Titles include "Top Of The Pops"," Mystery Action", "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite", "Thunderbirds Are Go", "No", "Teenbeat", "Ballroom Blitz", "Destination Venus", and "Culture Shock". CD

Pink Floyd rose out of the same London scene that gave the world a huge amount of psychedelic records in the late 60s – but with a set like this, they're clearly head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – already working with a boundless sense of imagination and impeccable instrumentation, on a record that's full of delight and surprise at every single twist and turn! The group still sport Syd Barrett vocals and lyrics here, but are also really opening up their guitar spaceship too – soaring to the heavens on the tremendous "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" – and sending the whole thing home with the cuts "Let There Be More Light", "Corporal Clegg", "Jugband Blues", "See Saw", and "A Saucerful Of Secrets". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know Ace Records as home to a fair bit of jazz, funk, and soul reissues over the years – but right from the start, the label's also had a keen ear for rockabilly – and can boast a decades-long devotion to the music, with releases that have really blown us away! This set digs back over material that Ace has reissued in previous decades – cuts that are both rare original singles, or unissued tracks – from important labels like Starday, Chess, Goldband, and Meteor – all hand-picked by Keb Darge – another British force in turning us on to great music over the years! The vinyl-only collection is full of gems – and titles include "All Dressed Up" by Jimmy Johnson, "Let's Go Bopping Tonight" by Al Ferrier & His Bopping Billies, "Nuthin But A Nuthin" by Jimmy Stewart & His Nighthawks, "Blue Jeans & A Boy's Shirt" by Glen Glenn, "The Woman I Love" by Gene Terry & His Kook Kats, "Jello Sal" by Benny Ingram, "Lonesome Baby Blues" by David Ray, and "Do Me No Wrong" by Pat Cupp & The Flying Saucers. LP, Vinyl record album

Pink Floyd rose out of the same London scene that gave the world a huge amount of psychedelic records in the late 60s – but with a set like this, they're clearly head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – already working with a boundless sense of imagination and impeccable instrumentation, on a record that's full of delight and surprise at every single twist and turn! The group still sport Syd Barrett vocals and lyrics here, but are also really opening up their guitar spaceship too – soaring to the heavens on the tremendous "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" – and sending the whole thing home with the cuts "Let There Be More Light", "Corporal Clegg", "Jugband Blues", "See Saw", and "A Saucerful Of Secrets". CD

Includes Flying Saucers, Little Tina & Flight 56, Riot Rockers, Crazy Cavan, Freddie Fingers Lee, and Steve Bloomfield. LP, Vinyl record album

A real lost treasure from Art Farmer – a tremendous album that hardly ever shows up in the history books, and which, to our knowledge, appears here on CD for the first time ever – plus a bonus album of earlier Farmer work with the Mundell Lowe Septet! Many Faces is a rare 1964 jazz side for the mostly-pop Scepter label – featuring Farmer at the head of a small group working with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Charles McPherson on alto, and Steve Swallow or Ron Carter alternating on bass. The album was done under the direction of Tom McIntosh – the brilliant young composer who had a magical talent for blending together modern and lyrical modes while still keeping a strong degree of soul. McIntosh contributed a few tunes to the set, as did Dennis Sandole – the nearly-forgotten trumpeter from the Philly scene of the 50s. There's a dark beauty to this session that surpasses even many other Farmer sides from the time – and titles include "Hyacinth", "Ally", "Happy Feet", "Minuet In G", and "Saucer Eyes". 1958's Porgy & Bess finds Farmer playing trumpet for guitarist Mundell Lowe's Septet on a nice set of material from Gershwin – including lesser known numbers from the original play. Players include Tony Scott on clarinet and baritone, Ben Webster on tenor and either George Duvivier or Osie Johnson on the kit. Titles include "Summertime", "Bess, You Is My Woman", "I Love You Porgy", "Redhead Woman", "There's A Boat That's Leaving Soon For New York", "It Ain't Necessarily So" and more. CD

A haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest recorded work from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – presented here in an overstuffed set that brings together most of his appearances on the Savoy label! The core standout tunes here are 10 numbers recorded in 1946 by The Bebop Boys – a combo that featured Dorham, Sonny Stitt, and Bud Powell coming together on tight, short, very upbeat bop material that ranked with some of the best early 78s of the genre. Titles by this group include "Seven Up", "Bebop In Pastel", "Serenade To A Square", "Fools Fancy", and "Bombay". Other material on the CD includes a solo by Kenny on "The Jitney Man" by Billy Eckstine, plus 3 tracks with the Milt Jackson Sextet from 1949 – including "Conglomeration", "Bruz", and "Roll Em Bags". Kenny also plays on three 1949 recordings with Charlie Parker – "Barbados", "Scrapple From The Apple", and "Bebop" – as well as four 1956 numbers with Cecil Payne – including "Grooving High", "Man Of Moods", and "Saucer Eyes". CD

Some of the most important work ever recorded by Randy Weston – 5 early albums that really pushed the boundaries of modern jazz! First up on the set is Little Niles – a fantastic set that features some of Weston's best early compositions – angular and Monk-ish numbers, but with a profound influence from African rhythms. Next up is Live At The Five Spot – a really compelling live set that features Randy working out Little Niles-ish numbers with a live group that includes Kenny Dorham and Coleman Hawkins. After that is Piano A La Mode – a sublimely simple album of mellow piano tracks – followed by a series of previously unissued tracks done with a quartet that includes Roy Haynes, Cecil Payne, and Ron Carter. Following that are some of Randy's most Afro-centric albums – very unique for the time, and equally powerful today – the records Uhuru Afrika and Highlife – both of which feature larger groups working through some distinctly African ideas in jazz. Nearly every record features arrangements by Melba Liston – and if you've ever wondered where to start with Randy, this is it – because the set encapsulates nearly all of the biggest contributions he ever made to jazz! 40 titles in all – with tunes that include "Little Niles", "Nice Ice", "Earth Birth", "Gingerbread", "Saucer Eyes", "204", "CB Blues", "Where", "Fe Double U Blues", "African Lady", "Bantu", "Kucheza Blues", "Blues To Africa", and "Congolese Children". CD

A pair of classic early 60s modern jazz sets – back to back in this great 70s package! First up is the album Far Cry from Eric Dolphy – Eric Dolphy's first meeting in the studio with trumpeter Booker Little – a brilliant batch of modernism that's easily one of the hippest records Little ever worked on! The Dolphy heard here is Eric at his most inventive – sharp-edged and angular one minute, then spiritually lyrical the next – playing flute, bass clarinet, and alto sax equally well on the record – and somehow managing to get Little to share his inspiration perfectly on every number. Other players include Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a rhythm team whose abilities are a big part of the success of the record – and titles include "Far Cry", "Mrs Parker Of KC", "Left Alone", "Ode To Charlie Parker", and "Miss Ann". Next is Where – a haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

A real lost treasure from Art Farmer – a tremendous album that hardly ever shows up in the history books, and which, to our knowledge, has never properly been reissued! The set's a rare jazz side for the mostly-pop Scepter label – featuring Farmer at the head of a small group working with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Charles McPherson on alto, and either Steve Swallow or Ron Carter on bass. The album was done under the direction of Tom McIntosh – the brilliant young composer who had a magical talent for blending together modern and lyrical modes while still keeping a strong degree of soul. McIntosh contributed a few tunes to the set, as did Dennis Sandole – the nearly-forgotten trumpeter from the Philly scene of the 50s. There's a dark beauty to this session that surpasses even many other Farmer sides from the time – and titles include "Hyacinth", "Ally", "Happy Feet", "Minuet In G", and "Saucer Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

The third solo album from Steve Hillage – a much more focused effort than before, and a record that features production from Malcolm Cecil of Tonto's Expanding Head Band! The album's still got plenty of trademark Hillage guitar work, but it's also got a fair bit more focused tunes than before too – a bit less jamming and more hook-heavy vocals – all wrapped up in some nicely fuzzy production from Cecil. The album's still a fair bit darker than you might guess from the cheesy cover – and titles include "Saucer Surfing", "Octave Doctors", "Not Fade Away", "Motivation", "Hello Dawn", and "Light In The Sky". CD

The late live album from Jefferson Airplane – who were at the end of their journey, but whatever their personal differences may have been at the time, they still put on a helluva great rock and roll show! Thirty Seconds Over Winterland was recorded at that legendary San Francisco venue, and at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre, with the post-Marty Balin line-up of Grace Slick, Paul Kanter, Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukomen – plus violinist Papa John Creach, drummer John Barbata and vocalist David Freiberg from Quicksilver Messenger Service. Titles include "Have You Seen The Saucers", "Feel So Good", "Crown Of Creation", "When The Earth Moves Again", "Milk Train", "Trial By Fire" and "Twilight Double Leader". LP, Vinyl record album

A haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

A great way to enjoy these two sublime early albums from Pink Floyd – in a cool 70s Hipnosis package, to boot! LP, Vinyl record album

A never-issued set from the great Weldon Irvine – late 70s material made after his classic jazz/funk albums on RCA – and a set that's every bit as great as that material! Irvine works with some of the key musicians who'd make great funky records for the Arista/GRP label – including guitarist Bobby Broom, trumpeter Tom Browne, and keyboardist Don Blackman – the last of whom even sings a bit on the record! There's plenty of moments that resonate strongly with the GRP albums from all three of those jazz funk giants – and if the set had been issued by the label, it would have helped Weldon continue onto greatness well into the 80s. Yet regardless, the long-overdue record is a gem through and through – with titles that include include "Egypt", "Sexy Eyes", "It's Funky", "Blue In Green", "Morning Sunrise", and "The Sisters". LP, Vinyl record album

Nine CD box set includes seven classic digitally remastered Floyd albums Relics, A Saucerful of Secrets, Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall in its entirety (on 2CDs) and A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Also includes a ten track bonus disc featuring both sides of five early singles, a hard cover book, postcards, and external CD holder. CD

The great Joe Tex is celebrated with a career overview and an extremely extensive critical discography of his original LPs and reissues. The issue also features interviews with the Subsonics, the Registrators, and Alfonso Cafrey, the legendary Disco/Funk session bass player who was in the failed Village People-esque All Sports Band. Also featured: articles on Disco Demolition Day (an anti disco riot at a White Sox game), the Chipmunks, Simply Saucer, illustrated obituaries of Claude Trenier, Erik Braunn, Paul Burlison, Dewey Terry (Don & Dewey) and more. Plus over 20 pages of music comix by the best underground cartoonists in the world. Magazine