Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Made and released way back in 1958, Somethin' Else is a classic jazz album by the American alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, notably his only ever album for the esteemed Blue Note label. It famously hears Adderley enlist the help of trumpeter Miles Davis as one of its sidemen, and this was an ongoing relationship that later paved the way for popular jazz as a whole; without Somethin' Else, we wouldn't have Kind Of Blue, for which Adderley would contribute his sax playing just a year later. Though it is a testament to the unity of two great core musicians, we also hear the piano stylings of Hank Jones, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Art Blakey.

Review: Famously first released in 1973 and transferred to CD in the 1980s with no significant remastering, the Beatles two colour-coded 'best of' collections have long been in need of an overhaul. Apple has typically gone all-out on this 50th anniversary re-issue, not only remastering everything (or at least those tracks that hadn't already been tweaked by Giles Martin in recent years), but also expanding each collection to three discs via the addition of other fan favourites and tracks that missed out first time round. As for the vinyl itself, it has been half-speed remastered to guarantee superior sound quality. This boxed edition boasts both compilations, plus an insert with fresh liner notes from music journalist-turned-Guardian scribe John Harris.

Review: A long awaited, bumper six album pack of music and voice assembled by Delia Derbyshire of Radiophonic Workshop fame, and broadcast on four shows between January 1964 and September 1965, collectively known as Inventions for Radio. These experimental, longform shows were conceived by playwright Barry Bermange and were made up of the voices of callers-in, speaking on four themes: dreams, the existence of God, life after death and ageing. The participatory nature of these shows deviated massively from the radio status quo of the time, and the participants were selected to eschew the standard received drawl of most 60s radio presenters.
The music and editing was done by Derbyshire, whose avant garde sonic settings lend the audio an enigmatic, spectral quality. Although she was not credited for her contribution, nor were the broadcasts available commercially, they still developed a cult following. Silva Screen now presents the four broadcasts in their entirety, each on a separate LP, with two LPs of bonus material, and a booklet of detailed notes by producer Mark Ayres and David Butler of the Delia Derbyshire Archive. An elusive and essential landmark of 20th century sound collage.
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Review: Here it is: the all-time great album that popularised jazz for the masses, and which carries the genre's torch to this day. Most works by Coltrane serve as good introductions to jazz’s endemic practice of through-composition, but A Love Supreme (1964, Impulse!) is arguably among his best works to come in four suites; to quarter a technically singular piece. Widely recognised as the moment at which John all-aboarded the Soul ‘Trane, the album marked the apogee of a wave of popular analyses of US jazz records as holding special spiritual significance. This early vaunting may have fed into its popularity into the present day; but we cannot gloss over the fact that such elevations in status do not tend to come without supreme merit, and more level-headed takes on the LP simply interpret it as one of the most impeccably performed, precisely timed jazz records of its day. Remastered for the esteemed Analogue Productions series, its everlasting flame is rekindled.

Review: This is a big collection of eight 12"s, a poster and in sept for only the most ardent Depeche Mode fan. The collection features faithfully reproduced original artwork and audio masters and all singles first released on CD singles during 1997. This is an ongoing single Series that will apparently continue over the years so that eventually all recordings previously only available on CD will make their way to wax. This instalment features big remixes from legendary names like CJ Bolland, Kruder + Dorfmeister , Underworld and Jedi Knights amongst many more.

Review: While it's been 13 years since the tragic passing of one of the greatest rock and metal vocalists of our time, the legacy left behind by Ronnie James Dio serves as unwavering testament to the man's aura, character and prowess, even up to his final recordings which make up this collector's box set. Featuring the final four albums recorded under his own name, all housed in a sideloading box with newly created art on five 180g coloured LPs (1996's Angry Machines on Halloween orange with black marble, 2000's Magica on transparent blood red and black smoke, 2002's Killing The Dragon on transparent yellow with black marble and 2004's Master Of The Moon on electric blue with milky clear marble, plus the rare Electra single on a cobalt blue 7", the epic collection coincides with the upcoming release of Dio: Dreamers Never Die; the first authorised career-spanning documentary centred around the iconic frontman.

Review: The Fallout videogames depict an alternate reality in which nuclear fallout has ravaged much of the US - its real-world settings like Nevada lends the series an urgent mystery. While the latest instalment, Fallout 76, was near-universally panned by critics, that hardly detracts from its soundtrack by Inon Zur, the franchise's in-house composer from the beginning. Zur crafts a sensitive, heartfelt and scenic LP through which it becomes possible to imagine the chance of a renewed world after the apocalypse, using our ears alone.

Review: A beautifully made package that presents Coltrane and his ensemble exploring a softer, more introspective side of jazz. The quartet, featuring McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums, delivers a captivating performance characterised by sublime improvisation and profound musical expression. Across the album's tracks, including classics like 'Say It (Over and Over Again)' and 'It's Easy to Remember,' Coltrane's saxophone weaves intricate melodies with a soul-stirring resonance, Tyner's piano work adds rich harmonies and delicate textures, while Garrison and Jones provide a solid rhythmic foundation that anchors each composition. Ballads shows Coltrane's ability to convey a wide range of emotions through his music, from tender vulnerability to profound introspection. The quartet's impeccable musicianship and intuitive interplay make this album a timeless treasure in the world of jazz..

Review: Les Claypool is of course best known for spearheading Primus, the twisted funk metal pioneers that put slap bass at the top of the agenda. As a virtuoso musician with the most inquisitive of minds, Claypool naturally explored many other musical avenues beyond Primus' oddly-angled jams, and this box set does a damn fine job of summarising those exploits through the lens of his Prawn Records label. Spread across seven LPs, we're treated to remastered versions of projects such as The Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, Colonel Claypool's Bucket Of Bernie Brains and The Fancy Band. You're as likely to wind up in weirdo jazz hoedowns as funked-out rock music, but in between these niches there are so many other undefinable surprises in store.

Review: The 1971 classic album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, Blue is widely thought by many music lovers to be one of the best albums of all time. Already well into her career by the time of its release - it's her fourth album - it was certainly Mitchell's best yet, reflecting a period in her life where she took a break from touring and live performing to focus on creation. Its confessional and poetic lyrics, not to mention the distinctively groggy yet idyllic guitar and piano playing on songs like 'All I Want', 'River', 'A Case Of You', heard Mitchell encapsulate the various milestones, Renaissances and turning points of the contemporary rock landscape of the 1970s, into a singular LP.

Review: 30 years on, the power of Nevermind has never dulled. Of course it's the most commercially appealing of Nirvana's albums, but it's no less daring for it no matter how many times you've heard it. Well, how to toast an album as world-changing as this one? By going all out on the lavish vinyl edition of course, which in this case means a mammoth eight-disc 180gm vinyl edition with a 40-page hardback book. If you want an altar at which to worship one of the definitive moments in popular music, this authoritative release is surely all the plinth you need.

Review: This triple pack box set from Craft Recordings takes a look at legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins and his run for Lester Koenig's revered Los Angeles label Go West. As well as presenting seminal albums Way Out West and Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders in full, this collection also presents six additional alternative takes from both album sessions, allowing listeners to hear the development of such iconic recordings as 'Come, Gone'. With additional liner notes from noted music historian Ashley Kahn and an interview with Rollins from 2021, this is an authoritative look at a true legend in the legacy of jazz.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Missing obi-strip***


This triple pack box set from Craft Recordings takes a look at legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins and his run for Lester Koenig's revered Los Angeles label Go West. As well as presenting seminal albums Way Out West and Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders in full, this collection also presents six additional alternative takes from both album sessions, allowing listeners to hear the development of such iconic recordings as 'Come, Gone'. With additional liner notes from noted music historian Ashley Kahn and an interview with Rollins from 2021, this is an authoritative look at a true legend in the legacy of jazz.

Review: Steely Dan are the kind of band where everyone has their favourite album, with a fanbase who might well get a little heated debating which phase of the band is superior. But when it comes down to it, everyone will agree Aja is their masterpiece, where that exacting studio process and the elevated songwriting hit some magical sweet spot that yielded the semi-mythical perfect album. The grooves are so slinky as 'Black Cow' opens the record up, they spring with joy out of 'Peg' and they lock down heavy on 'Josie', and there's so much more in between. This faithful reproduction from Analogue Productions is a limited audiophile edition for a band who were made for audiophiles.

Review: Amused To Death is the third studio album from Roger Waters outside of his work in Pink Floyd. As one of the fundamental creative forces in the prog behemoth, of course it's hard to separate his solo work from that most famous of bands, but this is indeed its own beast. At times it's an experimental space in which Waters uses space and minimalism to great effect, creating a foreboding sound peppered with speech samples and field recordings. There are of course plenty of more straightforward tracks too, like lead single 'What God Wants, Part 1'. This lavish issue of the 1992 album spreads the music out across four discs and comes in a box set format, a must-have for devoted Floyd and Waters collectors.

Review: Who doesn't love the White Stripes? One can quite predictably measure a band's impact on commercial music history by way of just how many full-blown reissues they've released, many of which aim to repackage and represent albums to their fullest, most honest effect. By that metric, this ubiquitous duo are more than certainly going down in history; Elephant, the Stripes' fourth album, is lent the sonic perfection and signature packaging it deserves, with Analogue Productions and Third Man Records teaming up for the ultimate reissue edition here. They present in UHQR format on Clarity Vinyl this modern rock cornerstone, limited to 10,000 copies. It comes with gold foil numbered jackets, housed in a premium slipcase with a wooden dowel spine.