Back catalogue: All genres

Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks ***


The Charlatans self-titled fourth album gets a lovely yellow make over for this reissue on Beggars Arkive. It's the first time for over 20 years new copies of this landmark album have been pressed, and Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road has taken care of the excellent mastering. The original release date was in 1995, and the album was the most ambitious of the band's career with plenty of number ones included along the way. The most successful of these of course was 'Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over'. It's a real piece of classic 90s indie that will always sound good.

Review: Dadaphonic has a key reissue on their hands with Cranes debut album Fuse. The Cranes was a groundbreaking alternative band from New Hampshire that was led by the brother and sister duo Alison Shaw & Jim Shaw. Their popularity grew as the late 80s turned in the early 90s culminating with an opening slot on The Cure's Wish Tour in 1992. Perfectly blending with Cure in many respects, the Cranes would be re-labeled as Dream Pop in retrospect. Fuse was originally put out in 1986 as a cassette only album. Strangely, 38 years later it was still not brought out on other formats. Until now! This album shows the band in its infant stage honing their craft while longtime fans love the rawness of their early days. This album was remastered for this release to celebrate Fuse finally getting a wider release. Fans of dreampop, goth and alternative music will extremely interested in this important release.

Review: Legendary emo indie outfit The Cure have played all over the world in their decorated careers but back in 1996 when they headed to Brazil, it was the first time they had been to the country since 1988. They were there for the 1996 edition of the Hollywood Rock Festival which they headlined in superb fashion and wowed their Latin American fans. Live Lullabies & Other Bedtime Stories is a special recording of that night that comes on nice yellow vinyl and features the likes of signature anthems like 'Boys Don't Cry,' 'Friday I'm In Love,' 'Just Like Heaven' and many more.

Review: Just when you thought you'd heard Robert Smith and The Cure every which way but bad, we discover more from their huge back catalogue. This time in the form of World War, a compilation of rare demos that takes its name for the band's seminal early single, which appears in a particular raw and unfettered, grinding version on this collection. A sound that defines the overall aesthetic. Rough and ready but packed full of energy, the huge landmark 'Boys Don't Cry' feels more intimate as a result, 'Fire In Cairo' arguably more punk, 'M' more New Romantic, and 'Heroin Face' less compromising than ever before. If all that sounds like bullshit talking, we implore you to take a listen and see what you think - the smart money is on us agreeing in the end.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Alternative rock and Goth legends The Cure were at an all-time high in popularity as they embarked on their 1993 tour across Europe. Enjoying the result of their most successful album Wish, the band was to take on their biggest world tour yet. For the previous two tours, there was no proper full recording of the band live by the group themselves. Robert Smith wanted to change that and a handful of shows were recorded to be edited together for the live albums Paris and Show. Paris shows the power of The Cure's new lineup which featured a new drummer, keyboard player and guitar player. Like most Cure concerts, the setlist is a varied mix of brand-new tracks at the time (Apart and A Letter to Elise) many classics (Figurehead, A Charlotte Sometimes and Shake Dog Shake) but then always a sprinkle of lesser-known ones like 'Dressing Up'. This edition is the 30th Anniversary release of the evergreen original.