Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Bowie is a new label that says it intends to "dig deep into the unreleased sides of pop superstars material from the past." The opening gambit is a strong one that should hook you in for more as it comes in the form of a 7" with two fine funk instrumentals, neither of which have been put out before. 'Golden Years' has lovely live drums and meandering guitar licks for some carefree listening, while 'Fame' has a deep cut groove that rises and falls in dramatic fashion with more neat and tidy riffs adding the detail next to the big licks.

Review: This newly formed and already brilliant label is back with more previously unreleased instrumentals that bring a different twist and dancefloor edge to classic sounds from the rock and indie world. First up we get a subtle edit of 'Sound and Vision' which has a nice fat and funky bassline bouncing beneath the splashy drums as nice acoustic guitar melodies ring out next to glistening retro-future pads. It's a cosmic trip that oozes soul then things slow down on the flip with 'Young Americans'. This one is a nice go-slow instrumental with funky and expressive horn work taking the lead over the fat-bottomed drums and bass. Essential.

Review: Who can forget Maneskin's triumph for rock on the Eurovision stage as they brought the win for Italy in 2021? In Damiano David, the Italian band have a natural born frontman who is now having his Harry Styles moment and stepping out on his own and forging a distinctive solo career to rival the day job. Despite being labelled a glam rock outfit, Maneskin's pop element always shone brightly and so for his debut solo album David has tapped more heavily into that side of his. David's embraced co-writes and in terms of the production he has thrown the kitchen sink at it to get a massive sound. 'The First Time' has more hooks than a fisherman's tackle box and a sweeping epic Sprinsteen-esque feel. Another highlight 'Next Summer', lets David's vocals star, but the arrangement is unexpectedly massive. Despite its sparse beginning it turns into an orchestral showstopper indicative of the seemingly vast resources the label have had to craft this beauty.

Review: Few albums define the 80s quite like this one. The band's fifth and - by far - most successful release at that point it's now celebrating its 40th anniversary with a fresh vinyl reissue, ironic considering the millions of CD players sold using it as an advert for the new format the the time. Opening with 'So Far Away', the album establishes its signature polished sound, blending Mark Knopfler's emotive guitar work with smooth, melancholic melodies. But it's 'Money for Nothing' that cemented Brothers in Arms as an 80s icon. Featuring Sting on backing vocals and driven by Knopfler's famous riff, the song skewers MTV culture while paradoxically becoming one of the decade's defining anthems. 'Walk of Life' brings a contrasting brightness, its upbeat keyboard melody making it an enduring favorite. The album also shows Knopfler's gift for storytelling, particularly on 'Your Latest Trick' and 'Why Worry', which balance pop sensibility with emotional depth. But it's the title track, 'Brothers in Arms', that delivers the most haunting momentiits atmospheric, war-torn balladry elevated by one of Knopfler's most stirring solos. The 40th-anniversary vinyl pressing gives new life to the album's lush production. One of the first fully digital recordings, Brothers in Arms benefits from the warmth and depth this analogue reissue brings, bringing out the richness of Knopfler's guitar tones and the album's expansive soundscapes. Four decades on, it remains an essential listenitimeless in both its musicianship and its message.

Review: Either you weren't born, or Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms turning 40 this year will make you feel decidedly long in the tooth. It's an unquestionable landmark for one of the best-selling albums of all time. To mark the occasion, the London-formed band's fifth studio album is being reissued across a bunch of formats, with this five album box set including a full live set from their 1985 show in San Antonio, capturing Mark Knopfler, John Illsley, Alan Clark and Guy Fletcher in their stadium-filling prime. As for the album itself i well, the vastly emotive 'Brothers in Arms', fuzz guitar earworm 'Money for Nothing' and feelgood singalong 'Walk of Life' pretty much speak for themselves. Classic pop-rock, this is a must-have for Straits fans, and well worth a listen for anyone who happens to be uninitiated.

Review: First released in 2012, Broken Bones would serve as the 11th full-length studio effort from glam metal-tinged Los Angeles hard rockers Dokken. The first album in the band's entire tenure to not feature drummer Mick Brown due to scheduling conflicts (replaced for the recording sessions by studio drummer Jimmy DeGrasso), as well as their only work to feature bassist Sean McNabb (Quiet Riot, XYZ, Queensryche), the album served as follow up to 2008's Lightning Strikes Again while initially perceived as a swansong due to the major decade-long gap until 2023's Heaven Comes Down. Packed to the brim with triumphant riffage and soaring choruses, it may not entirely capture the Dokken magic of old but still delivers a retro-fitted 45 minutes of classic-style cuts with its standout track easily being their unique rendition of Jefferson Airplane's 'Today'. Reissued for Record Store Day 2025 on super cool and artwork complimentary blue & black splattered wax.

Review: A fresh rarities compilation bound to open Doors for you. In the five years that it spans, The Doors forged a distinctive path through the countercultural explosion of the day, blending dark psychedelia with blues, jazz, and literary influences. Formed in LA, their breakthrough came with their 1967 debut, which included 'Light My Fire', catapulting them to national attention. Frontman Jim Morrison's brooding charisma and poetic lyricism quickly cut accord the band's identity, and easily matched Ray Manzarek's swirling organ lines. Albums like Strange Days and Waiting For The Sun followed, identifying ambitious songwriting, romanticism and existential dread. This rarities set draws from that fertile period, capturing raw broadcast versions of songs that defined a band both of, and far beyond, its time.