Back catalogue: Indie/Alternative

Review: This 3LP set commemorates 25 years of South Park, recorded live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. Featuring creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, alongside Primus and Ween, the album includes the most memorable songs from the show, a special highlight among which is the guest appearance by Rush's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, who perform 'Closer To The Heart' with Primus and Matt Stone. The set is pressed on black vinyl, capturing a landmark celebration of the show's legacy.

Review: English new wave popsters Wang Chung return with a brand new career retrospective, reenlightening us as to the very best of Nick Feldman and Jack Hues' patented blend of disco-baller new wave and dance pop. Though packed with easily recognised hits like 'Everybody Have Fun Tonight' and 'Dance Hall Days', this record also makes light of the band's lesser known favourites while arranging each in curatorial fashion, striking a balance of chronology and versatility: Wang Chung were known for their inspirational garrulity, channelling a seemingly endless array of international stylistic curiosities into their pop music: from Burundi shuffle to electronica to Motown to prog, this mix of both radio hits and deeper cuts makes for a desultory listen, where many influences are often reeled off in the space of a single track.

Review: The second volume of the Live Drugs series from The War on Drugs continues to display their exceptional live performances, featuring performances from their global tours over the past few years. The 2xLP set, pressed on 140g vinyl, is housed in a tip-on style gatefold jacket with two pockets and a four panel 24x24 poster, ensuring a premium presentation for fans. This release, titled Live Drugs Again, builds on the success of the 2020 Live Drugs album, offering 11 carefully curated live tracks. The War on Drugs, led by Adam Granduciel, has garnered acclaim for their atmospheric blend of indie rock and heartland rock, marked by lush arrangements and introspective lyrics. Their live shows are celebrated for their expansive sound and emotional depth, reflecting the band's ability to transform studio material into dynamic, immersive experiences and with such a rich discography to draw on, this collection is highly anticipated, especially after that first amazing edition.

Review: The Wedding Present's Watusi, often overshadowed by its predecessors, emerges as a hidden gem in their discography. Initially released amidst the frenzy of their Hit Parade singles, it suffered from being ahead of its time"a blend of pop hooks and Seattle underground influences that defied easy categorisation". Yet, as fans who witnessed them revisiting it at their Brighton event recently will atest, 'Watusi' feels remarkably contemporary, its hypnotic melodies and nuanced instrumentation resonating with a neo-drone edge. While it may have been a hard sell in its era, the current lineup breathes new life into its subtle intelligence, unveiling its true brilliance. Overlooked but not forgotten, Watusi finally gets its due recognition as a key release from The Wedding Present, reaffirming its place in their storied career alongside Sea Monsters, George Best and the Hit Parade singles.

Review: Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Ween's 1994 masterpiece Chocolate and Cheese is being reissued in a deluxe edition, released by Rhino. Originally hailed for its brilliant fusion of gonzo pop, the album shows Dean and Gene Ween's impressive songwriting and wide musical vocabulary. This edition features the original album recut from master tapes by Bernie Grundman, plus a bonus disc of 15 previously unreleased demos and outtakes curated by the duo. Chocolate and Cheese marked Ween's first professional studio album, evolving from their four-track-recorded roots. It traverses an eclectic mix of genres, from Philadelphia soul in 'Freedom of '76' to the country charm of 'Mister, Would You Please Help My Pony' and the AM-radio folk of 'Baby Bitch.' The album also includes controversial tracks like 'The HIV Song' and 'Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down),' alongside the energetic 'Voodoo Lady' and the synth-pop jam 'Roses Are Free.' The bonus material, including the bizarre 'Junkie Boy', offers a deeper dive into Ween's creative process, drawing from hundreds of hours of archival tapes. This extended version offers more of what you like about Ween.

Review: This 20th Anniversary reissue of the The White Stripes' Elephant will make you roar once more. Jack and Meg White's raw and minimalist garage rock, which they've been making since 1997, is by now a staple of the international rock market identity - and of course, the blinding hits 'Seven Nation Army', 'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself' and 'The Hardest Button To Button' all feature on their debut here. Celebrating the now cemented legacy of a wholly original duo, this anniversary edition includes a bonus disc of alternative tracks, some of which come in a format of much import, mono. And that's not to mention a string of covers and rarities. It also comes in a deluxe bookback edition, with liner notes by Jack White himself!