Back catalogue: All genres

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve split at the top but otherwise in excellent condition***


Reissued and remastered by Legacy, Truth is the debut studio album by the massively influential guitarist and rocker Jeff Beck, released in 1968. A crisp and rollicking blues rock screamer, the album introduced the talents of his backing band the Jeff Beck Group, specifically Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, to a larger audience. The fallout of its release was nothing short of radioactive, leading many to claim that it was in fact the "first metal album", occupying the liminal threshold between metal and blues rock - whether this was the case, it was almost certainly the LP that out-and-out defined the British incarnation of the latter sound, and most importantly established Beck's career thereafter.

Review: Canadian rock outfit Big Wreck celebrates this year's Record Store Day with the first-ever vinyl release of their acclaimed Albatross album. This deluxe anniversary edition includes a bonus track, 'Fade Away', as well as alternate versions by Eric Ratz and Ian Thornley, plus a live recording from Suhr Guitar Factory. The original album came back in 2012 and saw Albatross earn chart-topping success and critical praise for its soaring guitar work and powerful vocals. They make just as much of a mark now, more than a decade on and with the addition of the new cuts, this reissue brings all new depth to the record.

Review: One of the key spots in Boston's vibrant student scene, the Paradise Ballroom was the place to be in 1978 with the likes of The Ramones, Thin Lizzy and Blondie gracing the intimate space with their hit-laden sets. And New York City's Blondie were at the peak of their powers in 1978, touring their Plastic Letters album and pre-empting their Parallel lines album, so it was a chance for fans to hear the likes of 'Hanging On The Telephone', 'One Way or Another' and 'Heart Of Glass' before they were released. With said tracks being classics on heavy rotation to this day, there's no denying that this Blondie show goes down in Boston's music history as one of the all time great performances.

Review: Recorded at the BBC Paris cinema in Regent Street in 1970, which was the beginning of Bowie's defining decade. The performance tapes were lost by the BBC so if it wasn't for someone with the legendary foresight to make a cassette tape recording we wouldn't have this collection. Whilst Bowie is known for big, complex arrangements, the set here offers something stripped back and much more 60s sounding. You could imagine Bowie humming 'Amsterdam' around a campfire in Glastonbury, 'The Prettiest Star' shows the immense sustain of Bowie's voice and 'London By Ta-Ta' shows a more playful psychedelic side. Having taken this showcase opportunity with John Peel in his stride so well, it's his energy to play every show as if it was his last that is admirable and a key reason he managed to climb the ladder from here.

Review: A live concert recording of the penultimate date on Kate Bush's first and only ever tour: The Tour of Life. As part of this run, Bush performed three nights on the trot at the Hammersmith Odeon in West London and the middle date was broadcast, thus immortalising one of the most innovative shows of that era or any era since. Hot off the heels of the release of her debut album The Kick Inside and the follow up Lionheart - both released in 1978 - the setlist draws heavily from said albums and she turned the songs from those albums into a visual spectacle. The full-blown theatrical appearance came at a time when Bush was the most photographed woman in Britain and had a megahit in the shape of her debut single 'Wuthering Heights' and soAit's a truly defining era that's on record. Kate Bush's mystique and a goddess-like aura may have been nurtured through her emphasis on visual art and theatre but delving into the music alone and drawing your own pictures to go with it, aided by her mesmerizing voice, is equally enthralling.