Cherry Red レコード& CD

Review: When Dinosaur Jr. were recorded live in Paris the iconic garage punk outfit were undoubtedly at the very top of their game. Three years after adding Jr. to their name, the creative output at this point was incredible, carving out a position for themselves as purveyors of powerful noises that were as raw and gnarly as they were complex and intelligent. A band that could turn rough and ready chords into walls of sound capable of tearing the roof off and lifting us all into the stratosphere. Never before released, this companion piece to 2022's best-selling live-on-MTV EP, Seventytwohundredseconds, is exemplary of the stuff they built that reputation on. From the gnashing riffs of 'Just Live Heaven', to the wasp-in-jar-energy and cacophonous peaks of 'Drawerings', and 'Keep The Glove' erupting into mind-blowing guitar work, and 'Budge' arguably taking that to greater heights, this is Dinosaur Jr. at maximum roar, and it will never not be impressive.

Review: Felt may not have made the longest lasting impact on the common conscious, but nevertheless the UK indie set struck a real chord, and are still widely seen as cult icons among those who know. As part of the deserved celebrations for equally revered label Cherry Red's 45th anniversary, we can now dive into one of the band's finest moments, with this double-A 45" single. Opening on 'Primitive Painters' it doesn't take long to realise where we are on the sonic scale. Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser in a duet with frontman Lawrence, it's rightly considered one of the great British singles of the 1980s and one of the decade's most powerful collaborations, saturated in shoegaze and dream pop while still being resolutely part of a New Wave. Meanwhile, 'Penelope Tree' on the flip opts for a janglier but no less epic feeling.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Following his breakthrough with the classic 'What Is Love?' in 1983, Howard Jones became a cult figure in the synth-pop explosion. For those keyed into his legacy, there's a rich seam of inventive pop which is redolent of the era but also sports its own unique edge and now Cherry Red have gathered together the best of his work over the past 40 years on this double vinyl set. Featuring 22 tracks and slipping a few choice alternative mixes into the running order, this is a fitting celebration of an underrated champion of UK pop.

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