Back catalogue: 50s/60s

Review: Several years before Uzi Kinrot, we were lucky enough to attend a cultural exchange, of sorts, between Lithuania's burgeoning electronic scene and Israel's fertile alternative music community. The results were staggering, and in addition to presenting the Balkan state as an epicentre of leftfield dance, it also made a strong case for the Middle East as a hotbed for the kind of music makers destined to score some Quentin Tarantino or David Lynch movie. Back up to date, and Les Dynamites, whose reputation has long reached beyond their Jerusalem hometown, have returned to emphasise the latter point. Uzi Kinrot is a groove-packed double-A side that feels alive with energy, perhaps thanks to the single-take recording process. It's twangy, psychedelic, nostalgic and yet utterly timeless stuff that yearns to be heard on a beach while you hide from the heat of afternoon sun.

Review: By 1965 Little Richard was already 15 years deep into his career blazing a trail through youth culture with his infectious rock n' roll revolution, but he still had the chops to pen a monster hit. 'Dance A Go Go' is a swinging party starter that can never get too much air time, and it's well received on the A side of this drop from Swinging' Sides. Flip the record over and you're treated to Spyder Turner with his debut single from 1964 - a stomping masterclass of Motor City soul all about his beloved mode of transport. It doesn't get more Detroit than that.

Review: "Here we go again, yeah!" exclaim Luchito Rodriguez and Nestor Alvarez - Original Gravity's two core mainstays - who team up once again to evoke the undeniable spirit of a 'Boogaloo Party' for the ages. Channelling the sound of the inimitable Latin dance style, but also gradating it so as to be mixable in DJ sets, 'Ain't Nothing But...' delivers compelling call-and-responses and horn-swelling builds. 'Fiesta Bugalu' dubs things out for a reflection on the party just gone, retaining the tempo but relaxing things for extra percussive effect.

Review: London's BDQ Records has got more gold here from the superb vocal talent that is Lydia Jane. Her smoky tones come across these two stylish mod-jazz gems starting with the titular 'Sweetheart' which has lazy and slow motion grooves with some lovely reverb-heavy guitar lines reign out next to Jane's sensuous jazz delivery. On the flip is 'Loser' which has a more upbeat feel with 60s tones to the vocals as the swinging drums and feathery snares all add extra depth. A lovely 7" here for fans of all styles of soul.

Review: RECCOMMENDED
Let's face it, the Jerry Lee Lewis' of this world are irreplaceable, which is exactly what makes this collection of rock 'n' roll and country duets so poignant. Those looking for an explantation for the title should check the Sun Studios roster - the 1950s institution laid claim to recordings by Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich and Elvis Presley, but by the time this album landed in 2006, Lewis was quite literally the only one left in the room, outliving peers while still managing to summon the energy needed for his approach to ivory tinkling.

Of course, that kind of legacy gets you pretty far when it comes to drafting collaborators for a new LP, and the list of guests here is both intimidating and telling. Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Berry, Mick Jagger, and Willie Nelson all make appearances on this contemporary collection of tracks that still carry the classic rock 'n' roll feeling.