Back in stock: Folk/Americana

Review: Seeing properly, well done reissues of classic material like 'This Is the Sea' has us proud to be in the business of selling vinyl. One of the most critically acclaimed albums of 1985, this became the highest selling and most enjoyed Waterboys albums in their storied career. Thanks in large part to the internationally successful song and heavily MTV rotated songs in 'Whole Of The Moon'. Singer and songwriter Mike Scott, was an all-time creative high when he wrote this album. The song even received an Ivor Novello Award six years after being written in 1991. Each song on this album took on a life of their own and most are featured on many of their best of compilations. Tracks like 'Bang the Drum' and 'This is the Sea' and 'The Pan Within' are dearly beloved by fans of the band. 'Old England' and 'Spirit' are great examples of the folk and pop blend the band perfected. 2025 will be the 40th anniversary of the album. Do not miss out on getting a copy of what Rolling Stone magazine reviewed as "...Spellbinding..."

Review: Sweden has so much to answer for in non-conformist music terms. And Gothenburg is responsible for plenty within that. Take Gustaf Dicksson's renowned Blod project, for example, and its formidable 2023 outing Ondskans Fro. As oppose to the preceding two albums, here we find the man in question flying solo on the mic having previously partnered with fair-voiced female vocalists, lending the record a sense not just of the personal and intimate, but solitary isolation. That may sound slightly sombre, but it shouldn't. In reality, while we often jump to miserable conclusions when we think of words like 'alone', there's no greater strength than our ability to be happy as individuals - self love being a prerequisite to loving anyone else. In many ways, that's a resounding takeaway here. Medieval ambient folk that is warm, inviting, peaceful, and often dreamy.