Back catalogue: Indie/Alternative

Review: The Fall's tenth album, like pretty much all the others, was met with a mixed critical response, but as well as containing one of the band's only two Top 40 UK singles - their cover of 'Victoria' by The Kinks, executed with a sideways swipe at the Victorian values of the Thatcher-led Tory government of the time - it's also got a stack of tracks that have grown to be Fall fan favourites. 'Carry Bag Man', autobiographical in a pretty loose sense, is compulsive and hilarious. The tight and taut glam stomp meet Krautrock drive of 'Bremen Nacht', complete with scraping violins and honking saxes, is about as good as the band gets in this particularly purple patch of their lengthy career. 'Athlete Cured' , as well as containing the priceless line "an odour resembling hot dogs / permeated his whole room", is all rockabilly aggression re-routed through synth drums and Moog washes, is essential Fall too.
As if that weren't enough, this re-issue package comes with a whole host of additional delights, including their biggest hit 'Ghost In My House', the electro hybrid anthem 'Hit The North', four radio session tracks, and their cover of The Beatles' 'A Day In The Life', previously only available on an NME charity album. Far from being a Fall completist's dream - they will probably have everything on here anyway - this is actually a brilliant place to start discovering one of the most important and delight-inducing bands of the past half decade.

Review: Fields Of The Nephilim, a UK goth band formed in 1984, made waves with their second studio album The Nephilim. Originally released in 1988, this goth masterpiece and reissued here in form set was released, featuring four bonus tracks for fans to enjoy. Known for their blend of hard rock, goth and psychedelic elements, led by vocalist Carl McCoy's growling, harsh voice adding a heavy edge to the music alongside Tony Pettit on bass, Peter Yates and Paul Wright on guitars and "Nod" Alexander Wright on drums, they create a powerhouse of sound on tracks like 'Chord of Souls' and epic seven minute opener 'Endemoniada'. The album debuted at an impressive number 12 on the UK album charts, solidifying Fields Of The Nephilim's status as pioneers in the goth rock genre along side contemporaries like Sisters of Mercy and The Mission.

Review: Goth heroes Fields Of The Nephilim's second album The Nephilim was realised 35 years ago by Situation Two and Beggars Banquet in 1988. Recorded in a former courthouse in the Somerset countryside, it has not been re-pressed since then and now comes on special golden brown vinyl with, of course, their most celebrated track and the rather epic 'Moonchild' (which hit number 28 in the UK charts) included alongside three other new bonus cuts. Influential frontman Carl McCoy twisted metal and electronics in his work after he first formed the band in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. This album was their best work and still stands up today.