Back catalogue: Rock

Review: Brace yourself as the holiday season is upon us, and that means reaching for those platters which stir up the strongest of sentimental feelings as the nights draw in. Greg Lake's 'I Believe In Father Christmas' is a bittersweet look at the festive tradition - like so many surprise seasonal hits it's got an underlying heavy-heartedness which somehow strikes a chord with the masses. This edition of the all-time classic comes on a none-more on-brand red 10" disc, backed up by 'Humbug' and 'Closer To Believing' as well as an instrumental version of the lead tune, so if you're feeling bold an know the words, you can cheer family and friends with your own rousing rendition.

Review: Food Stamps is a great example of a record that fell between the cracks on its original release back in 1982. The one and only release from Baltimore-based funk-rock explorer Billie Senger, it has achieved cult status amongst record collectors due to its obscurity (finding original copies is notoriously tough). This reissue - pressed on green vinyl with new cover artwork - should, then, prove popular. "Food Stamps" - a riotously loose and floor-friendly chunk of funk from the Rare Earth school of white funk-rock - is the real killer, though the MC5-influenced flipside "How Do I Know" impresses with its fuzzy, recorded-in-a-shed feel and extra-cosmic production.

Review: Originally released on Apple in 1970. In the aftermath of the implosion of The Beatles. 'Instant Karma' features Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band kicking off a new decade with a decidedly glam rock stomp (and compressed handclaps to boot) that would go on to shape the sound of the pre-punk era. Lyrically, it's classic solo Lennon, hovering between bile and idealism, and the whole thing's blessed with a chorus that's stickier than freshly discarded chewing gum.

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If you're a lover of Brazilian psychedelic folk, you will already be well familiar with this utter masterpiece from Brazilian actor and musician Guilherme Lamounier. He recorded three such records in the 1970s, and this, the second of them, is widely regarded as the best. It has long been a real rarity and holy grail amongst diggers after being created with composer Tiberio Gaspar and recorded at Radio Gazeta Studios in Sao Paulo. Element sou US hippie culture as well as love song stylings, angular funk and piano ballads all feature with plenty of great musicianship and rousing lyrics. Truly escapist stuff.

Review: This is the first part of Led Zeppelin collection that brings together the legendary band's best bits from their 1969 tour of the United States of America. At the time they had just dropped their self-titled album and it went on to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard chart while the band toured the country four times in that same year. Their second album Led Zeppelin II dropped in October, making it something of a huge year for the group. The tunes here were recorded at the famous Fillmore West in San Francisco with the classic 'Dazed & Confused' appearing next to others like 'How Many More Times.'

Review: Led Zeppelin's legacy remains undiminished after all this time, setting a new precedent for British hard rock as the 60s dissipated into the 70s and infusing their blues-derived sound with pastoral folk sensibilities through each subsequent album. Die hard Zepp heads will fight tooth and nail over which album is their best, but the landmark IV distills the best qualities of the band into one flawless, eternally iconic album. From the raucous opening salvo of 'Black Dog' and 'Rock & Roll' through the lofty classic 'Stairway To Heaven' right up to the raunchy delta blues and much sampled breakbeat of 'When The Levee Breaks', this is an album which should be etched on the mind of everyone, worldwide. This repress comes on clear wax - one for the collectors as much as those discovering the album for the first time.

Review: "They already sound like a veteran group and soon ought to be ranked in the company of the Who, Rolling Stones and the late Cream," said one US critic after catching Led Zeppelin playing one of America's most treasured concert halls, San Francisco's Filmore West. Then in its infancy, opening just a year before Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham took to the stage, we can say with a degree of certainty that this would be one of the shows that helped establish the address' now historic reputation. Gritty, very loud, and utterly groundbreaking at the time, trying to write about a Led Zeppelin record in 2023 isn't easy - so much has already been said and anyone with ears has likely heard them plenty by now. Attempting to do the same with a live recording feels even more redundant. Capturing their energy and ferocity on stage via words on page is impossible. Let's just say this, then: you won't regret picking this one.

Review: Linkin Park were many people's favourite rock act at least for a short time during their rebellious teenage years. Well, it is now two decades since the American outlaws were at their peak and specifically 20 years since they released their second and globally acclaimed album Meterora. As such it gets a special anniversary reissue here that features all of the original material as well as four previously unreleased concerts on DVD, plus rare and unreleased material that will be all nee to even the most hardcore of fan. A real must for collectors.

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LINKIN PARK A THOUSAND SUNS WARNERS BROS /CINRAM
2LP 9362496318 0093 6249 6318 9 £18.00
DEAL 15 RELEASED: 15.11.10
TRACKLISTING: 1. The Requiem 2. The Radiance 3. Burning In The Skies 4. Empty Spaces 5. When They Come For Me 6. Robot Boy 7. Jornada Del Muerto 8. Waiting For The End 9. Blackout 10. Wretches And Kings 11. Wisdom, Justice, And Love 12. Iridescent 13. Fallout 14. The Catalyst 15. The Messenger

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Review: The Grace Of A Dragonfly is the third release by Lionheart who have reformed and have been recording together again since the mid-2010s. Originally an 80s rock and pop metal band, their sound reminds many of the likes of Styx, Survivor, Europe and Foreigner and the early 80s radio friendly rock music. Their latest album amplifies those comparisons by a factor of ten. Tracks like the triumphant 'V Is For Victory' and 'This Is A Woman's War' while 'The Longest Night' reminds of us primetime Loverboy. Every album like this yearns for a ballad. 'Just A Man' satisfies that request with a great band performance. If you are a fan of 1980s arena rock, then Lionheart is for you! This vinyl version is limited on gatefold in silver color and complete with an insert. How about the cool cover and graphics on this album?!

Review: Quiet revolution seems to be the driving force of this sophomore set from lauded trio London Grammar. Lyricist and vocalist Hannah Reid has expanded her subject matter a little, though angst and love lost are still her major concern. Her delivery, too, is a little gentler, something presumably party inspired by the band's warmer and dreamier musical outlook. There are a few heartfelt sing-alongs, of course, but for the most part Truth is a Beautiful Thing is a more considered and voluptuous excursion.

Review: The title of Nick Lowe's solo record has a great backstory: at the time, he and label head Jake Riviera wanted to mess with journalists so in every interview at the time they gave the record a different title. Jesus of Cool was one which they knew wouldn't work for the US release so that became Pure Pop for Now People, while Wireless World was another one banded about. That faded away and was forgotten about as the other two titles went on to be used. But now, 40 years later, the record is reissued under that third title but with the original album tracklist.

Review: German born Johanna Platow Andersson aka Johanna Sadonis returns with the aptly titled fifth full-length from her Sweden-based retro heavy rock project Lucifer. Written and recorded in collaboration with her long-time bandmate and husband Nicke Andersson (vocalist/guitarist for hard rock Swedes The Hellacopters and drummer for legendary death metal entity Entombed), V continues the band's unique coalescence of accessible, grooving AOR emboldened by elements of classic doom metal and proto-psych. Complete with macabre, gothic lyrics delivered with Platow's incomparable, sultry, almost Wiccan cadence, the project offers a hypnotic dirge of horror delivered with a gentle hand.

Review: Johanna Sadonis (real name Johanna Platow Andersson) is the German Wiccan frontwoman of Swedish retro psych-doomers Lucifer. Crafted in collaboration with her regular songwriting partner and husband Nicke Andersson (of hard rock heroes The Hellacopters and death metal legends Entombed), the aptly titled V marks the group's fifth full-length and distils accessible AOR style hooks with the sleight hands of proto-metal and blues-tinged psychedelia, while lyrically delving into the occult and cosmic otherworldly rituals; elevated and brought to life by Platow's sultry, frosted and commanding presence.

Review: This is a special recording on limited, numbered gatefold yellow and white vinyl of the all-star line-up that has been brought together to play live the music from Iggy Pop's classic Lust For Life album. Thje first tour was such a success that a second one was announced recently and will again pair legendary Blondie drummer, Clem Burke, with former Sex Pistol and punk pioneer Glen Matlock on bass; Word presenter and former Pet Shop Boys dancer Katie Puckrik on vocals; Iggy Pop and David Bowie collaborator Kevin Armstrong on guitar and many more. All the classics from Pop's Bowie-produced 1977 classic feature here such as 'The Passenger' and the boisterous title track, alongside the odd Stooges number like 'I Wanna Be Your Dog'.