Back in stock: Rock

Review: Guitarist extraordinaire and former Kiss vociferator Ace Frehley's tenth solo album 10,000 Volts is the sonic equivalent of Gakuryu Ishii's bolshy film 'Electric Dragon 80,000 Volts' - a massive, electrifying, out-of-this-world experience that embraces the pure shreddage of the electric guitar, in an ultimate face-off between human and machine. The analogy of overridden circuitry is unsurprisingly useful for evoking related emotions in Frehley's case, as on the title track, on which a perfectly phased-out riff accompanies the lyric, "She hit me like 10,000 volts, when I saw her face". Then come the covers, such as 'Walkin' On The Moon' and the equally raw in-your-facers such as 'Cosmic Heart' and 'Life Of A Stranger'. No fillers here.

Review: The southern rock back from Georgia, The Black Crowes saw huge success in the early 90s with multi-platinum success and even a number one album in America in mid-1992. They've been through a few ups and down since, and here comes their first album in over 15 years. It's their tenth overall, with this vinyl version coming on 180gram from Silver Arrows records, and with a world tour also pending, Black Crowes fans will be filling their proverbial boots in 2024.

Review: Parlophone are embarking on a mammoth Bowie reissue campaign. 'Earthling' was the British pop starling's take on rock via drum n' bass and/or techno, coming as one of the classic emblems of 1990s "industrial" David Bowie. In our opinion, the best Bowie there ever was (the blond spiked hair, the earrings, the bad-boy chic...) made this album in a spate of deep inspiration. Bowie's take on acid house with 'Law', or his NIN-adjacent 'I'm Afraid Of Americans', constitute undoubtable, buzzing electronic gems.

Review: As part of Atlantic Records' 75th Anniversary celebration, the label has launched an extensive year-long vinyl series featuring 90 releases spanning the entire history of the company, from its earliest days until the present. Of these emerges this latest reissue of Crosby, Stills & Nash's self-titled debut album, first released on the label all the way back in 1969. The album features some of CSN's most well known and iconic songs; 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,' 'Marrakesh Express,' 'Guinnevere,' 'Wooden Ships,' 'Helplessly Hoping' and 'Long Time Gone.' This album saw a shift in sound to what was popular at the time - blues based rock - opting for a more folk rock, and sometimes jazz-based sound. It would lay the foundations for the California Sound that would be popularised out of Laurel Canyon in the '70s. Artists such as The Eagles, Jackson Browne and Fleetwood Mac would take inspiration from the sound of this record.

Review: Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze Live On Air captures the electrifying essence of the American's legendary performances. Released posthumously, this album offers a superb glimpse into his unparalleled talent and stage presence. From the iconic riff of 'Purple Haze' to the soulful improvisations elsewhere, each track showcases Hendrix's innovative guitar techniques and charismatic vocals. The raw energy and spontaneity of these live recordings cannot fail to transport you back to the height of 1960s counterculture and reaffirm Hendrix's status as a musical icon for both die-hard fans and newcomers alike.

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.

Review: When Mick Mars stepped back from touring with Motley Crue, it seemed like the end of an era. Really, it was the beginning of a new one. The legendary guitarist, whose riffs, solos and overall devastatingly heavy sound powered the L.A. icons through four decades of world-conquering, multi-platinum sonic mayhem is, as he demonstrates on his debut solo effort, still a serious force to be reckoned with. Only now, listeners are reckoning with more Mars than ever before. On the aptly-titled The Other Side of Mars, fans get that vision in its full, multifarious glory. To be sure, there are plenty of characteristically riff-tastic, tough-as-nails hard-rock anthems, but The Other Side of Mars also shows the 71-year-old guitarist heading into new and uncharted territory, tearing through caustic, modern metal ('Broken On The Inside"', conjuring gothic-tinged soundscapes ('Undone'), digging into anguished, slow-burning power balladry ('Killing Breed"' and unspooling bluesy, cinematic instrumental workouts (the album-closing guitar showcase, 'L.A. Noir'). The music throughout the ten-track collection, meanwhile, is otherwise studded with slide guitars, violins, violas, keyboards, glitchy freak-outs and all manner of sonic surprises.

Review: Remastered at Abbey Road studios, 'Flesh & Blood' saw the first studio album made after the departure of drummer Paul Thompson. With his absence, the British rock group moved to a more accessible and palatable sound that paid off, earning the group their first No.1 Album since 1973 with 'Stranded'. The tone of Brian Ferry's vocal is of melancholy and depression, of unrequited love with a woman who ultimately can't stand the sight of him. The album was a huge hit in the UK but has been lost in the greater discussion of Roxy Music records either due to living in the shadow of the immensely popular 'Avalon' (a la 'Good Kid m.a.a.d City' to 'To Pimp a Butterfly') or thanks to the slamming negative review from Rolling Stone sealing its poor rating with American audiences. 42 years on, the album is finally being given the treatment it deserved on release - 'Oh Yeah!' and 'Rain, Rain, Rain' were arguably a few years ahead of their time and are just a sample of the great instrumental and vocals on this album.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Record sleeve damaged, product in working order***


The enduring appeal of Steely Dan never fades with time, and why should it? Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's relentless pursuit of perfection and blue-eyed soul gifted us a whole heap of stunning albums, and their fiercely devoted fanbase would fight tooth and nail over which one gets the top spot. Our money would be on Aja though, given its enduring influence, its rich extended life through a whole host of sampling and the quite simply flawless run of songs, composition, production and beyond. It's one of the greatest albums out there, and you'd do well to grab a copy if you don't own it already.

Review: Weirdo guitar visionary Frank Zappa released his acclaimed fourth LP 'Waka/Jawaka' in 1972, after the phrase appeared to him miraculously on an ouija board. A pinnacle of jazz fusion, near-classical orchestral influences and prog rock, it serves as a lesser-known sequel-ish to the generally agreed classic Hot Rats. It's also a shining example of time signature-core, with the moustached axe mage modulating all manner of tempos like it's nobody's business, also setting a high bar for what would eventually become post-rock in the process.