Some recent essentials, seminal stereo work outs and dives into the Pavement and Doves vaults.
Released in 1975 and sounding impeccable at fifty, Deluxe was the second album from German supergroup Harmonia. Cluster's Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius joined by Neu! guitarist Michael Rother really did create epics, and the way this one slowly evolves through structure and melody is just amazing. No idea how many times I’ve stuck this on and melted back into the comfy chair. What a trip. It was a seismic influence on decades of albums, and as we say, it still sounds utterly amazing and otherworldy.
+ Gatefold sleeve and with Orange Marbled colour vinyl.
The Third one from the mighty Soft Machine! A big step away from their psychedelic roots into a very British take on cosmic jazz. Comprising of four stunning, side-long compositions, Third is so much more provocative, grooving and interesting than all those prog records it gets lumped in with. It is proper sonic experimentalism. As they say, Out-Bloody-Rageous!
Originally released in 1990 to introduce the band to the international markets, Lush’s debut compilation Gala is repressed to celebrate its 35th Anniversary. The album compiles their earliest releases - Scar (1989), Mad Love (1990) and Sweetness and Light (1990) - plus an ABBA cover and the extended Robin Guthrie mix of Scar track “Scarlet”. Playing slightly too loud in the sunshine this morning made for a pretty exhilarated listen it has to be said.
Besides the cover, this one has seemingly very little to do with riding the sea, but man does it ever have a flow! Art Pepper’s Surf Ride is fast clicking post-bop with such a swing to it. It is actually compiled from a number of sessions in the early to mid fifties, featuring three groups of esteemed players. This new edition of the album is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series on 180-gram vinyl pressed at RTI with all-analogue mastering from the original tapes at Cohearent Audio and a Stoughton Tip-On Jacket.
We won’t make too much of a fuss as all three of these are very limited. Mexican Summer reissue Forever Dolphin Love and Caramel from Antipodean woozer Connan Mockasin. Originally released by Phantasy back in 2011 and 2013, they have such a psychedelic take on funk and pop, really delicious sounding music.
Then, to celebrate its 10th anniversary, Jamie xx’s landmark 2015 debut In Colour is pressed as a limited-edition picture disc. Man did he ever make some sweet sounds on those timpani!
We have a 40th Anniversary Edition of Tears For Fears’ colossal second studio album, Songs From The Big Chair. The singles Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World are so ubiquitous with hit radio (or certainly classic hit radio) but the production across the album is not to be missed, with some proper vibes.
+ Available on Coke Bottle Clear colour vinyl.
+ Available on double Red vinyl with an alternate sleeve.
25 years on from the release of their iconic Heavenly debut album Lost Souls, Doves present Here We Are – a collection of the band’s finest moments, hand-selected from their six studio albums and more. Definitely got the feels playing this, especially those early Lost Souls hues.
+ Available on exclusive double Gold colour vinyl.
Lastly for this edition. We know that you know, but every so often we do have to say it as this kind of stuff is important, and in our defence it is something we get asked often… Who are your favourite band? Pavement, Pavement are my favourite band. Hecklers Choice: Big Gums and Heavy Lifters is a new Best Of, the second of the storied band's career after the essential Quarantine the Past back in 2010. After a sold-out reunion and a critically-lauded feature film, Stockton’s finest boys are very much en vogue, and if you haven’t for some reason ever made the breakthrough, this really is a hell of a way to start. Irrepressible genius, experimental symmetry and the good jams. Drink the Kool-Aid man.
