Category Archives: Rock

A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING-THE DOLLY PARTON SONGBOOK.

A Way To Make A Living-The Dolly Parton Songbook. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: “31st” March 2023. On September the ‘18th’ 1967, Monument Records released Hello, I’m Dolly, the debut album twenty-one year old country singer Dolly Parton. The album reached number eleven in the US Country charts, and featured two hit singles, …

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GUERRILLA GIRLS! SHE-PUNKS AND BEYOND 1975-2016.  

Guerrilla Girls! She-Punks and Beyond 1975-2016. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Eclectic describes the twenty-five tracks on Ace Records new compilation Guerrilla Girls! She-Punks and Beyond 1975-2016. This carefully curated compilation features everything from mid-seventies punk pioneers to leftfield post-punk groups, jangly female pop combos grunge bands and vigilante Riot Grrrl groups of the eighties …

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SONGS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS WRITTEN BY LEONARD COHEN.

Songs Of Light and Darkness Written By Leonard Cohen. Label: Ace Records. Format CD. Release Date: ‘25th’ November 2022. Just over six years ago, on October the ’21st’ 2016, Canadian singer-songwriter, novelist and poet Leonard Cohen releasedYou Want It Darker to widespread critical acclaim. Sadly, it turned out to be that last album released during …

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DO IT AGAIN! THE SONGS OF BRIAN WILSON.

Do It Again! The Songs Of Brian Wilson. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD Release Date: ‘28th’ October 2022. Brian Wilson is seen by some as the closest thing music has had to a genius. Proponents of this argument cite the Beach Boys 1966 progressive, psychedelic Magnus Opus Pet Sounds. By then, he was one of …

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THE MICK COX BAND-THE MICK COX BAND.

The Mick Cox Band-The Mick Cox Band. Label: Another Planet Music. Format: CD. Mick Cox was born in Gillingham, Kent, in 1943. His father was a bandsman in the Royal Marines, and he encouraged his son to play classical piano as a child. However, by the time he was eleven, and attending Grammar Schoo,l he …

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WRAP IT UP-THE ISAAC HAYES AND DAVID PORTER SONGBOOK.

Wrap It Up-The Isaac Hayes and David Porter Songbook. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: 30th September 2022. One of the most important songwriting partnerships in the history of Stax Records was Isaac Hayes and David Porter. They started writing together towards the end of 1964, and success came quickly for the pair when …

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TRIP ON ME-SOFT PSYCH AND SUNSHINE (1966-1969).

Trip On Me-Soft Psych and Sunshine (1966-1969). Label: Big Beat Records. Format: CD. Release Date: 30th September 2022. The perfect soundtrack to a long hot summer is Trip On Me-Soft Psych and Sunshine (1966-1969). It’s a lovingly curated collection of late-sixtes California sunshine pop and psych nuggets from the vaults of various independent labels and …

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GIRLS WITH GUITARS GONNA SHAKE!

Girls With Guitars Gonna Shake! Ace Records. Format: CD. There are very few compilation series that are still going strong after thirty-three years. Often, by then, the compiler has run out of material or musical tastes have changed.  However, some compilation series survive changing musical tastes and prosper. That’s the case with Ace Records’ long-running …

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LEON THOMAS-BLUES AND THE SOULFUL TRUTH.

Leon Thomas-Blues and The Soulful Truth. Label: BGP. Format: LP. Release Date: 26th August 2022. Some labels prove to be the perfect fit for an artist, and this was the case when Leon Thomas signed to Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman Productions.  By the late sixties, Leon Thomas had embraced free jazz fully. He turned his back on …

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HAPPY IN HOLLYWOOD-THE PRODUCTIONS OF GARY USHER.

Happy In Hollywood-The Productions Of Gary Usher. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘29th’ July 2022. Although Gary Usher was born in Los Angeles, California, on December ‘14th’ 1938, he spent his childhood and teenage years living in New England. That was where his lifelong love affair with music began. Growing up, music was …

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FUNKADELIC’S GREATEST HITS.

Funkadelic’s Greatest Hits. Label: Westbound. Format: CD. Nowadays, most albums released in 1975 have been reissued at least once. An exception is Funkadelic’s Greatest Hits compilation which was originally released in 1975. That’s about to change when Westbound, an imprint of Ace Records reissues this ten track CD. It’s been newly remastered and is a …

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THE COUNT BISHOPS-THE COUNT BISHOPS.

The Count Bishops-The Count Bishops. Label: Chiswick. Format: LP. During 1977, a genre that has continued to divide opinion was at the peak of its popularity, punk. This anti music was championed by critics and cultural commentators who were willing to overlook that many of the musical charlatans within punk bands could barely play their …

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THE PRISONERS-THE LAST FOURFATHERS.

The Prisoners-The Last Fourfathers. Label: Big Beat Records. Format: LP. Musical history is littered with the story of groups who could’ve gone on to enjoy a long and successful career. This includes The Prisoners, who were one of the leading lights of the Medway Scene. They were formed in Rochester, Kent in 1980, and released four albums. This included The Last …

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WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE SUN.

We Are The Children Of The Sun. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. Recently, BBE  released the compilation We Are The Children Of The Sun, which was compiled by DJ and renowned crate digger Paul Hillery, who is one of leading lights of folk-funk scene. This new compilation offers a tantalising taste of a genre that …

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LADIES SING THE BOSS.

Ladies Sing The Boss. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. On the ‘5th’ January 1973, Bruce Springsteen released his debut album Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Forty years later the album was ranked at No. 379 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. By then, the man known simply as The Boss was well …

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YOU SHOWED ME-THE SONGS OF GENE CLARK.

You Showed Me-The Songs Of Gene Clark. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Like so many of his generation, Gene Clark developed an interest in folk music after hearing the Kingston Trio. It was no surprise that after graduating from Bonner Springs High School, in Bonner Springs, Kansas, in 1962, that the seventeen year old formed …

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JON SAVAGES’S 1977-1979-SYMBOLS CLASHING EVERYWHERE.

Jon Savage’s 1977-1979-Symbols Clashing Everywhere. Label: Ace Records. Format: 2CD Set.  Jon Savage’s 1977-1979-Symbols Clashing Everywhere is the seventh instalment in the compliant series he has curated for Ace Records. This long-running series has been released to critical acclaim, and like previous volumes features a truly eclectic collection of tracks. They reflect just what music journalist Jon Savage was listening to …

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LENNY KAYE PRESENTS LIGHTNING STRIKING.

Lenny Kaye Presents Lightning Striking.  Label: Ace Records. Format: 2CD. Versatile describes musician, composer and producer Lenny Kaye. Many music fans remember him as the guitarist in the Patti Smith Group. Lenny Kaye also worked with everyone from REM and James to Suzanne Vega and Kristin Hersh right through to Soul Asylum and even poet …

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GUS DUDGEON-PRODUCTION GEMS.

Gus Dudgeon-Production Gems. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD.  The late, great Gus Dudgeon never set out to become a producer. It was something he had never considered after leaving school and being fired from eleven jobs over a four year period. Working in a toy shop, advertising agency and even a clip joint wasn’t for …

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CULT CLASSIC: PORCUPINE TREE-LIGHTBULB SUN.

Cult Classic: Porcupine Tree-Lightbulb Sun. Between 1987 and 2010 progressive rockers Porcupine Tree released ten studio and twelve live albums. Their sixth studio album was Lightbulb Sun which was released  on May the ‘22nd’ 2000 and was the much-anticipated followup to Stupid Dream, which was released in March 1999. It marked the start of a …

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