Classic Albums
Classic Album: Iron Maiden – Powerslave
Few acts in the long and often fractured history of Heavy Metal have been able to achieve the sustained hot-streak that Iron Maiden managed to pull off during the 80s. From 1980 to 1988, Iron Maiden released seven studio albums, as well as a live double, that still stand up to scrutiny today. Thanks to …
OMD to release special 40th anniversary box set ’Souvenir’ & greatest hits collection.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) continue their 40th anniversary celebrations with the announcement of a career box set, ‘Souvenir’ and brand new greatest hits collection – out October 4th. The special box set will comprise of 5 CDs and 2 DVDs housed in a 10” box set, together with a hardback book, poster and a …
Classic Compilation: The Faces – The Best of The Faces: Good Boys… When They’re Asleep
The early 70s were a weird time. Elton John had some natural hair, David Bowie was a genderless alien and Britain’s best pop band were four Brummies with an in-built spelling disorder. Most strange to modern ears though is the fact that, back then, Rod Stewart was actually listenable. His solo albums were ballad-heavy, but still comparatively listenable, …
FAD GADGET: The Best of… – vinyl reissue
Mute have announced a double silver-vinyl release of The Best of Fad Gadget, out on 6 September 2019. Available here for the first time on vinyl, part of the ongoing MUTE 4.0 (1978 > TOMORROW) campaign, the release marks the 40th anniversary of Fad Gadget’s debut 7”, the double A-side single, ‘Back to Nature’ / ‘The Box’.The original 2001 CD was the …
Goldie Releases ‘Saturnz Return: 21st Anniversary Edition’
Goldie’s 1995 debut album ‘Timeless’ changed the face of music culture. Bringing the nascent drum & bass scene to the masses, the album careered into the Top 10, hit a number of album-of-the-year polls and earned enthusiastic praise from David Bowie. Goldie became a star in the process. But while everyone was eagerly anticipating a repeat of the ‘Timeless’ formula, Goldie had other ideas. Instead, he …
Classic Album: AC/DC – Highway to Hell
Held in higher esteem than is perhaps strictly necessary, Highway To Hell has the sad distinction of being the last AC/DC album on which vocalist Bon Scott appeared. As has been proved repeatedly in the music industry, few things enhance the reputation of an artist more than death, so perhaps that is why so many …
Not Forgotten: Elton John – Caribou
Bless him, for all his tantrums (and tiara’s), Elton John has enjoyed a career reassessment over the last two decades to the point where he’s now arguably as popular as he’s ever been since the mid 70s. Perhaps more crucially, Elton understands and agrees that his 1970-1975 work is his most popular material, and does …
Classic Album: Queen – Live Killers
Live Killers found Queen at a fascinating crossroads. Over the course of seven studio albums they had established themselves as an arena filling colossus with a sound which had started out as stodgy prog rock, before applying the glitter, shedding their less dynamic sensibilities, and morphing into one of the finest classic rock acts ever. …
A Beginners Guide to Sparks
Sparks aren’t just any old pop band. Formed by brothers Ron and Russell Mael, the former child models were just too weird for the macho chest-beating alpha male loving American rock scene of the 70s, Sparks have always enjoyed far greater success in Europe. Following some tentative steps as Halfnelson, the brothers would form Sparks …
Classic Album: Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A.
For some reason I can’t help liking Bruce Springsteen. For all his bluster, forced blue-collar worthiness and the odd questionable career move, his heart has always seemed to be in the right place. Released a dozen years after his debut, Born In The U.S.A. is the album that made Springsteen an international household name and …