psych . krautrock . prog . rock

WEEK STARTING 13 Jun

Genre pick of the week Cover of SOGOLO by WITCH.

WITCH

SOGOLO

    Legendary yet ever-evolving, Zamrock pioneers WITCH (We Intend To Cause Havoc) continue to push boundaries with their bold new record, 'SOGOLO'. After their remarkable resurgence and 2023's critically acclaimed 'Zango'–their first album in nearly 40 years–'SOGOLO' proves that their innovative spirit remains as strong as ever.

    Derived from the Zambian word for “future”, 'SOGOLO' weaves together strains of the garage-infused psych, funk, and rock that WITCH quite literally helped invent back in their 1970s heyday, all while embracing the experimental spirit of the moment. Recorded in Berlin during their whirlwind world tour, 'SOGOLO' brims with urgency, excitement, and discovery, propelled as always by the magnetic presence of frontman Emmanuel ‘Jagari’ Chanda.

    The full story of WITCH is almost too extraordinary to believe. Known as the "Zambian Beatles," they founded the Zamrock movement and released seven albums throughout the 1970s and early '80s. Tragically, the AIDS epidemic brought an end to the Zamrock era, claiming the lives of all original members except Jagari. Their music was reissued in 2012, sparking a global rediscovery that led to their triumphant return. Zango was met with rapturous acclaim, including a major New York Times profile, sold-out world tours, and an award-winning documentary that screened globally.

    With 'SOGOLO', WITCH reaffirm that their creative fire still burns bright, proving their legacy is far from finished.

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Barry says: A fiery distillation of western psychedelia and traditional Afro-rock, perfectly mixing their respective vibes into a danceable burst of energy and unpredictable, inventive joy. Superb.

    TRACK LISTING

    1. Kamusale
    2. Nadi
    3. Queenless King
    4. Tiponde Madzi
    5. Bang Bang
    6. Set Free
    7. Mbangula Sesa
    8. (In Memory Of) John
    9. Dancer On A Trip
    10. Nibani
    11. Totally Devoted
    12. Machiriso

    The latest deep dive into Galaxy Sound Co.'s Black Hole series is another carefully dug out delight featuring three essential jazz-funk-psych cuts. Joe Pass' 'A Time For Us' opens with beautiful cinematic strings, sparse drums and ghostly guitar that has been famously sampled by J Dilla and the Slum Village crew, and sounds powerful in situ here. Milt Jackson & Ray Brown's 'Enchanted Lady' follows with hypnotic modal swing, again famously flipped, this time by Pete Rock, De La Soul and Knxwledge. Closing out is Archie Whitewater's 'Cross Country', which is a funky, soulful groove with brass and keys that have been immortalised by Kanye and Common, but remains a burner here in its original form.

    TRACK LISTING

    A Time For Us
    Enchanted Lady (Edit)
    Cross Country

    The Budos Band

    VII

      Two years after releasing the 'Frontier’s Edge' EP, the Budos Band are returning with their first full-length since 2020’s 'Long in the Tooth'. Titled simply 'VII', the new album sees them doing what they do best: laying down hypnotic, horn-spiked grooves that menace and mesmerize in equal measure.

      Produced by Budos guitarist Tom Brenneck with Simon Guzmán engineering, 'VII' features 11 tightly constructed new tracks that draw on the group’s wide range of influences, sounding like only the Budos can. It’s music for getting down, for nighttime drives, and for alternate headspaces — a beguiling mix of mystery and rhythm that stands with the formidable work they’ve released in their two decades of recording. 'VII' was recorded in California and serves as the Budos Band’s first full-length album on Diamond West, the independent label founded in 2023 by Tankel and Brenneck. It’s also the group’s first album to include instrumental contributions from percussionist Rich Tarrana, who previously played in the Frightnrs. All told, it succeeds in opening up some new sonic spaces while staying tethered to the intuitive, unique musicality that made them such a sensation from the jump.

      TRACK LISTING

      1. Thrice Crowned
      2. Overlander
      3. Night Raid
      4. Lair Of 1,000 Serpents
      5. Kudzu Vine
      6. Sharky’s Delight
      7. Curse Of The Ivory Fang
      8. Behind The Black Curtain
      9. Escape From Ptenoda City
      10. The Strigoi
      11. Mean Streets

      Dusty Rose Gang

      A-One From Day One

        Hailing from the southwest side of Detroit, Michigan, Dusty Rose Gang makes music that sounds like a celebratory summer evening with friends on the beach of the city’s crown jewel, Belle Isle. The band’s feel-good rock & roll rests its laurels alongside many of the city’s musical heavyweights, bringing a swagger and heft present in the best of the MC5 and the Stooges, while balancing the subtle tones and attitude found in prime-era Sabbath, Queen, Jimi Hendrix and the Flower Travellin’ Band. It should be no surprise that the band’s songwriter, Dusty Rose, haunted the same high school halls as the MC5 at Lincoln Park High, as much of the attitude, poise and spirit can be found on the band’s A-One From Day One long player debut for the legendary Riding Easy Records. The songs shimmer and shake, shredding through solo after solo, while packing just enough hazy 70’s influence to make it sound like Dusty Rose Gang has been here all along. This is Detroit rock n’ roll made by lifers for lifers, the no-bullshit real deal that the Motor City has been breathing since before Gene Simmons coined the term “Detroit Rock City." A-One From Day One was produced and recorded by Warren Defever at Free Party Bar, Hamtramck and mastered at Third Man Mastering. Engineered by Cam Frank. The album was recorded with Brett Donlon (bass), J. Rowe (drums, percussion), Kara Meister (backing vocals), and Warren Defever (mellotron, organ). The current line-up of Dusty Rose Gang features Dusty Rose (guitar, vocals), Brett Donlon (bass), Blake Hill (drums) and Josh Budiongan (guitar).

        Martyn Goddard

        Blondie In Camera 1978

          Blondie in Camera 1978 is richly illustrated with photographer Martyn Goddard’s most famous images of Blondie. Taken during their breakthrough year, these pictures have graced magazines, newspapers, promotional campaigns, posters and even the ‘Picture This’ single cover and the Best of Blondie album cover. Blondie’s rise to the mainstream surface punctuated the late ’70s with a raft of unforgettable New Wave hits.

          The genre-mashing classic ‘Heart of Glass’ along with the likes of ‘Hanging on a Telephone’ and ‘Picture This’ were as zesty and fresh-faced as the young band members, who soon found superstardom as their singles landed and the strength of their attitude began to resonate. When Goddard travelled to New York in ’78 with an assignment to photograph lead-singer Debbie Harry, he couldn’t have imagined that Blondie’s songs and his images would soon become permanent fixtures on the cultural landscape. This is the ultimate treasure trove for fans of one of the world’s biggest bands. 


          Grateful Dead

          Gratest Hits

            Celebrate Grateful Dead's 60th Anniversary with a collection of the band's "Gratest" hits, available for the first time on 1LP and as a 1CD. 

            TRACK LISTING

            1. CASEY JONES
            2. FRIEND OF THE DEVIL
            3. BOX OF RAIN
            4. SUGAR MAGNOLIA
            5. TRUCKIN’
            6. SCARLET BEGONIAS
            7. FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN
            8. ESTIMATED PROPHET
            9. TOUCH OF GREY

            Norman Greenbaum

            Spirit In The Sky - 2025 Reissue

              Long out-of-print, Norman Greenbaum’s 1969 debut, 'Spirit in the Sky', returns on vinyl. Anchored by its beloved, iconic title track, 'Spirit in the Sky', the album merges rock, gospel, and psychedelia, while hidden gems like 'Marcy', 'Tars of India' and 'Skyline' highlight Greenbaum’s distinctive songwriting style. This reissue arrives in a paper-wrapped jacket with lacquers cut from the original tapes (AAA)—truly a defining classic of its era.

              TRACK LISTING

              1. Junior Cadillac
              2. Spirit In The Sky
              3. Skyline
              4. Jubilee
              5. Alice Bodine
              6. Tars Of India
              7. The Power
              8. Good Lookin' Woman
              9. Milk Cow
              10. Marcy

              Metallica

              Load - 2025 Remaster

                The Metallica remaster collection continues with the 5x-platinum 'Load'. Produced by Bob Rock, 'Load' is the follow-up to 'Metallica', the best-selling album of the Soundscan era. 'Load' contains fan favorites including 'Until It Sleeps', 'Hero of the Day', and 'King Nothing', and for the first time ever, the original extended version of 'The Outlaw Torn' that was originally edited due to manufacturing limits. Remastered by Reuben Cohen at Lurssen Mastering, overseen by executive producer Greg Fidelman.

                TRACK LISTING

                CD & 2LP Tracklisting:
                1. Ain't My Bitch
                2. 2 X 4
                3. The House Jack Built
                4. Until It Sleeps
                5. King Nothing
                6. Hero Of The Day
                7. Bleeding Me
                8. Cure
                9. Poor Twisted Me
                10. Wasting My Hate
                11. Mama Said
                12. Thorn Within
                13. Ronnie
                14. The Outlaw Torn


                3CD Tracklisting:

                CD1 - Load (Remastered):
                1. Ain't My Bitch
                2. 2 X 4 
                3. The House Jack Built 
                4. Until It Sleeps 
                5. King Nothing 
                6. Hero Of The Day 
                7. Bleeding Me
                8. Cure 
                9. Poor Twisted Me 
                10. Wasting My Hate 
                11. Mama Said 
                12. Thorn Within 
                13. Ronnie 
                14. The Outlaw Torn 

                CD2 - Riffs, Demos & Rough Mixes:
                1. Bitch ("Ain't My Bitch" Original Arrangement Rough Mix)
                2. 2 X 4 (Take 16)
                3. Jack ("The House Jack Built" Re-Edit Version 1 Rough Mix)
                4. F.O.B.D. ("Until It Sleeps" Rough Chorus Vocal Idea Mix)
                5. Load ("King Nothing" Take 16)
                6. Mouldy ("Hero Of The Day" Instrumental Mix)
                7. Boss ("Bleeding Me" Demo)
                8. Believe ("Cure" Riff II)
                9. Dusty ("Poor Twisted Me" Take 12)
                10. Streamline ("Wasting My Hate" Original Arrangement Rough Mix)
                11. Mama ("Mama Said" Acoustics Only Alternate Mix)
                12. NC-17 ("Thorn Within" Riff)
                13. The Blue And The Gray (and The Red) ("Ronnie" Vocal Idea)
                14. Outlaw ("The Outlaw Torn" Outlaw Of Torn Vocal Tag Alternate Mix)

                CD3 - Poor Touring Me:
                1. Ain't My Bitch (Live At Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, Irvine, CA - August 4th, 1996)
                2. 2 X 4 (Live At Donington Park, Castle Donington, England - August 26th, 1995)
                3. The House Jack Built (Birmingham, England Rehearsal)
                4. Until It Sleeps (Live At Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway - November 23rd, 1996)
                5. King Nothing (Live At Slim's, San Francisco, CA - June 10th, 1996)
                6. Hero Of The Day (Live At 100.7 WMMS Coffee Break Concert)
                7. Bleeding Me (Live In Stockholm, Sweden On November 16th, 1996)
                8. Wasting My Hate (Live At Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway - November 23rd, 1996)
                9. Mama Said (Live On Sverige-Sovjet In Stockholm, Sweden On November 15th, 1996)
                10. Devil's Dance (Live In Tuktoyaktuk, Canada On September 3rd, 1995)
                11. Fuel (Live At Rosemont Horizon, Chicago, IL - February 9th, 1997)
                12. Overkill (Live At Earls Court, London, UK - October 12th, 1996)
                13. Kill/Ride Medley (Live At Donington Park, Castle Donington, England - August 26th, 1995)

                Deluxe Box Set Contents:
                - LP 1 & 2: Load (Remastered)
                - LP 3: Mama Said Pic Disc
                - LP 4-6: Loadapalooza ‘96
                - CD 1: Load (Remastered)
                - CD 2-6: Shadowcast (Riffs, Demos, Rough Mixes, Etc)
                - CD 7: B-Sides & Rarities
                - CD 8 & 9: Escape From The Studio ‘96
                - CD 10 & 11: Club Shows & Rehearsals
                - CD 12 & 13: Poor Norwegian Me ‘96
                - CD 14 & 15: Poor Touring Me ’96 – ‘97
                - DVD 1: Studio Shit & U.K. Shenanigans
                - DVD 2: Polar Beach Party
                - DVD 3: Poor Swedish Me ‘96
                - DVD 4: On The Air & TV Appearances 
                - Pack Of 14 Rorschach Test Cards
                - Pushead Patch
                - 11x17 Lollapalooza Poster
                - 8x10 Rolling Stone Cover
                - 5-pack Of Guitar/bass Picks
                - Folder W/lyric Sheets
                - Two Tour Lams
                - 128-page Book 

                Van Morrison

                Remembering Now

                  With ‘Remembering Now’, Van Morrison returns to the transcendent, uncategorisable rhapsodies that make him unique. Soul, jazz, blues, folk, country - this is music in conversation with all of them but limited by none. Its rich with hallmarks of classic Van Morrison, from dominant themes of love in spirit with the great ‘Someone Like You’ (the escapist romance of ‘Once In A Lifetime Feelings’, the self-deprecating candour of ‘The Only Love I Ever Need Is Yours’) to specific references to locations from his youth in the title track and ‘Stomping Ground’. The title of another song, ‘When the Rains Came’, echoes a lyric from his classic ‘Brown Eyed Girl’.

                  From the radiant opener, ‘Down to Joy’, to the joyously resilient ‘Haven’t Lost My Sense of Wonder’, Van Morrison’s voice, guitar and saxophone continue to mesmerise and he is surrounded, as always, by a fabulous band - Richard Dunn (Hammond organ), Stuart McIlroy (piano), Pete Hurley (bass) and Colin Griffin (drums and percussion) - who have worked with him since ‘Three Chords and the Truth’ in 2019.

                  The single ‘Down To Joy’ feels like he has gone back to his soul and gospel roots, its strong emphasis on an uplifting big band arrangement with evocative strings providing fans with a taste of timeless sounds which represents the rest of the album.

                  Beyond his key band members, ‘Remembering Now’ features an array of accomplished collaborators. Its strings were arranged and directed by Fiachra Trench (Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello), whose association with Van Morrison goes back to ‘Avalon Sunset’ in 1989. Those strings were performed by the Fews Ensemble led by Joanne Quigley.

                  Other contributions come from Michael Beckwith, the founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center, the renowned lyricist Don Black (Ennio Morricone, John Barry, Quincy Jones); and the acclaimed folk artist Seth Lakeman.


                  STAFF COMMENTS

                  Barry says: A new one from one of the most legendary voices in music, 'Remembering Now' sees Morrison tone down the political and ideological campaigning of the past few albums to great effect, sounding like a beautifully relaxed version of his smoothly delivered best and accompanied by a host of impactful orchestrations.

                  TRACK LISTING

                  1. Down To Joy
                  2. If It Wasn’t For Ray
                  3. Haven’t Lost My Sense Of Wonder
                  4. Love, Lover And Beloved
                  5. Cutting Corners
                  6. Back To Writing Love Songs
                  7. The Only Love I Ever Need Is Yours
                  8. Once In A Lifetime Feelings
                  9. Stomping Ground
                  10. Memories And Visions
                  11. When The Rains Came
                  12. Colourblind
                  13. Remembering Now
                  14. Stretching Out

                  Pink Floyd

                  Live In Munster 1971

                    Rare and collectable recordings - digitally remastered. Classic recordings from 1971, recorded at Halle Münsterland, Munster, Germany on the band's European tour. Plus two tracks from Leeds University - 'A Saucerful of Secrets' and the rarely played 'Blues'.



                    TRACK LISTING

                    1. Embryo
                    2. Green Is The Colour
                    3. Careful With That Axe, Eugene
                    4. Fat Old Sun
                    5. Cymbaline 
                    Bonus Tracks - Refectory Hall, Leeds University, Yorkshire, England - 23rd January 1971
                    6. A Saucerful Of Secrets
                    7. Blues

                    Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts

                    Talkin' To The Trees

                      ‘Talkin To The Trees’ is a personal and powerful album featuring ten new compositions by Young. 'Big Change', the first song from the album, was released in January 2025, with a message that left no doubt where Neil Young stands in these challenging times.

                      The Chrome Hearts are Spooner Oldham (Organ); Micah Nelson (Guitar and Vocal); Corey McCormick (Bass and Vocal); Anthony LoGerfo (Drums); with Neil Young (Guitar, Harp, Piano, Vibes). The album is co-produced by Lou Adler and Young, and recorded at Shangri La Studios in Malibu.

                      TRACK LISTING

                      1. Family Life
                      2. Dark Mirage
                      3. First Fire Of Winter
                      4. Silver Eagle
                      5. Lets Roll Again
                      6. Big Change
                      7. Talkin To The Trees
                      8. Movin Ahead
                      9. Bottle Of Love
                      10. Thankful

                      Various Artists

                      Jon Savage's Space: Light Years From Home

                        Jon Savage's Space - An amazing musical voyage through the theme and idea of Space - music for Space - Space - Music - Through West-Coast US Rock , Techno, Post-Punk , Jazz, Ambient & Experimental sounds-this is a journey like no other .. From Sun Ra to Mr Fingers and way beyond..

                        "We are taken to less familiar musical quadrants-fascinatedly & instructively so"
                        (Roy Wilkinson - MOJO Feb 2025) .

                        Various Artists

                        Up In My Mind - From The Lysergic Sixties - 15 Fuzzed Out Acid Tabs

                          This collection of underground 1960s psychedelic rock gems is a mind-expanding journey through swirling fuzz guitars, hypnotic organ swells and trippy vocal harmonies.

                          Tracks range from dreamy, acid-soaked odysseys (‘One’ and ‘Blue Music Box’) to heavy, proto-metal freak-outs (‘Ultimate Power’ and ‘Babylon’), capturing the era’s raw energy and experimentation. Apocalyptic themes (‘Last Day On Earth’), revolutionary anthems (‘The New Generation’) and eerie, hallucinatory acid soundscapes (‘Hallucinations’ and ‘Subconscious Train Of Thought’) create an immersive sonic trip.

                          This is late-1960s psychedelia at its finest - wild, unpredictable and utterly intoxicating. Be ready to blow your mind to far away galaxies.

                          TRACK LISTING

                          The Spontaneous Generation – Up In My Mind (1968)
                          The Rebellers – The New Generation (1967)
                          Sound Expedition – Ultimate Power (1969)
                          The Sound Apparatus – One (1969)
                          Maxx – 200 Years (1969)
                          Velvet Haze – Last Day On Earth (1968)
                          Soul Society – Psychedelic Cycle (1968)
                          The Shadows Of Time – Search Your Soul (1969)
                          House Of David – Long Way Back Home (1968)
                          Sounds Synonymous – Babylon (1969)
                          Changin’ Tymes – Blue Music Box (1968)
                          The Thingies – Mass Confusion (1968)
                          The Lemonade Charade – Hideaway Of Your Love (1968)
                          The Aardvarks – Subconscious Train Of Thought (1968)
                          Smith Vinson – Hallucinations (1969)


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