This release has been liaised and approved by the band's founder and main songwriter Jerry Dammers.

Formed in Coventry in the mid-1970s, The Specialswas the idea of musician Jerry Dammers, who brought together an eclectic array of individuals to fulfill his vision of a multi-racial band, fusing the energy of punk with the legendary but, at the time, often overlooked, sound of Jamaican ska. The band rose to prominence along with the 2Tone movement, which included two No. 1 singles, Too Much too Young and 1981's Ghost Town, which theme still resonates today before Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Neville Staple left to form the Fun Boy Three and Roddy Byers left to tour with his band the Tearjerkers.

The remaining members, Dammers, Bradbury and Panter, recruited guitarist John Shipley from The Swinging Cats, ex-Bodysnatcher Rhoda Dakar and lead vocalist Stan Campbell,reverting the original band name of The Special AKA and set to work on a new album. Released in 1984, 'In the Studio' was a brave mix of bold and challenging music, with a strong political, social and moral conscience. The album made it into the Top 40, and while it might not have been a huge commercial success, it was, and still is, an astonishingly unique work: a haunting, claustrophobic mix of lounge, soul, reggae, jazz and Arabic rhythms, with uncompromising subject matter. It featured two classic singles: the joyous, yet serious rallying anthem for the then imprisoned South African ANC leader, 'Free Nelson Mandela', and 'What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend'. As time has gone by, the status of 'In The Studio'has grown, and today it is rightly viewed as a genuine lost classic.

Like the previous two Specials 40th Anniversary vinyl editions, this has been newly remastered and cut at half-speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, London.

TRACK LISTING

Bright Lights (2024 Remaster)
The Lonely Crowd (2024 Remaster)
What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend (2024 Remaster)
Housebound (2024 Remaster)
Night On The Tiles (2024 Remaster)
Nelson Mandela (2024 Remaster)
War Crimes (The Crime Is The Same) (2024 Remaster)
Racist Friend (2024 Remaster)
Alcohol (2024 Remaster)
Break Down The Door (2024 Remaster)

Produced by the band themselves in the latter half of 1983.

The album includes the UK top 10 and worldwide hit Dancing With Tears In My Eyes, along with the singles One Small Day and the title track Lament.

The album has newly been remastered album, cut at half-speed by Phil Kinrade and Barry Grint at AIR Studios, London.

TRACK LISTING

LP Etched B Sides Tracks:
White China [2024 Remaster] One Small Day [2024 Remaster]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [2024 Remaster]
Lament [2024 Remaster]
Man Of Two Worlds [2024 Remaster]
Heart Of The Country [2024 Remaster]
When The Time Comes [2024 Remaster]
A Friend I Call Desire [2024 Remaster]

CDBX 12" Box, 8 Disc, Booklet & Unseen Photographs Tracks:
White China [2024Remaster]
One Small Day [2024 Remaster]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [2024 Remaster]
Lament [2024 Remaster]
Man Of Two Worlds [2024 Remaster]
Heart Of The Country [2024 Remaster]
When The Time Comes [2024 Remaster]
A Friend I Call Desire [2024 Remaster]
White China [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
One Small Day [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Lament [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Man Of Two Worlds [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Heart Of The Country [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
When The Time Comes [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
A Friend I Call Desire [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Easterly [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Building [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Love's Great Adventure [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
White China [Extended Re- Mix]
One Small Day [Extended Re-Mix]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Blank & Jones So8os Reconstruction]
Lament [Moby Remix]
Man Of Two Worlds [Extended Re- Mix]
Heart Of The Country [Extended Re-Mix]
When The Time Comes [Steven Wilson 12'' Re-Mix]
A Friend I Call Desire [Steven Wilson 12'' Re- Mix]
One Small Day [U.S. SingleEdit]
Easterly [2024 Remaster]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Single Version]
Building [2024 Remaster]
One Small Day [U.S. Club Version]
Lament [Single Version]
Heart Of The Country [Instrumental]
Love's Great Adventure [2024 Remaster]
White China [Live At Hammersmith Odeon June 1984]
Man Of Two Worlds [Instrumental]
White China [Rough Mix Sept '83]
Man Of Two Worlds [Monitor Mix Aug '83]
Lament [Backing Track Sept '83]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Piano Version]
Love's Great Adventure [Work In Progress Mix]
Threads [Version 1]
Threads [Version 2: Love's Great Adventure]
Rivets
One Small Day [Special Re- Mix]
One Small Day [Special Re- Mix Extra]
White China [Special Re- Mix]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Special Re- Mix]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [U.S. Extended Re- Mix]
Lament [Extended Version]
Heart Of The Country [Special Unedited Re- Mix]
Love's Great Adventure [Extended Version]
One Small Day [Final Mix]
Man Of Two Worlds [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Passing Strangers [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
We Stand Alone [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
New Europeans [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
I Remember (Death In The Afternoon) [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Visions In Blue [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Heart Of The Country [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Western Promise [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Vienna [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Reap The Wild Wind [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
We Came To Dance [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
White China [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
One Small Day [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Hymn [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
The Voice [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Lament [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
All Stood Still [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
White China [Steven Wilson 5.1Surround Mix]
One Small Day [Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix]
Lament [Steven Wilson 5.1Surround Mix]
Man Of Two Worlds [Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix]
Heart Of The Country [Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix]
When The Time Comes [Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix]
A Friend I Call Desire [Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix]
Easterly [Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix]
Building [Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix]
Love' Great Adventure [Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Mix]
White China [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
One Small Day [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Lament [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Man Of Two Worlds [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Heart Of The Country [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
When The Time Comes [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
A Friend I Call Desire [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Easterly [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Building [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
Love' Great Adventure [Steven Wilson Stereo Mix]
White China [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
One Small Day [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Lament [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Man Of Two Worlds [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Heart Of The Country [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
When The Time Comes [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
A Friend I Call Desire [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
One Small Day [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Easterly [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Building [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Lament [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Heart Of The Country [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Love's Great Adventure [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
White China [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Man Of Two Worlds [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
One Small Day [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
One Small Day [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
White China [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Lament [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Heart Of The Country [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
Love's Great Adventure [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]
One Small Day [1984 Mix 96/24 PCM Stereo]

LP Clear Tracks:
White China [2024 Remaster]
One Small Day [2024 Remaster] 
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [2024 Remaster]
Lament [2024 Remaster]
Man Of Two Worlds [2024 Remaster]
Heart Of The Country [2024 Remaster]
When The Time Comes [2024 Remaster]
A Friend I Call Desire [2024 Remaster] 
White China [Extended Re-Mix]
One Small Day [Extended Re-Mix]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Blank & Jones So8os Reconstruction]
Lament [Moby Remix] /
Man Of Two Worlds [Extended Re-Mix]
Heart Of The Country [Extended Re-Mix] 
When The Time Comes [Steven Wilson 12'' Mix]
A Friend I Call Desire [Steven Wilson 12'' Mix]
Man Of Two Worlds [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Passing Strangers [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
We Stand Alone [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984] 
New Europeans [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
I Remember (Death In The Afternoon) [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th
June 1984]
Visions In Blue [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Heart Of The Country [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Western Promise [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
/
Vienna [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Reap The Wild Wind [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
We Came To Dance [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
White China [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
One Small Day [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Hymn [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
The Voice [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Lament [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]
All Stood Still [Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London 7th June 1984]

Shop Assistants formed in Edinburgh in 1984 and quickly gained a cult following, playing with kindred spirits the Pastels and the Jesus & Mary Chain and gaining positive coverage in fanzines and the music press

Their Shopping Parade EP and Safety Net single both hit the top of the indie charts and charmed listeners with their unique melodic blend of punk rock and 60s pop.

The band signed to Geoff Travis' new Chrysalis Records imprint, Blue Guitar, in 1986 for the release of their debut album 'Will Anything Happen'. The album has since become a cult classic and is an essential listen for fans of indie, dreampop, and shoe gaze. Stand-out songs include the lead single 'I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You', 'All Day Long', and 'Somewhere In China'.

Out of print for over a decade, vinyl copies now fetch impressive prices amongst collectors. This new reissue features the album newly remastered from the original tapes by Phil Kinrade and cut by Barry Grint at AIR Mastering.

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklisting
1. I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You [2024 Remaster]
2. All Day Long [2024 Remaster]
3. Before I Wake [2024 Remaster]
4. Caledonian Road [2024 Remaster]
5. All That Ever Mattered [2024 Remaster]
6. Fixed Grin [2024 Remaster]
7. Somewhere In China [2024 Remaster]
8. Train From Kansas City [2024 Remaster]
9. Home Again [2024 Remaster]
10. Seems To Be [2024 Remaster]
11. After Dark [2024 Remaster]
12. All Of The Time [2024 Remaster]
13. What A Way To Die [2024 Remaster]
14. Nature Lover [2024 Remaster]

CD Tracklisting
Disc 1
1. I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You [2024 Remaster]
2. All Day Long [2024 Remaster]
3. Before I Wake [2024 Remaster]
4. Caledonian Road [2024 Remaster]
5. All That Ever Mattered [2024 Remaster]
6. Fixed Grin [2024 Remaster]
7. Somewhere In China [2024 Remaster]
8. Train From Kansas City [2024 Remaster]
9. Home Again [2024 Remaster]
10. Seems To Be [2024 Remaster]
11. After Dark [2024 Remaster]
12. All Of The Time [2024 Remaster]
13. What A Way To Die [2024 Remaster]
14. Nature Lover [2024 Remaster]
15. Looking Back [B-Side]
16. All Day Long (Slow Version) [B-Side]
17. I Don't Want To Be Friends With You [Instrumental Demo]
18. After Dark [Instrumental Demo]
19. A Million Miles From Home [Instrumental Demo]
Disc 2
1. Looking Back [Rough Mix]
2. Caledonian Road [Rough Mix]
3. What A Way To Die [Rough Mix]
4. Fixed Grin [Roundhouse Version]
5. Train From Kansas City [Roundhouse Version]
6. Before I Wake [Roundhouse Version]
7. All That Ever Mattered [Rough Mix]
8. Seems To Be [Live In London 03/10/1986]
9. Nature Lover [Live In London 03/10/1986]
10. Something To Do [Live In London 03/10/1986]
11. Switzerland [Live In London 03/10/1986]
12. Home Again [Live In Deinze 05/10/1986
13. It's Up To You [Live In Deinze 05/10/1986]
14. Safety Net [Live In Deinze 05/10/1986]
15. Fixed Grin [John Peel Session 11/11/1986]
16. I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You [John Peel Session 11/11/1986]
17. Ace Of Spades [John Peel Session 11/11/1986]
18. Before I Wake [John Peel Session 11/11/1986]

'1985' is a newly curated box set byThe Waterboys' leader Mike Scott telling the story of the making of their landmark albumThis Is The Sea and the timeless single,The Whole of The Moon

The music is chronologically sequenced, taking the listener through 95tracks over Six CDs, including 64 previously unreleased recordings of home recordings, early demos, alternate versions, outtakes, live recordings, and tv/ radio sessions covering the recording process of the album along with the remastered version of the This Is The Sea album. The 56 page booklet contains recording details annotated by Mike Scott along with previously unseen photos.

TRACK LISTING

Disc 1:
1. Trumpets
2. Be My Enemy
3. The Ways Of Men
4. The Waves #1
5. Old England
6. Towers Open Fire
7. Down Through The Town
8. Ribbon Of Steel
9. Bury My Heart
10. The Three Day Man
11. Medicine Bow
12. This Is The Sea
13. A Door For My Soul
14. Don't Bang The Drum
15. Son Of Rags
16. In My Bed
17. The Pan Within
18. Even The Trees Are Dancing
19. Theme
20. Fuzz Guitar Vamp
21. Death Is Not The End

Disc 2:
1. Beverly Penn
2. Don't Bang The Drum
3. Be My Enemy
4. The Day I Ran Out Of People
5. Winter Blows
6. The Mercenary And The Samaritan
7. Looking For Dickon
8. Spirit
9. All The Bright Horses
10. Custer's Blues
11. The Woman In Me
12. Paris In The Rain
13. The Song Of Sitting Bull
14. Talk About Wings
15. The Whole Of The Moon
16. The Pan Within
17. No Sun In The Sky
18. Winter In The Blood
19. We Belong To The World
20. The Whole Of The Moon

Disc 3:
1. Medicine Jack
2. Medicine Jack Boogie Woogie
3. The Sound Of Snow
4. The Pan Within
5. It Should Have Been You / Guitar Play
6. Old England
7. Old Macmichael Had A Band
8. Sweet Thing
9. Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town
10. Spirit
11. Then You Hold Me
12. Trumpets
13. Rain Come Down
14. Son Of Dirt
15. This Is The Sea

Disc 4:
1. Medicine Bow
2. Trumpets
3. Be My Enemy
4. Sleek White Schooner
5. Sweetheart Like You
6. This Is The Sea
7. Adrian And The Piano Storm
8. Beverly Penn
9. This Is The Sea
10. The Waves
11. The Ladder
12. Beverly Penn
13. Don't Bang The Drum
14. Ribbon Of Steel
15. Paisley Park

Disc 5:
1. The Whole Of The Moon
2. High Far Soon
3. This Is The Sea
4. Medicine Bow
5. The Pan Within
6. Miracle
7. World Party
8. I Am Not Here
9. Born To Be Together
10. Higher In Time
11. The Whole Of The Moon
12. Meridian West
13. Don't Bang The Drum
14. Medicine Bow
15. Behold The Sea
16. Beverly Penn 2023

Disc 6:
1. Don't Bang The Drum
2. The Whole Of The Moon
3. Spirit
4. The Pan Withiin
5. Medicine Bow
6. Old England
7. Be My Enemy
8. Trumpets
9. This Is The Sea

Introduced to the world ten years ago, Emeli Sandé MBE has become an icon of British singer-songwriting; emotional, honest, and prolific in the kind of manner that cements you as a go-to artist for heartfelt pop sensibility. This latest pop record is reminiscent of 2012, when Emeli had her first breakout hit.

How Were We To Know is Emeli's second independent album release through Chrysalis Records. “There was a lot I wanted to say about myself, and I hope that through the lyrics people will get to understand me on a deeper level.”

How Were We To Know’s 11 tracks explore intimate encounters with love in all its forms, along with the risk required to pursue it. “Once you’ve been hurt, it’s very hard to pick up the pieces again and allow yourself to be vulnerable,” Sandé says. “So I think these songs explore the bravery of love, and loving others but also yourself. These songs were pieces of a puzzle I had to put together, and now feels like the right time to share them.”

The album features production from Jonny Coffer (Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus), Jim Jonsin (ASAP Rocky, Usher, Eminem), DI Genius (Drake, Raye, Sean Paul), Rxwntree, Chris Loco and Mac & Phil.

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A:
1. All This Love
2. My Boy Likes To Party
3. Lighthouse
4. How Were We To Know
5. Too Much
6. Nothing We Can't Handle

SIDE B:
1. Like I Loved You
2. There For You
3. True Colours
4. End Of Time
5. Love

CD Only Bonus Track:
1. Cos Of You

Sinead was born in Dublin in 1966, and was discovered by Paul Byrne, drummer of U2 proteges In Tua Nua, while singing wedding covers in the city. After cowriting the first In Tua Nua single, she left school to focus on music, studying voice and piano at the Dublin College of Music before relocating to London in 1985.

Released in September 1994, Universal Mother was described by Sinead as "the first attempt to try to expose what was really underneath a lot of the anger of the other records". The album features sparse, striking but delicate arrangements on intense and honest songs. Standout moments include the singles 'Thank You For Hearing Me' and 'Fire On Babylon', along with contributions from Germaine Greer (opening track 'Germaine'), and Sinead's son Jake Reynolds ('Am I A Human?'), plus a cover of Nirvana's 'All Apologies'.

TRACK LISTING

Germaine
Fire On Babylon
John I Love You
My Darling Child
Am I A Human?
Red Football
All Apologies
A Perfect Indian
Scorn Not His Simplicity
All Babies
In This Heart
Tiny Grief Song
"Famine"
Thank You For Hearing Me

Sinead was born in Dublin in 1966, and was discovered by Paul Byrne, drummer of U2 proteges In Tua Nua, while singing wedding covers in the city. After cowriting the first In Tua Nua single, she left school to focus on music, studying voice and piano at the Dublin College of Music before relocating to London in 1985.

The follow-up album to the hugely successful I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got album, Am I Not Your Girl? was released in September 1992 and features Sinead performing a collection of songs that she had grown up listening to and which had inspired her to become a singer. It was during the promotional campaign for the album when Sinead made a controversial appearance on Saturday Night Live.

Am I Not Your Girl? features Sinead's unmistakable voice accompanied by an orchestra, performing big- band arrangements of tracks such as the single 'Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home' (a Top 20 hit), 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina', and 'Why Don't You Do Right?'.

TRACK LISTING

Why Don't You Do Right?
Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
Secret Love 
Black Coffee
Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home
Don't Cry For Me Argentina
I Want To Be Loved By You
Gloomy Sunday
Love Letters 
How Insensitive
Scarlet Ribbons
Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Instrumental)

Sinead was born in Dublin in 1966, and was discovered by Paul Byrne, drummer of U2 proteges In Tua Nua, while singing wedding covers in the city. After cowriting the first In Tua Nua single, she left school to focus on music, studying voice and piano at the Dublin College of Music before relocating to London in 1985.

Released in November 1987, Sinead's striking debut album The Lion and the Cobra was met with critical and commercial success. The album synthesises several of Sinead's influences into a diverse array of sounds and styles, from the hushed, atmospheric 'Troy' and 'Jackie' to the pop-rock hit single 'Mandinka', and the hip-hop inspired 'I Want Your (Hands on Me)'. The album also includes 'Drink Before The War', a song written by Sinead about her experiences at the Catholic reform school she attended, and was recently featured in the HBO series Euphoria.

The album remains a high point.

TRACK LISTING

Jackie
Mandinka
Jerusalem
Just Like U Said It Would B
Never Get Old
Troy
I Want Your (Hands On Me)
Drink Before The War
Just Call Me Joe

Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump is the fifth studio album by De La Soul, released on August 8, 2000

Among the guests on the album are, Redman, Tash and J-Ro of Tha Liks, Xzibit, Busta Rhymes, Mike D and Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys, Busy Bee, Freddie Foxxx and Chaka Khan. Mosaic Thump returned De La Soul to chart territory again thanks to the hit singles "Oooh.", and "All Good?".

"Oooh" was nominated for a Source Award and the album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Performance By A Duo or Group.

TRACK LISTING

Spitkicker.Com/Ray R.
U Can Do (Life)
My Writes
Ooooh
Thru Ya City
I. C. Y'all
View
Interluden
Set The Mood
AllGood?
Declaration
Squat!
Words From The Chief Rocker
With Me
Copa (Cabanga)
Foolin'
The Art Of Getting Jumped
U Don't Wanna B.D.S.

AOI: Bionix is De La Soul's sixth full length album, released on December 4, 2001.

The first single, "Baby Phat" featuring Yummy Bingham and Devin the Dude, was an ode to larger sized women.

Elsewhere, "Held Down", featuring Cee- Lo, found Posdnuos in an introspective mood as he mused on fatherhood, religion, and fame. Slick Rick also made an appearance on "What We Do (For Love)"; a humorous song about puberty and sexual discovery.

The album featured skits with a character by the name of Reverend Do Good, which worked as social commentary as well as the intros and outros of the songs. The final Reverend Do Good skit acts as one final advertisement for Ghost Weed as heard on De La Soul's previous album, Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump. A mischievous teenager takes a hit of the substance, then morphs into Slum Village frontman J Dilla, who provides the intro and outro to the marijuanathemed song "Peer Pressure" (which he also produced).

TRACK LISTING

Intro
Bionix
Baby Phat
Simply
Simply Havin'
Held Down
Rev. Do Good # 1
Watch Out
Special
Rev. Do Good # 2
The Sauce
Am I Worth You?
Pawn Star
What We Do (For Love)
Rev. Do Good #3
Peer Pressure
It's American
Trying People

The fifth single off their iconic debut album, Three Feet High and Rising, is arguably De La Soul's most famous song.

"Me Myself and I" hit #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop, Hot Rap Songs, and Dance Club Songs charts and became a worldwide hit. It also earned the band their first Grammy nomination (for Best Rap Performance). With disco- funk infused samples and lyrics extolling the band's philosophy of self-expression and self-acceptance, this song forever changed the genre of Hip-Hop.

TRACK LISTING

1. Me Myself & I
2. Me Myself & I (Instrumental)

Fun Boy Three was formed by Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Nevile Staples after leaving The Specials in the Summer of 1981.

Taking on a more pop sensibility, the band released their debut single, The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum), reaching number 20 in the UK charts in October 1981. The endurance of the track still resonates today and led to the reformed Specials, featuring Terry and Lynval, to re-record the track on their 2019 comeback album ‘Encore'.

On their second single, they were joined by Bananarama for a a cover of the old jazz standard ‘T'Ain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It)' which reached number 4 in the UK charts (Feb '82). A third single from the album, The Telephone Always Rings, was also a top 20 hit single, which completed a trio of hits in the band’s first year.

This debut album, The Fun Boy Three, was released in March 1982, and was a top 10 hit in the UK, going on to achieve gold status.

TRACK LISTING

Sanctuary
Way On Down
The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)
Life In General (Lewe In Algemeen)
Faith, Hope & Charity
Funrama 2

Following on from the success of their debut album and a one off single, a cover of the George Gershwin's  'Summertime', the Fun Boy Three went into the studio at the end of 1982 with David Byrne (Talking Heads) producing.

The album features the singles ‘The More I See (The Less I Believe)', ‘The Tunnel of Love' and ‘Our Lips Are Sealed', the later is co-written with Jane Wiedlin of The Go Go's who supported The Specials on tour in the UK in 1980. The album took on a more sophisticated sound and lyrical content, tackling more political issues like the troubles in Northern Ireland. It also has a cover of the Miss Marple theme tune from the 1960's film series Murder She Said starring Margaret Rutherford.

The album reached number 14 in the UK charts in February 1983 followed by a tour, after which the band disbanded.

TRACK LISTING

Murder She Said
The More I See (The Less I Believe)
Going Home
We're Having All The Fun
The Farmyard Connection
The Tunnel Of Love
Our Lips Are Sealed
The Pressure Of Life (Takes The Weight Off The Body)
Things We Do
Well Fancy That

Despite their rapid success and recognition, De La Soul continued to prove themselves as one of the most original, authentic and creative groups in hip-hop, with the release of their sophomore album, De La Soul is Dead on May 14, 1991.Featuring once again, the production of visionary producer Prince Paul, their second album further fanned the flames; landing on charts around the world, receiving a five-mic rating in The Source and securing Gold status by the RIAA. To this day, the project is considered one of the groups best albums to date, having left fans with several certified classics like, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays", "Ring, Ring, Ring (Ha Ha Hey)" and "Keepin' the Faith". Another absolutely essential slice of Hip Hop history that’s been unavailable for some time.

TRACK LISTING

1. Intro
2. Oodles Of O's
3. Talkin' Bout Hey Love
4. Pease Porridge
5. Skit 1
6. Johnny's Dead AKA Vincent Mason (Live From BK Lounge)
7. A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays"
8. WRMS' Dedication To The Bitty
9. Bitties In The BK Lounge
10. Skit 2
11. My Brother's A Basehead
12. Let, Let Me In
13. Afro Connections At A Hi 5 (In The Eyes Of The Hoodlum)
14. Rap De Rap Show
15. Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa
16. Who Do U Worship?
17. Skit 3
18. Kicked Out The House
19. Pass The Plugs
20. Not Over Till The Fat Lady Plays The Demo
21. Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)
22. WRMS: Cat's In Control
23. Skit 4
24. Shwingalokate
25. Fanatic Of The B Word
26. Keepin' The Faith
27. Skit 5

Dance Craze is a 1981 concert film recorded at various venues throughout 1980 at the height of the 2Tone movement featuring exclusive live recordings by The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, Bad Manners and The Bodysnatchers. This new expanded edition features the previously unreleased 27 track soundtrack, along with the original 14 track vinyl album, remastered from the original production masters.

TRACK LISTING

Nite Klub (Film Soundtrack Version)
The Prince (Film Soundtrack Version)
Ne- Ne- Na- Na- Na- Na- Nu- Nu (Film Soundtrack Version)
007 (Shanty Town) (Film Soundtrack Version)
Three Minute Hero (Film Soundtrack Version)
Ranking Full Stop (Film Soundtrack Version)
Big Shot (Film Soundtrack Version)
Concrete Jungle (Film Soundtrack Version)
Swan Lake (Film Soundtrack Version)
Razor Blade Alley (Film Soundtrack Version)
Missing Words (Film Soundtrack Version)
Let's Do Rock Steady (Film Soundtrack Version)
Lip Up Fatty (Film Soundtrack Version)
Madness (Film Soundtrack Version)
Too Much Too Young (Film Soundtrack Version)
On My Radio (Film Soundtrack Version)
Easy Life (Film Soundtrack Version)
Rough Rider (Film Soundtrack Version)
Man At C&A (Film Soundtrack Version)
Inner London Violence (Film Soundtrack Version)
Night Boat To Cairo (Film Soundtrack Version)
Twist And Crawl (Film Soundtrack Version)
Wooly Bully (Film Soundtrack Version)
Too Much Pressure (Film Soundtrack Version)
Mirror In The Bathroom (Film Soundtrack Version)
One Step Beyond (Film Soundtrack Version)
Nite Klub (Reprise) (Film Soundtrack Version)
Concrete Jungle (Album Version)
Mirror In The Bathroom (Album Version)
Lip Up Fatty (Album Version)
Razor Blade Alley (Album Version)
Three Minute Hero (Album Version)
Easy Life (Album Version)
Big Shot (Album Version)
One Step Beyond (Album Version)
Ranking Full Stop (Album Version)
Man At C&A (Album Version)
Missing Words (Album Version)
Inner London Violence (Album Version)
Night Boat To Cairo (Album Version)
Too Much Pressure (Album Version)
Nite Klub (Album Version)

Originally released in 1993, Fuzzy is the debut release from Grant Lee Buffalo. Rising from the ashes of the recently defunct Shiva Burlesque, the trio of Grant Lee Philips, Paul Kimble and Joey Peters went on to record four studio albums. This premiere created a mellow and political charged album that beautifully fuses many genres into a mellow Americana release, showcasing Grant Lee Phillips evocative voice and paved the way for what was to come. Warm yet angsty, it wields melancholy like a double-barreled shotgun whose bullet rockets through the soul.

TRACK LISTING

The Shining Hour
Jupiter And Teardrop
Fuzzy
Wish You Well
The Hook
Soft Wolf Tread
Stars N’ Stripes
Dixie Drug Store
America  Snoring
Grace
You Just Have To Be Crazy

Originally released in 1994, Mighty Joe Moon is the second release from Grant Lee Buffalo Appearing in the midst of the grunge movement, the trio took raw emotion and embraced it with just as much abrasion but toned it down into a more singer/ songwriter tone, thanks to Grant Lee Phillips' mix of glaring guitars and hushed vocals, that was unlike anything else at the time. With a nod to its predecessor, it is a more complex affair drawing in the listener on a more personal level. The fre burning in him, Phillips blazes through the themes of politics, love, the human spirit, and ends the album with a very chilling take on his own version of the old hymn Rock of Ages.

TRACK LISTING

Lone Star Song
Mockingbirds
It's The Life
Sing Along
Mighty Joe Moon
Demon Called Deception
Lady Godiva And Me
Drag
Last Days Of Tecumseh
Happiness
Honey Don't Think
Side By Side
Rock Of Ages

Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine were synonymous with the indie punk scene in the early ’90s with a run of top ten singles and albums.

They sold out multiple venues time after time playing to a fiercely loyal fanbase. 30 Something was Carter’s second album. Originally released in February 1991, it charted at number 8 in the UK spawning the singles “Anytime Anyplace Anywhere” and “Bloodsport For All”. With nods to The Clash and Bowie, the album contained the band’s trademark lyrical puns and snarling punk vocals juxtaposing with harmonisng guitars. The album received 10/10 from NME upon release and ranked as number 8 on their albums of the year list for 1991.

This deluxe version features 3CDs and a DVD housed in a clamshell box with a poster booklet. All audio content is remastered. The package also includes the “In Bed With Carter” live concert from Brixton in 1991. This was previously only available on VHS and is highly sought after with a new commentary from Jim Bob and Fruitbat.

TRACK LISTING

Surfin' U.S.M.
My Second To Last Will And Testament
Anytime Anyplace Anywhere
A Prince In A Pauper's Grave
Shopper's Paradise
Billy's Smart Circus
Bloodsport For All
Sealed With A Glasgow Kiss
Say It With Flowers
Falling On A Bruise
The Final Comedown
Re-Educating Rita
Alternate Title
Randy Sarf Git
2001: A Clockwork Orange
Bedsitter
Christmas Shoppers­ Paradise
G.I. Blues (Live At Kent Uni 27/10/90)
Rubbish (BBC Radio 1 At The Great British Music Weekend 19/1/91)
Re-Educating Rita (BBC Radio 1 At The Great British Music Weekend 19/1/91)
My Second To Last Will And Testament (BBC Radio 1 At The Great British Music Weekend 19/1/91)
Sheriff Fatman (BBC Radio 1 At The Great British Music Weekend 19/1/91)
Rent (BBC Radio 1 At The Great British Music Weekend 19/1/91)
Surfin' USM (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Midnight On The Murder Mile (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Rubbish (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Good Grief Charlie Brown (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
My Second To Last Will And Testament (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Re-Educating Rita (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Anytime Anyplace Anywhere (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Say It With Flowers (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
A Prince In A Pauper's Grave (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Sheriff Fatman (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
After The Watershed (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Shoppers' Paradise (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
The '90s Revival (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Bloodsport For All (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
This Is How It Feels (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
A Perfect Day To Drop The Bomb (BBC In Concert: Live At Kilburn 7/12/91)
Introduction
Surfin' USM
Re-Educating Rita
Midnight On The Murder Mile
My Second To Last Will And Testament
Rubbish
Say It With Flowers
A Prince In A Pauper's Grave
Bloodsport For All
Billy's Smart Circus
A Perfect Day To Drop The Bomb
This Is How It Feels
Rent
G.I. Blues
Sheriff Fatman
Backstage With Mum And Auntie

Liz Phair is pleased to announce details of, Soberish, her highly-anticipated new album, and first collection of original material in eleven years. Produced by Phair’s longtime collaborator Brad Wood – known for helming Phair’s seminal albums Exile In Guyville, Whip-Smart, and whitechocolatespaceegg

Almost thirty years since her peerless debut album, Exile In Guyville, was released (voted #56 on Rolling Stone’s 2020 list of the 500 Greatest albums of All Time), Phair returns with a new record that will both intrigue and satisfy her long-standing fans, and introduce her to a smart young audience whose contemporary heroes have been reading from Phair’s playbook since they first picked up a guitar.

Liz Phair has achieved the kind of status in her industry rarely bestowed on recording artists. Her albums in the 1990s were central to the indie rock canon of the day. Her image was featured in countless magazines, early Apple commercials and Gap ads. Her eponymous album for Capitol Records in 2003 took Phair in a pop direction that ruffled some critics’ feathers but nonetheless went gold, galvanizing a host of new fans, particularly among young women who fell in love with hits like “Why Can’t I” and

“Extraordinary”, tracks that were featured in several major films and TV shows, including 13 going on 30, Raising Helen and How to Deal. Liz has picked up two Grammy nominations, and a spot in Pitchfork’s “Greatest Albums of the 90s” with over five million record sales to date (including three U.S. gold albums). She sang “God Bless America” at the opening game of the Chicago White Sox World Series victory in her hometown in 2005.

Her acclaimed memoir, Horror Stories, published by Random House in 2019, was an insightful, passionate and no-holds-barred look at the life of a singular woman who has been disrupting and influencing since she knew the meaning of the words. The New York Times, The Boston Globe, NPR and the Wall Street Journal championed her first foray into prose. She’s a guitar player who’s created her own voicings and structures; a feminist trailblazer; a composer for film and TV; a visual artist; a lyricist of brutal honesty and devil-may-care insouciance.

Soberish is a portrait of Phair in the present tense, taking all of the facets of her melodic output over the years and synthesizing them into a beautiful, perfect whole. She’s at the top of her game in the recording studio, drawing upon years of experience in television composition to weave through the songs daring and unexpected sound design. With Brad Wood’s exquisite engineering and masterful production, the result is a wholly fresh yet satisfyingly familiar sound that challenges on the first listen and seduces with each subsequent play through. The earworms are strong with this one!

Phair says, “I found my inspiration for Soberish by delving into an early era of my music development, my art school years spent listening to Art Rock and New Wave music non-stop on my Walkman. The English Beat, The Specials, Madness, R.E.M.s Automatic for the People, Yazoo, The Psychedelic Furs, Talking Heads, Velvet Underground, Laurie Anderson, and the Cars. The city came alive for me as a young person, the bands in my headphones lending me the courage to explore.”

None of the arrangements on Soberish are traditional songwriting standards, but the hooks are so catchy, the imagery so compelling, that the listener is drawn effortlessly along with the music. There are the off-kilter, unexpected guitar chords listeners will recognize as her signature style, a mainstay from her earliest work; the instantly knowable choruses of her most pop-friendly songs of the early 2000’s; the frank lyricism and storytelling that has opened doors for countless women picking up guitars and attempting to speak about their experiences.

To look forward, Phair has spent a little time looking back. Looking back at a career that has achieved so much, and with plenty more to come. The celebrated box set reissue of Guvyille and the Girly-Sound tapes back in 2018 acted as a catalyst for Liz to remember what teenage Liz felt when that music was putting her name up in lights. It was a dizzying blur of excitement, fueled by her innate knack for delivering straightforward but devastating, razor-sharp songs. Soberish arrives, shoulder to shoulder with her past work, full of world-weary experience but dancing with a breeziness and brashness that wouldn’t be out of place at any point in her career. From the record’s title track to “Spanish Doors,” “The Game,” ‘Ba Ba Ba,” “In There,” and “Hey Lou”, these hooks and melodies have never come easier for Phair, which is why Soberish is her best and most instantly enjoyable record in decades. Impactful, and with purpose.

Phair shares insight into the meaning of her title: “Soberish can be about partying. It can be about self-delusion. It can be a about chasing that first flush of love or, in fact, any state of mind that allows you to escape reality for a while and exist on a happier plane. It’s not self-destructive or out of control; it’s as simple as the cycle of dreaming and waking up. That’s why I chose to symbolize Soberish with a crossroads, with a street sign. It’s best described as a simple pivot of perspective. When you meet your ‘ish’ self again after a period of sobriety, there’s a deep recognition and emotional relief that floods you, reminding you that there is more to life, more to reality and to your own soul than you are consciously aware of. But if you reach for too much of a good thing, or starve yourself with too little, you’ll lose that critical balance.”

If Liz Phair’s career has had a governing philosophy, we might take it as this: hold to the centre, swing around. This return, this new collection of songs, shows her at her finest: playful, inquisitive, uncompromising, but anchored. The centre can still hold.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: It's been eleven long years since we had any music from Liz Phair, and this latest outing could easily have come from the grungy 90's, full of poppy hooks and distorted guitars and punky attitude but enriched with a distinctly modern production aesthetic. Brilliantly written, and wonderfully effervescent. A great return for Phair.

TRACK LISTING

Spanish Doors
The Game
Hey Lou
In There
Good Side
Sheridan Side
Ba Ba Ba
Soberish
Soul Sucker
Lonely Street
Dosage
Bad Kitty
Rain Scene

William The Conqueror have paid their damn dues. Like the sportsman cutting chipped teeth in the lower leagues before shooting to the very top, this band have lugged all the amps, placated the in-house sound guy for an easier life, their nails dirty, their hair unkempt. Enough.

Except it’s never enough, because despite their slinky, swampy, razor-sharp, blues-drenched, guitar thrashed alt. rock songs that form new album, Maverick Thinker and suggest that the door is opening for bigger rooms and broader audiences, it’s those sticky basement bar stages where the songs have always shed a skin and come alive. The record put the three piece behind the glass at Sound City Studios in LA, treading the same carpet as the likes of Nirvana, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, and Fleetwood Mac, and they might well have inhaled the spirit of them all.

William The Conqueror’s protagonist is Ruarri Joseph who knows his way around a melody and a verse. Joseph’s wryness suggests life just ain’t plain sailin’ and he fizzes that sigh and lament into something that breathes heavy with heart and with soul.

TRACK LISTING

A1 - Move On
A2 - The Deep End
A3 - Alive At Last
A4 - Jesus Died A Young Man
A5 - Quiet Life
B1 - Wake Up
B2 - Fiction
B3 - Suddenly Scared (24 Storeys High)
B4 - Reasons
B5 - Maverick Thinker