Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Rain Parade's recent EP Last Stop On The Underground marks their notable return to the music scene, coinciding with the release of their first album in nearly forty years, Last Rays of a Dying Sun. Original members Matt Piucci and Steven Roback, who have been collaborating since 1981, continue their legacy of neo-psychedelic rock with this fresh material. The band, co-founded by the Roback brothers and Piucci, made a significant impact in the 1980s Paisley Underground scene with their debut album Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, widely regarded as a classic. Following David Roback's departure, the band's EP Explosions In The Glass Palace in 1984 maintained their high acclaim and has only grown in reputation over time. Reflecting on the creation of the new EP, Sid Griffin of The Long Ryders mentioned their recent tour with the Third Mind, which inspired Rain Parade to produce new material for their European audience. The EP features three new songs, including the title track, which incorporates elements from an older unfinished piece, and a leftover track from their latest album, creating a cohesive four-song collection. The recording process, guided by Jim Hill in familiar Oakland studios, was efficient, showcasing Rain Parade's ability to craft captivating music swiftly.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Breaking from his directorial duties, American cinema auteur Eli Roth (Borderlands, Knock Knock, Green Inferno) stops by the CAM Sugar sound studio for a rare double 7" LP, pinching listeners by the ear and dragging them along a forbidden trail along the gothic, red-lit path that is Italian soundtrack legendariness. Drawing his selections here from a wealth of Italian B-movie expertise, not to mention ownership in his own collection, the contemporary horrorist has chosen 20 delicious but still downright saucy disco, bossa nova and psych tunes here, centring on the Italian Sexy Comedy softcore era of 1969-81.

Review: These archival recordings of two extraordinary live performances takes you back to when New York City was a bohemian magnet, with low rent and spaces where artists could thrive. Recorded in Downtown in December 1985 and June 1984, the late, great Arthur Russell is captured performing at an intimate loft space known as Experimental Intermedia Foundation, which was run by Phil Niblock. Since the recordings are unedited, it does a really great job of simulating the experience and so if you close your eyes, it's easy to imagine Russell in the room right there in front of you. Of the numbers played, Russell's gifted avant-garde approach to cello is brilliantly done on 'Too Early To Tell'. And the spine-tingling, raw and deeply emotional 'That's The Very Reason' is arthouse folk at its finest. It epitomises the raw, spell-binding talent that Russell had to captivate a room. Hats off to those who have immortalized these very special shows.

Review: A posthumous release that furthers Arthur Russell's now legendary status. Recorded in Downtown New York City on December 20, 1985, it's an intimate, unedited solo live performance recorded at Phill Niblock's loft space known as Experimental Intermedia Foundation. The takes are very raw and unpolished that it makes you feel like one of the very few in attendance. 'That's the Very Reason' is a beautiful, tender experimental folk piece showing he needed very few materials in order to send listeners on a journey of transcendence. 'Too Early To Tell' is highly idiosyncratic and produces a sound not normally associated with cello. And 'Sunlit Water' has an oriental feel and provides beautiful resolve to a resplendent set.

Review: Those with an intricate knowledge of the sadly cut-short career of the late, great New York experimentalist and leftfield disco specialist Arthur Russell will happily tell you that his most celebrated solo album, World of Echo, was not only developed over several years, but also utilised edited and chopped-up recordings of shows he performed in his home city in 1984 and '85. This release presents both of those performances in full, with Russell - performing songs to his own effects-laden cello motifs and little else - delivering sparse (but effortlessly emotive) early versions and 'sketches'. These are a mix of lesser-known songs and familiar favourites, including a haunting take on 'Let's Go Swimming', a medley of 'Hiding Your Present From You/School Bell', and the inspired 'Sunlit Water'.