Rhino Vinilo y CD

Review: Rhino have embarked on a grand reissue mission and plan to put out all of the Echo & The Bunnymen's first four albums. Here we have a remastered version of Ocean Rain on 180-gram black vinyl. It was the fourth of the band's albums and was related back in 1984. It reached number four on the UK Albums Chart thanks to singles like 'Silver', 'Seven Seas' and personal favourite 'The Killing Moon.' The album got the band back to the top of their game after the rather less than warm reception to previous album Porcupine the year before thanks to its new found romantic sweetness and the band's bittersweet melodies.

Review: What is left to be written about the debut Joy Division album that hasn't been written already? Well, not much except to say if you've never heard it, you must. This is the more raw of the two studio albums, powered mainly by the foundations laid down by bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. But although the rudimentary electronic experimentalism of its successor Closer are missing - with the possible exception of 'She's Lost Control' - Martin Hannett's production job creates an uneasy world of magical reverbs and echoes that lure in the listener. From its iconic, Peter Saville sleeve to classic songs like 'Shadowplay' and 'Interzone' - which started life as a cover of Nolan Porter's Northern Soul cult hit 'Keep On Keeping On' - this is the template that effectively launched a thousand bands, from indie and post punk to goth and beyond.

Review: Morphine were far from your average rock & roll band. Combining elements of jazz and blues with more traditional guitar arrangements, all played with what has been described as "an idiosyncratic set of instruments", to say their sound was unusual - somehow sexy and morose, introspective and compelling - would be an understatement. B Sides & Otherwise, as the title suggests, allows us a moment or 12 to indulge in the group's lesser known feats of musical genius. From live radio broadcast recordings, through to almost-made-the-album tracks, this is a great insight into just what an incredibly unique band they were, not to mention wholly innovative. Many elements and techniques here would come to be adopted by the mainstream in later years, marking the troupe out as well ahead of their time.

Review: As the title suggests, this excellent collection gathers together tracks from three live sessions the Sisters of Mercy recorded at the BBC's Maida Vale studios between 1982 and '84, during the formative years of their lengthy career. The first session, recorded for John Peel in August 1982, contains a quartet of early live favourites, including their popular cover of the Stooges' '1969', while the second - a session for David 'Kid' Jenson' - boasts versions of tracks from the classic goth-rock EP The Reptile House (as well as a surprise Dolly Parton cover). Best of all though are the tracks from their 1984b Peel Session, which were laid to tape around the same time as the Leeds outfit was recording its debut album.

Review: Iconic rock outfit The Velvet Underground fronted by the super cool Lou Reed were pioneers of the form whose influence still looms large to this day. They're also the latest of many acts to get the Now Playing 'best of' treatment, featuring iconic songs such as the brilliant 'Sweet Jane' and more hard-hitting 'Rock and Roll', both of which get served up in their full-length versions. Overall this record which comes on a nice clear vinyl pressing, showcases the American band's signature blend of rock, folk and experimental sound and it sounds as relevant and rewarding as ever.