Back in stock: Rock

Review: Kiss' groundbreaking Creatures Of The Night was something of a shocker, as the band had taken a rather bold step in returning to a more heavyweight sound. The risk paid off, with the album becoming an instant classic and spawning no end of deluxe editions, one of which saw over 100 tracks pressed to a single box set. The kind souls over at UMC clearly saw it fit to release the original album as it was; simply nine tracks, from the massive femme fatale that is 'Killer' to the decadent judgment of 'Rock N' Roll Hell'.

Review: Remastered at Abbey Road studios, 'Flesh & Blood' saw the first studio album made after the departure of drummer Paul Thompson. With his absence, the British rock group moved to a more accessible and palatable sound that paid off, earning the group their first No.1 Album since 1973 with 'Stranded'. The tone of Brian Ferry's vocal is of melancholy and depression, of unrequited love with a woman who ultimately can't stand the sight of him. The album was a huge hit in the UK but has been lost in the greater discussion of Roxy Music records either due to living in the shadow of the immensely popular 'Avalon' (a la 'Good Kid m.a.a.d City' to 'To Pimp a Butterfly') or thanks to the slamming negative review from Rolling Stone sealing its poor rating with American audiences. 42 years on, the album is finally being given the treatment it deserved on release - 'Oh Yeah!' and 'Rain, Rain, Rain' were arguably a few years ahead of their time and are just a sample of the great instrumental and vocals on this album.

Review: The 1982 glam-rock swan song for British rock group Roxy Music sees another limited reissue, a departure from the more edgy and abrasive sounds the group went for prior. The word that people constantly use to describe 'Avalon' is mature, in multiple senses of the word. At its core, the record is sensual and seductive make-out material, a 10 track package pining on romance named after the fantastical romantic gesture of King Arthur's body being sent to the titular island. It's plain to see why 'Avalon' is the band's most acclaimed and influential project, spawning off other New Wave acts like Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran and Tears for Fears. 'More Than This', the title track, has stood the test of time and is still playlisted and cited as one of the greatest British New Wave tracks of all time. 'Avalon' is accessible, seductive and, without doubt, a classic.