Back in stock: Rock

Review: When Mick Mars stepped back from touring with Motley Crue, it seemed like the end of an era. Really, it was the beginning of a new one. The legendary guitarist, whose riffs, solos and overall devastatingly heavy sound powered the L.A. icons through four decades of world-conquering, multi-platinum sonic mayhem is, as he demonstrates on his debut solo effort, still a serious force to be reckoned with. Only now, listeners are reckoning with more Mars than ever before. On the aptly-titled The Other Side of Mars, fans get that vision in its full, multifarious glory. To be sure, there are plenty of characteristically riff-tastic, tough-as-nails hard-rock anthems, but The Other Side of Mars also shows the 71-year-old guitarist heading into new and uncharted territory, tearing through caustic, modern metal ('Broken On The Inside"', conjuring gothic-tinged soundscapes ('Undone'), digging into anguished, slow-burning power balladry ('Killing Breed"' and unspooling bluesy, cinematic instrumental workouts (the album-closing guitar showcase, 'L.A. Noir'). The music throughout the ten-track collection, meanwhile, is otherwise studded with slide guitars, violins, violas, keyboards, glitchy freak-outs and all manner of sonic surprises.

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: ***B-STOCK: Record sleeve damaged, product in working order***


The enduring appeal of Steely Dan never fades with time, and why should it? Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's relentless pursuit of perfection and blue-eyed soul gifted us a whole heap of stunning albums, and their fiercely devoted fanbase would fight tooth and nail over which one gets the top spot. Our money would be on Aja though, given its enduring influence, its rich extended life through a whole host of sampling and the quite simply flawless run of songs, composition, production and beyond. It's one of the greatest albums out there, and you'd do well to grab a copy if you don't own it already.

Review: Weirdo guitar visionary Frank Zappa released his acclaimed fourth LP 'Waka/Jawaka' in 1972, after the phrase appeared to him miraculously on an ouija board. A pinnacle of jazz fusion, near-classical orchestral influences and prog rock, it serves as a lesser-known sequel-ish to the generally agreed classic Hot Rats. It's also a shining example of time signature-core, with the moustached axe mage modulating all manner of tempos like it's nobody's business, also setting a high bar for what would eventually become post-rock in the process.