VARIOUS ARTISTS

Manchester North Of England: A Story Of Independent Music – Greater Manchester 1977–1993 7/10

There are many tales to tell about Manchester, and the risk taken by any compilation based on music from the city is retelling the same old narrative, reinscribing the Factory Records centrism of the contemporary music press, encouraged by label idée Tony Wilson. It’s to the great credit of Manchester: North Of England compiler John Reed, then, that this seven-disc set allows for a far more inclusive Manchester to emerge, while still rightly paying respect to the achievements of Wilson and his crew. Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays all appear, along with lesser-known Factory gems such as X-O-Dus’ brilliant, spaced-out “English Black Boys” and the janglepop