BEST OF THE REST

Other new releases out this month.

Sam Cooke

The Complete Keen Years 1957-1960

ABKCO

On five discs, a one-stop shop for any budding Rod Stewart. All you’ll ever really need to know about soul, rhythm ‘n’ blues and gospel. Scalpelsharp phrasing, a tone of pure seduction, effortless genius. 9/10

Ars Nova

Fields Of People: The Elektra & Atlantic Recordings 1968-1969

CHERRY RED

Hobbled by overwrought performance, Ars Nova (new arse?) sound like hard-bitten Brill Building lifers trying to concoct a convincing facsimile of flowers-in-your-hair, incense-and-peppermints psych-pop with no budget for any actual acid. 4/10

John Cage

EL

Lollipops

If Cage’s avant-garde works weren’t ‘historically significant’, you’d no more attempt to get your groove on to these three CDs than dance to your vacuum cleaner. But they are, so get up, stroke your chin and boogie. 6/10

Grey Daze

LOMA VISTA

Amends

Hitherto unreleased origin set from Chester Bennington’s pre-Linkin Park, post-grunge outfit reveals an already surprisingly accomplished performer at the top of his game. A cathartic, emotive, explosive epitaph. 7/10

The Outcasts

CAPTAIN OI

1978-85

Belfast’s Outcasts were an unremarkable punk quartet, briefly signed to Good Vibrations, who enjoyed predictable support from John Peel. Here three CDs corral one GV LP, two Peel sessions and a brace of overleathered mid-80s albums. 5/10

Paul Kantner, Grace Slick & David Freiberg

Baron Von Tollboth And The Chrome Nun

ESOTERIC

A Jefferson Airplance album in all but name (despite having then recently split, they’re all on it), the guest-heavy BVT strongly features Jerry Garcia’s lead guitar. Sharp, but rarely stellar. 6/10

Matthew Sweet & Susannah Hoffs

The Best Of Under The Covers

DEMON

Three magnificently curated, lovingly and respectfully reinterpreted covers albums from the cosiest couple in American alt.rock, distilled down to a double vinyl compilation that charms (Hoffs) more than it dazzles (Sweet).7/10

Joni Mitchell

UMC/CRAFT

Shine

Five years on from her 2002 ‘retirement’, Mitchell delivers an inspiring antidote to the music biz vacuity that sparked her retreat. Anti-war, enviro-aware soulful vocal purity wrapped in rich instrumentation. 8/10

Cocteau Twins

Vinyl reissues

4AD

Feet-finding first (Garlands) and near-ambient fourth (Victorialand) albums from Grangemouth’s faerie-goth indie minimalists. Elizabeth Fraser’s diaphonous post-Siouxsie vocal echoes through vast cathedrals of reverb. 7/10

Cycle

Cosmic Clouds

RISE ABOVE RELICS

Middlesborough trad-metal trio Cycle may have been post-Sabs alsorans with nothing more than a privately pressed ‘71 LP as legacy, but unfulfilled potential shines bright on RAR’s lovingly curated expanded reissue. 6/10

The Partisans

1981-1984

CAPTAIN OI

From the dark doldrums of identipunk 80s uniformity come three CDs from Bridgend’s Partisans. Their Tippex ‘n’ studs spikiness, blurred, charm-free Ramoning and post-SLF hectoring still equate to generic box-ticking. 4/10