BEST OF THE REST
Other reissues out this month.
Pylon
Pylon Box NEW WEST
Dealing in stripped, dissonant mutant dance music, Pylon recall early Joy Division, PiL and an edgier B-52’s. These four coloured vinyls boast 18 unreleased gems and come boxed with a handsome hardback. 7/10
Various
Southend Punk Rock History 1976-1986 ANGELS IN EXILE
With echoes of Canvey R&B in their bones, Sarfend stalwart Steve Hooker and Alison Moyet (Sioux-ing it up with The Vicars) shine brightest here, before successive Punk ‘n’ Disorderly also-rans offer diminishing returns. 6/10
Iggy And The Stooges
You Think You’re Bad, Man? The Road Tapes ’73-’74
CHERRY RED
Five feral, bootleg-quality live shows from the post-Raw Power Stooges’ final touring throes boxed for hard-core fans. That said, rock scholars need to hear disc five’s final Michigan Palace Metallic KO set. 7/10
Specials
More Specials CHRYSALIS
A distinct broadening of the band’s original ska template (due to internal power struggles) maintains the influence and appeal of this ‘difficult’ second album, now remastered for its 40th on four sides of vinyl. 8/10
Toyah
Sheep Farming In Barnet CHERRY RED
Those who dismissed Toyah’s debut as ‘drama school punk’ didn’t pay attention. There’s no cynical identi-thrash on this three-disc expansion, just committed vocal gymnastics over artful progression. 7/10
Various
Rick Wakeman’s 70s Rock Down XPLODED TV/UNIVERSAL
Rick allegedly compiled this 60-track compendium to “help rock our way through lockdown”. Often via route one (School’s Out), with occasional diversions (City Boy’s 5-7-0-5), it surely does the job. 8/10
Black Sabbath
The End EAGLE ROCK
This triple blue vinyl souvenir of the final show of Sabbath’s 2017 farewell tour was always going to deliver a hefty emotional punch. Featuring every Sabs classic that it ought, it’s a fan essential. 8/10
Kiss
Rocks Vegas EAGLE ROCK
Kiss’s 2014 Vegas residency captured in all its unedifying pyrotechnic glory. Two yellow vinyls, one eye-watering DVD, eight big shoes, and more old-man tongue than you’ll ever need. Or want, to be fair. 7/10
Menswe@r
The Menswe@r Collection EDSEL
Singled out back in the day as “all that was wrong with Britpop”, this four-disc set demonstrates that while their contrived style probably had the edge, their ennui-laced of-its-time content wasn’t bad either. 7/10
Racing Cars
The Albums 1976-1978 7TS
Classic bad timing. Despite their best efforts, it turned out that, aside from their irresistibly miserable They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? single, 1977’s zeitgeist simply didn’t require a Rhondda Valley Free. 7/10
Medicine Head
New Bottles Old Medicine 50th Anniversary CHERRY RED
The raw minimalism of John Fiddler and Peter Hope-Evans’s debut album, first released on John Peel’s Dandelion label in 1970, is lo-fi blues-rock incarnate. Laden with charm, lovingly expanded, but it still makes Baby Jump sound like Pet Sounds. 7/10
Swans
Children Of God MUTE/YOUNG GOD
The fifth Swans album retains its delicious grinding bleakness even at 33 years distance. Mighty, oppressive, it wears you down until you succumb to its innate beauty. Subterranean doom almighty. 8/10