ALL THE
REAL MUSIC!
'Best Music' lists that taste like pixels!
These tunes will toggle your foresight
and waggle your hindsight!
C H A P T E R L I N K S :
• BEST ALBUMS: 2024
• COOL SONGS: 2024
• COVER SONGS 2024
• BEST REISSUES: 2024
S H O W
B E S T
N E W
A L B U M S :
2 0 2 4
by Tym Stevens
Join up for free here.
This music player has songs from the following albums, in the same order.
• Sam Evian,
"Plunge"
Groovy Songwriter.
Warm melody rockers crafted in the mountain woods, with surprising twists and turns.
(see also: Shuggie Otis, Cate Le Bon, Sufjan Stevens)
• Bette Smith,
"Goodthing"
Classic Soul.
Every great Soul album is a house party, a church recital, a friendly confession, a cautionary tale, and an intimate nightcap.
(see also: Betty Davis, Macy Gray, Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings)
• Hermanos Gutiérrez,
"Sonido Cosmico" (Ecuador/Switzerland)
Haunting guitarscapes.
Two brothers and their guitars, wordlessly exploring epic frontiers and quiet reveries. Beautiful and mesmerizing.
(see also: Ry Cooder, Calexico, Khruangbin)
• Habibi,
"Dreamachine"
PostDreamPop.
Reconvening after the lockdown, the band reinvents their dreamy psyche and Persian guitar nodes with some postpunk bite and confident maturity.
(see also: Dum Dum Girls, La Luz, Quilt)
• Juniore,
"Trois, Feaux, Un" (France)
Dreamy Dancey Yeye.
That trippy swirl that makes you want to whirl your Mod bod all night.
(see also: Stereo Total, Air, La Femme, Pépite)
• JD McPherson,
"Nite Owls"
Post-Rockabilly.
After guitaring for the Plant + Krausse tour, JD fans out his Rockabilly and Soul into new possibilities.
(see also: James Intveld, James Hunter, Pokey LaFarge)
• Kim Deal,
"Nobody Loves You Any More"
Indie Pop.
Kim recoiled from the mainstream success of The Breeders' "Last Splash" (1993) with years of embracing raw buzz Punk.
What a delightful shock this lush and melodic solo album is, from its adventuresome arrangements (brass horns!) to its sense of revelatory light.
(see also: Pixies, The Breeders, Dressy Bessy)
• Benny Trokan,
"Do You Still Think Of Me"
Beat and Soul.
Everything right about mid-'60s music in a dozen crack tunes: crooning Soul, clanging Beat, go-for-broke Baroque Pop. Terrific.
(see also: "Help!", "Nancy And Lee", "La La Means I Love You")
• Shadow Show,
"Fantasy Now!"
Psyche Pop.
What a quantum leap this vital second album is: the array of sunshiny tunes, the palatial chorals, the distorted guitar contortions, the sense that anything is possible.
Tune up your mind and float upstream.
(see also: The Beatles, The Pandoras, The Girls At Dawn)
• Thee Sacred Souls,
"Got A Story To Tell"
Silky Soul.
Listen, baby, I've got something to tell you, and I can only croon it like a choirboy over tasty Soul licks. 'Ooo-ooo-ooo, baby baby...'
(see also: The Delfonics, The Temprees, Jalen Ngonda)
• The Lemon Twigs,
"A Dream Is All We Know"
Seventies Pop Rock.
"Hey cats and kitties, and all the itty bitty pretties, this is station W-R-O-K spinning the ditties! Plenty of pleasure weather today at Santa Monica, harmonius as a harmonica, so hoard up your boards in the beach van for some tan and tunes and dunes, and let's wig at the shindig with The Lemon Twigs!"
(see also: Todd Rundgren, Raspberries, Foxygen)
• Finom,*
"Not God"
Avant Folk.
The song styles change with restless energy, from harmony to crunch to odd, but the duo's entwined vocals entrance you through the labyrinth.
* (formerly known as OHMME and Homme)
(see also: Young Marble Giants, Anna Oygen, Anna Calvi)
• Goat,
"Goat" (?)
World Whirlwind.
No one knows who they are, the masked ones who make all world musics at the same time. Perhaps human, maybe beyond.
Go at.
(see also: African Head Charge, Melt Yourself Down, Sons Of Kemet)
• Leyla McCalla,
"Sun Without The Heat"
Post-Folk.
Already versed in Classical and Folk, the changeling now expands with diaspora musics from Africa, Ethiopia, Brazil, and her parents' native Haiti.
(see also: King Sunny Ade, Rhiannon Giddens, Lianne La Havas)
• Tami Neilson,
"Neilson Sings Nelson"
Country And Western.
Tami had such a fine time duetting with Willie Nelson last time that she kept the party rolling, belting out her huge Country Soul across a tribute album to Willie's songs.
(see also: Patsy Cline, Hannah Williams, Shannon Shaw)
• Caleb Landry Jones,
"Hey Gary, Hey Dawn"
Baroque-adelic.
Caleb has more ideas in songs than others have in albums. Every song is really three songs on this double-album. He's strobing a lifetime career in advance after barely starting. Try to keep up.
(see also: Syd Barrett, Guided By Voices, Ezra Furman)
• Vera Sola,
"Peacemaker"
Gothic Western.
There is a recent movement termed 'Gothic Country', corralling bands that play roots musics with punk, goth, or horror edge.
Vera is in the Morricone badlands, crooning corridos like a lost spirit in the sand drifts.
(see also: Friends Of Dean Martinez, Federale, Del Judas)
• Jack White,
"No Name"
Garage Rawk.
This scorching disc was only given away free to visitors at Jack's studio. Someone had the sense to make this monster public.
(see also: The White Stripes, The Recounteurs, The Dead Weather)
• Fleur,
"Fille Sauvage" (Netherlands)
Garage YeYe.
Fleur now moves past the swinging Chanson of Francoise Hardy and goes full Anna Karina and Jacquiline Taieb with fuzzy gogo Garage.
(see also: April March, Fabienne DelSol, L'Épée, Melody's Echo Chamber)
• Rasco,
"Dmaot" (Israel)
Avant Pop? Mediterranean Surf?
A trio with with more pop chops than a chop shop, sung in Hebrew and swung in wideview.
(see also: Sababa 5, The Parlor)
• Penza Penza,
"Alto E Primitivo" (Portugal)
Global fuzz Surf.
Led by an Estonian, based in Portugal, this large collective corrupts Surf loudly and laughing.
(see also: Karl Hector And The Malcouns, Kikagaku Moyo)
• The Secret Sisters,
"Mind, Man, Machine"
Country Songwriter.
It was the harmonies that got us in the door, but it's the contemplative maturity that keeps us coming back.
(see also: Everly Brothers, Rosanne Cash, Courtney Marie Andrews)
• Saigon Soul Revival,
"Moi Luong Duyen" (Vietnam)
Party Soul.
Cratediggers know that the Asian rim pumped out a lot of great Pop, Soul, and Rock responses in the late-'60s/early-'70s.
This faithful band reignites the party anew.
(see also: "Saigon Rock And Soul (Vietnamese Classic Tracks 1968-1974)" [2010])
• Nick Lowe And Los Straitjackets,
"Indoor Safari" (England)
Surfy Beat Pop.
Perfect pop melodies, clangy twang, thrumming drums, and wry asides.
(see also: The Ventures, The Kaisers, The James Hunter Six)
• The Courettes,
"The Soul Of... The Fabulous Courettes" (Brazil/Denmark)
Soul and Garage.
Your one-stop shop for Girl Group, Motown, and Garage Rock, a splendor on all cylinders.
(see also: The Ronettes, The Sonics, Kate Clover)
• La Luz,
"News Of The Universe"
Post-Surf.
Shana Cleveland's quartet rotated three and gained two new, gliding their dreamy chorals upward now into cosmic pipelines.
(see also: Django Django, Nice Bisquit, Black Market Karma)
• Gillian Welch, David Rawlings,
"Woodland"
Alt-Country.
Porch songs on creaking wood, unpolished and sundappled.
(see also: Emmylou Harris, The Be Good Tanyas, Laura Marling)
• Amyl And The Sniffers,
"Cartoon Darkness" (Australia)
Brat Punk.
More sassback than Sasquatch, more smack than a cartel, more brattitude more latitude.
(see also: X-Ray Spex, Vktms, Red Aunts)
• Bab L'Bluz,
"Swaken" (Morroco/France)
North African Rock.
Bringing it all back home. The Blues were rooted from Mali, and this trio combines American Blues forms with their North African regional musics to seed the future.
(see also: Jamila And The Other Heroes, Al-Sarwib, Malouma)
• Bernie Worrell,
"Wave From The WOOniverse"
Funkadelic.
Bernie Worrell was classically trained at Julliard before joining the freeform madness of P-Funk. He played with many famous acts, and those friends return the favor on this copious double-album, which stands as a stellar tribute to the late, lamented genius of keyboard wizardry.
(see also: Parliament, Funkadelic)
• The Darts (U.S.),
"Boomerang"
Garage Rock.
Nicole Laurenne's global gang is going to somersault through your windows, hoedown on your tables, scarf all your food, and deafen your neighbors, and you'll let them.
(see also: The Love Me Nots, Gore Gore Girls, The Courettes)
• Yo Diablo,
"III" (Spain)
Flamenco Rock.
Let's unleash a herd of bulls and gallop the Andalusian plains, standing astride in our saddles while flinging flaming electric guitars into the sunset.
(No bulls were harmed in this hyperbole.)
(see also: Guadalupe Plata, Abraxas, Federale)
• Communicant,
"Harbor Song"
Classic Rock.
That space where Lennon or Waters goes into atmospheric reverie, slowbuilding a welling tsunami of underlying feeling.
(see also: "The White Album", "Imagine", "Meddle")
• Rosalie Cunningham,
"To Shoot Another Day" (England)
Heavy Psyche.
Where Shocking Blue blurs into Deep Purple, where Grace Slick trysts with Alice Cooper, where hellions and heretics dare.
(see also: Olivia Jean, Bobbie Dazzle, Breanna Barbara)
• Sheverb,
"She Rides Again"
Spaghetti Western Surf.
There cannot be enough female Surf/Spaghetti Western bands. Grab the reins.
(see also: The Hellbenders, The Aqua Velvets, The Sandblasters)
• Miranda And The Beat,
"Can’t Take It"
Gothic Garage.
Imagine if early Siousiee had blazed on as a speedball Punk band, with stabs of New Wave icicles.
(see also: The Au Pairs, Chinas Comidas, Kas Product)
• The Blank Tapes,
"Good Ol’ Days"
Psyche Pop.
There are many great albums from 1968, and this is most of them.
(see also: "The Beatles 1967-1970")
• Mdou Moctar,
"Funeral For Justice" (Nigeria)
Desert Rock.
Their country taken by a military coup, their language vanishing under colonialism, the ferocious rock band fight back against oppression like their lives depend on it. Because they do.
(see also: Etran de L'Air, Bombino, Tinariwen)
• Geminii Dragon,
"3"
Rock And Soul.
Geminii's brash voice, backed by Christian Simeon's swaggering guitar, injects all of the helium back into your lead zeppelin.
(see also: The BellRays, Sistas In The Pit, Saidah Baba Talibah)
• Ghost Funk Orchestra,
"A Trip To The Moon"
Cinematic Funk.
The moody Funk project throws some lounge grooves, bossa nova, and spy guitar into the lift-off party.
(see also: Ikebe Shakedown, Adrian Younge, El Michels Affair)
• Full Flower Moon Band,
"Megaflower" (Australia)
PostStoner.
Like a clench-teethed Hope Sandoval fronting Kyuss, out for revenge in the twilight outback.
(see also: Bad Bangs, Mermaidens, Dead Witch)
• Piper And The Hard Times,
"Revelation"
Hard Soul.
Al "Piper' Green's gruff basso voice is like a piledriver, nailing these soulful sermons to the soil.
(see also: Big Maybelle, Terry Evans, Barrence Whitfield)
• Kandle,
"Danger To Dream" (Canada)
TripHop.
Her haunted manse now becomes an eldritch cabaret, with sways of electrowave and arena guitar.
(see also: Julee Cruise, Portishead, Unloved)
• Los Quinceañeros,
"Cry Now, Cry Later"
East LA Garage.
Garage and Punk once thrived in barrio backyard parties, and still does with these bruising cruisers.
(see also: Thee Midniters, The Plugz, Wau Y Los Arrrghs!!!)
• Garbage,
"Lie To Me"
TripIndie.
This band acts like they still have something to prove, which is why this is such a convincing argument.
(see also: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Metric, The Duke Spirit)
• Ty Segall,
"Three Bells"
Fuzz (Not Fuzz).
Ty is reknowned for his blistering fuzz rock, and lately his acoustic tunefulness. This is a splendid balance of both.
(see also: Fuzz, White Fence, Coachwhips)
• The Coward Brothers,
"The Coward Brothers" (England/US)
Punk Cons.
Elvis Costello and T-Bone Burnette made an audio mock-doc about two connivers, and you got this real album as a surprise bonus.
Don't tell the judge they never gave you anything.
(see also: Graham Parker And The Rumour, John Hiatt, Sam Phillips)
• Moor Mother,
"The Great Bailout"
Conscious Word.
Ominously heavy atmospheres, Industrial dissonance and midnight Jazz, blunt spoken word and activism.
Thug and Brag is long played out. It's past time for real craft and thought, like this.
(see also: Nephlim Modulation Systems, Shabazz Palaces, Jarboe)
• Sgt. Papers,
"FUGA!"
Punchy Punk.
The Garcia brothers strut out raw music with great riffs and variety.
(see also: Las Perras Del Infierno, The Froys)
• Hot Garbage,
"Precious Dream" (Canada)
PostMoterik.
Like Faust joyriding into Jesus And Mary Chain; huge roils of moterik with eerie heaviosity.
(see also: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Drahla, Slomo Sapiens)
• Anna Calvi,
"Peaky Blinders: Season 5" and "Peaky Blinders: Season 6" (England)
Brutal Noir.
The textural scores that guitarist Calvi is making for the Irish gangster TV series are brutalist diamonds; all grist grind and buzzsaw spark-arcs and quake rumble and harsh clang.
(see also: Suicide, Glenn Branca, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds)
• Beth Gibbons,
"Lives Outgrown" (England)
Folkscapes.
We all know that Portishead's "Dummy" is the (other) greatest album of the '90s.*
* (see also: "Nevermind")
With the same questing spirit that drove that group, Beth has expanded out into a mellow, mature Folk that gazes as keenly at the heart as it does the horizon.
(see also: Nick Drake, Bridget St John, Weyes Blood)
C O O L
S O N G S :
2 0 2 4
All the REAL MUSIC
beyond the box!
Here's the
D R E A M
J U K E B O X !
like a Disco full of Crisco!
by Tym Stevens
Join up for free here.
Hear the unlimited playlist on the
direct online browser player here.
All the songs elasticize their genres.
Get your groove on in this sonic order.:
Psyche! Glam! New Wave! Alt-Roots!
Blues! Soul! Funk! World!
Riot Grrrl! Alt-Rock! Electro!
Alt-Rap! Cinematic! RESIST!
Penza Penza
The Devils; minuscule 605
19 hours of thinky, wiggly music, featuring the following fine folks in this exact order!:
The Biscats, The Reverend Horton Heat, The Rhythm Shakers, Ichi-Bons, The Caezars, and The Devils.
Nick Lowe + Los Straitjackets, Fascinations Grand Chorus, The Hamiltones, Via Mardot, Penza Penza, minuscule 605, and The Kaisers.
Benny Trokan; Yea Ming
The Darts
Fleur; Miranda And The Beat
Ringo Starr, The Kaisers, The Mocks, Benny Trokan, The Bus Boys, Yea-Ming and The Rumours, The Weeklings, Groovy Movies, Pale Sommer, Lolas, Andy Smythe, The Kaisers, Hannah Fairlight, Shenanygans, Day Dreems, The Tambles, Shannon And The Clams, The Darts (U.S.), Les Breastfeeders, The Jackets, The Night Times, Camille, Miranda And The Beat, Fleur, Dream Machine, Nice Biscuit, Tuff Guac, Being Dead, and Bad Bangs.
La Luz;
Bilal; Caleb Landry Jones;
Lady Blackbird;
Parsnip;
Kensuke Sudo; Aviram
Rasco, The Galileo 7, The Shrubs, Shadow Show, The Lemon Twigs, Winksy, La Luz, Kairos Creature Club, Juniore, Floating Action, Tess Parks, The Smile, Bilal, Caleb Landry Jones, The Mad Walls, Khana Bierbood, Lady Blackbird, Andrew Gabbard, Mirrors On The Moon, Jane Weaver, Kosmetika, Jake Bugg, Parsnip, Slomo Sapiens, Color Green, The Shacks, Dog Trumpet, Bong Wish, Redd Kross, Podge Lane, Saint Cecilia, Io Perry, Kensuke Sudo, The Blank Tapes, Elephant Stone, Hooverphonic, Aviram, Communicant, Maggie Rose, Graham Gouldman + Ringo Starr, and Vinyl Kings.
Geminii Dragon; The Last Dinner Party
The Prisoners, Los Zigarros, Rosalie Cunningham, Earth Tongue, The Ar-Kaics, The Black Keys, Jack White, Geminii Dragon, Jon Spencer, Hooveriii, Ty Segall, Caleb Landry Jones, and The Last Dinner Party.
Sgt. Papers; Itchy And The Nits;
Drahla; Adwaith
The Jesus And Mary Chain, Gyasi, Ken Sharp, The Pearl Harts, Art d'Ecco, Pink Grease, and Red Kross.
X, Dale Crover, Itchy And The Nits, Sgt. Papers, Delivery, Ottilie Wallace, Gee Tee, The Tambles, Cults, La Femme, Thee Oh Sees, Drahla, Omni, Gut Health, Adwaith, Death Doula, Topsy Turvy, and The Klittens.
Leyla McCalla; The Secret Sisters;
Gary Clark Jr; Ruthie Foster
Anastasia Coope, Tami Neilson + Willie Nelson, Gillian Welch + David Rawlings, Finom, Mary Timony, Sue Foley, Isobel Campbell, and Leyla McCalla.
Swamp Dogg + Vernon Reid, JJ Grey And Mofro, The Secret Sisters + Ray LaMontagne, Britti, J.D. Simo + Luther Dickenson, Danielle Nicole, Early James, Bex Marshall, Gary Clark Jr + Stevie Wonder, Steve Cropper, Les Hay Babies, Fantastic Negrito, Samantha Fish, Piper And The Hard Times, and Ruthie Foster + Larkin Poe.
Thee Sacred Souls 2; Bette Smith;
Bernie Worrell; Goat
Michael Kiwanuka, Marcus King, Lady Blackbird, Thee Heart Tones, Liam Bailey, The Flirtations, Kelly Finnigan, Wesley Bright, Black Pumas, Derya Yıldırım And Grup Şimşek, Jalen Ngonda, Thee Sacred Souls, Aaron Frazer, Pale Jay, Pale Jay + Ironsides, Thee Marloes, The Delines, Lenny Kravitz, and Sananda Maitreya.
Bette Smith, Jade Macrae, Paul Cauthen, Pavid Vermin, Dumpstaphunk, Maggie Rose, Ghost Funk Orchestra, Orgone, Lake Street Dive, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Ezra Collective, and Goat.
Bab L'Bluz; Los Quinceaneros;
Hermanos Gutierrez; Yo Diablo
Primal Scream, Saigon Soul Revival, Dar Disku, Yannis And The Yaw, Franck Biyong, The Zawose Queens, Mdou Moctar, Goat, Etran de L'AÏr, Bab L' Bluz, The Scimitars, Les Dynamites, Habibi, Kit Sebastian, Arooj Aftab w/ Moor Mother + Joel Ross, Varijashree Venugopal, Los Quinceañeros, Orquesta Akokán, Hermanos Gutiérrez, LA LOM, Twanguero, Kid Congo And The Pink Monkey Birds, Miranda And The Beat, and Yo Diablo.
Las Decapitadas; Yassassin 1
Las Nubes, Los Pólipos, Los Turis, Fuera de Sektor, Sahra Halgan, The Baby Seals, Anja Huwe, Amyl And The Sniffers, Grazia, Sleater-Kinney, We Hate You Please Die, Kerosene Kream, Smalltown Tigers, PyPy, The Pill, Las Decapitadas, Full Flower Moon Band, and Yassassin.
Tea Eater; Sam Evian
St. Vincent, Finom, The WAEVE, Nia Archives, White Denim, Pixies, Kim Deal, Being Dead, Vondré, youbet, James McCartney, Guided By Voices, Piney Gir, The Coward Brothers, Tea Eater, Father John Misty, Snõõper, Cassandra Jenkins, The Shrubs, The Smile, Supersilverhaze, Autoramas, and The Lovely Eggs.
Miki Berenyi Trio, Nadine Shah, Sam Evian, trickpony, UTO, Jack Name, and La Sécurité.
Moor Mother; Nubya Garcia
MonoNeon, Shirlette Ammons, Kim Gordon, Moor Mother + Sovei, Elsy Wameyo, Kamasi Washington, and Porta D'Oro.
Nubya Garcia, Jaubi, Nicole Zuraitis, Charles Lloyd, Debra-Jean Creelman, Shabaka, and Брысь.
Anna Calvi; Sheverb
a) Dave Guy, Orgone, The Winston Brothers, and Salvator Dragatto + The Rugged Nuggets.
b) Celeste, Katelyn Convery, Beth Gibbons, Willow, Garbage, Black Viiolet, Adrian Younge + Liraz, Hot Garbage, Deradoorian, Las Cobras, and Keeley Forsyth.
c) Anna Calvi, VDO, Jim Strong + Weyes Blood, Juanita Stein, Project Gemini, JD McPherson, Sheverb, Delaney Davidson + Barry Saunders, Vera Sola, Federale, Cassie Ramone, Yo Diablo, Lady Parts, Kathryn Hahn/ Sasheer Zamata/ Ali Ahn/ Patti LuPone/ Debra Jo Rupp, and F*ck The Factory.
Kandle; Mustafa;
Mavis Staples; The Linda Lindas
Big Bill, Prince, Fastball, Miranda And The Beat, Groovy Uncle, The Kremlins, The The, Lothario, Benny Trokan, Gonk, Laura Jane Grace, Molly Nilsson, Jovin Webb, Don McLean, Busted Head Racket, Ibibio Sound Machine, Steve Cropper, Bonaparte, Bashy, The Hanseroth Twins, IRKED, Kandle, The Mad Walls, Pavid Vermin, The Loons, Mustafa, Des Demonas, Piney Gir, Todrick Hall, Bonnie Whitmore, Eric Bibb, Sugaray Rayford, Mavis Staples, Hardgroove’s Flight Pattern, The Linda Lindas, and Brittany Howard.
C O V E R
S O N G S
2 0 2 4
All the Best
COVER VERSIONS
of the year!
Singing timeless songs in times of uncertainty brings us solace, offers out support, and bonds us in communion.
In times that separate us from each other, sharing songs reaffirms us as a people, honors our origins, and lights the way for the young.
There were an abundance of cover songs in 2024. Through them, we sought reflection, revelation, and renewal. Here’s a playlist of our mutual journey.
by Tym Stevens
Join up for free here.
List = Original By / Cover Artist
Songs are sequenced in the chronological order of the Originals.
Samantha Fish; Tiburona
Beethoven (1867) / Jon Batiste • Traditional / Monica Barbaro • Traditional / Amythyst Kiah
Memphis Minnie / Playing For Change: JP Jones, D. Trucks, S. Tedeschi, S. Perkins • by Arlen/Koehler / Lady Gaga • Mexican standard / Sue Foley
Arthur "Big Boy" Cradup / Ruthie Foster • Tiny Bradshaw / Linda Gail Lewis • 'Damn Yankees' / Jane Monheit • Big Mama Thornton / Until the Sun • Muddy Waters / Deap Vally • Screamin' Jay Hawkins / Samantha Fish • The Clovers / Tiburona • Chan Romero / Generador • The Wailers / The Caezars.
MiltonNascimento + Esperanza Spalding; Robyn Hitchcock;
Rahill; Mattiel
Johnny Kidd And The Pirates / The Raveonettes • Skeeter Davis / Connie Smith • Bob Dylan / Timothée Chalamet • Bob Dylan / Aoife O'Donovan • Everly Brothers / Z Berg + Keith Carradine • Smokey Robinson And The Miracles / The Liverbirds • The Beatles / Delicate Steve • Nina Simone / Faith Omole • Willie Nelson / Tami Neilson • The Beatles / The Pen Friend Club • Joni Mitchell / James McCartney • The Rolling Stones/Buffalo Springfield (mash-up) / The Weeklings + Peter Noone • The Rolling Stones / Susanna Hoffs • The Beatles / The Staves • The Beatles / The Weeklings • The Beatles / Milton Nascimento + Esperanza Spalding • Pink Floyd / Chrome • Pink Floyd / Robyn Hitchcock • The Small Faces / Robyn Hitchcock • The Rolling Stones / The Grip Weeds • Velvet Underground / Keith Richards • Velvet Underground / Seablite • Traffic / Les Kitschenette's • Simon And Garfunkel / Art Garfunkel + Art Garfunkel Jr • The Moody Blues / Messer Chups • Tim Buckley / Garbage • Margo Guryan / Rahill • Bob Dylan / The Flowers Of Indulgence • The Beatles / Lucinda Williams • Bob Dylan / Rising Appalachia • Bob Dylan / Mattiel + Troy Stains • The Rolling Stones / The Queers • William Bell / The Black Keys • The Parliaments / Johnny Taylor / Ronnie Wood, Jennifer Westwood And The Handsome Devils.
Sierra Green;
Parlor Greens;
The Routes
Stevie Wonder / Shemekia Copeland • Joni Mitchell / CSNY / Natalie Douglas • Led Zeppelin / Ann Wilson + Tripsitter • John Lennon / Tony Truant • Elton John / Real Estate • Lori Leiberman / Roberta Flack / Norman Gimbel • MC5 / Lone Justice • Funkadelic / Sierra Green And The Giants • George Harrison / Parlor Greens • Charley Pride / Danielia Cotton • Marvin Gaye / Zara McFarlane • Bill Withers / Kevin Burt And Big Medicine • Seals And Croft / Lewis Taylor • George Harrison / Eric Clapton + Dhani Harrison • Sly And The Family Stone / Watermelon Funk • The Eagles / Janiva Magness • Sparks / The Last Dinner Party • Bettye Swann / Lady Blackbird • Bobby "Blue" Bland / Jo Harman • Stevie Wonder / Morgan James • The Chi-Lites / Dumpstaphunk • Willie Nelson / Tami Neilson • Chicago / Chicago + Judith Hill • Black Sabbath / 天的空间 • Talking Heads / The Linda Lindas • Blondie / Late Slip • Talking Heads / Brent Amaker And The Rodeo • Joy Division / The Routes.
Chicano Batman;
WITCH;
Rasco 1
Delta 5 / Busted Head Racket • Talking Heads / Chicano Batman + Money Mark • Devo / JP Harris • Tom Petty + Stevie Nicks / Lady A • Rufus / WITCH • Tears For Fears / Nouvelle Vague + Bijou • Tears For Fears / Rasco • Tom Waits / The Crappy Coyotes • Stevie Wonder / Samory I • Leonard Cohen / Aya Korem • The B-52's / Varonas • Neil Young / Jake Shimabukuro + Mick Fleetwood.
Katelyn Convery; Willie Nelson
Neil Young + Crazy Horse / Neil Young + Crazy Horse • Nirvana / Daisy Grenade • R.E.M. / Al Green • Beastie Boys / mega cat • Nirvana / Nicky Del Rey's Misadventures • Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds / Anna Calvi + Nick Launey • Portishead / Katelyn Convery • Elastica / White Denim; Caution • Beastie Boys / '68.
Beck / Willie Nelson • Charles Bradley / Gregory Porter • The Beatles / Corey Moon; Massimo Roberti • Peggy Seeger / Rhiannon Giddens, Resistance Revival Chorus, Crys Matthews.
B E S T
R E I S S U E S :
2 0 2 4
Quality is timeless.
by Tym Stevens
Join up for free here.
This music player has songs from the following albums, in the same order.
• 1920s •
• Ethel Waters,
"Brown Baby: Ethel’s Early Twenties Recordings"
Blues music broke through in the 1920s due to popular records by Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. Ethel Waters brought both vocal and social range to the music, which carried her into an acting career with such film classics as CABIN IN THE SKY (1943) and THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING (1952)
• 1950s •
• Miles Davis,
"Miles ’54: The Prestige Recordings"
The young genius breaks through with new dimensions in improv music, abetted by trailblazers like Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Thelonious Monk, and more.
• Jimmy Reed,
"I’m Jimmy Reed" (1958)
Jimmy's laidback saunter paralleled the rise of Rock'n'Roll, and almost every rocker in the '60s learned how to play to these grooves.
➤ JIMMY REED: The Groover of Rock, From Motown To Sesame Street
Goldie And The Gingerbreads
• 1960s •
• Ray Charles,
"Modern Sounds In Country And Western" (1960)
Rural acoustic music in the early 20th century had many immigrant roots and sounds, which intertwined in sythesis. Despite the effort to segregate this into 'Country' and 'Blues' (based on appearances), they both informed the Gospel and Soul which followed.
Ray makes the case for that reality with this armistice classic, presaging the Country Soul evolution that continues to the present.
(leads to: "Cowboy Carter" (2024), by Beyoncé)
• Charlie Rich,
"Charlie Rich: The Sun Records Demo Sessions"
A prime example of a Country artist who sang with complete Soul is this man.
• The Liverbirds,
"Anthology" or "Complete Recordings" (1964-'65)
The Liverbirds were the first all-female rock band from Liverpool. All of their works have been compiled in either of these collections; the 'Anthlogy' adds two fine new reunion songs.
• Goldie And The Gingerbreads,
"Think About The Good Times" (1964-'65)
Goldie And The Gingerbreads were an all-female band from NYC, famous for the original "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat".
In the '70s, Goldie became rocker Genya Ravan, while guitarist Carol MacDonald and drummer Ginger Bianco forged the all-female Funk-Rock band, Isis.
• Gene Clark,
"Back Street Mirror: Revisited" (1960s)
The Byrds were formed out of folk troubadours who created Folk Rock under the spell of The Beatles and Dylan.
This collects many rare period solo demos by the always great Gene Clark.
• Françoise Hardy,
"Françoise Hardy en Vogue- Best of 1962-1967"
The queen of Chanson, whose lovely and softly reflective serenades have continually inspired artists like Stereolab, Beth Gibbons, Goldfrapp, Keren Ann, Broadcast, Lætitia Sadier, Cat Power, and Angel Olsen.
• Ray Charles,
"Country And Western Meets Rhythm And Blues" (1965)
One of two classic (and lesser known) Country Soul albums gets properly remastered.
• Ray Charles,
"Crying Time" (1965)
One of two classic (and lesser known) Country Soul albums gets properly remastered.
• Various Artists,
"Mejor De Los Nuggetz: Garage And Psyche From Latin America" (mid-'60s)
A selected hits version of Garage and Psyche rarities from the "Los Nuggetz: ‘60s Garage And Psych from Latin America" (2013) release.
Margo Guryan; Elaine Brown
• The Mamas And The Papas,
"Live at the Monterey International Pop Festival" (1967)
The lovely harmonies and pop sense of The Mamas And The Papas would hinge the British Invasion era into the success of the '70s singer-songwriters of Laurel Canyon. You can hear it happening here.
• Bettye LaVette,
"Let Me Down Easy: Bettye LaVette In Memphis" (late-'60s)
Bettye finally won her success in recent decades at Blues festivals. Here's the early proof that she was always a formidable Soul singer.
• Margo Guryan,
"Words And Music" (1968)
A box set collecting all of Guryan's works, a crack songsmith who -like Ruthann Freidman and Laura Nyro- recorded fine gems of her own.
See also: The new tribute album "Like Someone I Know: A Celebration Of Margo Guryan" (2024) includes covers by Rahill (Habibi), Frankie Cosmos, Bedouine + Silvie, and Margo Price.
• Elaine Brown,
Seize the Time - Black Panther Party" (1969)
Before she eventually became the head of The Black Panther Party, Elaine's supple and strong vocals graced this raised fist for the movement.
Holland Dozier Holland;
The Ohio Players
• Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young,
"Live at Fillmore East, 1969" (1969)
A month after Woodstock, the quartet are captured here in sharp clarity woodshedding songs for the essential classic, "Deja Vu" (1970).
• Neil Young + Crazy Horse,
"Early Daze"
The beginnings of Crazy Horse, featuring the late great Danny Gatton, with rareties and alternate takes.
• Various Artists,
"Holland-Dozier-Holland ‘Detroit’: 1969-1977"
After writing many of the greatest Motown hits (which you still sing all the time), the trio H-D-H formed the Invictus label and wrote '70s classics for Freda Payne, Chairmen Of The Board, Honey Cone, and Laura Lee.
• Ohio Players,
"Observations In Time: The Johnny Brantley/Vidalia Productions" (1969)
The first album and singles, plus rare extras, remastered and brought together for the first time.
This is the Funk band's transition phase, when they are still in James Brown mode, before going full-on Sly with their '70s mega-sellers.
• 1970s •
Parliament
• Stoned Circus,
"The Stoned Circus" (1970)
This lone album by an unsung Acid Rock band from Missouri remained unreleased for decades. The female-fronted Rock'n'Soul set includes a version of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You", most famous to many from Joan Baez or Led Zeppelin's interpretations.
• Jimi Hendrix,
"Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision" (1970)
This deluxe box set includes nearly 40 unreleased studio takes by the reconstituted Experience band, plus the documentary "Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision" (2024), and a new 5.1 surround sound mix of the entire "First Rays Of The New Rising Sun" album which came from these sessions.
• Linda Martell,
"Color Me Country"
Beyoncé is getting proper credit for helping to break down the social barriers of Country music-makers this year.
In the long view, African American artists have always been part of Country, as exemplified by this classic album. What's not to love?
(see also: Sleepy John Estes, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Lead Belly, Aaron Neville, Ray Charles, Elizabeth Cotten, Solomon Burke, Charley Pride, Stoney Edwards, O.B. McClinton, etc.)
• Parliament,
"Osmium... plus" (1970)
Parallel with Funkadelic's self-titled debut album, Clinton and conspirators released this Acid Soul jewel, with the original versions of "Funky Woman", "Red Hot Mama", and "Fantasy Is Reality", as well as prime rareties like the majesterial "Livin' The Life".
Four years later, Parliament would reinvent themselves as the Space Funk band that we all know and love.
Fanny
• Cradle,
"The History" (1971)
After their Beat band The Pleasure Seekers started veering into heavier rock , the Quatro sisters - Pattie, Suzi, and Nancy- morphed into the Harrrrd Rock group Cradle. Let the fury of "Heat" and "Soothsayer" tear your head off.
• Fanny,
"The Reprise Years" (1970-'74)
Fanny was the first all-female Rock band signed to a major label to make full albums.
Like the "First Time In A Long Time" box set from Rhino (2002), this new collection comprises the four studio albums, but the live and rareties tracks aren't exactly the same.
Get it and get with.
• Fanny,
"Live On The Beat-Club ’71-’72"
Fanny toured intensely, and with everybody (Jeff Beck, Chicago, CCR, Blood Sweat And Tears, Jethro Tull, Slade).
This is the long-demanded complete recording of their tough jaunt on the legendary German rock TV show.
• Various Artists,
"Congo Funk!: Sound Madness From The Shores Of The Might Congo River
(Kinshasa/Brazzaville 1962-1982)"
A welcome essay of the fertile and vital music movements in the Kinshasa scene.
• Hawkwind,
"In Search Of Space" (1971)
Space Rock for the ages. Fly on your Silver Machine.
• Junior Parker,
"Love Ain’t Nothin’ But A Business Goin’ On" (1971)
Bluesy Soul would have been fine enough, but Parker stuns with the left-field covers of The Beatles' "Taxman" and "Tomorrow Never Knows".
• Yes,
"Fragile" (Super Deluxe) (1972)
What could probably be the greatest Prog Rock album ever gets even better with new stereo mixes, instrumental mixes, rarities, live recordings, and more.
• David Bowie,
"Rock’n’Roll Star!" (1971-'72)
This comprehensive new box set covers the entire gestation surrounding the "Ziggy Stardust" (1972) album, from first demos and band rehearsals, to BBC performances and live concerts after.
• Deep Purple,
"Machine Head" (1972)
The primo metalhead record, with the eternal "Highway Star", "Smoke On The Water", and "Space Truckin'", plus full 1971 and 1972 tour concerts.
• Sonny Terry + Brownie McGhee,
"Live From The Ash Grove" (The Ultimate Collection) (1973)
A great stint by the stored guitar and harp Blues duo, plus a couple live tracks from 1965.
• Queen,
"Queen I" (1973)
Right out the gate these guys were grandiose and roaring. The first three albums have a ferocity that might suprise those used to the later artful studio albums.
All hail.
• Bryan Ferry,
"Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973-2023"
This 5-disc overview covers songs from Roxy music and Bryan's solo career, plus 1920s-style Jazz band arrangements of each, and rareties.
George Harrison;
Paul McCartney
• John Lennon,
"Mind Games" (The Ultimate Collection) (1973)
An immersive 6-disc set with a remastered album, raw mixes, elements mixes, evolution mixes, and out-takes.
There's also a separate 'Meditations Mixes' version with newly-made long ambient remixes of all the songs.
• George Harrison,
"Living In The Material World" (1973)
A new remaster of the album, plus the original demos and a few non-album tracks.
• Paul McCartney And Wings,
"Band On The Run" (1974)
The one.
Just when critics were trying to write Paul off, he kicked everyone's assumptions flat with this new "Abbey Road".
Back him to the wall and look what happens.
• Paul McCartney And Wings,
"One Hand Clapping" (rec. 1974)
Hot off the blazing success of "Band On The Run", the band does a TV special to celebrate.
Often bootlegged, this at last is the official remastered release of the full setlist, including six non-album songs like the roiling "Soily", plus three surprise Beatles classics.
• Average White Band,
"Live At The Rainbow Theatre, 1974"
Funk out to "Pick Up The Pieces" for ten minutes, like you're supposed to.
• Bob Dylan + The Band,
"The 1974 Live Recordings"
After four years, Dylan began his return from a self-imposed wilderness with the help of his friends.
A year later he would make the crucial "Blood On The Tracks" album.
• Various Artists,
"Ayo Ke Disco: Boogie, Pop, And Funk
from the South China Sea (1974-’88)"
Trying to get innovative in Communist China was always a dicey move, so any collection of such brave souls is as surprising as it is welcome.
• Babe Ruth,
"Live In Montreal - April 9, 1975"
This British band was too incendiary to be so unsung.
Fronted by the dervish Jenny Haan, they pounded out rough rockers, Morricone western scores, and Soulful covers at a greasefire streak.
• Betty Davis,
"Nasty Gal" (1975)
The queen of Funk Rock.
She can't give it to you any nastier than this.
• Thin Lizzy,
"1976"
A deeply thorough archive of that entire year, with the two remastered albums (in original and stereo mixes), out-takes, BBC sessions, and a live concert.
• Joni Mitchell,
"The Asylum Albums (1976-1980)"
A remastering of Joni's 'experimental phase' albums, with "Hejira" (1976), "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" (1977), "Mingus" (1979), and "Shadows And Light" (1980).
• Joni Mitchell,
"Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Albums (1976-1980)"
A supplemental complement to the box set above, with alternative mixes, original demos, and live concerts surrounding the four albums.
Shakin' Street
• Dorothy Carter,
"Troubadour" (1976)
Released like a whisper in the rain and as lost, this collector's item finally gets due spotlight. Carter was a marginal phantom who scribed this eerie dulcimer folk album like a private diary entry, but its effect on current Weird Folk artists is immeasurable.
• Various Artists,
"Soul Jazz Records presents PUNK 45:
There’s No Such As Society - Get A Job, Get A Car, Get A Bed, Get Drunk!
Underground Punk in the UK 1977-1981"
That cheeky title is longer than a Punk song plays.
This reissue reminds you of the glory of throwing all your passions out there like there is no tomorrow.
• Talking Heads,
"Talking Heads ’77" (Super Deluxe Edition)
A new remaster of their debut album, with a disc of rare and alternate versions, and one of a live period concert.
• The Saints,
"I’m Stranded" (1976-'77)
A 4-disc box set with the 1976 and the 1977 debut album mixes, plus two discs of singles and live tracks.
• Shakin' Street,
"Select: The Old Waldorf August" (1979)
The French hard Rock band, fronted by Fabienne Shine, touring their debut album "Vampire Rock".
• The Lijadu Sisters,
"Horizon Unlimited" (1979)
The first female Afrobeat act, with quick wits and shaking hips.
• 1980s •
• Flamin' Groovies,
"Let It Rock: Live From The San Francisco Civic Center 1980"
The Groovies carried over seamlessly from the original Garage Rock era through Power Pop to the Garage/Psyche Revivals of the '80s.
• Pearl Harbour,
"Don’t Follow Me I’m Lost Too" (1980)
Following the implosion of Pearl Harbor And The Explosions, she diversified her sound from Punk to New Wave and Rockabilly. This remaster adds four B-sides and two demos.
• Aderemi Kabaka,
"Roots Funkadelia" (1980)
A rare and sought-after Funk album by the Nigerian drummer, backed by The Commodores' horn section.
• Nikki And The Corvettes,
"Nikki And The Corvettes" (1980)
Sassy Power Pop by Ramones' spiritual cousins, catchy and brassy as they wanna be.
Rodion GA;
Gang Of Four
• Rodion G.A.,
"From The Archives 1981-2017"
Recorded in Romania under extreme state surveillance and censure, Rodion Roșca's startling slabs of Prog Wave still unsettle and thrill.
• The Blasters,
"Over There: Live At The Venue, London - The Complete Concert" (rec. 1981)
After their breakout debut, the Alvin brothers took London by storm. This is the first time the entire concert is available.
• Dr. John,
"Frankie And Johnny" (1982)
An unreleased and just discovered solo piano album, with 11 songs not found on his two albums of the time.
• Gang Of Four,
"Songs Of The Free" (1982)
Grouped often as PostPunk, GO4 is a PunkFunk band pure and unboxed. With those politics on that bass pulse and industrial guitar, they were Public Enemy first.
This band always knew what time it was: time to call out injustice and stand up.
• The Police,
"Synchronicity" (Super Deluxe Edition) (1983)
Their "Revolver", where the patent Reggae sound of their early days swiveled into experimental textures, pop deconstructions, and moody introspection.
Super Heroines;
Shop Assistants
• Lindsey Buckingham,
"20th Century Lindsey"
The Brian Wilson of Fleetwood Mac, challenging himself at every turn while never losing his melodic sensibility. This remastered collection contains the New Wave-energized "Law And Order" (1981) album, the Prince deconstruction "Go Insane" (1984), and the warm revival of "Out Of The Cradle" (1992), plus a disc of rareties.
• The Long Ryders,
"Native Sons" (1984)
As a response to the alien futurism of New Wave, a counter movement rose in the mid-'80s toward Roots musics played organically.
This country/rock band was in the exact juncture between the Paisley Underground, Roots Rock, Cowpunk, and Jangle Pop.
• Super Heroines,
"Anthology 1982-1985"
One of the pioneers of L.A.'s Deathrock movement, veering less Goth and more Punk Metal.
Predominantly female and perfectly feral.
• Shop Assistants,
"Will Anything Happen" (Deluxe Edition) (1986)
Ambassadors of a new kind of Indie Pop, homemade and personal and askew and hummable.
You know, like everything you listen to this century.
• John Lee Hooker,
"The Best Of Friends" (1988)
The king of Boogie, holding court with notable friends Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Ry Cooder, Los Lobos, Nick Lowe, Jimmy Vaughan, and Van Morrison.
• 1990s •
• Johnny Cash,
"Songwriter" (1993)
An unreleased album recorded just before his revelatory comeback albums with Rick Rubin, newly stripped of the original studio slickery in favor of more reverent organic backdrops.
• Beastie Boys,
"Ill Communication" (Deluxe Edition) (1994)
Reinvented as Funk musicians and galvanized by success, the trio go for it full-glottal with a bettered extension of "Check Your Head" (1992).
We all love "Sabotage" and "Root Down", but check out MCA/Adam Yoauch's epic and humanitarian Buddhist invocation "Bodhisattva Vow".
• Air,
"Moon Safari" (1998)
TripHop made mix-sculpted music eerie and edgy, but Air made it fun again. This was eclectic weirdness and cosmic playfulness that could swing the clubs and the stadiums.
• 2000s-2010s •
Temples
• Garbage,
"Bleed Like Me" (2003)
Their fourth album finds the mega-successful band fighting for grip and against itself, tensions that made for sonic breakthroughs and a breakup. After their reunion a decade later, it stands as a fulcrum to the future which they earned the hard way.
• Sam Phillips,
"A Boot And A Shoe" (2004)
A '90s alt-Pop artist, Phillips stripped everything down to intimate demos with her classic "Fan Dance" (2001).
This excellent follow-up fleshes things out more with strings, while retaining subtle tunes that seep into your synapses like echoes.
• Broadcast,
"Spell Blanket - Collected Demos 2006-2009"
A testement to the late Trish Keenan, whose songs had the charged immediacy of an activist's bullhorn.
• Deap Vally,
"SISTRIONIX 2.0" (2013)
The sisters rerelease their first album, with the less glossy mixes that they prefer.
• Hooveriii,
"Quest For Blood" (2014)
A reissue of the Moterik Stoner band's non-label debut, remastered.
• Spoon,
"They Want My Soul" (Deluxe More Soul Edition) (2014)
The acclaimed Indie Rock band supplements their remastered album with a second disc of home and band demos.
• Temples,
"Other Structures" (rec. 2014)
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of their 2014 Psyche Pop debut "Sun Structures", this EP collects four unreleased songs and two remixes.
© All text, research, and art graphics by Tym Stevens
"A splendid time is guaranteed for all!"
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