VA - The British Invasion 1960-1968 : The History Of British Rock (9 CD, 1991)

 

Rhino's nine-volume British Invasion: The History of British Rock is the most exhaustive and essential overview of '60s British pop/rock available. Although the collection doesn't include tracks from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Herman's Hermits, the Dave Clark Five, and the early Animals, their absence doesn't hurt the series, since it spotlights several artists who never had more than a handful of hits, plus many forgotten gems. And there are plenty of major acts here, as well: The Kinks, the Small Faces, the Yardbirds, Donovan, the Hollies, the Zombies, the Spencer Davis Group, the Searchers, Manfred Mann, and Them are all represented by their best-known tracks. The collection runs from the beginnings of Merseybeat to the aftermath of psychedelia, meaning that it chronicles the evolution of British pop/rock quite effectively. But The History of British Rock shouldn't be thought of as simply an educational overview of one of the most vital eras of pop; each volume is fun and exciting, and sounds more like a good time than a history lesson. The series is one of the cornerstones of any comprehensive pop/rock collection. 

 

Georgie Fame - The Whole World's Shaking: Complete Recordings 1963-1966 (5 CD, 2015/FLAC)

 

Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell, 26 June 1943, Leigh, Lancashire) is a British rhythm and blues and jazz singer and keyboard player. The one-time rock and roll tour musician, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still a popular performer; often working with contemporaries such as Van Morrison and Bill Wyman.

 

Dire Straits - Money for Nothing (2022 Remaster/FLAC)

Money for Nothing is a greatest hits album by British rock band Dire Straits released on 17 October 1988, featuring highlights from the band's first five albums.

Fully remastered in 2022 by Bob Ludwig, and cut by Bernie Grundman, the Money For Nothing double vinyl reissue includes “Telegraph Road (Live Remix)” which was previously only available on the original CD format, and a previously unreleased alternative live version of “Portobello Belle (Live)”.

Mark Knopfler is one of the most successful musicians the UK has ever produced and is often cited as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Dire Straits’ sound defined the late 70s/early 80s with monster global hits such as “Sultans Of Swing”, “Romeo And Juliet”, “Money For Nothing” and “Walk Of Life”, all of which are all included on this release. Dire Straits’ 1985 album Brothers In Arms, a global No 1 and double Grammy Award winner, is one of the best selling albums of all time. After releasing their final album On Every Street in ’91, Knopfler set off on a new path as a solo artist.

 

1. “Sultans Of Swing”
2. “Down To The Waterline”
3. “Portobello Belle – live” (alternative version) – previously unreleased version
4. “Twisting By The Pool” (Remix)
5. “Tunnel Of Love”
6. “Romeo And Juliet”
7. “Where Do You Think You’re Going?”
8. “Walk Of Life”
9. “Private Investigations”
10. “Telegraph Road (Live Remix)” – previously unreleased on vinyl
11. “Money For Nothing” (Single Edit)
12. “Brothers In Arms” (Edit).

Charley Patton - Complete Recordings 1929-1934 (5 CD, 2002/FLAC]

 Charley Patton lived only into his 40s, but he left a large body of recorded work, which reveals a broad repertoire, much self-written. He came to his first recording session - in June 1929, for Paramount - with an established reputation. It was said his voice could be heard 500 yards away. The songs he recorded that day include some he had been honing for 20 years around the Delta. Pony Blues is usually cited as a masterpiece. He cut two versions. Both are good, the first is finer: he growls the lyrics, his guitar lopes and bucks. Patton's rhythms are one of his trademarks - complex, intricate, powerful, his fingering always precise. Listen to his playing on Down The Dirt Road Blues - he puts brilliant guitar phrases at the end of each stanza. Songs like Banty Rooster, with its beautiful slide work, and the idiosyncratic Spoonful represent the essence of Mississippi blues and are typical of Patton fast-and-loose approach to blues structures (there's not a standard 12-bar in Patton's recorded output) and rhythmic conventions. Even those who have studied Patton's lyrics find areas to dispute. The voice is gruff, the phrasing eccentric and his Mississippi accent can be impenetrable. But it's worth paying attention - Patton's songs evoke a world that has vanished. We hear of characters like Sheriff Tom Rushen, a lawman whom Patton knew well, for the wrong reasons. He did exist, although his name was actually Rushing. Other songs evoke things like the whistle of the Pea Vine train, or the boll weavil, which threatened the cotton crop - as Patton sings: ... (it) sucks all the blossom and leaves your hedges square. In each case, Patton's playing is crafted to the song. Throughout his career, Patton recorded religious material. Prayer Of Death, from the first session (sacred tunes, and a sermon whose words are as obscure as his song lyrics), is a powerful example. Patton died in 1934, still in demand. His reputation has burgeoned since.

Jethro Tull - The Zealot Gene (2022/FLAC)

The Zealot Gene is the 22nd studio album by the British rock band Jethro Tull, released on 28 January 2022 by Inside Out Music. Nearly five years in production, it is their first studio album since The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003), and their first of all original material since J-Tull Dot Com (1999), marking the longest gap between the band's studio albums. 

The Zealot Gene is the first Jethro Tull studio album to feature an entirely new lineup (other than Anderson), with guitarist Florian Opahle (who left the band between its recording and release), bassist David Goodier, keyboardist John O'Hara, and drummer Scott Hammond replacing four-fifths of The Jethro Tull Christmas Album lineup – Martin Barre, Jonathan Noyce, Andrew Giddings and Doane Perry respectively. The new lineup is the same that performed on Anderson's most recent solo album, Homo Erraticus (2014). The album is the first since This Was (1968) not to involve Barre in any capacity, as he was not asked to return when Anderson reformed Jethro Tull.