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F.G.S.–the musical project of Los Angeles artist Flannery Silva–announces the first-ever vinyl release of her debut album ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’, arriving May 27 via Scenic Route. Alongside the release comes a new single, ‘The Punisher (Tinker Bell’s Edit)’, and an exclusive vinyl-only live track, ‘Passions (Live at Tinker Bell’s Clubhouse)’.

Co-created with musician and producer Chase Ceglie, ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’ is a surreal Americana record that filters the language of girlhood, heartbreak, and fantasy through a warped, theatrical lens. It’s Lana Del Rey meets David Berman in a cartoon whirlwind, with traces of Dolly Parton, Arthur Russell, and David Lynch.

Silva describes the record as “fairy tale theatre”. It’s packed with alt-universe country hits (‘Beth’s Deth’, ‘American Shield’), uncanny ballads (‘I’m Growing A Cross Around My Neck’), and leftfield pop songs rooted in character and place. ‘Passions’, the opening track, was inspired by Mary MacLane’s ‘I Await the Devil’s Coming’, while the title track imagines Tinker Bell herself singing a lullaby to God.

New single ‘The Punisher’ is an anthemic road song about loneliness and transcendence. “It’s about driving north on I-5 in California, worrying my car will overheat, bargaining with God, and falling in love with dust tornados,” Silva says.

Raised in the woods of upstate New York and formerly one half of the cult duo Odwalla88, Silva brings a visual artist’s sensibility to music. She studied art in Baltimore and continues to make sculpture and performance work that informs her songwriting. ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’ was written on the Rhode Island coast, where she and Ceglie met weekly to write and record—drawing from old texts, visual references, and poetry.

F.G.S. has drawn praise from NTS, The FADER, Gorilla vs. Bear, The Line of Best Fit, Artforum, Sex Magazine, and more. With the reissue of ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’ and the release of ‘The Punisher’, Silva continues to expand the strange, magnetic world of F.G.S., one that feels both deeply American and entirely her own.

Following the release of Drop Nineteens' first album in 30 years, Hard Light and the reissue of their 1992 shoegaze masterwork Delaware, we are excited to announce the official release of Drop Nineteens' 1991. This LP comprises the band's first two demo sessions which were mailed out via cassette to labels in 1991 finding their way to the UK music press and generating instant buzz and an ensuing feeding frenzy to sign the band. After signing with Caroline Records Drop Nineteens decided to write an entirely new record, Delaware, for their first official release, leaving the songs on 1991 behind, frozen in time. Swells of layered guitars and buried vocal harmonies adom these tracks, displaying Drop Nineteens when the comparison to their UK contemporaries like Slowdive and Ride were apt. 1991'S songs, recorded with a low fi charm, show an ambitious young band capable of writing songs filled with texture and hooks, on the eve of their breakthrough with Delaware.

Head back to the floor with this brand-new 2LP compilation featuring 42 more of the world’s most remarkable Northern Soul tunes.

Expand your collection and freshen up your dancing shoes with this must-have sequel including none other than the incredible Stevie Wonder, Dusty Springfield, Freda Payne, Robert Knight, The Supremes, Major Lance and the all-time classic duet between Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

The Wild West cowboy occupies a symbolic and central place in
popular culture. The lone rider, out on the range… The whitehatted hero facing up to a gang of outlaws in a gunfight… The
wagon train heading out over the horizon… Celebrated in cinema
since the beginning of movies, the cowboy has also found a
regular home on record, as this vinyl LP compilation testifies.
Listen to these songs and, with just a little imagination, you can
picture the solitary cowboy on his trusty steed, watching a cattle
round-up, or making his way into a town like Tombstone… A
timeless myth, captured forever in these Songs Of The Wild
West…

Nach 25 Jahren Herman Dune und 15 Alben freut sich BB*ISLAND, Odysseús zu präsentieren, eine neue Sammlung von Songs, die den Hörer auf eine Reise durch das turbulente Leben von David Ivar mitnimmt, eine Reise voller Sehnsucht, Schmerz, Liebe, Tod, Glaube und Erlösung. Es ist das erste Mal, dass Herman Dune mit einem externen Produzenten, David Garza, zusammenarbeitet. Das Set-up besteht fast ausschließlich aus akustischen Instrumenten, die live mit der Band in einem Raum aufgenommen wurden. Es ist Folk-Musik im typischen Stil von Herman Dune mit Anklängen an Americana, Country, jüdische und hispanische Traditionen, aber mit einer ganz neuen Wendung in Sound und Arrangements, vor allem im Vergleich zu seiner letzten rein akustischen Trilogie The Portable Herman Dune. David Herman Dune über die Produktion: "...David Garza getroffen zu haben war reiner Zufall. Ich mühte mich gerade mit einem Geigenarrangement für einen der Songs ab, als er sich in einem überfüllten Café in der Innenstadt von San Pedro an meinen Tisch setzte und mich fragte, woran ich gerade arbeitete. David, ein mit einem Grammy ausgezeichneter Produzent und Musiker, hatte mit Fiona Apple, Iron & Wine, John C. Reilly und den Milk Carton Kids gearbeitet und mit einigen meiner musikalischen Helden wie Lucinda Williams und Townes Van Zandt gespielt. Wir verstanden uns auf Anhieb, und er bot mir an, meine Songs zu produzieren. Wir begannen, die Stücke jeden Abend bei mir zu Hause zu spielen, und einmal pro Woche in einem französischen Restaurant namens Le Compagnon. David kannte die besten Musiker in L.A. - Leute wie Sebastian Steinberg am Kontrabass (Fiona Apple), Richard Edson (Schlagzeuger von Sonic Youth, Schauspieler in Jim Jarmuschs Stranger Than Paradise und Spike Lees Do The Right Thing), Odessa (violin, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) und Paul J. Cartwright (violin, Olivia Rodrigo). Als wir uns bereit fühlten, versammelten wir alle in meinem Haus für drei Tage Live-Sessions. Es war ein chaotischer, schöner Prozess, bei dem alle in einem Raum zusammen spielten, keine Kopfhörer, keine Overdubs - nur rohe, echte Musik. Aufgenommen und gemischt wurden die Sessions von Chris Sorem (ebenso Grammy-prämiert für seine Arbeit mit den mit den LA-Legenden Los Lobos). Chris brachte eine Wagenladung alter Mikrofone mit und konzentrierte sich auf "Raummikrofone" - djene, die die Atmosphäre des Raums einfangen. Er sagte, dies sei eine Technik, die auf Alben wie Buena Vista Social Club verwendet wurde, und es erzeugte eine Magie im Raum, die spürbar war. Sogar die traurigsten Lieder wurden lebendig mit so viel Freude, Energie und Elektrizität. Die Aufnahmen waren ungefiltert, organisch und hatten Seele. Als wir mit dem Abmischen begannen, waren wir alle vom Ergebnis erstaunt, wir hörten einen Moment in der Zeit, der sich gleichsam zeitlos anfühlte"

SWEARING AT MOTORISTS haben einen langen Weg hinter sich, seit der Name 1994 auf Plakaten für eine Fake-Band erschien Die hingen auf mysteriöse Weise in Plattenläden und Musiklokalen in Dayton, Ohio, Ein paar Monate nachdem die Plakate auf auftauchten kritzelte Dave Doughman den Namen auf eine Kassette mit homerecordings, die er an Freunde verschenkte, und 1995 war die Band dann offiziell geboren. Ende der 90er Jahre veröffentlichten S@M eine Reihe von 7"-EPs bei verschiedenen Labels, und nachdem sie wiederholt von John Peel gespielt wurden und die Presse weltweit positiv über sie berichtet hatte, erhielt die Band einen Vertrag mit dem damals neuen Label Secretly Canadian. Sie veröffentlichten 2 EPs und 4 LPs auf Secretly Canadian, darunter Number Seven Uptown aus dem Jahr 2000 und This Flag Signals Goodbye aus dem Jahr 2002, die beide in den Jahren ihrer Veröffentlichung vom MOJO Magazine zum Underground Album of the Year" gewählt wurden. Swearing At Motorists zogen 2005 nach Berlin, Deutschland, und veröffentlichten im folgenden Jahr ihre letzte LP für Secretly Canadian, Last Night Becomes This Morning, bevor sie leise in der nicht enden wollenden Berliner Nacht verschwanden... 8 Jahre später war die Band plötzlich in Hamburg wieder aufgetaucht, mit einem neuen Album: "While Laughing, The Joker Tells The Truth", das 2014 auf Anton Newcombes Label A Recordings Ltd. erschien. Co-produziert von Dave und Rick McPhail (von Tocotronic), erzählt das Album die Geschichten dieser verlorenen" 8 Jahre im klassischen Motorists-Stil. Der Autor Camden Joy, vielleicht eine weitere Underground-Figur der 90er/00er Jahre, beschreibt es am besten: "Like Iggy Pop's great lost Nashville record or the legendary demos for the Strokes masterpiece that never was, this recording is full of catchy courage, significant low notes, bedroom rhythms, hooks, and so on, all of which make for an impossible amount of pleasure. This Swearing At effort towers heads and squirrels above whatever that was you were just listening to. I see why Rolling Stone gave it five stars." - Camden Joy 11 Jahre später ist die Band in Hamburg erneut aufgetaucht, aus einer weiteren Auszeit und mit einem neuen Album, das im Herbst 2025 über BB*ISLAND erscheinen soll. Vor der Veröffentlichung stellen wir euch das Album von 2014 noch einmal, oder zum allerersten Mal vor. Vielleicht lag Camden Joy genau richtig. Zu gut, um vergessen und vergriffen zu sein. Das Beständige an Swearing At Motorists sind ihre Auszeiten als Band. Alles andere ist Bonus, aber das ist natürlich der beste Teil. "...While Laughing...demontrates Doughman's unerring abilitity to turn autobiographical minutiae and emotional turmoil into exquisitely heartfelt rock'n'roll poetry. From the warmly familiar powerpop chug of Groundhog Day (Damn The Piper) and Great Actress, to the tearjerker wistfulness of Wrote You A Letter and acoustic closer It's Love That Chooses You, this is classic Swearing At Motorists throughout...." - Andrew Carden/ MOJO

"Los Angeles-born music producer, artist, and DJ DF Tram is thrilled to announce the release of his highly anticipated new album, Bittersweet Afternoon on Orbscure Records. Orbscure Records, founded by Alex Paterson of the legendary electronic act The Orb, continues its tradition of championing innovative and boundary-pushing artists with this remarkable release. About DF Tram DF Tram is a leading figure in the global downtempo electronic scene, celebrated for his meticulously crafted audio-visual performances and immersive storytelling through sound. His work seamlessly blends ambient, sampling, spoken word, vocals, and psychedelia into genre-defying sonic journeys, offering listeners a unique and transformative experience. Bittersweet Afternoon Written and recorded between DF Tram’s Zagreb and Vienna studios during the pandemic and finished last year. Bittersweet Afternoon represents the next chapter in his storied career. The album surprises listeners with his vocals, bittersweet lullabies, and signature collage and spoken word style. Featuring atmospheric soundscapes and cinematic influences, the project reflects the spirit and playfulness of Alex Paterson and Orbscure’s commitment to fostering experimental, forward-thinking music. Adding to the album’s rich tapestry are collaborations with Alex Paterson himself on two tracks, as well as contributions from multi-talented contemporary classical violinist Violeta Vicci on another pair of songs. The first single and video, "The Librarian," offers an immersive glimpse into the world of DF Tram and “Bittersweet Afternoon”. Available on a limited edition transparent blue vinyl, card gatefold CD.

Enjoy The Ride Records and Enjoy The Toons Records in partnership with WaterTower Music proudly present The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Emmy-nominated composer Joshua Moshier (Baskets, The Shrink Next Door). Pressed on limited edition colored vinyl, this pressing is limited to 1,000 copies.

That’s not all folks! From Ketchup Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation, director Pete Browngardt, and the creative team behind the award-winning “Looney Tunes Cartoons” comes The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, a brand-new buddy comedy starring one of the greatest comedic duos in history - Porky Pig and Daffy Duck! This richly crafted, hand-drawn 2D animated adventure marks the first fully animated feature-length film in Looney Tunes history, told on a scope and scale that’s truly out of this world.

Porky Pig and Daffy Duck venture to the big screen as unlikely heroes and Earth’s only hope when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. Faced with cosmic odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!)... that is if they don’t drive each other totally looney in the process. Featuring the voices of acclaimed actors Eric Bauza, Candi Milo, Peter MacNicol, Wayne Knight, and Laraine Newman with the laugh-out-loud gags, vibrant visuals, and beloved characters that make the Looney Tunes so timeless and iconic. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie arrives in theaters on March 14, 2025.

Chicago recording artist Reggie Soul (real name Reginald Stone) recording career consisted of three 45singles spread over 3 separate labels. Firstly, the funk outing “I Got Jody” backed with the soulful “I Feel So Bad” for the Red Balloon label. “I Feel So Bad” was a Lee Sain composition which Lee himself recorded under the title of “Baby Don’t Leave Me” for the Broach label. Reggie’s “I Got Jody” also came out a second time on Nation Time Records as the flipside to “Soul Walkin’” a cover version of the James Brown song but mis-credited as the performing artist Reggie Smith?

Reggie’s third release “My World of Ecstasy/Mighty Good Loving” was released on the Scott Brothers owned Capri Records label in 1968. The fledgling Capri Records Company having been set up in premises at 409, East 47TH Street in Chicago’s Southside, used the front of the building as a record store with the rehearsal studios situated at the rear, the final recording sessions took place initially at some of the smaller independent studios across the city before using the major Columbia and RCA Recording Studios as Capri Productions grew. Reggie co-wrote both sides of his Capri 45 with Charles and Walter Scott respectively. The arrangements were provided by John Jackson and Bill McFarland who alongside Claude Williams provided the horn section to many of the Scott’s future productions. The Scott Brothers were also the house band at one of the Southside’s most popular night clubs ‘The Bonanza Lounge on 7641, South Halsted. Besides performing, they used the club to scout for potential artists for their label and it is believed that’s where their business relationship with Reggie Soul initially began.

Surviving witness accounts always cite Reggie as a solo performer which begs the question who are the credited ‘The Soul Swingers’ on the Capri 45? Well, it transpires that this was a pseudonym used by the Scott Brothers present on the recording, Charles (Chuck) drums, Tommy (bass guitar) and Walter (Rhythm guitar).

At the beginning of Soul Junction’s working relationship with Scot-Tees a further Reggie Soul unissued session was mentioned and sure enough two tape boxes arrived one containing “My World Of Ecstasy/Mighty Good Loving”, great, but disappointingly the second named tape had been reused as a rehearsal tape of several recognizable riffs of later Scott-Tees productions, doh!

Then months later lady luck intervened, a box containing two unmarked acetates held together with a nut and bolt was found. After considerable investigation, it transpires that they are the missing Reggie Soul tracks which we now present to you. Both songs are A.C Carson compositions, The A-side “So Many Miles Away” is a wonderful crossover song that shares some lyrical similarities to fellow Capri stablemate Judson Moore’s released Chicago Music Bag 45 “Lisa” while the flipside of our release features Reggie’s interpretation of Judson’s “Groovy Thang”. So, at long last Soul Junction are able to present to the lost Reggie Soul sessions that several veteran soul scribes who known their onions have likened to another great Chicago recording artist, the mighty, Tyrone Davis.

Percussionist Errison Pallman Johnson was born in Nassau, Bahamas, 1941. He started playing music from the age of 5 and left the island at 18 for Los Angeles to pursue an acting career resulting in few movies appearances and commercials. Most remarkably he appeared with his calypso band in the James Bond film Thunderball (1965). Musically his first break came when he met jazz saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderly, with whom he recorded 8 albums.

King Errisson has played congas for Neil Diamond for over 30 years and has played on many Motown recordings. In his autobiography, Berry Gordy referred to King Errison as the “unsung hero of Motown”.

Crafted entirely on an analog monophonic synthesizer with no overdubs, Pièces Monophoniques is a tribute to simplicity in an era of limitless digital possibilities. Since his debut album, Music For Prophet (Les Disques du Festival Permanent, 2017), Majorca-born composer Marc Melià, now a long-time resident of Brussels, has been redefining the contours of electronic music through a minimalist, reductionist approach. Much like a solitary hike through the vastness of mountains, where one carries only the essentials, Melià’s work invites listeners on a journey stripped of excess, focusing instead on the purity of sound and intention.
While some have dismissed monophonic music as overly simplistic, others have embraced its distinct charm. Historical records, such as those by Johannes Quasten, reveal that early Church leaders were drawn to monophonic music because it resonated with the era's cosmological beliefs, highlighting the harmony and unity of all creation. In an age of digital abundance, Marc Melià deliberately embraces constraint, crafting an album that thrives within a limited palette of choices. Yet, from these self-imposed boundaries emerges a stunning universe, brimming with rich textures and elegant harmonies. For his debut album, Melià worked exclusively with a Sequential Prophet. With Pièces Monophoniques, his third LP, he returns armed solely with an analog monophonic synthesizer and handcrafted MIDI sequences etched directly onto a single stereo track. These recordings seek to uncover beauty within the boundaries of limitations and simplicity, rejecting any embellishments that are not essential. Melià presents the bare skeleton of music, highlighting the power of absence and silence as creative forces. Like the hidden mass of an iceberg, what is not heard becomes as significant as what is heard.
The album navigates the boundary where the quest for an uninhibited emotional response intersects with the mechanical sounds generated by synthesizer circuitry. Despite being a collection of beatless tracks, a pulse occasionally surfaces, like in the closing piece, "224 Steps. A sharp sequence blended with multiple delays and reverbs creates the vaporous celestial specter of multiple voices in "Illusions of Polyphony", while "Échoes et Fantasies" conjures the illusion of dual harmony. The expansive reverbs and silences between the euphoric synth phrases in "Overture" transport us to an imaginary magestic landscape shaped out of an electric field. "Resonances," a one-note drone-like sequence, embodies the album's aims as a series of resonances created with the synth filter emerge from the fundamental note.
"Pièces Monophoniques," aims to contribute to a tradition that dates back to the dawn of humanity. After all, there is no denying that the earliest music crafted by humanity was monophonic, from the soothing lullabies sung to newborns to Gregorian chants, traditional labor songs, and the repertoire of solo compositions by countless composers.

Rock’n’roll revivalists Split Dogs are not here to make 15 second viral videos, they’re not here to sell you a lifestyle, they’re here to destroy. Born from the frustration of seeing music become commodified and soulless, vocalist Harry Atkins and guitarist Mil Martinez had the idea to form a band as far back as 2015, with the name ‘Split Dogs’ pulled from the classic zombie film ‘Return of the Living Dead’.
In South London, a young Martinez would hear Status Quo, Bachman Turner Overdrive and Dire Straits on the car radio while his father drove him to school. At home he would invade his older brothers’ record collection which leaned towards the harder sounds of punk and heavy metal. Meanwhile in the Black Country, Harry’s mother instilled a love of Northern Soul, Slade and rock’n’roll, with stories of nights out at Club Lafayette and family singalongs at home. According to Martinez, “Our sound is a culmination of all those early influences and, to be honest, it really shows.”
It wasn’t until 2022 that Split Dogs officially arrived on the scene with bass player Suez Boyle joining the band in 2023. Already a prominent figure in the queer punk scene, Suez played the first ever Rebellion Festival at the tender age of 16 with her band The Walking Abortions. Up until that point, drummer Chris Hugall, an old friend of Martinez and former member of ska punks Mouthwash (signed to Rancid’s label Hellcat back in the day), was only on hand to help design artwork. It wasn’t until 2024 Hugall joined the band full time, cementing the current line-up.
The raucous live shows and infectious lyrics saw the four-piece make a name for themselves among the punks of Bristol, a scene that has always welcomed LGBTQ+ and marginalised people. As word spread, so did the gigging, and soon enough Split Dogs were playing to sold out rooms in mainland Europe, eventually grabbing the attention of UK label Venn Records (Gallows, Bob Vylan, High Vis). ‘Here to Destroy’ was recorded over three days at Middle Farm Studios by producer Peter Miles. All tracks were laid straight to a 16 track reel-to-reel tape machine, no autotune, no effects pedals, no computers. To add to the music’s authenticity, the album was recorded live, with Harry singing along in a vocal booth. No cutting and pasting, just nailing takes. According to Martinez, “It was a blast! We fully immersed ourselves, sleeping in a small apartment below the studio, cooking meals and listening to Pete’s extensive record collection”. While the final result is a step away from Split Dogs early punk sound, the attitude is still there in droves. “We wanted the album to have a raw bones feel,” Martinez tells us, “real 1970s rock’n’roll!”. Harry channels the spirit of Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister as they tear through hook after hook, singing about the Northern Soul clubs their mother once frequented (‘Lafayette’), the Orwellian nightmare we’re heading for (“Stay Tuned”) and a touching homage to British working class culture (“And What?”). As the album title makes clear, Split Dogs are here to destroy, but they’re also here to rebuild and remind us of music’s essence. “We’re not beholden to the digital age, we don’t want to get famous on social media, we just want to show the world that rock’n’roll is alive and well”.

Born in Montreal, double platinum- selling artist Sam Roberts launched a career of radio hits with The Inhuman Condition, which included "Brother Down" and the #1 single "Don't Walk Away Eileen". His eight subsequent albums have garnered multiple awards and include life-moment defining favourites "Hard Road", "Where Have All the Good People Gone?", "Them Kids", "We're All In This Together", and "All Of Us".

The band's legendary live show has seen them performing around the world including Australia, Japan, Europe, and North America. Their infectious live energy has brought them to festivals such as Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza and Bumbershoot, and on stages alongside giants like the Rolling Stones and AC/DC.

Frequencies is a carefully curated collection of songs that, while familiar to their North American audience, will be receiving a full-fledged release in the UK for the first time. As a special addition, the album will include a newly recorded version of 'Brother Down', the band's breakthrough single from their debut album We Were Born In A Flame. This fresh take captures the energy and evolution of the song as it has been performed night after night over the decades. The album also features a rework of 'All Of Us' by fellow Montrealer Liam O'Neil (The Stills, Kings of Leon).

Bridgewater and Charlap curate a repertoire that only they can present: exploring the deep understanding of jazz tradition alongside impeccable phrasing and a once-in-ageneration dynamic range, bringing a level of sophistication that is sure to be considered a masterpiece for generations to come.

Available on 4-panel digipak CD and 180g black vinyl.

Polar Bear's groundbreaking debut 'Dim Lit' (2004) is being released on vinyl for the first time, marking over two decades since its arrival reshaped the UK jazz landscape

Led by drummer and composer Seb Rochford, the album introduced a band whose fearless approach to improvisation, rhythm, and texture would go on to influence a generation. Blending raw energy with intricate composition, 'Dim Lit' set the blueprint for Polar Bear's signature sound - expansive, unpredictable, and entirely their own.

From the outset, 'Dim Lit' positioned Polar Bear as one of the most forward-thinking groups of their time. The album bridged jazz, electronic elements, and avant- garde sensibilities, carving out a new space in the contemporary music scene. The interplay between Rochford, saxophonists Pete Wareham and Mark Lockheart, bassist Tom Herbert, and electronics specialist Leafcutter John created a dynamic, shape-shifting sound that blurred genre boundaries. With its hypnotic grooves, explosive improvisation, and unexpected sonic detours, 'Dim Lit' remains a vital document of a band redefining what jazz could be.

This first- ever vinyl release offers a new perspective on 'Dim Lit's deep, layered soundscapes, giving longtime fans and new listeners alike the chance to experience the album in a fresh, immersive format. Edition Records now represents all digital rights to the Polar Bear catalogue, ensuring the band's visionary work continues to reach audiences worldwide.

Like a fine wine, Fu Manchu's 1999 classic, King Of The Road, gets better with age and fans continue to demand hearing these tunes the way the band intended - on wax. Out of print since 2019, the Joe Barresi (Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, Queens Of The Stone Age) helmed work is back and this time on yellow and black splatter vinyl in a limited edition. This is a repressing of the 2015 remaster done by Carl Saff, which includes 2 bonus tracks: "Breathing Fire" (originally on the German vinyl release) and "Hanglider" (which was previously unreleased). "After a bit of a break from albums, not counting the Return to Earth singles compilation, Fu Manchu fully fired up and took off again with King of the Road, an album that doesn't so much follow on from The Action Is Go as flat out continue it. Hill has a touch more bite to his vocals this time around, but otherwise there's little to differentiate the two records -- and that's very much meant as a compliment. With plenty of touring and other things under their belts, the lineup has fully jelled and sounds it, Bjork's bad-ass drumming (and occasional cowbells, of course) and Balch's insane lead guitar crunch possibly even better than ever. Together it's all one megariff and nasty, slamming rhythm after another, and face it, anyone expecting anything else from Fu Manchu really needs to find another band. Joe Barresi co-produces with the band, and while there's no extra keyboard/organ weirdness this time around, it hardly matters. In as much as there's a theme to King of the Road beyond the basics of driving, drugs, and that demon rock & roll, it's driving -- there's a reason why the cover and internal art features a slew of great '70s-era photos from a massive van rally. The one shot of the fully leather-covered interior of one mobile love nest, complete with black curtains, about says it all. Then there's the megachugging title track ("King of the road says you move too slow!"), "Hell on Wheels," "Boogie Van," and so forth -- call it a concept album that doesn't waste time with elves and yogis. As with the last album, a punk/new wave nugget gets the cover treatment here -- none other than Devo's "Freedom of Choice." Needless to say, now it sounds just like a Fu Manchu original." ALLMUSIC

Belgian label Music Man Records presents Boccaccio Life 1987-1993, a new compilation offering a fresh perspective on the legacy of the iconic Belgian club Boccaccio - often associated with the short-lived New Beat movement. The 40-track compilation highlights the raw and futuristic early house and techno sounds that were heard in the pioneering club.

Located in rural Destelbergen (Belgium), just a stone's throw from Ghent, Boccaccio has secured its place among legendary venues like Paradise Garage in New York and The Haçienda in Manchester. Its bold fusion of emerging electronic genres such as New Beat, Acid, House, and Techno was way ahead of its time, drawing music lovers and clubbers from across Belgium and beyond. Sundays at Boccaccio were unlike anywhere else-offering sounds you couldn't hear anywhere else.

Boccaccio Life 1987-1993 is carefully curated by resident DJ Olivier Pieters and club regular Stefaan Vandenberghe, standing as the ultimate testament to a club that was more than just a venue. For those who experienced it, it was a community - a way of life. Hence the club's full name: Boccaccio Life.

This compilation stands as a testament to an innovative time in electronic music, capturing the raw, futuristic sounds of early house and techno. It sheds light on another side of Boccaccio, one that goes far beyond the short-lived New Beat scene. A carefully curated selection of 40 tracks, resonating with those who were there by offering familiar classics, while also reaching a new generation-those who never experienced it firsthand.

With tracks from Blake Baxter, Virgo, Frankie Knuckles, Tyree, and A GuyCalled Gerald, the unmistakable influence of black American pioneers is clear-the originators of the first analog house and techno sounds. On the other hand, UK sound innovators such as The Orb and LFO bring both sharp textures and rough breakbeats to the table.

Club staple tracks include dreamy excursions from Roger Sanchez under his Egotrip moniker, the relentless basement house of Circus Bells by Robert Armani on Dance Mania, an uplifting take on a hip-house cut from The D.O.C. (Portrait of A Masterpiece in the CJ Ed-Did-It Mix), a timeless remix of UK Formation's Age of Chance from 1994, and an alternate take on The Tape by Boccaccio club regular and Belgian producer Frank De Wulf, taken from his B-Sides project.

While not always the obvious hits, these tracks have gracefully withstood the test of time, and were exclusive to Sundays at Boccaccio. Now, they are finally available to experience together in one collection,offering a timeless snapshot of a unique era.

Belgian label Music Man Records presents Boccaccio Life 1987-1993, a new compilation offering a fresh perspective on the legacy of the iconic Belgian club Boccaccio - often associated with the short-lived New Beat movement. The 40-track compilation highlights the raw and futuristic early house and techno sounds that were heard in the pioneering club.

Located in rural Destelbergen (Belgium), just a stone's throw from Ghent, Boccaccio has secured its place among legendary venues like Paradise Garage in New York and The Haçienda in Manchester. Its bold fusion of emerging electronic genres such as New Beat, Acid, House, and Techno was way ahead of its time, drawing music lovers and clubbers from across Belgium and beyond. Sundays at Boccaccio were unlike anywhere else-offering sounds you couldn't hear anywhere else.

Boccaccio Life 1987-1993 is carefully curated by resident DJ Olivier Pieters and club regular Stefaan Vandenberghe, standing as the ultimate testament to a club that was more than just a venue. For those who experienced it, it was a community - a way of life. Hence the club's full name: Boccaccio Life.

This compilation stands as a testament to an innovative time in electronic music, capturing the raw, futuristic sounds of early house and techno. It sheds light on another side of Boccaccio, one that goes far beyond the short-lived New Beat scene. A carefully curated selection of 40 tracks, resonating with those who were there by offering familiar classics, while also reaching a new generation-those who never experienced it firsthand.

With tracks from Blake Baxter, Virgo, Frankie Knuckles, Tyree, and A GuyCalled Gerald, the unmistakable influence of black American pioneers is clear-the originators of the first analog house and techno sounds. On the other hand, UK sound innovators such as The Orb and LFO bring both sharp textures and rough breakbeats to the table.

Club staple tracks include dreamy excursions from Roger Sanchez under his Egotrip moniker, the relentless basement house of Circus Bells by Robert Armani on Dance Mania, an uplifting take on a hip-house cut from The D.O.C. (Portrait of A Masterpiece in the CJ Ed-Did-It Mix), a timeless remix of UK Formation's Age of Chance from 1994, and an alternate take on The Tape by Boccaccio club regular and Belgian producer Frank De Wulf, taken from his B-Sides project.

While not always the obvious hits, these tracks have gracefully withstood the test of time, and were exclusive to Sundays at Boccaccio. Now, they are finally available to experience together in one collection,offering a timeless snapshot of a unique era.

Belgian label Music Man Records presents Boccaccio Life 1987-1993, a new compilation offering a fresh perspective on the legacy of the iconic Belgian club Boccaccio - often associated with the short-lived New Beat movement. The 40-track compilation highlights the raw and futuristic early house and techno sounds that were heard in the pioneering club.

Located in rural Destelbergen (Belgium), just a stone's throw from Ghent, Boccaccio has secured its place among legendary venues like Paradise Garage in New York and The Haçienda in Manchester. Its bold fusion of emerging electronic genres such as New Beat, Acid, House, and Techno was way ahead of its time, drawing music lovers and clubbers from across Belgium and beyond. Sundays at Boccaccio were unlike anywhere else-offering sounds you couldn't hear anywhere else.

Boccaccio Life 1987-1993 is carefully curated by resident DJ Olivier Pieters and club regular Stefaan Vandenberghe, standing as the ultimate testament to a club that was more than just a venue. For those who experienced it, it was a community - a way of life. Hence the club's full name: Boccaccio Life.

This compilation stands as a testament to an innovative time in electronic music, capturing the raw, futuristic sounds of early house and techno. It sheds light on another side of Boccaccio, one that goes far beyond the short-lived New Beat scene. A carefully curated selection of 40 tracks, resonating with those who were there by offering familiar classics, while also reaching a new generation-those who never experienced it firsthand.

With tracks from Blake Baxter, Virgo, Frankie Knuckles, Tyree, and A GuyCalled Gerald, the unmistakable influence of black American pioneers is clear-the originators of the first analog house and techno sounds. On the other hand, UK sound innovators such as The Orb and LFO bring both sharp textures and rough breakbeats to the table.

Club staple tracks include dreamy excursions from Roger Sanchez under his Egotrip moniker, the relentless basement house of Circus Bells by Robert Armani on Dance Mania, an uplifting take on a hip-house cut from The D.O.C. (Portrait of A Masterpiece in the CJ Ed-Did-It Mix), a timeless remix of UK Formation's Age of Chance from 1994, and an alternate take on The Tape by Boccaccio club regular and Belgian producer Frank De Wulf, taken from his B-Sides project.

While not always the obvious hits, these tracks have gracefully withstood the test of time, and were exclusive to Sundays at Boccaccio. Now, they are finally available to experience together in one collection,offering a timeless snapshot of a unique era.