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Band Of Skulls debut record is one of the most exciting and compelling discs to come across my desk as of late. The 12 tracks on Baby Darling Doll Face Honey show influences of Led Zeppelin and sludgy blues rock that would almost certainly appeal to fans of The White Stripes and The Black Keys. 

Think of Band Of Skulls as guitar-heavy indie rock with two vocalists (Russell Marsden and Emma Richardson) sharing singing duties. The trio of tracks that open the record ("Light Of The Morning", "Death By Diamonds and Pearls" and "I Know What I Am") are catchy in the deadliest sense of the word and sets the mood for what can be expected over the remainder of the album. Marsden's vocals can be as reminiscent of Robert Plant as they can of Jack White; Richardson's vocals waver between the delicate on tracks like "Honest" while also sounding very much like Chrissie Hynde at other times.

This record is a delightful slice of retro-inspired rock. Check this out!

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The newest record from jazz-folk-roots fusionist Bill Frisell sees the musician creating the perfect soundtrack to accompany photos taken by Disfarmer, a photographer during the era of the Great Depression. The music created by Frisell is as stark as the cover shot of the CD and proves to be the definitive soundtrack to such an important time in history. The album as a whole retains a musically minimalist feel to it but it was ultimately one I found to be rather enjoyable. Disfarmer is a hauntingly beautiful record and well worth hearing for yourself.

Highlights include "Lovesick Blues," "Farmer," "Exposed" and "Natural Light."

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Thee Requiems have been poking around the Moncton music scene for years now and on this latest CD, they craft irresistible pop anthems for the hopeful and the disaffected.

It's hard not to tap your foot along to jangly guitar-pop tracks like "Close Around," "Money and the Master Plan" and "Watch Out For The Fox." The band counters these upbeat numbers with fuzzed-out guitar rock on songs like "Eat Some Worms" and moodier moments like "Tell You What I Want."

Thee Requiems are the perfect example of the thriving talent we have within our own music scene. Help support your local talent and pick this up today.

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Mutemath's debut record in 2006 revealed a band that could be just as comfortable flirting with accessible, radio-friendly tracks as they could be with indulging the experimental side of their music. It is the latter that is the order of the day on Armistice, their sophomore record.

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Recorded in Buckingham, England in November 2008 is this beautiful opus from the criminally underrated Tift Merritt. Solo in the true sense of the word, this record features Merritt's voice accompanied only by her guitar or piano, the disc is the perfect outlet to showcase her tender, elegant vocals and engaging personality in the between song banter.

Buckingham Solo just might leave you speechless at the beauty emanating from your speakers.

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For his latest record, country legend Willie Nelson goes into jazz mode for what is his second complete set of cover songs. With guests such as Diana Krall and Norah Jones backing him up, Nelson's trademark lazy vocal delivery works well throughout these twelve tracks including standards like 'Fly Me To The Moon,' 'Ain't Misbehavin'' and 'The Nearness Of You' while Nelson's 'Always On My Mind' appropriately closes the set, an American Classic in its own right. 

This might not be a revolution on record but American Classics is deserving of a listen none the less - American icons like him are still making music for a reason.

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The first record in eight years from Seattle band The Young Fresh Fellows finds the group as an amped up version of leader Scott McCaughey's other group, The Minus 5. Producer Robyn Hitchcock elicits magnificent poppy performances from the group on 'Lamp Industries' and 'Let The Good Times Crawl' while things are a little punkier on 'New Day I Hate' and 'Shake Your Magazines.'

I Think This Is"¦ has a quirky nervous energy running through it that would quickly find a place in the hearts of fans of The Replacements.

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With his solo career picking up momentum, Neil Young released After The Gold Rush in 1970, 15 months after the rocking Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. After The Gold Rush found Young leaning on country-rock for the bulk of the album, with beautiful songs such as the title track, 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart,' 'Don't Let It Bring You Down' and 'Tell Me Why' among the most splendid songs in his catalogue.

Harvest would bring Young to even greater heights of success with tracks 'Old Man,' 'The Needle & The Damage Done' and 'Heart of Gold' remaining radio staples to the present day. The non-hits have plenty to offer as well. 'Are You Ready For The Country' transcends the otherwise melancholic mood of the record while album closer 'Words' brings this career-defining record to a close with a thrilling instrumental jam in the later part of the song.

Both of these records should be essential albums in anyone's music collection. Practically perfect in all respects, there is a reason why these records have endured the past two decades so well.

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The 32 tracks on the two discs in this collection were recorded at four different sessions done by Jackson and his band between 1979 and 1983. The majority of the tracks are so meticulously true to their original versions that it is tough to even tell they are live.

The 1979 session, featuring highlights like the driving 'One More Time' and 'Got The Time' features Jackson and his band at the top of their new wave game. Among the highlights from The Hammersmith Odeon in 1982 are 'Look Sharp,' the ballad 'Breaking Us In Two' and a sprightly 'Steppin' Out.' The group feeds off the crowd's energy at their 1980 show at the Hatfield Polytechnic, evident in songs like 'Is She Really Going Out With Him,' and 'Don't Wanna Be Like That.' The 1983 show that ends Disc Two shows Jackson and his band had then refined the art of the live show, opting for more deliberate performances on songs like 'Another World,' 'Sunday Papers' and 'A Slow Song.'

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In stores now are re-mastered versions of the first four Neil Young records. The re-releases feature nothing in the way of rarities but do offer a somewhat superior sound quality versus the previously available editions that have been on the market since compact discs were first introduced to consumers. 

The songs on Neil Young's self-titled debut record are more than passable, namely the electric guitar fuzz of 'The Loner and I've Been Waiting For You' as well as 'The Old Laughing Lady.' As a stand-alone record, it is alright but there is really nothing that truly jumps out and grabs the listener the way that his next record would... 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' showed how much Young had grown in the short time between the two records. There isn't a bum track on the whole darn thing, starting with rockers like 'Cinnamon Girl,' the title track 'Down By The River' and 'Cowgirl In The Sand.' This record is a perfect 10, in my opinion.

This pair of records foreshadowed the great things that lay in store for the former Buffalo Springfield member, bringing him to the cusp of success that he had been striving to achieve.

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The eighth record from Scott McCaughey's group The Minus 5 starts off on a relatively low-key note with 'Dark Hand Of Contagion,' an acoustic guitar track highlighted by some haunting steel guitar. Backed by members of The Decemberists on the remainder of the record, many of the other tracks retain a certain understated country-pop elegance (think The Beatles) that is well worth checking out. 

Highlights on Killingsworth include 'The Lurking Barrister,' the light-hearted feel of 'It Won't Do You Any Good 'and 'I Would Rather Sacrifice You' as well as the playful 'Your Favorite Mess.'

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As Levon Helm approaches his 70th birthday, he thankfully shows no sign of slowing down as Electric Dirt is a relatively quick follow-up to 2007's beautiful acoustic record Dirt Farmer.

Upbeat rootsy numbers like Tennesee Jed and When I Go Away blend well with the blues side of his work on You Can't Lose What You Never Had and his cover of Move Along Train. In my opinion, Helm's Bluegrass-country influenced songs like White Dove and Heaven's Pearls is where he really shines with the latter recalling what made Band tracks like The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down so compelling to listen to in the first place.

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In many ways, the latest band from White Stripes / Raconteurs member Jack White is the least commercially accessible of the trio of bands he is a part of. White mans the drumkit with The Dead Weather while Kills vocalist Alison Mosshart assumes the bulk of lead vocal duties on Horehound.

Owing much to heavy blues rock bands like Blue Cheer, The Dead Weather create relentlessly energetic music that is at times intense, albeit in a bleak way. It is definitely an interesting place these songs come from; tracks like Hang You From The Heavens and I Cut Like A Buffalo have an almost hypnotic quality to them while the band brings the energy level up a notch on Treat Me Like Your Mother.

I consider The Dead Weather to be Jack White's most adventurous endeavour yet; Horehound is still growing on me but has the potential to be a force to be reckoned with.

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Def Leppard's 1992 record came an eternal five years after their Hysteria record brought them to new heights of popularity. But by 1992, the popularity of the Leppard's brand of pop-metal was greatly diminished, another genre victimized by the surge of grunge music.

In addition to offering hits Let's Get Rocked, Make Love Like A Man and the ballad Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad on the original record, this deluxe reissue offers a second CD of 12 tracks. Of these bonus tracks, the live version of Photograph simply smokes. The group's pairing with The Hothouse Flowers on the Stones You Can't Always Get What You Want is surprisingly good as is the cover of Queen's Now I'm Here.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the deluxe reissues of Def Leppard's Pyromania and Hysteria records but have to recommend Adrenalize be for hardcore fans of the band only.

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Toronto band Billy Talent has struck gold with their first two records and if early sales of this newest record are any indication, their third record is on the same track of success within Canada at the very least. Mega-producer Brendan O'Brien is manning the control board for this newest album and the benefits of the band working with him are immediately heard. 

One of the first things I noted is that O'Brien seems to have brought out the best in Ben Kowalewicz's vocals; the high-pitched vocals that dominated their previous efforts and hits are instead melodic and focused. As a whole, BT is tight as ever as they pound through heavy-hitting songs like Tears Into Wine, Devil On My Shoulder, Diamond On A Landmine and first single Rusted From The Rain.

If this isn't the record that finally introduces Billy Talent to big-time success in the US, I will truly be surprised.

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In stores now to coincide with their reunion shows in the UK is this double-disc retrospective on the popular Brit-pop band Blur. Sure, Oasis might have sold more records but Blur certainly held their own in the hit and shit slinging department in relation to their much publicized "feud" with their Brit-Pop counterparts. Blur's popularity really picked up steam on this side of the ocean with 1994's Parklife record and would endure for the next number of years, producing hits such as Tender, Parklife, Girls and Boys, Song 2, The Universal and Beetlebum. 

Midlife features plenty of early Blur material in addition to their better known tracks, making this compilation a great way to reintroduce yourself to the group.

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Originally released in 1983, Pyromania was Def Leppard's third record and would go on to sell more than 10 million copies. They were the poster-boys of pop-metal in the early days of MTV, bolstered by their boyish good looks and hits like Rock Of Ages, Foolin' and Photograph. This deluxe edition has the original record, remastered for optimal sound quality as well as a bonus disc of a live show recorded in Los Angeles in 1983.

After taking a delicious detour back towards their rootsy beginnings on 2007's Sky Blue Sky, Wilco settle into a groove which combines the various musical styles of their previous records while still moving the band forward with gusto.

Opening track Wilco (The Song) is a masterful way to start the record; this loosely woven rock song leads into the more obscure-sounding Deeper Down. Canuck songstress Feist lends her sweet vocals to the easy-going You and I before moving onto You Never Know, a track that at times combines the influences of George Harrison's My Sweet Lord and Tom Petty's Jammin' Me with Wilco's own twist. Tracks like the intimate Country Disappeared and Solitaire as well as Sonny Feeling and the slow burning album closer Everlasting Everything show why Wilco have carte blanche when it comes to making records these days.

It's going to be tough for any other band to beat this for the title of album of the year.

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Former Beatle George Harrison might not have had the solo career commercial highs of Lennon or McCartney but he still produced many terrific, memorable songs captured on this new retrospective.

From his earliest solo hits such as My Sweet Lord, All Things Must Pass and All Those Years Ago through his 1989 hits Got My Mind Set On You and When We Was Fab, Let It Roll focuses on the genius of Harrison's work without placing a tremendous amount of focus on his Beatles work as one prior Harrison compilation had done. That being said, Harrison's Beatles staples While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes The Sun and Something are here but in live form from 1971's Concert For Bangladesh.

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Even though The Who's 1967 album The Who Sell Out was reissued as recently as 1995, the initial re-release was nowhere as comprehensive as this latest edition. With an amazing 53 tracks spread over two discs, there is much to take in and enjoy.

Original album tracks Armenia City In The Sky, I Can See For Miles and I Can't Reach You are among my favorite tracks from The Who, period.

The bonus material featured includes the complete original mono mix of the album, some additional "commercials" as well as songs a-plenty. There is a killer studio version of Summertime Blues, a great alternate mix of Mary-Anne With The Shaky Hand and loads more that you really have to hear for yourself.

Having to sift through 53 tracks might be too overwhelming for some but for collectors like me, it is heaven.

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Since regrouping Son Volt in 2005, Jay Farrar has been on a hot streak of making excellent records. 15 years after their original formation, their music still lies deeply rooted in the alternative country-roots realm but with the exception of The Jayhawks, few artists or bands do it any better than this. 

American Central Dust starts with the low key Dynamite and Down To The Wire before moving into more traditional country-sounding territory on Roll On. Other album highlights include the simplistic Exiles and the lonesome Cocaine and Ashes.

As a whole, the record is one of the band's most intimate and compelling to date. Rarely can desolation sound this appealing to the common man.

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Watch out folks - Something Delicious are out to screw with you. I mean this in the most endearing of ways though. The Moncton band's debut record seamlessly shifts from aggressive metal inspired vocals to funk to loungy-pop music, sometimes all in one song making for a varied and exciting listen. Even with such a diverse musical palette driving the band forward, the band is tight as all hell. 

Taking cues from bizarro rock inspired / experimental bands like Mr Bungle, the rule with Something Delicious is that they don't follow rules. Check out tracks like Publicity Stunt, Faker and Gamblor for one of the most musically original releases to emerge from the Moncton music scene in recent years.

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From Calgary, Alberta come the plaintively named The Dudes. Sure, the name is simple and so is the music they are making for that matter, but that doesn't make them any less kick-ass. The Dudes end up owing much to classic-rock bands with a hint of soul (yes, soul music) peeking through the vocals of Danny Vacon. They stake their territory, offering plenty of fuzzed-out guitars and a tight rhythm section on tracks like Mr. Someone Else, Pretty Lies and Ever Been To Taiwan. 

Chances are these songs are much more powerful when seeing the band in concert but until then, listening to them on CD will do just fine. This sure ain't rocket science but no one ever said that rock n roll had to be so.

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It's been a long road to get to this point but Moncton musician Mel Keith has finally released the follow-up to her last record, 2004's Imitating Hercules. On this fantastic new record, Keith's songs walk a line somewhere between Sheryl Crow-inspired pop on Is Anyone Here and Don't Walk Away to more deliberate, poignant moments like You're Not Here and You Shine.

With only seven songs (plus a fun remix of Don't Walk Away) and running only 30 minutes in length, Keith has assembled a strong disc of material. These songs help make the five year span between efforts to be more than worth the wait while also showing why she is one of the Maritimes' most essential talents.

Listening to Ryan Bingham's sophomore record, you'd swear he has lived a full life of heartache and pain in the relatively short 28 years he has inhabited this earth. Comparisons to The Black Crowes are warranted (especially considering ex-Crowe Marc Ford is in the producer's chair) but so would comparisons to someone like Steve Earle or Bob Dylan; Bingham is a hell of a story-teller and tends to stick to the Americana end of the spectrum.

Highlights include the rootsy Dylan's Hard Rain and Tell My Mother I Miss Her So while the group flexes its rockin' guitar abilities quite capably on the anthemic Bluebird and Roadhouse Blues.

Seeing how roots-pop-rockers The Wallflowers debut record barely registered a blip anywhere, it is not terribly surprising that their first career retrospective picks up with their sophomore record Bringing Down The Horse. Unfortunately, the band never quite recaptured the success they found with that sophomore record on their subsequent albums; it is not for a lack of quality material though: 

Naturally, Bringing Down The Horse has the greatest representation on this compilation, with five tracks including hits 6th Avenue Heartache, One Headlight and The Difference. Their 2000 record [Breach] is probably my favourite record of theirs and is represented by four tracks including highlights Sleepwalker and the melancholic Hand Me Down. 2002's Red Letter Days offers great tracks like the lushly subdued Closer To You and How Good It Can Get. Previously unreleased track Eat You Sleeping fits well along these other tracks; it doesn't break new ground as much as staying true to the band's history.

This is a decent way to sum up The Wallflowers career to date. I can only hope that this isn't going to be the last chapter in their career.

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Iron Maiden remains one of the world's biggest heavy metal bands for a reason. Over the past 30 years, they have consistently packed in crowds at their shows. Flight 666 is a 16 track audio companion piece which accompanies a video documentary of the same name. Recorded in 16 different cities around the world, fans have no trouble drowning out lead singer Bruce Dickinson on numerous occasions. The crowd comes through loud and clear on Can I Play With Madness, Aces High and Run To The Hills, all the while Iron Maiden plays the perfect soundtrack to accompany the fervent sing-along.

Rhett Miller is quietly building a powerful arsenal of solo work outside of the already excellent material he crafts with his band Old 97's. Although his newest record was made with the shadows of having lost his hero and grandmother lurking in the background, the twelve tracks here retain a certain amount of low-key optimism despite these circumstances: Opening tracks Nobody Says I Love You Anymore and Like Love start things off on the right foot with Miller exhibiting his usual clever blend of pop and roots music. The record is decidedly low key on a few occasions, most notably on Sometimes, Another Girlfriend and Bonfire, but given the circumstances around the record, these songs or the feelings behind them don't necessarily come as a surprise. 

This is a truly outstanding record; I highly recommend Rhett Miller as essential listening this summer.

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It's taken a long five years for Green Day to follow up their wildly successful American Idiot CD, which gave their career a renewed lease on life. All of these new tracks are undeniably Green Day. Many of them hold a similar spirit to those found on American Idiot and though there is nothing technically wrong with any of these songs, the record struck me as being a tad over ambitious and over thought at times.

Though the record ain't a full-fledged home run, 21st Century Breakdown definitely has its good moments to take note of. You just need to listen for those moments amongst some filler.

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The Beach Boys catalogue has been plundered countless times for compilations like Summer Love Songs. The compilation features six new stereo mixes of older songs and even though the collection falls back on standards like the fabulous Wouldn't It Be Nice, Surfer Girl, Help Me Rhonda and God Only Knows, there are a few additional tracks that help add weight to the collection as a whole: 

Our Sweet Love is a welcome addition; I always felt as though the track was one of the strongest on 1970's Sunflower. There is a Dennis Wilson track (the lushly orchestrated Fallin' In Love) which was previously unreleased while 1965's Good To My Baby highlights the awe-inspiring harmonies that the group was capable of.

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One part Hanson, one part Cheap Trick, one part Smashing Pumpkins and one part Fountains of Wayne. Put 'em all together and you get Tinted Windows, a band that mines familiar pop and power-pop territory with expected sugary results.

Elvis Costello's previous record Momofuku as well as this newest effort were written, recorded and released in a rather quick fashion. Costello opts to wear his folk-roots-country hat this time around; the results aren't always up to snuff though.

Costello's last few records have been excellent through and through so I have no problem affording him some slack on this newest one. The not-so-great songs aren't all together awful  they just don't quite measure up to what fans might expect.

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Hailing from Minneapolis are the wonderful musical chameleons known as The Honeydogs. The band has a tendency to vary musical styles often within the same record, but the six-song Sunshine Committee EP is somewhat of an exception to this rule. 

Starting with the decidedly Exile-era Rolling Stones title track, the track is great as they haven't already over-done the straight-forward rock and roll bit. The same could be said for Balaclava and the funky Stash while the addition of organ and horns to Levers, Pulleys & Pumps end up being a great way to wrap the EP up.

My only complaint about Sunshine Committee is that it could be four or five songs longer. Another solid effort from this highly underrated band.

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Steve Earle has always held the late Townes Van Zandt in the highest of regards so it seems only fitting that the roots-rocker would dedicate himself to making a record of 15 Van Zandt's songs to commemorate the memory of his mentor. Earle fans will find him mining familiar territory on Townes, each of the songs rest comfortably in the country-roots-bluegrass vein although he does take minor detours through some of these tracks.

Lungs is an example of the detours not working so well; the original song itself is fantastic (as is Lyle Lovett's version) however the record scratching and giving Earle's vocals the "transistor radio" treatment here doesn't do the song any benefit. Indeed, the bulk of these songs work best when Earle stands back and just plays. To Live Is To Fly and Poncho and Lefty are standout simplistic acoustic tracks while the bluegrass treatment given to White Freight Liner Blues is divine. Townes is a strong record for Earle. Even though the songs don't belong to him, they help pay homage to one of the 20th century's best songwriters. And that's good enough for me.

 

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Ronnie James Dio teams up with his former Black Sabbath band mates Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler for their first record together since 1992's Dehumanizer. While they are avoiding the Black Sabbath name for legal reasons, the band name choice is a wise warning to fans: rather than be saddled with the expectations that come along with the Sabbath name, the group can stake out new if not unfamiliar territory under the Heaven & Hell moniker. Instead of necessarily trying to go toe-to-toe to compete with today's modern metal bands, H&H achieve a level of heaviness without having to rely on speed, outlandish vocals or extreme lyrical content. Because of this, songs like Eating The Cannibals, Double The Pain, Neverwhere and Atom and Evil end up coming across as far heavier than what most other bands are able to accomplish by resorting to more extreme measures.

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On his previous records, folk-rocker Ben Harper has always provided equal parts of rock n roll balanced with more introspective moments. For his latest record, he has teamed up with a new backing band and on their joint "debut", they run through 11 tracks steeped in ballsy bluesy rock n roll with their guitars exploring volume levels of 10 and up. Shimmer and Shine, the record's first single and video illustrates this quite capably, as do other tracks like Why Must You Always Dress In Black and Keep It Together (So I Can Fall Apart). Wisely, even Harper realizes that the balance between the loud and the not so loud he has found on previous records plays a crucial role in defining who he is and with that, songs like The Word Suicide and Faithfully Remain are important catalysts in helping Harper achieve that balance on White Lies For Dark Times. 

This is a fantastic record that should show appeal to established Harper fans while it might also bring some new recruits on board.

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After being bowled over by Things Fall Apart, I'm left to wonder what the hell was my problem with their debut? It's all in the past, Novaks. Please accept my sincere apologies.

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43 year-old Raul Malo is one of the best vocalists in any genre. His vocals are soulful, romantic and are deeply rooted in the crooner world of vocalists such as Roy Orbison. Perhaps best known as the vocalist from pop-country group The Mavericks, Lucky One is Malo's latest solo effort and to an extent is his first solo record to return him to the country-inspired roots which The Mavericks struck gold with. Hello Again, Something Tells Me and Lonely Heart sound as though they could comfortably fit in among The Mavericks catalogue, especially the latter song that bears a playful resemblance to The Mavericks mega-hit All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down.

Malo has embraced different genres on his solo work to date and on Lucky One, he sounds completely natural and at home on every one of these 12 tracks.

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On this newest record, renowned R&B pianist Allain Toussiant shifts into jazz mode, covering off songs from greats such as Duke Ellington (Daydream and Solitude), Theolonius Monk (Bright Mississippi) and Django Reinhardt (Blue Drag). This 12 track record is virtually instrumental, save for the bluesy Long Long Journey where Toussaint takes lead vocals. As far as jazz records go, it doesn't get a whole lot better than this. Toussaint compiles a nice mix of the upbeat and the more relaxed standards that might betray what you'd expect to hear on a jazz record made by a 71-year-old musician.

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Although 1989's Paul's Boutique is revered and holds an elite status among fans of the Beastie Boys, it was Check Your Head from 1992 that would thrust the band back into the mainstream in a positive way. What I love about this record is that the band no longer seemed content to rely solely upon sampled beats and songs; there is still a generous amount of these tracks though and great ones at that: Pass The Mic, Jimmy James and So What'cha Want all helped the Beasties establish a new bar for themselves while also proving successful on the charts. Helping set this record apart from previous efforts was also the fact that the band undertook playing their instruments on many of these songs, ranging from the fuzzed-out rock of Gratitude to the hardcore inspiration behind Time For Livin'.

The remastered edition of this record contains a second disc of 16 songs, with a mish-mash of throwaway tracks and keepers. In the good column we have a couple of remix variations on Pass The Mic, The Skills To Pay The Bills as well as the comical Boomin' Granny. The throwaway tracks are just those: filler and nothing that I would consider to be essential listening.

In my opinion, Check Your Head should be required listening to all rap and hip-hop fans. It remains a solid record from start to finish, even almost 20 years later.

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The long-awaited debut record from Moncton band The Motorleague has finally reached consumers greedy hands. Black Noise is packed to the rim with 10 energetic rawk n roll tracks with the pace barely dropping below relentless and verging on punishing. And as fast and powerful as their songs are, they retain melodic qualities throughout that will have you singing along in earnest. Just try NOT to sing along to likeable first single Hymn For The Newly Departed, Fossils and The Ones You Left Behind.

Please consult your doctor prior to consuming The Motorleague's fantastic new record, especially if you are taking any heart medication. Otherwise, let 'er rip.

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With a compelling mix of heavy metal, thrash metal and some progressive tendencies throughout, Atlanta's Mastodon delivers seven impeccably tight tracks on their latest record.

The ease with which they change tempos through songs like Oblivion and Quintessence speaks volumes about the expert musicianship contained within the band.

Equally impressive is the straight ahead metal of Divinations and the title track.

The future of heavy metal is right here, folks.

Don't pass up the opportunity to hear what will undoubtedly be one of the year's finest heavy metal moments.

1997's OK Computer would see Radiohead break from their Brit-Pop beginnings and give them even greater exposure on the world stage.

The record was Radiohead's most diverse and experimental to date, with the band crafting complex songs on Paranoid Andr oid while creating haunting melodies on Climbing Up The Walls and Lucky. Let Down and Karma Police were two of the only songs on the record featuring hints of their musical past while Electioneering showed a rarely seen heavier side of the group.

OK Computer still stands as one of their best records to date and has been made better by the inclusion of 15 bonus songs or B-Sides taken from the various CD singles released from the record.

There are two different remixes of Climbing Up The Walls included (the one by Fila Brazillia has a minimalist reggae slant to it, but it works) as well as three live tracks taken from a BBC Radio session in May 1997, almost two months prior to the release of OK Computer.

Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2) starts as a simple guitar ballad before breaking into a more bombastic second part; Palo Alto is pushed by highly charged guitars while incorporating aspects of electronica throughout.

The DVD included in this set is perhaps the most scarcely populated of the three Radiohead reissues, containing the three videos from the record (Paranoid Android, Karma Police and the nerve-wracking No Surprises) as well as three tracks recorded on the Later With Jools Holland show at the end of May 1997.

OK Computer remains one of my favourite records of all time to this day. If you haven't already sampled this outstanding record for yourself, this collector's edition is sure to satisfy your curiosity and prove to be a more than worthy investment to already existing fans of the band.

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Ahhh, the dreaded sophomore record. Bands either fail to deliver anything substantial under the pressure or rise to the occasion triumphantly.

The 21 tracks appearing on the second disc of this set come from a variety of sources: The disc starts with the My Iron Lung EP (which was released in Canada prior to The Bends) before heading into a beautiful spread of lives tracks and B-sides including the fantastic trip-hop inspired Talk Show Host as well as acoustic versions of Fake Plastic Trees and Street Spirit.

The DVD included in this collector's edition features the five videos released to promote the record (including a US an a UK version of High and Dry). There are eight tracks taken from a May 1994 performance at the Astoria in London as well as a collection of various entertainment show appearances such as Top Of The Pops and Later, with Jools Holland.

With The Bends, Radiohead were starting to realize that music had no boundaries which they couldn't touch; a musical revelation that would be expanded even further upon with 1997's OK Computer record which will be featured next week.

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With a staggering 49 songs spread over two discs, all phases of Brit pop-rocker and new waver Nick Lowe's career are covered off extremely well here.

From his rock 'n roll beginnings in Brinsley Schwarz with (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding and So It Goes, the compilation momentarily kicks into high gear with the high-energy punk of Heart Of The City.

What is arguably his biggest hit, 1980's Cruel To Be Kind is featured here along side I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock and Roll) and more recent low-key songs such as Homewrecker, The Beast In Me and Lonesome Reverie.

Lowe's time with Dave Edmunds in the band Rockpile is represented by two tracks, When I Write The Book and the decidedly rockabilly Play That Fast Thing (One More Time) while the one-off project of Little Village (Lowe's collaboration with John Hiatt and Ry Cooder) is represented by the song Fool Who Knows.

While some best of collections skip certain eras of an artist's career, this is THE definitive collection from one of England's best exports of the past century. Check it out.

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