Music Reissues Weekly: The Hit Parade - Pick Of The Pops Vol.1

THE HIT PARADE - PICK OF THE POPS VOL 1 Why the enduring indie combo may be Britain’s most wilful band

Fourteen reasons why the enduring indie combo may be Britain’s most wilful band

On the cover of The Hit Parade’s Pick Of The Pops Vol.1 it says “London’s No.1 Pop Group.” Underneath, a strapline states “File under: C86 twee Sarah Sixties pop.” Obviously, irony is at play with some of this – from the band name to the album title and the top pop group boast. The suggested categorisation might be nearer the mark.

Music Reissues Weekly: The Beatles - Get Back

THE BEATLES - GET BACK Peter Jackson’s triumphant re-evaluation of the ‘Let It Be’ film's source

Peter Jackson’s re-evaluation of the ‘Let It Be’ film’s source material is a triumph

“At all times, the film-makers have attempted to present an accurate portrait of the events depicted and the people involved.” The on-screen statement beginning each of Get Back's three parts acknowledges that definitions of accuracy can depend on points of view.

Music Reissues Weekly: Judex - Cult of Judex

JUDEX - CULT OF JUDEX Overview of Philadelphia garage punks reveals unexpected Bowie tie-in

Overview of Philadelphia garage punks reveals unexpected David Bowie tie-in

A compilation album titled Pennsylvania Unknowns was issued in 1982. Its 17 tracks chronicled the US state’s Sixties garage rock and psychedelic scenes. Amongst the bands included were Pat Farrell & The Believers, The Flowerz, The Loose Enz and The Shandells. About the best known were Allentown’s The Kings Ransom, whose moody 1968 single “Shadows of Dawn” was a collector’s staple.

Music Reissues Weekly: Ferkat Al Ard - Oghneya

FERKHAT AL ARD - OGHNEYA Superb Lebanese album belatedly gets the recognition it deserves

Superb Lebanese album belatedly gets the recognition it deserves

Oghneya opens with the extraordinary “Matar Al Sabah.” Jazzy, with an overt Brazilian feel it gently swings and swoons. Wordless backing vocals and pulsing but gentle strings add atmosphere. Milton Nascimento comes to mind but the intimate lead voice also feels French, a little bit Julien Clerc. It’s instantly impactful.

Music Reissues Weekly: Whatever You Want - Bob Crewe's 60s Soul Sounds

WHATEVER YOU WANT - BOB CREWE'S 60S SOUL SOUNDS Proof there was more to the one-man music business than The Four Seasons

Proof there was more to the one-man music business than The Four Seasons

In 1965, Bob Crewe was living alongside Central Park in New York’s Dakota building. At various times, the block’s other residents included Lauren Bacall, Judy Garland, John Lennon and Yoko Ono. For work, Crewe’s 6th-floor offices on West 60th Street were in a complex overlooking Columbia Circle and South Central Park. Atlantic Records was also based there, as was Roulette Records. He was flying high.

Music Reissues Weekly: Ban the Bomb - Music of the Aldermaston Anti-Nuclear Marches

BAN THE BOMB - MUSIC OF THE ALDERMASTON ANTI-NUCLEAR MARCHES The folk and trad-jazz soundtrack to the UK’s anti-nuclear movement

The folk and trad-jazz soundtrack to the early days of the UK’s anti-nuclear movement

“The case is quite simple. We think that the policy which is being pursued by the western powers is one which is almost bound to end in the extermination of the human race. Some of us think that might be rather a pity.”

Music Reissues Weekly: Barney Wilen - Zodiac

BARNEY WILEN - ZODIAC French jazz curio with an impeccable cultural context resurfaces

French jazz curio with an impeccable cultural context resurfaces

In 1966, the combo fronted by French sax player Barney Wilen issued an album of musical interpretations of each sign of the zodiac. In the US in 1969, Mort Garson released 12 albums, each dedicated to a single sign. Two years earlier Garson was behind the one-sign-per-track Cosmic Sounds album, credited to The Zodiac.

Music Reissues Weekly: In A Rocking Mood - Beverley’s Rock Steady 1966-1968

IN A ROCKING MOOD - BEVERLEY'S ROCK STEADY 1966-1968 Leslie Kong’s legendary Jamaican label moves with the times

Leslie Kong’s legendary Jamaican label moves with the times

Beverley’s was an ice-cream shop and restaurant on Orange Street in Kingston, Jamaica. Records were on sale too. In 1961, an aspiring singer-songwriter named James Chambers turned up there with a song he’d written called “Dearest Beverley.” If it was recorded, it’d give its creator a leg-up on the music scene and also might be good promotion for the business.

Music Reissues Weekly: John Barry - The More Things Change

JOHN BARRY - THE MORE THINGS CHANGE Deep-digging collection reframes perceptions of feted composer’s soundtrack work

Deep-digging collection reframes perceptions of feted composer’s soundtrack work

By 1970, John Barry had composed music for Born Free, The Lion in Winter, Midnight Cowboy, You Only Live Twice and about 38 other films. His work with cinema began in 1960 and averaged around five films a year. In 1965, eight films were released with his music. He was busy.