VARIOUS ARTISTS – You Can Walk Across It On The Grass: The Boutique Sounds Of Swinging London

The subsidiary labels within the Cherry Red family aren’t shy of mining the mod, soul and freakbeat archives in the name of a great compilation. The now defunct RPM issued a string of box sets, beginning with 2011’s ‘Looking Back’ and culminating with 2016’s ‘Looking Stateside’ which became a pleasingly comprehensive journey through an alternative 60s, and Strawberry Records’ similarly structured ‘Halcyon Days’ and its timely delivered follow up ‘I Love To See You Strut’ – issued in 2020 and 2022, respectively – proved equally essential.

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THE INCITERS – Boot N Soul / Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)

Over the years, The Inciters have worked hard at injecting a real energy into a soul based sound. The ten piece band’s blend of Northern Soul coolness and mod friendly punch has thrilled audiences since the 90s, and one listen to this double pronged digital release makes it very clear why.

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VARIOUS ARTISTS – Halcyon Days: 60s Mod, R&B, Brit Soul & Freakbeat Nuggets

The inaugural release from Strawberry Records, ‘Halcyon Days’ aims high in terms of 60s entertainment. Bringing together a great selection of mod, soul and freakbeat sides, it presents famous names alongside forgotten heroes; places cult floor fillers, deep cuts and a few genuine rarities among fantastic (and sometimes very interesting) covers of well known tunes. Across nearly 90 tracks, it sets itself up as a varied and comprehensive listen. It’s very much the kind of set tailor made for those who’ve worn out the more bog-standard mod comps and are looking for a world beyond The Action, The Creation and those much-loved Spencer Davis Group hits.

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THE JAM – Fire And Skill (Live 1977-1982)

the-jam-fire-and-skillAlthough only a recording unit for just under six years, The Jam left behind a musical legacy that influenced the generations to come; from the whole of the Britpop movement, through to The Libertines, Kaiser Chiefs and so many others, The Jam had, in turn, become as influential as the bands which had influenced them.   The songs penned by the young Paul Weller – whether capturing heartfelt political statements, the anger of youth or an occasional melancholy ballad – set him on the road to being one of Britain’s finest songwriters, a man whose lyrics have really stood the test of time.

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THE COMPUTERS – Love Triangles, Hate Squares

LoveTrianglesHateSquares-424x424The first two releases from The Computers showed a band firmly rooted in garage-based rock rock.  In the three years between their debut EP (2008’s ‘You Can’t Hide From…’) and their first full length release (2011’s ‘This Is The Computers’), although still raucous, the band had tempered the rawest end of their sound with a hefty dose of punk ‘n’ roll.  That shift was hugely influenced by the album’s producer, Rocket From The Crypt’s John Reis, bringing a new dimension to the band’s sound.

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