The flood of Frank Zappa archival releases may soon edge out the number of such releases from Neil Young and the Grateful Dead. Like those from Young and the Dead, these archival releases are warmly received by fans and consistently top-notch in quality and/or historical significance. Two recent releases from the Zappa estate reflect two very distinct and different eras in his career.

The first is very much about the fledgling birth of the Mothers of Invention. These are recordings from 1966 that were part of a multi-media “happening,” recorded and filmed as a documentary, Sex In Today’s World, filmed at TTG Studios in Los Angeles, that reflected the woolly fringes of the southern California musical counterculture explosion that was also happening in San Francisco, New York, and London. While there are tinges of the trippy jams of San Francisco bands and some of the darker hedonism of London, especially New York, Zappa’s more professional yet more humorous approach sets this scene apart from the others.

This freak out, which was the title of the debut album from the Mothers of Invention, released in 1966, seems somewhat unhinged looking at it through the artifice of the calculated corporate state of pop music today, although for the most part it just sounds like a garage band captured at some drunken frat party, with careening freak-beat rock, leavened with brief moments of woozy doo-wop and hints at the Mothers’ songs to come.

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I could have listened to Roots, Rock, Reggae: Live at the Hammersmith Odeon the moment it hit streaming services. Instead, I waited. For me, there is simply no better way to listen to Bob Marley & The Wailers than on vinyl. The warmth of the bass, the space between the instruments, the physical act of lowering the needle, and those few seconds of anticipation before the music begins all somehow feel right with Marley. So when this long-buried piece of Wailers history was finally released, I wanted my first complete listen to come from the records themselves.

And this is not just another archival Marley release. Recorded during the band’s four-night residency at London’s Hammersmith Odeon from June 15–18, 1976, Roots, Rock, Reggae catches Marley at one of the most important transition points of his career. The shows opened the second leg of the Rastaman Vibration tour and represented an enormous step up for the band. Hammersmith held roughly five times the audience of a typical Wailers venue at the time, yet all four nights sold out.

The timing was perfect. Eric Clapton’s “I Shot the Sheriff” had introduced Marley’s songwriting to a massive American audience, while the 1975 live version of “No Woman, No Cry” had become Marley’s breakthrough UK hit. Marley was no longer simply reggae’s most important international ambassador. He was rapidly becoming a global star. Rather than documenting a single night, the 18-track album pulls together standout performances from across the Hammersmith run, creating an 87-minute portrait of the Wailers at their best.

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Remembering Otis Redding, born on this day in 1941. —Ed.

As one of the undisputed titans in the annals of Soul Music, Otis Redding seemingly needs no introduction. Any serious discussion of the genre he so thrillingly mastered will reflect upon the rewards to be found in his work, and that it’s never fallen out of favor is a tribute to his talents. But in truth, scads of younger listeners do require some enlightenment about the man’s massive achievements. Lonely & Blue: The Deepest Soul of Otis Redding will serve as an exemplary primer for the uninitiated, and the thoughtful focus on the artist’s aching love balladry might lead many longtime fans to hear Mr. Pitiful with fresh ears.

With Sam and James and Wilson and Al and Marvin all making such singular contributions to the style, there will never be an undisputed King of Soul. But upon reflection, Otis Redding can perhaps be accurately described as the form’s Total Package, for the fabric of his music contains so many substantial fibers; a Southern “country” grit combining with the newfound sophistication of R&B, the powerhouse qualities of a consummate front-man coexisting with a distinctive desire to interact with his backing band, and the ability to knock ‘em stone cold dead on stage thriving alongside an uncommon level of success in the studio setting.

Furthermore, Redding’s considerable talents as a songwriter coincided with his equally impressive skills at interpreting others’ material, a substantial crossover into the pop market sacrificed none of his creative verve, and Stax’s significant spirit of racial harmony served as a beautiful example of brotherhood in an era that very much needed it. So Otis clearly lacked nothing in his ascension to the very top ranks of Soul expression.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Telex and Mute have announced details of a 13-track album, MAXI, collating extended versions of beloved classic tracks from the Belgian trio. The album, out on vinyl and CD on 4 December 2026, launches with a maxi mix of one of their best-known tracks, “Moscow Diskow,” a rollocking, swerving, steaming dancefloor classic, which laid down the railroad for as yet unimagined electronic musics such as House and Techno.

The Belgian synthpop trio—Marc Moulin (1942- 2008), Dan Lacksman and Michel Moers—launched in Brussels in 1978, as one of only a handful of synthpop pioneers at the time, bringing electronic pop to the mainstream. For the new album, the surviving members have revisited the original tapes to create new Maxi Versions. Featuring new mastering with updated mixes, the album stays true to what we know and love about Telex and this new Maxi mix of “Moscow Diskow” shines new light on a track that was already years ahead of its time.

MAXI features extended mixes of tracks such as “Euro-vision,” which was famously entered into the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980, representing Belgium. Moers says he regarded their entry as “very Situationist International, the worm in the apple.” and they resolved either to come first or last. They quite didn’t achieve either goal, but became part of the Eurovision saga.

Also featured is their cover of Bill Haley’s “Rock Around The Clock,” in which all of the rock is removed leaving nothing but the clock; a ticking, vocoderised, supremely deadpan robot parody of the original, earnt them an invitation to perform on Top of the Pops in 1979.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Rock legends The Darkness proudly announce their first personally curated best of album Crock of Hits for release on November 27th via Warner Music.

Announcing the record Justin Hawkins says, “Listen upon our works ye mighty and rejoice! Crock of Hits will startle you. Hold you as you tremble. And gently force you to succumb to its aural splendour. A “best of” curated by us, so you can be certain it’s the bestest of the bestiest. Suck it up, people…”

In celebration, the band have announced a very special intimate album launch show to take place at London’s Moth Club on September 17th. Pre-sale starts at 10am on Tuesday 8th September here, general on sale commences at 10am Thursday 10th September here.

Regarding Moth Club, Justin says, “The first rule of Moth Club is, don’t fly into the lightbulb. Just kidding—nocturnal Lepidoptera rejoice! We’re coming to play at the Moth Club. That thing about burning yourself to a crisp is more of a guideline than a rule, so come celebrate The Darkness on this special night…”

Compiled by the British national treasures themselves, Crock of Hits forms a magnificent sonic highlight reel of their chart-topping, award-winning, multi-platinum selling catalogue, which has spawned some of the most iconic rock songs in history.

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Remembering Kelly Groucutt, born on this date in 1945. —Ed.

How great is ELO? Randy Newman wrote a song (“The Story of a Rock and Roll Band”) making fun of ‘em! Talk about your honors. That’s better than a Grammy! Six Grammys! A dozen Grammys even!

And how dumb was poor Roy Wood, who split Electric Light Orchestra before they sold like a gazillion records to form Wizzard, who sold like six! No wonder hairy Roy looks like a crazy recluse who’s spent the past 40 years in the wilderness, subsisting on a diet of spotted squirrel and sterno–he has!

The words “symphonic rock” frighten the bejesus outta me. But (at least on the best of their songs) ELO pulled it off, partly on the strength of their top-secret recipe (write Beatlesque melodies, then add strings) but also because–and this is critical–unlike the pompous schmucks in Emerson, Lake & Palmer, ELO approached their classical-rock fusion in a spirit of fun.

I don’t much care for many of their songs for the simple reason that I have a low tolerance for cellos and the like, but there’s something self-consciously preposterous in their shtick that makes me love them anyway. Call it ironic distance if you like, but the distance counts for a whole lot in my book.

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Arty, glammy, mathy, poppy, theatrical: Washington DC’s Shudder to Think emerged in the late 1980s as one of the most interesting bands to get slapped with the tag of post-hardcore. Persevering through productive lineup changes before transitioning to soundtrack work, they did what bands so often do; they broke up, only to reunite for shows, and now they’re fully back on the recording front, with a new digital EP “Who Sent You?” available on September 11 that follows a vinyl single from late last year. The wax and the digital, both released by Dischord Records, get a proper consideration below.

Shudder to Think made a big splash back in 1989 with their inclusion on the Dischord Records’ benefit compilation State of the Union, a grand tour of DC post-hardcore of the era with proceeds going to the A.C.L.U. and The Community for Creative Non-Violence (note that State of the Union is still available as a digital release).

“Let It Ring” was Shudder to Think’s contribution to State of the Union, closing the record in emphatic fashion, their explosiveness both soaring and stampeding as it stood apart from anything else on the album. “Let It Ring” also closes side two of Curses, Spells, Voodoo, Mooses, the band’s 1988 debut LP for Sammich Records, in a solid but lesser version than the compilation cut. Anyone interested in the band will want to hear both.

With 1990’s Ten Spot, Shudder to Think joined Dischord Records proper as they helped to stylistically broaden the label’s strongest decade. The lineup from the start was Craig Wedren on vocals, Chris Matthews on guitar, Stuart Hill on bass, and Mike Russell on drums, and so it remained through 1991’s Funeral at the Movies (find an original copy which includes a sweet version of “Crosstown Traffic”) and the following year’s Get Your Goat.

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We’ve closed TVD’s HQ for the Labor Day holiday. While we’re away, why not fire up our Record Store Locator app and visit one of your local indie record stores?

Perhaps there’s an interview, review, or feature you might have missed? Catch up, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow, 9/8.

VIA PRESS RELEASE | On 6 November 2026 George Michael Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment will release The Faith Tour, the hotly anticipated 18-track live album of previously unreleased recordings featuring hits from George Michael’s groundbreaking, multi-million selling WHAM! and solo catalogues.

Recorded during the iconic Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy stop on the European leg of the Faith Tour in 1988, the superstar’s first solo concert tour, the album showcases George’s extraordinary vocal talent and skill as a live performer. In what will be a gift to superfans, pop scholars and musicologists alike, The Faith Tour album exists as not just a precious time capsule from a defining era of pop music but also as a celebration of one of the most iconic and frequently referenced concert tours of all time.

The Faith Tour includes live renditions of all the classic hit singles from Faith, including “Faith,” “Father Figure,” “One More Try,” and “Monkey,”, all somehow sounding fresher than ever in this unique cinematic experience, leaving the viewer with no doubt as to how the singer, and particularly Faith, has served as a key influence and reference point to a whole swathe of today’s biggest stars from Taylor Swift to Sam Smith to Harry Styles.

Faith the album was written, arranged, produced, and performed almost entirely by George Michael and marked the emergence of a new type of pop icon, an artist capable of blending soul, R&B, and rock into a sleek, emotionally driven, and singular sound which appealed to fans of all ages in all corners of the globe. Following the album’s release, George became the only British male solo artist ever to achieve four US number-one singles from a single album on the Billboard Hot 100, a record that has yet to be matched.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | The Doors’ Robby Krieger and John Densmore team with the band’s longtime engineer and mixer Bruce Botnick for Unbound And Dangerous, a new double live album that revisits their 1970 Roadhouse Blues tour. Focused on hard-rocking performances, the collection sets a breathless pace, capturing The Doors at their menacing, bluesy best.

The 16-track collection arrives October 23 on CD and as a 2LP set pressed on translucent red vinyl, available HERE, Rhino.com and thedoors.com. A Blu-ray edition features Botnick’s new Dolby Atmos and high-resolution stereo (192/24) mixes. The album will also be available digitally from all DSPs.

Morrison Hotel became the Doors’ fifth consecutive Top 10 album in February 1970, reaching #4 in the U.S. and winning critical praise for its raw mix of blues and rock.

Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, and Robby Krieger hit the road in support, recording several shows along the way during the Roadhouse Blues Tour. Highlights appeared a few months later in July on Absolutely Live, the group’s first-ever live album and another Top 10 hit.

Krieger, Densmore, and Botnick sequenced Unbound And Dangerous from those recordings, which include newly remixed performances from New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Detroit. “Soul Kitchen” is the lone exception, coming from the second show July 21, 1969, at the Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood.

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Celebrating Martin Chambers on his 75th birthday. —Ed.

A couple of days ago, I found myself doing something I haven’t done (no exaggeration) in years: dancing. I dervished about the apartment all by myself, like a lunatic, with the cat looking on from the safety of the bed, wide-eyed with imminent peril. I could tell the poor puss was thinking, “What the devil is he doing?” So I cried, “Listening to The Pretenders, you hairy little fool! And dancing!”

I would not call The Pretenders a great band, per se. A very, very good band, sure. Chrissie Hynde is an excellent songwriter and has one of the most distinctive voices in rock. Unfortunately, like Badfinger, The Pretenders are just as famous for their tragically high mortality rate as they are for their music.

During the 2-year hiatus between 1981’s Pretenders II and 1983’s Learning to Crawl, Hynde saw two bandmates, guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon, die in drug-related deaths. Technically, Farndon was no longer a Pretender—Hynde fired him shortly before he died—but still. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde on the subject of orphans, to lose one band member is bad luck—to lose two, sheer carelessness.

Hynde, an Akron, Ohio native, formed The Pretenders in 1978 in London, England, where she was working as a journo for NME and at SEX, the legendary fashion boutique of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. She received a record contract on the strength of a demo recorded with a three-piece band that included Phil Taylor of Motörhead, then hired a permanent group that included Honeyman-Scott, Farndon, and drummer Martin Chambers.

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