London-based darkwave outfit Lunar & The Deception’s debut album The Somnambulist is for the preternatural lurking within all of us. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/da...

Despite its title, @cherryredrecords.bsky.social's Steppin' Out - The Roots Of Garage Rock 1963-1965 is a primer in US pop’s varied pre-psychedelic musical landscape. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Danish issue of Like A Rolling Stone, 1965. With extraordinary literalist cover design. Bob Dylan is a rolling stone, rolling down an undulating slope. A marvel.

On Gained / Lost, The Wave Pictures face the passage of time – and showcase a guitar solo or two. Out this week on @bellaunion.bsky.social. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/br...

Something amazing - shelved version of Pil’s first album resurfaces: the Public Image (First Issue) US Mix. Like a Metal Box-ised version of the UK’s Public Image (First Issue) (@pilofficial.bsky.social). I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Just in! It is amazing. The best. Weighty too. Doug Hinman & Andrew Sandoval's THE KINKS – ALL DAY AND ALL OF THE NIGHT The Day-By-Day Story Pt 1: 1940-1971. Get it here: beatlandbooks.com

Went to a snowy Aalborg in Denmark for Northern Winter Beat 2026. Duo Ruut, Jim Ghedi, Jenny Hval, Matching Outfits, Hedvig Mollestad Trio, Motorpsycho, Sebastian Wolff, YARD – more. Just brilliant. Wrote about it for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/no...

The new @mojomagazine.bsky.social is out. On the cover, Miles Davis. Inside, me (@kierontyler.bsky.social) on Hater’s Mosquito (@haterrmusic, @fire_records).

CBGB - A New York City Soundtrack 1975-1986 is an exhaustive, stylistically varied, 4-CD box-set memorial to the fabled Bowery venue. Out on @cherryredrecords.bsky.social. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Little Bangers From Richard Hawley's Jukebox Volume Two is a fantastic compilation from @richardhawley.bsky.social. Unreservedly recommended. Out on @acerecords.bsky.social. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/index.php/ne...

The compelling debut album from Manchester's Shaking Hand feels like a keeper & also, this early, feels like one of the albums of the year (on @melodicrecords.bsky.social through @inhousepress.bsky.social). I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/co...

Eddie and the Hot Rods are ‘a load of bozos’ said The Clash's Mick Jones. @cherryredrecords.bsky.social's 2CD Hot Rods set Teenage Depression / Life On The Line traces the thread linking pub rock and punk rock. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Jane Weaver’s The Fallen By Watch Bird is reissued for its 15th anniversary by Fire Records. Cohesive, auteur-driven, still an absolute joy. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

The finest TV ad.

Spellbinding Ethiopian jazz-inflected soul. Previously only on a late-70s cassette, Tilaye Gebre’s Tilaye's Saxophone With The Dahlak Band is reissued by Muzikawi (through @inhousepress.bsky.social). I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

With the careful new album Valentine, Courtney Marie Andrews takes stock of experiencing desolation. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social:  www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/va...

The new @mojomagazine.bsky.social is out. On the cover, Small Faces. Inside, me (@kierontyler.bsky.social) on Lala Lala’s Heaven 2 (on @subpop.bsky.social).

Whichever Way You Are Going, You Are Going Wrong, the 1982 debut album from South London musical free spirits and great British musical institution Woo is reissued by @i-p-r.bsky.social. It’s quite something. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Went to see The Fire Doors - ace tribute to The Doors - at Camden’s Dublin Castle. Played straight, nothing arch, those on stage obviously having a blast. Amazing experience. @fieldmusic.bsky.social. Wrote about it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/fi...

A vital package, the 10-CD set Live & Sessions 1963-1969 tracks The Rolling Stones in real time from the R&B cover band to the white-light innovators of 1965 and 1966. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Buys Of The Year: 17. The final one, though there could be more. 1965 & 1966 pressings: the first two Sonics' LPs - Here Are... and Boom. Fantastic band, fantastic records.

Buys Of The Year: 16. Double-sider of 1966 Texas punk frenzy - Zakary Thaks' Bad Girl / I Need You. First reached the wider world via 1979's Pebbles 2. Bad Girl:  youtube.com/watch?v=nLWf...

Buys Of The Year: 15. Jan 1964. George Bean's Will You Be My Lover Tonight? / It Should Be You. Hugely weak two-sider of ALO-produced non-Stones Jagger / Richards songs. Anyone really think this was a goer? Still, Mr Bean did go on to Privilege. Here: youtube.com/watch?v=i0O4...

Looking back at 2025’s Music Reissues. Yeah Man It's Bloody Heavy!!, Sly and the Family Stone, John McKay, Johnnie Taylor, Chip Shop Pop. @rockingbob.bsky.social, @tinyglobalmusic.bsky.social,   @acerecords.bsky.social. On @theartsdesk.bsky.social today: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/be...

Buys Of The Year: 14. The Flat Earth Society's Waleeco - Boston, 1968. Only available by collecting vouchers from Waleeco chocolate bars, and then buying by mail order. Such a tremendous, accomplished record. No weak moments, no follow up. Total non-sequiteur. Here: youtube.com/watch?v=nSvd...

Buys Of The Year: 13. Roxy Music. Cool 1973 French PS of Pyjamarama w smart photo from the session also used for the inside of the For Your Pleasure... gatefold sleeve.

Buys Of The Year: 12. Yardbirds - the 1966 German version of the Roger The Engineer LP. Originally owned by "Cedrix". Interesting track-by-track commentary. Blue scribble on the back might be an autograph, or might not.

Buys Of The Year: 11. As Greg Shaw said "a remarkably successful attempt to create the drugged experience in music." The March 1968 final single by Borgholm's  Lea Riders Group - Dom kallar oss mods. First heard on Pebbles 3. Here: youtube.com/watch?v=EQM_...

Buys Of The Year: 10. Not old, not a rarity - amazing though. The 2-CD Beatles set Magical Mystery Tour Sessions. The long It's All Too Much is a mind blower. Jissie's Dream (sic) sounds like early Residents. Stuffed with the fantastic. Great sound quality too.

Buys Of The Year: 9. David Bowie, the sax version of John, I'm Only Dancing recorded at the Aladdin Sane sessions - which escaped on single in 1976. Here: youtube.com/watch?v=NUlX...

UK prog-rock nirvana - the two LPs and the 1970 Isle of Wight fest appearance by home-counties prog rockers Gracious! are collected in the The Recordings 1970-1971 box. Out on @cherryredrecords.bsky.social. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

2025 – Best Of + Highlights. Benedicte Maurseth, Brìghde Chaimbeul, Alina Orlova, Midlake. More. @ampersandPR.bsky.social @soundslikegold.bsky.social @ilkamedia.bsky.social @mrsimonraymonde.bsky.social @bellaunion.bsky.social. On @theartsdesk.bsky.social today: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/ki...

Buys Of The Year: 8. The Del-Vetts supercharged June 1966 45 Last Time Around. First heard it on the ripping 1982 comp Off The Wall. Here: youtube.com/watch?v=XSlu...

Buys Of The Year: 7. It Happens All The Time, the B-side of a one-off Jan 1969 single (Honey Do = OK A-side) credited to Crackers. Amazing, Left Banke-ish, no guitar. Presumably, the single barely sold. Crackers was Billy Kinsley and Tony Crane: a rebranded Merseys. Here: youtube.com/watch?v=s9wU...

Buys Of The Year: 6. November 1976. A-label promo of Sex Pistols' Anarchy In The U.K. (these didn't have the black sleeve and all - as they were 1st out the door after white labels - have B-side w wrong producer credit)

Buys Of The Year: 5. Hawkwind, nice - slightly grubby - Spanish PS of Silver Machine. Wrong line up - no Lemmy. Dave Anderson line up instead. Where was the pic taken?

Buys Of The Year: 4. April 1965 US red-vinyl promo of The Byrds' Mr Tambourine Man - with pic sleeve, and signed.

Five-disc edition of Tangerine Dream’s 1975 Rubycon LP is stuffed with eye-opening bonuses - and is a reminder of how they were integral to inventing the future of music. Out on @cherryredrecords.bsky.social. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Buys Of The Year: 3. May 1967 UK A label of The Byrds' My Back Pages with a barely interested "Byrds + Dylan = a winner" shoulder-shrugging press release.

Buys Of The Year: 2. November 1964 UK promo of The Beefeaters' - ie The Byrds - Please Let Me Love You single.

Buys Of The Year: 1. Not sure how many of these there'll be, but the first ones will be The Byrds. So here's a June 1965 mono radio promo of the 1st LP, Mr Tambourine Man.

The new @mojomagazine.bsky.social is out. On the cover, David Bowie. Inside, me (@kierontyler.bsky.social) on Plantoid’s Flare (on @mrsimonraymonde.bsky.social’s @bellaunion.bsky.social).

An absolute gem, a valuable addition to British jazz maverick Michael Garrick’s catalogue. Late Autumn Sunshine collects 2 previously unissued BBC sessions (Nov 1973 & Dec 1978). Out on My Only Desire Records. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Just got this - the fantastic March 1979 EP by the University of Exeter's The Scabs. 2nd press. Fold-out sleeve a bit distressed. "Clubland punk. Four awful tracks" said Record Mirror. A sample, taking a shot at the university's Amory Building & what it represents: youtube.com/watch?v=YX0c...

When – without understanding the language – it is clear emotion is central to what is expressed. Ólöf Arnalds’ all-Icelandic Spíra is out this week on @mrsimonraymonde.bsky.social’s @bellaunion.bsky.social. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/ol...

Bold As Love is a too-often below par box-set version of the Jimi Hendrix Experience album which used to be called Axis: Bold As Love. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/index.php/ne...

Archetypal American harmony pop – but with a distinct freeze-dried character. The two 1968 albums by Eternity’s Children are reissued on vinyl for the first time by High Moon Records. I’ve looked at them today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Mélanie Pain has no need to be a guest voice on records by anyone else: her new solo album How and Why stands apart from her involvement in Nouvelle Vague. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/me...

Orange Juice were “15-year-olds trying to play like Ry Cooder." The full story of electropop-inclined duo Leisure Process is told by The Complete Epic Recordings. Out on @cherryredrecords.bsky.social. I’ve looked at it today for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/mu...

Went to Latvia for Riga Music Week which - in its inaugural year - is instantly indispensible. Blues-infused shoegazing, full-force folk, synth-pop thrills & much, much more. I’ve looked at it for @theartsdesk.bsky.social: www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/ri...