Album

Call And Response – Winds Take No Shape

Second release from Californian dreamers

La Influential

Debut album from Jeffrey Lee Pierce's twisted blues-punk quartet remains strikingly relevant

5th Dimension – The Ultimate 5th Dimension

Sadly neglected, once massive, psychedelic soul pioneers

Bringing It All Back Home: The Influence Of Irish Music

There's a saying in the pubs of Dublin that there are only two kinds of musician—the Irish, and those who wish they were. The likes of Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Richard Thompson and the Everly Brothers prove it by lining up alongside some of Ireland's finest in 20 performances designed to showcase the global influence of Celtic music.

With 2002's Shiny Things, the Sacramento quartet seemed to have lost the pizzazz that made predecessor Weightless such an unfettered, sardonic joy, frontman/songwriter Rusty Miller's lyrical suss seemingly having lost its bite. Thankfully, here he's back on form, an acute diarist of smalltown suffocation, whether he's daydreaming of Stevie Nicks ("When We Get Together"), making out in the bushes ("Adventures Galore") or jacking off in a hotel room ("Charlie Watts Is God").

Grand Theft Parsons – Cube Soundtracks

Even the director of this film, recounting the tale of how road manager Phil Kaufman stole and burned Gram Parsons' corpse, was surprised when Parsons' wife and daughter okay-ed the use of his music. Parsons' "A Song For You" and "Love Hurts" and The Flying Burrito Brothers' "Wild Horses" evoke the era, along with Country Joe and Eddie Floyd. Gillian Welch tackles "Hickory Wind", and Starsailor handle "Hot Burrito No 2" bombastically. But The Lemonheads, Wilco and trend-whores Primal Scream just seek cred by association. Twangy.

The Moles – On The Street

Twelve-track compilation of Oz indie legends, with bonus rarities CD

Meat Puppets – Classic Puppets

Cobain-approved country punks

Runting High And Low

Three DVDs which catch the rock'n'roll maverick onstage and backstage

Elf Consciousness

Two albums featuring the elven genius of new folk
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