Ache

David Bowie is to release a limited edition picture disc commemorating the 40th anniversary of "Rebel Rebel". This the latest in the run of 40th anniversary 7" picture discs released by Parlophone Records, following on from "Starman", "John I'm Only Dancing", "The Jean Genie", "Drive In Saturday", "Live On Mars" and "Sorrow". "Rebel Rebel" was originally released in February 1974 and reached No 5 in the UK singles chart.

Six-disc set from the 'identity crisis' years - three albums, outtakes, lives and a session with Freddie King...

Gentle, revealing performances from the eye of Neil Young’s 1970 storm...

Religious dissidents and juvenile delinquents, Greenwich Village and Potsdamer Platz, doomed soldiers and vacuous celebrities... David Cavanagh files the epic, definitive review of The Next Day. From Uncut's April 2013 (Take 191) issue. _______________

A 20-minute shower and a few drinks down the pub produce a deathless seasonal smash

So this, I think, might be a new thing: not so much a live recreation of a classic album, but a live recreation of the sessions which resulted in a classic album. A show predicated not just on evocative songs recorded 25-odd years ago, but on a nostalgia for outtakes that – up until a month or so ago, at least – most of the crowd in the Hammersmith Apollo tonight had never even heard.

The last playlist of 2013, I think, and – as you’ll see – a bunch of faithful retainers slipping back in with 2014 releases. Not sure I can believe I’m ending the year with an embedded video of Tears For Fears covering Animal Collective, but there you go.

This month’s issue of Uncut, as you may have seen, comes with a free supplement showcasing our extensive end-of-year charts. We’ve decided, though, to post our 80 Best Albums Of 2013 list here. You can read new assessments of these albums in the booklet. But in the meantime, click on the links to read the original Uncut reviews. A reminder, too, that Uncut staffers have been posting their individual 2013 lists:

Last week, Kim Shattuck expressed "shock" at being fired from Pixies. Shattuck's replacement is Paz Lenchatin, who has previously played with Zwan and A Perfect Circle. Speaking to Yahoo, Black Francis has spoken about the hirings and firings.

Ol’ Saint Nick, playful pop alchemy, and the retro-reinvention of the Christmas album...