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The Cult’s “Sonic Temple 30” Review

 

Like Metallica, R.E.M., and so many other bands who hit their stride in the ’80s, The Cult have been systematically reissuing their classic albums in grand style. The latest of which, 1989’s Sonic Temple, is being celebrated with Sonic Temple 30, which is available as a 5CD set, a digital edition, an 8LP vinyl version, a 2LP vinyl edition, and a limited boxed set that has 3LPs and a cassette. But while it has a lot of great music beyond just the album, the necessity of this Cult collection really depends on how diligent you’ve been since the ’80s.

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Louis Sclavis: Characters On A Wall Review

 

After recording two great albums of dark, moody, clarinet-centric jazz — 2007’s Currents and 2011’s Post Scriptum — the Wolfert Brederode Quartet either called it quits or decided to take an extended vacation or did something because they haven’t made an album since. But fans of that foursome can rejoice, sort of, as a spiritual successor has emerged with Characters On A Wall (CD, LP, digital), the new album by atmospheric clarinetist Louis Sclavis and his similarly-configured quartet.

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Sokratis Sinopoulos Quartet’s Metamodal Review

In my never ending quest to find jazz that is beautiful and moody but also unlike anything I already own, I present the Metamodal (CD, digital), the second album by the Sokratis Sinopoulos Quartet, on which the titular Greek lyra player once again teams with a trio of more typical jazz musicians, and comes up with something rather unique and beautiful.

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The Claypool Lennon Delirium’s South Of Reality Review

The Claypool Lennon Delirium South Of Reality

On their debut album Monolith Of Phobos, The Claypool Lennon Delirium — a collaboration between Primus singer / bassist Les Claypool and singer / guitarist Sean Lennon — the tunes fell into three distinct categories: songs that employed the latter’s penchant for Beatles-esque harmonies and psychedelia, ones dominated by Claypool’s distinctive bass and vocals, and a couple that deftly mixed them together. But while there’s plenty of the former and the latter on South Of Reality (CD, vinyl, digital), their second full-length collection of originals, Claypool fans hoping for more of the middle will be disappointed.

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Matthew Shipp Trio: “Signature” Review

Matthew Shipp Trio Signature Michael Bisio Newman Taylor Baker

 

After briefly reuniting with his previous threesome for the album Sonic Fiction — on which they were joined by sax and clarinet player Mat Walerian — jazz pianist Matthew Shipp has once again assembled his current trio for their third album, Signature (CD, digital).

But it seems the time apart may have done them some good. For while Signature is as solid as the trio’s previous albums, The Conduct Of Jazz and Piano Song, it is a much more varied, and thus more interesting, collection.

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Metallica’s “…And Justice For All: Deluxe Box Set” Review

 

Like the ones they released for Kill ‘Em All, Ride The Lightning, and Master Of Puppets, Metallica have packed a ton of stuff into the Deluxe Box Set reissue of their 1998 album …And Justice For All. Unfortunately, this 11 CD, 6 LP, 4 DVD collection doesn’t have everything a hardcore fan would want, and a lot they don’t need, a dubious distinction given that this costs more than buying all of their other albums combined.

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The Jimi Hendrix Experience: “Electric Ladyland: Deluxe Edition 50th Anniversary” Box Set Review

The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland Deluxe Edition 50th Anniversary Box Set

 

Thanks to such classic tracks as “Burning Of The Midnight Lamp,” “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” and their iconic cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower,” Electric Ladyland was yet an instant classic when it was released by The Jimi Hendrix Experience on October 16, 1968.

In honor of the album’s fiftieth birthday, Experience Hendrix and Legacy Recordings have assembled the Electric Ladyland: Deluxe Edition 50th Anniversary Box Set, a mostly interesting but also somewhat flawed 3CD/1BD or 6LP/1BD collection that includes the album, demos, a previously unreleased concert recording, and a making-of documentary.

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R.E.M.: “R.E.M. At The BBC” Review

 

In my recent review of R.E.M.’s The Best Of R.E.M. At The BBC [which you can read here], I explained that while that two-disc compilation had some good songs on it, it really just made me want the all-inclusive boxed set from which it was culled, R.E.M. At The BBC (CD, digital), a seven CD, one DVD collection that presents everything the band ever recorded for BBC radio and TV. But as with any big, multi-disc collection, the question is always how big of a fan of the band do you have to be to make this worth your while.

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R.E.M.: “The Best Of R.E.M. At The BBC” Review

R.E.M. The Best Of R.E.M. At The BBC

 

Like similar collections by Guns ‘N’ Roses [Appetite For Destruction: Deluxe Edition] and Pink Floyd [The Early Years 1967–1972: Cre/ation], R.E.M.’s The Best Of R.E.M. At The BBC (CD, vinyl) is a two-disc sampler from a much larger boxed set, the 8CD/1DVD R.E.M. At The BBC (CD, digital) [my review of which is here].

But while there’s a lot of good music on R.E.M.’s Best Of collection, it’s hard to recommend when the vastly superior complete collection is so readily available.

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