Four CD set. An anthology of George Martin's sound productions before the advent of the Beatles; before the collaboration that would change popular music forever. He re-defined the role of producer; pioneering the recording itself as an art form. This edition is testament to a elegant, fearless musical innovator. The surrealistic, sometimes free-form recordings he created with comic geniuses Sellers, Milligan, Cribbins and Ustinov involved sound effects and collage. These madcap sonic adventures, allied to his understanding of the workings of an orchestra, his contacts within the classical fraternity, his love of the romantic and impressionist composers, and his fascination with studio experimentation made George Martin uniquely able to provide a particular objectivity and realise what the ever-curious Beatles, or any artist, would ask of him. As head of Parlophone, determined to explode the label onto the scene, he sought artists of character; taking mobile recording units out to capture Flanders And Swann's two-man show and the irreverent satirical revue, Beyond The Fringe. The Top Five was breached in 1960 both by Matt Monro and by Peter Sellers And Sophia Loren. George Martin's first UK Number One single, and an exemplar, was 'You're Driving Me Crazy' by The Temperance Seven who combined a revival of popular music from the 20s with styles from the Edwardian era.

An ultimate compilation exploring the "profound roots and dazzling musicality" of David Bowie has been completed in celebration of the documentary film Moonage Daydream. This collection delves into Bowie's transformation throughout his career, starting from the "60s Swinging London" era—his golden age—by examining the original songs he covered, artists from the 1960s who influenced him, and tracks that shaped his work. It includes references to his covers album PIN UPS and the roots of tracks from his early recordings, such as those featured on TOY. Tracing his journey from a space-inspired folk enthusiast to a trailblazer in Swinging London, psychedelia, and glam rock, the album reflects his unparalleled artistic trajectory. The lineup features Bowie alongside icons like Marc Bolan and Pink Floyd. Through detailed commentary, the collection unveils a vivid portrait of Bowie and his influences, offering a unique glimpse into his extraordinary evolution.

The Liberty of Norton Folgate is the ninth studio album from Madness and widely considered to be their magnum opus. Originally released in May 2009, and taking nearly three years to make, the record was the first with the full band since 1999's Wonderful and was developed as a concept album about the band's home town. The ten minute long title track tells the history of a part of East London (Norton Folgate, near Spitalfields) which, for a period, remained free from the Crown's ruling and was therefore referred to as a 'liberty', where normal rules of city life did not apply. The album finds the band in full creative flow, with song after song (including the tracks that didn't make it onto the standard CD or LP release) showcasing the maturity and depth of their songwriting prowess. Includes the singles 'NW5', 'Dust Devil' 'Forever Young' and 'Sugar and Spice'. This extended 2CD version contains nine bonus tracks, including two cover tracks ('Bittersweet' and 'The Roadette Song').

This cd is chock full of tunes you may remember from when you were a child. Chances are that many of them were already vintage tunes even then. But try to find a good recording of Teddy Bear's Picnic and Ragtime Cowboy Joe. The recordings range from the '20s to the '50s, and it's interesting to see how much we have lost in children's music. Nostalgic and fun.

Critically acclaimed ninth album from the popular ska legends which achieved a top five chart position. Taking the title from an area in London, this is the first album of original material that the band has released since 1999 and contains the single 'Dust Devil'. This extended 2CD version contains nine bonus tracks, including two cover tracks ('Bittersweet' and 'The Roadette Song').

Rhino's three-disc box set The Remains of Tom Lehrer presents 75 tracks from the satirist's four decade career. The first disc concentrates on Lehrer's studio output, including pieces from his 1953 debut Songs by Tom Lehrer and his 1959 album More of Tom Lehrer, as well as a 1996 version of "I Got It from Agnes" and "That's Mathematics," a previously unreleased track from 1993. Disc two gathers his '59 performances at MIT and Harvard, captured on the albums Tom Lehrer Revisited and An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer (which offered many of the same selections as their studio predecessors). The third disc is a mix of live and studio tracks, including the material from the album That Was the Year That Was, songs written for PBS's The Electric Company in 1971-72, orchestral versions of songs conducted by Richard Hayman in 1960, and four new songs, including "Selling Out" and "(I'm Spending Hanukkah) In Santa Monica." Song-by-song notes by Lehrer, rare photos, and an essay by Dr. Demento add an extra depth to The Remains of Tom Lehrer making it the ultimate collection of his irreverent social commentary.

Tom Waits collaborated with director Robert Wilson and librettist William Burroughs on the musical stage work The Black Rider in 1990. A variation on the Faust legend, the 19th century German story allowed Waits to indulge his affection for the music of Kurt Weill and address one of his favorite topics of recent years, the devil. Waits had proven an excellent collaborator when he worked with director Francis Ford Coppola on One from the Heart, making that score an integral part of the film. Here, the collaboration and the established story line served to focus Waits' often fragmented attention, lending coherence and consistency.

(2-CD set) World War 1 began on July 28, 1914 and was also known as the Great War in the optimistic belief that this momentous event would end all wars. Some of our most popular and enduring songs were written and recorded during that period, although the conflict itself washorrendous. In 1997 Take Two Records released a 2-CD set of songs actually recorded during World War 1 that were transferred from pristine vintage recordings and re-mastered to provide superb sound. This set includes 40 popular songs that reflect a variety of reactions to the Great War by the leading songwriters and recording artists from that time. This album is currently being reissued to commemorate the WWI centennial taking place this year.

Frank Sinatra was one of the greatest performers and first musical superstar of the last century. His voice, timing and performance created the standards for vocalists ever since. Even today's performers like Michael Bublé, Jamie Cullum and Robbie Williams are highly inspired by “Ol' Blue Eyes”.
On Frank Sinatra Collected, his career and musical legacy is celebrated on 2 LP's, spanning over 5 decades. In association with Frank Sinatra Enterprises, the 31 recordings on Collected include not just his most famous songs, but also delves into some of his best album tracks and collaborations with Count Basie, Quincy Jones and his daughter Nancy, all showcasing the versatile artist he was.

National Socialism had devised its own notion of the value of German art and culture. This was ruthlessly put into practice when the Nazis took over power in 1933. The more than 175 "degenerate" recorded musical items in this extraordinary 10-CD box set, 'Forbidden But Not Forgotten', relate to the shocking consequences due to that "cleansing". The burning of the Reichstag (7th April) provided the pretext for the prosecution of all who held other political opinions, for the burning of books (10th May) whose authors were on the index of disfavoured and banned writers, for the law that amended entry to the civil service (7th April) that excluded all non-Aryans and led to wholesale dismissals of Jews, especially in orchestras, the administration, among singers, conductors and instrumentalists. By means of the exhibitions "Degenerate Art" (Munich, 1937) and "Degenerate Music" (Düsseldorf, 1938) art and artists who were now to have no place in Nazi Germany were pilloried.

Double Disc Set from the Group that Implores You to 'remember You're a Womble'. A Retro Blast from the 70's for the Barney Set.The Wombles are fictional pointy-nosed, furry creatures created by Elisabeth Beresford and originally appearing in a series of children's novels from 1968.[1] They live in burrows, where they aim to help the environment by collecting and recycling rubbish in creative ways. Although Wombles supposedly live in every country in the world, Beresford's stories are primarily concerned with the lives of the inhabitants of the burrow on Wimbledon Common in London, England.The characters gained a higher national profile in the UK in the mid-1970s as a result of the popularity of a BBC-commissioned children's television show which used stop-motion animation. A number of spin-off novelty songs also became hits in the British music charts. The Wombles pop group was the idea of British singer and composer Mike Batt.The Womble motto is "Make Good Use of Bad Rubbish". This environmentally-friendly message was a reflection of the growing environmental movement of the 1970s.