Leading Through Rough Times

Berlin, Germany-based rock overlords KADAVAR have announced the details for their upcoming fourth studio album, »Rough Times«. The album will be released on September 29 via Nuclear Blast.

The new Counter Culture 13 compilation collects many of our favourite releases of the last twelve months. Killer tracks that were big hits with our customers alongside staff recommendations and, of course, selections from our Top 10 Albums of the Year.This year, Rough Trade Shops celebrates the opening of its New York store in Brooklyn, our Williamsburg neighbourhood gracing the cover of the new Counter Culture 13.

With its enduring message of comfort and inspiration, gospel music’s origins are rooted in the tragedy of African-American slavery. From the earthy recordings of the evangelist street performers to the polished sound of the jubilee quartets, this Rough Guide features many of the trailblazing artists who paved the way for what has become a global phenomenon.

Storytelling lies at the heart of Celtic music; breathtaking voices sing tales of lost love, tragedies both old and new, as well as exile, prison, war, and separation. Featuring bodhrán, flute, guitar and harp, this Rough Guide includes old folk lullabies, work songs and contemporary compositions from leading Celtic artists.

The 1920s “classic era” of recorded blues was dominated by women who lived and performed in the cities. This Rough Guide explores its glitzy heyday when singers such as Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey became the first real stars of the blues.

When the Voyager space probe was launched in 1977, a gold disc was placed on board containing examples of humanity's defining cultural achievements. The spacecraft is still out there hurtling through the cosmos and has so far travelled more than six billion miles. Should it ever reach an alien civilisation, they will find on board music by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven - and Chuck Berry. If you had to define rock music by one single track, NASA's choice of 'Johnny B. Goode' was surely impeccable.

From the very start, blues guitarists forged an irresistible partnership with the slide, the sound of which epitomizes the very essence of the genre. This Rough Guide highlights the revolutionary players who pioneered this most captivating of styles during the early recorded heyday of the blues.