Spycies (2019)

A companion compilation to the sprawling 2019 box set The Later Years 1987-2019, this 80-minute collection distills that luxury item into something handy and affordable. In the winnowing process, it's revealed that the box indeed consists primarily of live material: all but five of the 12 tracks are live recordings, most taken from either the remixed version of the 1988 live double-LP Delicate Sound of Thunder or the full-length Live at Knebworth, which was recorded in 1990. Two cuts from the rejiggered A Momentary Lapse of Reason – which was revised to sound more like a classic Floyd album, à la The Division Bell – are here, along with an early rendition of "High Hopes" and the unheard instrumental "Marooned Jam," which also dates from 1994. None of this newer material is earthshaking, but it fits well next to the live versions of classic Floyd songs and, in turn, helps make a case for the merits of the Waters-less Floyd, even if it doesn't necessarily act as an enticing endorsement for the lavish accompanying box.

It has been 25 years since the first Café del Mar Volume was released. To celebrate this milestone we have carefully selected a mix of classics & brand new tracks to reflect the essence of Café del Mar. The double CD release features brand new tracks & remixes by Quantic, The Cinematic Orchestra, Zero 7, Peggu Gou, BadBadNotGood and timeless classics by Chicane, A Man Called Adam, Trio Mocoto, Planet Funk, just to name but a few.

It has been 25 years since the first Café del Mar Volume was released. To celebrate this milestone we have carefully selected a mix of classics & brand new tracks to reflect the essence of Café del Mar. The double CD release features brand new tracks & remixes by Quantic, The Cinematic Orchestra, Zero 7, Peggu Gou, BadBadNotGood and timeless classics by Chicane, A Man Called Adam, Trio Mocoto, Planet Funk, just to name but a few.

The perfect album for a day at the beach, Rea's eighth album takes the listener from the water's edge of the title song to the sunny fields of the French countryside in "Giverny." The upbeat reggae feel of "Lucky Day" works particularly well, but it is "On the Beach" that's the standout track. Rea seems to think so, too, as he's recorded it numerous times. The version here, though, is the most evocative, a little slower and more meditative than others. The lyrics, as in many of his songs, deal with remembrance and old love. "Little Blonde Plaits," "Hello Friend," and "It's All Gone" are other examples of this theme that appear on the album. While his later release, The Road to Hell, shows the darker side of Rea's worldview, On the Beach is an excellent introduction to his brighter, more optimistic songwriting. The last three songs are bonus tracks that were not on the original LP release, "Bless Them All" being a smooth, fluid instrumental.