The Yardbirds The Yardbirds Story By Giorgio Gomelsky (1994) 4 CD Boxset

The Coasters were the 1950s' (and early rock's) dominant novelty/comic R&B ensemble, benefiting from Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller's lyrical wit and inspired production. They weren't simply proficient clowns; the Coasters were a skilled vocal unit whose talents were utilized on slice-of-life narratives, prophetic youth manifestos, and even an occasional teen anthem, as well as the prototype humorous vehicles "Yakety Yak" and "Poison Ivy." Although Rhino has already given them the deluxe two-disc treatment, consumers who either don't want that much Coasters material or prefer only the hits are nicely served by this 16-track anthology. It contains every major release, plus valuable lesser-known selections such as "Shoppin' for Clothes" and "What About Us."

Carlo Francesco Cesarini was one of the most important Italian Baroque composers as well as a virtuoso violinist also known as Carlo del Violino. His six cantatas, receiving their first recording here, were regularly performed between 1700 and 1717. They are all taken from Manuscript 2248 of the Biblioteca Casanatense in Rome, a rich anthological collection assembled for Cardinal Pamphili, a major figure in Roman cultural life. These major rediscoveries are performed by soprano Stéphanie Varnerin accompanied by the ensemble L'Astrée led by Giorgio Tabacco.

The band's second album is a major advance on its first, featuring superior singing, playing, and songwriting, as well as a more unified sound, without sacrificing the element of surprise in the first record…

Limited edition digipack reissue of the rollicking, rastafarian retrospective from the most brilliant Dread Zeppelin! Fronted by the 300-pound Elvis impersonator Turtelvis, Dread Zeppelin warp the compositions of Page, Plant and Co. into heady reggae jams so ingeniously they ll have you begging for more and have even earned the praise of Plant himself! Features recently recorded versions of Zep s all-time favorites Stairway To Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Immigrant Song, Kashmir as well as some Dread originals!

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich followed up their self-titled debut LP with the tongue-in-cheek If Music Be the Food of Love…Then Prepare for Indigestion (1968). The quintet of Dave "Dee" Harman (guitar/vocals), Trevor "Dozy" Davies (bass), John "Beaky" Diamond (rhythm guitar), Michael "Mick" Wilson (drums), and Ian "Tich" Amey (lead guitar) return with another batch of strong Brit-pop compositions, including a pair of their most prolific sides, "Bend It" and "Hideaway." While all but unknown stateside, the combo became hugely popular throughout Europe - which may well account for the distinctly conspicuous Mediterranean flavor on the former. Their left-of-center sense of humor surfaces on the Noel Coward-esque potty platter "Loos of England"…

One could easily make the case for designating the Masters Apprentices as the best Australian rock band of the '60s. Featuring singer Jim Keays and songwriter/rhythm guitarist Mick Bower, the band's earliest recordings combined the gritty R&B/rock of Brits like the Pretty Things with the minor-key melodies of the Yardbirds. The compelling "Wars or Hands of Time" and the dreamy psychedelia of "Living in a Child's Dream" were undiscovered classics, although the latter was a Top Ten hit in Australia. Bower left the group after suffering a nervous breakdown in late 1967, and the Masters grew steadily less interesting, moving from flower pop and hard rock to progressive and acoustic sounds.

Despite the group's limited commercial success, there have been several Sorrows CD compilations. Why should you get this one, whether you already have Sorrows collections or are looking for the best Sorrows anthology? Well, the 30 tracks do include everything essential from their mid-'60s prime, including both sides of their seven 1965-1967 singles; the stereo version of their 1965 album Take a Heart, which included a couple songs not on those 45s, as well as slightly different, re-recorded versions of some numbers that also appeared on singles, and four outtakes. That in fact totals up to almost everything the Sorrows recorded in the mid-'60s, not merely their best tracks, though it does omit some foreign language versions and outtakes that have appeared on previous compilations. More importantly, however, it has a 16-page booklet that's amply illustrated with vintage photos and clippings…