Vulgar Unicorn Under The Umbrella (1995)

They didn't reach stadium-level superstardom like the Clash and the Police, but few contemporaries could hold a candle to the punky reggae of the Ruts. Nearly equal parts righteous dread and six-string fury, the London quartet was one of the most important bands to emerge during punk's second wave, and this collection – one of a series that also included well-chosen retrospectives of acts like the Members and the Records – expertly compiles the finest moments of the Ruts' too-short career. Like many British bands who incorporated reggae rhythms into their pogo stomp, the group began life leaning heavily toward the hard and fast, as documented by their initial single, 1978's "In a Rut." But very early on, they began to toy with Jamaican sounds and themes – just listen to the brief, dub-style guitar lick in the middle of "Babylon's Burning," the title of which draws a link to Rastafarian unrest at home and abroad during the late '70s.

Eruption was formed in 1974 in London by vocalist Precious Wilson, lead guitarist Greg Perrineau, bassist Morgan Perrineau, keyboardist Gerry Williams, and drummer Eric Kingsley. In 1975, their winning of an RCA Soul Search Contest in England brought them a record deal and their first single "Let Me Take You Back in Time" (1976) figured prominently in the soul charts. In 1977, Boney M.'s producer Frank Farian took Eruption under his wing and signed the group with Germany-based Hansa Records. Their 1978 cover of "I Can't Stand the Rain" was a big hit internationally, reaching number five in Britain and number 18 in the U.S.. The success was sealed with "One Way Ticket," which went to number nine in the U.K. the following year.

Working with a trio that harnesses his exciting guitar work and powerful songwriting, Canadian blues-rocker John Campbelljohn first arrived at the age of 14. Growing up in a household that often had jamborees and parties that celebrated music, Campbelljohn was enamored with the guitar from an early age. He was not into the Celtic music that his community enjoyed, so he took up the guitar and studied artists like Son House and Muddy Waters. Sonny Landreth became a huge influence, and it led him to put together a combo that combined bassist Bruce Moore and drummer Steve Preeper. The three released How Does It Feel? in 1993, and critics in Canada and the U.S. alike caught onto his sound. His next record, Hook Slide + Sinker, saw Campbelljohn get his first European release, while the next album, Nerves of Steel, even got notice from Rolling Stone magazine.

Alanis Nadine Morissette (born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American alternative rock singer-songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and actress. Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s, with two commercially successful dance-pop albums…