bsiderecords

𝗩𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 - 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀: 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝟮𝟬
The 2021 2LP vinyl release of Rough Trade Shops: Counter Culture 20 is the ultimate time capsule of an extraordinary era for underground music. Spreading 20 standout tracks across two pieces of black wax, this compilation serves as the global record shop staff's curated selection of the most vital, politically charged, and boundary-pushing sounds that surfaced during a tumultuous period.

Crucially, the entire collection is dedicated to the memory of the legendary producer and DJ Andrew Weatherall - a longtime friend and inspiration to the Rough Trade family - with the record fittingly closing out on his track Slap & Slide. The curation brilliantly bridges a fierce resurgence of UK post-punk and genre-fluid electronic music.

The first LP delivers a masterclass in modern cynicism and grit, featuring the fierce political punk of Bob Vylan’s We Live Here alongside the deadpan, angular brilliance of Dry Cleaning. The momentum stays relentless with Vi**ra Boys' raucous anthem Ain't Nice and the cosmic, psychedelic heavy-psych sprawl of Slift's Hyperion.

The second LP pivots into equally adventurous sonic terrain. Jane Weaver's hypnotic Flock blends art-pop with ethereal grooves, while Jockstrap’s genre-bending Acid showcases the duo's avant-garde approach to electronic pop. Coupled with the urgent electro-protest of Soccer96’s I Was Gonna Fight Fascism, this collection doesn't just round up tracks; it documents an independent music scene thriving on pure defiance.

https://bsiderecords.co/various-rough-trade-shops-counter-culture-20-vinyl-record.html

𝗧𝗼𝗿𝗶 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝘀 – 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀
Released in February 2026 to mark the album's 25th anniversary, Rhino's Expanded Edition of Strange Little Girls breathes new life into one of Tori Amos’ most provocative and conceptually brilliant records. Originally released in 2001 as her final middle finger to Atlantic Records, the album features Amos reinterpreting 12 songs written and originally performed by men, completely flipping the gender dynamics and power structures on their heads by filtering them through unique female personas.

The newly remastered audio beautifully highlights the stark, dramatic contrasts of the tracking sessions. Famous reinterpretations like the chilling, whispered delivery of Eminem's '97 Bonnie & Clyde and the sludge-heavy, atmospheric dismantling of Slayer's Raining Blood sound sharper and more immersive than ever. What makes the 2026 2CD set indispensable for completionists is the inclusion of four bonus tracks on Disc 2.

Alongside coveted B-sides like David Bowie’s After All and Alice Cooper’s Only Women Bleed, the reissue unearths two completely unreleased gems from the vault: a brilliant cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Growin’ Up and Elvis Costello's Hoover Factory.

Visually, the CD edition standardizes the famous Rattlesnakes persona on the cover, celebrating her collaboration with the legendary late makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin. Notably, the 2026 reissue omits the original short stories written by Neil Gaiman from the packaging liner notes - a conscious contextual shift that places the spotlight squarely on Amos' solo performance and musical world-building. It stands as an absolute triumph of an archive release.

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m-Tdrpp9xda_SDfAGdN9sGwyM4mAs4zGk&si=uXcX_jDqGtVV9Vil

https://bsiderecords.co/tori-amos-strange-little-girls-cd-record.html

𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘆 - 𝗠𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗮𝘆𝗲
The 2023 reissue of Maxinquaye is a haunting re-examination of the 1995 debut that defined the trip-hop era. Named after Tricky’s late mother, the album remains a masterpiece of "beautiful disorder", blending fractured hip-hop beats with a claustrophobic, paranoid atmosphere that felt entirely alien to the Britpop mainstream of the time.

The record’s secret weapon is the spectral vocal performance of Martina Topley-Bird. Her cool, deadpan delivery on tracks like Overcome and the Isaac Hayes-sampling Hell Is Round the Corner provides a melodic anchor to Tricky’s muttered, asthmatic whispers. The chemistry between the two - captured mostly in single takes - created a gender-bending, intimate sound that bypassed logic and went straight to the senses.

This Abbey Road Remaster breathes new life into the album's dense textures. Whether it's the distorted rock energy of Black Steel (a radical Public Enemy cover) or the murky, dub-heavy Ponderosa, the new 2023 edition clarifies the "tape haze" without losing the grit.

For fans of Massive Attack or Portishead, this Maxinquaye reissue is an essential artifact. It isn't just a "coffee-table" classic; it's a living, breathing document of a Bristol Sound that changed the landscape of electronic music forever.

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mDSR-8-oOnvv4GM5qVZ_woc_hit-Qu9ls&si=FbeWzfQhqab1Y3Jb

https://bsiderecords.co/tricky-maxinquaye-vinyl-record.html

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗼 - 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱
Bando Stone And The New World by Childish Gambino is a 2024 concept album tied to an upcoming film of the same name. Blending funk, R&B, and psychedelic soul, it explores themes of survival in a post-apocalyptic setting. The sound is surreal cinematic and layered with tension.

Gambino continues evolving from his earlier work like Awaken My Love trading rap for soulful falsetto vocals. Tracks drift between ambient soundscapes and groovy rhythms. The production feels lo-fi yet futuristic channeling artists like Prince and Shuggie Otis with a modern digital twist that is both raw and immersive.

The track Lithonia builds a dark atmosphere with sparse beats and haunting melodies. Moments of joy and pain reflect shifting realities through sonic experimentation. Every element from drum machines to vocal harmonies feels intentional. Gambino plays with texture and silence crafting a world of mood over clarity.

Released independently under mcDJ Recording this album reinforces Donald Glover’s multimedia approach. He blurs the line between music cinema and performance art. Bando Stone And The New World expands his storytelling with emotion instead of exposition. It's a bold abstract work that invites interpretation and rewards deep listening.

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l-q3kdFY9wiIsqNl5c7C-KRW2MMrdl93Y&si=PYGxk-xleYMQKKsR

https://bsiderecords.co/childish-gambino-bando-stone-and-the-new-world-vinyl-lp-record.html