Colourfield albums get CD reissue

Ok, I'll say it - for me, the first Colourfield album is the best album Terry Hall has produced in his varied career. Yes, he's all over The Specials now, but Virgins and Philistines is top-notch, 60s-inspired pop that sounds as good today as it ever did. Oh yes, it's being reissued by Cherry Red.

The original album came out on 1984, doing decent business on the back of Thinking Of You (which isn't really representative of the album), but hasn't been around in the UK on CD prior to this release.

It has been available in Japan though, with this release more or less the same, complete with 10 extra rarities to bump things out. Also being reissued is the follow-up, Deception, which I seem to remember was not so good. Anyway, track listings are over the page, with both out on Cherry Red  on 22nd March 2010.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Ghetto Ska on Kingston Sounds

Not actually heard this, but browsing through a music magazine, I noticed Ghetto Ska release on Kingston Sounds (this very week in fact), which might be worth a look a look for fans of vintage Jamaican sounds.

The compilation revolves around Theophilus 'Easy Snapping' Beckford, with the album featuring early cuts by the ska pioneer, either as a session man or producer, including own work like 'Flip, Flop and Fly' (aka Walking Down King Street), 'Mr Downpressor', 'Don't Have a Ticket Don't Worry', 'Grudgeful People', 'Ungrateful People', 'What A Woe' and 'Boilerman', plus Basil Gabiddon's 'Streets of Glory', Frank Cosmo's 'On Your Knees', Shenley and Annette's 'Now Your Gone' and Daniel Johnson's 'Come On My People'.

Play has it for £7.99 on CD or try the label itself directly.

Kingston Sounds website

Club focus: Soundscape - San Francisco

Hopefully to show you how far the incoming (improved) club guides will be, here's a night from the US - Soundscape in San Francisco.

CarlosPerez has been kind enough to talk us through his jazz-fuelled night, which takes place on the first Saturday of each month in the city.

Full details of where are in the article, as well as the lowdown on what to expect.

Soundscape in San Francisco feature

Miss Selfridge Dogtooth Shift Dress

Among Miss Selfridge's new Spring lines are a number of retro-styled pieces, including this Dogtooth Shift Dress - one of the most faithful sixties reproductions on the high street for many seasons.

The simple shift style uses an A-line cut with a high peter pan collar and sleeveless style, making the shape utterly convincing. Black and white dogtooth print is subtle but on-style, while black accents at faux-pockets and the collar provide some sharp structure that stays subtle.

Get it online now from Miss Selfridge for £40.

Find out more from the website

Via Retro To Go

Retro TV W/C 26th February 2010

Barry Murphy returns once more to trawl the TV and radio guides (so you don't have to), finding anything worth tuning into this week. All listings are for UK terrestrial TV, Freeview and national radio, with the shows running from Friday 26th February to Thursday 4th March 2010.

Highlights of the week

Dennis Wilson was the drummer in the Beach Boys. And he was the real Beach Boy. In a band of geeks who sang about surfing, cars and girls, Dennis was the only one who surfed, the one who drove hot rod cars in competition and the one who got all the girls.

He was married five times, shared a house with Charles Manson (with whom he wrote songs, including one recorded by the Beach Boys) but died, ironically by drowning, at the age of 39. He was also the first Beach Boy to release a solo album, the stunning Pacific Ocean Blue, which after years of being out of print and fetching hundreds on Ebay, was re-released in 2009 to widespread acclaim, being voted No 1 Reissue of the Year by Mojo and Uncut magazines.
Documentary Legends: Dennis Wilson - the Real Beach Boy (BBC 4. Friday 26th, 9pm. Repeated 12.20am) tells the story of Dennis's life and music, with unseen archive footage and original interviews with Beach Boys Al Jardine and David Marks, his sons Michael and Carl and many friends and fellow musicians. These include Taylor Hawkins, drummer with the Foo Fighters who provided a vocal for the lost track on Pacific Ocean Blue, Holy Man, for which Dennis never laid down a vocal when he recorded the song in 1977.

Also this week: Modculture regular Stacie Stewart continues in the heats of this year's Masterchef (BBC 1. Friday 26th, 7.30pm) to secure her place in the semi-finals. Best of luck Stacie!