Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Sometimes, Record Store Day releases really do come through, and this is one of them as it unearths extremely rare 1988 demo recordings from alt-rock trailblazers Royal Trux, previously only circulated on a handful of cassettes in 1998. Now available for the first time on wax, the collection captures the raw, unfiltered energy that preceded their breakthrough Twin Infinitives and features early versions of 'Walkin' Machine,' 'Cut You Loose,' 'Gold Dust' and a cover of Neil Young's 'Time Fades Away,' These demos really give you a window into the band's formative chaos and brilliance and highlight the uncompromising vision that made Royal Trux such favourites.

Review: Released in 1992, Untitled marked Royal Trux's third album and solidified their status as pioneers of the lo-fi genre. This album transitioned the duo, Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema, into a constantly evolving collective of musicians. As part of Fire Records' remastered series, Untitled comes pressed on white vinyl with updated monochrome and silver artwork. Stepping away from the dense layering of their previous work, Twin Infinitives, Royal Trux embraced a raw rock 'n' roll aesthetic filled with the deformed grandeur of their influences. Drawing from their experiences and subconscious "radio stations," the eight-song collection weaves together twisted melodies and memories. Hagerty's gritty blues roots complement Herrema's seductive yet snarling vocals, capturing a sense of intimacy akin to a night at the Chelsea Hotel, where the characters of the 90s swagger through their lyrics. Tracks like 'Junkie Nurse' delve into themes of addiction and redemption, reflecting a hope that even the most broken individuals can help each other. While some noise elements persist, Untitled showcases a clear shift toward songwriting, revealing Royal Trux as a stunning indie rock band that continues to resonate with a transgressive generation and influences future duos like The White Stripes and The Kills.

Review: Perhaps the most abstract, clangorous and genre-defying entry in the formidable Royal Trux catalogue, 1990s Twin Infinitives is a sprawling, tactile odyssey punctuated by Neil Hagerty's acerbic guitar stabs and Jennifer Herrema's sleazy vocal free association. Through the thick squalling gauze witch Hagerty and Herrema superimpose on each track, ghosts of A/B song form emerge and disintegrate, with blues licks and disarmingly gentle croons offset by rumbling mechanical loops and sonic shrapnel. It really feels like the ground zero, the most amoebic and uncompromising launchpad for what would become the Royal Trux sound. Highlights include the Henry Flynt-esque 'Ice Cream', the cavernous flute peals of 'Osiris' and the rollicking, fuzz-damaged 'Glitterbust'. One of the best from one of the best!