Two Piers Vinyl & CDs

Review: The Boo Radleys released Giant Steps (The Boo Radleys album), their third full length, in 1993. To mark its 30th anniversary it gets this special reissue on limited coloured vinyl double LP with a bonus 10". The leftfield indie outfit drew on pop, noise, orchestral and reggae to cook up its sounds and managed to be more musically ambitious than they had in the past, titling the album after a John Coltrane album of the same name and paving the way for thhe huge Britpop success via feelgood anthem 'Wake Up Boo!' that would follow.

Review: The limited edition double album Weird Scenes From The Hangout presents an exhilarating journey through psychedelic and freakbeat anthems that were the heartbeat of Liverpool's renowned mid-'80s club night, The Hangout. Released on striking Neon Pink and Transparent Curacao vinyl, this 2 x LP compilation curated by Richard Norris (The Grid, Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve) captures the vibrant essence of his club's eclectic soundscape. The album features a carefully selected roster of tracks from iconic acts like The Velvet Underground, Can, Captain Beefheart, The Seeds and The Left Banke, reflecting the diverse and energetic vibe that Norris fostered at The Hangout. This special compilation brings together floor fillers and dancefloor anthems that defined the psychedelic scene during the 1967-1982 period, meticulously licensed to recreate the magic of Norris's celebrated club nights. The Hangout, launched in autumn 1984 at Liverpool's Krackers club, was a haven for psychedelic enthusiasts and dance music aficionados alike. With its pulsating beats and psychedelic visuals, the club became a hub for revelry, featuring guest performances from bands such as Zodiac Mindwarp and The Cardiacs. Norris's vision was simple yet profound: to curate a dance experience that embraced both obscure and popular tracks, ensuring that every tune ignited the dancefloor. This reissue not only revives the spirit of The Hangout but also celebrates the enduring impact of its eclectic playlist. With remastered sound and original artwork, this compilation is a treasure trove for fans of psychedelic and freakbeat music, showcasing a pivotal era in Liverpool's vibrant club culture.

Review: Two-Piers is one of those very special imprints that has tasked itself with unearthing the kind of gems people who compile movie soundtracks only ever seem to be able to find. In the past, the label's compilations have focused on essay-worthy things like the evolution of French pop (1964-2019, no less), and but in this case the team turns its attention to a bonafide zeitgeist.

Calling everything here 'rare' would be overstating it - we have legendary household names in the form of Nina Simone, Willie Nelson, and Tim Buckley, to name but a few. But nothing here is an obvious choice, calling to mind a bygone age when you could still find yourself discovering new material by chart-toppers years after falling in love with them because access to everything was limited. Aligned by a feeling - late nights spent stargazing with equally obsessed musos - what's here is marvelously timeless.

Review: The world of garage psychedelic rock is a mad one and this deep dive into it is a thrilling ride indeed. It takes a look right at the start of the genre from the moment it exploded on the underground scene in the US and UK in the mid-60s right up until 2019 in the midst of its revival. This is the second instalment in the series after the Two-Piers label kicked it off with Pop Psychedelique (The Best of French Psychedelic Pop 1964-2019). All the key bands such as The Paragons, The Preachers, The Strangeloves, The Squires and The Monks are featured and make for a fine celebration of this unique genre.

Review: Waves of Distortion (The Best of Shoegaze 1990-2022) is a superbly curated trip through the genre from the good folks at Two Piers, who have served up similarly excellent collections focussed on everything from French psychedelic pop to garage psych. This serves as both a fine intro and a great retrospective for existing fans that will take you down a rabbit hole and leave you wanting more. Some of the scene's original pioneers feature and there are many timeless tunes here that help to document the subtle evolution of the genre throughout the decades.

Review: The Pains of Being Pure At Heart. The Hit Parade. Primal Scream. The Springfields. Two Piers has bitten off perhaps more than any label, let alone singular compilation, could ever hope to chew with the rather challenging idea of compressing almost 40 years of indie pop history into an album. Albeit an expansive one. Nevertheless, Come To My World does a fantastic job directing a colourful montage of sounds that have defined and rethought the charts during the past few decades, pioneering bands that have contributed to the rich tapestry of sonic art that soundtracked births, deaths, marriages, falling in love, falling out of love, drunken nights in sticky-floored clubs, and solitary journeys home on rain-soaked streets - whether listening to a Walkman, Discman, MiniDisc player or digital music device.

Review: Wig Out! Freak Out!, the latest compilation from Two-Piers, dives into the world of freakbeat, pysch and mod from 1964-1969. Pulling the cream of tracks from the UK and United States freakbeat and garage scenes of the time, this one is squarely aimed at the alternative 1960s and club dancefloors. Compiled by Mark McQuillan, and with tracks from The Sonics, The Kinks, The Action, Chocolate Watch Band, The Haunted, The Standells, Paul Revere and The Raiders, The Shadows of Knight, The Yardbirds, The Seeds and more - Wig Out! Freak Out! is packed full of freakbeat and mod classics.

Review: Night Train: Transcontinental Landscapes 1968-2019 offers a lifetime of a music on this magical collection chosen from the familiar and surreal, guided by an eclectic selection of tracks curated by the compiler of Music For The Stars. From the laid-back grooves of JJ Cale's 'Cherry' to the haunting beauty of Linda Perhacs' 'Hey, Who Really Cares,' each song paints a vivid picture of the changing fields and coastline outside your window. This assortment showcases the power of compilations to expand one's musical taste, with artists like The B-52's, Chris & Cosey and Tangerine Dream offering their own unique contributions to the sonic tapestry. With tracks ranging from introspective to euphoric, The Night Train celebrates the beauty created by artists and musicians alike, inviting listeners on a transcendent journey through space, sound and emotion.

Review: Come to My World, released by Two-Piers, is a fantastic look through the rich and often misunderstood history of Indie Pop. This compilation delves into the genre's evolution from its grassroots beginnings in the 1980s to the vibrant scene that thrives today. Indie Pop has always been more than just music; it's a subculture where fans cherish 7" B-sides, fanzines, and handmade record sleeves, forming a tight-knit community that values DIY ethics and underground charm. The compilation begins with groundbreaking acts like Talulah Gosh, The Flatmates, and Primal Scream, all of whom laid the foundation on labels such as Sarah Records and Creation. It then explores the influential C86 era, featuring more commercially successful bands like The Primitives and The Soup Dragons, before diving into the 1990s with the unsung brilliance of Heavenly and the burgeoning Scottish scene with BMX Bandits and The Vaselines. As the genre entered the 2000s, US bands like Dum Dum Girls and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart carried the torch, while across the Atlantic, groups like Joanna Gruesome and Veronica Falls kept the spirit alive. The compilation closes with the future of indie pop with rising stars like The Goon Sax and Ribbon Stage, proving that the genre's legacy remains vibrant. Pressed on a limited 'sunburst marvel' marbled & crystal green vinyl 2xLP, Come to My World is both a tribute to Indie Pop's past and a celebration of its enduring influence. It's an invitation to explore and embrace a world that has always thrived just beneath the mainstream's surface.