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Review: 'Raspberry Beret' reissued in original picture sleeve in a series of Prince 12" reissues from Rhino.

Review: 'Kiss', reissued in original picture sleeve in a series of Prince 12" reissues from Rhino.

Review: Although Regal themselves had reissued a number of The Beta Band originals not too long ago, Rhino has come through this Autumn with a new bunch of represses from the band's '90s output. Champion Versions, alongside The Patty Patty Sound, is one of the outfit's defining moments, not least because of "Dry The Rain", a song which is instantly recognizable in everyone's mind thanks to those lazy, wailing vocals, chuggy drums and melting trumpets. Although that tune is clearly the winner on this EP, "I Know" is equally creative thanks to its broken shreds of percussion and ethereal guitar, whereas "B+A" is a true stoner rock number, and "Dogs Got A Bone" showcases the band's inherent folk sensibilities. Gorgeous.

Review: 1998's Los Beta Bandidos was the perfect addition to The Beta Band's catalogue when it was released. While their previous two EP's played and experimented with stoner rock and folk, their third release was deeper, more traditionally musical but nonetheless coated in the band's quirky outsiderism. "Push It Out" contains the group's familiar vocals except that their surrounded by a jazzier framework, and the same can be said for "It's Over", a deep little number with a heavy folk twist. On the B-side, "Dr Baker" is a beatless hymn backed by a lonesome piano before being eaten up by delays and deformed guitar riffs, while "Needles In My Eyes" is a defining indie tune for the more pensive souls. Another smacker of a reissue; hats off.

Review: Amongst jazz aficionados, Miles Davis's Rubberband album is regarded as one of the genre's "lost classics". Although recorded in 1985, the set has never been released. We're promised it will finally appear later in the year. First, as a taster, we're treated to an EP that accompanies the legendary title track - a dexterous and squeezable chunk of '80s electrofunk blessed with some fine soloing from Davis - with three new "Rubberband of Life" versions. These feature vocalist Ledisi and re-cast the track as a dusty, Fugees style chunk of New York hip-hop soul. While radically different in the best possible way, all three versions (radio edit, extended and instrumental takes) prominently feature the legendary trumpet player's meandering lead lines.