- Observer Music Monthly, Sunday 16 July 2006
Chain reaction
Good news for anyone who grew up in the late Eighties and dabbled with winklepickers: remastered versions of five Jesus and Mary Chain albums are released by Rhino UK this month, while the Cure's remasters series continues with the appearance of expanded versions of The Top, The Head on the Door and Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (Universal Music Catalogue). Oldies will thrill to a 40th anniversary edition of the Rolling Stones's Aftermath (also UMC) and a 'deluxe' version of Eric Clapton's 1970 self-titled debut (UM3/Polydor) .
Buy George
Soundtrack of the month is Jack Johnson and Friends' Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George (Brushfire): no point complaining about the Hawaiian singer-songwriter's child-like muse in this instance. Also, Superman Returns (Warners) sees John Willams's score for the old movie get kitted up in a new costume by John Ottman
Drinking music
Essential this month is World 2006 (Korova), broadcaster and OMM contributor Charlie Gillett's regular annual compilation of the best in world music. There are tracks from records already championed in these pages - from Camille's Le Fil to Ali Farka Toure's new Savane - as well as startling new discoveries. Alas, illness means that Charlie has decided to stop his Saturday night BBC London show (but will keep broadcasting on the World Service).
Lip-smacking too in its own way is Music from the Wine Lands (Putamayo) - 'a full-bodied selection of songs from the world's leading wine-producing regions'.
Other quirky compilations include Granny Takes A Trip (SonyBMG), a collection of tunes as once heard in the swinging London boutique of that name.
Sleng your hook
Finally, a quick shout-out to Original Riddims on Trojan, a collection of 24 of reggae's most sampled cuts, from Eric Donaldson's 'Cherry Oh Baby' to Wayne Smith's 'Under Me Sleng Teng'.
