Over the years, there have been a surplus of Fleetwood Mac compilations but prior to 2018's 50 Years: Don't Stop, very few have attempted to tell the band's story from beginning to end. There was only one, actually: 25 Years-The Chain, released two years into the Mac's uncertain post-Lindsey Buckingham era. Buckingham rejoined the band in 1997 but he was kicked out prior to the November '18 release of 50 Years: Don't Stop, his departure coloring the perception of the triple-disc compilation in the sense that Fleetwood Mac's story doesn't belong to him. 50 Years proves this through its chronological sequencing, which underscores the group's evolution from blues-rockers to album rock titans and, finally, to pop superstars (its accompanying single disc of highlights, in contrast, is deliberately front-loaded with hits, so it's not as instructive).

Fresh Cream represents so many different firsts, it's difficult to keep count. Cream, of course, was the first supergroup, but their first album not only gave birth to the power trio, it also was instrumental in the birth of heavy metal and the birth of jam rock. That's a lot of weight for one record and, like a lot of pioneering records, Fresh Cream doesn't seem quite as mighty as what would come later, both from the group and its acolytes. In retrospect, the moments on the LP that are a bit unformed – in particular, the halting waltz of "Dreaming" never achieves the sweet ethereal atmosphere it aspires to – stand out more than the innovations, which have been so thoroughly assimilated into the vocabulary of rock & roll, but Fresh Cream was a remarkable shift forward in rock upon its 1966 release and it remains quite potent.

Although the vast majority of Rolling Stones songs from the Mick Taylor era sported Jagger/Richard writing credits, there's no denying that Taylor provided an extra creative spark for the band – as the Stones never truly scaled the same heights as Sticky Fingers or Exile on Main St. again. And the same (albeit less surprisingly) could be said for Taylor after he went his merry way from Stones land. But Taylor remains one heck of a blues-rock guitar player to this day, as evidenced by 2003's 14 Below. Originally issued in 1995 as Live at 14 Below: Coastin' Home, the re-release features the same exact track listing but a different album cover.

Most famous for his vocal and guitar work in the group Ten Years After, Alvin Lee had a long solo career after the band dispersed, still working in the hard rock, rockabilly, and British blues style that TYA did until his sudden death in Spain in the spring of 2013. This set captures his last live show, a concert held in Raalte, Holland, on May 28, 2012, with a crisp rhythm section of Pete Pritchard on bass and Richard Newman on drums. The show was recorded, and although it wasn't recorded to be an official release, Lee was pleased with the performance and authorized its release, not knowing, of course, that it would be his swan song.

Delta's 1998 release Rarities contains nine tracks that are the product of a 1965 jam session with Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, Chris Winters, and Ian Stewart.

Fuelled by Coco Montoya's searing but economical string-slashing, drummer Joe Yuele, and bassist Rick Cortes, John Mayall has managed to keep a stable core of Bluesbreakers together in recent years. Mayall rarely does the same album twice, and Wake Up Call finds him returning to a basic, physical sound after 1990's more progressive/highly produced A Sense of Place. The harp whiz has rarely flirted with the pop charts over the decades, a track record that will likely handicap the title track - a potential hit featuring guest vocalist Mavis Staples and some take-charge riffing from former mate Mick Taylor. For pure guitar joy though, Montoya turns the trick all on his own with barnburners "Loaded Dice" and "Nature's Disappearing".

Three CD set containing the classic albums and recordings made by the legendary Chicken Shack between 1971 and 1974. Featuring the albums Imagination Lady, Unlucky boy, and Goodbye Chicken Shac'. With an illustrated booklet. Chicken Shack had come to prominence in the late 1960s as one of Britain's finest Blues bands, recording a series of albums for the Blue Horizon label. By 1971, the band had undergone changes to their line-up and guitarist/vocalist Stan Webb took the band in a harder rock direction. Signing to Decca's Deram label in 1971 under a production deal, Webb's band recorded the fine album Imagination Lady.

This four-disc, 68-track collection paints a broad definition of the blues, with cuts ranging from vintage country blues (Robert Johnson's “Cross Road Blues,” Son House's “Death Letter Blues”) to uptown jazz blues (Nina Simone's “Blues for My Mama,” Billie Holiday's “Billie’s Blues”), Chicago blues (a live version of “Howling Wolf” by Muddy Waters), British blues (Jeff Beck's “JB’s Blues”), and contemporary acoustic blues (“Am I Wrong” by Keb' Mo'), with plenty of stops in between, making for a random but varied playlist that circles the different approaches and musical definitions of the genre.

A classic example of the whole not matching the component parts, Tramp featured several high-profile veterans of the British blues boom including Mick Fleetwood (drums), Bob Brunning (bass), Danny Kirwan (guitar), Dave Kelly (vocals), Jo Ann Kelly (vocals) and Bob Hall (keyboards). Hall, like Brunning, had earlier been co-leader of the Brunning-Hall Sunflower Blues Band. Tramp made their debut for Music Man Records in 1969 with a self-titled collection which lacked direction or convincing songwriting. Far better were the group’s singles, ‘Each Day’ (1969) and ‘Vietnam Rose’ (1970). A further album was issued in 1974, by which time the group featured an expanded line-up with Dave Brooks (saxophone) and Ian Morton (percussion) joining the original sextet. Again, however, Put A Record On featured nothing that an average bar room blues band might not have aspired towards, and sold poorly. With such high-profile names involved, both Tramp albums have subsequently been reissued on CD.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers featured the best of the early 60s English rhythm and blues scene, including members of the Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Cream and more. This compilation of live tracks was recorded in the USA and Italy in the early 1980's, and features performances by John McVie (Fleetwood Mac) and Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones) from the reformed Bluesbreakers tour of 1982. Over 70 minutes of the finest blues including a storming workout of "The Stumble". Full booklet. A replica of the release of Secret Records Limited.

A classic example of the whole not matching the component parts, Tramp featured several high-profile veterans of the British blues boom including Mick Fleetwood (drums), Bob Brunning (bass), Danny Kirwan (guitar), Dave Kelly (vocals), Jo Ann Kelly (vocals) and Bob Hall (keyboards). Hall, like Brunning, had earlier been co-leader of the Brunning-Hall Sunflower Blues Band. Tramp made their debut for Music Man Records in 1969 with a self-titled collection which lacked direction or convincing songwriting. Far better were the group’s singles, ‘Each Day’ (1969) and ‘Vietnam Rose’ (1970). A further album was issued in 1974, by which time the group featured an expanded line-up with Dave Brooks (saxophone) and Ian Morton (percussion) joining the original sextet.

Digitally re-mastered reissue of this album from the British Blues icon. The title makes a virtue of necessity, as John Mayall introduces another new line-up Two guitarists, High Tide Harris and Randy Resnick, lead the band in more of an up-tempo R&B style than has been used in much of Mayall's music during the past several years, starting with the timely 'Gasoline Blues' (1974 was the year of the gas lines, remember?) and going on to 'Troubled Times' (which advises impeaching President Nixon). for the first time on CD this sought after John Mayall album is available, endorsed a by John himself, and he has contributed a new interview for the notes.