AtoZ

Even if they hadn’t included a song about West Side Story on their 1976 debut, Blondie would still have been the quintessential New York band, with their hands in seemingly every scene in the city. After covering The Shangri-Las’ “Out In The Streets” during their first recording session – demos from which are included in this generous boxset – the band fused girl-group pop with outer-boroughs garage rock and Bowery punk on their first two full-lengths. In 1978 Parallel Lines, their best album, bridged CBGB with Studio 54, thanks to the ¤ ashy sheen provided by producer Mike Chapman. “Heart Of Glass” was a legitimate disco hit (the demo here is even called “Disco Song”), rarity “Puetro Rico” embraces the Latin music explosion in the Bronx, and their 1980 hit “Rapture” gave a shout-out to Fab Five Freddy and the burgeoning hip-hop scene. The bonus material proves just as revelatory as the remastered albums, as Against The Odds doubles as a shadow history of the city’s creative heyday.

Extras: 8/10. Liner notes from Uncut contributor Erin Osmon, a trove of demos and rarities. STEPHEN DEUSNER

To mark Ziggy’s 50th anniversary and in lieu of a larger boxset, the Bowie estate have released this reasonably priced reissue of the 1972 classic. It’s a half-speed master pressed on a customised vintage lathe taken from a 192kHz digital version of the Trident masters, so is extremely crisp with a wider range, but lacks a little of the oomph and sensuality of the 1972 release. That’s particularly noticeable with the first few numbers on each side, although it does seem to improve as we get deeper into each side, with this edition’s “Rock’n’Roll Suicide” making for a particularly thrilling dénouement. If you need a new copy, this isn’t a bad option, although it will be unlikely to replace the original in your aftections. There’s also a new picture disc version for those seeking to complete their Bowie collection or looking for something nice to put on the wall.