You've got to love Daevid Allen. He might be in his '60s, but he's never lost or diluted his hippie sensibilities – instead he's just updated them musically as the years have passed. Playing with University of Errors (including former Pere Ubu keyboard player Tony Maimone), he has a harder sound than in the past (especially on tracks like "Skulls Of Our Enemies," which lives up to its hard name). And, overall, Ugly Music for Monica is a deeper meditation than much of his previous work – "Rich Men Eat My Voice" offers a caustic snub of the Rupert Murdoch's of this world, while "If You Die" is a speculation on what happens after. But there's still room for the old whimsical Allen. He brings out his old "Pot Head Pixies" theme song and dresses it up in new clothes for "PHP 2032," then dusts off Kevin Ayers' "Clarence In Wonderland" (a song that needs to be paraded around every few years). If you love the "Daevid Allen" of yore, this tougher edge might not sit easily. But if you appreciate someone who can remain curious and vital as he gets older, this is definitely for you.

THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, the fantastic metal quartet formed by members of Feuerschwanz, Amaranthe and Ad Infinitum, love to explore unseen lands and dive into the adventures of worldwide heroic characters. Sharing their stories with a dedicated fanbase, they now announce their debut album, Metamorphosis, out May 12, 2023 via Napalm Records. With this album, the unit around Ad Infinitum vocal queen Melissa Bonny and Feuerschwanz guitar virtuoso Hans Platz dip their soundscapes into mystical worlds, reinterpreting famous soundtrack themes and writing their own songs dedicated to their favorite characters.

On the 'Deutsche Harmonia Mundi' label - Following the critically acclaim of their previous release The Music Prints of Christopher Plantin, The Huelgas Ensemble, under the direction of Paul Van Nevel, return with their stunning new album The Ear of Christopher Columbus. This remarkable album features music from the late fifteenth century and the early fifteenth century that may have been heard by Christopher Columbus during the course of his lifetime. The Ear of Christopher Columbus takes the listener to a musical journey through the lifetime of the explorer, beginning with his Italian childhood.

The popularity of the guitar has never waned and the sun-drenched sound of Spanish guitar music is one of the instrument’s most popular incarnations. At the helm of performers of this style of guitar music is Narciso Yepes who recorded vast amounts of guitar music for Deutsche Gramophon. This collection brings together some of the gems from among these recordings and indeed, from the body of work for Spanish guitar.

As the V title suggests, Alcatrazz unleash their fifth studio album upon the world this Autumn, and it is their strongest, tightest, heaviest and most unified studio work yet. Featuring the founding members Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea, Alcatrazz welcomes singer Doogie White to the fold, where he joins Mark Benquechea and guitar God prodigy Joe Stump in creating 12 masterful melodic metal selections. From the furious tempest of opener 'Guardian Angel' to the speedy melodic metal of 'Turn of the Wheel' on through to bluesier heavyweights such as 'House of Lies', White nails every note and the band carries an energy not heard for many a year.