That’s heaven to me

The grand parade of lifeless packaging? Far from it, as this much-delayed blockbuster reissue of one of prog’s most fascinating and frustrating albums finally proves.

Every month we get inside the mind of one of the biggest names in music. This issue: Roy Harper . Since the mid-60s, the progressive folk singer-songwriter has enjoyed a successful solo career that’s also found him collaborating with everyone from Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel to Kate Bush and Ian Anderson. But he’s never quite reached the commercial heights of his peers. As his Final Tour: Part Two fast approaches, he looks back over highlights from his career so far and teases a brand-new album.

Cleo Laine (Born 1927) Jazz singer Over a career spanning many decades, Cleo Laine’s richly colourful contralto voice and exceptional vocal agility won her a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performan

Zaytoun Songs by JS Bach, Monteverdi, Purcell and Sayed Darwish et al Haitham Haidar (tenor), Sylvain Bergeron (archlute), Abdul-Wahab Kayyali (oud) et al Athene ATH 23027 51:44 mins In medieval Spain

The curious tale of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway on tour

‘Magnifique’, B-side A B-side cut from the first Scissor Sisters album, this track is a manifesto for the band’s approach to pop music. A high-camp and flirtatious description of a handsome piece of t