Medicine Head - Radio Sessions 1971-1977 (Live at Radio 1) (2020)

Continuing to mine the Medicine Head archive, Angel Air come up with possibly the most valuable disc yet, no less than 17 tracks tracing the band's history via the radio sessions that were one of their primal stomping grounds. It is no secret that Medicine Head landed their first break at the hands of DJ John Peel, and most (if not all) of the cuts here are taken either from his BBC radio show, or from those helmed by his compatriots at the corporation, Stuart Henry and Bob Harris there's a helpful sessionography at the back of the accompanying booklet. "Pictures in the Sky," Medicine Head's first hit, opens the set in magnificent style, darker and more echoey than the familiar single; future hits "One and One Is One" replayed here with almost metallic attack and a super funky "Slip and Slide" and "Rising Sun" (recorded live) are here as well, but the real meat lies in the drama and energy that permeates elsewhere. The throbbing "Coast to Coast," the bluesy "To Train Time," the mellow "Only to Do What Is True" listening to this collection reminds us just how desperately Medicine Head deserve a box set, seven years of history resplendent with so many classic songs that you cannot help but want to hear more. The CD ends with the jewel that began everything for Medicine Head and a 1977 replay of their debut single, "His Guiding Hand." At the time of its original release, it was a beautiful song of hope; here it feels like a sad farewell, and so it was. Medicine Head departed soon after this broadcast and will never be heard again.