Wandering about the outer edges of the musical landscape like a crazed prophet defiantly marching to the sound of a different drum, Beefheart's oblique and occasionally miraculous music has always polarised listeners, inspiring zealous believers to acts of devotion or causing consternation amongst bewildered onlookers who can't figure out what all the fuss is about.

Taking 1972's Clear Spot commercial leanings to their logical conclusion, his Virgin debut, Unconditionally Guaranteed, (1974) is a shot at the bigtime that alienated many die-hard fans at the time with its unashamedly commercial overtones.

Falling between two stools, the uneven songwriting isn't good enough to buy a place at the bar with the likes of Rod Stewart and Mick Jagger (as he hoped it would), nor fully satisfy the hardcore who saw the ironed-out incongruities and smoother timbre of the album as nothing short of a sell-out; harsh though understandable in the face of what had gone before. In truth, this isn't anything like the bad album that received wisdom reckons it to be.

Perhaps its greatest crime is that it offers a dissenting voice from the avant-garde comfort zone both fans and Van Vliet had painted himself into. A whole different kettle of fish to Trout Mask Replica's avant-glory, "On The My-O- My" and "Full Moon, Hot Sun" nevertheless retain the expected grit and gravel of the Beefheart thrum.

Minus his old Magic Band colleagues, who'd defected en masse after being screwed (yet again), over money, Beefheart toured with a hastily convened pick-up band promoting Unconditionally Guaranteed.

Previously unreleased, Live In Drury Lane London '74, shows Don and his so-called Tragic Band were actually anything but. Slicker than the older band, this particular eye witness to that tour recalls an impressive and highly energetic set, though their renditions of old warhorses such as "Abba Zabba" veered toward the anodyne.

Despite having trouble getting it together in the studio, Bluejeans And Moonbeams (also from '74), when it comes to a straight vocal delivery, Van Vliet's voice has never been recorded as sympathetically or as lavishly as on here.

"Further Than We've Gone" and the exquisite cover version of JJ Cale's "Same Old Blues" showcase Beefheart the balladeer - a great voice supported by good songs. With its Jaggeresque "thinking about you all the time" chorus line, "Twist Ah Luck" wouldn't sound out of place on a Rolling Stones album of the time.