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A lesser-remembered album from America, and one with some surprisingly nice moments, too! The group here are still working with producer George Martin – but they're recording in Hawaii, with some tight studio help – and almost hitting that sound they helped inspire in so many others with their earlier records – a perfect warm, mellow, seventies mode that's mighty nice throughout! A few tunes almost bring in an undercurrent of funk – more of a bit of a punch at the bottom, with less of the fragile acoustic modes of before – although a few nice tracks still have those in place as well. Drummer Willie Leacox brings in a nice kick to the set – and titles include "God Of The Sun", "Sergeant Darkness", "Sarah", "These Brown Eyes", "Don't Cry Baby", "Hurricane", and "Now She's Gone".

A well-titled album, given that the overall feel here is maybe a bit more stripped-down and almost rootsy at times – even though the trio's still working with producer George Martin! The set was recorded in just a week at Caribou Ranch – and it's almost a return to the core harmonies and acoustic elements of the group's roots – cast out here with perfect compressed sound, yet also hitting harder with a few more punched-up moments at times too. There's a nice "past the hits" quality to the set – and titles include "She's A Liar", "Letter", "Watership Down", "Amber Cascades", "Lovely Night", and "Who Loves You" – plus "Hideaway (parts 1 & 2)", which has this great mellow groove and piano from Martin that could easily be a hip hop sample!

The slimmed-down, single LP effort that Capitol issued after the collapse of the legendary Smile album – and a pretty sublime set nonetheless! Sure, some might argue that you can't enjoy Brian Wilson's genius until you've listened to 20 bootlegs of the sessions with dozens of takes on the tunes – but honestly, this slim little set is more than enough to prove to us that the man's a genius – and it's filled with really wonderful tunes that still stand as some of the most incredible moments in 60s pop! Production is amazing, vocals are wonderful, and the quick changes of theme and setting really keep things interesting – all without making us feel like we're getting hit over the head with some cheap gimmicks. Titles include "Vegetables", "Heroes & Villains", "Fall", "Little Pad", "With Me Tonight", and "Wind Chimes".

A whole set of rocking instrumentals from the Bill Black Combo – their own Memphis instrumental versions of tunes recorded by Chuck Berry at Chess – served up in the group's trademark blend of guitar, organ, and tenor sax! There's a bit more guitar than usual on some of the cuts – an obvious nod to Berry's prowess on the instrument – yet other tunes have the tenor taking this place, and working some cool groovy sounds with the lead instrument lines. Titles include "Roll Over Beethoven", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "School Days", "Carol", "Maybellene", "Thirty Days", and "Reelin & Rockin".

A stone classic from Blood Sweat & Tears – and a record that went onto have a tremendous impact in jazz, rock, funk, and soul! The group's format is plenty darn famous – adding a lot of horns to hip riffing grooves – but despite countless plays on oldies stations over the years, this initial album still has a power that's undeniable – a way of putting the whole thing together that really uses the best elements of the late 60s studio – handled with sweet production from James William Guerico that rivals his best work for Chicago! Even the lead vocals by David Clayton Thomas hold up nicely – and the set includes the classics "Variations On A Theme By Eric Satie", "And When I Die", "Smiling Phases", "More & More", "Spinning Wheel", and "You've Made Me So Very Happy". CD features bonus live tracks – "More & More" and "Smiling Phases".

A wild debut from Blood Sweat & Tears – one of those records that forever changed the face of popular music! The set's noteworthy not just for early vocals from Al Kooper – who was a key part of the group at their start – but also for key production work from a young John Simon – who helped arrange a bit, threw in a few musical touches, and really gave the group some focus on record – of the sort that would continue over the course of man albums. The set's got some added strings at points, and there's even some backup vocals from the duo of Valerie Simpson and Melba Moore. Titles include "Overture", "I Can't Quit Her", "Just One Smile", "Without Her", "My Days Are Numbered", "Morning Glory", and "So Much Love/Underture". CD features bonus tracks – "Refugee From Yuhupitz", plus demo versions of "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" and "The Modern Adventures Of Plato Diogenes & Freud".

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great – yet also with some cool twists and turns that make a record like this so great – the kind of chance-taking that A&M sometimes allowed its artists to take at the time! Backings are super-groovy – arranged by Artie Butler and Don McGinis – and titles include "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Teardrop City", "I Wanna Be Free", "The Countess", "Population", and "Two For The Price Of One" – a great cover of a Larry Williams & Johnny Watson soul tune! Features bonus mono single tunes – "The Ambushers", "Love Every Day", "Where Angels Go Trouble Follows", and "I Wanna Be Free".

One of the headiest albums from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – as you might guess from the image on the cover! The album continues the playful quality of previous A&M sets, but also has a deeper feel too – a bit more soul on the vocals, which really comes through on the album's few covers – and a slightly more socially-conscious approach to the lyrics too – supported by backings by a core group that features John Gallie on some especially great organ and keyboards, and great arrangements from Jimmie Haskell! The shift is great proof that these two were way more than just songwriters – and titles include "Change", "Maybe Somebody Heart", "Abracadabra", "My Baby Loves Sad Songs", "Thanks For Sunday", and "Strawberry Girl". CD features bonus mono tracks – "Six & Six", "LUV – Let Us Vote", "We're All Going To The Same Place", "PO Box 9487", and "Alice Long".

A standout set from the songwriting team who provided plenty of greatness for The Monkees – but who sound equally great on their own! The music here really soars nicely – tight LA pop from the late 60s, but never too overdone – and often set up with a jaunty groove that's a perfect A&M approach to the music! Vocals are often compressed nicely into the instrumentation – further enforcing the cooler sounds of these hook-heavy tunes – and titles include "Shadows", "Out & About", "I Should Be Going Home", "In The Night", "Abe's Tune", and the cool "Life". CD features both mono and stereo mixes of the album!

Early genius from The Carpenters – a really tremendous little album, and one that's quite different than their soft rock hits of the 70s! There's a plenty playful feel to the set – energy that comes right off the best Sunshine Pop of late 60s A&M Records – to which this album is a perfect link – a mode in which the studio's as much a part of the sound as Richard and Karen's own contributions – wrapped up with a heavenly approach by producer Jack Daugherty. Tunes are simpler, sometimes more personal – and there's lots of nice basic music touches along the way – a piano here, sweet keyboard there, some gentle drums, and more – all to make the music sound totally groovy! If you've ever heard the Roger Nichols music for A&M, and wondered how he could have such a later link to this pair, this is the album to show you the way. Titles include "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing", "Your Wonderful Parade", "Turn Away", "All Of My Life", "Ticket To Ride", "Don't Be Afraid", "What's The Use", and "Someday".

Wobbly sounds from Casino Vs Japan – loads of great low fi electronics that really take us back to that key 90s moment when so many folks were rediscovering the sound of the analogue generation! The music here comes from a few years after that moment, but still shares the same love of shapes and textures that made the rediscovery so great – and if anything, the lack of immediacy allows these guys to just lay back and find their own space – often letting the tunes just take form slowly, without any overdone qualities – giving the whole thing a really personal feel that's still quite vibrant all these many years later! Almost like a post-rock version of the Sky Records sounds from the German scene of the late 70s/early 80s – with tracks that include "It's Very Sunny", "Metrobolt", "Dielectric Saints", "The Larp", "Medery", "Warm Windows", and "Theme".

Nothing cheesy about this sweet little set – a warmly soulful batch of tunes from this lesser-light of the TK Records universe in the 70s – a great group with a beautiful way of mixing compressed rock and tight soulful undercurrents! The approach has echoes of more commercial work of the time – but all the charm of a more heartfelt indie – the kind of obscure record that still holds onto an AOR vibe, yet really shows us all the best potential of that genre when it's not being pointed to strongly towards the charts! Backings have some nice jazzy inflections, and the vocals are recorded in this way that slides them right down with the grooves – on titles that include "I Got Love", "Sweet Harmony", "Man In Love", "City Life", "Time Is An Arrow", and "Lady Of The Night".

A second sublime set from Ruth Copeland – a funky female singer from the Detroit scene of the early 70s, with key ties to the P-Funk universe, and a unique groove that mixes singer/songwriter modes with the fuzzier funkier elements of artists like Betty Davis or Yvonne Fair! There's a bit more emphasis on soul here than the funk of Copeland's previous efforts – but in a way that makes for an even more impressive record overall, especially when you realize that Ruth arranged and produced the whole thing. George Clinton and Eddie Hazel both had a hand in co-writing songs with Copeland – and instrumentation features Hazel on guitar, plus Bernie Worrell on piano – so there's still a key P-Funk link. Titles include the breakbeat track "Suburban Family Lament", the fuzzy stoner funk number "Don't You Wish You Had", and covers of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" and "Play With Fire" – plus "Crying Has Made Me Stronger", "Hare Krishna", and "The Medal". CD features bonus single versions of "Hare Krishna" and "Gimme Shelter".

A surprisingly groovy little set – one of a few outings cut by singer Ruth Copeland – kind of an enigmatic figure in the early P-Funk years! The approach here is more rock than soul, but there's definitely some funky undercurrents too – of the sort that have always made Copeland a favorite with break freaks over the years – thanks to help on the album from Dennis Coffey, Eddie Hazel, Bernie Worrell, and George Clinton! Ruth arranged, performed, and produced the core part of the album herself – but the production style is surprisingly strong – with a use of space and strings that almost shows a bit of Axelrod influence at times, although more skewed towards the Detroit soul scene that Copeland called home. Titles include the classic "Your Love Been So Good To Me", which starts with a very fuzzy electric break, and "I Got a Thing For You Daddy", which has some great spacey guitars on the intro – plus "Child of the North", "No Commitment", "A Gift of Me", and "The Music Box". CD features three bonus tracks too – single versions of "The Music Box", "A Gift Of Me", and "No Commitment".

A mix of storming instrumentals and vocal tunes by The Eliminators – one of the great 60s studio creations tailor-made to rip it up on surf, drag and any kinda thematic grooves! This one includes some takes on the Liverpool sound, as well – and the players include a few soon-to-be legends like Leon Russell – who serves as the musical arranger here! A nice mix of groovy and seedy stormers. Includes "Can't Buy Me Love", "Twist And Shout", "Needles And Pins", "Classy Lotus Chassis", "Surfing Iguana", "Malibu Wipeout", "The Challenger", "Hillclimb Hilda", "Red Hot Scrambler – Go!" and more.

An overlooked gem from the glory days of the west coast surf scene – the standout set from The Fantastic Baggys, a group who are also known for their backup work with Jan & Dean! There's a very Jan & Dean vibe going on here – right down to the backings from Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew – but the overall sound's a bit looser, too – a bit less iconic, and almost a bit less perfect – in ways that make for a lot of charm as the album rolls along! The set's almost worth it alone for the track "This Little Woody" – and other titles include "Big Gun Board", "Alone On The Beach", "Surfer Boy's Dream Come True", "When Surfers Rule", and "Wax Up Your Board".

A smoking little set from Flaming Ember – a rock group at the core, but one who has plenty of blue-eyed soul in the mix – thanks to great production from Greg Perry, and strong arrangements from HB Barnum and McKinley Jackson – all of whom give the record a vibe that's right up there with the best Hot Wax/Invictus soul sets of the time! There's a nice amount of fuzz in the grooves – that post-Motown style that uses lots of great bass and guitar alongside core Detroit soul modes – and although the vocals have more of a rockish approach, the instrumental undercurrent is a great mix of funk, rock, and soul! Titles include the sweet soul ballad "Sunshine", plus the cuts "Ember Blues", "1200 Miles From Heaven", "Livin High Money Low", "Gotta Get Away", "Heart On Lovin You", "Stop The World & Let Me Off", and "Ding Need Dong". CD features bonus tracks – "Robot In A Robot's World", "If It's Good To You It's Good For You", "If It's Good To You It's Good For You (inst)", "Heart On Lovin You (long version)", and "Stop The World & Let Me Off (long version)".

A stone classic from Flaming Ember – a combo with a sound rooted in rock, but filled with plenty of soul too – making they a key funky crossover act in the early 70s! These guys borrow the best of Motown soul and the best of the jazzier rock groups of the time – and often use lots of raw congas in with their percussion – which keeps things grooving with plenty of soulful inflections. There's some nice psych production at times – a bit like the best Norman Whitfield modes at the start of the 70s – and titles include "Flashbacks & Reruns", "The Empty Crowded Room", "Going In Circles", "Westbound #9", "Spinning Wheel", and "Shades Of Green". CD features three bonus tracks – "Filet De Soul", "Don't You Wanna Wanna", and "Desert Village".

Titles include "Red Rain", "Sledgehammer", "Don't Give Up", "In Your Eyes", and "Big Time".

A standout early classic from Jan & Dean – and the record that really helped make them as much of a studio force as The Beach Boys! Jan arranged and produced the entire set – and he definitely gives Brian Wilson a run for his money – coming up with cool charts, sharp instrumentation, and unusual timings for the tunes – really keeping things playful throughout, and setting a musical fire that really has the duo vocals taking off! The whole thing's about as perfect as you could get for a west coast set from the time – and titles include "Bucket T", "Mighty GTO", "New Girl In School", "Linda", "Barons West LA", "Dead Man's Curve", and "Hey Little Freshman".

Incredible vocals from Jan & Dean – a set that really has the duo taking off wonderfully – with soaring harmonies that are even better than before! The pair were already great from the start, but their singing really hits the limit here – often working with a bit less backings than on other albums, which means that there's even more creative arrangements on the vocals – and a lot more vocal parts taking the place of instruments – a bit like some of the more pyrotechnic east coast vocal groups from a few years before. Titles include "Linda", "Surfin", "Mr Bass Man", "Surfin Safari", "When I Learn How To Cry", "The Gypsy Cried", "The Best Friend I Ever Had", and "Rhythm Of The Rain".

A goofy title track, and a groovy little album from Jan & Dean – a set that has them settling nicely into their role as one of the most playful pairs in west coast pop – with a heck of a lot more staying power than some of their more surf-washed contemporaries! The album's got a number of tracks that follow in the similar LA-environs mode as the title track – but instead of being gimmicky, they almost come across with this whimsical sort of charm – like they're Jan & Dean's version of British tunes from The Kinks – a wonderfully playful picture postcard version of California, with more wit than you might expect! Titles include "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena", "The Anaheim Azusa & Cuckamonga Sewing Circle", "Summer Means Fun", "Old Ladies Seldom Power Shift", "Sidewalk Surfin", "One Piece Topless Bathing Suit", and "Horace The Swinging School Bus Driver".

The title track is one of the biggest hits ever from Jan & Dean – but the album's filled with other groovy numbers that really stretch out past familiar territory – including a number of other "city-based" tracks, all given the sweet Jan & Dean touch! The duo are great on lead vocals – and get some ripping studio help from members of the Wrecking Crew, plus great lead guitar from folks like Glen Campbell and Billy Strange – both of whom help keep a nice twangy sound on the tunes! Titles include "Surf City", "Soul City", "Detroit City", "Memphis", "Manhattan", and "Tallahassee Lassie".

A strange lost relic from Beach Boy Bruce Johnston – recorded in the mid 70s with some sweet AOR production work by Gary Usher. The album's actually a fantastic slice of late 60s sunny LA pop – and features work by Curt Boettcher, Chad Stuart, and a few other lost pop luminaries – working with Johnston in a compressed style of pop that's got some nice similarities to the better 70s work of the Beach Boys. The album includes great remakes of "Deirdre" and "Disney Girls", a strangely nice version of "I Write The Songs" (actually written by Johnston himself!) – and the tracks "Rendezvous", "Won't Somebody Dance With Me", "Pipeline", and "Thank You Baby". A great bit of overlooked soft rock from the 70s! 2 bonus tracks on this Japanese CD edition: single and 12" disco versions of "Pipeline".

High school and hot rods – groovy Capitol work, courtesy of producer Gary Usher – and of course, it features an incredible roster of west coast studio geniuses behind the curtain! A fun mix of instrumentals and vocal tunes, with beach and surf harmonies, R&B-indebted rumblers and other thematic touches – honking sax, gritty percussion, nicely grooving organs and chugging guitars – what more could you ask for? The niceness of the vocal tunes is a surprise, but the instrumentals are unsurprisingly great! Titles include "Hot Rod High", "Midnight Auto", "School Days", "Be True To Your School", "Hot Rod, USA", "I Get Around", "Rock Around The Clock", "Skippin' School", "Theme For Teen Love" and more.

A really unusual later chapter in the career of guitarist Robby Krieger – a post-Doors album done for Blue Note Records – and a set that's got more than enough jazzy touches to live up to its placement on the label! Krieger's guitar gets plenty of workout on the album's fusion-styled grooves – often a lot more jazz than the rock you'd expect, with some especially great keyboards from Stu Goldberg and Sal Marquez – the latter of whom handled most of the soulful arrangements on the set. There's a bit of vocals – sometimes by a chorus, sometimes processed in a way that's almost vocoder – and the whole thing owes a lot more to mid 70s funky fusion than any of Robby's work with the Doors. Titles include "The Ally", "Low Bottomy", "Big Oak Basin", "Spare Changes", "Uptown", and "Gumpopper".

Arguably one of the greatest German albums of the early 70s prog era – the stunning debut of Faust, and a record beyond compare! The group his hitting here amazingly on all burners – stretching out long, rhythmic jams – working out weird production techniques – and blasting noisy bits when you least expect it – all in a style that's as playful as it is experimental, as charming as it is un-self-indulgent (if such a word actually exists!) The music is as mysterious as its original clear sleeve, clear vinyl package – and titles include "Miss Fortune", "Why Don't You Eat Carrots", and "Meadow Meal".

Inimitable early greatness from Faust – a big step from from the freer early work into more of a song based structure – but hardly more accessible, and just as hypnotic and arresting! Faust So Far, to put simply, is one the great groundbreaking albums of the era – recorded in Germany in 1972, a landmark of free prog rock of the 70s, as well as a pivotal, boundary busting tunefulness, from the primitive, driving percussion numbers, to tunes with a swirling, atmospherics. Tracks include "No Harm", "So Far", "Picnic On A Frozen River", "On The Way To Abamae", and "It's A Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl".

Important work from Robert Fripp and the brothers Peter & Michael Giles – recorded a year before the first King Crimson album with a mad sound that's somewhere in between Bowie's early Deram recordings, and some of the Syd Barrett work with Pink Floyd! Although Fripp's guitar figures nicely in the sound of the group, the overall style is much more whimsical and heavily arranged than any of his later work – done with a playful blend of strings and piano, and also some surprising jazz undercurrents from time to time. There's none of the overblown modes of the early King Crimson sound – and if anything, the record's a charmingly understated set that's ripe for rediscovery by ears trained on newly revived strands of 60s music! Titles include "The Sun Is Shining", "One In A Million", "Saga Of Rodney Toady", "North Meadow", "Call Tomorrow", "Digging My Lawn", "Erudite Eyes", and "The Crukster".