Soul — All Formats  

Forget the "honky tonk" in the title – because this girl knows how to groove! Ellen McIlwaine's got to be one of the most unique talents of the past 50 years – a skilled guitarist, and great singer – working in a blend of folk, jazz, and soul that lies somewhere between the best tunes by Joyce and Joni Mitchell! This album's one of 2 classics she cut for Polydor back in her early years – a mixture of live and studio tunes that are filled with scatting vocals, skittish rhythms, and some really tight (and almost funky) work on acoustic guitar! Tracks include a killer version of "Ode To Billy Joe", plus "Can't Find My Way Home", "Wings Of A Horse", "Toe Hold", "Losing You", "Weird of Hermiston", and "Up From the Skies".

Minnie Riperton's first album for Epic – and the record that broke her from a hip Chicago underground artist into one of the seventies' biggest soul divas! The record moves past the baroque soul of Minnie's early years with Rotary Connection and Charles Stepney – and hits a mix of mellow compressed LA styles and slicker funkier numbers that do the same thing for her Chicago-trained vocals that Rufus' backing did for that of Chaka Khan. Of course, it helps that she's got some superbly sensitive writing and arranging help by husband Richard Rudolph – and Stevie Wonder's definitely lurking in the background, too. Includes Minnie's huge crossover hit "Loving You", a perfect showcase for her beautiful 5 octave voice, plus the tracks "Our Lives", "Every Time He Comes Around", "Perfect Angel", and "Reasons".

Minnie Riperton's first album for Epic – and the record that broke her from a hip Chicago underground artist into one of the seventies' biggest soul divas! The record moves past the baroque soul of Minnie's early years with Rotary Connection and Charles Stepney – and hits a mix of mellow compressed LA styles and slicker funkier numbers that do the same thing for her Chicago-trained vocals that Rufus' backing did for that of Chaka Khan. Of course, it helps that she's got some superbly sensitive writing and arranging help by husband Richard Rudolph – and Stevie Wonder's definitely lurking in the background, too. Includes Minnie's huge crossover hit "Loving You", a perfect showcase for her beautiful 5 octave voice, plus the tracks "Our Lives", "Every Time He Comes Around", "Perfect Angel", and "Reasons".

A dream come true – Minnie's first two solo albums for Epic, back to back on one CD! Perfect Angel was one of THE albums that helped define the sound of female soul in the 70s – a record that moves past the baroque soul of Minnie's early years with Rotary Connection and Charles Stepney – and hits a mix of mellow compressed LA styles and slicker funkier numbers that do the same thing for her Chicago-trained vocals that Rufus' backing did for that of Chaka Khan. Of course, it helps that she's got some superbly sensitive writing and arranging help by husband Richard Rudolph – and Stevie Wonder's definitely lurking in the background, too. Includes Minnie's huge crossover hit "Loving You", a perfect showcase for her beautiful 5 octave voice, plus the tracks "Our Lives", "Every Time He Comes Around", "Perfect Angel", and "Reasons". Adventures In Paradise is even better – and may well be Minnie's greatest album ever! The album's a sparkling work of jazzy soul, with touches of the heavenly production that Minnie got in years past, and lots of smooth mellow songs that are perfectly suited to her other-worldly voice. Includes the massive track "Baby, This Love I Have" – a slow funk number that's be sampled many times over the years – plus the spacey tunes "Minnie's Lament", "Inside My Love", and "Alone In Brewster Bay", remade from Minnie's first LP! 19 tracks in all – and an essential CD for any fan of 70s soul!

The classic debut from Change – and the start of an amazing run of groovers in the early 80s! The set's got a tight, jazzy feel throughout – a stripped-down approach to disco modes, with the same focus on the basslines that you'd find in work by Chic – but a style that's almost even more instrumentally focused overall, given the great range of studio players who worked on the set. Yet there's also some key vocal moments, too – work by Luther Vandross that really helps make some of the best tracks sparkle, and which went onto catapult Vandross into a rich solo career on his own. The set's filled with sharp rhythms and sweet jazzy changes – and titles include the classics "The Glow Of Love" and "Searching", both with Luther, plus "Lover's Holiday", "Angel In My Pocket", and "The End".

An overlooked set from Change – a record that possibly wasn't as hit-worthy as some of their previous efforts – yet one that still had the group very much at the top of their game! By this point, Change had really evolved past being just a studio project, into a rock-solid soul group with a definite ear for a groove – particularly the tight, lean sort of rhythms that percolated in the post-Chic era – making a perfect fit for the slightly jazzy production of the record. Bassbits and beats drive most of the rhythms, but there's still a nice degree of warmth – and vocals are handled by Deborah Cooper, James Robinson, Rick Brennan, and Timmy Allen – who each seem to get their moment in the spotlight, furthering the well-rounded sound of the record. Titles include "Magical Night", "Angel", "This Is Your Time", "Stay N Fit", "Tell Me Why", "Got To Get Up", and "Don't Wait Another Night".

Seminal Atlantic Records work from The Clovers – one of those groups who were already great on their own, but then really took off once they hit the label! There's a rawness to these sides that rivals the early Drifters at their best – the Clyde McPhatter years of that group – with vocal interplay that virtually invents the group harmony sound for years to come, mixed with raw rhythms that often feature lots of The Clovers' trademark guitar from Bill Harris! Easily one of the top 10 group soul albums of the 50s – with tracks that include "Love Love Love", "I Played The Fool", "Devil Or Angel", "Little Mama", "Crawlin", "Here Goes A Fool", "Lovey Dovey, "Yes It's You", "Ting A Ling", and "Hey Miss Fanny".

A landmark LP of guitar-based funk! Dennis Coffey had been playing, arranging, and producing all over the Detroit soul scene by the time this album came out – so it wasn't like he really needed a hit to get paid or anything – but the record forever marked him as a guitar player to be reckoned with, and it was a perfect showcase for Coffey's fuzzed-out funky style, instantly recognizable and still extremely popular today! The album contains the monster breakbeat cut "Scorpio" – kind of a seminal text of hip hop – plus plenty of other groovers like "Getting It On", "Garden Of The Moon", "Big City Funk", and "Sad Angel".

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal".

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Serve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal".

A beautiful bit of funky rocking soul – and the one and only album by the Deirdre Wilson Tabac – a group whose name is as strange as their grooves are funky! The group are best known for their well-compiled track "I Can't Keep From Cryin Sometimes" – an uptempo jazzy gem that mixes skipping Hammond with soaring vocals and some really great horns – and the rest of this set has a very similar feel – one that blends jazz rock with more soulful vocals, in a groove that's totally unique! Sonny Casella wrote, arranged, and produced the record – and he's also the drummer in the group, so there's keen attention to rhythms on all tracks. Titles include "I Can't Keep From Cryin", "Magic One", "I Go To You", "Other Side Of Life", "Angel Baby", "Get Back", "The Last Thing On His Mind", and "Let's All Join Together". Includes two bonus tracks "Turn Around" and "Children Listen".

Soaring soul from Enchantment – one of the smoothest groups of their generation, and an outfit who could sound equally great on the dancefloor or for more laidback listening! The harmonies here are really great – stepping out strongly, and often breaking with an extra effort that almost seems gospel-inspired, but without the cliches that usually mar work of that orientation. Production and arrangements are by Michael Stokes, and very good throughout – full, but stepping back nicely on the more intimate numbers – so that the voices dominate beautifully, and really send home the tunes – in a way that's almost like that great turn The Dramatics took in their post-Stax years. Titles include "Up Higher", "Angel Of My Life", "Silly Love Song", "You Must Be An Angel", "If You're Ready", "Sunny Shine Feeling", "It's You That I Need", and "You're The One". CD features 2 bonus tracks – single versions of "It's You That I Need" and "If You're Ready".

A nice collection of Fatback's later work – featuring 14 tunes the group cut for the Event label, once they smoothed out some of the sharper edges of their earlier funky stuff for Perception. The tracks aren't the hardest the group ever cut – save for the breakbeat classic "Let's Do It Again" – but they're a pretty tasty blend of bass-heavy funk designed to storm the dancefloor. Titles include "Is This The Future?", "Spanish Hustle", "Can't You See", "Yum Yum (Gimme Some)", "Gotta Get My Hands On Some Money", "Backstrokin", "Angel", and "King Tim III (Personality Jock)", which is often cited as the first rap record!

Millie Jackson's feelin bitchy – and letting a whole new side of her talents show! After the sweet southern soul sound of her early recordings, the Jackson style takes a sharp shift here – letting a bitchier side show up more strongly, and really setting the tone for the next great chapter of her music! Some of the set still features the older style production work by Brad Shapiro – but that's also pushed out by a smoother more modern soul feel on most of the record – one that has Millie emerging with a lot more pride, presence, and power than ever – all-woman, and all in control! Titles include the 10 minute Latimore cut "All The Way Lover", which has a great monologue that would even make Latimore blush – plus the tracks "A Little Taste Of Outside Love", "Feelin Like A Woman", "Angel In Your Arms", and the great "If You're Not Back In Love By Monday". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Lovin Your Good Thing Away (alt vocal)", "Angel In Your Arms (alt vocal)", and "If You're Not Back In Love By Monday (alt vocal)".

A side of Millie Jackson that we really really love – her ballads and mellow tracks – a style that Millie did unlike anyone else back in the day! Jackson's sometimes best remembered for her sassier side, but we love it when she kicks back and moves slowly into a groove – drawing on her southern deep soul roots, but giving things a warm modern twist too – that perfect balance of modes that made Millie a key force in changing the sound of soul back in the 70s! The track selection here is sublime – and pulls together some real gems from Jackson's famous Spring LPs – including some tracks that begin with these really cool monologues, and others that have kind of a midtempo groove that nicely changes up the pace. The whole thing's tremendous – the kind of Millie Jackson collection we made for ourselves decades ago on cassette – and titles include "I'm Tired Of Hiding", "There You Are", "A Love Of Your Own", "I'll Be Rolling", "From Her Arms To Mine", "Angel In Your Arms", "I Still Love You", and "Making The Best Of A Bad Situation".

A stunning batch of funky big band tracks from the Kashmere Stage Band – sounding a lot fuller than on their first LP – thanks to an expanded lineup that gives them a whole new sound! The group are grooving here in a mode that's a lot like classic 70s blacksploitation soundtrack work – with a full ensemble that features funky drums, electric bass, and keys in the rhythms, plus lots of tight funky horns over the top! Tracks are long, and groove with a jazzy flourish that we wouldn't have expected so strongly – hitting hard on plenty of nice nice numbers that include "Kash Register", "Do Your Thing", "Angel", "The Zero Point", and "Getting It Out Of My System".

Sweet electric blues from Albert King – recorded with some great full production, in a burning Memphis style that's got plenty of soul in the mix as well! The set's got a quality level that takes it past some of the cliche-ridden blues of the time – really soulful overall, with a sound that comes straight from the heart, and avoids any of the easy tricks that could mar such a session – proof that music like this could really sparkle in the hands of Stax Records – especially when the backing instrumentation features The Bar-Kays and Memphis Horns! Titles include "High Cost Of Loving", "Little Brother", "I'll Play The Blues For You (parts 1 & 2)", "Breaking Up Somebody's Home", "Angel Of Mercy", and "I'll Be Doggone". CD features four previously unissued bonus tracks – "Albert's Stomp", "I Need A Love", "Don't Burn Down The Bridge (alt)", and "I'll Play The Blues For You (alt)".

BB King not just live, but well-recorded in the studio too – in this classic ABC set that showcases both sides of his talents! Side one is the live set – and it's arguably better than any of the previous other concert recordings he did for the label – with a tighter, moodier feel that's almost more small club – with backing from a combo that features Charlie Boles on Hammond, Patrick Williams on trumpet, and Lee Gatling on tenor. Live titles include "Just A Little Love", "Sweet Little Angel", "Don't Answer The Door", and "Please Accept My Love". Side two is studio material, with some mighty sweet arrangements by Johnny Pate that almost bring a bit of funk into the mix at times – particularly on the drums which really groove things along! Herbe Lovelle handles the drum kit, and overall things are leaner than any previous Pate work with King – nice and raw, on cuts that include "I Want You So Bad", "Friends", "Get Off My Back Woman", and "Why I Sing The Blues". CD features an unusual bonus track – "Get Myself Somebody", co-written with Maya Angelou!

A standout classic from Fern Kinney – and a set that not only marked a big moment of evolution for southern soul, but also for the Mississippi scene as well! The set was recorded at the Malaco studios in Jackson, but has a vibe that's much closer to some of the TK Records material from Miami – that maturation of southern soul during the disco era – as warmer, more modern touches came into play with rootsier styles of vocals! Mike Lewis handled the string arrangements – giving the record the same disco vibe as some of his other work of the time, including Anita Ward's big debut – and Fern's vocals have this higher range than usual for a southern singer – almost more innately tuned towards clubby rhythms. Titles include a big hit remake of King Floyd's "Groove Me" – really marking the change from the original version – plus "Baby Let Me Kiss You", "Pillow Talk", "Sun Moon Rain", "Angel On The Ground", and "Under Fire". CD features bonus tracks "Let's Keep It Right There", "I Want You Back", "Movie Show", "Baby Let Me Kiss You (single)", "Sweet Life", "Tonight's The Night", and "Groove Me (single)".

Contemporary work from Uku Kuut – but grooves that have the same great feel as some of his rare material from the 80s! Most of us folks first discovered Uku's work on PPU's excellent compilation of his home studio recordings from years back – and it's great to see that he's still going strong, working here on a set of different mixes for various local producers – most of whom are quite well conversed in dancefloor soul styles from the US! Most vocals are in English, and the set features Uku Kuut mixes of cuts that include "Angel", "Long Time Ago", "One More Time", "Funkdabass", "No One's Gonna Stand In Our Way", "When Love Has Gone Away", "Main Funk", and "Affinity".

One of the first great group albums on Motown – and a set that really paved the way for later albums by The Supremes, Martha & The Vandellas, and other Motown girl groups! The Marvelettes were easily one of the most perfectly-formed acts on the label at the start – and this smoking early set has them leaping forward in a mix of bold soul and heartbreaking numbers, often with a raw edge that we really really love – a bit less iconic than Motown in later years – but in a great way! Titles include the massive "Please Mr Postman", plus "Angel", "So Long Baby", "Way Over There", "I Apologize", "All The Love I Got", "Happy Days", and "You Don't Want Me No More".

Nice 17 track compilation of Minnie's classic work for Capitol! The selection is excellent, and the CD features most of the stuff you'd ever want to have by her, including "Perfect Angel", "Memory Lane", "Lovin You", "Stick Together", "Inside My Love", "Here We Go", and "Adventures In Paradise".

Along with Perfect Angel and Adventures In Paradise, this is one of the key albums of Minnie's career – recorded when she was at the height of her power, forging a whole new soul sound that mixed her incredible voice with jazzy modern arrangements that were a few years ahead of most of the other singers at her level. The album's subtitled "A Romantic Fantasy Set To Music", and it features a swirling mix of ballads and uptempo tunes – all with a sexy sound, and some of the most seductive vocals that Minnie ever recorded. Includes the club groover "Young Willing & Able", plus "Can You Feel What I'm Saying?", "Gettin' Ready for Your Love", "Could It Be I'm In Love", and the great "Stick Together", written with Stevie Wonder.

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous acoustic moments are replaced with more electric instrumentation overall, but never in a way that seeks to dampen Gil's message, nor push him into easy commercial territory. Instead, the tighter rhythms seem to really hammer home some of the lyrics – most famously in "Angel Dust", which almost touched a wider audience than the drug itself – and equally nicely on cuts that include "Cane", "Angola,Louisiana", "Show Bizness", "Better Days Ahead", and "Madison Avenue".

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous acoustic moments are replaced with more electric instrumentation overall, but never in a way that seeks to dampen Gil's message, nor push him into easy commercial territory. Instead, the tighter rhythms seem to really hammer home some of the lyrics – most famously in "Angel Dust", which almost touched a wider audience than the drug itself – and equally nicely on cuts that include "Cane", "Angola Louisiana", "Show Bizness", "Better Days Ahead", and "Madison Avenue".

Some of the best tracks ever from the pair of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – some of most righteous, authoritative and thematically heavy soul music ever created – compiled in one incredible set! Messianic, emotive vocals from Gil and stunningly restrained, magical soul jazz arrangements from Brian – words can't express how dynamic these tunes are! Great stuff from classic LPs such as Winter In America, It's Your World, First Minute Of A New Day, Secrets and more! 15 tracks in all: "The Bottle", "It's Your World", "Johannesburg", "Winter In America", "The Liberation (Red, Black & Green)", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Live)", "We Almost Lost Detroit", "Angel Dust", "Show Bizness", "Madison Avenue", "Shut 'Em Down", "Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams)".

One of Capitol's biggest soul bands of the 70s – and a strong sweet group who made the shift from mellow soul to the disco years. Includes the band's massive "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel", but we prefer their mellower stuff – like their sublime version of "She's Gone", "It Only Takes A Minute", and "The Love I Never Had". 16 songs total!

Amazing stuff! Arguably Leon Ware's greatest record – and one of the greatest Motown records of the 70s! The record is a beautiful set of interwoven mellow soul tracks, recorded right on the heels of Marvin Gaye's I Want You album, which was written and conceived by Ware, then taken at the last minute by Marvin! For this set, Ware creates a very similar sound – mixing together smooth keyboards with subtle bits of funk and electronics, all wrapped up in his own sweet warm vocals, which sound better here than on any other album. The whole thing's filled with loads of beautiful tracks, including "French Waltz", "Journey Into You", "Phantom Lover", and the great "Turn Out the Light", written with Minnie Riperton. Plus, this reissue features 5 previously unissued bonus tracks – Leon's original versions of "Comfort (aka Come Live With Me Angel)", recorded with Minnie Riperton, and "I Wanna Be Where You Are", both done by Marvin Gaye on I Want You, plus the tracks "Don't You Wanna Come", "Long Time No See", and "You Are The Way You Are".

A rich tribute to one of the greatest indies of the south – especially back in the 50s – Jackson's mighty Ace Records – home to a rich array of R&B, early rockers, and rootsy music too – all served up here in a mightily overstuffed compilation! The set brings together a few unreleased tracks alongside Ace singles and other obscurities – a rich testament to the strength of the label back in the day – and their great ear for sounds from surrounding scenes as well – as the music here has plenty of echoes of Memphis and New Orleans too! The package is heavy on obscure gems – and titles include "Baby Say You Will" by Jesse Allen, "Hey Hey Baby Come Home" by Albert Scott, "Well I Never Get Tired" by Johnny Fairchild, "Educated Fool" by Huey Piano Smith, "Roll On Train" by Elton Anderson, "Doing The Rock & Roll" by Calvin Spears, "Classy Lassie" by Alvin Red Tyler & The Gyros, "I'm Packing Up" by Earl King, "Love's Like A River" by Charles Brown, "Roll Em Back" by Eddie Bo, and "Love Is My Business" by Bobby Woods. CD features 9 more bonus tracks from the original album – with titles that include "Shed So Many Tears" by Elton Anderson, "You Aim To Please" by Jimmy Clanton, "Sea Cruise" by Huey & Jerry, "Baby It's Love" by Johnny Angel, and "Rock" by Lee Dorsey.

Mindblowing music from the trio of Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson, and Jo Armstead – most of it composed and recorded in New York during the mid 60s – before Armstead left for the Chicago scene, and Ashford & Simpson went to work for Motown in Detroit! The three writers have a really beautiful way of putting over a tune – fresh lyrics that are perfect for the budding soul generation of the 60s – and which often get some production work from the members of the trio too, especially on some of the tracks here that were issued by Wand Records. The package does a perfect job of unearthing these early years – pulling together compositions by the three (and occasionally just by Ashford & Simpson) – and illuminating this period with notes that are as thorough as the selection of tracks on the set. Titles include "Dance Children Dance" by Mary Love, "The Shoe Won't Fit" by Betty Everett, "Look Away" by The Shirelles, "Are You Trying To Get Rid Of Me Baby" by The Crystals, "I Don't Need No Doctor" by Sandy Nelson, "Please Little Angel" by Doris Troy, "The Real Thing" by The Chiffons, "Smokie Joe's" by The Jewels, "Say It Again" by Marie Knight, "Looky Looky" by Candy & The Kisses, "Mr Creator" by The Apollas, "You're Absolutely Right" by Tina Britt, "I'm Satisfied" by Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown, "Cry Like A Baby" by Aretha Franklin, "Same Old Feeling" by Jo Ann & Troy, "Only Your Love Can Save Me" by Betty LaVette, and "Love Ain't What It Used To Be" by The Diplomats.

A great little set of smooth soul tunes – put together from the Chicago Stepper's scene, and featuring some great obscure gems from the late 70s, 80s, and 90s! Titles include "Long Distance Love" by Faze, "Got The Right Attitude" by Tashan, "The Affair" by Lonnie Jordan, "So I Like You" by Degree Of Motion, "Hail The Word (deep state dub)" by Isis, "Day Dream" by Mark Johnson, "True Love" by Billy Porter, "Little Red Boat (Gizmo's Groove)" by Angel Grant, and "Close" by Mark Winkler.

Incredible work from the Philly scene of the late 60s – material from the tiny Uplook Records label, a company that only had a small number of artists in its roster, but all of them were great! The collection is put together a bit differently than others on the Grapevine label – in that it structures the set in different "chapters", to present each Uplook artist discreetly – offering up both sides of their best singles for the label, in a way that allows you to focus on their talents more closely. The Uplook sound is one that works especially well for male vocalists – who represent most of the work here – and there's a definite upbeat Philly style going on here, a precursor to Gamble & Huff that's totally great. Titles include some especially great early work by Teddy Pendergrass – the titles "We Got Love", "Angel With Muddy Feet", and "Should I Go Or Should I Stay" – plus "I'll Come Running Back", "What A Lucky Guy I Am", and "Heartbreak Of Love" by The Delegates Of Soul; "Candy Baby", "Love Wheel Turning", "Lucky Guy", "Give A Man A Break", and "Finders Keepers" by Charles Mintz; "Gotta Tell Somebody" and "Hooked On You" by Tony Talent; and "Running Back (inst)" by The Uplook Orchestra. 21 tracks in all!

A killer bit of funky soul from Hidden Strength – an uptempo 70s group with a very tight groove! The group are clearly in the mode of Earth Wind & Fire – extremely proficient instrumentally, grooving together in a righteous style that has plenty of jazz, but which is also going for a more straight ahead soul-based approach. Hidden Strength are best known for their classic groover "Hustle On Up (Do The Bump)" – a killer track with a nice funky bus stop groove and some great moog – but the whole album's pretty darn sweet, with other tracks that include "It Didn't Have To Be This Way", "Angel Of Love", "I Don't Want To Be A Lone Ranger", "I Wanna Be Your Main Man", "All We Need Is Time", and "Happy Song". CD features bonus disco and extended remixes of "Hustle On Up"!

Tracks include "Moment With Minnie", "Perfect Angel", "Memory Lane", "Lovin You", "Here We Go", "Inside My Love", "Love & Friend (live)", "You Take My Breath Away", "Woman Of Heart & Mind" and "Adventures In Paradise".

The only compilation of 60s female soul trio The Apollas we've ever seen – beautiful tunes with sweet and soulful vocals, big emotions and excellent arrangements – fantastic stuff from the trio, earlier material recorded as The Lovejoys and solo numbers by singer Leola Jiles! We'd love to say we've been fortunate enough to have heard more than a handful of the great Loma and Warner 45s, but that isn't the case – so this compilation from Kent as rewarding for us as just about anything they've put together in recent years – which is really saying something! A number of the tracks are should-be anthems that really allow the girls to sing big – backed by brass and tight arrangements to suit. That said, they're diverse talents, and there's some sweeter girl group styled tunes here that come across just as strongly. Glorious! Titles include "You're Absolutely Right", "Who Would Want Me Now", "Jive Cat", "See The Silver Moon", "Pretty Red Balloons", "I'm Under The Influence Of Love", "Baby I'll Come", "My Soul Concerto" and more from The Apollas proper, plus "He Ain't No Angel" and "Wait 'Round The Corner" by The Lovejoys, "I've Got So Used To Loving You" and "Why I Was Born" by Leola Jiles and more. 25 tracks in all.

Proof that even a move to a major label couldn't keep the Bar-Kays down – as the group are working here in a great groove that's wider, fresher, and stronger overall than any of their Stax albums! Sure, the whole thing's not guitar-based funk all the way through, but the group are also maturing, and really opening up a lot – working equally well on ballads and mellower midtempo numbers, as they were on the still tight funkier tracks. The overall sound is almost that of the Ohio Players when they moved to Mercury, but without the chart hits, and more of a focus on working at a level that's even higher than before! The band still jams it hard on the funky cut "Give It Up", but also kicks back with some beautiful harmony vocals on "I Lean On You/You Lean On Me", get some great pop hooks in on "Shine", and come together nicely on the tracks "We're The Happiest People In The World", "Angel Eyes", "Are You Being Real", and "Love's What It's All About".

Killer stuff from Gene! After recording a few sadly overlooked albums for Brunwsick, Gene hit big big big with this killer record on Mercury! The record virtually defines the Chicago soul sound of the late 60s – with arrangements by Tom Tom, production by Gene, and a great loping soul groove – but the best part of all is Gene, who's an amazing singer with a maturity that stretches years beyond his earlier hits, and which put him in a camp with the best of his generation. The songwriting is excellent throughout, with a great mix of uptempo numbers and heartbreakingly personal ones. Titles include "Groovy Situation", "Simply Call It Love", "Not The Marrying Kind", "Give Me a Chance", and "Hey, Little Angel".

Two great albums back to back in one set – with a full CD's worth of bonus material too! First up is The Glow Of Love – the classic debut from Change, and the start of an amazing run of groovers in the early 80s! The set's got a tight, jazzy feel throughout – a stripped-down approach to disco modes, with the same focus on the basslines that you'd find in work by Chic – but a style that's almost even more instrumentally focused overall, given the great range of studio players who worked on the set. Yet there's also some key vocal moments, too – work by Luther Vandross that really helps make some of the best tracks sparkle, and which went onto catapult Vandross into a rich solo career on his own. The set's filled with sharp rhythms and sweet jazzy changes – and titles include the classics "The Glow Of Love" and "Searching", both with Luther, plus "Lover's Holiday", "Angel In My Pocket", and "The End". Miracles is a brilliant second set from Change – working here without Luther Vandross on lead vocals, but hardly missing a beat at all! As before, the basslines are at the core of the set – a sweet stripped-down approach that brings even more focus onto the bottom of the groove for early 80s dancefloors – with loads of numbers that step along in a really groovy mode – one quite far from the cliches of disco, and inflected by loads of jazzy elements that keep things fresh over the years! Vocals are by James Robinson – previously with Lonnie Liston Smith – Diva Gray, and Jocelyn Shaw – and titles include "On Top", "Paradise", "Hold Tight", "Your Move", "Stop For Love", and "Heaven Of My Life". CD 2 features a whopping 17 more bonus tracks – lots of single mixes, including versions of "A Lover's Holiday", "It's A Girl's Affair", "Angel In My Pocket", "The Glow Of Love", "Searching", "The End", "Paradise", "Hold Tight", "Stop For Love", and "On Top".

An overlooked gem from the early 80s years at Salsoul – a set that's beat-heavy, and plenty funky too – with a groove that's nicely heavy on both roller skate and electro modes! The record's a bit more offbeat than the usual Salsoul set – and we mean that in a good way – more in the street-styled mode you'd hear on the Vaughan Mason/Butch Dayo collaboration for the label – and proof that the company had a strong ear for grooves that go way beyond disco! There's plenty of surprises here – and the approach to the grooves has a very New York feel that mixes together the best of the up-and-downtown modes of the time. Titles include "Angel Baby", "Come To Me", "Rock The Rhythm", "I've Been Watching You", "Holdin On", and "I Need Your Love".

Wonderful work by Al Johnson – one of the unsung heroes of mellow 70s soul, finally getting his shot on a major label after many years as a songwriter and arranger for other aritsts. Norman Connors brought Al to Columbia – and as he did with other talents in earlier years, like Phyllis Hyman and Michael Henderson, this sort of sponsorship gave Al a chance to reach a much larger audience. Even though the record was never a huge hit, it is an enduring soul classic that still has a lot of resonance today. It features Al's classic duet with Jean Carn on "I'm Back For More" – a cut that was recorded by other artists, but which has its best-known version here. Also features "I've Got My Second Wind" – which Al did on an earlier album of his own – plus "You Are My Personal Angel", and "Peaceful".

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous acoustic moments are replaced with more electric instrumentation overall, but never in a way that seeks to dampen Gil's message, nor push him into easy commercial territory. Instead, the tighter rhythms seem to really hammer home some of the lyrics – most famously in "Angel Dust", which almost touched a wider audience than the drug itself – and equally nicely on cuts that include "Cane", "Angola Louisiana", "Show Bizness", "Better Days Ahead", and "Madison Avenue".

Great stuff – and the only truly funky album that Ike Turner ever recorded! This set's a batch of obscure funky instrumentals – and sounds like a strong compilation of rare 45s, filled with hard funky drums, nice breaks, and plenty of super-tight grooves. Nearly every cut's a winner – and titles include "Black Angel", "Black Beauty", "Freedom Sound", "Ghetto Funk", "Funky Mule", "Nuttin' Up", "Scotty Souling", and "Thinking Black". With titles like that, you know the cuts have got to be good – and for one of the few times in his career, Ike actually delivers the funky goods!

A German disco classic from Munich Machine – and maybe the tightest album ever from the always-sharp studio group! Giorgio Moroder's at the head of the record on production, but the sound here is often a bit warmer than some of his own recordings – thanks to an ear for some of the more soulful instrumental sides of the dancefloor spectrum, particularly on the keyboard solos, which never have the coldness of Moroder's music – and thanks also to some well-placed vocals from soul singers Judith Jones and Yolande Howard, both of whom add a bit of personality to the record too! Yet that great Moroder ear for a dancefloor groove is still perfectly intact – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Let Your Body Shine", "Space Warrior", "Bolectro", "Easy", "Reputation", and "Fallen Angel". CD features two bonus tracks – "Space Warriors (blue eyed DJ rmx)", and "Giorgio Moroder Medley (blue eyed DJ rmx)".

A unique mid 60s Chess session from Muddy Waters – one with a very different feel than usual, and a good dose of soul too! As you might guess from the title, Muddy gets some full backings on this set – not exactly a large brass section, but a set of Chicago soul-styled backings handled by Gene Barge and Charles Stepney – grooves which, when mixed with his own bluesy guitar and vocals, creates a feel that's a bit like some of the Little Milton Chess work from the same time. Titles include "Hard Loser", "Going Back To Memphis", "Trouble In Mind", "Sweet Little Angel", and "Take My Advice".

Patrick Adams picks the best of P&P Records – and the man definitely knows what he's doing – given that he was one of the "P's" in the label's name! The tunes here are heavy on those cool spaced-out grooves that Adams did so well – that wonderfully hip, and very underground style he used after an initial few years in more mainstream soul – the trademark imprint of P&P, and the reason why the label's tunes have gone onto influence so many others over the years! The grooves are all sublime – from quick-stepping moogy numbers, to mellower tracks that stretch out in this great sort of gentle funk – all tied together with a united production aesthetic and lots of shared sympathies between the artists. Titles include "Dance Dance Dance" by Marta Acuna, "Jump Jump Jump" by The Musicmakers, "God's Greatest Gift To Man Is Woman" by Margie Lomax, "God Save & Protect All The Children" by Margo Williams, "The Guardian Angel Is Watching Over Us" by Golden Flamingo Orchestra – and "Flying High", "Disco Juice", "Happy Music", and "Don't Let My Rainbow Pass Me By" by Cloud One.

Dick Gregory raps it proud and loud – in a set of recordings that features one side recorded on the east coast, and one on the west! Gregory's still very much a comedian at this point in his career, but already his work is peppered strongly with political elements – the kind of personal, earnest approach to his material that was years ahead of its time – and which went onto open the door for countless other comedians to come! Side one was recorded at The Blue Angel, and side two at The Hungry I.

A beautiful collection of all the great and rare material Eddie Holland cut as solo singer in the late 50s and early 60s – including the incredible early Motown material, plus tracks he cut for Mercury, Kudo, Tamla and United Artists! Of course Eddie Holland is best remembered for uber-legendary work as producer, composer and arranger with the Holland-Dozier-Holland super soul unit – for damn good reason, but it's his early work as singer is way too strong to be considered a mere footnote to his greater legacy. Many of the cuts were written and produced by Berry Gordy, along with numbers written and produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, some recorded more famously by later acts, so what you truly have here is the foundation for great things to come – it's beautiful stuff that shines brightly in its own light. Eddie's a solid singer and the songs are terrific, formative stuff that's a pivotal bridge from earlier R&B to massive soul. 56 tracks on 2CDs: "Little Miss Ruby", "Will You Love Me", "Just A Few More Days", "It's Not Too Late", "Just Ain't Enough Love", "Brenda", "Baby Shake", "Magic Mirror", "If Cleopatra Took A Chance", "Action Speaks Louder than Words", "Bashful Kind", "Too Late To Cry", "Happy Go Lucky", "Pretty Little Angel Face", "Day Dreamer", "Rain And Thunder", "I Like Everything About You", "Happy Days" and many more. This set goes deeper than any compilation we've seen of Eddie's recordings, too, with a number of previously unissued Mercury recordings.

Blue-eyed funk from Kokomo – and a record that's got a surprisingly funky feel, despite it's slightly trippy cover! The group mix warm vocals with tighter grooves on the bottom – almost an Average White Band sort of feel at times, but maybe a bit more crossover on the sweeter tracks – but in a nice way! Production is relatively laidback, and instrumentation includes sweet flute from Mel Collins, plus a bit of Arp – on tracks that include an extended cover of Bobby Womack's "I Can Understand It", plus "Angel", "Kitty Sittin Pretty", "Forever", and "I'm Sorry Babe".

Great stuff from Eryka Badu – sweet, mellow, soulful, and with a very righteous vibe! The record's got some impeccable production – and the best cuts have a stripped-down groove that mixes keyboards and vocals in a way that's similar to recent work by D'Angelo and Jill Scott. Eryka's all her own woman, though – and she keeps things very real with her own unique vocal style and phrasing on the lyrics. Loads of great tracks – and titles include "Kiss Me On My Neck", "Didn't Cha Know", "My Life", "AD 2000", "Bag Lady", "In Love With You", and "Booty".

One of the best instrumental records to come out of Memphis, and a real kicker by the funky band that went down with Otis Redding in the tragic plane crash in 1968! The leadoff track is the group's amazing hit "Soul Finger", a stormin' instrumental with a wailing brassy sound that influenced a generation with its "charge" kind of groove. Lots of other nice ones, too – like "Bar-Kays Boogaloo", "Knucklehead", "Theme From Hell's Angels", and "Pearl High". The best of the best of Stax helped out, too!

An Arista winner from Angela Bofill – one that has her working strongly with Narada Michael Walden – who helps Bofill on production and songwriting for part of the album, and really helps bring a nicely solid feel to the set! The tunes are more in an 80s soul mode than before for Angie, but never too commercial overall – still with that sense of depth in the background that's always made Bofill one of the more sophisticated singers of her soul generation. Titles include "Too Tough", "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing", "I Can See It In Your Eyes", "Accept Me", "Rainbow Inside My Heart", "Love You Too Much", "Is This A Dream", "You Could Come Take Me Home", and "Song For A Rainy Day".

Very raw, very rootsy stuff from Big Bill Broonzy, issued by Columbia (strangely enough) as part of their Adventures In Sound series. The packaging and the notes have the usual smug Columbia "serving up the best in roots culture for white liberals" tone – but the set's actually a pretty decent batch of material that includes nice numbers like "Texas Tornado", "Key To The Highway", "When I've Been Drinkin", and "Goobye Baby Blues".

One of the stranger James Brown albums from the 60s! The record is one of the only vocal albums he cut for the Smash label – and it was issued during a time when James was strangely contracted to two labels – King and Smash. His dual contract situation was that he couldn't record any new original vocal material for Smash – apart from the title track "Out Of Sight", which had already been snuck on the market, and which is a sinister funky track built along the same lines as "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" (not on this album.) Apart from that track, the rest of the material on the record is more traditional R&B and pop stuff – sung by James in a strong soul style. Titles include "Somethin Else", "Nature Boy", "Maybe The Last Time", "I Wanna Be Around", "I Got You", and "Good Rockin Tonight". The liner notes are great, too – with some pretty interesting information on Brown's career, and African-American politics.

Soaring vocals from Angela Clemmons – a set that really has an amazing range, and a depth of sound that goes way past the usual from Epic Records at the time! Angela's got a way of stretching out right from the start – inflecting the lyrics with a rich power that easily matches or beats some of her bigger-name contemporaries at the time – and which really help give an extra something special to the record. Production is by Paul Leka, and a number of songs were written by Michael Brown – and the pair really help give the whole thing a personal feel, and keep the set from being just another run of the mill mainstream soul album from the early 80s. Titles include "Giving It Away", "Fill You Up", "Uneasy", "When You're Through I'll Be Waiting", "Mine", and "Sure Thing". CD features two bonus tracks – "Out Here On My Own (7" mix)", and "Give Me Just A Little More Time (12" mix)".

A bouncy little set from Angela Clemmons – a record that's got a bit more beats at the bottom than some of her previous outings – but in a way that seems to only make things sound even groovier overall! There's a number of catchy groovers that help the set take off right from the start – tunes that are playful, and maybe a bit aimed at the charts – yet which still let Angie soar on those magnificent vocals of hers. Titles include "One Night Baby", "Miracles", "Love Life", "BYOB", "Nothing Can Stop My Love", "I Could Love You Better", and "Rock & A Hard Place". CD features two bonus tracks – "BYOB (12" mix)" and "This Is Love (inst)".

Sweet and gritty soul from D'Angelo – who takes a huge step into deeper territory on Voodoo – and it's one of the most monumental records of its time! On one level, Voodoo works as a nicely stripped-down session with a very classic soul feel. Gone are the overzealous flourishes that sometimes overwhelmed his earlier songs, and in their place are some sweetly crafted vocal parts with a classic Marvin Gaye/Al Green feel. That warmth is probably what made Voodoo a massive popular success – but what makes it such a creative triumph are the darker undercurrents – hinting at a troubled soul struggling for spiritual truth. One of the rare cases in popular music when great art became music for the masses! Titles include "Left & Right (feat Method Man & Redman)", "The Line", "Spanish Joint", "Africa", "Feel Like Makin Love", "The Root", "Playa Playa", "Devil's Pie", and "Greatdayndamornin/Booty".

A pretty cool collection produced by Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee – focusing on famous speeches by important female African-Americans – mostly focusing on the civil rights era, but also featuring an early speech by Ida B Wells. Ruby reads the speeches, and works include "I Am A Black Revolutionary Woman (1971)" by Angela Davis, "The Right To A Decent Life & Human Dignity (1971)" by Coretta Scott King, "It Is Time For A Change (1969)" by Shirley Chisolm, and "Lynching, Our National Crime (1901)" by Ida B Wells.

The best record in years – maybe decades – from the legendary Dr John – and a set that stands up strongly next to the messed-up Crescent City vibe of his 70s classics! Big thanks are due to Black Keys' guitarist Dan Auerbach – who produced and supervised the whole recording – and helped create the kind of rootsy studio proceedings that make for just the right vibe to help the Doctor hit all his best classic modes! Leon Michels brings in some great keyboards, too – and an undercurrent of El Michels funk – and Dr John's vocals really sparkle in the setting – stepping out with all the weird raspy elements we love so much. Titles include "Ice Age", "Getaway", "Kingdom Of Izzness", "You Lie", "Eleggua", "My Children My Angels", "Locked Down", and "Big Shot".

A sublime set of soul instrumentals – very funky work, and sort of a 70s follow-up to the Soulful Strings albums on Cadet Records from the 60s! Maestro Richard Evans is at the top of his game here – stepping out with that hip Chisoul mode he first forged at Chess, tuned here towards some even more sophisticated modes for Atlantic Records! Many of Evan's previous players are on board to make the record great – including Lennie Druss on flute, Paul Serrano on trumpet, Odell Brown on organ, and Phil Upchurch on guitar. Evans himself plays bass for the record – using a very funky bottom sound – and the set also features some wicked vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten, working away from his Nineteenth Hole group on a rare major label date! The sound is blacksploitation soundtrack, part Curtom funk – and titles include the great originals "Pie Daddy's Dream", "Wado City", "Angela My Sister", and the great "Patutu" – which was done by the Soulful Strings – plus a few nice covers like "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Ellie's Love Theme", by Isaac Hayes.

A mighty great little record – a mixture of jazz and soul from the heavy talents of Hilton Felton – and a record that not only features some of his own great work on organ and keyboards, but some great contributions from other members of the DC scene of the 70s! In addition to help from The Blackbyrds in the core combo, and guest tenor from Andrew White, the set also features vocals from a young Angela Winbush on one track – singing backup on some others! But the core charm of the record comes from the grooves – the kind of upbeat, righteous sounds that we've always loved in Felton's keyboards – almost an extension of the Prestige Records jazz funk groove from the start of the 70s, with echoes of records by Funk Inc, Melvin Sparks, and Leon Spencer – but given a particularly hip east coast indie sort of spin! Titles include "Family & Friends", "Spreading Fever", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Family Reunion", "Clay's Way", and "The Power Of Love".

What can we say? We've heard this one a million times, it sold over a million copies – but it's still incredible! The record is Roberta's first, and it features her in a mellow trio format, augmented by some occasional larger arrangements by William Fischer. At most points, though, the sound is incredibly spare – with vocals that are much more soulful than any of Roberta's other records, and a sound that hints at Nina Simone, but which has it's own jazzy groove and deep sense of feeling. Includes the classic funky version of "Compared To What", plus "Angelitos Negros", "Our Ages Our Our Hearts", and "Tryin Times".

A beautiful album that perfectly mixes both sides of Aretha – the earlier hard-hitting soulster, and the developing vocalist with a rich talent for more sophisticated material. The album features the anthemic title cut in Aretha's famous version – plus the sample favorite "Rock Steady", the mellow groover "Day Dreaming", the hit "Brand New Me", and the strangely compelling "First Snow In Kokomo".

The coolest chapter so far in the long-lost story of the He3 Project – wonderfully spiritual jazz sounds from the San Francisco scene of the early 70s – recorded with a wicked blend of instrumentation and vocals, and a really cosmic sound overall! The music isn't just the usual spiritual jazz of the time – nor the familiar funky sound from the other side of the Bay – and instead, it's kind of a tripped-out hybrid that's really unique – and often served up with a rough edge that makes the instrumentation even more compelling! Players include Hadley Caliman on tenor and flute, Joe West and Terry Mederios on guitars, and Herman Eberitzsch (the HE in the group's name) on Fender Rhodes, Echoplex, piano, and screwdriver. Vocals are from two members of The Waters – Maxine and Julia – although the overall vibe is more instrumental in the end. Titles include "Civilization", "The Massage", "Dark Angels", "Artesian Wells", "Shake A Leg Woman", "To Be True", and "This Is The Struggle".

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".

Wonderful work from Ty Karim – a singer who definitely lives up to the "soul goddess" promised in the title! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated – laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover – and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous – making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production – one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record – further illuminated in the detailed notes from Ady Croasdell. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Lightin Up", "I Ain't Lying", "You Just Don't Know", "Natural Do", "I'm Leavin You", "All In Vain", "After Your Love Has Gone", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong".

Killer work from Ledisi – one of the best underground soul singers alive! This album has Ledisi opening up her bag a lot from her Soulsinger debut – moving into some more jazz-based material, sung with a sweet mellow vibe that still retains all the soulfulness of earlier work, yet which also has her using some more complicated phrasing, more sophisticated modes, and great backings that really help the set groove! As with Soulsinger, this one's got some great electric piano at the core of most of the cuts – and the tracks are a mix of originals by Ledisi, plus some surprisingly great versions of jazz standards, done in a way that's very different than any other vocal interpretations of them we've ever heard. Originals include "Meeting Marcus On A Thursday", "I've Got It", "So Right", "Land Of The Free", "Feeling Orange But Sometimes Blue", and "If You Go" – plus great covers of "Autumn Leaves", "Straight No Chaser", "Round Midnight", and "Sugar", done in a medley with D'Angelo's "Brown Sugar"!

Organ and drums drenched funky soul from Buddy Miles – his Booger Bear set from '73 that's strangely become on his most slept on records of the era – cool stuff well worth digging into! The sound ranges from wild, uptempo funk rock to more measured jams – with Buddy's own heady title track storming out of the gate to start. Electric piano and Arp synthesizer is quite prominent, of course not so much as Buddy's drum work – with some pretty tasty guitars and punchy horns throughout. Titles include "Booger Bear", "Thinking Of You", "Why", a funky soul cover of "You Really Got Me" that almost sounds like what Stevie Wonder might have done with the tune at the time, "Love", "United Nations Stomp", "You Are Everything" and "Louie's Blues".

One of the best records ever from Don Nix – a legendary figure whose work on the Memphis scene of the 60s touched countless of rock and soul artists – recording here with a nicely tight sound at Muscle Shoals! Like some of his contemporaries, Nix made the move from Memphis to Muscle Shoals, and really helped push his music further – drawing on his strong southern roots on both sides of the fence, and turning out a set with the kind of depth and integrity that so many others would try at the time, but never get this well! Most songs are originals, and production and arrangements are by Nix as well – and titles include "Olena", "The Shape I'm In", "Going Back To Iuka", "Three Angels", "Mary Louise", "My Train's Done Come & Gone", and "Living By The Days".

A pair of killers from Ozone – back to back on a single CD! Jump On It is filled with jumping grooves from Ozone – a smoking little set that's tight and right – and completely wonderful throughout! The set's got that perfect blend of funk and groove that always made Ozone so great – a quality honed through years as Billy Preston's backing band, and forged even more strongly on their own – with some extra added help here from both Michael Lovesmith as songwriter and arranger, and Angelo Bond as songwriter on a few cuts! The album's a killer all the way through – and stands as proof that Ozone were one of those great overlooked Motown acts at the start of the 80s – one who really should have been huge. Titles include "Your Love Stays On My Mind", "Mighty Mighty", "Ozonic Bee Bop", "Jump On It", "Rock & Roll Pop & Soul", and "Come On It". Lil Suzy is a smoking batch of funky grooves that has a lot more edge than most of the other work going on at the label at the time! There's echoes of Rick James funk in the mix, but the overall style is looser and freer too – almost with an ear towards some of the indie club styles of the time, yet tuned towards the tightness that you'd expect from Motown at its best. The arrangements are superb, and the band have a way of keeping the ensemble upfront throughout – yet also avoiding any of the cliches that other groups would hit so often. Occasional sweet moments really help balance the sound – and titles include "Shake It Down", "You'll Never Know How Much", "Ain't Got Far To Go", "I'm Not Easy", and "Let The Ozone Take Your Mind".

The first full length from Rene & Angela for Capitol – a tight batch of modern soul that sounds great to this day! There's a mixture of sweet duet soul with the best kind of 80s grooving – clearly inspired by Ashford & Simpson, but also with a strong sound of its own. Skip Drinkwater and Bobby Watson handle the production, smartly carrying over the warmer live instrumentation styles of the late 70s, which ultimately gives the record a timeless vibe! Titles include "I Don't Know", "Turn It Out", "Do You Really Love Me", "Everything We Do", "Love Won't Slip Away", and "Free & Easy".

The first couple Rene & Angela records for Capitol – together for the first time on this great CD from Expansion! First up, is the great self-titled debut from Angela Winbush and Rene Moore as a duo – a tight batch of modern soul that sounds great to this day! There's a mixture of sweet duet soul with the best kind of 80s grooving – clearly inspired by Ashford & Simpson, but also with a strong sound of its own. Skip Drinkwater and Bobby Watson handle the production, smartly carrying over the warmer live instrumentation styles of the late 70s, which ultimately gives the record a timeless vibe! Titles include "I Don't Know", "Turn It Out", "Do You Really Love Me", "Everything We Do", "Love Won't Slip Away", and "Free & Easy". Wall To Wall is easily one of the duo's best records ever, and a masterpiece of jazzy 80s groove! The sound here is clean, lean, and very bouncy on the bottom – that best blend of keyboard riffs and jazzier basslines that Capitol soul served up in the early 80s – and although tight enough to have hit potential, still more than soulful enough to keep on playing in the underground! The set's rock solid all the way through – with a great mix of midtempo steppers and more uptempo tunes – and titles include the nice groover "Secret Rendezvous", plus "Wanna Be Close To You", "I Love You More", "Love's Alright", and "Come My Way".

Wall To Wall grooves from the team of Angela Winbush and Bobby Watson – easily one of the duo's best records ever, and a masterpiece of jazzy 80s groove! The sound here is clean, lean, and very bouncy on the bottom – that best blend of keyboard riffs and jazzier basslines that Capitol soul served up in the early 80s – and although tight enough to have hit potential, still more than soulful enough to keep on playing in the underground! The set's rock solid all the way through – with a great mix of midtempo steppers and more uptempo tunes – and titles include the nice groover "Secret Rendezvous", plus "Wanna Be Close To You", "I Love You More", "Love's Alright", and "Come My Way".

A massive amount of rare Northern Soul cuts – almost all of them from the Heritage Records empire of producer Jerry Ross! There's plenty of Philly elements in the mix, but the set also shows Jerry's good ear for crossing over into other camps too – and some of these tunes also have a sound that would have been right at home in the Detroit scene of the late 60s. A few numbers are even rock/pop cuts, but still work very well in the context of the soul material – and the CD features 20 titles that include "Green Grow the Lilacs" by The Festivals, "Ain't Nothin' But A House Party" by The Showstoppers, "I Dig Everything About You" by The Mob, "You Gave Me Somebody To Love" by The Dreamlovers, "Loan Shark" by Chapter One, "I Get By Without You" by Kenny Gamble & Tommy Bell, "Baby Show It" by The Festivals, "Bok To Bach" by Father's Angels, "Eeny Meeny" by The Showstoppers, "Pick Up My Toys" by The Devonnes, "I've Been Hurt" by Bill Deal & The Rhondels, and "You Aint' Sayin' Nothin' New" by Virgil Henry.

Ashford & Simpson recorded plenty of great work on their own, but they were also a tremendous pair of songwriters – and had a way of penning can't-miss work that sounded great in just about anyone's hands! This collection is great testament to that fact – as it starts with gems the duo first wrote back in their early Motown days, then quickly moves up to their late 70s fame, and the way they had a major impact on the dancefloor. The tracks here are often quite familiar, but the actual recordings are sometimes obscure – lesser-known takes on some of Ashford & Simpson's best numbers, laid out back to back as proof of their genius talent for a groovy soul tune. Titles include "Top Of The Stairs" by Collins & Collins, "Keep It Coming" by Tata Vega, "Rough Times" by Angela Bofill, "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw, "Bourgie Bourgie" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Have You Ever Tried It" by The Main Ingredient, "I Wouldn't Change The Man He Is" by Blinky, "It's In There" by Jennifer Holiday, "Clouds" by Chaka Khan, "Over & Over" by Sylvester, "Hit & Run Lover" by The Dynamic Superiors, "The Boss (ext club)" by Diana Ross, "Is It Still Good To Ya" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Keep It Coming" by Tata Vega, and "Keep Away Girls" by Stephanie Mills.

One of the greatest songwriting partnerships of the 60s – featured here in a great mix of soul, rock, and vocal numbers from the time – including a fair number of unusual versions of hits from the team of Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil! Weil's got a style that's sometimes a bit deeper than her contemporaries – and when mixed with Barry's strong sense of punch in a tune, has a way of bringing some surprising sophistication to pop music – little emotive moments that peek out from more hook-heavy numbers – but all without ever sounding lachrymose or overblown. As part of that quality, lots of these tunes have some great New York-styled production – that uptown balance of emotion and class – and as with other titles in Ace's excellent songwriter series, the notes alone are almost worth the price of admission – given all the historical detail, cultural commentary, and cool images. Titles include "New World Coming" by Mama Cass, "Love Is Only Sleeping" by The Monkees, "Angelica" by Scott Walker, "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" by Gene Pitney, "Love Him" by Doris Day, "Good Good Lovin" by Bobby Hebb, "You Baby" by Len Barry, "Born To Be Together" by The Ronettes, "This Is A Love Song" by Bill Medley, "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" by The Happenings, "Shape Of Things To Come" by Slade, and "Proud" by Johnny Crawford.

Stellar material that Ike Turner produced in just a couple years for Modern Records – in many cases, with Ike also given the songwriting credit – New Orleans & LA recordings from '63-'65! Ike was one incredible vessel of pure musical talent and ingenuity – overshadowed badly by that red hot hell of a public and private life. That's a shame for a number of reasons, but the work speaks for itself. What's most incredible here, is that other voices speak for their own immense talent as well as Ike's work behind the scenes. It's get great, rare material by Ike & Tina Revue & Kings Of Rhythm members and others. 27 tracks in all: "Darkest Hour", "I Smell Trouble", "Feel So Good" and more by Jimmy Thomas, "All In My Mind" by Tina Turner, "In Love" by Jackie Brenston & The Ikettes, "That's All Right" and "You're So Fine" by Vernon Guy, "Think" by Bobby John & The Ikettes, "Walking Down The Aisle" by Ike Turner & The Ikettes and more.

Left coast rhythm & blues from Kent "Boogaloo" Harris & his inner circle of LA family & friends – late 50s & 60s treasures from Boogaloo & His Gallant Crew, The Francettes, The Harris Sisters, Eddie Bridges, Fay Ross, The Lon-Genes, The Valquons and many more! Harris was the songwriter, label head, record shop keeper and sometimes singer at the center of a vibrant scene – which indeed included family members as well as friends. His sisters performed and recorded as The Harris Sisters, Marcene "Dimples" Harris stepping out as a headliner, plus many more excellent associated acts over the years. It's got some jumping late 50s style R&B and more grandly orchestrated numbers, though still rooted in rhythm. 25 tracks in all, including a handful of previously unreleased gems – though even the biggest movers here have been overlooked for far too long! Titles include "Big Fat Lie" by Boogaloo & His Gallant Crew, "Long Lean Lanky Juke Box" by Dimples Harris & here Combo, "Double Locks" by Johnny Gosey, "So Far Away" by Rooty Poots, "Our Love Is Like The Sea" by The Lon-Genes, "Don't Just Stand There" by Cry Baby Curtis, "You Ain't Right' by Faye Ross and more.

There's a heck of a lot of great music here – a whopping 35 tracks of contemporary and vintage soul, all put together for the price of a regular single CD! The package is the latest in the excellent Luxury Soul series – based around artists who have worked the UK series of the same name – and who really come together here in a warm array of the best contemporary soul styles! There's plenty of Neo Soul numbers, a handful of classics, and a few more modern elements too – and titles include "I'm Not That Tough" by Ashford & Simpson, "Rubber Soul" by Live Tropical Fish with Omar, "Things That I Do" by Gianna, "Enough Is Enough" by Dennis Taylor, "Music & Love" by Victor Haynes, "Just A Simple Love" by Sheree Brown, "In The Meantime" by Johnny Britt, "Crystal Clear" by Howard Hewett, "Just Let Me Be Close To You" by Valentine Brothers, "I'll Come Running Back To You" by June Yamagishi with Bobby Womack, "So In Love" by Chapter 8, "Slow Down" by Al Olive, "Priority" by Kloud 9, "It's Just One Of Those Things" by Incognito, "I Want It" by Soul Talk, "Wake Up Everybody" by Eric Benet, and "Anything" by Angela Johnson.

Rare soul galore, but great soul too – a smoking selection of rare nuggets from the late 60s, including a fair bit of cuts that have never been on CD before! The package seems to be nicely heavy on talents from the Chicago scene – which is A-Ok with our Windy City ears – but also features great bits from down south and out west too – and the tunes step and soar along with grooves that break way past obvious 60s modes, and show that there's a continued great run of music to be discovered from this really amazing time! The whole thing's great – not a bit of filler at all – and titles include "I'm Stuck On You" by The Poets, "Just What Do You Plan To Do About IT" by Little Jerry Williams, "You Never Do Right" by The Fi-Dels, "Soon As Darkness Falls" by Roscoe Shelton, "Wonderful Nite" by Ruby Andrews, "All I Need" by June Conquest, "I Can't Hear You" by Betty Everett, "New Guy" by The Dynettes, "My Love Is Gone" by The Shadows, "Good Lovin Man" by Delores Hall, "The Night The Angels Cried" by Johnny Dynamite, "If There's Anything Else You Want" by Roddie Joy, "That I Love You" by Paul Johnson, and "I'm Walking Away" by Denise Chandler.

Amazing sounds from the hinterland of gospel music – tracks pulled from vintage 45s issued by tiny local labels – often featuring artists who never cut a full album of work on their own! The tunes are nice and tight, and packed with plenty of soul – echoing some of the secular sounds of the time, which no doubt was something of the agenda for issuing the music on a 7" single – although other numbers are definitely gospel, and evoke more of a sermon-like approach! The package features an insert with notes on the music, and a nice hand-assembled cover – and titles include "He Got His Eyes On You" by Brother Sidney Harris, "Jesus Is Living Today" by Linston Triplett, "I Heard A Prayer (parts 1 & 2)" by Elijah Thurston, "He Will Fix It" by Sam Williams, "All Wrap Up In One" by Otis Wright, and "Send The Holy Ghost" by Brother Clark & His Trio.

One of the best titles in this great series from the Chicago underground – a dozen tracks from as many generations, all linked together by a sweet mellow groove, of the sort that's dug by those on the stepping scene! Titles include "It's You" by Locksmith, "Chasing The Wind" by Gregg Karukas, "Excusions Beyond" by Excursions Beyond, "Love Temptation" by Liz Torres, "Baltimore Oriole" by Pat Thomas, "Walking Away" by Flora Purim, "Angeline" by Tom Browne, "Felix Leo" by Rodney Franklin, "Chillin Out" by Fatback, "Phone Home (inst)" by Johnny Chingas, "Embrace" by Society Of Soul, and "Movin On" by Paul Taylor.

A classic killer from trumpeter Tom Browne – a smoking set that still has all the jazz funk touches of his earlier records, yet which also picks up a bit of an electro vibe as well! The move here is a bit like that taken by some of Browne's labelmates on GRP at the time – particularly Bobby Broom and Bernard Wright – and offers up a great mix of jazzy roots and some of the newer sounds hitting the streets in the early 80s – a vibe that's maybe one of the first moments when older genres of music were beginning to show an influence from hip hop! Maurice Starr handles most of the production, and really makes things tight throughout – but Tom himself does a great job of keeping things interesting with the solos, augmenting the electric vibe with some rock-solid acoustic playing. Titles include "Rockin Radio", "Angeline", "Brighter Tomorrow", "Never My Love", "Mr Business", "Cruisin", and "Feel Like Makin Love". CD features bonus tracks – "Bye Gones (12" version)", "Rockin Radio (special 12" mix)", and "Cruisin (dub)".

Bury your love deep, deep down with ?uestlove – a soundtrack compilation of strangely sweet soul misery – and the superior sequel to the Babies Makin' Babies set on BBE! This time ?uestlove programs a number of 70s soul tunes, some relatively rare, which provide the bittersweet sounds of heartbreak. Many of the tracks have the lightly symphonic mellow soul sound that dominated the first Babies Makin' Babies set, with others that put more of a focus on the electric keys, and simmering funk number or two for good measure. A great listen – as both a thematic showpiece and as straightforward soul compilation! Tracks include "Our Love Has Died" by Ohio Players, "Mother And Son Bedroom Talk" by Blackbyrds, "Anti Love Song" by Betty Davis, "If You Don't Love Me" by DJ Rogers, "Cause We Ended As Lovers" by Syreeta, "I'm Sorry" by Delfonics, "I Almost Lost My Mind" by Albert King, "That's The Way I Feel About Cha" by Bobby Womack, "You're Supposed To Keep Your Love For Me" by Jermaine Jackson, "One Look Over My Shoulder" by Average White Band and "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" by Al Green.

A diggers delight through and through – even though the set will save you plenty of digging! The package is a killer collection of rare funky nuggets and sample tracks – put together with an ear for some of the best bits that have provided the building blocks for the hipper side of the spectrum in recent years – and with an eye for cuts that haven't been compiled that often! Many of the names here are big ones from 70s soul and funk, but they're represented by harder cuts that move past their hits – a great array of grooves that includes "Walk With Me" by Manchild, "Family" by Hubert Laws, "People Make The World Go Round" by Angela Bofill, "Mighty Mighty" by Earth Wind & Fire, "It's Rough Out Here" by The Modulations, "Funky Monkey" by Mandrill, "Elevate Our Minds" by Linda Williams, "Crab Apple" by Idris Muhammad, "Theme From King Kong" by Lalo Schifrin, "We Get Down" by Weldon Irvine, "Trogladyte" by Jimmy Castor, "Sneaking Up Behind You" by The Brecker Brothers, and "Turn Off The Lights" by Larry Williams.

A wonderful celebration of a great little label – the 20-year-old Dome Records – home to some of the best contemporary soul recordings from the UK! Dome has a great reputation for picking the cream of the crop of the Neo Soul generation – originally just working with British artists, but soon expanding to include a wide variety of American singers too – a rich array of talent that's presented wonderfully on this 3CD set! The package includes a few rare tracks from singles or radio recordings – and is a heck of a great value at this price – with dozens of tracks that include "Children Of Love" by Martha Redbone, "My Door Is Open" by Carleen Anderson, "Major Bossa" by Khari Simmons, "Location Location Location" by Anthony David, "I Want You Black" by Sinclair, "I'm Back For More (Peter Young Jazz FM radio drop 1993)" by Lulu with Bobby Womack, "It's Alright (Mike Gee Choice FM radio drop 2001)" by Cooly's Hot Box, "Just A Dream (live UK radio session)" by Eric Roberson, "Ugly Part Of Me (Mike Dunn's blackball soul mixx)" by Avery Sunshine, "Freedom To Love (Reel People rework)" by Incognito, "Watch Me Fly (earth sold rmx)" by Down To The Bone, "Rescue Me" by Angela Johnson, "Stop Breaking My Heart" by Rahsaan Patterson, and lots lots more!

A whole new level of genius for Herb Alpert – a record that's light years away from his earlier work with the Tijuana Brass, and which has the trumpeter stepping strongly into the world of smooth jazzy fusion! The title track here went platinum the minute it was released – and became an end-of-the 70s instrumental anthem that seemed to drift out of speakers around the country. The rest of the album's pretty great too – built on the modes explored by Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, and other soulful fusion players of the 70s – but cast out with a bit more drama overall. Titles include the seminal jazz dance classic "Rotation" – plus "Rise", "Street Life", "Aranjuez (Mon Amour)", "1980", "Angelina", and "Love Is".

Angela Bofill's sublime first album – a mixture of jazzy soul and soulful jazz, all put together with a sound that's really a cut above most of her contemporaries! As with Jean Carn or Phyllis Hyman, there's a sophistication to Angela's sound here that indicates roots in much hipper territory that were still pulling strongly on her work for this mainstream set – a sound that runs deeper than you might expect for such a commercially successful record, and which has really kept it alive for years. Part of the strength of the set is the jazzy backings given the music – arranged by Dave Grusin, and carried off by himself on keyboards, with other players who include Eric Gale on guitar, Dave Valentin on reeds, Steve Gadd on drums, and Ralph MacDonald on percussion. There's a warmly glowing feel to the record that's neither slick or commercial – and titles include "Children Of The World United", "Summer Days", "Rough Times", "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", and "The Only Thing I Would Wish For". Includes a bonus track – the Arista single mix of "This Time I'll Be Sweeter".

Angela's looking a bit uptight on the cover, but the set's got a wonderfully smooth feel overall – thanks to production from George Duke! Duke brings a nice sense of warmth to the record – one that's greatly appreciated at this point in Bofill's career, and which helps her hang onto the more jazz-inflected sounds she first brought to wax at the end of the 70s. A few tunes are a bit crossover-oriented, but never too much so – and backing vocals on the set are by Howard Hewett and Shirley Jones. Tracks include "First Time", "Midnight Shine", "Tell Me Tomorrow", "Woman's Intuition", "I Don't Wanna Come Down", "Generate Love", and "You're On".

An instant classic from the moment it was first released – and still pretty darn pleasing these days! D'Angelo's first album, and a sweetly crafted batch of songs that have a strong "return to the classic sound" vibe to them. Cuts include "Smooth", "Me & Those Dreamin Eyes Of Mine", "Brown Sugar", "Alright", and "Jonz In My Bonz".

Sweet and gritty soul from D'Angelo – who takes a huge step into deeper territory on Voodoo – and it's one of the most monumental records of its time! On one level, Voodoo works as a nicely stripped-down session with a very classic soul feel. Gone are the overzealous flourishes that sometimes overwhelmed his earlier songs, and in their place are some sweetly crafted vocal parts with a classic Marvin Gaye/Al Green feel. That warmth is probably what made Voodoo a massive popular success – but what makes it such a creative triumph are the darker undercurrents – which hint at a troubled soul struggling for spiritual truth. One of the rare cases in popular music when great art became music for the masses! Titles include "Left & Right (feat Method Man & Redman)", "The Line", "Spanish Joint", "Africa", "Feel Like Makin Love", "The Root", "Playa Playa", "Devil's Pie", and "Greatdayndamornin/Booty".

The best records in years – maybe decades – from the legendary Dr John – and a set that stands up strongly next to the messed-up Crescent City vibe of his 70s classics! Big thanks are due to Black Keys' guitarist Dan Auerbach – who produced and supervised the whole recording – and helped create the kind of rootsy studio proceedings that make for just the right vibe to help the Doctor hit all his best classic modes! Leon Michels brings in some great keyboards, too – and an undercurrent of El Michels funk – and Dr John's vocals really sparkle in the setting – stepping out with all the weird raspy elements we love so much. Titles include "Ice Age", "Getaway", "Kingdom Of Izzness", "You Lie", "Eleggua", "My Children My Angels", "Locked Down", and "Big Shot".

A pair of albums from saxophonist Wilton Felder – back to back on a single CD! We All Have A Star offers up solo sounds from Crusaders reedman Wilton Felder – a really great set that's very much in the best vibe of his larger group at the time – yet one that also offers up a stronger focus on Wilton's sublime solo work on tenor! The album's got plenty of Crusaders help on board – given that Stix Hooper and Joe Sample produced the set along with Wilton – and the vibe's a wonderful blend of electric backings, with especially great keyboard lines, and Felder's well-phrased saxophone lines over the top! A few cuts feature vocals – sung by Angela Bryant or Debbie Demoia Ross – and titles include "We All Have A Star", "I Know Who I Am", "The Cycles Of Time", "Why Believe", "Ride On", and "You & Me & Ecstasy". Inherit The Wind is one of the best Crusaders-related solo projects – a soulful bit of fusion from saxophonist Wilton Felder, co-produced with his fellow Crusaders! The album's got the best sunny finish of the group's late 70s albums – traces of Latin, funk, and soul bubbling through a warm jazzy mix – staying soulful all the way through, and coming up with a sound that's smooth, but never sleepy. The blueprint for a million other records – none of which ever sounded this good! Titles include "Insight", "LA Light", "Until The Morning Comes", "Someday We'll All Be Free", and "Inherit The Wind".

Mid 90s Isleys – with some songs written by Angela Winbush, who also produces – as does R Kelly on a few numbers too! Includes "Floatin On Your Love", 'Whenever You're Ready", "Let's Get Intimate", their cover of Simply Red's "Holding Back The Years" and 6 more.

One of the greatest albums of all time – a masterpiece of moody soul, spacey vocals, and jazzy vibes – all produced by the legendary Roy Ayers! Ramp take their name from the anagram Roy Ayers Musical Productions – and in a way, the group's the summation of all the genius that Roy had been cooking up on his own albums of the 70s – served up at an even higher level than before! The group boasts a unique two-female vocal style – sung together in a mode that had been used on Roy's own albums, but never this fully – all supported by some complex jazzy instrumentation, very heavy on the vibes and keyboards! Nearly every cut is fantastic – and the album has a strange off-kilter vibe that's totally amazing, and which has captivated soul fans for years – a blend of mellow and upbeat, complicated and straightforward that's totally great. Titles include the massive cut "Daylight", sampled famously over the years, plus "American Promise", "Come Into Knowledge", "I Just Love You", and the band's great cover of "Everybody Loves the Sunshine", done in a way that's strangely both similar and different than Roy's own version!

Hard to go wrong with Rene & Angela at this point in their career – as they're super tight, always upbeat, and plenty darn soulful – no matter what the groove! The album's a perfect example of 80s groove at its best – a reworking of mainstream soul modes with a slight modern dancefloor touch – still never disco cliches, nor some of the too-poppy modes used by some of their contemporaries – and a blend that's always right on the money for the vocals of Angela Winbush to shine! Titles include the groover "Can't Give You Up", the mellow number "My First Love", and the cuts "Take Me To The Limit", "When It Comes To Love", "Bangin The Boogie", "Rise", and "Keep Runnin". CD features 6 bonus tracks too – "Bangin The Boogie (single)", "Keep Runnin (single)", "My First Love (single)", "Bangin The Boogie (inst)", "Keep Runnin (12" version)", and "Keep Runnin (dub)".

A bit late in the game for Rene & Angela, though they're still pumping out some classic 80s groove numbers, with Angela Winbush's flair for great songs. There's a few numbers here that are moving a bit too far into the commercial radio slow jam territory for our tastes, but there's a couple of nice sleepers too. Includes "Save Your Love (For #1)", "I'll Be Good", "No How-No Way", "You Don't Have To Cry", "Street Called Desire", "Your Smile", 'Who's Foolin' Who" and "Drive My Love".

Lost soul from a massively overlooked source – the mighty LA indie Double Shot Records, best known for their fuzzy rock classics, but also a hotbed of tripped-out soul! Given that Double Shot's 2 biggest artists of the late 60s were Count Five ("Psychotic Reaction") and Brenton Wood ("Oogum Boogum Song"), you can imagine that the label would be equally well suited to handle mod 60s guitars and sweet soul vocals – and on most of the tracks on this set, you'll be hearing them at the same time! The set's a really massive batch of tunes – a wonderful discovery to our ears, as we'd only ever heard the odd rare single on the label, and had no idea that there was so much great work – nor that it would sound so great! The CD features a total of 26 tracks in all, pulled from the Double Shot singles of the late 60s – with tracks that include "Push Me Baby" and "Jelly" by The Bagdads, "What Is Soul" and "The International Love Song" by The Real Thing, "Four Piece Funky Nitty Gritty Junky Band" and "Everybody's Got A Hang Up" by Bobby Freeman, "Gotta Keep Talkin" and "Coming In Out Of The Rain" by Maurice Rodgers, "The Neck" and "Trouble" by Kent & The Candidates, "Sugar Sugar" by Shirley, and "Trouble" by Foxy.