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Killer stuff – and probably the best record ever by this Chicago soul group! The record's got a full batch of original tracks written and produced by the group's mentor, Curtis Mayfield – including their amazing, funk steeped version of "Don't Change Your Love", with a... read more

Sweetly percolated sounds from Five Star – a great collection that finally brings together all the remix material they served up on singles during their big run for Sony Music! The group burst into prominence at a time when music formats were really expanding, especially in the UK –... read more

Bouncy, beat-heavy soul from Five Star – really stepping out strongly on this self-titled set! The music's nothing new, and very familiar to fans of mainstream soul at the time – but the group really serve things up with a stronger edge than on previous releases – handling much... read more

Nice mid 80s UK pop soul from Five Star – sweet family act that's kind of in the mode that's a bit of an unofficial British answer to the cheery family pop soul vibe of groups like DeBarge and New Edition at the time – and a sweet one! Lean, lightly thumping synth soul backdrops and... read more

Sweet poppy soul from Five Star – moving strongly here on a set that's got lots of early 90s new jack elements – including a fair bit of beats that really work well with the group's trading of male and female vocals! Things are plenty catchy throughout – not the deepest soul you... read more

Gritty underground hip hop from Lil Fame & Termanology – working to together as Fizzyology! Fizzyology the album has production by Lil Fame (as Fizzy Womack), DJ Premier , Alchemist, Statik Selektah and J-Waxx – and appearances by Busta Rhymes, Freeway, Bun B and others. Strong... read more

Gritty underground hip hop from Lil Fame & Termanology – working to together as Fizzyology! Fizzyology the album has production by Lil Fame (as Fizzy Womack), DJ Premier , Alchemist, Statik Selektah and J-Waxx – and appearances by Busta Rhymes, Freeway, Bun B and others. Strong... read more

Mindblowing work from Roberta Flack – an album that should be in the collection of any fan of righteous soul music! Forget all the wimpier modes of Flack's later years – because here, the young Roberta is a vision of positive power and spiritual soul – a singer with roots in jazz... read more

Mindblowing work from Roberta Flack – an album that should be in the collection of any fan of righteous soul music! Forget all the wimpier modes of Flack's later years – because here, the young Roberta is a vision of positive power and spiritual soul – a singer with roots in jazz... read more

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... read more

A second set of recordings made by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway – recorded, we think, in earlier years, but issued at the end of the 70s, after Donny's untimely passing. The set was co-produced by Eric Mercury and Flack – and is really more of an album by Roberta, with some added... read more

Rock 'n' soul from South Africa's The Flames – their '67 set Burning Soul and '68's Soultime – on a single CD! Burning Soul wasn't the group's first album, but it's the first featuring vocalist Blondie Chapman, who helped steer the group's more rocking roots to a sound more indebted to... read more

One of the finest moments ever from The Flamin Groovies – a set that's awash in 50s rock and roll influences, yet filtered through the heady late 60s San Francisco scene – making for a mix that's completely compelling throughout, and unlike anything else we can think of! The Groovies... read more

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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... read more

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... read more

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Flaming Lips at their most gonzo – the 4 disc set Zaireeka – with each intended to be played simultaneously! Call your friends with portable turntables and make it happen!... read more

First-ever vinyl release of the Flaming Lips at their most gonzo – the 4 disc set Zaireeka – with each intended to be played simultaneously! Call your friends with portable turntables and make it happen!... read more

One of the only full LPs of work that was ever issued by the Flamingos on Chess – a collection of older singles, presented here in a later edition with a different cover and some bonus tracks! Tracks include "Would I Be Crying", "Whispering Stars", "The Vow",... read more

A split LP, but a seminal full length album in the doo wop genre – one that was issued on Vee Jay in the early 60s, but brought together some key earlier work by The Flamingos and The Moonglows! Both groups here are at the height of their early powers – singing in a stripped-down and... read more

A wonderful little tribute to the late, great John Coltrane – served up as a piano trio session led by Tommy Flanagan, but done with a sense of power and imagination that rivals the strength of Trane's classics! All tracks here are originals by Coltrane, performed by Flanagan with a forceful... read more

The title says "recital", but the album's no stiff, starched concert affair – as Tommy Flanagan is right at home on the piano, playing with a fluid grace that makes the record one of his best from the 70s! There's a simple, unadorned quality to the album – one that really... read more

Twin pianos from Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones – with no other instrumentation – played in some great ways that provide an equal balance of rhythmic pulse and lyrical melody! The set's got a sweet stereo split – so that Tommy's in the right channel, and Hank is in the left –... read more

Rare duets from pianists Tommy Flanagan and Jaki Byard – recorded in San Francisco in the early 80s, and issued here for the first time ever! Both players are artists we love in a solo or stripped-down setting – where they really seem to open up and find all sorts of little corners and... read more

The rare folksy psychedelic solo set from Tommy Flanders of the Blues Project – a fairly stripped down, acoustic guitar and misty-eyed vocals led set of tunes. Moonstone is fairly straight forward singer songwriter record in some ways, with lovelorn lyrics and laidback arrangements –... read more

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Excellent jazzy electronica – a dancing blend of heady basslines, skittish drums, and electric piano, almost in the mode of the Xaver Fischer Trio, but with a bit more abstraction on the grooves. Titles include "Music To Begin With", "Options In The Fire", "Endless... read more

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More of a book than a magazine – given how heavy this mofo is, and the high-quality, full-color production throughout! This issue of Flashback weighs in at over 200 pages – and is filled with long pieces on some of the giants of psychedelia – including Morgen, Tomorrow, and 13th... read more

Flashlight is a sweet little disco combo – one who are working here with prime Philly maestros Norman Harris, Ron Kersey, Arnold Coley, and Bobby Eli – all of whom give the group's tracks a warmly soulful quality, and a sound that's more in the mode of early/mid 70s vocal groups like... read more

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Weird and wild sounds from bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten – working here solo, but on an electric bass – with results that are very different from his playing on an acoustic version of the instrument! The tones are often quite noisy, and very offbeat – sometimes far from music,... read more

A pretty great turn for bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten – working here with a cool combo that includes some key players from Chicago – but in a groove that seems pretty new for everyone involved! Flaten plays electric bass in addition to acoustic – and at times, there's almost a... read more

A beautiful record that not only shows how great the basswork of Ingebrigt Haker Flaten can be – but also what a great collaborator he is in an improvised setting! We've loved other albums from Flaten, but somehow this one really feels like a cut above – bass lines that have these... read more

A beautiful record that not only shows how great the basswork of Ingebrigt Haker Flaten can be – but also what a great collaborator he is in an improvised setting! We've loved other albums from Flaten, but somehow this one really feels like a cut above – bass lines that have these... read more

Produced by Rockwilder and DR Period.... read more

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A gem of a record from the same Pernambuco early 70s scene that gave us Lula Cortes, Ze Ramalho, Geraldo Azevedo, and Alceu Valenca! This obscure little set has lots of the earthier tones that showed up in work by the above artists – a style that mixes folksy touches with bits of psychedelia... read more

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Sublime 70s work from Darrow Fletcher – a singer we mostly know for his early soul singles in Chicago – but one who really hits his stride on these rare sessions from LA! The music was mostly recorded for Ray Charles' Crossover label – although a few singles also appeared on... read more

2 wonderful tunes by Darrow Fletcher – a great indie soul singer with a heck of a voice! "Little Girl" is a great, mellow, sad tune with a wonderful late nite sort of feel!... read more

A soaring stormer from Darrow Fletcher – a tune that grooves hard at the bottom, and makes great use of his amazing vocals over the top! "Misery" is easily one of Fletcher's best-remembered cuts from back in the day – and it's backed here by the totally anthemic "That... read more

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Tony Fletcher's impressive, sprawling look at the street music fom New York – one that covers the heart of the 20th century! Fletcher has penned the kind of far-reaching tome hear that truly commands respect – covering 50 years of NYC music from the early days of 78s to the punk &... read more

A great spacey groove! "Your Best Friend" has an airy, spaced-out sort of feel – one that almost reminds us of some of the best Cali soul in recent years – a bit abstract, but right on the money – and with the vocals flanged out wonderfully next to the beats! "Look... read more

A fantastic compilation of work from one of the grooviest groups on the UK scene of the late 60s – a mod combo with a surprisingly funky undercurrent at times – and a sound that's virtually the definition of the freakbeat groove! The drums here are wonderful – as heavy and... read more

A fantastic compilation of work from one of the grooviest groups on the UK scene of the late 60s – a mod combo with a surprisingly funky undercurrent at times – and a sound that's virtually the definition of the freakbeat groove! The drums here are wonderful – as heavy and... read more

A rare groove from the Flickling brothers of Culver City – a sweet early 80s number with a great little bounce at the bottom! The tune's got some really nice vocal interplay – not really harmonies, but some back/forth action that really works well with the sweet lyrics. Things groove... read more

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The Floacist, sounding better than ever – in a record that may well top any of her previous work – and maybe even music by Floetry too! The set begins with a wonderful duet with Raheem Devaughn on the cut "Start Again" – a cut that feels like some lost treasure from the... read more

Smooth stepping grooves from The Floaters – still very much in the nicely compressed mode of their more famous debut, and getting some nice production help here from Eugene McDaniels! There's a righteous punch to the record that really shows the influence of McDaniels – a way of... read more

Their classic, with the great long version of "Float On", which is a monster soul cut that stands tall with steppers and rappers alike. It's probably the best track they ever did, and it's all here in a version that's nearly 12 minutes long – with loads of samples that you'll... read more

A warm, wonderful example of what would in a better world be a textbook example of hip hop soul! Floetry bring fellow Okayplayer headliner Common aboard for "Supastar" – featuring the gorgeous and, well, flowing Floetry vocals, a booming, rubbery rhyme by Common, and uncommonly... read more

A beautifully trippy album from the Danish scene of the late 60s – one that's as playful and psychedelic as you might guess from the cover! The tunes are all originals, and all sung in English – and have this great mix of jangle-pop and pop-psych elements that's totally great –... read more

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A groovy set of instrumentals – based on hits made big by Petula Clark, but given a cool Cali jazz feel from Bob Florence!... read more

An unusual small label pressing – on a Chicago label – but a set featuring Babatunde on percussion, and synth by Patrick Gleeson!... read more

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A big, warm sunshine psychedelic pop set from John Carter and the Flower Pot Men – built around the richly groovy Brian Wilson styled gem "Let Go To San Francisco" – featuring a number of tunes credited to the Flower Pot Men proper and a slew of related material! Listen To... read more

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A legendary set from Eddie Floyd – the southern soul singer's first-ever album, and still the one that defines the sound of his career! The set was issued on Stax, but also helped to shape the sound of Atlantic Records soul in the 60s – a powerful bridge that crossed over big at the... read more

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A post-Parsons effort from The Flying Burrito Brothers – unfairly overlooked and worthy country rock from the innovators! The live "Last Of The Red Hot Burritos" was the final album of this period of Burrito history, an energetic set that's heavy with classics from the first couple... read more

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A long forgotten effort from the Burritos recorded 2 years after the death of Gram Parsons, who flew from flock years earlier. It features a totally revamped line up, which includes earlier recruit Rick Roberts and former Byrd Gene Parsons. There's really nothing special here, but it is... read more

A new wave crossover classic from The Flying Lizards – one of the quirkiest groups of their era! The group were European, but have a sound that resonates strongly with the most playful post-disco work of the New York scene of the time, particularly the acts on Ze Records – a groove... read more

The best yet from Flying Lotus – who we keep allowing ourselves to believe has hit an insurmountable peak with each new record – but he just keeps getting better! Where the preceding Cosmogramma upped the stranger, spacier and more abstract textures, Until The Quiet Comes is a bit more... read more

The best yet from Flying Lotus – who we keep allowing ourselves to believe has hit an insurmountable peak with each new record – but he just keeps getting better! Where the preceding Cosmogramma upped the stranger, spacier and more abstract textures, Until The Quiet Comes is a bit more... read more

Groovy little pop rock tracks, with a good small combo sound, and a tight little arrangements with a larger ensemble. The group has a good late 60's pop harmony style, with the lead singer out front, and the other singers in the back – in the style of a band like We Five or something like... read more

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One of the more soulful outings we've heard from Flytronix – a soaring little groover with nice vocals by Niki King! Niki's got a very deep flavor on this one – a solid and righteous sound that works great next to the snapping electronics of the track!... read more

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Amazing sounds from this very hip group – a contemporary combo, but one who play with a depth of sound to warrant their inclusion on the Jazzman label! The style is almost spiritual jazz, but a bit more laidback too – sounds that are cosmic, yet never soaring to the skies – and... read more

Amazing sounds from this very hip group – a contemporary combo, but one who play with a depth of sound to warrant their inclusion on the Jazzman label! The style is almost spiritual jazz, but a bit more laidback too – sounds that are cosmic, yet never soaring to the skies – and... read more

Amazing sounds from this very hip group – a contemporary combo, but one who play with a depth of sound to warrant their inclusion on the Jazzman label! The style is almost spiritual jazz, but a bit more laidback too – sounds that are cosmic, yet never soaring to the skies – and... read more

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A classic Dutch jazz/rock outfit – with sweet guitars from Jan Akkerman, and a mix of funky flute and keyboards from Thijs Van Leer!... read more

A classic Dutch jazz/rock outfit – with sweet guitars from Jan Akkerman, and a mix of funky flute and keyboards from Thijs Van Leer!... read more

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A darker record later repressed on Ninja Tune – with lots of messed up beats, noisy fills, and sounds that collide and slip around one another. Think of electronica played by a young Money Mark, and you've got half the picture – then throw in crunchy production and blasted-out sound. ... read more

Beautiful solo piano work from Raymond Fol – a player we mostly know from his famous 60s big band recording of The Four Seasons – but who almost sounds better here completely on his own! Fol's got a command of the keyboard that's really amazing – a style that takes us back to key... read more

This is a fantastic album! French pianist Raymond Fol leads a group that includes American and European players of the Clarke-Boland Big Band mode, like Johnny Griffin, Jimmy Woode, and Fats Sadi, plus American Art Taylor on drums – and he's come up with a swinging take on Vivaldi's Four... read more

Wow! A rare late 70s spacey rock record from Fongus – their hard grooving Guadalajara Rock! It starts off on a fuzzed out, heavy and riveting tip with the thick slab of a set opener ("Tripeando"), but from there it gets diversely rocking. There' some spindly, psych blues acoustic... read more

Great work by the team of Brigitte Fontaine and Areski Belcam – two of the most enigmatic talents you'll ever hear on record! The album's the only one they ever recorded that wasn't issued by the Saravah label – and it's a fantastic blend of otherworldly vocals with spare... read more

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