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One of the earliest albums on Hi Records – and a full set of heavy instrumentals from the Bill Black Combo! The groove is more R&B than Memphis soul – and is especially heavy on the sorts of rolling rhythms you'd hear from New Orleans – a sound that had obviously filtered north, and which at this time was still helping the Tennessee scene find its groove. Yet there's some definite Memphis touches going in here too – especially in the basslines and guitar, and a bit in the tenor solos – which can be nice and biting, with plenty of soul! Titles include "Smokie (parts 1 & 2)", "Cyclone Boy", "Dee J Special", "Anytime", "Before Dawn", "Special Duty", and "Crankcase". CD features two bonus tracks too – "Smokie (part 2) (stereo)", and "Smokie (part 2) (alternate version)".

Nice stuff from MC Hi-Fidel and DJ Crucial! FF has a skewed storytelling sensibility that keeps you in it – and the solid beatcraft that keeps it all rolling along nicely. Tracks include "Diamonds" feat Black Spade, "Jimmy", "Whisky And Dristan", "Deer Hunter", "Isabel And Future", "Manther" feat Kent Cyclone, "Big Bang Theory", "Patty Farmington" feat Serengeti, "Small Victories" feat Pigeon John & Mathias, "The Thin Wall", "Fortitude" and more.

Includes tracks by Eddie Heywood & His Jazz Six, Ben Tobier & His California Cyclones, the Edgewater Crows, Williamson's Beale Street Frolic Orchestra, the Black Birds Of Paradise, the Triangle Harmony Boys, and Sammy Price & His Four Quarters.