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The classic debut – with "Break On Through", "Soul Kitchen", "Crystal Ship", "Light My Fire", "Back Door Man", and "The End".

Plenty of gems – including "When The Music's Over", "People Are Strange", "Moonlight Drive", "Horse Latitudes", "Unhappy Girl", "Love Me Two Times", and "Strange Days".

Groovily tripped-out work from vibist Dave Pike – and one of the few American albums that matches the experimental sound of his work for MPS! The session's often quite free and open – in a way that not only uses odd instrumental combinations and arrangements, but which also features some offbeat production by Herbie Mann that further abstracts the sound! Elements of Pike's earlier work shine through in a few of the more straightforward groovers, but his new European-endowed sense of hipness wins in the end – thanks to a good deal of modal grooves, psychedelic elements, and even a bit of fuzzy Fender bass! Other players include Lee Konitz on alto sax, Don Friedman on piano, Chuck Israel on bass (electric and acoustic), and Eddie Daniels on tenor and clarinet – and titles include "Free Improvisation", "The Drifter", "Ballad", "The Doors Of Perception", and "Anticipation".

A stellar collection of country soul by many of the greatest voices of any strain of soul music – Solomon Burke, Esther Phillips, Al Green, Bettye Swann, Percy Sledge, Little Milton, Candi Stanton and many more! A healthy portion of the material comes from the late 60s and early 70s – recordings that bring a depth of genuine soul to songs written or popularized by artists more often associated with the country charts. That said, it's soul music all the way – showing both the dexterity of these great soul singers and the adaptability of the such great songs. Includes "Detroit City" by Arthur Alexander, "He'll Have To Go" by Solomon Burke, "Take Time To Know Her" by Percy Sledge, "I Saw Me" by Esther Phillips, "Hangin' On" by Ann Peebles, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Al Green, "Behind Closed Doors" by Little Milton, "Set Me Free" by Clarence Carter, "Yours, Love" by Joe Simon, "She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye" by Brook Benton and more.

The classic debut – with "Break On Through", "Soul Kitchen", "Crystal Ship", "Light My Fire", "Back Door Man", and "The End".

One of the great early Merle Haggard records with The Strangers – and a classic that swung open all kinds of doors for Hag and all honky tonk legends to follow! The barroom laments come into full bloom on this record, with the unvarnished honky tonk style that Hag helped define, though done with just enough Capitol polish, courtesy of the great and legendary producers Ken Nelson and Fuzzy Owen. It contains uber-classic "The Bottle Let Me Down" plus the equally great title track, plus comparably overlooked album classics like "I'll Look You Over", "The Girl Turned Ripe", "No More You & Me", "I Can't Stand Me", "No More You And Me" a great version of the Tommy Collins classic and Bakersfield Sound bedrock "High On A Hilltop","Shade Tree (Fix-It Man)".

Beautiful sounds from the Chicago scene – a set that really showcases the new developments in the avant side of the spectrum in recent years! The group's made up of important players who've really helped push things forward with their own music – James Falzone on clarinet, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Jason Roebke on bass, and Tim Daisy on drums – with key help from Jeb Bishop on trombone, Josh Berman on cornet, Keefe Jackson on tenor and bass clarinet, and Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello and electronics! The musicians' resumes should more than speak for themselves – but the difference here is that there's kind of an "historical modern" feel to the sound – a vibe a bit like some of the 482 releases in recent years – reaching back over 50 years of leftfield expression, but finding a new voice for it in the 21st Century. Things are almost always swinging, although never straight ahead – and the interplay of clarinet and vibes is especially nice, even when other horns are present. Titles include "Breakfast Feud", "Memories Of You", "Rose Room", "Other Doors", "Six Appeal", "The Wang Wang Blues", and "AC/DC Current".

Titles include "Tell All The People", "Touch Me", "Shaman's Blues", "Easy Ride", "Wild Child", "Do It", and "Wishful Sinful".

The Doors original and the Ray Manzarek-produced X cover on the flip!

Classic old school trip through the NY subway system, moving through Manhattan in a swingin', socially conscious way.

The first ever compilation of Indonesian psychedelia from AKA is a great one – fuzzy prog and funk steeped jams that the group tore up throughout the 70s – as cool as any single artist global rock compilations we've seen in quite a while! The group formed in Surabaya, East Java and went on to record a slew of albums throughout the 70s, but never really busted out big in it's time. Now's a great time for the world to catch up! They sing in English, and the songs are really exciting, changing tempos as they roll along incredibly, with a sound built around drums, bass, keys and guitars. Lead singer and keyboard player shines pretty brightly, but each group member sings and kills it in their own realms. Amazing! Includes "Do What You Like", "Glenmore", "Reflection", "We've Gotta Work It Out". "Cruel Side", "Groovy", "Mr Bull Doc", "Shake Me", "Crazy Joe", "Open Doors", "Sky Rider" and the CD bonus track "AKA Untuk Mu". 15 in all.

Let's get this straight. Merle Haggard SINGS "Okie From Muskogee" but he is not THE "Okie From Muskogee". Nevertheless, this is the record that put the honky in honky tonk. Merle sure pretended to not like hippies back in '69, and story has it he even refused an invitation to produce Gram Parson's GP album on the basis that Gram was just another damn dirty hippie. Of course that's just a story – Merle simply didn't fancy himself a producer. Okie From Muskogee is pretty much the definitive portrait of the Hag at his most reactionary, and if the ignorant politics of the title track gives us a few goosebumps along the way, it's well worth it to hear him perform some of his best tracks at the very peak of his career. Besides, what's an outlaw if he doesn't scare you a little? Many of the great ones are here, including "Mama Tried", "No Hard Times", "In the Arms Of Love", "If I Had Left It Up To You", "White Line Fever", "Blue Rock", "Okie From Muskogee", and a medley of "Swinging Doors", "I'm A Lonesome Fugitive", "Sing Me Back Home", and "Branded Man".

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

Herbie Mann's opening plenty of windows with this one – and plenty of doors too – really letting some new influences come to his music, thanks to the presence of Sonny Sharrock on guitar and Roy Ayers on vibes! The album's one of Herbie's wildest from the 60s – and the mix of vibes, flute, and guitar is very very nice – a great blend that really gives a strong showcase to both younger players. Ayers' vibes are especially wonderful – similar to his own soulful Atlantic albums of the period – and Sharrock's guitar isn't as crazy as in later years, but has this sharp edge that's really different than usual for most of his jazz contemporaries. The album features great covers of "There Is A Mountain" and "If I Were A Carpenter" – plus surprisingly bold tunes that include Wayne Shorter's "Footprints", Charles Tolliver's "Paper Man", and Ayers' own "Windows Opened".

One of Nico's darkest albums – and the kind of record we always suggest to those who doubt her genius! The incredibly spare set has Nico playing harmonium, which makes for a spooky off-kilter sound that really gives the record a somber approach – especially as the instrument sounds a heck of a lot like her voice – very dark and moody, with lots of offbeat tones! Nico also gets some hip help, too – as the set features Brian Eno on keyboards, and production by John Cale – who also plays a huge variety of odd instruments too. Titles include a sublime 9 minute reading of The Doors' "The End", one that makes the original seem like candy floss – plus the tracks "Secret Side", "Innocent & Vain", "Valley Of The Kings", "We've Got The Gold", and "It Has Not Taken Long". Great 2CD version features a bonus disc of rare live material from radio and TV performances – including "Das Lied Der Deutschen", a previously unreleased cut from the June 1st 1974 sessions – plus "Janitor Of Lunacy", "Secret Side", "We've Got The Gold", "The End", and "You Forgot To Answer" from unreleased Peel Sessions – and "Valley Of The Kings" and "Secret Side" from unreleased Old Grey Whistle Test performances!

Classic-level Buck Owens covers of honky tonk standards – recorded at his own Bakersfield studio in the early-to-mid 70s to be ready to use on the Hee Haw show – but never released before this excellent compilation on Omnivore! The show was famous for trotting out both contemporary and classic country tunes for Buck and others to sing – and as both a host and a presenter, Buck prepared a heck of a lot of great stuff, just to be stocked up and prepared. All of the tracks here are previously unreleased, and it's probably as strong as just about anything else Buck was recording at the time! Includes "Honky Tonk Man", "Swinging Doors", "Hey, Good Lookin'", "Stay A Little Longer", "I'm Movin On", "In The Jailhouse Now", "Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young", "Jambalaya (On The Bayou)", "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It", "The Bridge Washed Out" and more.

Over the years, the reach of Thievery Corporation has gotten mighty large – so much so that the duo's almost better known for their remix work with other artists than the sometimes-sporadic recordings released under their own name! This overstuffed CD pulls together 18 great examples of the Thievery Corporation touch – remixes of artists both old and new, past and current, all given a new sort of sound through the unique impression of the TC touch! Tracks all feature new production, instrumentation, and/or remix work by the pair – and titles include "Tarana" by Ustad Sultan Khan, "This Is Not A Love Song" by Nouvell Vague, "In Love" by Fear Of Pop, "Dirty Little Secret" by Sarah McLachlan, "Nothing To Lose" by Isabelle Antena, "Cada Beijo" by Bebel Gilberto, "Habanos Days" by Damian 03, "Who Needs Forever" by Astrud Gilberto, "Desert" by Emile Simon, "Lemon Tree" by Herb Alpert, and "Strange Days" by The Doors.

Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Kid Koala, and Dan The Automator pool their skills for this dawn of the 2000s sci-fi hip hop classic – the masterful Deltron 3030! The guest list is almost too long to get into, but Money Mark, Prince Paul, PB Wolf and Mr. Lif are all here, along with many others. One of the benchmark albums in the leftfield underground hip hop canon – and a hugely influential set that burst the doors wide open for the more creative spirits in the hip hop and even experimental pop. Tracks include "State Of The Nation", "3030", "The Fantabulous Rap Extravaganza", "Things You Can Do", "Positive Contact", "St Catherine St.", "Virus", "Mastermind", "National Movie Review", "Time Keeps On Slipping", "Turbulence (remix)", "Battlesong", "Memory Loss" and more.

The complete collection of Hag's 60s singles at Capitol – with some of his most legendary songs – along with some equal treasures that just didn't hit as big on the charts! It's a pretty tightly-focused set that starts with the formative, Bakersfield honky tonk-honed style of the earlier singles and segues pretty early to his popular and creative peaks as both a performer and songwriter! That smoky smooth voice is as great as it would ever be during this period, and he really starts showing his storytelling excellence on these songs, too. To this day, Haggard doesn't get the credit he deserves for his empathetic songcraft – and many of his best songs are in this set! 28 tracks in all: "I'm Gonna Break Every Heart In Can", "Falling For You", "Swinging Doors", "The Bottle Let Me Down", "Silver Wings", "Branded Man", "Sing Me Back Home", "The Fugitive", "You'll Never Love Me Now", "If I Had Left It Up To You", "Someone Told My Story", "I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am",

Beautifully sweet soul by Billy – perhaps a bit more pop soul than some of his other albums, but no less great! Gamble & Huff were firmly in the control room on this one – and the results show on excellent cuts like the huge hit "Me & Mrs. Jones", the funky groover "Am I Black Enough For You" (sampled by Schoolly D), and the tracks "I'm Just A Prisoner", "Brown Baby", and "Let's Stay Together". A masterpiece of sophisticated soul that not only had Billy crossing over big, but which opened whole new doors in the market for black male singers!

Dub at Downing Street – a record that must have been quite a bold step during Thatcher's England! The classic UK dub outing is headed by producer Winston Edwards with grooves from the Wellpack Band – all echoing out with a spacey quality that makes you feel like they're broadcasting from the moon – thanks to lots of wild studio touches from Blackbeard! The whole thing's instrumental, with lots of long, snakey lines – and titles include "Downing Street Rock", "Behind Closed Doors Of The House Of Commons", "Shake Buckingham Palace Down", "White Hall Scandal", "Ronald Biggs The Great Train Robber", "Kensington Palace Confusion", "Fleet Street Cover Up", "Airport Smuggling", "Hyde Park Corner Investigation", and "Who Made The Prime Ministers Honour List Of 1975".

A haunting second set from Michigan folkie Dave Bixby – recorded with a sound that's a bit more put-together than his first album, but still very much in the same moody territory! Bixby's very strongly in the lead on vocals and guitar, working through some heady themes on these wonderful little tunes – dark numbers that have a quality that's almost spooky – kind of a distant, abandoned territory left behind in the wake of 60s folk music – broken down, almost beyond repair, but finding a way to put itself together note by note. Tremendous stuff that will stay with you forever – with tracks that include "Control", "Circus World", "Harmony", "Time To Clear Your Mind", "The More You Know", "Rainbow", "Open Doors", and "All Of The Truth". Comes with a cool insert that includes an interview with Bixby!

A stunning live example of Ike's amazing baroque soul for Stax! Despite the schmaltz that you might expect from a live set recorded at Lake Tahoe, the album's a beautiful batch of long tracks with a very similar feel to Ike's other Stax work at the time – and it really gives you an excellent chance to hear how he could create these tiny little masterpieces even in a live setting, without any sort of studio trickery. Titles include "Do Your Thing", "Theme From The Men", "Look Of Love", "Theme From Shaft", "Ike's Rap V", "Windows Of The World", "Ain't No Sunshine", and "Type Thang". 2 LPs – in a cool die-cut cover!

One of the greatest Kool & The Gang albums ever – a monster live session that almost blows away their studio classics! The groove here is far more freewheeling and complex than some of their singles from the 70s – longer, tripped-out tunes with a definite undercurrent of jazz amidst the funk – loads of wicked horn bits from Ronnie Bell and Dennis Thomas that complicate things up nicely, while still staying soulfully in the groove. There's no vocals at all on the record – which further enforces the Kool Jazz sound of the set – and the album's even harder-hitting than their previous Sex Machine live album, so much so, the PJ's club had to close its doors shortly after the Gang's performance! Titles include the all-time killer sample cut "Duji" – plus "NT", "Ronnie's Groove", "Ricksonata", "Lucky For Me", "Sombrero Sam", and a medley of "Ike's Groove/You've Lost That Lovin Feeling".

Here's another excellent Felt reissue from our heroes at Cherry Red – the bands 8th album, originally released on Creation in 1988! The album proved that longevity was a big part of the Felt equation, bringing their pretty much timelessly appealing, Hammand organ grooving mood rock into the late 80s. It's easily one of their best late albums! Tracks include "Apple Boutique", "Ivory Past", "Until The Fools Get Wise", "Bitter End", "How Spook Got Her Man", "Christopher Street", "Under A Pale Light", "Don't Die On My Doorstep" and more.

Soaring grooves from the legendary KPM Sound Library – a set of tunes that sparkles with all the charm and glamour of early 70s air travel! The title and cover really fit the spirit of the music here – as most of the tracks are upbeat and sky-flying – the sorts of numbers that go way beyond the sleepier side of easy listening, and really show the way that Easy maestros of the 70s were picking up plenty of funky elements in their music! There's no hard funk tracks here – as you might find on other sound library sets – but there's definitely an undercurrent of groove, thanks to some well-chosen rhythms, strong use of electric bass, and an overall sense of flow in most of the orchestrations – a feel that reminds us a lot of some of the excellent Brigade Mondaine compilations from a few years back. The package really offers up a different look than usual at KPM – and the tunes are as classy as anything we might have loved years ago, on the legendary Sound Library collections. Titles include "Sun Lover", "The Great Outdoors", "Husky Birdsong", and "Towards The Sun" by Keith Mansfield; "Holiday People", "Soft Memories", "Gentle Breeze", "Summer Dreams", "Summer Season", and "Friendly Faces" by James Clarke; "Paradise Found" by Dick Doerschuk, "Silk Stream" by David Gold, "Busy Spectacle" and "Fun In The Sun" by Neil Richardson, "Sunseekers" by David Lindup, and "A Tender Touch" by Steve Gray.

The insane debut of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band – an amazing late 60s Brit ensemble who were almost to music what Monty Python were to TV! This first effort by the group is a mad array of sounds and styles that come together with a great sense of play and joy – a real delight in quick turns, witty phrases, and parodic re-castings of earlier modes – inspired by dada work of the early 20th century, but also handled with a lot more of a post-modern feel overall. Most tracks are short, and many echo earlier music styles, filtered through a slightly psyche filter – and titles include "Death Cab For Cutie", "In San Francisco", "Jollity Farm", "Equestrian Statue", "Cool Brittania", "I'm Bored", "Piggy Bank Love", "Big Shot", "Mickey's Son & Daughter", and "The Sound Of Music". CD also features 7 more bonus tracks – including "My Brother Makes The Noises For The Talkies", "I'm Gonna Bring A Watermelon To My Girl Tonight", "Alley Oop", "On Her Doorstep Last Night", and "Ali Baba's Camel".

One of the hippest, deepest collections of European jazz we've ever heard – a really wonderful set that opens up a whole new side of the French scene of the 60s, 70s, and 80s – filled with music that we've never heard before! Unlike other sets of this nature, which focus on American players overseas – this one is filled with homegrown talent, often working in styles that echo the spiritual and modal sounds of the US underground of the post-Coltrane years – very rich in feeling and righteous in message – freely expressive, but never going too far out to lose their groove! We know some artists here, but not from these recordings – and others are pulled from the kind of totally obscure French albums you'd only find after years of digging around in Paris flea markets. Titles include "Colchiques" by Eddy Louiss, "Doorstep" by Octet De Dreux, "Notes So High" by Stella Levitt, "Ricardo" by Michel Roques, "La Musique D'Orphee" by Chene Noir, "Le Musichien" by Francois Tusques, "Creole Girl" by Noah Howard, "Israel Suite" by Rupture, and "Lido" by Les Prospections.

One of the hippest, deepest collections of European jazz we've ever heard – a really wonderful set that opens up a whole new side of the French scene of the 60s, 70s, and 80s – filled with music that we've never heard before! Unlike other sets of this nature, which focus on American players overseas – this one is filled with homegrown talent, often working in styles that echo the spiritual and modal sounds of the US underground of the post-Coltrane years – very rich in feeling and righteous in message – freely expressive, but never going too far out to lose their groove! We know some artists here, but not from these recordings – and others are pulled from the kind of totally obscure French albums you'd only find after years of digging around in Paris flea markets. Titles include "Colchiques" by Eddy Louiss, "Doorstep" by Octet De Dreux, "Notes So High" by Stella Levitt, "Ricardo" by Michel Roques, "La Musique D'Orphee" by Chene Noir, "Le Musichien" by Francois Tusques, "Creole Girl" by Noah Howard, "Israel Suite" by Rupture, and "Lido" by Les Prospections.