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A wild early "party" record – supposedly credited to Ben Light. Worth it enough for the label alone!

One man rockabilly firebrand and Chicken Walkin' madman Hasil Adkins – done justice once more by his longtime champions at Norton Records! The title is as cheeky nod to the Velvets, but Hasil ain't no NYC art scenester, nope – he might be the true king of rock and roll, stumping out raggedly brilliant rockabilly wierdness all by his lonesome (for the most part...a fella named Sanford Stovers sings some on "Turn My Coat Tails Loose") at his home in West Virginia from the late 50s to mid 60s. Includes "Roll Roll Train", "Woke Up This Morning", "Donnio Boogie", "Donnio Shuffle", "Lonely Graveyard", "Somebody Help Me" and more.

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace".

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace". CD also features four bonus tracks – "Jazz Carnival (full original mix)", "Avenida Das Manguerias (SS translation by Theo Parrish)", "Jazz Carnival (Yambee rework by Ashley Beedle & Yam Who)", and "Codsall Juniors" by Mark E.

Titles include "Walk Like An Egyptian", "Manic Monday", "Not Like You", and "If She Knew What She Wants".

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".

Bill Black and his classic combo – but with a sound that's a lot more Stax Records than usual! The grooves are gritty right from the get-go – no surprise, given that the back cover notes begin with an anecdotal definition of funk – one that Black and his group clearly seem to have read, given that they start the album with a mighty drumbreak! The set's still got that saxy Bill Black sound, but the organ is a lot more deeply burning, and the drums have a nice sort of punch too – maybe more Mar-Keys than MGs, but still mighty darn nice. Titles include "Turn On Your Love Light", "The Horse", "Philly Dog", "Big Boss Man", "Red Light", "Bright Lights Big City", and "Shoo Bee Doo Be Doo Da Day".

Our favorite album by this overlooked 70s soul group! The album's a real club stormer from the old days – a soaring blend of upbeat tunes with a sound that's righteous and smooth, and never cloying. These guys are kind of riding on the high of an Earth Wind & Fire kind of groove – missing the cliches of most other bigger funk acts, and really hitting a wonderful stride with the classic cut "We're On Our Way Home" – a joyous anthem that never gets old! The whole thing's pretty great overall, and other tracks include "Brand New Day", "Journey To The Light", and "Positive Thinking".

Early genius from drummer Norman Connors – a sensational bit of righteous soul jazz – right up there with the best work on Strata East and Black Jazz from the time! The sound here is full, soulful, and spiritual – as Connors heads up a large ensemble that includes luminaries like Herbie Hancock, Eddie Henderson, Gary Bartz, Carlos Garnett, Buster Williams, and Dee Dee Bridgewater – all working together in a formation that's free spirited, yet tightly unified – often at a level that's even stronger than their own recordings! The album mixes a few longer tracks with shorter numbers – in a mode that reminds us a lot of Garnett's classic Black Love album – and titles include "Song For Rosa", "Black Lightnin", "Dark Of Light", "Butterfly Dreams", and "Laughter".

A classic bit of jazzy fusion from Chick Corea and the legendary Return To Forever group that included Flora Purim and Airto! The sound of the album influenced a generation, and although the album was overlooked by groovers for years, partly due to its success, it still sounds surprisingly fresh – skipping along with an amazing mix of fusion, Brazilian rhythms, and free-thinking solos! The album's overflowing with great-grooving goodies – and titles include the great original version of "Captain Marvel", plus "Light As A Feather", "Spain", and "500 Miles High".

One of the slinkiest shirts we've ever offered – featuring a wistful-looking lass with her hair in the breeze and a sultry twinkle in her eye! The image is rendered with a few simple lines – falling together, almost accidentally, to reveal this lovely lady caught in a moment of private contemplation. Thinking about her latest purchase from Dusty Groove? Perhaps. Or perhaps a lost love from days done, never to be returned. Capture the moment in heavy 100% cotton – more lasting than bronze.

One of the slinkiest shirts we've ever offered – featuring a wistful-looking lass with her hair in the breeze and a sultry twinkle in her eye! The image is rendered with a few simple lines – falling together, almost accidentally, to reveal this lovely lady caught in a moment of private contemplation. Thinking about her latest purchase from Dusty Groove? Perhaps. Or perhaps a lost love from days done, never to be returned. This is a 'relaxed fit' ladies'shirt with shorter body length, slight scoop neck and tapered sleeves.

One of the slinkiest shirts we've ever offered – featuring a wistful-looking lass with her hair in the breeze and a sultry twinkle in her eye! The image is rendered with a few simple lines – falling together, almost accidentally, to reveal this lovely lady caught in a moment of private contemplation. Thinking about her latest purchase from Dusty Groove? Perhaps. Or perhaps a lost love from days done, never to be returned. This is a 'relaxed fit' ladies'shirt with shorter body length, slight scoop neck and tapered sleeves.

The first full length for The Five Americans – a great set of mid 60s heartland rock by a group that could deliver raucous garagey nuggets, sweeter harmonies, and jangly pop tunes – with equal excellence! The group vocals are fantastic, and it's especially impressive that they could handle organ and heavy drums drenched rockers and groovy pop vocals at the same time. These five fellas should be much better remembered! Includes the killer title track "The Losing Game", "Goodbye", "The Train", "it's A Crying Shame", "I Know They Lie", "Twist And Shout", "I'm So Glad", "The Outcast" and more. Reissued for the first time in mono here by Sundazed – and it sounds great!

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!

Romantic reggae from a master of blending lover's rock and other soulful strains of reggae with an even more profound touches of classic-styled soul! Red Light once again finds Beres working well with producer Willie Lindo – with lean, crisp vibe – but it's never too glossy! A really nice mix of genre-skirting slow jams with a reggae groove! Includes "Red Light", "It's Not Easy", "Don't Want To Lose You", "Put Your Arms Around Me", "Coming At You", "Stand By", "You Were There" and "Irie And Mellow".

Two excellent early albums from Shirley Horn – back to back on a single CD! Travelin Light is one of the greatest jazz vocal albums of the 60s, and probably the greatest album ever by Shirley Horn! The session's got a beautiful lively sound, with extremely interesting arrangements by Johnny Pate, and a flute/piano/guitar sound that works perfectly with Shirley's lovely voice. The material is a great mix of lesser-known songs, sung with a maturity and honesty that will make your heart break. We love this one way better than any of Shirley's recent albums, and we can't recommend it highly enough! Titles include "Sunday In New York", "Yes, I Know When I've Had It", "Someone You've Loved", "I Could Have Told You", "Travelin Light", and "Don't Be On The Outside". Horn Of Plenty is hip stuff from Shirley Horn – very mature and swinging jazz! The set features the sharp early vocals of Shirley Horn nicely set up with some larger backings – hip arrangements handled by Quincy Jones, Thad Jones, and Billy Byers – with all the groovy 60s punch you can imagine from a lineup like that! And although Horn later became well known for some gentler, mellower cuts, we're huge fans of her singing like this – which has a righteous power that really tops some of the vocalists from the previous generation. Titles include "Wee Small Hours", "That Old Black Magic", "The Great City", "On The Street Where You Live", and "Let Me Love You".

Sweet early CTI work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – the kind of groundbreaking electric jazz that really helped him find a new space in the 70s! The album follows strongly from Freddie's classic Red Clay set for CTI – and like that one, it features extended tracks that build beautifully as they roll on – taking Freddie's airy trumpet as the base, and layering in electric piano, flute, guitar, and percussion – plus some wonderfully subtle strings – used sparely, but in just the right way to underscore the wider vision of the record. Arrangements are by the mighty Don Sebesky – and other players include George Benson on guitar, Hubert Laws on flute, Phil Kraus on vibes, and Airto on percussion – plus Richard Wyands on the keys, making a rare CTI appearance here. Titles include a surprisingly great version of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" which has some great breaks in the middle – plus "First Light", "Moment To Moment", and "Yesterday's Dreams". New version features remastering from original tapes – and 2 bonus tracks – "Fantasy In D" and an live take of "First Light".

Lovely sounds on the kora from Dawda Jobarteh – a player with a touch that's light, and pretty rhythmic too – a wonderful complement to his work on percussion and vocals as well! The set's got a really crisp feel, yet still retains all the best rootsy elements of the music – kind of an update of a timeless quality, yet in ways that never make things sound commercial at all – just a testament to the undying power of the music of the mandingo! Titles include "Namo", "Tama Silo", "Bamba Bojang", "Yankouba", "Mbassi", "Tabara", "Nkankele", and "Sama Kebbalu".

A fantastic full length set from Deborah Jordan – a singer we know mostly for her wonderful work with Silhouette Brown on an album that was one of our favorites from the London scene a few years back! This set has all the cosmic crackles of Jordan's previous work with Dego & Kaidi Tatham – no surprise, given that she gets help on the album from Atjazz, Don Ray, Jneiro Jarel, and Simbad – each of whom take a crack at production, and help ensure that Deborah's vocals get the right dose of snapping beats, spacey keys, and sweet electric touches! And despite the range of producers, there's a really unified feel to the record – a deep soul that emanates strongly from Jordan's lyrics, tying the whole thing together beautifully. Titles include "Home", "Future Calling", "Get Through", "Want It Back", "Brought To Life", "Slipping Away", "One", "Want It Back", and "Get Through".

It's the mid 70s, and Kool & Co not only keep the funky groove up, but also expand their style into a moogy style that adds a nice dimension of spacey soul to their rich palette of funk. The funkier cuts – like "Street Corner Symphony" and "Rhyme Tyme People" – sound a bit too much like the hits from earlier albums, but are still pretty nice. But it's the synth heavy cuts – like "Whiting H&G", and the landmark "Summer Madness" – which really open up the record. They're great stuff, and have the group moving into a spacey otherworldly funk realm that had been opened up a few years earlier by Earth Wind & Fire. The long-lasting potential of "Summer Madness" proves that the move was a great one – and we're always stunned at how fantastic the track still sounds today!

It's the mid 70s, and Kool & Co not only keep the funky groove up, but also expand their style into a moogy style that adds a nice dimension of spacey soul to their rich palette of funk. The funkier cuts – like "Street Corner Symphony" and "Rhyme Tyme People" – sound a bit too much like the hits from earlier albums, but are still pretty nice. But it's the synth heavy cuts – like "Whiting H&G", and the landmark "Summer Madness" – which really open up the record. They're great stuff, and have the group moving into a spacey otherworldly funk realm that had been opened up a few years earlier by Earth Wind & Fire. The long-lasting potential of "Summer Madness" proves that the move was a great one – and we're always stunned at how fantastic the track still sounds today!

A beautiful batch of gospel work from Shirley Ann Lee – a vocalist who originally worked the spiritual circuit in a trio with Candi Staton! The album's an unusual one – put together partly as a way of promoting Shirley's music to a larger audience – which means it's got a few spoken bits that kind of introduce her with cool musical backings, then roll into the songs themselves – which are often a very bluesy version of gospel – recorded with earthy instrumentation that really brings out the deep soul in her vocals! There's a nicely offbeat quality to the record – and in addition to 6 rare singles, the set also features 10 more that have never been issued before. Titles include "All I Have To Depend On", "There's A Light", "How Can I Lose", "Someday", "Stay On Your Knees", "Get Back", "I've Got To Make It", and "Blessed Quietness".

Enoch Light and crew get down on some groovy versions pf pop soul and mainstrema disco numbers: "The Hustle", "Love's Theme", "Lady Marmalade", "Sexy", "Got A Hold On", "Ease On Down The Road", "Satin Soul", "Hijack", "TSOP" and "Pick Up The Pieces".

An obscure group, but a wonderful one – and an ensemble we really wish we could hear more from! Yet thankfully, they've given us this wonderful album from the start of the 80s – a soaring, soulful set that seems to pick up the funky torch dropped by Earth Wind & Fire – and push things forward with the same blend of jazzy undercurrents and righteous feelings! Tunes are uptempo, but never too much so – and handled with musicianship that's really top-shelf – and the production has a wicked blend of jazz and soul that almost feels like some of Wayne Henderson's best productions from the At-Home years. The record features a wonderful soul number called "Dreams", which has great compressed grooves, and some early vocals by Miki Howard – and other titles include "Swingin", "Aspects", "Mirror Of My Soul", "I'll Always Love You", and "Who Are You?". CD features both UK and US cover art – and bonus cuts that include "Emergency", "The Word Is Out", "Swingin (rmx)", "Midnight Groovin (single)", and "Midnight Groovin (12" version)".

A Brit soul classic from Light Of The World – and a set that has the funky group working strongly with producer Augie Johnson! Given Johnson's background with Wayne Henderson, the move is a great one for the group – one that really helps them bring out the best warm sounds from their tight instrumentation, in ways that really showcase some of the jazzier elements in their music! The main groove is still plenty soulful, and often focused around the vocals – but given that the group also features a young Jean Paul "Bluey" Maunick on guitar and Peter Hinds on keyboards, you can bet the instrumentation's pretty great too. The set easily matches the best US albums of the type at the time – and titles include "London Town", "Time", "I'm So Happy", "More Of Myself", "Pete's Crusade", and "I Walk The Streets Alone". CD also features 7 more bonus tracks – pulled from the Brass Strings N Things live album recorded by Beggar & Co – a post-Light Of The World group that features members of that group with artists from Central Line and vocalist Noel McKoy. These live titles include "Time", "Movin", "Bahia De Palma", "Somebody Help Me Out", and "Cosmic Lust".

A Sunshine Pop treasure – and a record that perfectly straddles a few different strands of late 60s pop! The quintet have fabulous harmonies – of the sort rooted in The Four Freshmen, and given a sunny finish by The Beach Boys – but they also move here in a way that prefaces soft rock modes of the decade to come – working in arrangements from Jack Pleis that still have plenty of jazz and pop, but which also compress things in a cool way too – giving the whole album a sublime sound that's really unique! The album's not exactly like the Roger Nichols & The Small Circle of Friends, but it's definitely got a similar vibe – and no surprise, the group start things off with a great version of "Don't Take Your Time". Other tracks include "Where Do I Go", "Mornin I'll Be Movin On", "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter", "Love Years Coming", "A Time For Us", and "Free & Easy". Includes two bonus tracks – "Time" and "Mirror Maze Lady".

One of the most spiritual albums to come from the young AACM movement in Chicago – a session that's somewhat equal in expression to some of the best post-Coltrane work on Impulse Records! Maurice McIntyre plays here with a sound that's already fully formed – an approach to the tenor that's as searingly human as that of Pharoah Sanders or Albert Ayler – but which is also played with a sharpness at times that recalls a young Marion Brown. The rest of the group is equally well-matched – a tremendous array of talent from the Chicago scene, with Malachi Favors on bass, Thurman Barker and Ajaramu on drums, Leo Smith on trumpet and flugelhorn, John Stubblefield on soprano sax, and Amina Claudine Myers on piano. George Hines vocalizes a bit on a few tracks – singing in a spiritual tone that's somewhat like Leon Thomas, but much freer and more abstract – and the album beautifully balances shorter musical statements with a fuller suite on side two – showing the deeper, more ambitious expressions that were starting to well up in the AACM. Titles include the tremendous "Humility In The Light Of Creator", plus "Hexagon", "Kcab Emoh", "Pluto Calling", "Life Force", and "Suite – Ensemble Fate". CD also features a bonus version of the title track!

One of the nicest records we've heard from Jeff Parker in years – a trio date with some wonderfully rich sounds, and a great showcase for some of the more lyrical sides of his music! Parker plays in these great chromatic modes throughout – using some slight effects with his hollow-body electric, in the company of bassist Chris Lopes and drummer Chad Taylor – the latter of whom really helps make the album great, thanks to a fluid, open sense of rhythm – yet one that still always knows how to swing! There's more of a groove here than you might usually expect from Jeff, and a sensitivity too – and the album almost feels like the beginning of a rich new chapter in his career. Titles include "Mainz", "Swept Out To Sea", "Freakadelic", "Istvan", "Occidental Tourist", and "The Morning Of The 5th".

Tremendous work from Biff Rose – a near-lost singer-songwriter from the late 60s, barely remembered as the author of "Fill Your Heart" from David Bowie's Hunky Dory album – but an incredible talent that we'd rank right up there with Van Dyke Parks or early Randy Newman for sheer American brilliance! As in the work of Parks, there's a quality here that's completely unique – informed by the freedoms of the folk generation, but tuned with older-styled arrangements that while full, still manage to convey a sense of person and presence – as in some of the best early recordings of Leonard Cohen. And like Cohen, Rose has a really poetically-styled approach to his lyrics – far beyond the sardonic eye of folkies, or the indulgence of hippies – and infused with a sense of hope that crackles out of the tunes along with his own crackly vocals. Vocally, we'd almost link Rose to Bob Dorough for a sheer "oh what the hell I'm just gonna sing this" approach – and like Dorough, there's no silliness at all – but real sincerity where we'd never expect it, in a way that leaves us breathless. Children Of Light features spare arrangements and a bit of moog from Van Dyke Parks and Nick Woods! Tracks include "Ain't No Great Day", "Just Like A Man", "American Waltz", "Son In Moon", "Color Blind Blues", "Children Of Light", and "To Baby".

A cinematic cover, and some cinematic music to match – one of the moodiest projects we've heard from the contemporary underground of artists inspired by older film soundtracks! Keyboards are the dominant instrument here – often used in spare, snakey ways that recall older European cinema – but with a quality that's less scene-setting than just purely musical – sometimes groovy, sometimes a lot more stark and atmospheric. There's a few moments of spoken Icelandic dialogue – and titles include "Ljos", "Close Your Eyes & See", "Become A Hearer", "Grey Evening", and "Still Hearing The Light".

A beautiful little record from Matt Ulery – double-length in size, and even more than double in terms of feeling and depth! Matt's a figure on the Chicago scene – and in a way, his music represents the return to arrangements in the city's recent avant jazz world – yet his music is also even more compellingly concise, and handled with a strong ear towards thoughtful, tuneful compositions that have fluid, expressive feel – hardly outside at all, although always with an edge – and handled with a soundtrack-like sense of color and scene. In a way, there's almost a Kip Hanrahan sort of vibe to the music – especially in the way it goes way past familiar jazz – especially on the few vocals numbers, which feature lyrics sung by the lovely Grazyna Agusick. Other musicians include Ulery on bass, Ben Lewis on piano, Zach Brock on violin, James Davis on trumpet, Matthew Duval on vibes, and Jon Deitmeyer on drums. Titles include "Dark Harvest", "Processional", "By A Little Light", "To Lose Your Mind", "Wilder Years", "Sow The Deep Seeds", and "To The Brim".

A really unique look at The Velvet Underground – a book that traces their late 60s experience and existence at a day-by-day level – offering up crucial dates in their career with very vivid happenings, and lots of photos and images too! The book is way way more than a diary – as Richie Unterberger digs deep – and shows a side of the group that never comes through on record – their lives in New York, and their experience reaching out to a wider audience in other scenes and cities in the US – not just concerts, but other appearances too. The book offers a cool "prequel" to the group – with details from 1958 to 1964 of individual members' careers and lives – then moves into detailed analysis of the years 1965 to 1970 – before stepping back and offering some slight "post-lude" moments, as well as a bit on their reunion in the early 90s. A whopping 360 pages, very heavy – with loads of photos!

Music that no home should be without – presented here in a lavish package, with rare mono mixes too! The set's a wonderful way to get these early gems from Lou Reed, Nico, and The Velvet Underground – and the box set features the first three Velvet Underground albums for Verve, plus Nico's legendary Chelsea Girl debut, and the sublime unreleased 1969 album – filled with tracks that appeared elsewhere later ("Ocean", "Foggy Notion", "I Can't Stand It", "Rock & Roll", "Ride Into The Sun", "Lisa Says", and "I'm Sticking With You") – presented here as they were originally intended for record! The box features all original artwork, and heavy Sundazed vinyl with great remastering – with two bonus posters too.

Quite possibly the most beautiful record we've ever seen from the folks at The Numero Group – and that's saying a lot, given the quality of all their top-shelf releases! This beautiful edition features a hardcover book of vintage black and white photographs taken on Chicago's south side in the mid 70s – images of patrons and proprietors from long-lost nite spots that include Perv's House, Pepper's Hideout, The High Chaparral, and The Showcase Lounge – all the kind of clubs that were likely to feature the sort of Chicago funk and soul that Numero's been reissuing for the past few years! The images are amazing – a really rare look into the community that supported this sort of music – caught far far from the mainstream, in placed that were almost even private, compared to more well-travelled entertainment outlets. Photographs come from the collection of Michael Abramson – and are beautifully reproduced on LP-sized pages, in a book that also features some vintage flyers, posters, and business cards from the clubs! And if that's not enough, Numero also throws in some great notes of their own, and a bonus 2LP set with music that includes "I'm A Streaker Baby" by Arelean Brown, "No Better Time Than Now" by Ricky Allen, "The Same One" by Malcolm Simmons, "You Made Me Suffer" by Andrew Brown, "This Is My Prayer" by Lady Margo, "It's A Dream" by Little Ed & The Soundmasters Band, "I Sayed That" by Slim Willis Band, "Bring It Down Front" by Hugh Hawkins, "Womans Lib" by Lucille Spann, "Gimmie Some Of Yours" by Artie White, "Baby" by Walter Butterball Davis, "Is It Because I'm Black (inst)" by Syl Johnson, "Goose Walk" by Little Mack, "Young Blood" by Detroit Jr, "California Lady" by James Kinds & Stack, and "I Learned My Lesson" by Willie Davis. The albums are packaged in their own Numero-like cover – then nestled in a slipcover with the book – a hell of a sweet set at this price, and it also comes with an introduction by Nick Hornby!

A great counterpart to the first volume of rare 60s Hungarian jazz from Cosmic Sounds – as this one has more of a 70s focus, and an overall sound that's more concentrated in funk! During the 70s, the Hungarian scene picked up a lot of the heavier fusion influences from the rest of Europe at the time – but in a way that often had rock groups hitting a lot more jazzy overtones too, playing instrumentally and jamming nicely on some of the funkiest tracks on their albums. The cuts on this set really get at that sort of groove very well – and demonstrate the surprising amount of funky material that was coming out of Hungary at the time – work that was often driven by a more progressive jazz influence, but which came out stepping with a really in the pocket groove to rival the best American fusion work of the time! CD features 11 tracks in all – including the sublime modal groover "Bamba" by Dimenzio, plus "Ole" by Andor Kovacs, "Kemenysepro" by Kis Rakfogo, "Blue Light" by Bergendy, "Green Wave" by Aldar Pege, "K 14" by Csaba Deseo Quintet, "Stroll In Debrecen" by Debrecen Jazz Group, "Jaguars Humming Birds & Amazons" by Mini, and "Tropusi Laz" by Panta Rhei.

A great counterpart to the first volume of rare 60s Hungarian jazz from Cosmic Sounds – as this one has more of a 70s focus, and an overall sound that's more concentrated in funk! During the 70s, the Hungarian scene picked up a lot of the heavier fusion influences from the rest of Europe at the time – but in a way that often had rock groups hitting a lot more jazzy overtones too, playing instrumentally and jamming nicely on some of the funkiest tracks on their albums. The cuts on this set really get at that sort of groove very well – and demonstrate the surprising amount of funky material that was coming out of Hungary at the time – work that was often driven by a more progressive jazz influence, but which came out stepping with a really in the pocket groove to rival the best American fusion work of the time! LP features 9 tracks in all – including the sublime modal groover "Bamba" by Dimenzio, plus "Ole" by Andor Kovacs, "Kemenysepro" by Kis Rakfogo, "Blue Light" by Bergendy, "Green Wave" by Aldar Pege, "K 14" by Csaba Deseo Quintet, "Stroll In Debrecen" by Debrecen Jazz Group, "Jaguars Humming Birds & Amazons" by Mini, and "Tropusi Laz" by Panta Rhei.

The album's a real club stormer from the old days – a soaring blend of upbeat tunes with a sound that's righteous and smooth, and never cloying. These guys are kind of riding on the high of an Earth Wind & Fire kind of groove – missing the cliches of most other bigger funk acts, and really hitting a wonderful stride with the classic cut "We're On Our Way Home" – a joyous anthem that never gets old! The whole thing's pretty great overall, and other tracks include "Brand New Day", "Journey To The Light", and "Positive Thinking".

Veteran hip hop from the Hiero camp! Pep Love & Opio team up as First Light – with guest appearances by Phesto, Casual, A-Plus, Tajai, Knobody, Cold Showdda, Knowbody and Del The Funky Homosapien. Includes "Greetings" with Phesto, "Valley Of The Kings" feat Casual, "Over The Top", "Los Lobos", "Lighters" with A-Plus, Casual and Del The Funky Homosapien, "Shinin'", "Do What I Want", "Rock Raw", "Dip Dip Dive", "Make It Pop" feat Tajai, "Mission", "Libel" and more.

A strange but great chapter of The Blue Notes – working here without Harold Melvin or Teddy Pendergrass, but still sounding pretty great on their own! This version of The Blue Notes is a male quartet – not the Melvin group with Sharon Paige who were recording for ABC – and they get some fresh help in the studio from George Perry, who brings in this soaring groove that still echoes earlier Philly work, but also has a bit more of a clubby vibe overall! The style's never disco, but makes for some great uptempo soul – the sort that really lets the group's wonderful vocal style soar strongly – a rich blend that's totally great even without Teddy, and which has a great mix of raspy leads and warm harmonies. Titles include the wicked jazzy dancer "The Girl Makes Me Wanna Sing" – plus "It's Over", "Memories", "Standing By You Girl", "People Are Running Around", and "The Truth Has Come To Light".

How this burningly bad set has remained under wraps for so long is beyond us, but thanks to the folks at Honest Jon's, it's been brought to the much needed light of day! An excellent set collecting work from throughout the career of Cedric Im Brooks, spanning a wide assortment of styles, but all with a deep spiritual approach that Brooks gathered from time spent in his youth in Philadelphia, where he fell under the influence of Sun Ra, almost joining the Arkestra before returning home to Jamaica. The set jumps from heavy, dark roots and Nyabhingi influenced reggae, including some nice dubbed out versions, to Jamaican jazz sides like his take on Horace Silver's classic "Song For My Father", to some tightly snapping disco influenced grooves and bouncing afrobeat rhythms that would make Fela proud! 19 tracks in all, including "Free Up Black Man", "Satta Massa Gana", "Jah Light It Right", "Lambs Bread Collie", "Salt Lane rock", "Rasta Lead On Version", "Sly Mongoose", "Africa", "Collie Version", "Rebirth" and "Sabebe".

More hit magic from the Brothers Johnson – still working with Quincy Jones at this point, and virtually setting up the blueprint for jazzy soul in the 80s! Backings are by an all-star team, and Rod Temperton's helping out Quincy with arrangements – going for that snapping groove approach he worked to best effect with Heatwave. The sound is tight, but never too slick – and The Brothers keep a nice funky undercurrent on the bottom of most tracks. Titles include "Smilin On Ya", "You Make Me Wanna Wiggle", "Light Up The Night", "Stomp", "This Had To Be", and "Closer To The One You Love".

Titles include "Black Roses", "With All In Mind", "The Ballad Of Freddie & Larry", "Sand", and "Night Sounds Loud".

One of the most sublime Jimmy Giuffre albums of all time – and a perfect realization of his piano-less/bass-less trio style! The approach here is really revolutionary, especially for the time – as the group simply features Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, Jim Hall on guitar, and Giuffre on reeds – working with no other rhythm at all, and coming up with this incredible approach to music that's as breathtaking as it is groundbreaking! Notes hang in mid-air, slowly sliding around one another, flying freely from the players, yet still managing to swing in a beautiful way. The titles are a mix of standards and originals – but all tracks sound completely unique, with a sound unlike anything else we can describe – and titles include "Swamp People", "Lonely Time", "Green Country", and "Travelin Light".

Nice 12" version of this 80s groove number, with a tight "Heartbeat" type groove that's got a nice old school feel, some squelchy synths to give it electro authenticity, and a rolling almost stepper's piano line!

Sweet early CTI work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – the kind of groundbreaking electric jazz that really helped him find a new space in the 70s! The album follows strongly from Freddie's classic Red Clay set for CTI – and like that one, it features extended tracks that build beautifully as they roll on – taking Freddie's airy trumpet as the base, and layering in electric piano, flute, guitar, and percussion – plus some wonderfully subtle strings – used sparely, but in just the right way to underscore the wider vision of the record. Arrangements are by the mighty Don Sebesky – and other players include George Benson on guitar, Hubert Laws on flute, Phil Kraus on vibes, and Airto on percussion – plus Richard Wyands on the keys, making a rare CTI appearance here. Titles include a surprisingly great version of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" which has some great breaks in the middle – plus "First Light", "Moment To Moment", and "Yesterday's Dreams".

With Liebman on tenor, in an assortment of groups – with co-production from James Brown mainstay Pee Wee Ellis, who also plays tenor and electric piano, and co-wrote many songs! Leon Thomas also sings a bit on the record, too.

Excellent work from Enoch Light! Sure, the guy was a knock-off snoozer back in the early 60s – but by this point, he's gotten a very hip sound, and is working here with his Brass Menagerie ensemble to craft a lightly groovy late 60s easy back of tracks! The group's got horns over the top, and some slicked-up rhythm underneath – and the use of an electric bass to groove things up reminds us of the best mood music recordings coming out of Germany at the time. Includes funky readings of "Soulful Strut" and "Touch Me", plus "The Fool On The Hill", "California Dreamin", "Happy Ever After", and "Wichita Lineman". Arrangements by Dick Hyman, too!

One of the nicest records we've heard from Jeff Parker in years – a trio date with some wonderfully rich sounds, and a great showcase for some of the more lyrical sides of his music! Parker plays in these great chromatic modes throughout – using some slight effects with his hollow-body electric, in the company of bassist Chris Lopes and drummer Chad Taylor – the latter of whom really helps make the album great, thanks to a fluid, open sense of rhythm – yet one that still always knows how to swing! There's more of a groove here than you might usually expect from Jeff, and a sensitivity too – and the album almost feels like the beginning of a rich new chapter in his career. Titles include "Mainz", "Swept Out To Sea", "Freakadelic", "Istvan", "Occidental Tourist", and "The Morning Of The 5th".

Jazzy soul from Seawind – breezing along with all the tight finish of their earlier work, heading towards more modern soul territory than before, but still retaining all the fusion grooves that inform their roots – kind of in a summation of the breezy style of the Hawaiian scene of the 70s, but more professionally put together than most of that state's indie groups. Pauline Wilson is on lead vocals – and tracks include "Sound Rainbow", "Follow Your Wind", "Hold Onto Love", "Free", "Imagine", and "Enchanted Dance".

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace".

A stunning set of unreleased Gene Clark – with formative versions of songs on the one-time overlooked, now much-loved White Light record that are seeing release for the first time ever – plus some equally beautiful buried treasures! One of Clark's greatest strengths during his post-Byrds and Dillard & Clark solo years with the subtle beauty of his songwriting being front-and-center. On these recordings, it's mostly his voice, acoustic guitar and harmonica – and he sounds as vital and timeless as ever. This is a great one for longtime Gene Clark fans and newbies alike – a worthy set for any fan of sparely-furnished singer-songwriter material. Includes "White Light", "Here Tonight", "For A Spanish Guitar", "Please Mr. Freud", "Jimmy Christ", "Where My Love Lies Asleep", "Opening Day", "Because Of You", "With Tomorrow" and more.

A funky concept album from George Duke! Guardians Of The Light is a full-on "musical fantasy" – with the story line laid out in the liner notes, yet still a bit difficult to follow – but we can't fault him for that when it's done in his masterful R&B-fusion-funk approach! George sings on all cuts, but he also gets some stellar vocal assistance from Jeffrey Osborne, Portia Griffin, and Patti Austin. The record also has some surprisingly sweet mellow moments that bring a deeper level of spacey soul to the out-there concept! Titles include "Born To Love You", "You Are The Light", "Reach Out", "Give Me Your Love", "Stand", "Soon", and "Fly Away". 3 bonus tracks on this FTG CD edition: "Reach Out (12" Version)", "Celebrate (Instrumental)" and "Brazilian Love Affair".

Quite possibly the grooviest album ever from Enoch Light – a trippy blend of many 60s styles, all put together with sublime Project 3 Sound! The album's billed as featuring "exploratory trips through the music of Bach, Bacharach, the Beatles – Integrating the Moog, the Guitar Scene, Electronic Harpsichord, Flugelhorns, etc" – and it definitely lives up to that bill, given the range of songs included! Rhythms are strong, and the use of sweetly compressed horn parts is very much in an A&M mode – as is the backing vocals, which are light and wonderful – a bit like Free Design, but more towards the territory of Singers Unlimited, although even groovier. The Beatles and Bacharach material is especially great – but even the Bach tunes come out wonderfully, given that most are re-arranged with a hip 60s soundtrack sort of groove – classical roots, but contemporary execution – especially when there's a bit of moog or electric harpsichord. Titles include "Walk On By", "Norweigan Wood", "What The World Needs Now", "Get Back", "Bond Street", "Petite Paulette", "My Silent Song", and "Lover's Concerto".

Rare funk from the KPM vaults – the pulpy "Light Stakeout" credited to New York Trouble – a perfect slice of 70s crime soundtrack-styles grooves on killer funky 45! Part 1 starts off with a sinister bass line and drums, with some spare, kind of sneaky-sounding horn and flute and a slow-building dynamic! Some guitar, electric keys and other elements come in as it grows. The pace is mirrored on Part 2, which is has similar feel, but done with some alternate elements – in particular, some haunting, echoey effects!

A cinematic cover, and some cinematic music to match – one of the moodiest projects we've heard from the contemporary underground of artists inspired by older film soundtracks! Keyboards are the dominant instrument here – often used in spare, snakey ways that recall older European cinema – but with a quality that's less scene-setting than just purely musical – sometimes groovy, sometimes a lot more stark and atmospheric. There's a few moments of spoken Icelandic dialogue – and titles include "Ljos", "Close Your Eyes & See", "Become A Hearer", "Grey Evening", and "Still Hearing The Light".

Tight-stepping soul from the Chicago scene – a surprisingly great bit of blue-eyed work from The Jordan Years, fronted by lead singer Wes Restless! Pitched the wrong way, the group might be a bar band gone wrong – but there's a really solid feel to this record, one that grabs you right away with the tight keyboard lines at the start, then really gets sent home by Restless' surprisingly strong vocal approach! Horns top things out nicely, and the single's in a space somewhere between late 60s Memphis crossover, and the SF Fillmore scene.

It's the mid 70s, and Kool & Co not only keep the funky groove up, but also expand their style into a moogy style that adds a nice dimension of spacey soul to their rich palette of funk. The funkier cuts – like "Street Corner Symphony" and "Rhyme Tyme People" – sound a bit too much like the hits from earlier albums, but are still pretty nice. But it's the synth heavy cuts – like "Whiting H&G", and the landmark "Summer Madness" – which really open up the record. They're great stuff, and have the group moving into a spacey otherworldly funk realm that had been opened up a few years earlier by Earth Wind & Fire. The long-lasting potential of "Summer Madness" proves that the move was a great one – and we're always stunned at how fantastic the track still sounds today!

A cornucopia of wigged out grooves from the Pye & Dawn vaults – late 60s & early 70s psych, panoramic pop, and trippy prog from Donovan, The Bystanders, Blonde On Blonde, Status Quo, Atomic Rooster, Jonesy and many more on 3CDs! All of the tunes were released from 1967 to 1975, so you get a pretty heady mix of prime psychedelic pop era and later numbers that took that sense of adventure to harder grooving, or more complicated realms. Comes with a cool little booklet of notes, too. Nearly 50 tracks on 4CDs: "Season Of The Witch" and more by Donovan, "Paradise Flat" and "Someone's Learning" by Status Quo, "Ride With Captain Max" by Blonde On Blonde, "It Is As It Must Be" by Man, "I Put A Spell On You" by Demon Fuzz, "Decision" by Fruup, "No Alternative" by Jonesy, "Hard Labour" by Noir and many more.

Forget how much you don't like Enoch Light's snoozy early albums for Command, these Brass Menagerie LPs are very nice, very groovy, and have a good sound that's much livelier than Enoch's other LPs. This one includes goofy covers of "Shaft" and "Season Of The Witch", plus "I Feel The Earth Move", and "Explorations For Moog".

One of the greatest and most historically important compilations ever put together by our friends at Light In The Attic – the first ever (!!!) anthology devoted to Stax sax great Charles "Packy" Axton! Packy was a founding member of the Mar-Keys and a cat who played with the best of them – Steve Cropper, Booker T, Teenie Hodges, Donald "Duck" Dunn and many more – all of whom can be heard on this mindblowing set of benchmark vocal and instrumental singles from the mid 60s – truly the blueprint material for the great Stax and all around Memphis soul to come! It features singles cut for labels such as USA, Bar, Hollywood and Pure Soul – soul/R&B vocal numbers and proto-funky instrumentals. Amazing, amazing stuff recorded at Royal and Ardent Studios with some of the greatest soul music players to ever come together – so highly recommended! Includes "Holiday Cheer", "Bullseye", "Hung Over", "I'll Always Love" and "Late Late Party" by The Martinis, "No Ending" and "No Love Have I" by Stacy Lane, "House Full Of Rooms", "Out Of Control" and "I'm A Fool (In Love)" by LH & The Memphis Sounds, "Stone Fox", "Hip Pocket" and "Greasy Pumpkin" by The Pac-Keys, and "Hole In The Wall" by The Packers. 17 tracks in all – treated beautifully by team LITA – with a thick booklet of notes (by Andria Lisle) and full of vintage photos of the players, shots of the inner labels of the original singles, details for each track and more.

A soul record we'd put up there with some of our favorite ones that the city of Chicago produced in the early 70s – and it's literally a soul record – a beautiful gospel set by Pastor TL Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir, of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, on the city's south side! There's genuine spirit and passion in this record to make it an exceptional gospel record, but it's the deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that makes this one of the true, uh, holy grails of Chicago soul. The album was cut at the affordable Sound Market Studio, but behind the soaring, spirited lead and chorus vocal arrangements are players supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with legendary players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch in on the recordings. Raw drums, grooving organ, and incredible bass lines lay the foundation, but it's the voices that really shine on this completely wonderful, totally essential set! Includes "Like A Ship", "Wonderful", "It's Me O Lord", "Ever Since", "Nobody Knows", "Joyful Noice", "Medley...Dr. Watts Hymn & The Disciples Prayer" and "Blessed Quietness".

Great early work from Andrae Crouch & The Disciples – just the kind of soulful set that made the group a big crossover act at the time! Although gospel at heart, the record's got a nicely secular feel in approach – a style that's a bit like some of the other larger group soul of the time – particularly the 5th Dimension, whose bright, sunny sound Crouch seems to be reaching for here! But there's also a slightly groovier feel too – that undercurrent of hip that was bubbling under on some of the best Light Records productions in the 70s. Titles include "I'm Gonna Keep On Singing", "I'm Coming Home Dear Lord", "Take A Little Time", "What Ya Gonna Do", "My Tribute (To God Be The Glory)", and "I've Got Confidence".

Enigmatic folk rock and soulful bluesy vocals from Karen Dalton – her legendary lost 1971 album that's credited with inspiring some the most idiosyncratic work by folk rock superstars and contemporary freak folk heroes alike! Karen was a fixture on the 60s NY folk scene – Dylan even gives her props in his Chronicles Vol 1 memoirs – but she rarely recorded. Her voice carries a huge Billie Holiday influence – but the delivery is wholly unique in her earthy folk phrasing, a real dip back into Harry Smith territory. Her guitar and banjo picking is strong, too! In My Own Time was recorded for Paramount at the end of 1970 and beginning of '71, with really rich and surprisingly soulful backing on an interesting selection of material written or popularized by Dylan & The Band, George Jones, Paul Butterfield, and even a folksy soul take on "When A Man Loves A Woman". Light In The Attic shines a huge light for this reverential reissue – pristinely remastered, with a thick booklet of liner notes by Lenny Kaye, Nick Cave and Devendra Banhart. Other tracks include "Something On Your Mind", "In My Own Dream", the traditional "Katie Cruel", "One Night Of Love" and "Are You Leaving For The Country".

Enigmatic folk rock and soulful bluesy vocals from Karen Dalton – her legendary lost 1971 album that's credited with inspiring some the most idiosyncratic work by folk rock superstars and contemporary freak folk heroes alike! Karen was a fixture on the 60s NY folk scene – Dylan even gives her props in his Chronicles Vol 1 memoirs – but she rarely recorded. Her voice carries a huge Billie Holiday influence – but the delivery is wholly unique in her earthy folk phrasing, a real dip back into Harry Smith territory. Her guitar and banjo picking is strong, too! In My Own Time was recorded for Paramount at the end of 1970 and beginning of '71, with really rich and surprisingly soulful backing on an interesting selection of material written or popularized by Dylan & The Band, George Jones, Paul Butterfield, and even a folksy soul take on "When A Man Loves A Woman". Light In The Attic shines a huge light for this reverential reissue – pristinely remastered with notes by Lenny Kaye, Nick Cave and Devendra Banhart. Other tracks include "Something On Your Mind", "In My Own Dream", the traditional "Katie Cruel", "One Night Of Love" and "Are You Leaving For The Country".

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".

Killer work from Betty Davis – one of the most impressive female funk talents ever! If you ever needed a definition of funk, this record may well be it – snapping drums, sharp-edged guitars, and sex-filled basslines that slink and slide all over the bottom of the grooves – a perfect setting for Betty's incredible vocals – which themselves have a smokey, raspy quality that's completely unique! At times, Davis is almost speaking, but at others she's practically screaming – belting out the lyrics in a way that makes you feel like you're sharing some space with her at the end of the bar as she gets more and more wound up about issues and people who are on her mind. And as if the vocals weren't enough, the backings are incredible too – filled with drum breaks and basslines that few other albums can match – all wrapped around badass tunes that include "Shoo-B-Doop & Cop Him", "He Was A Big Freak", "70's Blues", "Git In There", "Special People", "Don't Call Her No Tramp", and "Your Mama Wants Ya Back".

Killer work from Betty Davis – one of the most impressive female funk talents ever! If you ever needed a definition of funk, this record may well be it – snapping drums, sharp-edged guitars, and sex-filled basslines that slink and slide all over the bottom of the grooves – a perfect setting for Betty's incredible vocals – which themselves have a smokey, raspy quality that's completely unique! At times, Davis is almost speaking, but at others she's practically screaming – belting out the lyrics in a way that makes you feel like you're sharing some space with her at the end of the bar as she gets more and more wound up about issues and people who are on her mind. And as if the vocals weren't enough, the backings are incredible too – filled with drum breaks and basslines that few other albums can match – all wrapped around badass tunes that include "Shoo-B-Doop & Cop Him", "He Was A Big Freak", "70's Blues", "Git In There", "Special People", "Don't Call Her No Tramp", and "Your Mama Wants Ya Back". Expanded CD features new remastering, a deluxe 32 page booklet, and 4 previously unreleased bonus tracks that include Record Plant rough mixes of "70s Blues", "Git In There", "He Was A Big Freak", and "Don't Call Her No Tramp".

The acclaimed documentary about the unheralded Seattle soul scene of the 60s & 70s – featuring interviews with those who were there, legendary admirers, and later Seattle musicians who remember these pivotal figures. It's the story of groups that include Black On White Affair, Cookin' Bag, Cold Bold and Together. Narrated by Sir Mix A Lot, it features interviews commentary by Quincy Jones and who's who of thankful contemporary Seattle musicians. The feature is in color, 87 minutes in length.

Fuzzy and genuinely well-crafted private press grooves from the Emerson brothers – with crazy good hooks, some surprisingly solid musicianship – and songs that range from straight-up catchy, though fuzz-drenched rock, to funk and soul! Donnie Emerson is the lead singer, guitarist and bass player, along with some synth – and on the best tunes, he's got a confident, laidback and warm style on vocals that truly doesn't feel the voice of a kid still in his teens – with brother Joe on drums and other friends on backing vocals here and there. Here's a record that profoundly transcends the private press novelty and the goofy jumpsuits they're rocking on the front cover! Includes "Good Time", "Give Me The Chance", "Baby", the instrumental groover "Feels Like The Sun", "Love Is", "Don't Go Lovin' Nobody Else", "Dream Full Of Dreams" and "My Heart".

Fuzzy and genuinely well-crafted private press grooves from the Emerson brothers – with crazy good hooks, some surprisingly solid musicianship – and songs that range from straight-up catchy, though fuzz-drenched rock, to funk and soul! Donnie Emerson is the lead singer, guitarist and bass player, along with some synth – and on the best tunes, he's got a confident, laidback and warm style on vocals that truly doesn't feel the voice of a kid still in his teens – with brother Joe on drums and other friends on backing vocals here and there. Here's a record that profoundly transcends the private press novelty and the goofy jumpsuits they're rocking on the front cover! Includes "Good Time", "Give Me The Chance", "Baby", the instrumental groover "Feels Like The Sun", "Love Is", "Don't Go Lovin' Nobody Else", "Dream Full Of Dreams" and "My Heart".

Sunny wonderfulness from one of the grooviest vocal groups of all time! This is Free Design's legendary album for children – referred to in the title as "very important people" – and it's a strangely hip set of tracks designed to get the kids to open up in a groovy late 60s kind of way. Given that the Free Design always sounded like a bunch of hippy kids, the setting is perfect for them – and they dreamily make their way through a great set of nearly all original tracks that sparkle with an innocent charm that's slyly deeper than you'd guess from the kid-orientation of the set! Original titles include "Love You", "Kites Are Fun", "Daniel Dolphin", "Ronda 'Go Round", "Bubbles", "Little Cowboy", and "Scarlet Tree". CD features 2 bonus tracks – both outtakes from "For The Love Of Your Lips", a Chapstick commercial!

The groovy groovy music of Free Design – taken to places we never would have expected! Like the first volume in this series, this one features older sunshine pop tunes by the group, remixed in styles that really expand past the originals – often at a level that completely abstracts the work, and creates a fresh new flurry of beats, keys, sounds, and vocals! The highlight here may well be Stereolab & The High Llamas' version of "Harve Daley Hix", but Caribou also turn in a great spacey jazz reading of "Dorian Benediction" – and the 3 other tracks are pretty great too! Titles include "Girls Alone (Nobody Muzak mix)" by Nobody with Ikey Owens, "To A Black Boy" by Danger Mouse & Murs, and "The Proper Ornaments" by Super Furry Animals.

Fantastic stuff – and a record that may well be the greatest ever from the mighty Serge Gainsbourg – high praise indeed, considering the greatness of Gainsbourg's other music! The album is one long suite built around a spare, electric bass-driven theme – a slow funk riff that's been sampled countless times over the years, and which has gotten the album continuous play on both sides of the Atlantic for many many years. The mighty Jean-Claude Vannier handles the arrangements, and Serge mutters the lyrics over the top, in a raspy loud whisper – while the funky rhythms dart in and out of odd washes of sound, and unusual eerie sounds. There's a very strong soundtrack feel to the album, as waves of music envelop the lyrics – tripped out in funky beats that have become legendary over the years, thanks to some very famous samples! Titles include "En Melody", "Cargo Culte", "Ballade De Melody Nelson", "Valse De Melody", "Ah! Melody", and "L'Hotel Particulier". Wonderful US version too – with a 40 page deluxe booklet that features extensive notes on the album – and a 1971 interview with Gainsbourg!

A landmark collaboration between Serge Gainsbourg and actress Jane Birkin – his paramour at the time, and a much younger woman! The pair come together beautifully here in a set of sensuous duets – tunes that have an open, honest approach to the relations between the sexes – yet never in any sort of cliched late 60s hippie-esque ways. This album is perhaps the archetypal Gainsbourg erotic effort – and it's filled with wonderful duets set to breathy, bouncy orchestrations – tunes that forged a whole new "adult" level in pop music – not just in France, but around the globe! The arrangements are amazing, and feature some of the weirdest instrumentation ever heard on a pop record – especially one that was as successful as this. Backings are by Athur Greenslade – and titles include the classic "69 Annee Erotique" and "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus", plus "Jane B", "Elisa", "Orang Outan", "Les Sucettes", and "Manon".

The soundtrack to A House Safe For Tigers – which is one of the movies Lee made with director Torbjörn Axelman for Swedish television in the 70s – and it's a great one, right up there with Cowboy In Sweden! Honestly, this might even top the better-known Cowboy In Sweden – which is all the more stunning, given that this one's been nearly impossible to find since 1975. We're Lee devotees, to say the least, and we wouldn't say that if we didn't mean it! The sounds range from laidback, hipster cowboy funk – of the kind that Lee himself pioneered and personified – to some fairly sweeping orchestrations and more specifically soundtrack-y bits, with narration and a choir. Best of all, Lee is singing as well as he ever did during this decade. An obscure masterpiece from one of our favorite figures! Titles include "Soul's Island", "A House Safe For Tigers", "Our Little Boy Blue", "Sand Hill Anna And The Russian", The Nights" and more. This great Light In The Attic version is remastered from the original tapes, has new liner notes and previously unseen photos.

The soundtrack to A House Safe For Tigers – which is one of the movies Lee made with director Torbjörn Axelman for Swedish television in the 70s – and it's a great one, right up there with Cowboy In Sweden! Honestly, this might even top the better-known Cowboy In Sweden – which is all the more stunning, given that this one's been nearly impossible to find since 1975. We're Lee devotees, to say the least, and we wouldn't say that if we didn't mean it! The sounds range from laidback, hipster cowboy funk – of the kind that Lee himself pioneered and personified – to some fairly sweeping orchestrations and more specifically soundtrack-y bits, with narration and a choir. Best of all, Lee is singing as well as he ever did during this decade. An obscure masterpiece from one of our favorite figures! Titles include "Soul's Island", "A House Safe For Tigers", "Our Little Boy Blue", "Sand Hill Anna And The Russian", The Nights" and more. This great Light In The Attic version is remastered from the original tapes, new liner notes and previously unseen photos.

Amazing sounds from Lee Hazlewood – some of his most offbeat, unbridled recordings ever – and that's saying a lot if you've already heard his classics for Mercury, MGM, and Reprise! The package here brings together rare work from Lee's own LHI label – packaged beautifully with a rich set of notes, session details, and some amazing photos that follow in the spirit of the nutty-looking cover image! Hazlewood's voice is sublime throughout – that deeper-than-deep quality that always leaves us breathless – perfect for the sly wit and and "aw shucks" sensibility of the tunes – and also for unlocking the growing adult sensuality that Lee was letting into his work at the time. A few female singers step forth in that great Hazlweood duet mode – Nina Lizell, Suzi Jane Hokom, and Ann Margret – who each sing on a few tracks – but Lee's in the lead on most numbers, and titles include the previously unreleased "I Just Learned To Run" – plus "The Bed", "Sleep In The Grass", "The Night Before", "If It's Monday Morning", "Won't You Tell Your Dreams", "Hey Cowboy", "No Train To Stockholm", "What's More I Don't Need Her", "Trouble Maker", and "Nobody Like You".