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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".

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".

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".

An amazing record from the young Lee Hazlewood – recorded in the years before working with Nancy Sinatra, and done with a very hip edge that stretches way past its date of origin – to a time ten years later, when the LA scene would be in the midst of a fascination with country and roots music! Hazlewood is the lost link in that tradition, and this album is key proof of that fact – served up with a mixture of warmth, cynicism, and just plain wit that was extremely unusual for the early 60s. Lee uses the fictional town of Trouble as the setting for the 10 little story tracks in the album – which are great little songs about love, life, not loving, and not living. The music is deceptively simple, and Hazlewood weaves the songs together with narration that brings the whole thing alive nicely – really showcasing the warmth and wit that makes his music so special. Titles include "We All Make The Flowers Grow", "Six Feet Of Chain", "Trouble Is A Lonesome Town", "The Railroad", "Run Boy Run", "Son Of A Gun", and "Look At That Woman". Rare mono mix, beautifully presented with great sound and loads of notes – and also features a huge amount of bonus tracks too! Bonus tracks include "It's An Actuality", "Forth Worth", "I Guess It's Love", and the incredible promo-only "Lee Hazlewood Autobiography" – which features Hazlewood telling his life story set to his own acoustic guitar playing, with even more wit than on the album – plus two vocal tunes with Duane Eddy – "The Girl On Death Row" and "Words Mean Nothing" – and four more recorded under the name of Mark Robinson – "Pretty Jane", "Want Me", "Can't Let Her See Me Cry", and "I've Made Enough Mistakes Today".

An amazing record from the young Lee Hazlewood – recorded in the years before working with Nancy Sinatra, and done with a very hip edge that stretches way past its date of origin – to a time ten years later, when the LA scene would be in the midst of a fascination with country and roots music! Hazlewood is the lost link in that tradition, and this album is key proof of that fact – served up with a mixture of warmth, cynicism, and just plain wit that was extremely unusual for the early 60s. Lee uses the fictional town of Trouble as the setting for the 10 little story tracks in the album – which are great little songs about love, life, not loving, and not living. The music is deceptively simple, and Hazlewood weaves the songs together with narration that brings the whole thing alive nicely – really showcasing the warmth and wit that makes his music so special. Titles include "We All Make The Flowers Grow", "Six Feet Of Chain", "Trouble Is A Lonesome Town", "The Railroad", "Run Boy Run", "Son Of A Gun", and "Look At That Woman". Rare mono mix, beautifully presented with great sound and loads of notes – and also features a huge amount of bonus tracks too! Bonus tracks include "It's An Actuality", "Forth Worth", "I Guess It's Love", and the incredible promo-only "Lee Hazlewood Autobiography" – which features Hazlewood telling his life story set to his own acoustic guitar playing, with even more wit than on the album – plus two vocal tunes with Duane Eddy – "The Girl On Death Row" and "Words Mean Nothing" – and four more recorded under the name of Mark Robinson – "Pretty Jane", "Want Me", "Can't Let Her See Me Cry", and "I've Made Enough Mistakes Today".

A totally amazing look at Lee Hazlewood's late 60s record label – served up in a host of rare singles by other artists who were working with Lee at the time! The range of styles is wide, but there's a really focused feel to the whole thing – given Hazlewood's key touches in the studio behind the singers, and his undeniable sense of wit and warmth, which makes just about all these artists sound way better with Lee than they would on their own! This limited-edition box is totally beautifully – with eleven individual 7" singles, each with original label and sleeve art – plus the rare "Woodchucks" pic sleeve, a special Hazlewood puzzle, an LHI 45 adapter, and even a download card for all the music – packaged in a heavy-duty magnetic flip-top box! Titles include "Lady Barber" by Lynn Castle, "Invisible People" by Hamilton Streetcar, "Come Down" by Honey LTD, "The Street Song" by The Kitchen Cinq, "Trouble Maker" by Lee Hazlewood, "Valentine Grey" by Danny Michaels, "It's A Nice World To Visit" by Ann Margret, "Bo-Dacious" by The Woodchucks, "Anyone Who Had A Heart" by Eve, and "Nobody Like You" by Lee Hazlewood & Suzi Jane Hokum.

An amazing, career-spanning compilation of pioneering psych and earlier material, mixed with more traditional elements of Korean music by Shin Joong Hyun – including his own numbers, great songs with his combos over the years and tunes he wrote for others to sing – from the late 50s to the early 70s! The stylistic breadth is pretty wide, but what's so impressive is that he's not merely traipsing through genres to stay current – he's a real master, and the consistently great quality throughout is a real thing to behold. It's passionate and soulful as all get out, whether it's a spare bit of rock or folk, raw and rumbling psych folk or garage-y stormers. One of the best global psych comps we've seen in a while! Includes "Moon Watching", "J Blues '72" and "I've Got Nothing To Say" (credited to Shin Joong Hyun), "Please Don't Bother Me Anymore" by Golden Grapes, "The Sun" by Kim Jung Mi, "Tomorrow" by lee Jung Hwa, "Spring Rain" by Park In Soo, "Sunset" by Jang Hyun, "Why That Person" by Bunny Girls, "Beautiful Rivers And Mountains" by Shin Joong Hyun & The Men and more.

Blistering funk rock and raw, tightly grooving psych soul from small town Victoria, TX – trailblazing material from Kool & Together. This is an amazing anthology from Heavy Light/Light In The Attic that pulls together material from private press 45s the group put in the early-to-mid 70s and previously unreleased tracks recorded by Texas music legend Huey P Meaux. There's a raw soul, funky drums & percussion core to Kool & Together's style that's really great! Singer Tyrone Sanders doubles as the group's conga player, which is a great touch! There's a demonstrable level of gritty psych soul and rock in the mix, too – wah wah guitar, in particular – but they're much more into a tight, heady groove than the kind of lumbering heft and solo-heavy styles of other Hendrix disciples. It's a family band – the earliest tracks on the set feature Charles Sanders Sr on vocals, with Charles Jr on guitar, Tyrone on conga and Joe Sanders on drums – with the boys trading lead vocals and instrumentation on other later recordings, along with additional players. A great discovery from Heavy Light Records! 19 tracks in all: "Sittin' On A Hot Red Stove", "I Know", "If You Can", "Wino Man", "Magic Words", "Peace Is At Hand", "Better Days", "Fly So High", "Electronic Funk", "Reaching Out", "Hooked On Life", "Blow It Out Your Mind", "Get Your Feet Off The Ground" and more, plus 4 demos: "Escapism Beat", "Hot Pants", "Nassau Beat" and "Wino Man".

A dream come true for all of us who ever loved the incredible songs of Kris Kristofferson at the peak of his craft – his late 60s and early 70s publishing demos – never before released versions of some of his best songs ever in the raw, unvarnished mode we always longed for! It's amazing stuff, including many tracks that would go on to be Kristofferson standards – numbers that got a little too clean and glossy on some of his own LPs and as recorded by others, which is what makes this compilation such a revelation. A genuine coup for our friends at Light In The Attic and a presentation of some of our favorite songs of the era by anyone – done raw and real, the way we always wanted to hear them! The set's produced by Mark Linn, who is responsible for the excellent Karen Dalton archival releases on the Delmore label, and he does similarly great work for Kris. It includes an excellent booklet with reminiscences by Dennis Hopper and Merle Haggard, full lyrics and notes from Kristofferson – plus rare photos and liner notes by Michael Simmons. Includes "Me And Bobby McGee", "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends", "Smile At Me Again", "Border Lord", "Just The Other Side Of Nowhere", "Slow Down", "If You Don't Like Hank Williams", "When I Loved Her", "Billy Dee", "Getting By, High And Strange" and more. 16 tracks in all.

Two versions of a great track – one original, one recorded specially for this single! Mark Lanegan's a perfect choice to rework Karen Dalton's "Same Old Man" – as his raspy vocals only get better with age, and his ear for unusual sounds makes for some great noisy instrumentation in the background! The flipside features Dalton's version from 1971 – beautifully rootsy, with a spare banjo line that's as haunting as her vocals!

A fantastic record of country harmony spirituals, cut by the legendary Ira and Charlie Louvin, during the height of their years at Capitol! The record's a treasure all the way through – from great cuts like "Satan is Real", "The Drunkard's Room", and "Dying From Home, And Lost" – to the groovy cover that has the Louvins standing next to a flaming pile of garbage with a statue of Satan! Forget all that modern insurgent country bullcracky – this is the real deal!

The soul saving, Satan deterring classic by The Louvin Brothers – plus the excellent Handpicked Songs compilation of Louvin tracks lovingly selected by an eclectic group of indebted artists – in this great 2CD set from Light In The Attic! Satan Is Real is a fantastic record of country harmony spirituals, cut by the legendary Ira and Charlie Louvin, during the height of their years at Capitol. The record's a treasure all the way through – from great cuts like "Satan is Real", "The Drunkard's Room", and "Dying From Home, And Lost" – to the groovy cover that has the Louvins standing next to a flaming pile of garbage with a statue of Satan! The real deal! Handpicked Songs is amazing music from the greatest chapter of the legendary Louvin Brothers – the kind of work that's made them a legend for generations! The set features Louvin classics chosen by a reverent group of singers and songwriters that really run the gamut – Dolly Parton, Beck, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Hilman, Emmylou Harris, Will Oldham, Zooey Deschanel, The Black Angels, Mark Lanegan, M Ward, and Jim James – but all artists who have been undeniably influenced by Ira and Charlie Louvin, and their way of melding melancholy harmonies into something that goes way beyond everyday country music! The packaging is great – very much up to the Light In The Attic standard – and titles include "Almost Persuaded", "My Baby's Gone", "I See A Bridge", "Knoxville Girl", "Great Atomic Power", and "Alabama".

A collection of outtakes from the Deserter’s Songs sessions! Includes home demos and otherwise rougher, early versions and otherwise alternate mixes – pretty wonderfully fleshed out, though, even in blueprint form. A very worthy batch of rare versions of songs from their one-time underappreciated/now acknowledged classic Deserter's Songs – plus more from the sessions. 11 in all: "Piano Vs Telephone (Home Cassette Tape Demo)", "Pick Up, If You're There (DJ Nickel 1998 Remix)", "Endlessly (Tascam 8-Track Reel To Reel Demo)", "A Soft Kiss (For Waking Up) (Home Cassette Tape Demo)", "Goddess On A Hiway (1989 Home Cassette Tape Demo)", "Night On Panther Mountain (Unreleased Mix)" and more.

Perhaps the most beloved of albums by Mercury Rev – and also their most unique! This is a band that was just about the least predictable group to appear on a major label during the early 90s "alternative" feeding frenzy – certainly one of those great bands whose influence and impact extends far beyond however many records they sold at the time. Deserter's Songs has textures picked up from classic ornate pop, waltzy numbers and dreamy atmosphere to spare– paired with off kilter vocals and a freewheeling, creative sensibility. A classic! Includes "Holes", "Tonite It Shows", "Endlessly", "I Collect Coins", "Opus 40", "Hudson Line", "The Happy End (The Drunk Room)", "Goddess On A Hiway", "The Funny Bird", "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp".

A lost porno soundtrack from Bernard "Pretty" Purdie – and one of his greatest records ever! The album's amazing – a sweet batch of soulful funk, almost better put together than any of Purdie's more famous albums for Flying Dutchman or Prestige – with a mix of tight drums, sweet electric piano, and even some occasional lead vocals from Sandi Hewitt – who really adds a lot to the record! The album's got some monster funky cuts – the most noteworthy of which is "Hap'nin", a mad break track that really has Bernard going crazy on the drums! Other cuts include "Pass Me Not", "Lialeh", "Touch Me Again", "Conscious", and "Easy".

One of a handful of enigmatic albums cut in the early 70s by Sixto Rodriguez – a Latin-tinged singer with a style that's a bit like that of Jose Feliciano – but trippier, and with more rock and folk touches! This set's probably his best one – thanks to arrangements and production by Dennis Coffey and Mike Theodore, both of whom give the album a stoned-out feel that sets it up nicely with other work on the Sussex label at the time – and which has made this Rodriguez album a well-sought nugget for crate diggers! The album's got a lot of "deep" cuts with semi-political lyrics – including "Inner City Blues" (not Marvin's version), "Like Janis", "This Is Not A Song, It's An Outburst", and "Crucify Your Mind" – and Rodriguez seems like he must have been one hip cat back in his day! Wonderful reissue version – with great sound and a huge booklet of notes that really gets at the details of the enigmatic Rodriguez story!

An amazing second set from Sixto Rodriguez – recorded in the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, with a groove that's a great extension from his debut! All of Rodriguez's best elements are in place here – his folksy guitar, personal lyrical style, and surprisingly biting approach to a variety of topics – and the London setting provides him with an even more sophisticated backdrop than before, one that creates a rich palette of sounds that takes the music in some really wonderful directions! There's a bit of strings at times, but most instrumentation is by a small combo – which includes Chris Spedding on guitar and Tony Carr on percussion – so that Rodriguez's vocals and guitar are really right up front in the mix, recorded with a brilliant balance between sharpness and compassion. Titles include "Climb Up On My Music", "Silver Words", "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour", "I Think Of You", "To Whom It May Concern", "Halfway Up The Stairs", and "Cause".

A rare early 70s record from guitarist, singer and songwriter Ray Stinnett – who was the guitar player for Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs at their wooliest and bulliest – and made this long-buried solo record for A&M in '71! Ray was born in Memphis, and after his success with Sam The Sham, he dropped out for a while in San Francisco before heading home to Memphis. A Fire Somewhere was recorded at Fame and Argent, and sure enough, it's got quite a swampy southern groove at times – but there's also some sparer acoustic numbers that carry a post-hippie vibe that he no doubt soaked up in San Francisco. It's hard to believe it's been shelved for such a long time! Includes "Salty Haze", "You Make Me-Feel", "Silky Path", "Wheel Of Time", "Stop", "Long Rivers Flow", "America", "You & I", "Honey Suckle Song", "Liberty High", "Natural High", "Love Is The Answer", "A Fire Somewhere" and "The Rain".

A rare early 70s record from guitarist, singer and songwriter Ray Stinnett – who was the guitar player for Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs at their wooliest and bulliest – and made this long-buried solo record for A&M in '71! Ray was born in Memphis, and after his success with Sam The Sham, he dropped out for a while in San Francisco before heading home to Memphis. A Fire Somewhere was recorded at Fame and Argent, and sure enough, it's got quite a swampy southern groove at times – but there's also some sparer acoustic numbers that carry a post-hippie vibe that he no doubt soaked up in San Francisco. It's hard to believe it's been shelved for such a long time! Includes "Salty Haze", "You Make Me-Feel", "Silky Path", "Wheel Of Time", "Stop", "Long Rivers Flow", "America", "You & I", "Honey Suckle Song", "Liberty High", "Natural High", "Love Is The Answer", "A Fire Somewhere" and "The Rain".

The great lost folk rock album from Jim Sullivan – who himself, literally went lost several years later – a set that's beautiful, yet just loose and ragged enough! It's a bit of a hybrid of folk and country rock, particularly in the acoustic guitars and laidback, warm vocals by Sullivan – but it's also got some Cali warmth – sweet strings and some horns and flute, pairing up with the looser, back porch style at the core quite wonderfully. Some great players from the LA studio scene played on the sessions – including members of the iconic Wrecking Crew – and it sounds like it! UFO came out on the small Monnie label, made hardly a dent, and after another record for the Playboy label, Sullivan disappeared, never to be heard from again in 1975 – lending a bit of a spooky air to the album, but the backstory truly not relevant to the quality – it's excellent, with or without the lore! Includes "Jerome", "Plain As Your Eyes Can See", "Roll Back The Time", "Whistle Stop", "Highways", "UFO", "So Natural", "Johnny" and "Sandman".

One of Marcos Valle's most strangely beautiful albums – a set that really his him stepping off strongly from his bossa nova years – really moving into mindblowing music with a range of styles that's simply incredible! There's definitely a bit of bossa at the core, but the larger orchestrations are much more complex, and plenty darn groovy – bringing in some complicated jazz changes, a bit of soul, and even a touch of funk – making the first time that Valle ever worked in such a mode. The overall sound's nearly impossible to describe, but that's what makes the record so great – possibly the best place to start if you've ever wondered why Valle's gotten so much attention from the worldwide groove scene over the years! Titles include "Ao Amigo Tom", "O Cafona", "Minha Voz Vira Do Sol Da America", "Paz E Futebol", "Com Mais De 30", "Garra", "Wanda Vidal", and "Black is Beautiful". New reissue features in-depth liner notes, song notes from Valle, and lyrics in English too!

Some of the most brilliantly baroque work ever recorded by Marcos Valle – an obscure 1970 album that collects together tunes from a few of his odd soundtrack experiments of the late 60s, plus a few others that are in a very similar vein! Marcos is really going over the top here – breaking way way out from his bossa roots, into a mode that has him pushing the envelope of Brazilian music to unheard of heights, with equal parts groove and sophistication, hardly ever matched by any other artist since! Things are funky one minute, groovy the next, and subtly sophisticated at other points – a completely captivating blend that's one of the best illustrations of Valle's genius we can think of. Titles include "Quarentao Simpatico", "Ele E Ela", "Dez Leis", "Freio Aerodinamico", "Os Grilos", "Suite Imaginaria", and "Esperando O Messias". Also includes the bonus track "Berenice"! New reissue features in-depth liner notes, song notes from Valle, and lyrics in English too!

An insanely wonderful album that will always remain one of the all-time favorites of the Dusty Groove staff! This beautiful batch of tracks by Brazilian singer/songwriter Marcos Valle has him pushing waaaay past his bossa work of the 60s – into a cool 70s mix of electronics and sexy scoring, for a sound that's a mix of Brazilian rhythms with other styles that evoke Italian soundtracks and French pop backing. That description hardly does the record justice, though, because the whole thing's wonderful – and it's got a feeling that's unlike anything else we've ever stocked – every bit as warmly watery as the image of Marcos in a swimming pool on the cover. It's no wonder that the album was one of Valle's last great recordings – because with tracks as good as "Mentira", "Mais Do Que Valsa", "Nao Tem Nada Nao", "Samba Fatal", and "Tiu-Ba-La-Quieba", it's hard to top yourself!

A holy grail! This is one of Marcos Valle's best-ever albums – and it's certainly the one to best realize the larger scope he was heading for in the years after the bossa – that sublime mix of jazz and more expansive arrangements – a perfect fit for the growing sophistication of Valle's songwriting. The record is fantastic – done with a sweeping sound that still leaves us breathless after all these years – and put together with an approach to composition that is virtually indescribable. There's a huge amount of influences running through here, and the album is proof that Valle was one of Brazil's richest talents, never ceasing to perfect and transform his craft – even long after he could have rested on the laurels of his success! Tracks include "Democustico", "Revolucao Organica", "Vento Sul", "Paisagem De Mariana", and "Pista O2".

A holy grail! This is one of Marcos Valle's best-ever albums – and it's certainly the one to best realize the larger scope he was heading for in the years after the bossa – that sublime mix of jazz and more expansive arrangements – a perfect fit for the growing sophistication of Valle's songwriting. The record is fantastic – done with a sweeping sound that still leaves us breathless after all these years – and put together with an approach to composition that is virtually indescribable. There's a huge amount of influences running through here, and the album is proof that Valle was one of Brazil's richest talents, never ceasing to perfect and transform his craft – even long after he could have rested on the laurels of his success! Tracks include "Democustico", "Revolucao Organica", "Vento Sul", "Paisagem De Mariana", and "Pista O2". CD features the bonus track "O Beato".

A wonderful snapshot of the late 60s/early 70s underground rock scene in Vancouver! The original album was put together as a benefit for the Cool Aid House – a shelter for homeless youth in Vancouver, and no doubt a haven for hippie culture at the time. The album was and is a vital document of the scene – touching on the freedom-seeking vibe of the time in the lyricism, but free of hippie rock cliché –it's great stuff! Sunny and loose harmonies, deft acoustic and electric instrumentation, creative and inviting music from Spring, Route Nine, Mock Duck, Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Black Snake, Mock Duck and others. Includes "Girl Of The Night Suite" by Route Nine, "The Reason" and "Catfish" by Black Snake, "Do Re Me" by Mock Duck, "Gardens And Flowers" by Hydro Electric Streetcar and more. This beautiful joint effort reissue from Light In The Attic and Lion includes a bonus second LP of material! 9 on LP2: "Borrowed Song" by Mock Duck, "Wordplay" by Spring, "Carousel" by Black Snake, "The Planet Man" by Greydon Moore and Leo Jung and more.

The first ever compilation of the best music made for MoWest – the eclectic, but still soulful cuts made when Berry Gordy Jr. relocated from Motown to the west coast in the early 70s – releasing cool and sometimes strange music with a soul background, yet toasted by LA sunshine! The MoWest subsidiary lasted just a few years, and gets overlooked in the canonization of Motown at it's most classic and revolutionary – but the legacy is pretty incredible. Funk, sunshine rock and soul fused adventurously by a stunningly diverse roster – late period Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (who's comp-opening track is a slept on sunshine pop-soul classic), breezy-jazzy-soul from Odyssey, the sister funk of Sisters Love, a stunning solo left turn from Spinners singer GC Cameron and more great stuff from Syreeta, The Commodores, Suzee Ikeda, Thelma Houston and others. We've been dying for a well selected MoWest comp like this for years, and Light In The Attic stepped to the plate and knock it right out of the park. The songs choices are great, the notes are great. . .everything about it is a win. Essential! Includes "You're A Song (That I Can't Sing)" and "The Night" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love" and "Broken Road" by Odyssey, "Don't You Be Worried" by The Commodores, "A Heart Is A House" Nu Page, "I Ain't Going Nowhere" by Thelma Houston, "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" by Suzee Ikeda, "You've Got To Make The Choice" and "Give Me Your Love" by The Sisters Love and more.

Massive soul from Wendy Rene – one of the lesser-known talents from the Stax Records scene of the 60s, and an artist who's finally getting her due! We're not sure why Wendy never hit bigger at the time – because her singles here are wonderful – excellent female soul that not only ranks with the best of the Stax sound of the time, but which also challenges the bite of some of the best Motown music too – thanks to a particularly northern groove on some of the best cuts here! In fact, it may well be this style – often closer to Detroit soul than the usual Memphis bag at Stax – that might have held Wendy back. But that's hardly an issue all these many years later – and our hat's off to the folks at Light In The Attic for not only bringing together her rare singles, but also collecting unreleased songs, other rarities, and even material performed with the group The Drapels – all recorded in the years 1964 and 1965, and supported by some great notes too. Titles include "Bar B Q", "I Wish I Were That Girl", "What Will Tomorrow Bring", "Last Love", "Crowded Park", "Give You What I Got", "Deep In My Heart", "Wondering", "First Kiss", "Reap What You Sow", "After Laughter Comes Tears", and "He Hasn't Failed Me Yet".

Some of the most brilliantly baroque work ever recorded by Marcos Valle – an obscure 1970 album that collects together tunes from a few of his odd soundtrack experiments of the late 60s, plus a few others that are in a very similar vein! Marcos is really going over the top here – breaking way way out from his bossa roots, into a mode that has him pushing the envelope of Brazilian music to unheard of heights, with equal parts groove and sophistication, hardly ever matched by any other artist since! Things are funky one minute, groovy the next, and subtly sophisticated at other points – a completely captivating blend that's one of the best illustrations of Valle's genius we can think of. Titles include "Quarentao Simpatico", "Ele E Ela", "Dez Leis", "Freio Aerodinamico", "Os Grilos", "Suite Imaginaria", and "Esperando O Messias".

An insanely wonderful album that will always remain one of the all-time favorites of the Dusty Groove staff! This beautiful batch of tracks by Brazilian singer/songwriter Marcos Valle has him pushing waaaay past his bossa work of the 60s – into a cool 70s mix of electronics and sexy scoring, for a sound that's a mix of Brazilian rhythms with other styles that evoke Italian soundtracks and French pop backing. That description hardly does the record justice, though, because the whole thing's wonderful – and it's got a feeling that's unlike anything else we've ever stocked – every bit as warmly watery as the image of Marcos in a swimming pool on the cover. It's no wonder that the album was one of Valle's last great recordings – because with tracks as good as "Mentira", "Mais Do Que Valsa", "Nao Tem Nada Nao", "Samba Fatal", and "Tiu-Ba-La-Quieba", it's hard to top yourself!

A great remake of "I'll Slip Away" – done by Charles Bradley in a style that's even more soulful than the Rodriguez original! The Menahan Street Band provide backings – and are funky, but laidback too – with this nice echoey guitar underneath Bradley's vocals, and a snapping rhythm part that grooves along, yet lets Charles firmly take the lead! The flipside features the original by Rodriguez – a bit moodier, and with a really dark and echoey quality!

Betty Davis was one of the nastiest ladies in 70s soul – and this is one of her greatest albums – a killer batch of funky tracks all the way through! Betty has a sound like nobody else – and she takes heavy drums, throbbing bass, and ripping guitars – all as a hard and funky backing for raunchy, raspy vocals that are belted out with a slinky, sexy sort of sound! Davis' vocals are unlike anyone else we can think of – easily some of the most badass work you'll ever find on record – and the tracks are a mix of hip themes about sex, gal power, and struttin your stuff – all delivered by a righteous woman who can definitely do just that! The album features the classic break tracks "If I'm In Luck I Might Get Picked Up" and "Steppin in Her I Miller Shoes", but every cut is a funky monster – including "Ooh Yea", "In The Meantime", "Your Man My Man", and "Anti Love Song". A great one if you dig hard female soul, heavy funky guitars, or both at the same time! This beautiful reissue features top-shelf sound, extensive notes and photos, and previously unissued bonus tracks that include "Come Take Me", "I Will Take That Ride", and "You Won't See Me In The Morning".

One of our favorite Lee Hazlewood songs ever – a really beautiful number that perfectly shows Lee's blend of the sensitive and sinister! The original is fabulous – a masterpiece of songwriting, performance, and production – and the single's worth it enough for that cut alone – but Gold Leaves actually do a pretty good take on the number too – although we still like Lee's the best!

One of a handful of enigmatic albums cut in the early 70s by Sixto Rodriguez – a Latin-tinged singer with a style that's a bit like that of Jose Feliciano, but trippier, and with more rock and folk touches! This set's probably his best one – thanks to arrangements and production by Dennis Coffey and Mike Theodore, both of whom give the album a stoned-out feel that sets it up nicely with other work on the Sussex label at the time. The album's got a lot of "deep" cuts with semi-political lyrics – including "Inner City Blues" (not Marvin's version), "Like Janis", "This Is Not A Song, It's An Outburst", and "Crucify Your Mind" – and Rodriguez seems like he must have been one hip cat back in his day!

Two takes on the classic soul tune "After Laughter Comes Tears" – the sublime original by Wendy Rene, from the vaults of Stax Records – and another version by Sweet Tea – done with an equally classic sound! The tune's a stone heartbreaker – and both versions are totally great – almost making the record feel like a two-part funky 45 from years back – instead of a limited contemporary offering!

One of Marcos Valle's most strangely beautiful albums – a set that really his him stepping off strongly from his bossa nova years – really moving into mindblowing music with a range of styles that's simply incredible! There's definitely a bit of bossa at the core, but the larger orchestrations are much more complex, and plenty darn groovy – bringing in some complicated jazz changes, a bit of soul, and even a touch of funk – making the first time that Valle ever worked in such a mode. The overall sound's nearly impossible to describe, but that's what makes the record so great – possibly the best place to start if you've ever wondered why Valle's gotten so much attention from the worldwide groove scene over the years! Titles include "Ao Amigo Tom", "O Cafona", "Minha Voz Vira Do Sol Da America", "Paz E Futebol", "Com Mais De 30", "Garra", "Wanda Vidal", and "Black is Beautiful". CD includes the bonus track "Berenice"!

A sweet little set that definitely aims to stake out its own little territory – with a groove that lives up surprisingly well to the title! The music here is way funkier than you might expect – and comes from a time when many popular singers were working in studios staffed by cats who were pretty darn cool – and had a great ear for picking up some of the best musical undercurrents from other scenes – including some of the best soul and funk that was really breaking out in the US at the start of the 70s! As a result, many of these tracks have unexpectedly funky rhythms at the bottom – way different than the kind of backings that you might have heard in country soul records from a few years before – and different too than the redneck rock that was becoming more popular with some of the bigger acts on the charts. You're bound to recognize a few bigger names here – as the set's not just country artists – and as usual, the Light In The Attic crew have done a stunning job of putting the whole thing together. Titles include "LA Memphis Tyler Texas" by Dale Hawkins, "Georgia Mountain Dew" by Johnny Adams, "Light Blue" by Bobby Darin, "I Wanta Make Her Love Me" by Jim Ford, "Hawg Frog" by Gray Fox, "Fire & Brimstone" by Link Wray, "Street People" by Bobby Charles, "Bayou Country" by Gritz, "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins, and "Studspider" by Tony Joe White.

The first ever compilation of the best music made for MoWest – the eclectic, but still soulful cuts made when Berry Gordy Jr. relocated from Motown to the west coast in the early 70s – releasing cool and sometimes strange music with a soul background, yet toasted by LA sunshine! The MoWest subsidiary lasted just a few years, and gets overlooked in the canonization of Motown at it's most classic and revolutionary – but the legacy is pretty incredible. Funk, sunshine rock and soul fused adventurously by a stunningly diverse roster – late period Frankie Vallie & The Four Seasons (who's comp-opening track is a slept on sunshine pop-soul classic), breezy-jazzy-soul from Odyssey, the sister funk of Sisters Love, a stunning solo left turn from Spinners singer GC Cameron and more great stuff from Syreeta, The Commodores, Suzee Ikeda, Thelma Houston and others. We've been dying for a well selected MoWest comp like this for years, and Light In The Attic stepped to the plate and knock it right out of the park. The songs choices are great, the notes are great. . .everything about it is a win. Essential! Includes "You're A Song (That I Can't Sing)" and "The Night" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love" and "Broken Road" by Odyssey, "Don't You Be Worried" by The Commodores, "A Heart Is A House" Nu Page, "I Ain't Going Nowhere" by Thelma Houston, "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" by Suzee Ikeda, "You've Got To Make The Choice" and "Give Me Your Love" by The Sisters Love and more.

A great batch of early 70s grooves from Thailand – all produced by Theppabutr Satirodchompu – and it's one of the best compilations of Thai music we've ever stocked! By focusing on the work of one legendary producer – over the span of just a few years – the set has nicely cohesive vibe. That said, it's a quite expansive sound! Revolving vocals and melodies make it as hypnotic as can be –- and the instrumentation is fantastic. Raw drums, bells and other hand percussion lie underneath bursts of horns, woozy organs and other textures. It's beautifully put together by the Zudrangma label and compiler Maft Sai – with a thick booklet and top-notch sound. Titles include "Lam Yao Salab Teoy", "Siang Toey Jak Jai", "Lam Pleanr Caroen Jit", "Keun Pen Ken Faai" and more by Banyen Rakkaaen, "Lam Plearn Kiew Bao", "Lam Plearn Ha Fan" and more by Chanpen Sirithep, "Lam Plearn Sam Jang Wa" by Sumalee Pongkate, "Tid Kiew Tiew Krung" by Porn Tawan, "Hug Al Bor" by Roeid Petchsiam and more. 17 tracks in all.

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".

A pair of great albums from Overton Berry – 1972's TOBE and 1970's Live At The Doubletree Inn – 2LPs in a double vinyl set from Light In The Attic! TOBE is an amazing little groover from the combo of pianist Overton Berry – and one of THE 70s funk classics from the Pacific Northwest! The record's really just a simple trio outing, but other elements drift into the mix as the record grooves on – including vibes, guitar, and even a bit of vocals on a few tracks! The core sound is a bit like that of the Monty Alexander group at their MPS funkiest – but the bottom here is a lot heavier, and the production really maximizes the sound of the bass on the record – taking full advantage of both the acoustic and electric uses of the instrument! Highlights include a gritty take on Nat Adderley's "Black Bottom", a famous drum break in a take on "Jesus Christ Superstar", a loping rendition of "Compared To What", and a great laidback version of Roland Haynes' cut "Eglise" – one we like almost as much as his original on the Black Jazz label! The other LP is The Overton Berry Trio At Seattle's Doubletree Inn – The funky piano trio's captured live at the start of the decade. Berry's got a nice groovy style on the piano here, andthe drummer and bassist play with a nice round sound that keeps the whole thing cooking nicely. This set's a mix of covers and originals by Berry, and includes the cuts "Oden", "Guacamolian Shuffle", "Aquarius", "Waterboy", "MB Blues", "Feeling Good", and "Hey Jude".

Betty Davis was one of the nastiest ladies in 70s soul – and this is one of her greatest albums – a killer batch of funky tracks all the way through! Betty has a sound like nobody else – and she takes heavy drums, throbbing bass, and ripping guitars – all as a hard and funky backing for raunchy, raspy vocals that are belted out with a slinky, sexy sort of sound! Davis' vocals are unlike anyone else we can think of – easily some of the most badass work you'll ever find on record – and the tracks are a mix of hip themes about sex, gal power, and struttin your stuff – all delivered by a righteous woman who can definitely do just that! The album features the classic break tracks "If I'm In Luck I Might Get Picked Up" and "Steppin in Her I Miller Shoes", but every cut is a funky monster – including "Ooh Yea", "In The Meantime", "Your Man My Man", and "Anti Love Song". A great one if you dig hard female soul, heavy funky guitars, or both at the same time!

Incredible early solo recordings by Roky Erickson – the surprisingly melodic "Mine Mine Mind" and the fuzz guitar blast "Bloody Hammer" – on psychedelic swirl colored vinyl!

Damn! Here's a record we wish we'd been treasuring for years and years, but it came into our lives more than 40 years after it was recorded, released and largely forgotten – an absolute masterpiece of funky country rock & soul from Jim Ford! '69's Harlan County is a record that brings so many styles into the mix that it could make you dizzy if it wasn't all so perfectly grounded by gritty southern roots, R&B and swampy rock – plus Ford's vocals, which range from wildly bugged out to soulful and richly emotional. We hear he once dated Bobbie Gentry and that makes some sense. You can compare him to lots of folks – he is as omnivorous of country, rock and southern soul in all its forms as Charlie Rich, but Ford's nowhere nearly as restrained by convention – and he's drawing from deeper wells of funk and soul. Tony Joe White comes to mind, too, as do a number of Muscle Shoals soul singers of the era. That said, Ford's his own animal! We came in late, but we'll love this record for the rest of time! Some famous fellows played on the sessions, but we won't name them, 'cuz Ford deserves all credit from us. Includes "Harlan County", "I'm Gonna Make Her Love Me", "Dr Handy's Dandy Candy", "Working My Way To LA", "Spoonful", "To Make My Life Beautiful" and more.

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". Great new LP reissue package – with 180 gram vinyl, notes, an interview, and even lyrics in English & French!

The one astounding studio album of proto punk/abrasive psych genius from the Monks – a true masterpiece – and a record that's been ripped off by myriad more famous groups in both the mainstream and underground rock landscape of the past 40 years! The group's status as discharged G.I.'s informs some of spewed vitriol, but beyond that there's little connection to any trends or scenes – the Monks are true originals in a world of imitators – and that adds a layer of excitement to an already mind blowing listen. The album's wild organ washes, primitive drums and guitar, and harsh, bizarre vocal rants prefigured everything from the Stooges, to Rocket From The Tombs, to the more predictable punk stuff that arrived 18 years later – yet it still grooves. Outrageous and incredible! "Monk Time", "Shut Up", "Boys Are Boys And Girls Are Choice", "Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy", "I Hate You", "We Do Wie Du", "Drunken Maria", "Blast Off!", "That's My Girl", "Cuckoo", "Love Can Tame The Wild", "He Went Down To The Sea" and more – the first 12 tracks are the original LP release – followed by later singles and a live track. Light In The Attic's reissue has better sound than we've ever heard for this material, and a great booklet of notes and photos.

A wild remake of the Betty Davis classic – and a tune that may well be one of Iggy Pop's funkiest recordings ever! The guitars are way more up in the mix than on Betty's original – lots of fuzz from the Zig Zags, cut through by Iggy's dark vocals – all in a fuzzy wave of sound that steps out with a really badass feel right from the start. The flipside features Betty's original version – just in case you forgot how great that one is too!

The beautiful debut UK single by PiL – never before issued in the US – and featuring an exact reproduction of original fold-out newsprint sleeve! Amazing!

Massive soul from Wendy Rene – one of the lesser-known talents from the Stax Records scene of the 60s, and an artist who's finally getting her due! We're not sure why Wendy never hit bigger at the time – because her singles here are wonderful – excellent female soul that not only ranks with the best of the Stax sound of the time, but which also challenges the bite of some of the best Motown music too – thanks to a particularly northern groove on some of the best cuts here! In fact, it may well be this style – often closer to Detroit soul than the usual Memphis bag at Stax – that might have held Wendy back. But that's hardly an issue all these many years later – and our hat's off to the folks at Light In The Attic for not only bringing together her rare singles, but also collecting unreleased songs, other rarities, and even material performed with the group The Drapels – all recorded in the years 1964 and 1965, and supported by some great notes too. Titles include "Bar B Q", "I Wish I Were That Girl", "What Will Tomorrow Bring", "Last Love", "Crowded Park", "Give You What I Got", "Deep In My Heart", "Wondering", "First Kiss", "Reap What You Sow", "After Laughter Comes Tears", and "He Hasn't Failed Me Yet".

Amazing sounds from the legendary Rodriguez – the brilliant 70s singer who had a groove that was equal parts soul, funk, rock, and folk – and an overall approach that was pretty darn unique! Most numbers here have some acoustic guitar over slightly funky rhythms – perfectly scored to work with Rodriguez's raspy soul vocals, which have an undeniably heartfelt style – somewhere in a space between Terry Callier and early Jose Feliciano, but very much its own mode too! Titles include "Sugar Man", "Cause", "I Wonder", "Like Janis", "Jane S Piddy", "I Think Of You", "Inner City Blues", and "Sandrevan Lullaby Lifestyles".

The really cool, totally underrated first album from the mighty Thin Lizzy on Decca – a self-titled effort from a few years earlier in the 70s than the badass, harder rocking style to come – and with some nicely tripped out folk psych influences! It's interesting to listen this first record with their later work in mind, because you can sense the tide coming for the tighter, punchier sound of later records – but this early on, they're rolling with an airier late 60s-learned vibe, too! Titles include "Honesty Is No Excuse", "Ray-Gun", "Look What The Wind Blew In", "Clifton Garage Hotel", "Saga Of The Ageing Orphan", "Remembering (Part 1)" and more.

An insanely wonderful album that will always remain one of the all-time favorites of the Dusty Groove staff! This beautiful batch of tracks by Brazilian singer/songwriter Marcos Valle has him pushing waaaay past his bossa work of the 60s – into a cool 70s mix of electronics and sexy scoring, for a sound that's a mix of Brazilian rhythms with other styles that evoke Italian soundtracks and French pop backing. That description hardly does the record justice, though, because the whole thing's wonderful – and it's got a feeling that's unlike anything else we've ever stocked – every bit as warmly watery as the image of Marcos in a swimming pool on the cover. It's no wonder that the album was one of Valle's last great recordings – because with tracks as good as "Mentira", "Mais Do Que Valsa", "Nao Tem Nada Nao", "Samba Fatal", and "Tiu-Ba-La-Quieba", it's hard to top yourself!

Another blistering treasure trove of Canadian reggae! You heard us right, this batch of deep and heavy roots comes all the way from Toronto, and though it may be geographically isolated from the Caribbean, the vibes are deeply rooted foundation rock, not unlike some of the other astoundingly great material the folks at Light In The Attic have reissued. Jerry Brown's Summer Records imprint churned out no small number of tremendous reggae cuts, as this excellent compilation documents, working with West Indian ex-pats, visiting luminaries and local talent, too! The tracks run the gamut from bright and crisp to murky smoked out but it's all unbelievably great and will open your eyes to a whole new scene in the same way that the refreshing Jamaica Toronto set did! 15 tracks in all, including "Love Makes The World Go Round", "Warrior" and "Jah Jah Live Forever" by Johnny Osbourne, "Sufferer" and "Awakening" by Earth, Roots & Water, "Run Them A Run" by Willi Williams, "Reach My Destiny" by Noel Ellis, "Dreadlock Lady" by Jerry Brown, "Come Together" by Bobby Gaynair and Earth, Roots & Water, and "Mankind" by Adrian Homer Miller and Earth, Roots & Water. Plus as a bonus, there's a DVD layer on the CD, with 20 minutes of excellent archival footage of Jerry Brown and his artists in the studio and at the dance!

Probably the greatest record that the Louvin Brothers ever made – and a haunting batch of songs filled with death and disaster, sung in a crystalline harmony style by Ira and Charlie! Includes the oft-quoted "Kentucky", plus loads of other great ones, including "Take The News To Mother", "What Is Home Without Love", the ever-scary and beautiful "Knoxville Girl", and "Mary Of The Wild Moor". Country harmony grandeur and entirely essential!

A wild original – and a mighty nice cover, too! The original "Baby" by Donnie & Joe Emerson is a weird bit of obscurity from the late 70s – this very slow, very mellow ballad that slinks along like some late nite soul harmony track from the decade before – even though the duo were probably trying more for a tighter AOR sound in the end! The track is wonderful – sad and sweet at the same time – and Dam Funk and Ariel Pink do a great job on their remake – sliding a bit of funk in at the bottom, yet still keeping their cool – as the dreamy vocals tipple wonderfully over the top!

An amazing second set from Sixto Rodriguez – recorded in the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, with a groove that's a great extension from his debut! All of Rodriguez's best elements are in place here – his folksy guitar, personal lyrical style, and surprisingly biting approach to a variety of topics – and the London setting provides him with an even more sophisticated backdrop than before, one that creates a rich palette of sounds that takes the music in some really wonderful directions! There's a bit of strings at times, but most instrumentation is by a small combo – which includes Chris Spedding on guitar and Tony Carr on percussion – so that Rodriguez's vocals and guitar are really right up front in the mix, recorded with a brilliant balance between sharpness and compassion. Titles include "Climb Up On My Music", "Silver Words", "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour", "I Think Of You", "To Whom It May Concern", "Halfway Up The Stairs", and "Cause".

A sweet little set that definitely aims to stake out its own little territory – with a groove that lives up surprisingly well to the title! The music here is way funkier than you might expect – and comes from a time when many popular singers were working in studios staffed by cats who were pretty darn cool – and had a great ear for picking up some of the best musical undercurrents from other scenes – including some of the best soul and funk that was really breaking out in the US at the start of the 70s! As a result, many of these tracks have unexpectedly funky rhythms at the bottom – way different than the kind of backings that you might have heard in country soul records from a few years before – and different too than the redneck rock that was becoming more popular with some of the bigger acts on the charts. You're bound to recognize a few bigger names here – as the set's not just country artists – and as usual, the Light In The Attic crew have done a stunning job of putting the whole thing together. Titles include "LA Memphis Tyler Texas" by Dale Hawkins, "Georgia Mountain Dew" by Johnny Adams, "Light Blue" by Bobby Darin, "I Wanta Make Her Love Me" by Jim Ford, "Hawg Frog" by Gray Fox, "Fire & Brimstone" by Link Wray, "Street People" by Bobby Charles, "Bayou Country" by Gritz, "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins, and "Studspider" by Tony Joe White.

Strange grooves and pulpy funk from Thailand – Volume 2 in the series – includes a download card for bonus tracks! The music here is ostensibly from the Thai scene and likely mostly from the 70s – with funky numbers with both male and female vocals, lots of moddish and garagey rock and r&b, and some psychedelia steeped numbers. It's another amazing, if a bit mysterious batch! 22 tracks in all – "Yoong" by Panadda Chayapark, "Duang Duang Duang" by Sangthong Seeai, "Sara A Mor Sara R" by Soonthorn Sujaridchan, "Ya Ya" by Chantana Kittiyapan, "Ba Bor Por Khan" by Sroeng Santi, "Noom Rai Poor" by Royal Sprites and much more.

The oddball early 80s debut of The Big Boys – a slice of weirdness from the Austin, TX underground that paved the way for stylistically sprawling 80s punk and hardcore to come! One thing that sets The Big Boys apart is the bass sound, which is way up there in the mix. As paired with shredded-chord vocals and the brute force of the guitar and drums, the group had a really unique, nearly unprecedented sound. Oddball songs mixed with irascible punk attitude! This great reissue from Light In The Attic's Modern Classic imprint gives it the proper respect – with heavy vinyl, packaging and insert. Includes "Security", "TV", "I Don't Wanna Dance", "Identity Crisis", "Thin Line", "Advice", "Complete Control", "Work Without Pay", "Spit", "Act/Reaction", "Self-Contortion" and "Wise Up".

A smashing second set from Everything But The Girl – a record that has the duo stretching out a bit more from the straight jazz leanings of their Eden debut – yet still sticking strongly in a mode that has their music moving with lots of classic influences! The songwriting is still top-shelf – not afraid to show its emotions, yet never over-mired in them either – a beautiful balance that really comes through in the vocals of Tracey Thorn. Production is a bit more mainstream, yet still light years away from the clunk of most mid 80s pop – and titles include "When All's Well", "Ugly Little Dreams", "Shoot Me Down", "Are You Trying To Be Funny", "Sean", "Anytown", and "Ballad Of The Times". 2CD book-style package is amazing – with tracks from singles that include "Kid", "Heaven Help Me", and "Pigeons In The Attic Room" – demos of "Angel", "Ugly Little Dreams", and "Are You Trying To Be Funny" – and BBC recordings of "This Love", "Ballad Of The Times", and "Are You Trying To Be Funny".

The third in a series of unearthed archival release of treasures by 60s folk singer, guitarist and banjo player Karen Dalton from Delmore Recordings – and it's also the third completely beautiful and revelatory Karen Dalton release from Delmore Recordings! For years, Dalton was best known by her peers in the early 60s folk community, particularly the Greenwich Village scene, where she was beloved by Dylan and other soon-to-be giants. Thanks in no small part to the great stuff brought to light by Delmore and the stellar Light In The Attic reissues, she's finally getting an audience beyond pivotal fellow musicians, which is truly thrilling. 1966 features songs recorded that year in her cabin in Summerville, Colorado – between the Green Rocky Road recordings of a few years earlier and the recordings that would make up her first official album, which wouldn't be released until '69. She's sometimes accompanied by Richard Tucker on guitar and vocal duets. Karen was infamously self-conscious on stage and in the studio, so these informal home recordings find her at her intimate, soulful best. Includes one the best versions of Tim Hardin's "Reason To Believe" we've ever heard, plus "Katie Cruel", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "Green Rocky Road", "God Bless The Childen", "Other Side To This Life", "Don't Make Promises", "Mole In The Ground", "Misery Blues", "Little Bit Of Rain" and more. Also includes excellent notes by Ben Edmonds.

A classic compilation of material from the hip later years of Impulse – put together with a title that's a bit misleading, given that some of this stuff was clearly getting some play on underground FM radio! There's some key righteous classics here – like "Attica Blues" and "Money Blues" by Archie Shepp, "Astral Traveling" by Pharoah Sanders, "Galaxy In Turiya" and "Blue Nile" by Alice Coltrane, and "Worry Bout It Later" by Cliff Coulter – alongside other tracks that include "Larry Of Arabia" by Chico Hamilton, "Wave" by Ahmad Jamal, and "Crystalized Tears" by John Klemmer.

A brilliant little album from Archie Shepp – material recorded on a variety of dates at the end of the 60s, but packaged together as an extremely soulful set in the mid 70s! There's a feel here that rivals some of the best moments of the Attica Blues years – a mix of spiritual soul jazz and bolder modern moments – reigned in nicely from the freer Shepp sound of a few years before, and given a really righteous focus by the addition of vocals on some tracks. Archie sings a bit himself, and one number features Leon Thomas singing with Tasha Thomas and Doris Troy – a very odd meeting in the studio! Players include Woody Shaw, Jimmy Owens, Dave Burrell, Grachan Moncur III, and Wally Richardson – and the tracks even get a bit funky at times! Titles include an excellent version of "New Africa", which was recorded later in Paris by Grachan Moncur III – plus "Back Back", "Spoo Pee Doo", "Slow Drag", and Cal Massey's "Bakai".