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Beautiful work from Benjamin Biolay – easily one of our favorite French artists of the 21st Century – even though we've been following his work since the previous one! Benjamin's got a sound that's just perfect if you, like us, dig an older generation of French work by artists like Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Dutronc, Michel Polnareff, and others from that magical late 60s moment when French pop really found its own sound. Biolay's got a way of sliding in the sinister next to the groovy – often with vocals that are spoken as much as sung – and produced to perfection by his own strong ear for unusual combinations of sounds. Benjamin helped launch the career of many other great French acts in the past decade or two – but we still love his own work the best – and an album like this definitely lives up to that faith. Titles include "Venganza", "Marlene Deconne", "Personne Dans Mon Lit", "Confettis", "La Fin De La Fin", "L'Insigne Honneur", and "Tresor Tresor".

Beautiful work from Benjamin Biolay – easily one of our favorite French artists of the 21st Century – even though we've been following his work since the previous one! Benjamin's got a sound that's just perfect if you, like us, dig an older generation of French work by artists like Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Dutronc, Michel Polnareff, and others from that magical late 60s moment when French pop really found its own sound. Biolay's got a way of sliding in the sinister next to the groovy – often with vocals that are spoken as much as sung – and produced to perfection by his own strong ear for unusual combinations of sounds. Benjamin helped launch the career of many other great French acts in the past decade or two – but we still love his own work the best – and an album like this definitely lives up to that faith. Titles include "Venganza", "Marlene Deconne", "Personne Dans Mon Lit", "Confettis", "La Fin De La Fin", "L'Insigne Honneur", and "Tresor Tresor".

Beautiful sounds from Vinicius Cantuaria – an artist who only seems to get better and better over time – working with a style that's deeply classic, yet has plenty of dark edges too! At first glance, you might be tempted to label the set as bossa – but although there's plenty of elements from the genre, Vinicius really has a way of serving things up with a slightly offbeat edge – adding in slight electric elements and darker, deeper sounds to his raspy vocals and acoustic guitar! There's often a lower level of sonic texture that really seems to shape the happenings upfront – even though things are relatively spare overall – and as with other efforts, this set features great work from guests – including Ryuichi Sakamoto and Norah Jones on piano, plus Bill Frisell on guitar. Titles include "Purus", "Moca Feia", "Humanos", "This Time", "Pe Na Estrada", "Indio De Apartamento", and "Quem Sou Eu".

Sublime sounds from the great Tania Maria – a killer blend of jazz, bossa nova, and wonderfully soulful vocals – all served up in a style that takes us back to Maria's best European sides of the 70s! The sound is no surprise, given that the album was partially recorded in Paris – and Tania's vocals get accompaniment from a mostly-acoustic lineup that's heavy on percussion and her own piano – opening up in that freewheeling style that really lets her vocals take off! The groove is great, and most of the set is upbeat, and recorded with a crackle that we haven't heard in Maria's music in years – on titles that include "Samba Do Gato", "Chorino Brasileiro", "Vou Te Amar", "Florzinha", "Carlos Song", "Ze Marmita", "Thanks Mr G", and "Intimidade".

A really special album from Tania Maria – one that features only the bass of Eddie Gomez for accompaniment, which makes for an even more personal sound than usual! Tania's vocals are wonderful – that jazzy, breezy style we first fell in love with back in the 70s – effortlessly blended with her own warm piano lines, which dance around with incredible energy – a brilliant blend of jazz and Brazilian roots! And Eddie's basslines are perfect in this setting – those subtle, soulful lines that few other players can do so well – even more important here without any drums or additional rhythm instrumentation. Titles include "Dear Dee Vee", "Yeah Man", "A Chuva Caiu", "Estate", "Tempo", and "Bronzes E Cristais".

Continuing proof that Meshell Ndegeocello is one of the most compelling soul singers of the past few decades – as she steps forth here in a tribute to Nina Simone, all with a rich criss-crossing of styles that's unlike any of her previous work! Meshell's vocals are right on the money – with a slight rasp that really suits Nina's spirit well – and the instrumental backings are mighty fresh, and really different than the straighter jazz you might expect from a staid Simone tribute – more in the mix of folk, rock, blues, and jazz elements that Nina used during some of her hippest sides for Philips Records in the 60s! Yet there's also a sparkle that's definitely Meshell's own, too – and the album also features guests work from Cody Chestnutt, Lizz Wright, Toshi Reagon, and others. Titles include "Suzanne", "House Of The Rising Sun", "Turn Me On", "Feeling Good", "Either Way I Lose", "Four Women", "To Be Young Gifted & Black", "See Line Woman", and "Be My Husband".

Continuing proof that Meshell Ndegeocello is one of the most compelling soul singers of the past few decades – as she steps forth here in a tribute to Nina Simone, all with a rich criss-crossing of styles that's unlike any of her previous work! Meshell's vocals are right on the money – with a slight rasp that really suits Nina's spirit well – and the instrumental backings are mighty fresh, and really different than the straighter jazz you might expect from a staid Simone tribute – more in the mix of folk, rock, blues, and jazz elements that Nina used during some of her hippest sides for Philips Records in the 60s! Yet there's also a sparkle that's definitely Meshell's own, too – and the album also features guests work from Cody Chestnutt, Lizz Wright, Toshi Reagon, and others. Titles include "Suzanne", "House Of The Rising Sun", "Turn Me On", "Feeling Good", "Either Way I Lose", "Four Women", "To Be Young Gifted & Black", "See Line Woman", and "Be My Husband".

Dreamy vocals, catchy tunes, bossa rhythms – it's gotta be Claudine Longet! During the late 60s, Claudine first warmed ears in America with a lovely take on the gentle sounds of the Astrud Gilberto era – a French-accented approach to mellow vocal pop, often touched with a bit of jazz or Brazilian rhythms in the arrangements, and often delivered on a pillow of sensuous sound by master arranger Nick DeCaro! Claudine got her fair share of bad press in later years, but on this set she's at the height of her early brilliance – working with a lighter-than-air approach to vocals, and a simple, almost naive style that makes even the lyrics of familiar tunes resonate with youthful freshness. CD features 25 tracks from Claudine's years at A&M Records, including some great non-LP tracks – titles that include "Hurry On Down", "Hello Hello", "White Horses", "The Look Of Love", "Small Talk", "Snow", "I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You", "Creators Of Rain", "A Man & A Woman", "Meditation", "Both Sides Now", and "Walk In The Park".

Bristling sounds from a killer lineup – a 4Hero-related project done by the quartet of Kaidi Tatham, Akwasi Mensah, Matt Lord, and Dego Ranks – music that definitely explores the next level of expression for the 2000 Black generation! All the best London touches are firmly in place here, but the groove's also fresher than before, too – wonderfully cosmic, yet nicely abstract in a few places too – showing the kind of complication that Tatham's brought to his rhythms in recent years – yet still maintaining all the soulful, righteous focus we could have hoped for! The album features guest work by Eric Lau, Sarina Leah, Bembe Segue, and Nadine Charles – and titles include "THB", "Kenny", "Naive", "Seven4", "Mind Skies", "Badly Persuaded", "Stars Shine For You", "Quantum Shift", "You Know It's Like That", and "Mr Pickles".

A wonderful follow up to one of our favorite compilations in recent years! London Is The Place For Me compiles the stylistically varied music coming from the emergent West Indian and African communities of 50s and 60s London – far more than just the topical, and often quite whimsical calypso tunes of the era! Calypso is well represented, but the set includes strains of jazz, percussive instrumentals that veer towards native Trinidad and Nigeria, and loads of Caribbean grooves! It's all exceptionally bright – with some lovingly, and knowingly, naive vocals that are as sweet as they are wise. A truly wonderful compilation. Essential! 20 tracks in all: "Calypso Be" by Young Tiger, "Yolanda" by Ambrose Campbell, "Calypso Blues" by Mona Baptiste, "My Wife's Nightie" by Lord Kitchener, "Ominara" by West African Rhythm Brothers, "Gerrard Street" by King Timothy, "ET Mensah's Rolling Ball" by West African Swing Stars, "West Indian Drums" by Russ Henderson, "Gbonimawo" by Rans Boi's Ghana Highlife Band and more!

The first two volumes in this legendary series – back to back in one set! Volume 1 is an amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. Volume 2 compiles the stylistically varied music coming from the emergent West Indian and African communities of 50s and 60s London – far more than just the topical, and often quite whimsical calypso tunes of the era! Calypso is well represented, but the set includes strains of jazz, percussive instrumentals that veer towards native Trinidad and Nigeria, and loads of Caribbean grooves! It's all exceptionally bright – with some lovingly, and knowingly, naive vocals that are as sweet as they are wise. A truly wonderful compilation. Essential! 20 tracks in all: "Calypso Be" by Young Tiger, "Yolanda" by Ambrose Campbell, "Calypso Blues" by Mona Baptiste, "My Wife's Nightie" by Lord Kitchener, "Ominara" by West African Rhythm Brothers, "Gerrard Street" by King Timothy, "ET Mensah's Rolling Ball" by West African Swing Stars, "West Indian Drums" by Russ Henderson, "Gbonimawo" by Rans Boi's Ghana Highlife Band and more!

The second wonderful project from this cool collaboration – one that features Arnaldo Antunes, Antonio Pinto, Taciana Barros, Edgard Scandurra, and others – all working together on some completely charming songs for children! These aren't really kids songs – and are more tunes that have a sense of charming naivete, and lots of spare yet playful instrumental touches – almost little messages to the younger generation, but never too prescriptive, and always filled with a great sense of play. Some vocals are by youngsters, others by members of the project – and the whole thing's surprisingly captivating, way more so musically than we can really put into words. Titles include "Todo Dia", "Galaxia", "Mamae Tamo Chegando", "Os Moveis Da Minha Casa", "Lingua Do P", "De Noitinha", and "Fim De Semana".

Not the US group Kaleidoscope, but a Mexican one – very fuzzy and tripped out, with English language lyrics all the way through! The production is nice and muddy – in just that right psyche way to make the vocals lay on top of the guitars lay on top of the basslines – which gives the record a really heady, brooding sort of quality – making things seem probably even darker than the group intended when first recording, with a nicely spooky feel all the way through! Organ is a key part of this heady brew – often bubbling up from the bottom, but never quite breaking through the fuzz – and the vocals have this stark, echoey feel that almost reminds us of early Jonathan Richman, but without the naivete. Titles include "I Think It's All Right", "Let Me Try", "Hang Out", "I'm Crazy", "A New Man", "A Hole In My Life", and "I'm Here He's Gone She's Cryin".

If Terry Melcher hadn't given Charles Manson the brush off, this album may well have come out on Columbia in the late 60s, and made Manson the rock and roll star he wanted to be! And while we're as disturbed as everyone else by the history of Charlie's violence, we also have to admit that we're kind of taken by this album – and find it a surprisingly good little record in a 60s folksy mode. There's really none of the creepiness that you might expect, and Manson's got a naivete that kind of transforms a Dylan-esque style into one that's overflowing with the raw emotion and personality of Jonathan Richman (but none of the silliness, of course.) CD features 26 tracks in all – the most expansive version we've seen – and also includes a few alternate takes. Most of the music is recorded in a spare style, with acoustic guitar backing and a bit of additional vocals – and titles include "Ego", "Look At Your Game Girl", "I'll Never Say Never To Always", "Home Is Where You're Happy", "Big Iron Door", "I Once Knew A Man", "Garbage Dump", "True Love You Will Find", "Who To Blame", "Don't Do Anything Illegal", and "Sick City".