One of the last albums from the legendary Philly International run by the O'Jays – recorded in a style that clearly shows influences from the 80s modes of the time, but which also still lets the group sparkle nicely on trademark harmonies! Even though Love Fever starts out a bit clunky – with a few cuts that have those 80s drums that bang at the bottom a bit too much, and almost obscure the vocals– as the set moves on, the voices really dominate, and start to shine on a nice batch of lesser-known later numbers. Titles include "Can't Slow Down", "Dollar Bill", "All Eyes On Africa", "We're Still Together", "What A Woman", "Love Fever", "What Good Are These Arms Of Mine", and "I Wanna Be With You Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic start to the second chapter of Roxy Music – a time when the group was stripped down to a trio, and almost seemed to arise as a way to answer the newer music that was coming up from all the younger groups that Bryan Ferry had influenced with his work in the 70s! Things aren't as weird and wild as at their start, but the instrumentation is impeccable – thanks to guitars from Phil Manzanera and saxes from Andy MacKay – and an approach that has the group bringing in some key other players from track to track, expanding the sound but never going too far. The vibe is a bit like the feel of some of Bryan Ferry's best solo work from the years before – but more Roxy-like too – and still head and shoulders above anything the new romantics had to offer. Titles include "Same Old Scene", "Flesh & Blood", "My Only Love", "Oh Yeah", "No Strange Delight", and "Running Wild". CD

A brilliant first album from Marc Sadane – an artist who never hit big at the time, but who really shines here in a set of mellow and modern soul tracks that's completely sublime! Sadane gets great production help from the team of Mtume and Reggie Lucas – who set his wonderful vocals up in the kind of space you might hear from Leon Ware or Leroy Hutson at the time – a style that's rich and romantic, but never overtone or soppy at all – balanced perfectly at a level that few mature masculine singers could ever do this well! The whole thing's a gem – and the title cut "One Way Love Affair" is a killer, and the record includes loads of other great tracks like "Sit Up", "Love Can't Wait", "Midnight Love Dance", and "Make Up Your Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

The mighty SOS Band, still grooving hard well into the 80s – and still showing the world that their sound is way tighter than any of their many imitators! The style here is updated a bit from the group's first few records – given a sharper punch and polish by the Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis team – yet the record's still got a depth that goes way past some of the more commercial soul the duo had been working on at the time – a great evolution of an older funk style into a sweet, lean sound for the latter half of the 80s! Keyboards soar over bouncy basslines – and the trademark mix of male and female vocals really works well on the album's hook-heavy cuts. Tracks include "Borrowed Love", "The Finest", "Do You Still Want To", "Sands Of Time", "Even When You Sleep", "Nothing But The Best", "No Lies", and "Two Time Lover". Includes 4 bonus tracks "Even When You Sleep (extended)", "Borrowed Love (extended)", "No Lies (12 inch mix)" and "The Finest (extended)". CD

A perfect pairing of Candi Staton and producer Dave Crawford – that key southern soul talent who helped Candi and a few select others really step into the American soul mainstream at the end of the 70s! Candi's still got all the deep roots in her vocals – including that incredible range that's continued to thrive in gospel in recent years – but Dave helps push things into a modern soul style that works equally well on Northern dancefloors as it would in the clubs down south. Arrangements are perfectly balanced – sophisticated and adult, but never too smooth or commercial – thanks mostly to Candi's wonderful handling of the lyrics. Titles include "Victim", "Yesterday Evening", "So Blue", "Honest I Do Love You", and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Narada Michael Walden's first album – and a surprisingly complex approach to spiritual soul, handled with some great guest guitar work by Jeff Beck and Carlos Santana! The approach is somewhere between 70s rock fusion and smooth soul – done with a tight, professional style that persisted on most of Walden's albums from the time. Titles include "You Got The Soul", "Delightful", "First Love", "Meditation", "White Night", and "You Are Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive 70s album from the great Bill Withers – one that's sometimes overlooked next to his huge crossover records that preceded it – but which is every bit as wonderful! Withers is still on Sussex Records, and still has that completely unique approach that made him a soul genre unto himself – a fantastic voice, a nicely acoustic core, and this sense of flow that's completely magnetic – augmented here with maybe a bit more funk than before, and some great use of keyboards too! The material has a conversational, wise and world weary tone that's brilliantly effective and more intimate than Bill's bigger hits of the day – and there's also some subtly innovative parts to the production that are really moving, from the harp accented piano on "Stories" and the funky percussion flavored rambler of a closing number "Railroad Man". Other tracks include "You", "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh", "Heartbreak Road", "Green Grass", "Ruby Lee", "Can We Pretend", "Liza", and "Make A Smile For Me". CD

Maybe the coolest record ever put out by the Luaka Bop label – and that's really saying a lot, given all the amazing albums they've given us over the years! The set's a perfect musical tonic for the times – a set of underground singles from the 70s, most of which fall in a space between the secular and spiritual – message-oriented, but not entirely from the scriptures – with a humanist message of positivity that's completely timeless – as powerful now as it was when these gems were recorded! The source of most of these records is from a gospel perspective, but they work a lot more in the territory of righteous 70s soul – making the same sort of shift that The Staple Singers or Voices Of East Harlem did on a better-known scale. Titles include "Peace In The Land" by The Gospel IQs, "We Got A Race To Run" by Staples Jr Singers, "I'm Trying To Be Your Friend" by The Soul Stirrers, "Don't Give Up" by The William Singers, "Let Your Light Shine" by Willie Dale, "It's Hard To Live In This Old World" by Rev Harvey Gates, "Time For Peace" by The Little Shadows, "We Don't Love Enough" by The Triumphs, and a great reworking of Earth Wind & Fire in "Keep Your Faith To The Sky" by Willie Scott & The Birmingham Spirituals. CD

A mid 80s classic from Atlantic Starr – at the height of their catchy commercial fame – bouncing along with rhythms that crossover nicely to the mainstream, yet still keep a bit of their previous funky edge intact! The groove here is almost in the style that Atlantic Starr inspired in so many other younger groups in the earlier part of the 80s – although it's also a bit more polished too. Most instrumentation is electric, and tunes are mostly written by the team of David and Wayne Lewis – both of whom sing on the record. Barbara Weathers also handles female vocals, and titles include "Once Lover At A Time", "Let The Sun In", "My Mistake", "I'm In Love", "Always", "Don't Take Me For Granted", and a version of Sam Dees' "All In The Name Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Roy Ayers albums of all time – and an overlooked gem from Roy's late 70s years at Polydor! This set's a bit more laidback and less clubby than some other Ayers work of the period – which means it's got this wonderful jazzy groove throughout – a sweet mix of midtempo modern soul and the vibes-based style that Roy kept on perfecting at the time. Tracks are longer than usual, and they really open up in a way that fits the title – slinky and seductive, but never soppy or commercial at all – that really special blend of warmth and wisdom that's always made Roy Ayers so great. Titles include the sublime title track "Love Fantasy", which begins with Roy chatting up some girl in the intro, then sliding into a nice smooth jazz funk tip on the chorus – plus the great cut "Sigh", a sweet little bubbling number with a wonderfully breathy quality! Other titles include "Believe In Yourself", "Betcha Gonna", "Baby Bubba", and "Rock Your Roll". LP, Vinyl record album

Here's where things really started getting interesting for James Brown! The album was issued right around the same time as James' single "Out Of Sight" on Smash – and like that track, "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" was one of the first to use that "instruments on the beat" style of funk that would dominate all of James' work in years to come – that amazing groove that completely turned soul music on its ear – and paved the way for generations to come! The result is a startling sound that forever changed the face of groove – and you'll hear it nicely placed on this album, along with great cuts like "Cross Firing", "Mashed Potatoes USA", "Doin The Limbo", and "Love Don't Love Nobody". CD

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A genius album from the Four Freshmen – one that reinvents their older harmony sound for the Sunshine generation! The album's surprisingly wonderful throughout – and has a liveliness and sense of joy that was missing from some of the group's later Capitol sides. The tunes are mostly contemporary ones – 60s pop numbers done by the group with a snapping, lively, mod kind of approach – in a format that works as well for the group as it did for Mel Torme on his similar sides at the time. But the harmonies are especially amazing here – and the album's almost as if the Freshmen were saying to all the post-Beach Boys groups: "Hey, look, we invented this goshdarn style of singing – and we still do it best, even on tunes you recorded first!" Titles include "Soul Coaxing", "Cherish/Windy", "Walk On By", "Come Fly With Me/Up Up & Away", "Here's To You", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", and "Daydream". CD

An early 80s gem from Aretha Franklin – one of the best of her years at Arista Records, thanks to solid help in the studio from the mighty Arif Mardin! Mardin's in perfect form here – the same blend of older soul and jazzier, more sophisticated styles that he was also bringing to Chaka Khan at the time – although Franklin's arguably more deserving of his talents, given her long relationship with the producer! There's a full, mature feel here – one that really gets Aretha back in gear as a singer, and shows off her talents to a new generation in new ways – yet all without trying too hard for a crossover hit. Tunes include a few originals by Franklin, and titles include "Kind Of Man", "Whole Lot Of Me", "Love All The Hurt Away", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "It's My Turn", "There's A Star For Everyone", and "Hold On I'm Coming". LP, Vinyl record album

Dee Dee's come a long way from "The Mashed Potato Time" here – emerging as a full-blown modern soul artist, with the same sort of sophisticated twist as other Philly girl singers, like Jean Carn or The Jones Girls. The title cut is a great remake of Terry Callier's "What Color Is Love" – and other tracks include "Hang Your Portrait", "I Believe In Love", "Just As Long As I Know You're Mine", and "Tryin To Get The Feeling Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Marvin Gaye's last album ever – and a sensuous batch of grooves that almost return him to the sound of Let's Get It On! The style here is a bit more modern, but the sound is still great – a smoother approach to soul than most of Gaye's contemporaries at the time, recorded in a way that has the vocals soaring majestically over the top of the backings! Slight undercurrents of funk spice things up somewhat, but still avoid any mainstream 80s groove cliches – and Marvin wrote, arranged, and produced the album himself (although with a bit of help from Chicago organist Odell Brown on the hit "Sexual Healing"!) Titles include "Sexual Healing", "My Love Is Waiting", "Third World Girl", "Turn On Some Music", "Joy", and "Midnight Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm and wonderful work from Phyllis Hyman – a set that's a lot more mainstream soul than her music of a few years before, but one that still shows a strong commitment to the more complicated styles of her roots! The sound here is full and proud – a nice extension of the work that Hyman did with Norman Connors, and not nearly as much in a disco mode as it might be, given the time of the release. And although many of the tracks are somewhat upbeat, they've got a bit more complication in the rhythms than conventional club – thanks to the presence of jazz players who include Herbie Hancock, Monty Alexander, Azar Lawrence, and others. The best production on the record is by T Life, and the team of Skip Scarborough and Larry Alexander – and titles include "Kiss You All Over", "Living Inside Your Love", "Soon Come Again", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Lookin For A Lovin", and "Be Careful (How You Treat My Love)". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Rick James' classic early run for Motown – a set that maybe didn't chart as big as some of his other records for the label, but which stands strongly today as a well-crafted batch of mellow funky soul! James has a bit less of the bass-heavy riffs here than you'd expect – and instead, the record has kind of a laidback, almost dreamy feel at times – still upbeat, but with the kind of relaxed, glowing vibe you'd be more likely to find from Teena Marie around this point – a really nice contrast with the more familiar hit sounds you'd know from Rick! We actually really like these mellower groovers – which are almost like some of Johnny Watson's Caribbean-tinged grooves – and the production augments the tunes with a bit of sound effects, which really furthers the paradise garden feel of the tunes. Titles include "Mary Go Round", "Summer Love", "Big Time", "Don't Give Up On Love", "Getting It On In The Sunshine", and "Island Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A standout classic from Kashif – one of those key 80s albums that brought him to light as a tremendous powerhouse in mainstream soul! Thanks to the wonders of recording science, Kashif was able to write, produce, arrange, and perform everything on the album himself – a great trick that probably saved him a lot of studio costs – but which also really helps him bring his music here into tight focus – even more so than on projects he'd been doing for other artists at the time. There's a super-catchy groove to the best numbers, and even the rest have that tight punch that makes Kashif one of the standouts of the time – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Baby Don't Break Your Baby's Heart", "Edgartown Groove", "Call Me Tonight", "Love Has No End", and "Send Me Your Love" – plus the duet with Whitney Houston on "Are You The Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from John Lee and Gerry Brown – a pair of fusion stalwarts who added key help to a number of classic 70s sessions for other artists – and got to make a rare few albums like this on their own! Lee's on bass and Brown's on drums, and the pair are in perfect time throughout – working with Skip Drinkwater production, which helps them find even more focus than before, and shake off some of the more jamming aspects of their rock-fusion performances with others – a move that helps them come up with a wonderfully soulful sound in the process – very much in the best Drinkwater soul jazz style of the time! Some cuts have vocals that get nice and soulful – from Donald Smith, CP Alexander, and Tawatha Agee – and titles include the brilliant "Love The Way You Make Me Feel" – plus "Freeze It Up", "Breakin", "Rise On", "Funky Now", "Strut N Get Up", and "Down The Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer Peggy Lee on Capitol Records – 2 very groovy albums on a single CD! Then Was Then is a sublime mid 60s effort that has Peggy working with arrangers Sid Feller, Billy May, and Cy Coleman – all of whom continue in the same groovy territory Lee hit at the time with Jack Marshall – a blend of romping rhythms, swinging jazz, and some slightly soulful touches that really come off well! The song selection is especially great – as it features some really unusual numbers that get past overdone standards, and some of the too-heard tunes from Peggy's Capitol years. Titles include "I Go To Sleep", "Then Was Then", "Seventh Son", "They Say", "Trapped In The Web Of Love", "Losers Weepers", "Shadow Of Your Smile", and "Leave It To Love". Bridge Over Troubled Water is wonderful work from Peggy Lee's newly mature years on Capitol Records – a set that follows from some of the hipper arranging and songwriting styles she was working with at the end of the 60s! Peggy's badass 60s self is even more pronounced here – as she's a forthright, adult singer on most of the tunes – workign with subjects she might not have touched at all a decade before – all with some great help on arrangements from the mighty Mike Melvoin. A few tunes are older, but most are relatively contemporary for the time of the album's release – and titles include "Something Strange", "You'll Remember Me", "He Used Me", "I See Your Face Before Me", "Always Something There To Remind Me", and "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?" CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Maybe This Summer", "Stop Living In The Past", and "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big". CD

LTD without Jeffrey Osborne, and sounding pretty darn great – moving here in a boogie-centrist groove that's heavy with bass on the bottom! In a way, the group's almost freer to work here as a funky ensemble without their former spotlight star – and the record's got a really wicked groove that's right up there with the best major label funk of the time – upbeat, romping, and very groovy throughout – never as clunky as work that was hitting the charts, and with some great horn and guitar work to keep things in warmer territory of the decade before. Rhythms are surprisingly hard at times – much harder than you'd expect, and with more of a 70s feel than the 80s groove you'd expect from the date – and titles include "Love Magic", "Kickin Back", "Burnin Hot", "April Love", "It Must End", and "Stay On The One". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best albums ever by LTD – featuring some wonderful early vocals by Jeffery Osborne, and stellar production by the team of Larry and Fonce Mizell! The Mizell Brothers sound a lot different here than they do on their Blue Note work – more deeply soulful, with a sound that's perfect for the mellow jams and boogie-inspired grooves of LTD. The album really holds together wonderfully as a whole – bridging gaps between a number of different soul styles of the time, and overflowing with great tracks like "Let The Music Keep Playing", "Time For Pleasure", "Love To The World", "The Word", "Love Ballad", and "Get Your It Together". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm, mellow, and completely sublime – the mighty America at the height of their powers – working with a quality that nobody else can match! The trio wrap together all the best ideas that were bubbling under in the LA scene of the late 60s – vocal harmonies, studio perfection, and even touches of rootsy instrumentation – yet find a space to work all these elements together in a rich sound that's completely unique – amazingly understated at times, despite a near-perfect level of production! The whole album's great – even their original version of "Muskrat Love" – nestled in here next to "Rainbow Song", "Submarine Ladies", "Molten Love", "Green Monkey", and "Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

AWB's first for Atlantic – and a nice slice of funk that proves that they can mix it up with the best groups of the 70s! The record's got plenty of sweet electric keyboards over smooth funky basslines – and as the years go by, the band's white boy vocals don't sound nearly as bad as we remember them. And besides, when they play their instruments so nicely – how can you hold the singing against them? Includes the killer classic "Pick Up The Pieces", sampled more times than we can remember – plus "You Got It", "Just Wanna Love You Tonight", "Person To Person", and a nice remake of the Isley Brothers' "Work To Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album of classy vocals – one that helped set a whole new tone in 80s soul music! Anita had already gained a bit of experience on the soul scene before this set, but with this record she emerged as a full-formed diva who could effortlessly blend jazz and soul into a magnificent new sound. The production has a few touches that date the record a bit, but there's a timelessness to the set that was apparent to listeners the moment it was released. Titles include "Mystery", "No One In The World", "Sweet Love", "You Bring Me Joy", and "Caught Up In The Rapture". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer stuff by Art Blakey – one of his few non-Blue Note sessions from the time, and a hard-wailing set that features the Jazz Messengers as a sextet! The format is one that flourished briefly in these early 60s years – and in this case, the already great lineup of Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bobby Timmons on piano is joined by Curtis Fuller on trombone – a frontline that makes for some really amazing music, and which starts to bring in a lyrical energy to the group that's really amazing! The force of Fuller on the ensemble cannot be denied – and the group shift from straight hardbop with a soulful bent into an even more inspired mode – as you'll hear on the album's classic reading of Fuller's "Ala Mode" – nestled in alongside Jazz Messenger takes on standards like "Invitation", "I Hear A Rhapsody", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that still has Colin Blunstone sounding surprisingly strong a few albums into his solo career – maybe a bit mellower, and with a bit less edge than at the start – but still very able to find the best way to put his amazing vocals to work! The backings are smooth, but not too AOR – just this kind of laidback, lightly tippling style that mostly has Blunstone moving at midtempo modes that let the lyrics resonate strongly in the spaciousness of his voice. Light strings are used at times, which is always a nice touch with Colin's voice – and many of the tracks on the album are originals by Blunstone – including "I'll Never Forget You", "Who's That Knocking", "Lovelight", "Ain't It Funny", "Photograph", "Touch & Go", and "You Are The Way For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic killer from trumpeter Tom Browne – a smoking set that still has all the jazz funk touches of his earlier records, yet which also picks up a bit of an electro vibe as well! The move here is a bit like that taken by some of Browne's labelmates on GRP at the time – particularly Bobby Broom and Bernard Wright – and offers up a great mix of jazzy roots and some of the newer sounds hitting the streets in the early 80s – a vibe that's maybe one of the first moments when older genres of music were beginning to show an influence from hip hop! Maurice Starr handles most of the production, and really makes things tight throughout – but Tom himself does a great job of keeping things interesting with the solos, augmenting the electric vibe with some rock-solid acoustic playing. Titles include "Rockin Radio", "Angeline", "Brighter Tomorrow", "Never My Love", "Mr Business", "Cruisin", and "Feel Like Makin Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set that's extremely well-titled – as BT Express were one of the hottest ensemble funk acts of their time! The groove here is definitely aimed at a more disco-oriented dancefloor than before – but the overall sound is plenty funky enough for our ears – thanks to some amazing horn passages arranged by Carlos Ward, whose own work on sax and flute really add an edgey quality to the set. Ward's horns are really fantastic – cutting and turning with a sharply-honed tone that keeps things fresh throughout – even when the rhythms are hitting more of a mainstream dancefloor sound. Titles include the group's mellow soul version of "Now That We've Found Love", plus "Herbs", "Time Tunnel", "Energy To Burn", "Can't Stop Groovin Now Wanna Do It Some More", and "Make Your Body Move". LP, Vinyl record album

Risque is a massive classic from Chic – a record that's worth it alone for the classic cut "Good Times" – a buoyant groover that was instantly timeless upon release, and went on to transform the sound of disco, hip hop, and many other styles to come! The whole thing's great, though – full of that perfect Nile Rodgers studio genius – with just the right sort of bass, beats, and riffing guitars – all peppered with vocals that really do a heck of a lot with just a little. In addition to "Good Times", other cuts include "A Warm Summer Night", "My Forbidden Lover", "What About Me", "My Feet Keep Dancing", and "Can't Stand To Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from the great Gene Clark – a key part of that scattered legacy that really helped cement his individual genius after leaving The Byrds! Much of the record is a spare and intimate affair – with Gene's warm vocals accompanied by his own gently picked acoustic guitar, along with producer Jesse Ed Davis (who does a masterful job in the booth on this one) also on guitar. The tunes are also sweetened by waltzy basslines, and Byrds-y keyboard riffs by Ben Sidran, but Gene's wonderful vocals and his amazingly strong songwriting are obviously the biggest draws – not standard country or roots rock, and instead delivered with a sense of sophistication that's almost a genre unto itself. Titles include the amazing "For A Spanish Guitar" – plus "The Virgin", "With Tomorrow", "White Light", "Where My Love Lies Asleep", "1975", and a great reading of The Band & Bob Dylan's "Tears Of Rage". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of albums from this near-forgotten group – both originally issued by Elektra, and presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is the self-titled Crabby Appleton – a set that's got a surprising sort of late psych vibe at times – almost as if the group were hanging on to some of the modes that first got them started, while also stretching out with some of the new sophistication that the 70s had to offer! That psych touch is maybe no surprise, though, given that the group's singer Michael Fennelly was in The Millennium – and works here with some heavier rockers who were in Stonehenge – all in a surprising mix of modes that really keeps things interesting throughout! Titles include the big single "Go Back", plus "Peace By Peace", "To All My Friends", "Some Madness", "Hunger For Love", "Last Night In Your Sleep Fred", "Some Madness", and "The Other Side". Next is Rotten To The Core, the second and last album from Crabby Appleton, and a record that's got the group picking up some harder edges than before – shedding some of the lighter psych elements for harder modes on the downturning grooves, almost as if the group had some blues inspirations they didn't showcase the first time around! The shift is one that has us almost thinking that the group could have hit the heights of 70s AM rock, had they held the course – with lots of surprising nuggets throughout, in a set list that includes "Makes No Difference", "Lucy", "It's So Hard", "Tomorrow's A New Day", "You Make Me Hot", "Gonna Save You", and "Love Can Change Everything". 2CD set features bonus material – "Go Back (alt mono single)", "Try (alt mono single)", "My Little Lucy (alt mono single)", "Some Madness (mono single)", "Can't Live My Life (alt mono single)", "Grab On", "Tomorrow's A New Day (alt mono single)", and "It's So Hard (alt mono single)". CD

Sweet soulful jazz from reedman Hank Crawford – one of his killer Kudu sessions from the 70s – all of which really helped Hank redefine his sound! The setting here is large and full – put together beautifully by Bob James, with that sense of space for the soloist that makes his CTI/Kudu arrangements so crucial – and light years ahead of what other arrangers were doing at the time. The tracks are longish, but never overdone – and the record has all the soulful alto sounds of Crawford's 60s work at Atlantic, but with a definite 70s bent overall. James plays Fender Rhodes, Arp, and clavinet – and other players include Joe Farrell on tenor and flute, Idris Muhammad and Bernard Purdie on drums, and Richard Tee on additional keyboards. Titles include "Jana", "Sho Is Funky", "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "Groove Junction", and "All In Love Is Fair". CD

A surprisingly great album from DeBarge – proof that the group really had something great at the start! Much as we'd like to dismiss DeBarge for their dated costumes and silly covers, the group still stands as one of the strongest pop acts from early 80s Motown – and have an undeniably catchy groove that still has appeal after all these years! Of course, part of the strength of this one is actually the mellower numbers – sung in a wonderfully sweet harmony mode that was instantly timeless. The best of these is "Stay With Me", sampled to great effect, and a tune elevates this album above all the rest – but there's plenty of other tasty numbers too, including "Time Will Reveal", "Need Somebody", "Be My Lady", "Love Me In A Special Way" and "Queen Of My Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y-eah, this is one of best art rock albums of all time – the Eno produced full length debut of Devo – the caustic, sarcastic and fun soundtrack to society's devolution! There's nothing we don't love about Devo at this point, from their unprecedented use of multimedia, to the hard to pull off fusion of sneering social and pop culture satire with good humored fun, and that's just the conceptual stuff. The songs are original and inimitably great, too, with those squeeling synth punk dynamics. Tracks include (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (best rock cover ever?) "Jocko Homo", "Mongoloid", "Uncontrollable Urge", "Space Junk", "Come Back Jonee", "Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin')" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of our favorite Doors records of all time – if only for the long Fender Rhodes solo by Ray Manzarek on the album's final track, "Riders On The Storm"! Yet the whole album is pretty darn great, too – the last to feature Jim Morrison, who would leave the planet shortly after the album was released! There's a looser, more mature feel to the whole record – still lots of the territory the group had explored on previous albums, but also maybe more relaxed in the studio – knowing when to go for a hook when needed, but also letting some of the tunes really find themselves too. Titles include the hits "Riders On The Storm", "LA Woman", and "Love Her Madly" – plus "The Changeling", "Been Down So Long", "Cars Hiss By My Window", "The WASP", "L'America", and "Hyacinth House". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "The Lesson Of Love", "Indian Summer", "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime", "In Exile", "In The Hands Of Love", "Hampstead Girl", and "Power To Believe". LP, Vinyl record album

Solid 80s grooving from George Duke – a really tightly-crafted set, done in the sweet mix of jazz and soul that he virtually helped to invent during the 70s! There's a gentle soulfulness to the record that we really like – a quality that's surprising, given the date, and the fact that so many artist like Duke were really pushing things over the top at the time – while George could still lay back, and keep things very nicely paced. Many of the tunes on the set are mellow groovers and ballads – stepping along at a sweet pace with lead vocals from Duke, and some larger backings conducted by Charles Veal. Titles include "Shine On", "You", "Dream On", "Framed", "Ride On Love", "Son Of Reach For It", and "Positive Energy". LP, Vinyl record album

The genius of Earth Wind & Fire knows no bounds – and even on this double-length set, the group keep up their groove tremendously! The 2LP scope of Faces might make it seem like an ambitious enterprise, but it's really just an overstuffed package that tries to contain all the genius the group was capable of at the time – a flurry of well-written, nice-grooving, and still-righteous soul tracks that have the EWF sound glowing brightly at the end of the 70s – always seeming to re-ignite itself with its own bold sense of power. A few tracks get a bit mellow, and almost adult – but the best numbers here are the groovers – still done with plenty of jazz in the mix, and a sublime mix of guitar, horns, and percussion that few other groups could carry off this well! Titles include "Pride", "Let Me Talk", "Turn It Into Something Good", "Sparkle", "And The Love Goes On", "Sailaway", "Take It To The Sky", "Song In My Heart", and "Win Or Lose". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing shift for Family – the group's first album after Rick Grech left for Blind Faith – and a set that has the group really reinventing their sound! The vocals of Roger Chapman are maybe even more dynamic and upfront than ever before – really finding that special sort of spirit that made him one of the most unique talents on the British scene of the time – but maybe the most unusual aspect of the record is the presence of new group member Poli Palmer – who brings in all these cool new sounds on keyboards, flute, and vibes! Those elements create a richness in the sound that wasn't there before – one that seems to give the vocals of Chapman even more focus than usual – on titles that include "Drowned In Wine", "Some Poor Soul", "Love Is A Sleeper", "The Cat & The Rat", "A Song For Me", "Wheels", "Stop For The Traffic Through The Heart Of Me", "Hey Let It Rock", and "93's OK J". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most magical records ever from this legendary group – a set that swings as hard and soulfully as some of their previous sessions, yet also has a sharper, more modern vibe as well! Of course, this latter aspect is no surprise – once you realize that a young Grachan Moncur is on trombone – adding his hip horn to the wonderful frontline of Benny Golson on tenor and Art Farmer on trumpet and flugelhorn. And given that the rhythm group also features Harold Mabern on piano, you can bet there's a freshness here that can't be beat – a sound and energy that's kept this one at the top of our stack for many many years. This one sided test pressing includes "Just In Time", "Ruby, My Dear", "In Love In Vain", and "Sonny's Back". LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably one of the greatest concept albums of the 80s – and the only really strong full length album cut by Frankie Goes To Hollywood! At the time of the set, the group was riding high on the success and controversy of their singles "Relax" and "Two Tribes" – but in the ambitious ZTT mode, sought to expand their sound way past familiar hits, and into a realm of sonic exploration that rivaled that of labelmates Art Of Noise. Don't get us wrong, because the Frankie of this album is still very much in groove-oriented territory – but they also let Horn take over with some more striking tunes that are both longer and shorter than the usual pop track – offsetting the vocal numbers on the record with a rich tapestry of musical backdrops that also more firmly forward the group's social and sexual leanings. The album features surprising covers of "War", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", and "Born To Run" – plus the hits "Relax" and "Two Tribes", and the original numbers "Welcome To the Pleasure Dome", "Krisco Kisses", "The Ballad Of 32", "Wish The Lads Were Here", "Black Night White Light", "The Only Star In Heaven", "The Power Of Love", and "Bang". LP, Vinyl record album

A rock/soul outing from Gale Force – a group comprised of brothers Len and Ken Gale, hence the name! The set's an odd one – as it was produced by Wayne Henderson during the height of his glory days at Fantasy, and features keyboards by Bobby Lyle – so you'd guess that it would have some sort of a jazz funk component. But overall, it's a pretty strict rock outing – although not without some soulful charms – as the brothers seem to pick up the Fantasy Records groove where Creedence left off – going for compressed and rhythmic tunes that almost have a Steve Miller style at times. Titles include "Reach On Out", "I Was Made To Love Her", "Amourena", "Turn On The Blue Lights", and "Let My Love In". LP, Vinyl record album

What the what?!? Soul sides so great they'll blow your mind – even though none of them have ever been issued before! George Jackson is one of the great lost talents of southern soul – an artist who often stayed in the background, lending his talents to others in the studio, or as a writer – but a hell of a strong artist on his own – as you'll hear in this package of 24 recordings done at the legendary Fame Studios! Jackson's vocals are great – nice and gritty, plain and honest, and with just the right sort of focus to perfectly serve up the poetry of his lyrics. And the backings are wonderful, too – that simple, soulful groove that Fame did so well – often slow-burning on the rhythm tip, with production that lets George shine right out front in the mix. Why these cuts were never issued at the time is a mystery to us – as they could have made George and a few other folks a nice little fortune and a good deal of fame. But as with most discoveries like this, the obscurity of the tracks also makes for a freshness that we love too – as if we've taken a time machine back to a period we love, and found a way to hear the "real deal" right up close! Titles include "Greedy Over You", "I Want You So Bad", "Stuck On Her", "Statue Of Soul", "Talking In Your Sleep", "Back In Your Arms", "You're Gonna Need Me Again", "I Can't Love Without You", "Evidence", "Bite The Hand That Feeds You", "Let's Stop Hurting Each Other", and "Getting The Bills But No Merchandise". CD

Includes the songs "Ciribiribin", "Feet Draggin' Blues", "It's Funny To Everyone But Me", "Concerto For Trumpet", "Two O'Clock Jump", "You Made Me Love You", "I'm In The Market For You", "Flight Of The Bumblebee", "My Silent Love", "Flash", "Trumpet Blues And Cantabile", "All Or Nothing At All", "Back Beat Boogie", "I Can't Begin To Tell You", "Music Makers", "I Had The Craziest Dream", "Willow Weep For Me", "I Don't Want To Walk Without You", "Cherry", "By The Sleepy Lagoon", and "I'm Beginning To See The Light". CD

A monumental bit of 80s soul – the first solo album from Kashif, issued hot on the heels of a few years spent penning and producing work for a range of bigger artists! Given his experience with the pros, Kashif's emerging here as a very fully-formed talent in soul – a singer with a way of keeping things real, even when the tunes are catchy – and a producer with a great ear for the changing styles of soul at the time. The grooves are often nicely spare and stripped down, yet never without a good sense of feeling – and titles include "I Just Gotta have You (Lover Turn Me On)", "Stone Love", "Say Somethin' Love", "All", "Help Yourself To My love", "The Mood", "Don't Stop My Love", and "Rumors" LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most tightly-produced of BB King's albums for MCA, but a set that's still filled with undeniable charm – and which really shows King more than able to step up to some well-deserved superstardom! There's a bit of an LA finish to the backings, but things are never too smooth – and BB's vocals and guitar both really shine in this setting – with inflections and edges that are just wonderful throughout! The balance is great – that rare ability that MCA had to serve up such records at the time – and titles include "A World Full Of Strangers", "Midnight Believer", "Never Make A Move Too Soon", "Hold On", "I Just Can't Leave Your Love Alone", and "When It All Comes Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive work from the great Cheryl Lynn – and a key bridge between late 70s disco and the newer grooves of the 80s club scene! The album's a mix of midtempo groovers with a few mellower tracks – and it's got a tight, slightly jazzy sound that was very fresh at the time, and which still holds up incredibly well today. The standout cut on the record is the landmark groover "Got To Be Real" – but there's loads of other great ones, like "Star Love", "Daybreak (Storybook Children)", "Give My Love To You", "All My Lovin", and "Come In From The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet grooves from the great Bob Marley – a set cut at a time when Marley was really riding his international fame – and able to create the kind of music that reached out way more than conventional reggae! The Kingston roots of the sound are still very firmly in place – but there's also a more globally-expansive vision here too – partly the tight production on the music, partly the warm feelings that ebb and flow throughout the entire set – a vibe that's very different than American soul, and which has turned out to be surprisingly encompassing over the years. Titles include "Is This Love", "Running Away", "Kaya", "Satisfy My Soul", "Easy Skanking", "Sun Is Shining", "She's Gone", "Misty Morning", "Crisis", and "Time Will Tell". LP, Vinyl record album

MGMT's debut and certainly one the biggest spacey pop albums of the 00s, possibly THE biggest! The enduring hits "Time Time Pretend" and "Electric Feels" blend dense layers of vintage synth and keys with a modern sheen and memorable hooks – and there are plenty more like that here, with just hint of melancholy under the bright sound. Dave Friedmann, whose deft hand on some of The Flaming Lips most loved recordings was a great choice by MGMT to co-produce – we couldn't imagine any more appropriate! "Weekend Wars", "The Youth", "Kids", "4th Dimensional Transition", "Pieces Of What", "The Handshake", "Future Reflections" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A set of incredible records from Charles Mingus – all presented together in one mighty nice package! First up is Mingus Moves – a fantastic fresh new chapter in the career of Charles Mingus – a set that features the addition of two key players who would really shape his sound in the 70s – Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor, both completely wonderful here! The group also features excellent trumpet from Roland Hampton, a player we don't know from many other settings – and the set also features some really nice vocal work from Honi Gordon and Doug Hammond. Titles include "Canon", "Moves", "Wee", "Flowers For A Lady", "Opus 3", and "Newcomer". CD also features bonus tracks – "Big Alice" and "The Call". Changes is key 70s work from Charles Mingus – an album that was recorded over the course of three days of creative activity at the end of 1974, but somehow split into two different albums under the Changes name! The lineup here is prime 70s Mingus – George Adams on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Don Pullen on piano – young players who really give a fresh voice to Mingus' musical ideas, and help him find this beautiful late life sense of color, tone, and timing that's completely sublime! Titles on this second volume include "Sue's Changes", "Devil Blues", "Remember Rockefeller At Attica", "Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA", "Black Bats & Poles", "For Harry Carney", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love" – which features a guest appearance by Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and Jackie Paris on vocals. On 3 Or 4 Shades Of Blues, Charles Mingus is returning to the soulful gospel-influenced mode he swung big in the early 60s! The record's something of a later predecessor of the classics Blues & Roots for Atlantic and Mingus (x5) for Impulse – and the style is slightly less dramatic, but still quite steeped in soulful explorations that feature plenty of notes from the bluer side of the spectrum! Players include George Coleman and Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Larry Coryell on guitar – and titles include new takes on "Better Git Hit In Your Soul" and "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" – plus"Nobody Knows", "Noddin Ya Head Blues", and "Three Or Four Shades Of Blues". Next is Cumbia & Jazz Fusion – one of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". Me Myself An Eye is complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker on tenors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side two contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus". Something Like A Bird is one of the last albums Charles Mingus ever gave us – before departing this planet way way too soon! The set shows the increasing sophistication of Mingus' music in these later years – a mode that almost echoes the path that Duke Ellington would take in his final decade – a move towards some larger-form material that still holds onto all the raw energy of the early days, but finds a way to not only bridge larger musical ideas – but musical generations as well! As part of this, the set's got a wonderful lineup – with Lee Konitz on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, George Coleman on tenor, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include the long title track, "Something Like A Bird", split up over 2 sides of the LP, plus "Farewell Farwell". CD

A truly fine Moby Grape effort from the tail end of the 60s – featuring loads of rubbery rock grooves – and one of the more songwriting centered efforts from the Grape catalog! Moby Grape was pared down to a trio by the time of Truly Fine Citizen – and the tracks are just loose enough around the edges, with some meandering harmonies and an insistent bass groove throughout. Title include the totally groovy opener "Changes, Circles Spinning", plus "Looper", "Truly Fine Citizen", "Beautiful Is Beautiful", "Love Song", "Right Before My Eyes", "Now I Know High", "Tongue-Tied" and "Love Song, Part Two". LP, Vinyl record album

An extremely haunting version of the score to Porgy & Bess – recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet at the height of their powers, in a gently soulful version that really takes off from the original. The group have a very free approach here – one that uses Gershwin's originals as a set of loose guidelines to work from – shading in the spaces with their own tones and colors on vibes, piano, bass, and drums. The album features some great modern takes on "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So" – and other tracks include "O Bess, Where's My Bess", "I Love You Porgy", "My Man's Gone Now", and "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York". LP, Vinyl record album

Given the strength of Nas at this point, his lost tapes are better than most folks found ones – and although the album features cuts that didn't make it onto I Am and Stillmatic, the whole thing stands strongly more than enough on its own! The set came out in 2002, and may have seemed a bit of an afterthought at the time – but it's definitely worth hearing as a follow-up chapter to the other two albums – thanks to cuts that include "Doo Rags", "My Way", "U Gotta Love It", "Nothing Lasts Forever", "No Idea's Original", "Blaze A 50", "Everybody's Crazy", "Purple", "Drunk By Myself", "Black Zombie", and "Poppa Was A Playa". LP, Vinyl record album

Nas balancing classic level depth and dexterity with more off the cuff and spontaneous rhymes on the once written off, belatedly better respected Nastradamus LP – his second album of 1999! How anyone could ever have completely disrespected an album with a track as masterful as "Project Windows" is a mystery – it's Nas at an all time best level on the mic, and the track is real deal soul with Ron Isley singing the hook – and bringing the goods, too – but there's some other standout tracks here that make it well worth a spot on your shelf! Other tracks include "Life We Chose", "Nastradamus", "Some Of Us Have Angels", "Come Get Me", "New World", "Family" with Mobb Deep, "Big Girl", "God Love Us", "New World" and "Shoot Em Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The Pointer Sisters show plenty of rockish influences here – drawing tunes from folks like Ian Hunter, Bruce Springsteen, Graham Parker, Jagger & Richards, and Robbie Robertson – and fusing their compositions with the trio's own soulful energy! Richard Perry produced, and the album's one of his ultimate efforts for the group – filled with plenty of guitar leads from Waddy Wachtel and Dan Dugmore, which fuzz things up nicely underneath the girls' vocals. Titles include their hit reading of "She's Got The Fever" – plus "Who Do You Love", "Turned Up To Late", "Don't Let A Thief Steal Into Your Heart", "The Shape I'm In", "Dreaming As One", and "All Your Love". Also includes the bonus track "Nothin But A Heartache". LP, Vinyl record album

A big new chapter for Prince in the 90s – his first set with the New Power Generation, and a record that definitely has him amping up his game for the decade! There's maybe a bit more sampling here, and a groove that certainly has one ear open for the younger sound of R&B at the time – while still coming across with all that care, class, and top-shelf vibe that made Prince's work of the previous generation such an important funky influence on the younger crowd who were growing up with equal parts soul and hip hop to influence their sound. Tracks include "Daddy Pop", "Diamonds", "Cream", "Insatiable", "Live 4 Love", "Push", "Money Don't Matter 2 Night", "Jughead", "Gett Off", "Walk Don't Walk", "Strollin", and "Willing & Able". LP, Vinyl record album

The fourth Prince soundtrack in less than a decade – and a record that follows nicely after Purple Rain, Batman, and Parade, but with a slightly different spirit too – thanks to an ever-expanding Paisley Park family that included George Clinton, Morris Day, and Mavis Staples! The older funk acts are fine, and add to the spice – but it's clear that the main attraction here is Prince, although The Time are pretty darn welcome too! The set features vocal performances from Tevin Campbell, George Clinton, Mavis Staples, TC Ellis, and Robin Power – and titles include "New Power Generation", "Can't Stop This Feeling I Got", "Love Machine", "Tick Tick Bang", "Shake", "Thieves In The Temple", "Still Would Stand All Time", "Graffiti Bridge", and "The Latest Fashion". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from Queen – a set conceived when the group were already at the top of their game, and willing to not only lean into their strengths, but also take a few chances by slimming things down, and really bringing the focus onto the guitar work, vocals, and heavy rhythms that continue to make the quartet the stuff of legend! Those qualities come through right away on the album's first two tracks – the instant classics "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" – followed by plenty more greatness on titles that include the ultimate take on "Sheer Heart Attack", and the cuts "My Melancholy Blues", "It's Late", "Who Needs You", Fight From The Inside", "Spread Your Wings", "All Dead All Dead", and "Get Down Make Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Lou's classics for Philly International – a warm mix of smooth soul and adult vocals, handled with some great arrangements by Dexter Wansel and Thom Bell. There's less standout singles on this set than previous Philly records, but Lou's class and quality makes nearly every track come out wonderfully – a masterpiece of soulful understatement and grace. Titles include "We Keep Getting Closer To Being Further Apart", "Time Will Take Care Of Everything", "What's The Matter With The World", "Bark Bite", and "Lover's Holiday". LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost record from Clarence Reid – one of the most multi-talented artists on his scene, stepping out here with the depth and sensitivity of some of his best southern soul contemporaries of the 70s! Despite the fact that at the time of the record, Reid was simultaneously recording as the goofy raunch-soul act Blowfly, the cover of this set features him sitting alone at a grand piano, looking all sensitive and serious – like he's Billy Joel or somebody! The style of the album, fortunately, doesn't match the cheesy singer/songwriter presentation – and it's a strong batch of Miami soul tracks that roll along with the classic TK groove of the mid 70s, yet without any of the too-pop or disco modes that were holding back some other artists. Reid's vocals are more heartfelt than ever – really soaring out at a level that almost matches Latimore – and all tunes were written by him, with a bit of help from Steve Alaimo, who also produces the record. Tracks include "The Best Part Of A Man", "The Only Time She Loves Me", "Caution! Love Ahead", "Down Where The Love Is", "Nappy-Haired Cowboy", and "Sleep With Me". Hmmm...kind of sounds like a Blowfly album after all! CD

A sometimes-overlooked classic from the Rolling Stones – but that's maybe just because it's sometimes obscured in the shadow of Exile On Main Street, the record that immediately preceded it! And while it might be a stretch to some, we like to think of Goat's head as kind of a capper to that double-length set – as the Stones are still working out a fair bit of similar ideas, with an opening ear to some global currents, and with great help from some of their key collaborators too. The set's worth it alone for the classic gut-wrencher "Angie" – and other tracks include "Star Star", "Hide Your Love", "Winter", "Can You Hear The Music", "100 Years Ago", and "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Diana Ross – a set that's got a great mix of smooth grooves and tight soul numbers – all handled by 70s superproducer Richard Perry – and set to arrangements from Gene Page! Ross has this confident way of serving up the vocals, but an approach that's not nearly as diva-centric as some of her other work of the period – this almost relaxed style at times, which is even more captivating than usual, and some of her most compelling material on record from the time. The title track "Baby It's Me" actually is a pretty funky number – almost in the funky Pointer Sisters mode – with heavy bass popping a break on the intro, and some nice Hotel Sheet work by Jack Ashford – and other titles include "Too Shy To Say", "You Got It", "Getting Ready For Love", "Top Of The World", "All Night Lover", and "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic from Ricky Skaggs' early run up to stardom – with titles that include "Let's Love The Bad Times Away", "Highway 40 Blues", "Can't You Hear Me Callin", "Nothing Can Hurt You", "You've Got A Lover", and "Don't Think I'll Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

The final album from Spooky Tooth – at least during their initial run – and a surprisingly strong set that really points to a huge amount of new directions and ideas! Mike Patto is in the group this time around – and the presence of his vocals and deft instrumental work really give Spooky Tooth a renewed focus and sense of energy – which seems to push the guitars of Mick Jones into territory that's even bolder than before – with more than a few hints of the Foreigner to come! Gary Wright's vocals are still at center stage, but the whole album almost feels like the whole group coming together to really stretch their wings and soar. Titles include "Fantasy Satisfier", "Two Time Love", "Higher Circles", "Hell Or High Water", "The Hoofer", "I'm Alive", and "The Mirror". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from the early days of The Supremes – and way more than you'd guess from the "hits" in the title! The record's not really a roundup of the hit singles already out on 45 – and is actually just an apt title for what the album was destined to be – a stone hit that really put these Motown legends on the map! Production is by the Holland/Dozier/Holland team – with a marvelous wall of sound-style groove that really pushes the vocals forward tremendously – that brilliant all-in Motown mode of the best early years, where the Detroit studio was working overtime to make things sound amazing. Titles include the massive hit "Stop! In The Name Of Love" – but the whole thing's a solid effort with no filler, and other cuts include "I'm In Love Again", "He Holds His Own", "Whisper You Love Me Boy", "The Only Time I'm Happy", "Nothing But Heartaches", "Honey Boy", and "Back In My Arms Again". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the all time great albums from Tom Waits – possibly the pinnacle of his earlier drunken poet style of songcraft – and with some of the most achingly beautiful songs he ever laid down! It features the classics "Tom Traubert's Blues" and "Step Right Up" to kick it off, followed by boozy ballads and sly, bedraggled ne'er-do-well tales, and old school strip club-dweller love songs like no others. If more tender ballads were pulled off with such a gruff voice in the 1970s we haven't heard 'em. Other tracks include "I Wish I Was In New Orleans", "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)", "Invitation To The Blues", "The One That Got Away", "Small Change" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A key album in Dionne Warwick's career revival at Arista Records – a set that's filled with the kind of fuller sounds and maturing modes that worked quite well for her shifts in styles over the years! Warwick's a bit less fragile than in the Scepter years, but also not trying as hard to be an all-out soul singer as she was at Warner Brothers – instead nicely laying back into the album's grooves, which usually have a smooth, modern soul approach – almost in Phyllis Hyman territory at times, yet with more of the mainstream modes that were more appropriate for Warwick's audience. Production is by Steve Buckingham, and titles include "Sweetie Pie", "How You Once Loved Me", "It's The Falling In Love", "Easy Love", "We Had This Time", "When The World Runs Out Of Love", and "Somebody's Angel". LP, Vinyl record album

The only solo album ever recorded by Maurice White – an upbeat and soulful set that's right up there with his best 80s work in Earth Wind & Fire! Like that group at the time, White's hitting a rhythmic side that's more electronic at points – letting beats and keyboard bits stand in for the previously-acoustic drums and percussion – yet all in a way that still retains that great EWF style of soul! Things are tight, but never too slick or commercial – and although the songs are catchy, they're never nearly as cloying as some of the other mainstream soul from the time. There's some surprisingly sweet moments that really show a new side of Maurice's talents, and titles include "Switch On Your Radio", "Stand By Me", "Sea Of Glass", "I Need You", "Invitation", "Lady Is Love", "The Sleeping Flame", and "Children Of Afrika". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late-life effort from Bobby Womack – hardly the kind of record he would have recorded back in the day, and a tremendous testament to his undeniably soulful talents! The album was done with production help from Damon Albarn and Richard Russell – and definitely has a contemporary bent in some of the backings – nothing too overly-modern, nor commercial at all – but a freshness that seems to really set Womack's vocals free – in a format that has Bobby sounding better than we've heard in a long, long time! Russell contributes some beats and effects to the set – but these almost always have a nice earthy sort of crispness – one that makes for music that's quite warm overall, and really fits the rootsy feel of Bobby's vocals – an approach that's not unlike some of the final Gil Scott-Heron recordings, with equally successful results. Titles include "Deep River", "Dayglo Reflection", "Stupid", "If There Wasn't Something There", "Love Is Gonna Lift You Up", "Jubilee", and "Please Forgive My Heart". CD

A standout solo moment for Yazz – the singer who first rose to fame as part of the Coldcut soundsystem, then really broke big at a point when UK soul was cracking the American mainstream! Yazz may have a bleached-out look on the cover, but her sound is deeply soulful – and fits in perfectly with the house-styled grooves on the record – backings that have an unabashed love of disco, at a time when listening audiences were maybe forgiving that music for all of its previous excesses, and strongly embracing its best qualities again – in a groove that's maybe a bit similar to Lisa Stansfield at the time, although with more beats and less strings. Production and backings are by Coldcut, FON, Youth, and other hip talents – and titles include her great remake of "The Only Way Is Up" – plus "Systematic People", "Wanted On The Floor", "Stand Up For Your Love Rights", "Fine Time", "Where Has All The Love Gone", "Got To Share", and "Turn It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge document of work from LA's Consolidated Productions – a company you might not know by name, but one who issued work on a number of tiny indie labels – including City Lights, Simco, Space, Velvet, Angel Town, and many other labels! The set is heavy on 60s soul in a variety of styles – and features group harmonies, deep soul singers, and even some instrumental work too – all with qualities that are very much in the best modes that the Chicago scene was recording at the time – sophisticated, but gritty too – and with a vibe that's way past the 60s soul hits you'll find on mainstream compilations! You'll recognize a few names here – including Gene Russell, later of Black Jazz fame – and there's a fair bit of obscure artists too – in a set list of 28 tracks that include "Misery" by The DeVelles, "Cool It Baby" by BB Carter, "I'm Mad" by Spider Walker, "Money Man" by LA Untouchables, "I Got To See My Baby" by Lee Jones, "Jet Set" and "Doin The Snake Hips" by Gene Russell's Trio, "Don't You Fool Me" by Ann Stacy, "My Lover" by Marilyn Calloway & The 4 Silvertones, "Lighten Up Baby" by Ty Karim, "Turkey Trot" by Dynamic Duo & The Penguiness, "False Pride" and "Prove It" by Lee Harvey, and "So Called Friend" by Billy Williams. LP, Vinyl record album

The later years of the Sound Of Memphis studio – cuts from a time when the legendary deep soul powerhouse was trying on some of the newer modes from the end of the 70s! The work here is a real lost slice of Memphis soul – music from a time when the heyday of Stax and Hi Records had long passed, but smaller indies like SOM were going strong – and able to capture the shifting sound in the great soul city – as singers worked in the sorts of funky club and boogie modes you'd more regularly associate with New York or Chicago! The quality level is surprisingly great – especially since there's a nicely indie vibe to these cuts – not polished disco rehash, but the sort of underground club material that we've always loved from reissues on labels like Numero or Soul Cal – coming here from the surprising source of Memphis. Even more importantly, almost all this material never saw the light of day at the time – since the SOM connections to bigger labels had faded – so the whole thing's like a time capsule, taking you back to some real under-exposed days on the Memphis scene! Titles include "Dream Girl" and "Groove With A Feeling" by Freedom Express, "You Can Bet I Can Get You Yet" and "What You Do For Love" by Lee Moore, "Ridin" and "Attraction" by Erma Shaw, "Cold Blooded Sally" by Fran Farley, "New Lang Syne" by Kannon, "I'll Be Around" by The Jacksonians, "Gone" by Vision, "We Need Love" by Donald O'Connor, "Tighter Tighter" by Demetrius & Takelia, and "Don't Fight It" by Louis Williams. CD