... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

With Cat Anderson, Gene Goe, Blue Mitchell, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet; Britt Woodman, Jimmy Cleveland, Benny Powell, and Tricky Lofton on trombone; Marshal Royal, Lanny Morgan, Richie Kamuca, Don Menza, and Jack Nimitz on saxophone; Monty Budwig on bass, Dave Frishberg on piano, and Frank Capp on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A percussion record, but one with a very different twist – as the set was done both in collaboration with dancer Tonny Kennybrew, and based on his sense of motion – and it was done at the end of the 80s, and features a very cool mix of both acoustic and electric instrumentation! Percussionist Jean-Pierre Boistel handles a nice array of instruments at the core – kalimba, quinto, congas, bass tambours, bells, berimbau, shakers, and many other percussion elements – and at times, he uses computer-assisted programs to help line up the acoustic sounds, but in ways that hardly make them sound like some lame drum machine beats at all. Instead, there's a richly organic quality to the record – spare and lean, but nicely focused too. Titles include "Vas Y Peter", "C'Est A Sete", "A Capucine", "Des Perce Boys", and "Dans Le Secret & Clepsydre". LP, Vinyl record album

Heady and heavy work from Billy Bond and La Pesada Del Rock & Roll – a guitar heavy group from Argentina, and one with plenty of blues rock overtones! The guitars are definitely turned up to 11 here – jamming with an intensity to match some of the best hard rock sides from Peru reissued by the Lazarus label in recent years – and like those sets, there's a sound here that's an intensification of earlier beat group modes – taken into much harder territory for the 70s. The production is great – earthy, trippy, and a little bit spooky – and the album's got an oddly unsettling feel, one that's familiar at first, but then increasingly estranged as the record moves on. Quite compelling, and with 16 tracks that include "Dueno De Tu Piel", "El Parque", "Buen Dia Senor Presidente", "Divertido Reventado", "Salgan Al Sol", "La Maquina", "Voy A Ver Un Amigo", "Para Que Nos Sirven", and "La Marcha De San Lorenzo". CD

A wildly eclectic brew of driving heaviness, looser trippiness, and even some delicate moments from Billy Bond – a more freewheeling and ambitious mix of post psychedelic wildness from Brazil's Billy Bond & co! Volume 3 from 1972 is made up of 2 lengthy suites, " Lado 1 – Acustico" and "Lado 2 – Eectrica Camplementaria". The former is surprisingly lean in spots, with some folky psychedelia in the blender. The latter is full of abrupt, dramatic stop-start dynamics. Volume 4 from '73 includes "No Nos Paran Mas", "Hacia Algun Lugar", Gracias Al Cielo", "Estamos Hartos", "Ano 1939", "Algo Esta Por Suceder" and more. This one is more of a wild and wooly rock & roll set, and a deliciously unpredictable one! CD

... CD

... CD

Repackaging of Brel's 1967 LP – featuring some of his lesser known work from the late 60s, set to arrangements by longtime accompanist Francois Rauber. The tracks are still quite strong, and if anything, Brel's writing has only gotten sharper by this point. Titles include "Le Gaz", "A Jeun", "Fils De", "Les Bonbons 67", "Mon Pere Disait", "La La La", and "Les Coeurs Tendres". LP, Vinyl record album

Two tasty early tracks from Brenda & The Tabulations. "And My Heart Sang" is a sweet little harmony track, with some nice low notes from the boys behind her, and Brenda's lovely voice floating over the top. "Lies" is more uptempo, with a driving feel, and a strong little soul hook in a Detroit mode. 7-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

An unusual Dave Brubeck set from the start of the 60s – surprisingly on Fantasy, given his Columbia fame of the time – and with a slightly different lineup that features the great Bill Smith on clarinet! Smith's got a cool modern sound that's not unlike Jimmy Giuffre – icy but expressive too, and both a great fit for the band because and apart from their usual work with Paul Desmond! Eugene Wright's still on bass, and Joe Morello plays some wonderfully time-kept drums – on titles that include "The Piper", "Frisco Fog", "Lydian Line", "Ballade", "One For The Kids", "Catch Me If You Can", and "Peace Brother". LP, Vinyl record album

With Rufus Reid on bass. CD

An obscure little set, but a great one too – a joint effort from Charles and Barbara Burton – served up with a really wonderful blend of upbeat club and modern soul modes! The album's got all the indie soul charm you'd expect from its title and cover – a simple, straightforward approach to the music that's often got lots of personal touches and genre-crossing moments – a great antidote to more mainstream soul of the time, but done with a fair bit of skill throughout! Instrumentation includes some great keyboards next to Barbara's vocals – and a few numbers feature chorus vocals that come across with an especially shimmering kind of sound. Titles include "LA Will Make You Pay", "Sincerely Yours", "Who You Gonna Get", "You Know I Love You", "Groovin At The Night Club", and "Nation Song". CD

... CD

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Jovem Guarda work by Roberto Carlos – with a rock n roll sound that's clearly influenced by American music, and lots of songs for the kids! CD

... CD

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A bracingly simple album from Benny Carter – one recorded with small group west coast backing, in a style that really lets us focus on his wonderful tone! The set's one of Carter's most obscure from later years – a 1960 session recorded with Jimmy Rowles on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums – and mostly featuring older numbers interpreted by Carter with a great deal of charm, and simple but effective work on the solos. Benny plays alto on most of the set, but also overdubs tenor on 2 tracks, and plays a bit of soprano on another. Titles include "Ennui", "Moon Of Manakoora", "I Should Care", "Far Away Places", "Friendly Islands", "Understand", and "All Or Nothing At All". CD

A bracingly simple album from Benny Carter – one recorded with small group west coast backing, in a style that really lets us focus on his wonderful tone! The set's one of Carter's most obscure from later years – a 1960 session recorded with Jimmy Rowles on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums – and mostly featuring older numbers interpreted by Carter with a great deal of charm, and simple but effective work on the solos. Benny plays alto on most of the set, but also overdubs tenor on 2 tracks, and plays a bit of soprano on another. Titles include "Ennui", "Moon Of Manakoora", "I Should Care", "Far Away Places", "Friendly Islands", "Understand", and "All Or Nothing At All". LP, Vinyl record album

Very obscure sounds from a very obscure Italian crime film of the 70s – issued here for the first time ever! The music has a great vibe – slinky, but also a bit offbeat – with some of those odd tunings of the piano that you might hear in an Ennio Morricone score when he was still keeping things groovy, but wanting to set a nice edge – spun out nicely here amidst some gentle strings and other unusual sounds! The whole thing's great – a real lost treasure that finally sees the light of day – with titles that include "Lo Spinello", "In Discoteca", "Overdose", "L'Inseguimento Finale", "Nel Vecchio Mulino", "Titoli Di Coda", "La Droga Uccide", and "L'Agguato Al Corriere". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Love Van", "Mi Luna De Miel", "Cornelio", "Con Lo Que Tiene Atras", and "Oye Corazon". LP, Vinyl record album

Esaie Cid on alto saxophone and clarinet, Benjamin Dousteyssier on baritone and soprano saxophone, Alex Gilson on bass, and Paul Morvan on drums. CD

A warm and sexy score from Stelvio Cipriani – penned with a beautiful blend of woodwinds, keyboards, and sweet bossa-styled grooves! There's a bit more fullness here than in some of Cipriani's more erotic work, and a bit more groove too – although most of the music moves at a wonderfully mellow pace, and just steps around with lots of great jazzy inflections – even though the music itself isn't really jazz! The blend of softness and fullness is wonderful – and the whole thing's easily one of the more captivating scores from Cipriani during these very vital years. CD features 23 tracks from the film – plus notes in English and Italian too! CD

This comprehensive collection features all four Classix Nouveaux albums and includes all sorts of extended/instrumental/7" versions and unreleased tracks! – 67 tracks in all! CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Michel Colombier created some mighty funky music in the French scene of the late 60s and early 70s – including some with Pierre Henry and Serge Gainsbourg – and this standalone soundtrack effort is definitely part of that really great legacy in music! There's a nice current of funk amidst the larger orchestrations on some of the best cuts – mixed with a few other sweeter sounds too – all handled with that really inventive approach that easily made Colombier one of the key cats pushing forward the sound of the scene at the time. The set's got a vocal tune sung by Drupi – and titles include "Violence Et Solitude", "La Baie", "Constance Et Laurent", "La Mort", and a number of variations on "Le Hasard Et La Violence". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s classic from Willie Colon – continuing the progression of his "gangster" image by supposedly having him break out of prison! (Previously, Willie had been brought to justice on the Juicio album – but now on the loose, is described in a wanted poster on the cover – "Willie Colon & Hector LaVoe have been known to kill people with little provocation with their exciting rhythm without a moment's notice"!) That claim might be a bit far-fetched, but considering the strength of Willie's work at the time, it's certainly well-founded – as he and Hector cook things up nicely on this set by bringing in some even-earthier grooves to their blend of 70s salsa modes! The group's got Colon's tight twin-trombone approach firmly in the lead, and other instrumentation is merely piano, bass, and lots of percussion – all very stripped down, and with lots of room for LaVoe's wonderfully evocative vocals. Titles include "Pa' Columbia", "Ghana'E", "No Cambiare", "Barrunto", and "Sigue Feliz". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Two groovy groovy tracks! You may recognize "La Coda Del Diavolo" from it's recent use in a TV commercial – or remember it, as we do, from Conte's sublime Jet Sounds album – and it's given a great push here by the Karminsky Brothers, who mix vibes, sound snippets, and flutey vocals together wonderfully! "Missione" is kind of a bossa-Indian number – one that blends together vibes, sitar, and funky beats, all remixed here by Ursula 1000! 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic second album from this ultra-hip French combo – a group who effortlessly mix up jazz, funk, and global elements in the best cross-cultural tradition of the Parisian scene! Cotonete have been around for many years, even though they haven't given us many records – and it's clear from this set that their sound has gelled and evolved even more than before – no gimmicks or easy tricks on the record, and instead this really cohesive blend of keyboards from Florian Pellissier with trumpet, saxes, guitar, trombone, bass, and plenty of percussion! Guests include Omar, Leron Thomas, and Sabrina Malheiros – each of whom sing on a single track – and titles include "Satori", "La Derniere Guitare", "Bebete Vaobora", "Venezuela", "Cinq Pour L'Aventure", and "What Did You Run For". CD

A fantastic second album from this ultra-hip French combo – a group who effortlessly mix up jazz, funk, and global elements in the best cross-cultural tradition of the Parisian scene! Cotonete have been around for many years, even though they haven't given us many records – and it's clear from this set that their sound has gelled and evolved even more than before – no gimmicks or easy tricks on the record, and instead this really cohesive blend of keyboards from Florian Pellissier with trumpet, saxes, guitar, trombone, bass, and plenty of percussion! Guests include Omar, Leron Thomas, and Sabrina Malheiros – each of whom sing on a single track – and titles include "Satori", "La Derniere Guitare", "Bebete Vaobora", "Venezuela", "Cinq Pour L'Aventure", and "What Did You Run For". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Vocalist Bobby Cruz gets some great backings from Ricardo Ray – on titles that include "Nina", "El Roble", "Shu La La", "Sin Explicacion", "No Puedo", "Patricia", and "Get It All". LP, Vinyl record album

19 songs. CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

A huge amount of work from the French duo of David Jisse and Dominique Marge – two singers who come together here in surprisingly hip ways – very much their own mode of the time, and quite different than some of the more commercial French pop of the period! A few years before, and these guys might have been a folk duo – but instead, they seem to take the bohemian inspiration of that generation and blend it with a whole host of hip styles – bits of jazz at some points, Brazilian elements at others, groovier soul sometimes, and maybe even a bit of the more experimental styles you'd hear from the team of Areski & Brigitte Fontaine! This 2CD set presents the complete work of the duo – a massive 48 tracks that are a huge musical discovery – work that includes material from a variety of singles and albums, and even one obscure recording done with Luc Ferrari. Titles include "Nemo", "Juliette", "Tu Vas Je Vais", "Et Se Reveiller", "Petit Hommage Au Jazz", "Retrospective", "Sirop D'Orgeat", "Piegon Vole", "Mimi Tant Pis", "Cache Cache", "Mamie Nina", "Babar", "Oh Les Enfants", "Tu M'Fais Rever", and "Ces Mots Qui Te Touchent". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first great Italian cop movies of the 70s – and a superbly-scored film with a really wonderful soundtrack! The DeAngelis brothers are clearly drawing heavily from an American tradition initiated by Lalo Schfrin – using heavy guitar, funky undercurrents, and even some soulfully righteous touches to really set this one apart from other Italian films of the time. Yet the approach here is also a bit more different, touches with some of the darker modes and more redemptive themes of Italian westerns – a sense of suspension and drama that's incredibly powerful, and heard to best effect on the solo instrumental passages – which include guitar by Maurizio and flute by Guido. CD features notes in both English and Italian, great images from the film, and even a number of previously unreleased tunes! 20 tracks in all – with titles that include "Festa A Genova", "Gangster Story", "Chicca", "The Life Of A Policeman", "Il Libanese", "Casa Di Moda", "Rock Al Porto", and "La Storia Comincia". CD

One of the first great Italian cop movies of the 70s – and a superbly-scored film with a really wonderful soundtrack! The DeAngelis brothers are clearly drawing heavily from an American tradition initiated by Lalo Schfrin – using heavy guitar, funky undercurrents, and even some soulfully righteous touches to really set this one apart from other Italian films of the time. Yet the approach here is also a bit more different, touches with some of the darker modes and more redemptive themes of Italian westerns – a sense of suspension and drama that's incredibly powerful, and heard to best effect on the solo instrumental passages – which include guitar by Maurizio and flute by Guido. Titles include "Festa A Genova", "Gangster Story", "Chicca", "The Life Of A Policeman", "Il Libanese", "Casa Di Moda", "Rock Al Porto", and "La Storia Comincia". LP, Vinyl record album

There's a real Escape From New York look to the cover here – and the music by Guido & Maurizio DeAngelis has a very strong John Carpenter vibe – lots of spare, stark numbers that shift between electro funk and moodier numbers – really setting up the action with a dose of horror, and maybe having a depth that can last longer than the film itself! Instrumentation is very 80s, in the best way possible – lots of keyboards and electro drum patterns – at a level that certainly make the DeAngelis brothers a key precursor to the sort of sounds that are very much favored by the Stranger Things generation. 17 tracks in all – and very strong all the way through. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Spacey piano work from Jordan De La Sierra – material that's clearly informed by the 60s experiments of La Monte Young and Terry Riley, but which also has a more open, spiritual quality too! The piano has a nice sense of tuning – one that's almost watery at points – and Jordan's in no rush to let the notes unfold, as he often waits for one to resonate out before starting the next – which creates this very spacious, meditative quality throughout – a mode that's also inspired by Indian music, but much more laidbck and North California! The package reproduces the original 2LP set – complete with artwork and original notes. CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! Expanded edition contains a second bonus CD packed with alternate versions and rare 12" single remixes! CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

"All Good" features Chaka Khan. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A rock-solid effort from De La Soul at the start of the 21st Century – a record that really has the group coming back into their own! On previous records, it had been a little difficult to tell if De La Soul has been trying harder to please their critics, or simply finally being true to themselves by expelling all traces of the perceived hippy-isms of their earlier work – and the answer is probably somewhere in between, but leaning towards their autonomy. They've been a new group all together since Stakes Is High, and Bionix is certainly their best work since – with the Wu Tang-like piano driven beat of the title track, the catchy soul of "Baby Phat" and "Simply", both of which should be nice club hits, and more than a few subtle nods to the Prince Paul years, especially on the "Simply Havin" interlude. "What We Do (For Love)" makes great use of a Slick Rick guest spot – complete with the horny fanfare. Cee-Lo shows up on "Held Down", and B-Real appears on "Peer Pressure" – both of which suggest that De La spent a little time in Stankonia last year. Other tracks include "Watch Out", "Special", "The Sauce", "Pawn Star", "It's American", and "Trying People". CD

A rock-solid effort from De La Soul at the start of the 21st Century – a record that really has the group coming back into their own! On previous records, it had been a little difficult to tell if De La Soul has been trying harder to please their critics, or simply finally being true to themselves by expelling all traces of the perceived hippy-isms of their earlier work – and the answer is probably somewhere in between, but leaning towards their autonomy. They've been a new group all together since Stakes Is High, and Bionix is certainly their best work since – with the Wu Tang-like piano driven beat of the title track, the catchy soul of "Baby Phat" and "Simply", both of which should be nice club hits, and more than a few subtle nods to the Prince Paul years, especially on the "Simply Havin" interlude. "What We Do (For Love)" makes great use of a Slick Rick guest spot – complete with the horny fanfare. Cee-Lo shows up on "Held Down", and B-Real appears on "Peer Pressure" – both of which suggest that De La spent a little time in Stankonia last year. Other tracks include "Watch Out", "Special", "The Sauce", "Pawn Star", "It's American", and "Trying People". CD

A rock-solid effort from De La Soul at the start of the 21st Century – a record that really has the group coming back into their own! On previous records, it had been a little difficult to tell if De La Soul has been trying harder to please their critics, or simply finally being true to themselves by expelling all traces of the perceived hippy-isms of their earlier work – and the answer is probably somewhere in between, but leaning towards their autonomy. They've been a new group all together since Stakes Is High, and Bionix is certainly their best work since – with the Wu Tang-like piano driven beat of the title track, the catchy soul of "Baby Phat" and "Simply", both of which should be nice club hits, and more than a few subtle nods to the Prince Paul years, especially on the "Simply Havin" interlude. "What We Do (For Love)" makes great use of a Slick Rick guest spot – complete with the horny fanfare. Cee-Lo shows up on "Held Down", and B-Real appears on "Peer Pressure" – both of which suggest that De La spent a little time in Stankonia last year. Other tracks include "Watch Out", "Special", "The Sauce", "Pawn Star", "It's American", and "Trying People". LP, Vinyl record album

All hits and almost no misses – starting with "Oooh", easily the best single of the '00, featuring some nice quotes from classic hip hop tracks ranging from the Funky 4 + 1 to Mos Def, and some of Redman's best verses in a while. De La Soul basically started the whole skits-between-songs concept, or at least they perfected it, and (unlike too many other artists) here they get it right again – even the three hilarious "Ghostweed" skits featuring cameo appearances from Pharoahe Monch, Q-Tip, and Black Thought hold up to repeated listenings. Also includes "My Writes", "Thru Ya City", "All Good?", 'Words FromThe Chief Rocker" and the "Art Of Getting Jumped" – 17 tracks in all. CD

All hits and almost no misses – starting with "Oooh", easily the best single of the '00, featuring some nice quotes from classic hip hop tracks ranging from the Funky 4 + 1 to Mos Def, and some of Redman's best verses in a while. De La Soul basically started the whole skits-between-songs concept, or at least they perfected it, and (unlike too many other artists) here they get it right again – even the three hilarious "Ghostweed" skits featuring cameo appearances from Pharoahe Monch, Q-Tip, and Black Thought hold up to repeated listenings. Also includes "My Writes", "Thru Ya City", "All Good?", 'Words FromThe Chief Rocker" and the "Art Of Getting Jumped" – 17 tracks in all. CD

All hits and almost no misses – starting with "Oooh", easily the best single of the '00, featuring some nice quotes from classic hip hop tracks ranging from the Funky 4 + 1 to Mos Def, and some of Redman's best verses in a while. De La Soul basically started the whole skits-between-songs concept, or at least they perfected it, and (unlike too many other artists) here they get it right again – even the three hilarious "Ghostweed" skits featuring cameo appearances from Pharoahe Monch, Q-Tip, and Black Thought hold up to repeated listenings. Also includes "My Writes", "Thru Ya City", "All Good?", 'Words FromThe Chief Rocker" and the "Art Of Getting Jumped" – 17 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "U Can Do (Life)", "My Writes", "Oooh", "Thru Ya City", "IC Y'all", "View", "Set The Mood", "All Good?", "Declaration", "Squat!", "Words From The Chief Rocker", "With Me", "Copa (Cabanga)", "Foolin", "The Art Of Getting Jumped", and "U Don't Wanna BDS"! LP, Vinyl record album

An insanely wonderful record from De La Soul – a set that's sometimes eclipsed by its legendary precursors, but which would easily stand as the best record in the catalog by any other group! Prince Paul's production is impeccable – leaner than before, likely due to new restrictions on samples – but with a focus that really hones in on the incredible word play that De La have developed even more strongly than before! That strong sense of whole album presentation the group really helped forge in hip hop is definitely in place here – on titles that include the classics "Ego Trippin' (Part 2)" and "Breakadawn", "Eye Patch", "En Focus", "Patti Dooke", "I Be Blowin'", "3 Days Later", "Area", "I Am I Be", "In The Woods", and "Stone Age". CD

An insanely wonderful record from De La Soul – a set that's sometimes eclipsed by its legendary precursors, but which would easily stand as the best record in the catalog by any other group! Prince Paul's production is impeccable – leaner than before, likely due to new restrictions on samples – but with a focus that really hones in on the incredible word play that De La have developed even more strongly than before! That strong sense of whole album presentation the group really helped forge in hip hop is definitely in place here – on titles that include the classics "Ego Trippin' (Part 2)" and "Breakadawn", "Eye Patch", "En Focus", "Patti Dooke", "I Be Blowin'", "3 Days Later", "Area", "I Am I Be", "In The Woods", and "Stone Age". LP, Vinyl record album

If De La Soul took the world by storm with their groundbreaking debut, they definitely pushed hip hop even farther ahead with this killer second album – a record that refines all the best impulses of the first set, and has the trio coming across with an even greater command of the space of a full length set! After a decade or more where most hip hop albums were just a string of singles and other cuts, De La (along with Public Enemy and a select few others) really helped the medium move into the realm of the album – weaving together cuts that are killer enough to be singles with all sorts of skits and album tracks, all with a vibe that has the whole thing flowing together wonderfully! The humor and wit of the group in their youth is still very much on point, as is the production work of Prince Paul – and the album bubbles over with longform imagination and careful execution that many groups could still hope to match! The samples are superb, nice and funky – and titles include "Oodles Of O's", "Talkin Bout Hey Love", "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays", "Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa", "Ring Ring Ring", "Keepin The Faith", "Bitties In The BK Lounge", "Pass The Plugs", "Pease Porridge", and "Fanatic Of The B Word". CD

If De La Soul took the world by storm with their groundbreaking debut, they definitely pushed hip hop even farther ahead with this killer second album – a record that refines all the best impulses of the first set, and has the trio coming across with an even greater command of the space of a full length set! After a decade or more where most hip hop albums were just a string of singles and other cuts, De La (along with Public Enemy and a select few others) really helped the medium move into the realm of the album – weaving together cuts that are killer enough to be singles with all sorts of skits and album tracks, all with a vibe that has the whole thing flowing together wonderfully! The humor and wit of the group in their youth is still very much on point, as is the production work of Prince Paul – and the album bubbles over with longform imagination and careful execution that many groups could still hope to match! The samples are superb, nice and funky – and titles include "Oodles Of O's", "Talkin Bout Hey Love", "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays", "Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa", "Ring Ring Ring", "Keepin The Faith", "Bitties In The BK Lounge", "Pass The Plugs", "Pease Porridge", and "Fanatic Of The B Word". LP, Vinyl record album

With a remix of "Ego Trippin (Part 2)" from the Buhloone Mindstate album plus two 12-inch only bonus tracks – "Ego Trippin (Part 3)" and "Lovely How I Let My Mind Float" featuring Biz Markie, both produced by Prince Paul. And if the music wasn't nice enough, the cover is done up in the style of one of those early 80's hip hop flyers. 12-inch, Vinyl record

The first post-Tommy Boy De La Soul album – and it's a winner! We've been on board with De La throughout their long career – anyone with open ears must know that even their spottiest records (and this is NOT one of those) feature at least a handful of treasure tracks. Grind Date is easily the best later De La Soul album, and brevity is as key to the album as the group's proven longevity. 12 tracks, 49 minutes, no skits. Two songs in you'll find the stellar "Verbal Clap", one of J Dilla's finest productions ever, with precise on beat rhymes by De La. Other highlights include "He Comes" with Ghostface, a soulful track that would sound just as great on Ghost's Supreme Clientele. Is Grind Date the new sound for the mid 00s? Will it blaze trails and be co-opted by the next hot producers? Are the lyrics as solid as they could be? Probably not in each scenario, but that's not the point – these guys are consummate musicians, molding their rhyme schemes to the tracks with focus and precision. Most critics will say this is De La's best album since Stakes Is High. We'll say it's better! Featuring production by Dave West, J Dilla, Madlib and 9th Wonder – plus guest appearances by Yummy, Ghostface, Carl Thomas, MF Doom, Common and others. Other tracks include "The Future", "Much More" feat Yummy, "The Grind Date", "Shopping Bags", "Days Of Our Lives" with Common, "Come On Down", "Rock Co. Kane Flow" featuring MF Doom and more. CD

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