... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A delightful little jukebox EP from one of Sinatra's greatest records ever – pure genius all the way through! Frank's backed here by the orchestra of Count Basie, with some incredible arrangements by Quincy Jones that really have a jazzy, syncopated kick to them. The move seems to be an unintentional way of covering for Frank's slightly failing pipes – but it also picks up on a seminal beat change in 60s pop, the same sort of gentle snapping groove that you'd find in the best work by Bacharach, a shift that really infuses Frank's vocals with a whole new sound, one that shows that he's ready to keep on growing and growing after being stuck in a Nelson Riddle rut. All tracks are superb – hip 60s pop and showtunes, like "Fly Me To the Moon", "More", "The Good Life", and "I Wanna Be Around". 7-inch, Vinyl record

A rare bit of gospel from Chicago – issued by a small label on Michigan Ave! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

(Rock, Funky 45's) 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

2 classics from The Sensations – both topped off by the belting vocals of singer Yvonne Baker! "Let Me In" is the group's standout classic – a snapping, snare-heavy tune that kicks along at a catchy little clip – and "Oh Yes I'll Be True" is deeper, mellower soul – but still with a nice snare too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two classic hard funky slammers from Andre Williams! "Do the Popcorn" is an unbelievable non-stop cut, with jangling guitars in chorus all the way through – and Andre speaking in a raspy sexy voice, while a funky female chorus chimes in from time to time. Oh, and did we mention the drums? At some points, they break out in a rat-tat-tat blast that sounds like a machine gun in an elevator shaft! "Gonna Be Fine" is pretty nice, too – and has a tight Chicago groove! 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the first big Philly moments for Archie Bell & The Drells! "Showdown" is an undisputed classic – with an incredible hook, and a strident soul groove that replaces the band's earlier Texas funk style. Gamble & Huff wrote and produced, and the cut's got some tight arrangements by Bobby Martin. The flip's tasty too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

(Rock, Funky 45's) 7-inch, Vinyl record

A classic if there ever was one – a seminal 70s soul track, covered by many, and featuring the classic "diamond in the back" line! Sad thing is, everyone always thinks it's Curtis Mayfield – but it's William, and even better than Curtis! Part 2 is a nice instrumental extension of the song, with groovy guitar. 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great one from Michael – one of our favorite early tracks by him! The tune's a great bubbling number from Leon Ware – one that shows Michael singing in a slightly more mature style that really comes off well! "We've Got A Good Thing" is more of a sweet pop tune – but still pretty nice too. 7-inch, Vinyl record

On this single, it's the mellow cut that's the great one! "Heaven Must Be Like This" is one of the best spacey soul tracks ever recorded – a sweet and mellow groover that's shortened here for the 7" release, but which still moves along with a depth you wouldn't expect. The track's a great one to trip on back to – and drift away to the clouds on a breezy summer day! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great little soul number from James! "Don't Be A Drop Out" begins with these riffing horns, going high then dropping low, almost in a "Monkey Time" mode. James comes in with a great little vocal, a bit moralistic, perhaps, but also an admission of his own loss of a good chance earlier in life! "Tell Me" is a frenetic screamer – one that begins with a strange spoken introduction, crowd noise, then a rising volume on the band's instrumentation before they rip loose with James like they're the Dead Kennedys or something! The cut's totally insane – sounds as if it was dropped from space to drive the youth of America crazy – and really wild, even for James! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the last great JBs singles! The track starts with a great spoken intro, then leaps into a hard heavy cookin' instrumental groove, with a nice snapping choppy beat! Backed here by the JBs' great cover of Sly Stone's big hit, too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two sides from Irma's obscure Fungus recordings – both produced by Jerry Williams, and with a raw southern approach that lets Irma's stormin vocals come to the forefront. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A killer Northern Soul single from the Volcanos – a group who definitely earn their explosive name with "Gotta Be A False Alarm"! The tune runs off tight right from the start – with this mighty Detroit-styled groove, and rock-solid vocals that have the lead singer trading lines beautifully with the harmonies from the group! "Movin & Groovin" does exactly what the title promises – and kicks into gear with this wonderful horn part over triple-time drums – all instrumental, and delivered at a level that hardly makes you miss the vocals! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The mellow slightly reggae-tinged title cut to one of War's biggest LPs, a huge AM radio hit back in the day. 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Amazing stuff from Stax Records – a BEAUTIFUL package that features 10 singles in original label sleeves, in a custom made, magnetic flip-top box – which also contains an 84 page book, and a free download for all the songs included! The music here is some of the best work from the second half of Stax – the kinds of singles that are prizes in our funky 45 collection – although there's a here we've never found at all! Titles include "The Dryer (parts 1 & 2)" by Roy Lee Johnson & The Villagers, "The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy" by John Gary Williams, "Running Out" by Mable John, "Cool Strut (parts 1 & 2)" by Bernie Hayes, "Them Hot Pants (parts 1 & 2)" by Lee Sain, "Hijackin Love" by Johnny Taylor, "Sweetback's Theme" by Melvin Van Peebles, "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Itch & Scratch (parts 1 & 2)" by Rufus Thomas, and "Gone The Promises Of Yesterday" by The Mad Lads. Special treat – 15 random boxes include autographed photos! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Although the Dapps were best known for their funky "Bring Up the Guitar", they're represented here on two slower soul cuts that feature their bluesy harmonies. Jame Brown still produced the whole thing, though, and it's from the period of his best work on King. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two Atlanta soul tracks from the 70s – back to back on a funky 45! "Higher Than High" has a great quick-stepping groove – almost a blacksploitation sort of vibe, which is matched by some nice Curtis Mayfield-type changes as the lyrics progress – but served up by Joe Graham in a style that's definitely his own! The flipside has John Edwards working some great magic on a sweet tune by Sam Dees – really opening up that emotion that Sam can bring to a song like "It's Got To Be The Real Thing"! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record