A fantastic little set that looks at the huge wave of top-shelf AOR material recorded in recent years – part of a huge global re-awakening to the charms of the genre – often with results that are even groovier than the classic records of the 70s! One of the compelling things here is that the music isn't being made by big names on major labels – and instead is an almost-underground thing – but handled at a level that's completely faithful to the best Cali styles of the 70s – from sweet jazzy instrumentation right down to the perfect production styles to get the whole thing right. You'll recognize a few names here – and will hopefully discover a lot more too – as titles include "Tell Me" by William Sikstrom, "Quiet Storm" by Workshy, "Liberation Groove" by Incognito, "You Make My Life A Better Place" by Mamas Gun, "What You Deserve" by Chris Cauley, "See Me Slumber" by Young Gun Silver Fox, "Melt The Night" by Lucas Arruda, "All Smiles" by Jeremy Passion, "Walkin On Air" by Tomi Malm, "Good To Live" by Monkey House, "Thoughts" by Michael Carreon, "Dangerous" by Umii, "Hello Monday" by Briamarie, "The Greatest" by King, "Perish The Thought" by Ned Doheny, "Sweet Life" by Mike Champion, and "Don't Disturb This Groove" by Meshell Ndegeocello. CD

John Savage offers us a mighty nice look at the years of post-disco, and post-post-punk – served up here in a great mix of music from a time when soulful styles were mixing it up with returning rock on the dancefloor! The work here is from a time when the UK scene was having big global impact with a new sort of sound – often with a fair dose of electric energy, sometimes darker and more industrialized, sometimes lighter and catchy – and a perfect fit for some of the street soul styles happing in the US as well! Most acts here are British, but there's a few key American groups two – blended together in the kind of cuts that made clubs like Danceteria or The Hacienda such a delight back in the day. As usual, the notes are superb – a special Savage touch – and titles include "Techno City (voc)" by Cybotron, "Telephone Operator" by Pete Shelly, "Soweto" by Malcolm McLaren, "All Tomorrow's Parties" by Japan, "Bright Lights" by The Special AKA, "What Presence" by Orange Juice, "No Sell Out" by Malcom X mixed by Keith LeBlanc, "I Want You" by Cabaret Voltaire, "Think Fast" by Pamela Joy, "Looking From A Hilltop" by Section 25, "Why" by Bronski Beat, "Sunspots" by Julian Cope, "Never Understand" by Jesus & Mary Chain, "Heat" by Soft Cell, "The Rock Steady Grew" by Rock Steady Crew, "Disappearing Act" by Shalamar, "Lined Up" by Shriekback, and "Life's A Scream" by A Certain Ratio. (Rock, Funky Compilations) CD

The night time's always the right time – at least when we've got music this great to see us into the small hours of the evening! The set's overflowing in warm 80s groove – some upbeat, some a bit more midtempo – all balanced on beats, basslines, and keyboards – but with a sense of soul on the vocals that really makes the whole thing come together! Some of these tracks were big back in the day, others are album tracks that fit perfectly in this blend of songs – a set of 13 titles that includes "Don't Give Up On Your Dream" by Lew Kirton, "You Are My Life" by Webster Lewis, "Sweet Lady" by Manhattan Rhythm, "I Get Romantic" by Booker Newbury III, "Can You Picture This" by The Keepers, "Just Can't Fight The Feeling" by YBS, "What's On Your Mind" by Janet Rene, "April Lady" by Wax, "Try A Piece Of My Love" by Clarence Carter, "Lost In Your Love" by Ritchie Family, "If You Were Mine" by Cheryl Lynn, and "Private Love Affair" by E'Lan. CD

A very different picture of the British scene than you might know from the worlds of classic rock and chart hits of the early 70s – as this collection focuses on a really special sort of sound that hints at the bleaker, less satisfying sides of English life – often with a slightly sinister quality that might come as a big surprise! The package is a follow-up to previous gems from compilers Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – like the compilations English Weather and State Of The Union – and like those, there's a wonderfully unified vision to the whole package – almost a mini-sociology statement, but one that's completely fun – given the fantastic range of music chosen for the album. Tracks are a non-stop surprise all the way through – as glammy bits mix with offbeat pop, catchy prog, and plenty of other tunes that maybe defy any sort of generic description altogether! Titles include "Rod" by Matchbox, "Kill" by Mike McGear, "Part Of The Union" by The Brothers, "The Hertfordshire Rock" by Ricky Wilde, "Sailing" by Sutherland Brothers Band, "And The Fun Goes On" by Lieutenant Pigeon, "War Against War" by Pheon Bear, "Roly Pin" by Roly, "Stardust" by David Essex, "What Ruthy Said" by Cockney Rebel, "Why Am I Waiting" by Robin Goodfellow, "Urban Guerilla" by Hawkwind, "Londonderry" by Phil Cordell, and "Cut Loose" by Stud Leather. (Rock, Funky Compilations) CD

A really special set of soul tracks – and one that's got a vibe that's maybe even different from the previous two Manhattan Soul collections! This package is filled with the kind of overlooked gems that sometimes get lost because people are a bit too focused in their record-collecting tastes – mellow cuts that are still a bit funky, deep soul from up-north sources, and even some group numbers that are neither upbeat and Northern, nor slow enough to be mellow harmonies. Instead, these cuts together really defy the rules – showing that in the deeper corners of the New York underground, there were always great new ideas going on – not work that was trying to challenge the stars at Atlantic, or the Brill Building best – but instead very happy to just do their own thing, in some very groovy ways. The work comes from the Wand, Scepter, and Musicor family of labels – better-known for big hits, but also very dedicated to cool indie singles that only seem to be getting their due in more recent years. CD features 24 tracks in all – and titles include "Giving Up" by Junior Lewis, "Now That You're Gone" by Sonny Turner & Sound Limited, "Open Up Your Heart" by Dan & The Cleancuts, "Every Little Bit Helps" by Helen Henry, "Two Stupid Feet" by The Shirelles, "The Same Old Song" by The Dinos, "Nobody Made You Love Me" by The Charts, "Fun City Woman" by Ann Bailey, "The Landlord" by The Tabs, "Does Love Believe In Me" by Melba Moore, "Mr Schemer" by Brenton Wood, "You Picked Me" by The Soldier Boys, and "Never In My Life" by Lee Moses. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

A great look at one of our favorite sub-genres of 60s soul – tunes that deal with the ins and outs of big city life, most of which were recorded as uptown soul tunes with really great production! It's hard to describe the charm of this work accurately, but the tunes are almost mini-movies, or sound snapshots of urban life at the time – often penned by Brill Building songwriters with a slight fantasy of life in the farther-flung boroughs of the city. Some of the tunes here are well-known, but lots more are obscure – really compelling tracks by singers who bring great life to the songs, and manage to make these little musical moments live on wonderfully over the years! Titles include "Nights In New York City" by Jan Bradley, "Street Talk" by The Tymes, "No Butterflies" by Walter Jackson, "I Love New York" by Marva Josie, "In My Apartment" by Dee Clark, "Big New York" by Chuck Jackson, "On Broadway" by The Cookies, "Concrete Jungle" by Arthur Alexander, "I Don't Want To Hear It Any More" by Jerry Butler, "Second Window Second Floor" by Clyde McPhater, "I Found A Daisy In The City" by Barry Darvell, "Song Of The Street" by Donald Height, "Strange Neighborhood" by The Imaginations, "Up In The Streets Of Harlem" by The Drifters, "City Of Fools" by Colette Kelly, and "That Old Neighborhood" by Eric Williams. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

A great look at a really magical moment in Jamaican music – one in which the influence of the big UK audience was felt in styles back home – and also in which some shifting modes in American soul also helped create some new modes of expression! Lovers Rock is a mellower, gentler version of reggae than some of the roots rock or headier dub recordings of the 70s – going back to the soul that first inspired Jamaicans to make their own grooves back in the 60s – but with an updated style that has more mature, sophisticated modes coming into play – great vocals that go wonderfully with the slow-stepping and midtempo grooves of the tracks! Make no mistake, this is still reggae, but just with less politics and more interpersonal themes – well-collected here on titles that include "Caught You In A Lie" by Louisa Mark, "Can't Go Through With Life" by Marie Pierre, "I'm Still In Love With You" by Marcia Aitken, "Silly Games" by Janet Kay, "Dim The Light" by Winston Ready, "Someone Loves You Honey" by JC Lodge, "Money In My Pocket" by Dennis Brown, "Night Nurse" by Gregory Isaacs, "I'm So Sorry" by Carroll Thompson, "Ghetto Queen" by John Holt, "Key To The World" by Ruddy Thomas, "Love Has Found Its Way" by Dennis Brown, "Getting Crazy" by The In Crowd, and "When Push Comes To Shove" by Freddie McGregor. 3CD set features 60 tracks in all – a huge selection! (Reggae, Funky Compilations) CD

A fantastic look at the Spring Records label in New York – a company that had a few big crossover hits in the 70s, but also issued a lot more rare and obscure material over the years – with a long legacy that even hit the early years of the old school scene! One of Spring's great contributions was finding a way for fast funk groups to shift into a disco mode when the earliest years of the clubs got going – but there's also a lot more going on here too – including some great deep soul ballads, warm midtempo steppers, and cuts that point the way towards the modern soul generation on the rise. The package also features six never-issued cuts, alongside some well-chosen and overlooked Spring Records gems – all put together with the usual strong notes and excellent sound we love from Ace/Kent! Titles include "If We Get Caught I Don't Know You" by Prince Philip Mitchell, "Falling In Love" by Victor Tavares, "Save The Best For Me" by The Determinations, "Do You Feel Me" by Act I, "I'm The Other Half Of You" by Maxine Weldon, "If You Could Turn Into Me" by The Fatback Band, "Magic's In The Air" by Ronnie Walker, "Hold On" by Ray Godfrey, "If You Say You Love Me" by Us, "The Storm Is Passing Over" by Jackie Verdell, "Beauty" by The Joneses, "Kill The Monster" by Flower Shoppe, "I Ride Alone" by The Internationals, "Get Right" by Richard Barbary, "Daddy's Coming Home" by Prince Harold, and "Of Your Life" by Vernon Brown. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

A really rare side of the legendary De-Lite Records – served up here in a range of obscure 45s before the company exploded into bigger fame with the success of Kool & The Gang! The work here puts De-Lite right on the same level as important indies on the east coast at the turn of the 70s – and shows an especially strong ability to capture the best group styles of the period – from the sublime harmony styles being crafted in New Jersey and Philly, to some of the growing funky styles in the pre-disco years! The set's a much-needed look at this early part of the label – and also features titles on the related Red Coach label too – in a wonderful package of 25 tracks that includes "I'll Never Let You Get Away" by Universal Mind, "So Long Sweet Little Girl" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "I'm At The Breaking Point" by The Trumains, "Girl (part 1)" by Philadelphia Ambassadors, "Gotta Let Some Sunshine Into My Life" by The Exceptionals, "I'll Always Love You" by The New Cymbals, "So Fine" by The Fiestas, "The Story Of Our Love" by The Carstairs, "Love You Can't Shake It" by Reggie Saddler & The Jammers, "Nothing In The World" by The Electras, "Back On The Road Again" by Richmond International, and "Love Foundation" by Electrified Action. CD

Fantastic work from the UK soul scene – music from a time when some of the bigger names overseas were starting to grab interest on US charts, but were only the tip of the iceberg next to some of the overlooked artists on this set! If you dig the sounds of Loose Ends, Soul II Soul, and Mica Paris, you'll find plenty to love here – as the set's overflowing with 80s and 90s-styled soul tracks that make great use of beats and more contemporary production in a great way – almost bringing back a more organic approach in the music, at a time when American R&B could come off sounding a bit too stiff or commercial. And we'll be honest in saying that although we were scouring the racks for imports during this generation, there's plenty of cuts here that are still new to our ears – a superb set list that includes "Straight to The Top" by Purely Fizzycal, "Passion" by Taffy, "Hold Your Head Up" by Weekend In Paris, "Don't Touch "by Cavalier, "Coming Back" by Bovel, "What You Do For Me" by Pure Silk, "Take Me There" by Marcelle Moncrieffe, "Life (club mix)" by Sam, and "Step By Step" by Kofi. CD

A stunning selection of highlife material from the Nigerian scene – a huge double-length collection that really offers up a vivid example of the music that was in place before the big wave of 70s Afro Funk and other new styles! The work here is different than some of the more commercial highlife recordings you might know – especially those from the big 80s years of world music – as the recording quality is often nice and raw, and the focus is mostly on acoustic percussion, electric guitar, and jazzier horn lines next to the vocals – with grooves usually moving at a mighty nice clip in a bold explosion of color! The bulk of the work on the 19 track set is from the 50s through the early 70s – and titles include "Yei Ngebewoh" by ET Menseh & The Tempos, "Akwanoma Hiahii" by Rambler Dance Band, "Muntie (Highlife Charanga)" by Ramblers International, "Eyaa Dudm" by Professional Uhuru Band, "Ogiobo" by Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Titibitis Of Africa, "Osondi Owendi" by Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, and "Koko Ahataw Kur" by George Williams Aingo. (Global Grooves, Funky Compilations) CD

Boogie, electro, and 80s groove – all sorted out nicely in this killer collection of ultra-rare cuts! As with previous volumes, this edition of Nighttime Lovers shows a side of the 80s that hardly got any play at the time – the more underground work by lesser-known artists, much of which was issued on the bigger labels, but failed to crack the charts! You'll recognize a few familiar names here, but even those are represented by under-discovered corners of their work – and in true early 80s spirit, most tracks here are heavy on beats and keyboards – yet still leave plenty of room for real soul vocals. Titles include "So Delicious" by Point 3 FM, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Streetlife, "Never Gonna Give You Up (12" version)" by Gwendolyn Lassic, "Make It Easy" by Cross-Phyre with Demetrius, "You're My Doll Baby" by Norfolk, "Special Part Of Me (12" version)" by Charles Blackman, "The Same For Me" by California Executives with Ronald Dudley, "Magic Touch" by Gang's Back, "Love I Thought I Never Would Find Love" by James Govan, "Seconds Of Your Love" by Johnny Taylor, and "I Got My Game Plan Working Baby" by Arlene Bailey. CD

A mighty deep dive into the music of the Private Stock label of the 70s – a short-lived but important imprint in the disco generation, and one who did a lot to bridge the worlds of soul, rock, and pop in the clubs! PS maybe didn't go as deep as Salsoul or some other contemporaries, but they did turn out some great cuts that managed to balance polish and groove in a really great way – qualities that really come out strongly here on the collection, which does a mighty nice job of getting past bigger hits to focus on more obscure Private Stock tunes from the time! The set's got 21 titles in all – and titles include "I'll See You In My Dreams" by The Pearls, "Gotta Find A Way" by Wild Honey, "Love Connection" by The Mob, "Think It Over" by Cissy Houston, "Good Bread Alley" by Soul Mate, "Disco Satisfaction Medley" by Tommi, "Jig A Boogie" by Tightrope, "Let's Get Crazy Tonight" by Rupert Holmes, "I Can't Help Myself" by Franklin Micare, "This Old Man" by Purple Reign, "More" by Toga, and "Sunshine Of My Love" by Rosetta Stone. CD