Seminal work from one of the greatest guitarists of all time! (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Chuck Berry is definitely on top with this classic Chess Records set – an album that shows that Berry always had a lot more to offer than some of his oldies rocker contemporaries! Sure, there's a few hits here, but the overall quality of the music is more in the mode of Chess blues of the time – lots of raw backings that are as heavy on piano lines and romping rhythms as they are Chuck's own searing lead guitar – a sound that definitely sets the tone for generations to come, and which is always heard best here in its early hoke-free setting. The whole album's wonderful, and even familiar hits sound newly brilliant in this context – a smoking lineup that includes "Jo Jo Gunne", "Around & Around", "Hey Pedro", "Anthony Boy", "Sweet Little Rock & Roller", "Almost Grown", "Roll Over Beethoven", and "Maybellene". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A classic collection of Chuck Berry's early genius – a set that introduced his best cuts to a new younger audience in the 70s! All the work here is from the early Chess Records days – and titles include "Deep Feeling", "Wee Wee Hours", "Nadine", "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Thirty Days", "Havana Moon", "Too Much Monkey Business", "School Days", "Reelin & Rockin", "Oh Baby Doll", "Too Pooped To Pop", "Round & Round", "Rock & Roll Music", and "Back In The USA". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 60s album by Berry, and unlike a lot of other Chess full lengths at the time, this set features more new tunes than those pulled from 45s. 12 tracks in all, including "It Wasn't Me", "Run, Joe", "Every Day We Rock & Roll", "One For My Baby (And One For The Road)", "Welcome Back, Pretty Baby", "It's My Own Business", "Right Off Rampart Street", "Vaya Con Dios", "Merrily We Rock & Roll", "My Mustang Ford", "Ain't That Just Like A Woman" and "Wee Hour Blues". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

(Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Chuck Berry's way more than just rocking for sock hops here – as the set has the seminal figure working at the height of his powers – in a raw, stripped-down setting that still packs way more punch than you might remember if you only think of Chuck in terms of all those over-used cliches! The approach is almost more blues than rock – as the core combos have key work from Chess staple Willie Dixon on bass, plus piano from Johnnie Johnson and some occasional tenor from Leroy C Davis. But the real highlight is Berry and his mean guitar – and his sinister style of singing – almost a midwest counterpart to the nasty gritty grooves that the young Johnny Guitar Watson was laying down on the west coast at the time! Titles include "Worried Life Blues", "Too Pooped To Pop", "I Got To Find My Baby", "Broken Arrow", "Let It Rock", "Down The Road Apiece", and the cool instrumental "Mad Lad". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Raucous, rumbling and hard-charging Chess rhythms, rock and roll by Chuck Berry – his legendary After School Session – and possibly his greatest album ever! It features not only some of Chuck Berry's most famous material, but some of the best early rock songs, period –particularly the revolutionary "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" – plus"Berry Pickin", "Deep Feeling"," School Day", "Too Much Monkey Business", "Roly Poly", and "No Money Down". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

(Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

(Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

One dozen "berrys", all of them great – the fresh fruits of the labors of a young Chuck Berry – heard here at his raw, early best! The sound here is stunning – a version of Chuck that gets way past any oldies cliches – and which reminds us that at the start, his music was coming from the same Chess Records fount as Bo Diddley's riffing guitar and Muddy Waters' Chicago blues! The tunes all work together perfectly – and the familiar numbers fit in perfectly with overlooked gems that really make the album great – especially when Chuck's guitar is really given a chance to step out and solo. Titles include "La Juanda", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "It Don't Take But A Few Minutes", "Rock & Roll Music", and "Low Feeling". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

(Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool bit of blue-eyed soul from Chuck Senrick – recorded in the hinterlands of Michigan in the late 70s, but with a timeless vibe that's made the set ripe for rediscovery all these many years later! Chuck uses acoustic guitar, electric piano, and some spare drum machine lines – which puts part of the sonic quality of the record in the territory of Timmy Thomas or Shuggie Otis, save for the fact that Senrick's got these jazzy inflections in his vocals, but with particular phrasing – almost Kenny Rankin meets Cat Stevens, although such a tag might be too specific to highlight Chuck's particular charms! Whatever the case, the album's a gem – way better than its obscure status might make you think – with titles that include "Celebration Lover", "Kids", "The Duke Is Gone", "Drop A Dime", "Wedding Trilogy", "Downtown", "Gray Days", and "Dreamin". LP, Vinyl record album

The third Ramones album, one that a sizeable chuck of the most zealous fans believes to be their very best – and they might be right! As rightfully heralded as the self-titled debut is for being the trailblazing blast and unimpeachable punk rock epiphany that it is, The Ramones really their found and perfected their signature studio sound on the follow up Leave Home and perhaps perfect it here Rocket To Russia. Song by song, they somehow concentrate 30 years of the best, rawest, most exciting rock & roll of their forbears into two and a half minutes of beautiful primal energy that still manages to qualify as ear candy. As amazing as ever! Tracks include "Rockaway Beach", "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker", "Why Is It Always This Way", "Surfin Bird", "Do You Wanna Dance", and "Cretin Hop". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Harlem Shuffle" and "One Hit (To The Body)". Guests includes Jimmy Page, Bobby Womack, Ivan Neville, and Chuck Leavell. LP, Vinyl record album

Much more soul than rock – a special collection done by the Ace Mississippi label for the New Orleans World's Fair in 1984 – featuring work from Huey Smith, Little Booker, Eddie Bo, Chuck Carbo, Piano Red, Frankie Ford, Earl King, Joe Tex, The Clowns, and Dr John! (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe not the most politically correct of the entries in the Greasy Mike series of weird and wild 45s – as the collection brings together material that offers a postwar take on the East – in a weird mish-mash of rocking styles blended with imagined ideas of Pacific-rimmed culture! The territory is surprisingly playful, if you can put aside any sort of winge factor – and the "exotic" approach makes for lots of unusual guitar lines, offbeat arrangements, and even some cool reed solos too! The set features 16 titles in all – and tunes include "Husband Wife Lung Slices" by The Fugu Five, "Saki Rock" by The Windsors, "Hong Kong" by Jackie Lee, "Hot Sake" by Copper Penny, "Far East Rock" by The Manhattans, "Along The Ginza" by Yo Yo Hashi, "Tokyo Stomp" by Chuck Fayne, "Saki" by Earl Craig, and "Chop Suey" by The Dawnbreakers. LP, Vinyl record album

A great Fantasy Records soundtrack – put together to accompany the Ralph Bakshi feature-length cartoon Heavy Traffic! The feel is similar to the Fritz The Cat soundtrack – in that the movie features some original music penned for the film, plus a fair bit of other tracks by better-known artists – all slipped into the movie as a sort of pop culture pastiche! As you might guess, we're partial to the original tracks – penned mostly by Ed Bogas, and featuring some organ and keyboards by Merl Saunders. These tunes include "Angie's Theme", "Carol's Theme", "What You Sow", "Heavy Traffic", "Cartoon Time", and "Scarborough Street Fair". Other titles include "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck, "Maybelline" by Chuck Berry, "Twist & Shout" by The Isley Brothers, and "Scarborough Fair" by Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66. (Soundtracks, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Raw rockabilly from Arkansas – with work by Bobby Brown & The Curious, plus Johnny Moore, K Owens, Chuck Comer, Earl Smith, and Bill Duniven! LP, Vinyl record album

20 tracks over 2 records – Gene Vincent, Sam Cooke, Peggy Lee, Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Johnny Otis, Cilla Black, Nelson Riddle, Beau Brummels, Gene Chandler, Billy Bland, Bobby Freeman, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

A whole host of classic rock and roll Christmas tunes – plus a few great doo wop numbers as well – all brought together in a single package with a great sort of late 50s vibe! Titles include "I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus" and "Rockin Around The Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee, "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Pat Boone, "Merry Christmas Baby" and "Run Rudolph Run" by Chuck Berry, "Hey Santa Claus" by The Moonglows, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" by Jimmy Charles, "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" by The Cadillacs, "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms, "Frosty The Snowman" by Jan & Dean, "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" by Patti Page, and "White Christmas" by The Drifters. (Holiday Music, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Wynona Carr, Little Richard, Teen Queens, Daddy Cleanhead & The Chuck Higgins Band, Diz & The Doormen, Buddy Milton & The Twilighters, Ann Cole, The Cliques, The Skyliners, Jesse Belvin, Donna Hightower, Jimmy Clanton, and The Chanters. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing little record – easily one of the coolest albums ever on the legendary Ovation label – and a set that has the small imprint almost hitting the heights of their Chicago neighbor Cadet Records! The core sounds here are from the folksy duo of Chuck Hollins and Dave Starr – but their music is really expanded with some key studio touches – jazzy inflections from session players, some slight fuller arrangements – and an overall vibe that carries the same sense of hope and new voice that you'd find in records by Terry Callier or Rotary Connection! The dawn of the 70s was a great time to push the boundaries of what could be done with folk and psychedelic trappings, and these guys really find a great little space – balancing trippy lyricism, lots of ethereal atmosphere, and a few heavily percussive jams! Titles include "Talking To Myself", "Krishna Dov", "Cry Baby Cry", "Twin City Prayer", "John Hurt", "Hard Headed Women", "Lovable", "Digress", "Staying High", "Sidewalk's Talkin'", and "Feelin' Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Sure, Rickie Lee Jones went onto become a bit of a cliche in later years, but this early album's still got an undeniable power – and was a great breath of fresh air, at a time when it seemed like most of modern music was forgetting its roots! What is it with the LA scene from the 60s onward that they always seemed to find their best inspiration in the past? Artists like Harpers Bizarre, Randy Newman, Tom Waits and others set the stage for a record like this – by reaching back into older styles and bringing them forward with a more contemporary spin. (And why was it that LA seemed to be the center of this mode – and New York, Chicago, and other cities never worked that way?) Rickie serves up a nice assortment of older-styled vocal cuts – performed with a mixture of traditional and 70s jazz backings, supported by some extra-classy Warner production from Lenny Waronker. Titles are all originals, but done with an older hipser sort of feel – and titles include "Easy Money", "Chuck E's In Love", "Young Blood", "The Last Chance Texaco", "Danny's All Star Joint", "Weasel & The White Boys Cool", "Company", "Coolsville", and "On Saturday Afternoons In 1963". LP, Vinyl record album

The fun fun soundtrack to Rock 'N' Roll High School – that gloriously, knowingly trashy Roger Corman produced movie vehicle for the Ramones! Of course The Ramones are all over the soundtrack, but it's got a bunch of 70s new wave and hard rock from Devo, Eno, Nick Lowe, Todd Rundgren and more – even a version of the title track by PJ Soles in character as Riff Randell. Includes "Rock N Roll High School", "I Want You Around", a medley of "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Pinhead", "California Sun" and more by The Ramones, "Come Back Jonee" by Devo, "Energy Fools The Magician" by Eno, "So It Goes" by Nick Lowe, "School Days" by Chuck Berry, "School's Out" by Alice Cooper and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by The Uptowns, Johnny & The Jammers, Albert Scott, Electric Bluebirds, Ronnie Barron, Oscar McLollie & His Honey Jumpers, Jack McVea, The Everly Brothers, Little Richard, Chuck Higgins, Dion & The Belmonts, Chan Romero, Donna Dameron, Johnny Flamingo, Clifton Chenier, and Lloyd Price. LP, Vinyl record album