Beautiful 60s sunshine pop from Gary Lewis – sunny melodies and grand pop orchestrations by Jack Nitzsche – and a record that's been terribly overlooked for decades! Gary Lewis & The Playboys had fairly successful run before Gary was called to active service, and he cut this solo work during brief leaves from the service. It may not be groundbreaking work, it's got hallmark soaring 60s psych pop arrangements and melodies, but it sure is sweet stuff, and we can't think of any reason it's been so deeply buried for the past few decades! LP, Vinyl record album

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A strangely beautiful rarity from the early 80s, by a singer-songwriter billed only as Lewis – a mystery man who looks like a shirtless soap opera actor – but delivers one of the coolest pieces of period LA esoterica we've heard in a long, long time! The sound is tough to describe, but it's somewhere between haunting acoustic folk and spare synth pop – with the gentlest of piano and acoustic guitar, smoothed out synth waves and fragile solo vocals – with a surprisingly genuine sense of emotion, but that comes as a surprise only after reading the notes and considering the scant biographical tidbits available. Whoever this guy is (or was?), it's a fascinating listen – falling in some strange musical realm where it makes sense to blend spacey synth backdrops with acoustic songcraft and unashamedly romantic lyricism. Includes "I Thought The World Of You", "My Whole Life", "Like To See You Again", "Things Just Happen That Way", "Summer's Moon", "Love Showered Me", "Romance For Two", "Even Rainbows Turn Blue" and more. CD

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A pop masterpiece from UK soul singer Lewis Taylor – easily his tightest album to date! The set's got a magical feel that reminds us strongly of our favorites from 70s radio on both sides of the Atlantic – warmly compressed instrumentation that slides in nicely alongside the vocals, sunnily grooving in a sound that's incredibly well-crafted, yet also extremely personal. The production is light years ahead of that on Lewis' other self-released albums – at a level that rivals the best studio work from LA or London in the early 70s, and which firmly pushes Lewis out of the indie Neo Soul ghetto, into a style that's much more in the vein of classic AOR pop. The whole thing's a real departure from Lewis' other work – which may turn off a few folks, but which has us appreciating his talents more than ever! Titles include "Send Me An Angel", "Listen Here", "Lost", "New Morning", "Yeah", "Please Help Me If You Can", "One More Mystery", and "Say I Love You". (Neo Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

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A weird little record from underground romantic singer Lewis – an artist who's partially in a European tradition that runs from French singers up through the New Romantics generation – but one who's also a definitely individual, with an approach that's all his own! The album's got a slinky, classy sort of feel – one that befits Lewis' white suit on the cover, standing in front of a private jet and Mercedes – but the backings are also oddly dark, almost some ironic commentary on romance, with these moody undercurrents that almost make the whole thing feel like it comes from the Genesis P Orridge side of the universe! Let's put it this way: If you tried to use the record in an act of seduction, you might find yourself driving your partner out of the bedroom in a hurry – but if you're looking for a wonderfully weird, wonderfully oddball record, you've definitely found it. Titles include "We Danced All Night", "Bon Voyage", "As The Boats Go By", "So Be In Love With Me", "It's A New Day", and "Don't Stop It Now". CD

Huey's biggest album of the 80s – with hits that include "I Want A New Drug", "Heart & Soul", "If This Is It", and "The Heart Of Rock & Roll". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A stunning look at the early years of Jerry Lee Lewis – a whopping 8CDs, with 246 songs – original singles, b-sides, and unreleased material – all with a great set of notes! CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

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An incredible 60s performance from Jerry Lee Lewis – proof that the man was always on fire when he worked overseas, even if his star had dimmed a bit back home! Jerry gets sharp, tight backings from The Nashville Teens – but the Lewis is center stage throughout – really wailing on piano, and singing in this unbridled style that maybe even blows away his early singles – especially when combined with the sense of personality he brings out in a live setting. Titles include "Money", "What'd I Say", "I Got A Woman", "Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On", "Long Tall Sally", "Lewis Boogie", and "Matchbox". CD

An incredible 60s performance from Jerry Lee Lewis – proof that the man was always on fire when he worked overseas, even if his star had dimmed a bit back home! Jerry gets sharp, tight backings from The Nashville Teens – but the Lewis is center stage throughout – really wailing on piano, and singing in this unbridled style that maybe even blows away his early singles – especially when combined with the sense of personality he brings out in a live setting. Titles include "Money", "What'd I Say", "I Got A Woman", "Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On", "Long Tall Sally", "Lewis Boogie", and "Matchbox". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A gem of a record from the mid 70s west coast scene – a really overlooked set from vocalist Laura Allen, recorded with a wonderfully breezy, soulful sound! Laura's got a voice that's perfect if you dig singers like Linda Lewis or Maria Muldaur, particularly the former – a bit jazzy at points, but usually focused straight ahead – but with a gentle flow that's completely seductive. Production is nicely laidback – never too studio slick – but the instrumentation's also nice and tight, and Laura plays some cool instruments on the record – a bit of clay drums, zither, and dulcimer – which bring in some folksy touches to her music, especially alongside some of the electricity in the keyboards and guitar. Most songs are originals by Laura – and titles include "Opening Up To You", "Sunny Day", "Stairway", "Promises", "Love Can Be", "Come As You Are", and "Hole In My Bucket". CD also features enough bonus tracks for a full extra album – including "Looking At You", "Sweet Lovemaker", "Looking For The Right One", "Slip & Slide", "Back Door", and "Radio". (Vocalists, Rock) CD

A wonderfully raw keyboard trio session from the Norwegian scene of the early 70s – served up by a group led by Christian Reim, who you may know from more modern jazz-styled material, but who's in a killer funky group here! Reim plays Fender Rhodes and organ next to the guitar of Rickard Rolf – a player who's got plenty of rock chops, and really knows how to bring out a bolder solo next to the grooves of Reim and drummer Tom Karlsen – as they step out on long tracks that also have a similar soulful vibe to some of the Webster Lewis famous recordings at Club 7! Titles include long takes on "Them Changes", "Anything", "Bloodthirst", "Dance Of The Maya", and "Sometime Ago". (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An imagined soundtrack to a journey through London in the generation of Get Carter and Carnaby Street – and one that showcases not just the rich array of sounds and styles that were taking place in the city at the time, and in a way that highlights all sorts of different locations around town! This isn't a package of well-worn British rock classics – and as with other Bob Stanley sets on Ace Records, the music comes from a deep dig and decades-long understanding of records in many modes – which makes for a track selection that's as sublime as it is surprising, and another revelatory collection from Mr Stanley! There's two dozen gems on the collection – some we've never heard, some we'd forgotten about – all of which sound great in the company of each other – with titles that include "Hampstead Way" by Linda Lewis, "Cutty Sark" by John Barry, "Sunny Goodge Street" by Marianne Faithfull, "Marcel's" by Herman's Hermits, "London Bridge" by Cilla Black, "Mayfair" by Nick Drake, "Vauxhall To Lambeth Bridge" by Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll, "City Road" by Dave Evans, "Beckton Dumps" by Humble Pie, "Notting Hill Gate" by Quintessence, "Friday Hill" by Bulldog Breed, "Goodbye Post Office Tower" by Cressida, "Kew Gardens" by Ralph McTell, and "Euston Station" by Barbara Ruskin. CD

Music from The Byrds, The Yardbirds, Wilson Pickett, The Miracles, The Beau Brummels, The Righteous Brothers, The Temptations, Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs, Billy Joe Royal, The Beach Boys, Barbara Lewis, and more - 22 songs in all. CD

Music from James Brown, The Zombies, Lee Dorsey, Cher, Peter And Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Cannibal And The Headhunters, Gary Lewis And The Playboys, The Larks, The Vogues, The Kinks,and more - 23 songs in all. CD

A very cool little set – maybe not the deepest dive into the decade of the 70s, in that the package isn't full of unissued tracks or super-rare singles – but it does represent a great look at the decade that goes way past the hits, and much farther than the charts – including the sort of material that was slightly ignored at the time, but has gone on to be really appreciated in more recent years! The book-style set is filled with great choices and unusual tunes – work from both the US and UK scenes, some of it by bigger names represented here by more unusual cuts – some by others who barely cracked the mainstream, but did some great work at the time. There's one full CD of female artists, and a pretty unusual mix of titles – 71 titles in all, by artists who include Murray Head, The Records, Ronnie Lane, Terry Reid, Sandy Denny, Wendy Waldman, Freddie King, Montrose, Tim Buckley, Don Nix, Jerry Williams, Big Star, Tony Joe White, Delaney & Bonnie, John Prine, Michael Franks, Bobby Charles, Andy Pratt, Hirth Martinez, Robert Palmer, Jess Roden, Roy Harper, Patto, Sharks, The Roches, Linda Lewis Valerie Carter, and many others! CD

Serving time has never been this groovy – thanks to a whole host of prison-themed tunes from the postwar years, presented here in a package that's especially strong on blues and R&B! Sure, most folks know "Folsom Prison Blues", but this package digs much deeper to come up with two dozen near-lost tracks that also echo the legacy of incarceration that frequently interacted with the music business during years when even the most minor infraction might get a singer or instrumentalist locked up. We're not saying that all these artists have experience behind bars, but the set does resonate strongly as a showcase of the too-common theme of jail and prison in American music. Titles include "Jailbird" by Smiley Lewis, "But Officer" by Sonny Knight, "Hey Mr Warden" by Danny Cobb, "Prisoner's Song" by Fats Domino, "Please Mr Jailer" by Wynona Carr, "Ball & Chain Blues" by Josh White, "Jail Bird" by El Pauling & Royal Abbit, "Prisoner's Plea" by Billy Boy Arnold, "Jailhouse Blues" by Ottille Patterson, "When I Leave These Prison Walls" by The Larks, and "I'm A Prisoner" by Eddie Boyd. CD

With selections by Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Smiley Lewis, Smilin' Joe, Archibald, Earl King, Huey Smith & The Clowns, Ford Eaglin, Joe Houston, and Big Jay McNeely. (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Includes music from Dion, Del Shannon, Bruce Channel, Jan & Dean, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, The Shirelles, The Shangri-Las, Chris Kenner, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Lewis, and more – 20 tracks in all. CD

With selections by Howlin' Wolf, Ma Rainey, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ike Turner & His Kings Of Rhythm, Lou Sargent, Johnny Cash, Warren Smith, Carl Perkins, Billy Love, James Cotton, and Frank Frost. LP, Vinyl record album

22 songs from Kenny Parchman, Barbara Pittman, Ray Harris, Slim Rhodes, Jerry Lee Lewis, Billy Riley, Sonny Burgess, Glenn Honeycutt, Roy Orbison, and Carl Perkins. CD

24 songs from Bill Justis,Wayne Powers, Rudy Grayzell, Edwin Bruce, The Sun Rays, Magel Priesman, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dickey Lee, Ray Smith, Gene Simmons, and Tommy Blake. CD

Features "Good Lovin" by The Young Rascals, "Hold On I'm Comin" by Sam & Dave, "Knock On Wood" by Eddie Floyd, "Philly dog" by The Mar Keys, "Baby, I'm Yours" by Barbara Lewis and more. (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

From the vaults of Liberty and United Artists, with selections by Jay & The Americans, Bertell Dache, Johnny Maestro, The Belmonts, Patty Duke, Mike Clifford, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Bobby Vee & The Johnny Mann Singers, The Fleetwoods, Patience & Prudence, Johnny Burnette & The Johnny Mann Singers, and Jan & Dean. LP, Vinyl record album

A sprawling set of rare singles in a variety of genres – and a set that's maybe one of the most essential in the "state" series from the Be! Records label! Previous entries have included Michigan, Texas, and other states with a well-known recorded legacy – but this time around, the package focuses on cuts from a range of scenes in Virginia and West Virginia – really rare music on a variety of very small labels – done in modes that run the gamut from rockabilly to garage, to country and a bit of pop as well! As with other volumes, the package is as magnificent as the music – as the set comes with a huge 12" square hardcover book – 120 pages of information, session details, label scans, and more – in support of a wealth of music from tiny labels that include Dominion, Cozy, Fernwood, Mart, Nu-Kat, Tip Top, and other long-gone record companies from the glory days of the indie 7" single. The set features 145 tracks in all – music from Johnny Gravely, Big Al Walker, The Reactors, Butch Lester, Paul Young & The Versatones, George Curtus, Johnny Boni, Bob Varney, Dusty Owens, Hasil Atkins, Keith Anderson, Dorse Lewis, Jeanette & Hubert, Buddy Watson, and countless others! CD

Written by Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie, with Quincy Jones producing! Includes the all-star title track plus selections by Chicago, Huey Lewis & The News, Steve Perry, The Pointer Sisters, Prince & The Revolution, Kenny Rogers, Bruce Springsteen, and Tina Turner. (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Dionne Warwick, Barbara Lewis, Gladys Knight And The Pips, Gloria Lynne, Ketty Lester, Betty Everett, Maxine Brown, Gloria Jones, and Bessie Banks. (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic solo work from Peter Bardens – an artist who'd later gain fame as the lead singer of Camel, but who's even more fantastic here on his own – working in a trippy blend of modes that's equally balanced between prog and psych! Bardens plays organ on most of the tracks, but he uses the instrument in ways that are very different from the more R&B-inspired Hammond lines of the mod generation – often tightly fused with the sublime guitar of Andy Gee, a player who's got this sharp sound that's full of chromatic hues that really resonate with the keys of the organ – as the pair take off in this soaring groove that's occasionally a bit funky, always a bit trippy, and which gets a great kick from bass, drums, and percussion – plus support vocals from Linda Lewis and Steve Ellis. The album's really something special – great all the way through – and titles include "The Answer", "Homage To The God Of Light", "I Don't Want To Go Home", "I Can't Remember", "Let's Get It On", and "Don't Goof With A Spook". LP, Vinyl record album

The compilation that capped off a younger John Prine's early years at Atlantic Records – and if it might have come off as a bit prematurely titled at at time given the treasure trove of "best of" level material Prine would record for decades to come, there's no question after all these years ther is plenty of genuinely prime Prine songs here! John's Atlantic albums still stand as some of the finest folk rock ever put out by the label, hislyrics and vocals that distinctive mix of wit and grit, Arif Mardin's production smart enough to keep things spare and intimate when necessary, and to bring in some lusher touches at times. Includes "Sam Stone", "Saddle In The Rain", "Pease Don't Bury Me", "Grandpa Was A Carpenter", "Donald & Lydia", "Illegal Smile", "Sweet Revenge", "Souvenirs", "Come Back To Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard" and "Hello In There". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

Warren S Richardson Jr may not be the most catchy name for a rocker, but the record really knocks it out of the park from the very first note of fuzz – thanks to an all-out, super-ballsy sound! The set's one of those that might have been called "blues rock" at the time, but is hardly a blues record at all – as it's already taken those core influences and fused them into something harder and heavier – ala James Gang or maybe Johnny Winter, with lots of funky drums at the bottom, and plenty of super-wicked guitar! Richardson handles both that lead instrument and the vocals – and is actually Bill Spooner, of later Tubes fame – working here with Joseph Ray Trainer and Otis Eugene Hale on tenor saxes, and Richard Lewis on organ and trumpet. Mickey McGee handles the heavy drums – and titles include "Shady Lady", "Easy Rider", "Reputation", "Goin Home", "Stella", and "Wind & Rain". LP, Vinyl record album