A fresh discovery from pre-punk Motor City firebrands Death – who were not only pioneers of African American punk rock, they also pre-figured some best adrenaline-fueled underground rock of the next decade and more! Spiritual Mental Figures features ten raw demos from 1974-1976 – seven of which were recorded on a two-track reel-to-reel stereo recorder – and it's exciting, pummeling, incendiary stuff! A worthy addition to Death revival campaign that began with Drag City's essential release of their For The Whole World To See album. Get it! Includes "Views", "The Masks", "Change", "World Of Tomorrow", "The Storm Within", "Dannis On The Motor City Drums" and more. CD

Quite an obscure one by Love – a mid 70s record that actually has quite a bit of soul in the mix! The album almost seems to be going for a Sly Stone approach – expanding the group past Arthur Lee and crew with a host of additional players that include Harvey Mandel, Bobby Lyle, and Joey Deguero. There's still plenty of bluesy and rocky tracks – but there's also a great cover of William DeVaughn's "Be Thankful For What You Got" – done in a chunky mode that really hits a great groove with us (and which is proof that people were covering the tune even back when it was first released!) Other tracks move between soulful rock, Thin Lizzy-esque compressed guitar numbers, and other styles that show a bit more soul than might be expected. Titles include "Time Is Like A River", "Everybody's Gotta Live", "You Said You Would", "Busted Feet", "With A Little Energy", and "Who Are You". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An essential record by The Smiths – even if it wasn't initially conceived as a full length album! The set brings together important early radio material by the group – but sounds that are recorded on a par with their album or single releases – yet often in slightly different variations that have become incredibly memorable over the years. Some material was done for John Peel – but at a level that's way better than most Peel Sessions – and honestly, to our ears, some of these versions are way better – way more urgent – than the versions that showed up on the first two albums. Given that this one was issued right around the same time as Meat Is Murder, it's a crucial part of The Smiths' history – and it's overstuffed with lots of tracks, making it almost even a better deal than the early albums. Titles include "This Charming Man", "How Soon Is Now", "Hand In Glove", "Still Ill", "Girl Afraid", "Accept Yourself", "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now", "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want", "Reel Around The Fountain", and more! CD

An essential record by The Smiths – even if it wasn't initially conceived as a full length album! The set brings together important early radio material by the group – but sounds that are recorded on a par with their album or single releases – yet often in slightly different variations that have become incredibly memorable over the years. Some material was done for John Peel – but at a level that's way better than most Peel Sessions – and honestly, to our ears, some of these versions are way better – way more urgent – than the versions that showed up on the first two albums. Given that this one was issued right around the same time as Meat Is Murder, it's a crucial part of The Smiths' history – and it's overstuffed with lots of tracks, making it almost even a better deal than the early albums. Titles include "This Charming Man", "How Soon Is Now", "Hand In Glove", "Still Ill", "Girl Afraid", "Accept Yourself", "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now", "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want", "Reel Around The Fountain", and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Richard Thompson's strictly instrumentals set from 1981 – not just folk guitar – Thompson plays acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin and and more, only accompanied on the percussion – and the stylistic breadth is as wide as his musicianship is strong! Thompson utilizes modern recording innovations to to faithfully present a variety timeless folk instrumentalism here – remarkably strong material that covers many folk styles. Thompson's such a great songwriter, you'd think we'd miss his voice to much, but he's such a devoted musician, it's actually a great joy to simply listen to him play. Includes "New-Fangled Reel-Kerry Reel", "Vaillance Polka Militia-Belfast Polka", "Do It For My Sake", "Rockin' In Rhythm", "The Random Jig-The Grinder", "Andalus-Radio Marakesh", "The Knife-Edge" and more. CD

A record that's got hardly any focus on the vocals at all, and which hardly needs them either – as the set's in that best 70s prog tradition that really lets all the instruments to all the "singing" in the music! The group's from Argentina, and serve up a fusion-influenced style at times, but with results that are definitely in the prog side of the spectrum – with work on flutes, saxes, and keyboards from Ara Tokatlian, who really shapes the record's sound – driven strongly by bass from Guillermo Bordarampe and drums from Jose Luis Perez. Ignacio Elisavetsky serves up all the great guitar solos – and titles include "Elemental De Aire", "Elemental De Agua", "Elemental De Fuego", and "Elemental De Tierra". 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

Includes the songs "Maybellene", "30 Days", "You Can't Catch Me", "Too Much Monkey Business", "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Havana Moon", "School Days", "Rock And Roll Music", "Oh Baby Doll", "Reelin' & Rockin'", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Johnny B. Goode", "Around And Around", "Carol", "Beautiful Delilah", "Memphis", "Sweet Little Rock And Roller", "Little Queenie", "Almost Grown", "Back In The USA", "Let It Rock", "Bye Bye Johnny", "I'm Talking About You", "Come On", "Nadine", "No Particular Place To Go", and "I Want To Be Your Driver". (Soul, Rock) CD

The final album in the initial run of genius from Felt – a set that marks a short step from Creation Records over to El at Cherry Red – where they receive some nicely expanded handling on the production! Adrian Borland produced, and the tunefulness of the songs really comes to the forefront – all while still providing a perfect showcase for the lyrical and vocal talents of Lawrence, set up beautifully amidst the swirling Hammond lines that made their Creation material so distinct! There's definitely some new ideas bubbling up here – which Lawrence would explore more freely in later work – and titles include "I Can't Make Love To You Anymore", "Budgie Jacket", "Down An August Path", and "Get Out of My Mirror". CD

A classic full length collection of work from the great Charlie Rich – a singer who, we'll freely admit, is our favorite artist to ever record for Sun Records! And yeah, we know that Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Jerry Lee Lewis also recorded for the label – but of them all Rich seemed to be the best at really honing in on that unique Tennessee crossroads of rock and blues, country and soul – served up perfectly in early material like this! Sun cut Charlie in some really great modes, and made fantastic use of that vocal approach that was maybe only second to Elvis on the Memphis scene (although we think Charlie's actually better, and more adaptable) – and titles here include the classic "Lonely Weekends", plus "Stay", "Rebound", "That's How Much I Love You", "Big Man", "Sittin & Thinkin", "Breakup", and "Who Will The Next Fool Be". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from Steely Dan, and a really nice chapter in their career – one that's maybe a bit less iconic than the late 70s records, but in a way that really keeps things interesting! There's definitely less jazz and polish than on the later albums – but already, the group are writing the kinds of songs that nobody ever seemed to pen before, and which few other groups could match later – despite the countless legions who tried! The guitars are all nice and strong – that sharp Skunk Baxter edge that helped get the group firmly onto the charts right away – on titles that include their classic singles "Do It Again" and "Reelin In The Years", the oft-showcased "Dirty Work", and other cuts that include "Kings", "Midnite Cruiser", "Only A Fool Would Say That", "Fire In The Hole", "Brooklyn Owes The Charmer Under Me", "Change Of The Guard", and "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again". CD

The first album from Steely Dan, and a really nice chapter in their career – one that's maybe a bit less iconic than the late 70s records, but in a way that really keeps things interesting! There's definitely less jazz and polish than on the later albums – but already, the group are writing the kinds of songs that nobody ever seemed to pen before, and which few other groups could match later – despite the countless legions who tried! The guitars are all nice and strong – that sharp Skunk Baxter edge that helped get the group firmly onto the charts right away – on titles that include their classic singles "Do It Again" and "Reelin In The Years", the oft-showcased "Dirty Work", and other cuts that include "Kings", "Midnite Cruiser", "Only A Fool Would Say That", "Fire In The Hole", "Brooklyn Owes The Charmer Under Me", "Change Of The Guard", and "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from Steely Dan, and a really nice chapter in their career – one that's maybe a bit less iconic than the late 70s records, but in a way that really keeps things interesting! There's definitely less jazz and polish than on the later albums – but already, the group are writing the kinds of songs that nobody ever seemed to pen before, and which few other groups could match later – despite the countless legions who tried! The guitars are all nice and strong – that sharp Skunk Baxter edge that helped get the group firmly onto the charts right away – on titles that include their classic singles "Do It Again" and "Reelin In The Years", the oft-showcased "Dirty Work", and other cuts that include "Kings", "Midnite Cruiser", "Only A Fool Would Say That", "Fire In The Hole", "Brooklyn Owes The Charmer Under Me", "Change Of The Guard", and "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again". CD

We've always considered Steely Dan one of the quintessential 70s "Album Oriented Rock" bands, in that all of there albums work so well as a whole, so the idea of a greatest hits collection doesn't exactly work for us. Still, taken out of context, these songs are still gems, and listening to them in sequence really lets you hear the groups progression from their intellectual rock roots to their later sophisticated jazz influenced style. 18 tracks in all: "Do It Again", "Reeling InThe Years", "My Old School", "Bodhisattva", "Show Biz Kids", "East St Louis Toodle Oo", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Pretzel Logic", "Any Major Dude", "Here At The Western World", "Black Friday", "Bad Sneakers", "Doctor Wu", "Haitian Divorce", "Kid Charlemagne", "The Fez", "Peg" and "Josie". LP, Vinyl record album

Late 60s Bosstown psychedelia at its finest – and one of the coolest psych era nuggets on the MGM label! The '68 Ultimate Spinach LP has enough raw, hypnotic rock & roll in the mix to have made it a bonafide hit LP at the time, but there's all kinds of weirder, tripped out and kind of baroque touches that kind of make it one of the stranger LPs to walk on the edge of the mainstream – with oddball spoken word bits and more. Includes "Ego Trip", "Sacrifice Of The Moon (In Four Parts)", "Plastic Raincoats/Hung Up Minds", the 8 minute standout "(Ballad Of The) Hip Death Goddess" certainly one of the more influential jams on the record, plus "Your Head Is Reeling", "Dove In Hawk's Clothing", "Baroque #1", "Funny Freak Parade" and "Pamela". LP, Vinyl record album