An archetypal album from the legendary Paul Butterfield – and a set that would shape the sound of countless blues rock records to come! Despite what you might think of the genre or its many later incarnations, there's a raw power here that's really amazing – the young Butterfield and his Chicago comperes, hanging out at clubs on the south side, drinking in the relatively new electric sound of the city, and turning out a groove that's a lot more hard-edged than some of the overseas imitators at the time! Paul's pretty darn great on vocals and harmonica – but the group has some even more powerful sounds in the twin guitar talents of Mike Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop – the former on slide, the latter on rhythm – along with Jerome Arnold on bass, Sam Lay on drums, and Mark Naftalin on some Hammond too. Titles include "Blues With A Feeling", "Born In Chicago", "Shake Your Money Maker", "Mystery Train", "Screamin", "Last Night", and "Look Over Yonders Wall". CD

An archetypal album from the legendary Paul Butterfield – and a set that would shape the sound of countless blues rock records to come! Despite what you might think of the genre or its many later incarnations, there's a raw power here that's really amazing – the young Butterfield and his Chicago comperes, hanging out at clubs on the south side, drinking in the relatively new electric sound of the city, and turning out a groove that's a lot more hard-edged than some of the overseas imitators at the time! Paul's pretty darn great on vocals and harmonica – but the group has some even more powerful sounds in the twin guitar talents of Mike Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop – the former on slide, the latter on rhythm – along with Jerome Arnold on bass, Sam Lay on drums, and Mark Naftalin on some Hammond too. Titles include "Blues With A Feeling", "Born In Chicago", "Shake Your Money Maker", "Mystery Train", "Screamin", "Last Night", and "Look Over Yonders Wall". LP, Vinyl record album

An early 70s gem from Captain Beefheart – not as wild-eyed and whacked out as the late 60s glories – but still a good stretch weirder than most of the post psych, blues-steeped rock of the time! Ultimately, it's still Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, despite it being billed solely to Captain Beefheart on the cover (and his only album NOT co-billed with The Magic Band) – and we'd say it's their first album to go for a consistent mood from beginning-to-end, and we love it for that! If the Trout Mask Replica and Lick My Decals Off Baby records are the more feral early twin masterpieces – we'd say this one and Clear Spot are the wiser and more focused siblings, but no less classic! Tracks include "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby","Grow Fins", "There Ain't No Santa Clause On The Evenin' Stage", "Blabbern Smoke", "Alice In Blunderland", "The Spotlight Kid", and "Glider". Great 2LP version features lots of rare tracks – the never issued full length versions of "I'm Gonna Booglarize You" and "Pompadour Stomp" – plus the instrumental "Semi Multicolored Caucasian", and the tracks "Harry Irene", "Best Batch Yet (version 1)", "I Can't Do This Unless I Can Do This/Seam Crooked Sam", "The Witch Doctor Life (inst)", and "Two Rips In A Haystack/Kiss Me My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A really inventive album from the key years of the British psych scene – and a set that goes way beyond even the important experiments of the bigger names of the time! Clark Hutchinson is just a duo – Mick Hutchinson on guitars, piano, and lots of percussion – and Andy Clark on keyboards, saxes, and flute – both members of the group Sam Gopal's Dream, stepping out here on a series of long tracks that draw from jazz, Indian music, and other global styles! The titles hint at a lot of improvisation – but in a style that's more proggish than free jazz and it's clear that budding studio modes were used to nicely layer the performances by both musicians, for an even fuller sound. Titles include "Improvisation On A Modal Scale", "Textures In 3/4", "Improvisation On An Indian Scale", and "Acapulco Gold". 2CD version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Summer Seemed Longer", "Can't Carry On", "Seymour's Boogie", "Crow Jane", "Bad Loser", and "Someone's Been At My Woman". CD

A really inventive album from the key years of the British psych scene – and a set that goes way beyond even the important experiments of the bigger names of the time! Clark Hutchinson is just a duo – Mick Hutchinson on guitars, piano, and lots of percussion – and Andy Clark on keyboards, saxes, and flute – both members of the group Sam Gopal's Dream, stepping out here on a series of long tracks that draw from jazz, Indian music, and other global styles! The titles hint at a lot of improvisation – but in a style that's more proggish than free jazz and it's clear that budding studio modes were used to nicely layer the performances by both musicians, for an even fuller sound. Titles include "Improvisation On A Modal Scale", "Textures In 3/4", "Improvisation On An Indian Scale", and "Acapulco Gold". 2CD version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Summer Seemed Longer", "Can't Carry On", "Seymour's Boogie", "Crow Jane", "Bad Loser", and "Someone's Been At My Woman". CD

Southern hillbilly soul from Fern Jones – a minister, church singer and songwriter with a real feel for the secular shake of 50s Sun Records, honky tonk, and shout blues – a pure evangelical with a worldly groove! Fern worked the gospel circuit of tent and church shows for many, many years – but only recorded two albums, this one for Dot/Paramount. Fern sings in the torch country style of Patsy Cline, often with spare rockabilly-styled guitar and drums backbeat. This album is probably most noteworthy for the classic song "I Was There When It Happened" – co-written by Fern Jones and made famous by Johnny Cash. It's especially legendary because it was the only gospel number Sam Phillips allowed Cash to include on his first LP. But Fern's album is more than worthy of a late discovery – she's a true pioneer, fearlessly blending the Lord's work with the Devil's music – at a time when such poles were anathema for most artists, fans, and record labels alike! Original album tracks include "You Ain't Got Nuthin'", "I Do Believe", "Be Thankful You're You", "I Ain't Got Time", "Let Tomorrow Be" – plus the bonus tracks "When I Meet You", "By And By", "I Don't Care What The World May Do" and "This World Is Not My Home". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

The very first album from long-running Japanese singer Akira Kushida – a set that bursts out with the word "soulful" on the cover, and definitely follows through with its promise! Given that Akira sings in Japanese on many cuts, the sound isn't exactly the same as James Brown on King Records – but it's also clear that Kushida draws plenty of inspiration from American soul, which is also reflected in the arrangements, not just the raspy style that he brings to the lyrics! There's definitely a fair bit of English on the record – and the vibe is maybe a bit like some of the blue-eyed soul styles of the UK mod scene, served up on titles that include "Vecchio Sam", "For The Love Of A Woman", "Cry Like A Baby", "Forgive Me My Love", and "Lonesome Sad & Blue". (Japanese, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued material from the great John Prine – recorded towards the end of his Atlantic Records years, at a time when the label was clearly going to give the world a demonstration of Prine's many charms in a concert setting! Prine was, above all, the kind of artist who was maybe at his best when able to open up in the warmth of a welcoming audience – the kind that first supported him when he emerged from the Chicago club scene at the start of the 70s – and who are definitely in place here! The album features two full sets, but without any sort of repetition – and Prine delivers these wonderful versions of early Atlantic material, plus other tunes too – sometimes with spoken intros, and with guest help from Steve Goodman on two titles too. Titles include "Great Rain", "Often Is A Word I Seldom Use", "Flashback Blues", "way Down", "Spanish Pipedream", "Middle Man", "Saddle In The Rain", "Everybody", "Hello In There", "The Late John Garfield Blues", "The Accident", "Donald & Lydia", "Sour Grapes", "Common Sense", "The Torch Singer", "Mexican Home", "Illegal Smile", and "Sam Stone". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

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

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) LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly strong collection of country cuts from a very unusual scene – material recorded for the tiny Cuca Records label in Wisconsin – a company who was more likely to open their doors to just about anyone, than they were to carefully pick who got to record in their studio! Yet because of that approach, Cuca was able to capture some fantastic sounds that would have otherwise been lost to more commercial concerns – music that here represents an underground of country singers and late rockabilly acts from the scene in southern Wisconsin – all artists with the kind of twang and subject matter you'd be much more likely to discover down in Tennessee! As usual with Numero Group, the record is as musically great as it is culturally compelling – put together with plenty of care, and a stunning set list that includes "Happy Don't Last Forever" by Nancy Lee Jordan, "Little Hero" by Dixie Drifter, "Cardinal" by John D Curnow, "Six Foot Down" by Gene Ski & The Troubadours, "There's A River" by Sam Podnay, "Hello Houston" by Johnny Madrid, "Wanderer" by The Lavenders, "Challenge" by Larry Phillipson, "Run Little Girl" by Harrison Two, "Heaven Help The Working Girl" by Janet Kaye, "Trouble Sweet Trouble" by Curley Fields & The Kentuckians, and "When I See You" by Rog Winters & The Plainsmen. (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The Holiday Inn chain of motels was first launched in Memphis during the city's rockabilly years, and an early investor was Sam Phillips of Sun Records – so it's maybe no surprise that the company also hosted a small record label of its own – a short-lived imprint that's a treasure trove of rare Memphis music! This set brings together all the great early singles on the imprint – both a-sides and b-sides, with a blend of instrumental rockers, soulful pop, and rockabilly – much of which was handled by Phillips at the Sun Studios! Most of the names here aren't Memphis legends, but the music definitely lives up to the rare 45s from that city's scene at the time – and in addition to a rare single here by Charlie Feathers, the package also includes work from Buck Griffin, Jimmy Foster, The Roller Coasters, Stony Martin, Jimmy Foster, Joe Fuller, and others – plus two Holiday Inn jingles too! CD

Sublime female sounds from the 60s – mostly soul, but a bit of rock too – all handled by landmark Cali producer Gary S Paxton! Paxton was a great talent at the time – not only for finding new aritsts, but also bringing them into their best light – coaching young solo singers and girl groups on some of their first trips into professional recording studios in some cases, so that the performances are remarkably assured and strong – girlish or naive-sounding only when the theme of the song calls for it, and more often surprisingly powerful for the early 60s period! As usual with Ace Records, the sound and the package are wonderful – crystal-clear remastering, and notes that show the whole underground world in which Paxton was a key! Includes "Just A Little Bit More" by The Idols, "Losing Control", "It's A Lonely World" and "A Tear" by Mary Saxton, "Keep A Hold On Him" and "Operator Operator" by Beatrice Lee, "I Won't Be Hurt Anymore" by Josephine Sunday, "Reap What You Sow" by Linda Mackey, "Why Mist I Cry" by The Idols, "Yosemite Sam" by Judy & The Jades, "It Kinda Picks Me Up" by Tanya Marie and more. 24 tracks in all. (Soul, Rock) CD

You might not know Les Cousins, but back in the city it was a very important club on the London scene – a crossroads of blues, folk, and other styles – with an influence that was every bit important in England as the Greenwich Village clubs were in the US! This massive 3CD set does a great job of documenting the sounds that passed through its stage – not via live recordings, but over a well-chosen array of cuts that demonstrate just how hip British work of the time could be – folk-plus material, of the sort you'd hear on the best albums on Island Records or Transatlantic, all very much of the generation of Nick Drake and Fairport Convention! The 3CD set does a really great job of showing the wide range of acts from this moment – including many we haven't had on other reissues in recent years – in a great box that features 72 tracks, and very detailed notes on the material. Includes work from The Levee Brothers, Roy Harper, Dr Strangely Strange, Strawbs, Owen Hand, Dave Evans, Anne Briggs, Tom Yates, Duffy Power, Ron Geesin, Jackson C Frank, Martin Carthy, Dando Shaft, Shelagh McDonald, Al Jones, Sweeney's Men, Sam Mitchell, Tir Na Nog, Beverly, Michael Chapman, and many others. CD

One of those few classic cases where a compilation of tracks was maybe even more influential than the original music itself – as this early 70s collection of 60s material turned out to shape and influence generations for decades to come! Guitar genius Lenny Kaye put the set together famously for Elektra Records in 1972 – as a reminder that, just a few years before, there were some amazing sounds that were not only brewing up in local indie scenes around the country, but also on the radio as well – even though most of those groups had been pushed into relative obscurity by the rise of soft rock, hard rock, and classic rock of the early 70s! The package is a return to the pre-prog years, with an especially strong ear for garage-tuned tracks that would go on to shape later punk, 80s indie, and lots more underground sounds in the future. The Chocolate Watchband, The Leaves, The Brigands, The Barbarians, Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs, The Strangeloves, The Kingsmen, The Knickerbockers, Wailers, Harbinger Complex, and more - 30 songs in all. CD

With selections by Alvin Robinson, Bettye Lavette, Johnny Adams, Mickey Murray, Doris Allen, Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson, Soul Suspects, The Rugbys, Randy & The Radiants, The Tikis, The Twiggs, Sam Dees, Evie Sands, and US Apple Corps. 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 really beautiful solo album from Jon Anderson – best known as the lead singer of Yes, stepping out here with a set that matches the solo projects of Chris Squire and Steve Howe from the same time! Yet unlike those efforts, this one is truly a solo recording – as Anderson not only sings, but handles all the instruments himself – keyboards, guitars, and everything else – folded together in a sound that's very faithful, thanks to work from Mike Dunne, who'd handled a lot of the sound for recordings by Yes! Given that Anderson's not an instrumental virtuoso, like some of his bandmates, the record is a nice change from some of the side-long power jams of mid 70s Yes – tunes that together tell a story, but which have a lyrical, personal vibe that also really suits the charms of Jon's vocals. The set feels nicely like a mid 70s side-chapter of Yes – in ways that are different than the solo records by Howe and Squire – and titles include "Ocean Song", "To The Runner", "Flight Of The Moorglade", "Solid Space", "Dance Of Rampart/Olias", and "Meeting/Sound Out The Galleon". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't let the pot reference on the cover put you off, or give you the wrong sort of idea about the record – as the whole thing's tight, sharp, and pretty darn groovy – a wicked batch of blue-eyed soul from the Bay Area scene of the mid 70s, served up at a level that's not too far from some of the best work on Fantasy Records at the time! These guys are clearly a rock band, but have drunk up a heady brew of funk and soul – augmented in both the rhythm elements and the nice use of horns, as well as some of the great lead vocals from singer Paulette Collins! The record's a lost one, but definitely continues that great late 60s Bay Area mode of mixing soul and rock together in a very joyous way – on titles that include the funky sample cut "Mess Up Your Mind", plus "You Got Something", "Clap Your Hands", "First Taste Of Love", "Gonna Make It", "Sativa", "Don't You Worry", "Trying To Hold It Down", and "Skyrocket". This CD includes 3 bonus tracks: "Catch A Falling Star", "Evil That Brings You Down" and "It's A Feeling". CD

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the most authentic records ever cut by John Berberian – an American musician, but one who delivered great work on the oud during the 60s – including some projects that were often a bit psychedelic in nature! This set's a bit more straightforward, but equally great – really hard-driving and surprisingly earthy, without any attempts at all to touch up the sound with rock or pop elements – quite a surprise, given that the set was issued on Roulette Records, home to more mainstream rock and soul! Instrumentation includes lots of percussion, plus saxes and guitar – as well as a host of great oud solos from Berberian, on titles that include "Samra Ya Samra", "Dale Dale", "Chifte Telli", "Gamavor Zimfor", "Tamiko", and "Oud Solo". (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece of new music for guitar from the legendary Glenn Branca – a set that both draws on all the minimal experiments on the New York scene of the 70s, and the big wave of underground music at the end of the decade! Branca effortlessly fuses the rock and compositional communities here – working with Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, and artist Ned Sublette – in a fierce set of tunes that blend four guitars, electric bass, and drums – all with an instrumental frenzy that matches some of the best early jams from Sonic Youth. Branca's approach is less freeform, but has very much the same intensity – and titles include "Lesson No 2", "Structure", "The Ascension", and "Spectacular Commodity". (Out Sound, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Rare live work from Johnny Cash – recorded right at the height of his late 60s fame on Columbia Records, but with a style that nicely takes his sound back to its roots! June Carter joins Cash at a few points in the performance – but most of the set jus has Johnny working with the Tennessee Three, in that spare chugging groove the group first developed when Cash was starting to record at Sun Records – presented here in a nicely unfettered way, as a contrast to some of his studio work for Columbia during the same period. The set's got 28 tracks in all – a nice mix of classics and other numbers – with titles that include "Bad News", "Jackson", "Long Black Veil", "Lorena", "Old Apache Squaw", "Guess Things Happen That Way", "Going To Memphis", "Orange Blossom Special", "Forty Shades Of Green", "Don't Take Your Guns To Town", "Ring Of Fire", "Long Legged Guitar Pickin Man", "Foggy Mountain Top", and "Wildwood Flower". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

A really rare slice of work from legendary UK singer Petula Clark – an artist you'll know best for her swinging pop records of the 60s, but who also cut a fair bit of music in other European languages too! Petula was huge on our shores with her "Downtown" hit in the mid 60s – but she also quickly too over other audiences too – and recorded not just in English, but in French, German, and Italian – the last of which is the focus here. This set is the first to bring together all of Petula's Italian singles – some of which feature songs that she never even recorded in English – and all of the work has the same bubbly, upbeat vibe that you'll know from her familiar songs – but nicely different here with the change in language, and with some surprising details of the recordings that you'll discover in the notes. The 2CD package has a surprising amount of tracks – 31 tunes in all – and titles include "La Frontiera", "Ciao Ciao", "Darling Cheri", "Se Mi Vuoi Amare", "Chariot", "Invece No", "Pagherai", "Gocce Di Mare", "Cara Velicita", "E Stato Il Vento", "Splendido", "Piccolo Baby", "Settembre Mi Riportera", and "Cosa Cherchi Nel Mondo". (Vocalists, Rock) CD

An amazing legacy in music from Mike Cooper – a British musician who started out in the world of folk blues, but never ended up moving towards some of the rockish modes of his contemporaries – instead finding his very own sort of special space in the freedom allowed by the Dawn Records label! The set begins with the very spare Oh Really – a set that has Mike Cooper mostly on guitar and vocals, in a style that's part Piedmont, part Delta blues – but also given a more folksy spin, and graced with Cooper's unusual vocals – almost making the whole thing feel like a spare acoustic version of Canned Heat territory – with titles that include "Maggie Campbell", "Saturday Blues", "Electric Chair", "Crow Jane", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry". Do I Know you is a record that follows up with a sound that's maybe a bit fuller than Mike Cooper's debut, but still relatively spare – with Mike on acoustic guitar and slide guitar, Harry Miller on bass (really great bass, by the way!), and Poor Little Anne on a bit of vocals. Miller brings these deep tones to the record that really transform things – and titles include "Do I Know You", "Start Of A Journey", "First Song", "Theme In C", and "The Link". Trout Steel is a beautiful set from the British scene at the start of the 70s – a record that's got a fairly folksy tone, but lots of jazzy currents as well! The set was issued on the seminal Dawn Records label – and really shows that imprint's commitment to the left side of the spectrum – as Mike Cooper's vocals and acoustic guitar come into play with more guitar from Stefan Grossman – plus alto sax from Mike Osborne, tenor and soprano from Alan Skidmore, piano from John Taylor, and bass from the late Harry Miller – all key players on the UK avant jazz scene of the time! The mix of these players with Cooper's core inspiration is not unlike some of the most progressive material coming from Island Records – or, even better, the special jazzy moments on records by Tim Buckley or Tim Hardin – company that Cooper could very easily keep, given the strength of his songwriting. Titles include "Don't Talk Too Fast", "On My Way", "Hope You See", "Weeping Rose", "Trout Steel", "I've Got Mine", "That's How", and "Pharoah's March". Places I Know blends Cooper's acoustic guitar and rootsy vocals with some very compelling arrangements from Mike Gibbs – the British jazz talent who was already known for his larger ensemble creations at the time, but who works here in these really subtle ways – to inflect Cooper's core inspirations with just some slight instrumental colors, tones, and phrases on most numbers – while Cooper brings in the core Machine Gun Co group on a few more. The result is a record that's way more than familiar folk – and arguably a lot hipper than most of the British acid folk of the time, too – on titles that include "Night Journey", "Paper & Smoke", "Country Water", "Time To Time", "Goodbye Blues Goodbye", and "Places I Know". The Machine Gun Co album is a partner record to Places I Know – recorded in the same sessions, but with tracks that are longer, and even more openly expressive – all with backings from the sweet Machine Gun Co quartet, a group with some especially nice electric piano from Alan Cook! Heavy use of that instrument really works against some of the folksier elements in Cooper's music – with these blocks of warm sound and color that really illuminate the tunes, and almost unlock a new level in the vocals. Cooper plays a bit of electric guitar at times – and titles include "So Glad That I Found You", "Lady Anne", "Midnight Words", and "Song For Abigail". CD also features songs from singles – "Your Lovely Ways (parts 1 & 2)", "Time In Hand", and "Schaabisch Hall". CD

A pair of wonderful albums from British folkie Mike Cooper – both recorded for the Dawn Records label, in a really genre-breaking style! Places I Know blends Cooper's acoustic guitar and rootsy vocals with some very compelling arrangements from Mike Gibbs – the British jazz talent who was already known for his larger ensemble creations at the time, but who works here in these really subtle ways – to inflect Cooper's core inspirations with just some slight instrumental colors, tones, and phrases on most numbers – while Cooper brings in the core Machine Gun Co group on a few more. The result is a record that's way more than familiar folk – and arguably a lot hipper than most of the British acid folk of the time, too – on titles that include "Night Journey", "Paper & Smoke", "Country Water", "Time To Time", "Goodbye Blues Goodbye", and "Places I Know". The Machine Gun Co album is a partner record to Places I Know – recorded in the same sessions, but with tracks that are longer, and even more openly expressive – all with backings from the sweet Machine Gun Co quartet, a group with some especially nice electric piano from Alan Cook! Heavy use of that instrument really works against some of the folksier elements in Cooper's music – with these blocks of warm sound and color that really illuminate the tunes, and almost unlock a new level in the vocals. Cooper plays a bit of electric guitar at times – and titles include "So Glad That I Found You", "Lady Anne", "Midnight Words", and "Song For Abigail". CD

The second album from Crow, and one of those records that should have stood shoulder to shoulder with some of the bigger albums of the time – as these guys have the same blend of blues-inspired hard rock as some of their key contemporaries, while also come cross with an individual flavor that's all their own! Lead singer Dave Wagner has a nicely odd way of delivering a lyric – almost frenetic in feel, and matched with plenty of searing lines from guitarist Dick Weigand. The organ's pretty nice at times too – and titles include a remake of "Slow Down" – plus "The Last Prayer", "Cottage Cheese", "Gone Gone Gone", "Heading North", "Death Down To Your Soul", "I Stand To Blame", "Colors", and "Smokey Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

An underground classic from Karen Dalton – a record that's almost out of time, given its early 70s release – as Karen sings with spare backings that are almost in a Folkway Records mode at points, but with all these headier currents that are also indicative of the Bay Area generation too! Dalton's voice is completely unique too – unlike anything you'll ever hear – phrasing that almost hearkens back both to vintage jazz and Appalachian folk, but a style that's more long hair – as are some of the backings too. The set was recorded upstate in Bearsville – and really has all the hallmarks of the freedoms of that scene at the time – summed up beautifully on material that includes "Something On Your Mind", "In A Station", "Take Me", "Same Old Man", Are You Leaving For The Country", "Katie Cruel", and "How Sweet It Is". LP, Vinyl record album

An underground classic from Karen Dalton – a record that's almost out of time, given its early 70s release – as Karen sings with spare backings that are almost in a Folkway Records mode at points, but with all these headier currents that are also indicative of the Bay Area generation too! Dalton's voice is completely unique too – unlike anything you'll ever hear – phrasing that almost hearkens back both to vintage jazz and Appalachian folk, but a style that's more long hair – as are some of the backings too. The set was recorded upstate in Bearsville – and really has all the hallmarks of the freedoms of that scene at the time – summed up beautifully on material that includes "Something On Your Mind", "In A Station", "Take Me", "Same Old Man", Are You Leaving For The Country", "Katie Cruel", and "How Sweet It Is". Features a huge amount of bonus material – three alternate takes from the album sessions, and six more live tracks from 1971! LP, Vinyl record album

Four classic albums from Jackie DeShannon – all in a single set! First up is Me About You – sophisticated Jackie at her best – working with great arrangements from Jack Nitzsche and Nick DeCaro – both cats from the California scene we can really trust for "cut-above" pop work like this – music that goes way past the simple sounds of DeShannon's start – into cool adult territory that really makes the album great. Jackie's vocals are surprisingly soulful in the setting – even more so than before – and the tunes include lots of gems, including versions of Van Dyke Parks' "High Coin", John Sebastian's "Didn't Want To Have To Do It", and Tim Hardin's "Baby Close Its Eyes". Also includes "I Keep Wanting You", "Me About You", and "Nicole". Next is Laurel Canyon – heady work from Jackie DeShannon's later years in 60s pop – an album with themes and styles that go way beyond her earlier recordings – as you might guess from the hip Laurel Canyon reference in the title! Jackie's working here in a mode that's much more strongly in a singer-songwriter style than before – with arrangements and backings that are a lot more organic, and less pop-tuned than ever – almost in a Laura Nyro approach on some numbers. As usual, a good portion of the tracks were written by Jackie herself – including "Holly Would", "Come & Stay With Me", "LA", "Too Close", and "Laurel Canyon" – and the album also features a few well chosen tracks by other writers too, like "Bitter Honey" by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols, "I Got My Reason" by Barry White, and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson. Put A Little Love In Your Heart is quite possibly the last great hit from singer Jackie DeShannon – an album built around the righteous spirit of the title track – filled with really wonderful original tunes penned by Jackie and soul singer Jimmy Holiday! The album may well be the best to explore the space between pop and soul that often characterized Jackie's work – and the overall sound is somewhat similar to some of Dusty Springfield's best pop/soul work from the same stretch. 10 of the album's 12 tracks are originals by Holiday and DeShannon – all set to soaring orchestrations by James Langeford, which often have a pronounced influence from the sound of Atlantic Records in the late 60s! Titles include "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "You Are The Real Thing", "River Of Love", "Movin", "You Can Come To Me", "You Have A Way With Me", and "I Let Go Completely". To Be Free is an interesting little record – with kind of a crossover California soul feel overall – recorded with Rene Hall arrangements that echo a few rootsy modes at times, mixed in with fuller orchestrations that step a bit back towards Jackie's earlier years on Imperial – a surprisingly nice blend, with a fresh sound for the 70s. The album features a number of great tracks co-written with Jimmy Holiday – a fellow Imperial talent – and titles include "Mediterranean Sky", "Sooner Or Later", "What Was Your Day Like", "Livin On The Easy Side", "Brighton Hill", and "When Morning Comes Again". CD

Quite possibly the last great hit from singer Jackie DeShannon – an album built around the righteous spirit of the title track – filled with really wonderful original tunes penned by Jackie and soul singer Jimmy Holiday! The album may well be the best to explore the space between pop and soul that often characterized Jackie's work – and the overall sound is somewhat similar to some of Dusty Springfield's best pop/soul work from the same stretch. 10 of the album's 12 tracks are originals by Holiday and DeShannon – all set to soaring orchestrations by James Langeford, which often have a pronounced influence from the sound of Atlantic Records in the late 60s! Titles include "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "You Are The Real Thing", "River Of Love", "Movin", "You Can Come To Me", "You Have A Way With Me", and "I Let Go Completely". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking collaboration between Brian Eno & David Byrne – recorded with a spare, stripped down love of electronics and found sound samples – in a mode that would have a huge influence on countless records to come! Part of the set resonates with the quirky grooves found in Byrne's early Talking Heads records – but the overall sound is much more stark than that work, and is characterized by key found vocals and odd ethnic bits that really set the tone for each new tune. Eno's influence is felt strongly in the simplicity of the tracks, and in the darkly resonant production modes – that classic Eno touch used here before it became a bit too trademark, in a way that could still make a record like this sound great, even when coming from major label sources! A key force in shaping countless genres to come in the next 25 years – with great tracks that include "America Is Waiting", 'Regiment", "The Jezebel Spirit", "Qu'ran", "Moonlight In Glory", "A Secret Life", "Come With Us", and "Mountain Of Needles". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic chapter in the career of the legendary Bill Fay – material that might have formed a lost third album, had any record company chosen to respond at the time – and which, presented here, really serves to illuminate a lost chapter in Bill's musical lineage! The set has Fay working with a small group of younger musicians who were originally fans who were disappointed that Decca never released another album after Bill's first two – so they got in touch, and set about helping Fay find a new vision in his music with their help! The sound is often stark and lean, with more of an edge than Fay's first two records – still graced with those enigmatic vocals and really haunting songwriting, but with moodier elements that really give the music some bite. The original batch of recordings has been expanded out here by a number of other rare recordings from the same time – really unique bits of varying length – and if you love Fay's music, you'll find plenty to love within! CD

A really fantastic chapter in the career of the legendary Bill Fay – material that might have formed a lost third album, had any record company chosen to respond at the time – and which, presented here, really serves to illuminate a lost chapter in Bill's musical lineage! The set has Fay working with a small group of younger musicians who were originally fans who were disappointed that Decca never released another album after Bill's first two – so they got in touch, and set about helping Fay find a new vision in his music with their help! The sound is often stark and lean, with more of an edge than Fay's first two records – still graced with those enigmatic vocals and really haunting songwriting, but with moodier elements that really give the music some bite. The original batch of recordings has been expanded out here by a number of other rare recordings from the same time – really unique bits of varying length – and if you love Fay's music, you'll find plenty to love within! LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary Charlie Feathers is best known as one of the rawest rockers on the Memphis scene of the 50s – but during the decade, he cut some of his best work for King Records in Cincinnati – a label who captured the dynamic energy of Charlie with the same skill they brought to their R&B work at the time! These sides are completely smoking – arguably some of the best recordings that Feathers cut during this initial burst of activity – work that we'd stand side by side next to some of the best that Sun Records has to offer – and by that, we'd even include some of the famous giants on that label! Both Charlie's guitar work and vocals are wonderfully distinct – and titles include "When You Decide", "Too Much Alike", "One Hand Loose", "Bottle To The Baby", "Everybody's Loving My Baby", "Can't Hardly Stand It", "Nobody's Woman", and "When You Come Around". CD

Oh, the feeling here is more than good – as the album's a stunner from the legendary Jose Feliciano, the kind of set that never fails to make us smile when we hear it! Jose's really evolved here from his earliest days – going even farther past the genius of his late 60s work for RCA, and picking up a host of more righteous soul influences in the process – really coming up with a great sound for the 70s! The record is filled with surprising gems – the kind of cuts that will make you go "damn!", and have you digging for other Feliciano records from the same time. Highlights include an excellent remake of Stevie Wonder's "Golden Lady", with loads of jazzy changes – plus the originals "Virgo", "Hard Times In El Barrio", and his classic theme to "Chico and the Man" – a cut that sounds especially great on this album, in ways we never appreciated when watching the show. Other numbers include "Essence Of Love", "Stay With Me", "You're No Good", and "I've Got To Convince Myself". LP, Vinyl record album