A pivotal album for Black Sabbath – a set that further expanded the instrumental palette of their previous work, but all without losing an edge at all – for a record that forever helped cement their role in both the classic and hard rock canons of the 70s! Ozzy is great throughout, and both he and Tony Iommi bring in a bit of keyboard work, but in just the right way – almost adding a more sinister edge to the guitars – echoed by some especially nice acoustic piano at times, particularly on the instrumental cut "Fluff". Titles include the seminal title track "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" – plus "A National Acrobat", "Sabbra Cadabra", "Spiral Architect", "Looking For Today", and "Killing Yourself To Live". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A groovy bit of instrumental pop – based on classical themes, but handled in a nice bubble gum style by Kastenetz & Katz! LP, Vinyl record album

Singer/songwriter Mylon is joined here by a larger group than usual – with some nice keyboards, pedal steal, and female backing vocals! Titles include "Mountain Home", "Railroad Angels", "Angel Band", "Pool Shooter", and "Wondering". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

(Cassettes, Rock) Cassette

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great German set from the 60s – nice and raw, almost garagey, but also really trying for a Brit vibe as well! Titles include "Misconception", "Nobody Cares About Me", "I'm On The Outside Looking In", "Days", "Oxford Street 43", and "I'm Ready For The Show". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Killer live work from this legendary German group – two side-long jams, with a good blend of guitar, bass, and drums with all sorts of offbeat percussion and effects! And heck, they even sneak in a bit of Pharoah Sanders on the long track "First Jam". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that hugely expands the legacy of British 80s singer Tracie Young – a great artist, but one who only got a single record issued back in the day! First up is that set, Far From The Hurting Kind – a fantastic bit of soulful UK pop from the 80s that was originally issued on Paul Weller's Respond label, and done with plenty of the touches that Weller was bringing to his own Style Council music at the time! Tracie's got a voice that's right at home in some of the British period styles, but which sounds even better with some of the mod soul inflections that Weller's production brings to the record – definitely 80s in instrumentation and execution, but with a richness that really seems to open up the vocals of singer Tracie Young. Titles include "The House That Jack Built", "When You Sleep", "Moving Together", "Thank You", "I Can't Hold On Till Summer", "Souls On Fire", and "Spring Summer Autumn". Next is the album No Smoke Without Fire – a second set that was not issued at the time, and which has maybe some deeper soulful currents in the music – a bit like the work that Corinne Drewery would do with Swing Out Sister. Titles include "Italian Girl", "I Think You're Lucky", "When You Call Me", "No Smoke Without Fire", "Invitation", and "Fingers Crossed". Both albums are presented here with bonus tracks – and the package features lots more too – CD3 adds in 17 more Rarities, with remixes and singles; CD4 features live material and later radio mixes; DVD adds in some rare promo videos and TV appearances too! The whole package is huge – 84 titles in all. CD

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by Peter Frampton, Alice Cooper, The Steve Miller Band, War, Dr John, ZZ Top, Foghat, and others. (Soundtracks, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary bit of noise from the United Dairies label of Stephen Stapleton – a set that combines his own experimental sounds with some contributions from the avant French scene as well – all at a level that shows how that sometimes-overlooked 70s generation ended up having a bit impact on 80s pioneers like Stapleton! Much of the music here is without easy description – not the rawer industrial of some of Stapleton's Nurse With Wound projects, or free jazz, or analog electronics – but a hybrid of so many earlier experiments served up in very personal representations of musical frontiers! The set features four long tracks – "Anatomy Of Aphrodite" by Sema, "Frissons Dans La Cochlee" by Helene Sage, "Tunnel Sous La Manche/Under The Channel" by Un Drame Musical Instante, and "The Strange Play Of The Mouth" by Nurse With Wound. LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a bit confusing, but that's the way we like it – as the package brings together all sorts of weird and wonderful tunes – work that maybe even pushes past the boundaries of the other wild work we've loved on previous volumes in this series! The set list is huge – 50 tracks in all – and the package runs the gamut of unusual rare singles, with certainly some that might reference the odd jumble of words in the title – but others that all take off in the wonderful melange of modes. We'd not heard most of the work here before – and once again our hat's off to Lux & Ivy for hipping us to so many underground gems – in a huge set list that includes "Rat A Ma Cue" by Pat Patterson, "You're Gone I'm Left" by Tyrone Schmidling, "Red Tiger Shoes" by The Century Five, "Busy Line" by Billy Williams, "Chilli Dippin Baby" by Joyce Poynter, "Big Bowl Of Soul" by The Huntsmen, "I've Been Wrong" by Sweetie Jones, "Hot Shot" by Ronnie Pearson, "Lover Boy" by Chris Christian & The Chordaires, "Ford & Shaker" by James Gallagher, "Leather Jacket Cowboy" by Pepper Pots, "Oh Death" by John Reedy & His Stone Mountain Trio, and "Bongosera" by Grupo Afro Cubano. CD

The first-ever full presentation of the live material that appeared in the film Monterey Pop – with the complete sets from both days of the group's appearance at the concert! The young Janis Joplin is at the top of her game – and titles include "Harry", "Combination Of The Two", "Ball & Chain", "Road Block", and "Down On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. (Cassettes, Rock) Cassette

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. LP, Vinyl record album

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. CD

One of the greatest albums of material by William S Burroughs – and one of the few to really show his groundbreaking tape techniques! The album compiles a wealth of archival recordings – including obscure performances and experiments from the 60s, as well as Burroughs' own readings on his techniques and theories. The strongest value of the set is that it really gets past the "dottering old man rambling about the world" style of so many other Burroughs records – and gets at his truly revolutionary ideas about sound and language. An essential addition to any collection of sound art – with tracks that include "The Origin & Theory Of Tape Cut Ups", "Recalling All Active Agents", "Working With The Popular Forces", "Silver Smoke Of Dreams", "Junky Relations", "Interview With Mr Martin", "Joujouka", and "Sound Piece". (Spoken Word, Rock) CD

One of the greatest albums of material by William S Burroughs – and one of the few to really show his groundbreaking tape techniques! The album compiles a wealth of archival recordings – including obscure performances and experiments from the 60s, as well as Burroughs' own readings on his techniques and theories. The strongest value of the set is that it really gets past the "dottering old man rambling about the world" style of so many other Burroughs records – and gets at his truly revolutionary ideas about sound and language. An essential addition to any collection of sound art – with tracks that include "The Origin & Theory Of Tape Cut Ups", "Recalling All Active Agents", "Working With The Popular Forces", "Silver Smoke Of Dreams", "Junky Relations", "Interview With Mr Martin", "Joujouka", and "Sound Piece". (Spoken Word, Rock) 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". 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

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

One of the crowning classics from the early years of Deep Purple – and a set that will forever be remembered for giving the world the classic rock anthem "Smoke On The Water"! Yet the record as a whole is even better – and is filled with some long-burning, hard-wailing tracks that easily put Deep Purple in the company of the heaviest groups of their generation – thanks to some killer contributions from Ritchie Blackmore's guitar! The whole thing packs a hell of a punch when taken in a full dose – from the start of "Highway Star", to the last notes of "Space Truckin" – and all the great in-between sounds from "Pictures Of Home", "Maybe I'm A Leo", "Never Before", "Lazy", and "Smoke On The Water". CD

One of the crowning classics from the early years of Deep Purple – and a set that will forever be remembered for giving the world the classic rock anthem "Smoke On The Water"! Yet the record as a whole is even better – and is filled with some long-burning, hard-wailing tracks that easily put Deep Purple in the company of the heaviest groups of their generation – thanks to some killer contributions from Ritchie Blackmore's guitar! The whole thing packs a hell of a punch when taken in a full dose – from the start of "Highway Star", to the last notes of "Space Truckin" – and all the great in-between sounds from "Pictures Of Home", "Maybe I'm A Leo", "Never Before", "Lazy", and "Smoke On The Water". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the crowning classics from the early years of Deep Purple – and a set that will forever be remembered for giving the world the classic rock anthem "Smoke On The Water"! Yet the record as a whole is even better – and is filled with some long-burning, hard-wailing tracks that easily put Deep Purple in the company of the heaviest groups of their generation – thanks to some killer contributions from Ritchie Blackmore's guitar! The whole thing packs a hell of a punch when taken in a full dose – from the start of "Highway Star", to the last notes of "Space Truckin" – and all the great in-between sounds from "Pictures Of Home", "Maybe I'm A Leo", "Never Before", "Lazy", and "Smoke On The Water". CD

Their double-live classic from the 70s – with "Smoke On The Water", "The Mule", "Child In Time", "Strange Kind Of Woman", "Lazy", and the jamming "Space Truckin". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool set of work – a box set that brings together six different pic sleeve singles from Roxy Music legend Bryan Ferry – most of which were not issued in the US! The images alone are great – shots of Ferry in his youth, including a few images with a surprisingly slick moustache – and most of the work here dovetails nicely with the classic Roxy Music material, with some of the same musicians on hand, but given a slightly different spin in Ferry's company. Titles include the original tracks "Sea Breezes", "Remake/Remodel", "2HB", "Another Time Another Place", and "Chance Meeting" – plus versions of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Hard Rain's Gonna Fall", "You Go To My Head", "The In Crowd", and "Let's Stick Together". Also features the very cool Extended Play EP – with versions of "It's Only Love", "Heart On My Sleeve", "Shame Shame Shame", and "The Price Of Love". 7-inch, Vinyl record

A long-forgotten effort from the Burritos – recorded two years after the death of Gram Parsons, and a great set overall! The set features vocals from Joel Scott Hill, Gib Gilbeau, and Gene Parsons – and titles include "Easy To Get On", "Wind And Rain", "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke","You Left The Water Running", "Hot Burrito #3", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Back in the 60s, the Grass Roots already had this tight, compressed energy that was totally great – a quality that also makes their 70s work like this so wonderful too! There's a focus here that's totally great – horns informed by earlier soul music styles, and vocals that borrow a bit too – upbeat and bubbling, but with maybe a nicely mature vibe too – still hook-heavy, but slightly different than the earlier hits – on titles that include "Just A Little Tear", "Pick Up Your Feet", "Where There's Smoke There's Fire", "Ballad Of Billy Joe", "We Almost Made It Together", "Ain't No Way To Go Home", and "Claudia". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of albums from The Grass Roots – plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Leaving It All Behind – a really great shift for the Grass Roots – a set that has the group sounding more confident before, and maybe a bit more soulful too – really coming at things with this nice sense of punch both in the lead vocals, and the way the overall groove drives the set! The arrangements are superb – handled by Sid Feller and Jimmie Haskell – and we can especially hear the talents of the latter, in the way that Jimmie can take simple elements and make them sound groovy – but all in a very unassuming way. Titles include "Out Of This World", "I'm Lovin For You Girl", "Wait A Million Years", "Take Him While You Can", "Walking Through The Country", and "Truck Drivin Man". Move Along is a record with a big, bold sound – lots of soulful arrangements from Jimmie Haskell, full of horns and driven by great basslines – all of which really pushes the dynamic energy of the group! The Grass Roots look a bit more mature on the cover, and that comes through in their vocals too – some raspier charms that really reflect the passage of years, and enforce a bit more feeling in the lyrics – giving a heft to the album that's an unexpected surprise, especially if you only know their earlier hits. Titles include "Move Along", "Two Divided By Love", "Monday Love", "One Word", "Runnin Just To Get Her Home Again", and "Anyway The Wind Blows". Alotta Mileage is a 70s standout from The Grass Roots! Back in the 60s, the Grass Roots already had this tight, compressed energy that was totally great – a quality that also makes their 70s work like this so wonderful too! There's a focus here that's totally great – horns informed by earlier soul music styles, and vocals that borrow a bit too – upbeat and bubbling, but with maybe a nicely mature vibe too – still hook-heavy, but slightly different than the earlier hits – on titles that include "Just A Little Tear", "Pick Up Your Feet", "Where There's Smoke There's Fire", "Ballad Of Billy Joe", "We Almost Made It Together", "Ain't No Way To Go Home", and "Claudia". 2CD set features 14 more bonus tracks – including "Temptation Eyes", "Sooner Or Later", "Bella Linda (single version)", "Get It Together", "Baby Hold On", "I'd Wait A Million Years (single version)", "We Can't Dance To Your Music", and "I Can Turn Off The Rain". CD

Titles include "Heartbroken Booper", "Smoke Big Factory", "Hi Rockers", "Herbert's A Loser", and "Back To The City". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s masterpiece of heavy space rock from Hawkwind – one of their best albums ever! The sci fi errata that was always such crucial element to Hawkwind's ouvre is of course, still here in force, but the heavier, more insistent and lumbering groove really serves them well – spacey, hard rocking fun from legendary group that sounds as great here as they ever would on a studio album! Includes "The Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear In Smoke)", "D-Rider", "Web Weaver", "Goat Willow", "Paradox", "Lost Johnny" and more. With 4 bonus tracks. CD

Includes "When Smokey Sings", "The Night You Murdered Love", and "Ark Angel". LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

Not a true history of the Grateful Dead, but instead an important early album of well-selected live tracks – presented in a way that hints at the huge run of archival material that would see the light of day in the 21st Century! The release came out in the early 70s, but features tracks recorded at the Fillmore in 1970 – split into both an electric and an acoustic set, and hand-picked by the group's famous soundman, Owsley Bear Stanley – in part as a tribute to then group member, Pigpen, who sings lead on a number of tracks! Titles include "Black Peter", "Wake Up Little Susie", "Katie Mae", "Dark Hollow", "Hard To Handle", and "Smokestack Lightnin". LP, Vinyl record album

What? A brand new album from Jimi Hendrix? Didn't he, uh, check out a few decades ago? Well, turns out that the Experience folks have found some amazing work on the vaults – really incredible tracks that are way more than just a rehash of previous releases, aren't demo recordings at all – and are instead some wonderful work that really comes together well as a long-overdue full album! The set's a stunning smoker through and through – filled with the kind of deft guitar work that made Jimi a legend right from the start – and stuffed into tunes that pack as much of a punch as any of the famous Hendrix singles that have kept spinning for so many years. All tracks are studio recordings, all previously unreleased – and titles include new songs like "Somewhere" and "Hear My Train A Comin", plus studio takes of "Inside Out" and "Bleeding Heart" – and lots more great tracks that include "Earth Blues", "Let Me Love You", "Izabella", "Crash Landing", "Easy Blues", and "Mojo Man". CD

A very cool live performance by this legendary freaky group – not done in concert, but for WLIR radio in New York – at a time when the Rounders were really perfecting their mix of hippie ideas and surprisingly great musicianship! Some of the tunes here are nice and jamming, and build up in a way that reminds us that these guys could rock a bit more than we sometimes give them credit for – while others are more in that Fugs-like territory that maybe made them the key inheritors of that legacy for a number of years – as was singer Peter Stampfel when he went off on his own. Titles include "Pink Underwear", "Boobs A Lot/Willie & The Hand Jive", "Bird Song", "Give Me Your Money", "Catch Me", and "Smokey Joe's Cafe". CD

A sublime pop psych classic from Tommy James & The Shondells – a record that's quite different than some of the janglier work the group was issuing a few years before – and a perfect example of the way that just a few slight studio tricks can really transform a record! The tunes are all short and focused, but produced with lots of cool reverb, echo, and fuzzy touches on the sides – never overindulgent, and still plenty tuneful – but with so many weird little edges that they come through with a sound that's still pretty darn fresh after all these years – even if you think you know these guys from their hits. Titles include "Kathleen McArthur", "Do Something To Me", "I Am A Tangerine", "Smokey Roads", and "Breakaway" – plus the classic hits "Sugar On Sunday", "Crystal Blue Persuasion", and "Crimson & Clover". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's partly an album by massive funk trio Khruangbin, and partly a tribute to some of the musicians they worked with on a recent tour – as side one has the other performers in the lead, while Khruangbin gets plenty of instrumental space on the flipside! The group themselves turn in a great James Brown tribute in the mix of "Blind Man Can See It/It's The Monaurail" – and also serve up "Bin Bin", "Friday Moring", "People Everywhere", and "Number 4". Other titles include "Nobody Smokes Anymore" by Robert Ellis, "Woman Trouble" by Kelly Doyle, "At The Trailride" by Ruben Moreno, and "Don't Bother Me" by The Suffers. (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A garage pop monster from The Knickerbockers – a set that smokes from the start with their super-huge hit "Lies" – then grooves into a rowdy batch of groovers that almost have the feel of the early fab four at their best! Like The Beatles, the group definitely has a way of harmonizing along with their tunes – bringing in a sweetly melodic quality, even when rough around the edges – which makes for a great mix of sounds we can really endorse. Titles include "Lies", "Just One Girl", "Can't You See I'm Trying", "Wishful Thinking", "You'll Never Walk Alone", and "I Can Do It Better" – This version features 4 bonus tracks including a short interview with Beau & John Charles! CD

Worth it for the National Black Theater material – which takes up a quarter of the 2LP set! (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A swirling, mangy psychedelia drenched pounder from the Paisleys – who kind of took an acid-steeped Syd Barrett approach to the garage formula, making for one of the densest, bluntest, heaviest lumbering mastodon's of the era! Seven tracks from the original LP: "Cosmic Mind At Play", "Rockin'", "Now", "Smokey Windows", "Diddley", "Wind", and "Musical Journey". There's seven bonus tracks, too, including "Something's Missing", "The Fool With The Jewel", "Elf In A Magic Bottle", "In Dreams" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Question Mark & The Mysterians – even more obscure than the first, and harder and heavier too! There's an energy and brashness here that's undeniable – like the group have really gotten their isht together – and found a way to push past the simple melodic groove of their debut! All the best elements from that set are still in place – the cool organ, Question Mark's almost-conversational vocals – and the garagey production that makes the guitars sound great. But there's also a focus that comes through strongly – like the combo were really finding the right way to interact – no doubt after a string of club performances on the strength of their singles! Titles include a long take on "Shout", plus "Do You Feel It", "Smokes", "Hangin On A String", "Got To", "I'll Be Back", and "Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone smoker from Rare Earth – recorded a a time when they were able to easily handle a groove made up of equal parts funk, rock, and soul! The vibe here is almost like War at times – not for the LA touches in the mix, but for the heady and heavy way these guys roll forward – pulling together all the best elements of the underground at the time, and bringing them into their own smoky groove. Instrumentation is wonderful – and some of the cuts have a really great jamming sort of feel – especially the 11 minute reading of "(I Know) I'm Losing You" – originally done by the Temptations, and produced by Norman Whitfield for the album! Other titles include "Long Time Leavin", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Nice Place To Visit", "No 1 Man", and a sweet version of "Eleanor Rigby". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone smoker from Rare Earth – recorded at a time when they were able to easily handle a groove made up of equal parts funk, rock, and soul! The vibe here is almost like War at times – not for the LA touches in the mix, but for the heady and heavy way these guys roll forward – pulling together all the best elements of the underground at the time, and bringing them into their own smoky groove. Instrumentation is wonderful – and some of the cuts have a really great jamming sort of feel – especially the 11 minute reading of "(I Know) I'm Losing You" – originally done by the Temptations, and produced by Norman Whitfield for the album! Other titles include "Long Time Leavin", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Nice Place To Visit", "No 1 Man", and a sweet version of "Eleanor Rigby". Also included are nine bonus tracks – "When Joanie Smiles", "One World", "The Feeling", "Here Comes The Night" – plus alternate versions of "Eleanor Rigby", "Nice Place To Visit", and "Satisfaction Guaranteed"! CD

Features Ronnie Darling on vocals, and Ric Eiserling on guitar – on titles that include "I Idolize You", "Well Tuesday", "Who's Been Talking", "Light In My Window", "Three Hundred Pounds Of Heavenly Joy", and "Long Stemmed Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing slow about this mid 70s album from Steppenwolf – a set that has the group really coming back into the fray, after John Kay had left for a bit and recorded as a solo act! All the raw power of the group is still very much at play here – plenty of searing guitars, at that level that made Steppenwolf such a key precursor to the hard rock sound of the 70s – maybe answered to by the group themselves here, who felt a need to reform and show the younger acts how things were done! But there's also some fuller production at times too – touches of soul inspiration that hit a few of the songs, but without ever knocking the guitars out too much – on titles that include "Get Into The Wind", "Children Of The Night", "Smokey Factory Blues", "Morning Blue", "A Fool's Fantasy", and "Gang War Blues". CD

There's nothing slow about this mid 70s album from Steppenwolf – a set that has the group really coming back into the fray, after John Kay had left for a bit and recorded as a solo act! All the raw power of the group is still very much at play here – plenty of searing guitars, at that level that made Steppenwolf such a key precursor to the hard rock sound of the 70s – maybe answered to by the group themselves here, who felt a need to reform and show the younger acts how things were done! But there's also some fuller production at times too – touches of soul inspiration that hit a few of the songs, but without ever knocking the guitars out too much – on titles that include "Get Into The Wind", "Children Of The Night", "Smokey Factory Blues", "Morning Blue", "A Fool's Fantasy", and "Gang War Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album