A great album by Curtis Mayfield – filled with some excellent lesser-known gems! There's No Place Like America was Curtis' scathing testament to the State Of The Union – and it's got a hip political tone that's right up there with the best of his early 70s songwriting – perhaps even more so, as the message is a bit subtler than on other albums, and laid out in this stoner mellow funk vein that's very tasty throughout, and which makes for an extremely unified album! The album includes a version of the cut "Hard Times", which was done earlier by Baby Huey, plus "Blue Monday People", "Love To The People", and "When Seasons Change". Also includes the great sweet love song, "So In Love"! LP, Vinyl record album

Classic breaks – all the way through – the kind of sharp funky nuggets that have had a rich new life, thanks to their use in hip hop and club tracks in recent years! This may not be the most underground stuff in the world to those out there who've been digging through crates for funk and soul for the past ten years, but it is an exquisite compilation that features some of the best funky tracks used as samples by hip hoppers, nearly every one of them a famous cut that you'll probably recognize in a minute! Titles include "I Like It" by The Emotions, "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly, "Cramp Your Style" by All The People, "Hard Times" by Baby Huey, "Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth" by 24 Carat Black, "Kool Is Back" by Funk Inc, "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines, "Heaven & Hell" by 20th Century Steel Band, "Unhooked Generation" by Freda Payne, "Papa Was, Too" by Joe Tex, "Just A Groove In G" by Wilbur Bascomb & The Zodiac, "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William De Vaughn, and "You're Getting A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds. 18 cuts in all! (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The title here is the name under which Dr John was later known during his Atlantic Records years – but the tracks here were recorded immediately before – nicely gritty work done for the Crazy Cajun label – way up in the Louisiana swampland, which must have provided plenty of inspiration for the sounds within! All the later charms of the Doctor are here – but the tunes are maybe a bit shorter, with an excellent vibe that's never overdone – yet which still has that blend of trippiness and voodoo soul that nobody else can do this well. Huey P Meaux produced, and titles include "Go Ahead On", "Don't Want No Monkey In My Business", "Loser For You Baby", "The Ear Is On Strike", "I Pulled The Cover Off You Two Lovers", "Chicky Wow Wow", and "I Got Lonesomeitis". LP, Vinyl record album