A great little live set from Curtis Mayfield – recorded in Europe in 1987, but with a sound that's pretty darn great – much more lean than a studio session, and with a spontaneous vibe that really does great things with the material! The music is played by a small jazzy combo that includes Master Henry Gibson on congas – and while the use of more modern keyboards make the set sound different than Curtis' classic Live album, the overall quality of the work is higher than you'd expect from the date. Titles include "We Gotta Have Peace", "Move On Up", "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", "Ice 9", "Back To The World", and "When Seasons Change". 13 cuts in all! CD

A great little live set from Curtis – recorded in Europe in 1987, but with a sound that's pretty darn great! The music is played by a small jazzy combo that includes Master Henry Gibson on congas – and while the use of more modern keyboards make the set sound different than Curtis' classic Live album, the overall quality of the work is higher than you'd expect from the date. Titles include "We Gotta Have Peace", "Move On Up", "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", "Ice 9", "Back To The World", and "When Seasons Change". 13 cuts in all. CD

A great little live set – recorded overseas, but with a really classic 60s southern soul sound overall! Stax always did a pretty good job of shopping its big artists overseas – where they met with extremely enthusiastic response, as you'll hear in this classic live album recorded by Otis Redding! The basic structure of the songs is very similar in time and presentation to the studio versions – but the band is very lively, many numbers are taken at faster tempos, and Otis is working himself to death to please the screaming crowd. Titles include "Day Tripper", "Try A Little Tenderness", "Respect", "Can't Turn You Loose", "My Girl", and "Shake". CD

A great little live set – recorded overseas, but with a really classic 60s southern soul sound overall! Stax always did a pretty good job of shopping its big artists overseas – where they met with extremely enthusiastic response, as you'll hear in this classic live album recorded by Otis Redding! The basic structure of the songs is very similar in time and presentation to the studio versions – but the band is very lively, many numbers are taken at faster tempos, and Otis is working himself to death to please the screaming crowd. Titles include "Day Tripper", "Try A Little Tenderness", "Respect", "Can't Turn You Loose", "My Girl", and "Shake". LP, Vinyl record album

Features "Hard Times", "Never In My Life", "Spark", "Theme For An Imaginary Western", "Nantucket Sleighride", "Mississippi Queen" and more – 14 tracks in all! (Rock, Soul) CD

... CD

Titles include "Devil's Workshop", "Just In Time", "Life", "Gin House Blues", "When I Was A Young Girl", "Back Lash", and "See Line Woman". (Vocalists, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

(Blues, Soul) CD

A wonderful set of funky Latin grooves from Chakachas – an album that was recorded around the same time as their classic Jungle Fever record, but which is much more obscure overall! The set was originally only issued in Europe, and has a groove that's very similar to Jungle Fever – a mad messed-up blend of Latin, funk, and sleazy European grooves – delivered with a style that's part soundtrack, part US Latin – and all groovy all the way through! There's plenty of heavy percussion, funky basslines, and riffing guitar – and the record is filled with funky nuggets all the way through, with titles that include "Hot Hands", "Liza & Brook", "Mamadula", "The Walking Brass", "Turtle Soup", "Bugaloo", and "Super Cat". Reissue includes bonus tracks not on the original record – "Tengo Tengo", "Noche De Amor (voc)", and "Hot Hands (inst)". CD

A wonderful set of funky Latin grooves from Chakachas – an album that was recorded around the same time as their classic Jungle Fever record, but which is much more obscure overall! The set was originally only issued in Europe, and has a groove that's very similar to Jungle Fever – a mad messed-up blend of Latin, funk, and sleazy European grooves – delivered with a style that's part soundtrack, part US Latin – and all groovy all the way through! There's plenty of heavy percussion, funky basslines, and riffing guitar – and the record is filled with funky nuggets all the way through, with titles that include "Hot Hands", "Liza & Brook", "Mamadula", "The Walking Brass", "Turtle Soup", "Bugaloo", and "Super Cat". 2LP reissue includes bonus tracks not on the original record – "Tengo Tengo", "Noche De Amor (voc)", and "Hot Hands (inst)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest records ever from Akira Ishikawa and his Count Buffalos band – a hip little groover that stands head to head with some of the best funky jazz from the US and Europe of the time! Despite Akira's earthy look on the cover, the record's got a relatively electric feel overall – thanks to some sweet electric piano from Hiromasa Suzuki and organ from Norio Maeda – both of whom work together on most numbers, with a great sense of flow between the keyboards! The rhythms have some Latin and African percussion added on the bottom, which gives the grooves a nicely chunky feel – and some cuts have some sharp-edged tenor solos from Takeru Muraoka, who further deepens the soul of the set. The album's a really tremendous one through and through – as righteous as a lost American funky fusion set from the early 70s – and titles include "African Deer", "Sunrise", "Sandstorm", "Blue Soul", "Bakishinba", and "Mirage". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of a number of disco sessions that were recorded in Europe, then spiced up a bit more in the US – in this case at Sigma Sound, by Tom Moulton. The album's got the hokey disco sound you'd expect from an effort like that – but it does sport one winner, a disco update of Piero Umiliani's great "Mah Nah Mah Nah", always a favorite for us! Side one features the 17 minute "At The Discotheque" medley – and the album also has a medley of "Venus" and "Light My Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing rare soul from Gwen McCrae – little-known material recorded for Columbia records in the years before her later 70s fame at TK! The style here is nice and rootsy – very southern soul in its approach, even more so than Gwen's earliest work at TK – thanks, perhaps, to less of a club or pop crossover need in the production. Yet there's also a key link with the TK years, too – production by Steve Alaimo, who's really finding his way here in a great way – borrowing bits from other southern soul modes, moving them down to Miami, and helping forge a whole new chapter in southern soul for the 70s. Gwen's vocals are incredible – arguably even deeper and more hard-hitting than on some of her bigger hits – and the freshness of the material further makes the set great. Plus, since Columbia never issued a full album of this work in the US (although there was one rare record of the singles in Europe in the 70s), this package makes the first-ever full length Columbia album from Gwen – put together with stunning sound, very detailed notes, and some great vintage images. Titles include "Leave The Driving To Us", "Ain't Nothing You Can Do", "Lay It On Me", "Lead Me On", "Lovin In The Lay A Way", "I'm Losing The Feeling", and "Been So Long". CD

One of the coolest records ever issued on Galt MacDermot's legendary Kilmarnock label – a selection of songs and poems by Harlem school children, set to music by Galt, and sung by vocalist Angela Ortega! Given that Galt's handling the music, you can bet that there's plenty of nicely funky touches at the bottom – supported by rolling bass, snapping drums, and nice use of organ. But the real charm of the tunes comes from the lyrics, which have a simple and to the point way of dealing with issues of racism, poverty, drugs, and other issues of the time. There's a very groovy feel here that almost reminds us of the best of Schoolhouse Rock at times – except that the lyrics are perhaps even more pointed, and surprisingly gripping after all these years. Titles include "Black Is Beautiful", "Drugs", "Slums", "Evil Hands", "Cry Sound", and "Set Us Free". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent comeback album from the great Clyde McPhatter! The record was recorded in 1970, after Clyde had spent some time in Europe, kicking about and getting his head together. Clyde's vocals are as great as ever – and the backings are sublime, some of the best he ever received! The album's produced by the team of Norman Harris, Ronnie Baker, and Earl Young – and the trio also handled most of the arrangements, in that sweet late 60s style that was working such magic with Archie Bell & The Drells over at Atlantic. The standout cut on the album is "The Mixed Up Cup", a great soul number that begins with an excellent drumbreak that then goes into the sound of a cup being filled with water! Apart from that sound effect, though, the real strength is Clyde's voice, which is sweet, soulful, and honest on just about every track. Titles include "I'll Belong To You", "If You Only Knew", "Mr Heartache", "A Mother's Love", "Book Of Memories", "Someone To Believe In", and "Please Give Me One More Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

A sort of a lost Larry Heard record, from the late 80s, when he was briefly basking in the spotlight in England and Europe. The set here has a stripped down sound, with Fingers' warm keys over nice bubbling mid tempo rhythm tracks, most with a laid back clubby approach, but others with a very soulful or slightly hip hop sound creeping in. 10 tracks in all, including "In This Place Called Nowhere", "Endless Journey", "Brazilian Love Dance", 'When Will We Learn", "On Top Of The World (the It Theme)" and "Never Let You Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem from T Bone Walker – one of the few hip sides he cut in Europe at the end of the 60s – and very different than his more traditional work! The set was put together by Robin Hemmingway – who also handled the hip Hal Singer record from the same time – and the players here include Bernard Estardy on organ, Michel Sardaby on piano, and Manu Dibango on saxophone – all of whom make for a groove that's far more than traditional blues. Sure, the record's plenty bluesy – but it's also got a funky groove on many numbers – really cooking along in a way that's even cooler than most funky American blues. And given that Walker's guitar style was a key influence on most funky guitar players in jazz, his own work here is a really great fit for the setting! Titles include "Vacation", "Long Lost Lover", "Woman You Must Be Crazy", "I Wonder Why", "Poontang", "Reconsider", "Sail On Little Girl", and "When I Grow Up". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest records ever from Akira Ishikawa and his Count Buffalos band – a hip little groover that stands head to head with some of the best funky jazz from the US and Europe of the time! Despite Akira's earthy look on the cover, the record's got a relatively electric feel overall – thanks to some sweet electric piano from Hiromasa Suzuki and organ from Norio Maeda – both of whom work together on most numbers, with a great sense of flow between the keyboards! The rhythms have some Latin and African percussion added on the bottom, which gives the grooves a nicely chunky feel – and some cuts have some sharp-edged tenor solos from Takeru Muraoka, who further deepens the soul of the set. The album's a really tremendous one through and through – as righteous as a lost American funky fusion set from the early 70s – and titles include "African Deer", "Sunrise", "Sandstorm", "Blue Soul", "Bakishinba", and "Mirage". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A Japanese book, but one with a very deep dive into urban soul from the 70s onward – mostly American and European records that together represent a whole new wave of cool, sophisticated R&B! This isn't the deep soul of the 60s – although many of the singers still have a wonderful vocal range – and the disc guide looks at rare LP releases and titles in other formats from different spots in the western hemisphere – tracing an evolution of soul music style across hundreds of individual entries for records – each of which are listed with a full color cover image, English language details on the dates, labels, and titles – and a small review in Japanese! You can read the review using a translate feature on your phone – but even without that, the book is a great guide for digging – and is especially helpful for tracking soul records of the past few decades that you might have missed. Almost 200 pages, softcover, with hundreds of entries and images in color! (Books, Soul) Book

The genius of Terry Callier – remixed! One of the greatest things to happen to Chicago soul legend Callier in recent years was his discovery by a host of cutting edge producers and DJs on the European scene – important talents who took his work to a whole new audience, by fusing Terry's original grooves with some more ambitious rhythmic progressions, keyboard lines, and other studio touches. And while you might fear that such knob-twiddling would muddy the waters and dampen Callier's spirit, such was not the case – as work in this vein only seemed to inspire Terry further, to stretch out his wings and reach new musical horizons. The tracks on this set offer a number of recent Callier recordings, remixed by the cream of the current UK and European scene – all as proof of how great this format is when applied to Callier's work. Titles include "Monuments Of Mars (Hopper mix)", "Running Around (Fug city mix)", "Love Theme From Spartacus (4 Hero No Skins mix)", "Sierra Leone (Block 16 mix)", "Darker Than A Shadow (Mitchell & Dewbury mix)", "Love Theme (Zero 7 rmx)", "Imagine A Nation (Funky Lowlives mix)", and "Just My Imagination (Tom Findlay & Keeling Lee mix)". CD

Two rare European records from Freddy Cole – best known to most of us in the US as a jazz singer! One More Love Song is surprisingly soulful set from Freddy – quite different than some of the straighter jazz vocals he's cut over the years! This rare gem was recorded in The Netherlands in the mid 70s – and features backings from Jerry Van Rooyen and Tony Noite, both of whom mix jazzy inflections with fuller orchestrations – helping to bring Cole's rich background into a whole new light! Freddy's voice still has that wonderful trademark rasp – familiar to, yet quite different than brother Nat – and the use of some smoother soul modes makes for a really great contrast. Titles include "One More Love Song", "I Loved You", "I Need You So", "Still Wanna Be With You", "Isn't She Lovely", and "Here Is Where Your Love Belongs". Right From The Heart has Freddy Cole taking on a mix of adult ballads and some groovier numbers – set to arrangements by John Gally, Hennie Bekker, and Steve Gray – and recorded in London with a nicely mature feel. There's a bit of polish to the production, especially on the more upbeat cuts – but the mellower numbers still have Cole singing in a great old school mode. Titles include "The Girl From The Piano Bar", "To Be With You", "Teach Me Tonight", "Summer Love", "Somewhere Down The Line", and "Right From The Start". (Vocalists, Soul) CD

A legendary bit of funky fusion from the French scene of the 70s – the standout set from Cortex, a combo who's very heavy on the keyboards! The tunes have a feel that's quite different than American electric work of the time – funky, but also a bit breezy too – with a strong Brazilian influence in some of the rhythms, and hip use of female vocals alongside the Fender Rhodes – which makes for a double layer of sound that's totally great! There's a bit of alto sax in the instrumentation, but most of the sound comes from the interplay between keyboards, voice, bass, and drums – rolling along in a sound that's stunningly soulful, and which makes the record one of the hippest European dates from the decade. Tremendous all the way through – with tracks that include "Automne", "L'Enfant Samba", "La Rue", "Go Round", "Madbass", "Sabbat", "Mary Et Jeff", and "Chanson D'Un Jour D'Hiver". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring grooves from DD Sound – short for Disco Delivery Sound – a group with European origins, but remixed in America here for the US market! Side one of the album features the side-long title track "Cafe" – a very long number that builds beautifully from percussion, keyboards, and strings – all without vocals! Side two features three shorter numbers – "She's Not A Disco Lady", "Back Street Baby", and "Show Me Your Love" – the first of which has a nice vocoder bit! LP, Vinyl record album

A huge legacy of work from the Flying Lizards – two full albums, plus lots more bonus tracks too! First up is the well-circulated debut, a new wave crossover classic from The Flying Lizards – one of the quirkiest groups of their era! The group were European, but have a sound that resonates strongly with the most playful post-disco work of the New York scene of the time, particularly the acts on Ze Records – a groove that mixes equal part punky and clubby rhythms, often topped with lyrics that are cold, but clever, done in the same ironic arty style of Cristina, or Devo. This album's the group's standout opus – and features their classic covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Money" – as well as originals "The Flood", "TV", "The Window", and "Russia". Next up is The Fourth Wall, the rare second album from The Flying Lizards – a set that didn't get nearly as much exposure as their debut, and which still shows the group mixing together punk, new wave, and clubby styles in a really great way! There's maybe even more of an edge here than on the group's debut – and titles include "Lovers & Other Strangers", "An Age", "Steam Away", "Hands 2 Take", "In My Lifetime", "Cirrus", and "Lost & Found". 2CD set features 9 more bonus tracks – including "Tube", "Money B", "All Guitars", "Summertime Blues (12" mix)", "Portugal", "Wind", and "Continuity". (Rock, Soul) CD

Funky club from 70s France – a great blend of disco, jazz funk, and slightly warmer soul – all served up by keyboardist Christian Gaubert with vocals but the ultra-sweet Last Exit group! Gaubert's style is right up there with the best European club at the time – tight rhythms, soaring keyboards, and an overall sound that's much deeper than some of the competing work coming from other territories at the time – especially the colder club sounds of Germany. Most lyrics are in English, and sung in an ensemble style by the group – and Gaubert's keys include Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and acoustic piano. Titles include "It", "Man On A Wire", "Sweet & Fool Like A Child", "Sweet Maryline", "Keep On Keep On", "Running Wave", and "Going Ups & Coming Downs". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever by Labelle – known especially for the massive funky title cut, which has been an in-demand groover for years! "Moonshadow" begins with a nice funky piano intro, then rolls into a 10 minute groove that's really tasty – filled with lots of jazzy riffing, tasty conga, and a weird monologue by Patti that runs through different parts of the body and why you should appreciate them! The cut was lost on American audiences of the 70s, but became a huge one in the European jazz dance scene of the late 80s, probably because most of them couldn't understand how silly Patti's vocals were! The cut's nice and funky, though – and there's some other nice ones on the record, too, including "Sunday News", "Touch Me All Over", and "Peace With Yourself". Much more interesting than most of their stuff, with a hip mixture of jazz, soul, and hard grooving! CD

One of the greatest albums ever by Labelle – known especially for the massive funky title cut, which has been an in-demand groover for years! "Moonshadow" begins with a nice funky piano intro, then rolls into a 10 minute groove that's really tasty – filled with lots of jazzy riffing, tasty conga, and a weird monologue by Patti that runs through different parts of the body and why you should appreciate them! The cut was lost on American audiences of the 70s, but became a huge one in the European jazz dance scene of the late 80s, probably because most of them couldn't understand how silly Patti's vocals were! The cut's nice and funky, though – and there's some other nice ones on the record, too, including "Sunday News", "Touch Me All Over", and "Peace With Yourself". Much more interesting than most of their stuff, with a hip mixture of jazz, soul, and hard grooving! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little album from the years when girl power wasn't just a punk rock thing – part of that undercurrent of "modern woman" pop from the late 70s – as evidenced by the album's title, and it's cover image of Leonore O'Malley ripping open her suit like Clark Kent! Yet as with the image, there's no superhero costume underneath, just pure raw woman – a sentiment that's echoed in the title track too – as the album comes across with a vibe that's more disco than anything else, especially the European variant of the style! Leonore's a surprisingly strong singer – not really soul, but soulful in all the right ways – and she fits in with the grooves in a way that puts all the right sunny touches up top – on titles that include "First Be A Woman", "One Night Lover Man", "Boogie Dancer", "L'Amour Toujours L'Amour", "Put A Rainbow In Your Heart", and "Victim Of The Past". CD

A sweet disco set from the late 70s – the only one we've ever seen by the Partners, who we're guessing were some sort of European studio combo! The sound is mighty nice – exactly what you'd guess from the title – the best sort of funky Euro disco style of the time, with some sweet harmony vocals that almost have a Bee Gees vibe – yet never nearly as poppy as their disco tunes! There's a warmth here that marks the Paris in contrast to other European club sounds of the time – and attention to lyrics that goes way past the usual "let's throw a singer at some grooves" – especially on the album's mellower cuts. Titles include "Partners", "Friday", "Dance", "Green Eyes", and "Love Meant To Be". CD

The first ever career-spanning look at the music of legendary vocalist Asha Puthli – a singer who's maybe best known for her 70s club work on the European scene, but who also has a much wider range of expression – which you'll discover here! There's definitely some of the soul-based work that's made Asha a favorite with the rare groove scene over the years – but the set also includes early work with rock bands, and even a few experimental jazz numbers that predate her recordings for the discos! The double-length set is a delight throughout – a package that's really opened our eyes to sides of Asha's music we never knew – and titles include performances with Ornette Coleman on "What Reason Could I Give" and "All My Life", work with Charlie Mariano on "Mirror", vocals with The Surfers on "Sound Of Silence" and "Sunny", and with The Savages on "Pain" – plus solo tracks that include "Lies", "Right Down Here", "We're Gonna Bury The Rock", "Mister Moonlight", "1001 Nights Of Love (reprise)", "Music Machine", "Peek A Boo Boogie", "Devil Is Loose", "Space Talk", "I'm Gonna Dance", and "One Night Affair". CD

The first ever career-spanning look at the music of legendary vocalist Asha Puthli – a singer who's maybe best known for her 70s club work on the European scene, but who also has a much wider range of expression – which you'll discover here! There's definitely some of the soul-based work that's made Asha a favorite with the rare groove scene over the years – but the set also includes early work with rock bands, and even a few experimental jazz numbers that predate her recordings for the discos! The double-length set is a delight throughout – a package that's really opened our eyes to sides of Asha's music we never knew – and titles include performances with Ornette Coleman on "What Reason Could I Give" and "All My Life", work with Charlie Mariano on "Mirror", vocals with The Surfers on "Sound Of Silence" and "Sunny", and with The Savages on "Pain" – plus solo tracks that include "Lies", "Right Down Here", "We're Gonna Bury The Rock", "Mister Moonlight", "1001 Nights Of Love (reprise)", "Music Machine", "Peek A Boo Boogie", "Devil Is Loose", "Space Talk", "I'm Gonna Dance", and "One Night Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

The only album ever issued in the US by European soul singer Asha Puthli – an artist who was doing some great spacey funk in the mid 70s, then made a strong shift into tighter grooves in the disco years! This album's a great blend of Asha's earlier vocal style and some of the newer clubby sounds from Euro clubs – kind of a mix of porno sleaze and Munich soul – and the arrangements have enough of a funky kick in them to keep things interesting – and a vibe that really warrants the record coming out on TK over here in the US! Titles include "Mr Moonlight", "Music Machine", "There Is A Party Tonight", "Legend Of Thais", and "I'll See You Around". CD

Not the Golden Girls of senior TV fame – but a trio of lovely ladies operating under the Silver Convention banner – really soaring here alongside warm disco arrangements from maestro Silvester Levay! There's maybe a bit more warmth here than some of the previous Silver Convention records – more New York vibe in the mix, which is a good thing – as Levay gets away from some of the stiffer European modes, and finds just the right setting for the trio of Penny McLean, Ramona Wolf, and Rhonda Heath. Backings include keyboards from Levay, guitar from Sigi Schawb, and "The Fantastic Strings Of Fritz Sonnleitner" – and titles include "Save Me 77", "Wolfchild", "Telegram", "Summer Nights", "Voodoo Woman", "Ain't It Like A Hollowood Movie", and "Hotshot". CD

A huge breakout moment for disco in the 70s – the first album from Silver Convention, a very early example of the European power on the club scene! The group's the brainchild of arranger Sylvester Levay and producer Michael Kunze – who come up with some great German disco rhythms for the record, mixed with soaring female trio vocals, by a group that includes two German gals and American soul singer Roberta Kelly! The vocal approach is similar to that 70s Philly group mode – popularized by First Choice, Three Degrees, and others – and pumped it up with the Munich sound of throbbing bass and heavy beats, which was arguably one of the first steps towards house music in the 80s. Titles include the huge hit "Fly Robin Fly", plus "Save Me", "I Like It", "Chains Of Love", "Tiger Baby", "Always Another Girl", and "Heart Of Stone". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge breakout moment for disco in the 70s – the first album from Silver Convention, a very early example of the European power on the club scene! The group's the brainchild of arranger Sylvester Levay and producer Michael Kunze – who come up with some great German disco rhythms for the record, mixed with soaring female trio vocals, by a group that includes two German gals and American soul singer Roberta Kelly! The vocal approach is similar to that 70s Philly group mode – popularized by First Choice, Three Degrees, and others – and pumped it up with the Munich sound of throbbing bass and heavy beats, which was arguably one of the first steps towards house music in the 80s. Titles include the huge hit "Fly Robin Fly", plus "Save Me", "I Like It", "Chains Of Love", "Tiger Baby", "Always Another Girl", and "Heart Of Stone". CD features bonus tracks – "Fly Robin Fly (12" disco version)", "Save Me Again", "Always Another Girl (US promo 12", "I Like It (special disco edit)", and "Tiger Baby (12" disco version)". CD

A smash hit from Silver Convention – thanks to the dark pop disco hit "Get Up & Boogie", the leadoff tune on this surprisingly strong set! The strength of the album really comes from the masterful blend of strings, beats, and piano from arranger/producer/keyboardist Silvester Levay – who manages to keep a lot of space in the grooves, and create a sense of darkness in places you wouldn't expect – almost a coldness that predates the European dancefloor sound of the 80s, and warmed up nicely by the trio of ladies singing lead vocals. Titles include "Get Up & Boogie", "Play Me Like A Yo Yo", "No No Joe", "Old Wine In New Bottles", "Thank You Mr DJ", and "You Turned Me On By You Can't Turn Me Off". LP, Vinyl record album

Not to be confused with the group Pleasure, or the ex-Police leadman Sting – this group are a pretty darn sweet disco trio with a really nice groove! The sound's a bit different than other disco references we might use – not really New York, European, or Canadian – and done with a bit more soul than you might think. The vocals are silly at times, but also pretty darn catchy – and sung with a good sense of the hook, so that they're not as buried in the mix as on other disco tunes. A few tracks also get nice and mellow, making for a good variety in the set – and titles include "Do It In The Shower", "Winning Number", "Best Friend", "Pleasure", "Love Is The Answer", and "Without Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A real breakout album for The Village People – thanks largely to the hit "YMCA", which had surprising play at the time – and has gone onto become one of those ballpark hits that everyone seems to sing completely un-self-consciously! The group are still working here in a New York Sigma disco mode – with backings by the Gypsy Lane group – and apart from the "YMCA" hit, other long tracks include "Hot Cop", "My Roomate", "The Women/The Cruiser", and "Ups & Downs". CD