... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" CD

Warm wonderfulness from the great Al Green – a record that may have a pale-looking cover, but a set that's one of Green's most deeply soulful albums ever! There's a grace and a glow to the set right from the very first note – that really unique presentation and performance that makes these early 70s Green albums such enduring treasures – and so unlike anything else that's ever come since, no matter how many folks were influenced by Al's sound! The production is perfect – with Al helping Willie Mitchell at the helm, as they balance together the richness of the instrumentation with core elements in the rhythms – on titles that include Al's stone classic "Love & Happiness", plus "I'm Still In Love With You", "I'm Glad You're Mine", "What A Wonderful Thing Love Is", "Look What You Done For Me", and his great remake of Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" – a country/soul classic if there ever was one! CD

A damn great bit of work from the legendary Al Green – maybe one of his best records ever – and in fact, maybe one of greatest soul albums of all time! The set's got a style that's really genre-defining – not the previous southern soul of a few years before, but also not the modes that were happening up north either. Instead, Al lays things out with this stunningly mature style – sexy, but never overdone – confident, but never in a swaggering way – with a really special flow that comes from the great Willie Mitchell's talents in the studio, but an edge that's Green at his secular best. The album's got a lasting appeal that's made it a favorite for generations – both a key introduction to soul, but also a treasured favorite for longtime collectors – and never every track's a gem – from the classic "Let's Stay Together", through a set list that includes "I've Never Found A Girl", "La La For You", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "So You're Leaving", and "What Is This Feeling". CD

The record that proved to the world that Vanessa Williams wasn't going to be let down after an unfortunate detour in the press – one that she answered with this classic album of crossover soul! Williams' isn't out to make anyone believe she's the next Aretha Franklin, but she's right at home in the upbeat arrangements of these tunes – stepping along with a bright and bouncy feel that more than matches the backings – and the feel of late 80s mainstream soul of the time. Titles include "The Right Stuff", "He's Got The Look", "Dreamin", "I'll Be The One", "Am I Too Much", "Be A Man", "Whatever Happens", and "Security". CD

The record that proved to the world that Vanessa Williams wasn't going to be let down after an unfortunate detour in the press – one that she answered with this classic album of crossover soul! Williams' isn't out to make anyone believe she's the next Aretha Franklin, but she's right at home in the upbeat arrangements of these tunes – stepping along with a bright and bouncy feel that more than matches the backings – and the feel of late 80s mainstream soul of the time. Titles include "The Right Stuff", "He's Got The Look", "Dreamin", "I'll Be The One", "Am I Too Much", "Be A Man", "Whatever Happens", and "Security". CD

What can we say but more, more, more! Al Green's great – always great – so we're more than happy to have this second volume to his greatest hit set, one that features some unusual tunes from later years, plus classics from his 70s tenure at Hi Records. Titles include "As Long As We're Together", "Back Up Train", "Let's Stay Together (long version)", "Take Me To The River", "Right Now Right Now", "For The Good Times", "Let It Shine", "Funny How Time Slips Away", "I Feel Good", "Wait Here", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "You Say It", "Guilty", and Al's great remake of "To Sir With Love". 18 tracks in all! CD

One of the biggest records ever from Deele – thanks to the presence of LA and Babyface – who were a key part of the group at the time! The heavier funk styles of previous records are left behind – and the group have realized that they really shine best in mellower modes – the kind of ballads and love songs that still had a nice punch at the bottom, thanks to the LA/Babyface style – but which also really made the best use of Dee's sweet vocal approach! The shift tuned out to be a great one for the group – the start of bigger soul trends to come – and titles include "Two Occasions", "Shoot Em Up Movies", "Eyes Of A Stranger", "Can U Dance", "She Wanted", "So Many Thangs", and "Hip Chic". CD

What can we say? Most of the biggest hits, and many of the very best tracks cut in the prime of Al Green's career – which is to say some of the very best Memphis soul ever recorded! It's just one of these Greatest Hits packages of pure, inarguable perfection – with "Call Me", "Let's Stay Together", "Tired Of Being Alone", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "I Can't Get Next To You", "You Ought To Be With Me", "Look What You Done For Me" and "Let's Get Married". This pressing features 5 bonus tracks too – including "Full Of Fire", "Belle", "Sha La La", "LOVE", and "Livin For You". CD

An essential 2 CD set that brings together some of the best work ever by one of the 70's most enduring modern soul groups! We've always loved Maze, but they sound extremely great on this CD – since it picks through their classic albums, and brings together the best cuts, skipping over some of the group's weaker material. Nearly every cut's a winner, and titles include "While I'm Alone", "Golden Time of Day", "Southern Girl", "Joy & Pain", "Happy Feelings", "Love Is The Key", "Lady Of Magic", "Back In Stride", "I Wanna Be With You", "Running Away", and "Reason". CD

A stunning 4CD tribute to the genius of Al Green – stuffed with 61 tracks from his classic years at Hi Records, and packaged in a super-nice format with a 64 page booklet! The set's got some great snippets from interviews, next to classic songs, a few unreleased and rare performances, and some great photos, notes on the music, and a full discography! Titles include "Back Up Train", "Hot Wire", Stop & Check Myself", "Guilty", "True Love", "Driving Wheel", "Free At Last", "Mimi", "Take Me To The River", "Rhymes", "The Love Sermon", "Bell", "Chariots Of Fire", and "Simply Beautiful". CD

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Music from Willie Mitchell, Otis Clay, Syl Johnson, Al Green, Ann Peebles, Al Green, Quiet Elegance, George Jackson and OV Wright. CD

Some great tracks from the jazzy soulful genius of Norman Connors! Connors is one of the best crossover soul jazz artists of the 70s – with a masterful blend of styles that's matched by only a few other artists, like Roy Ayers or Leroy Hutson. This set includes tracks from his Buddah and Arista recordings – and the sound is classic all the way through! Titles include "You Are My Starship", "This Is Your Life", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "Valentine Love", "Dindi", "Romantic Journey, "We Both Need Each Other", "Love From The Sun", and "Once I've Been There". The "friends" are all vocalists – including Michael Henderson, Phyllis Hyman, Jean Carn, Phillip Mitchell, and Dee Dee Bridgewater. CD

Al Green explores your mind – then moves onto your heart, your soul, and everything in between! The album's a classic in the best Hi Records tradition – and features Al moving into a style that's even more spiritual than before – serving up the sublime tracks "Take Me To The River" and "God Blessed Our Love", both of which seem to point strongly at the direction he would take in later years – but also managing to mix the secular with the spiritual, in a way that's as sexy as ever! Other tracks include the hit "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)", plus "One Nite Stand", "The City", "I'm Hooked On You", and "Stay With Me Forever". CD

Well, we don't know if we'd say that Al Green is blues – because he's still singing in his wonderfully sweet warm style – but this album definitely has a sound that gives a nod to the classic bluesy soul that inspired Al's work. Apart from originals like "Get Back Baby" and "Tomorrow's Dream", Al covers some nice classics like "The Letter", "Summertime", "I Stand Accused", and "Talk To Me". CD

Warm wonderfulness from the great Al Green – a record that may have a pale-looking cover, but a set that's one of Green's most deeply soulful albums ever! There's a grace and a glow to the set right from the very first note – that really unique presentation and performance that makes these early 70s Green albums such enduring treasures – and so unlike anything else that's ever come since, no matter how many folks were influenced by Al's sound! The production is perfect – with Al helping Willie Mitchell at the helm, as they balance together the richness of the instrumentation with core elements in the rhythms – on titles that include Al's stone classic "Love & Happiness", plus "I'm Still In Love With You", "I'm Glad You're Mine", "What A Wonderful Thing Love Is", "Look What You Done For Me", and his great remake of Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" – a country/soul classic if there ever was one! CD features new remastering – and the bonus tracks "Up Above My Head" and "I Think It's For The Feeling". CD

An overstuffed collection of classics from Frankie Beverly and Maze – 18 tracks that perfectly sum up the mellow-grooving genius of the group at their best! The set brings together hits and key album cuts from the core Maze albums on Capitol – starting out with the group's first few at the end of the 70s, through their long strong run in later years – a time when Frankie's lead was stronger than ever, and even 80s production couldn't dampen their soul! Titles include "Southern Girl", "Workin Together", "Golden Time Of Day", "Before I Let Go", "Never Let You Down", "We Are One", "Back In Stride", "Joy & Pain", "Silky Soul", "Too Many Games", "Happy Feelins (live)", and "Feel That You're Feelin". CD

Less funk than the title might imply, but still plenty darn great – thanks to a strong helping of work from Ann Peebles legendary years at Hi Records! Back in the 70s, Ann's work for Hi was second only to labelmate Al Green – and like Green, she worked in a similar slow-burning style that set a whole new sound for southern soul – one that updated an older Memphis mode into a more sophisticated, more adult groove that made tremendous use of Peebles' magnificent vocals! This 21 track package features some of the best tunes from those years – a great overview that includes "I Can't Stand The Rain", "99 LBs", "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down", "Come To Mama", "Beware", "Slipped Tripped & Fell In Love", and "I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home". CD

A great little album of modern soul, cut by Johnnie Taylor years after his early raw Stax recordings, and about half a decade after his hit with "Disco Lady". The record's a surprising treat, and has Johnnie singing with smooth slick arrangements, in a warm mellow style, given a nice edge by the bluesy roots in his vocals. Gene Page handled the arrangements, and there's some great mellow steppers – like "What About My Love", "I'm So Proud", and "Don't Wait". Also features a few slap-bass tracks like "I Need A Freak" and "Just Ain't Good Enough" – but stick with the mellow stuff. CD

The first of Bobby's highly successful Poet albums from the early 80s – wonderfully done albums that showed the world that he was still very much on top of his game at the time! The sound here is great – still with that older Womack rasp and warmth, but also done in a slightly smoother mode that grooves things up with some modern soul touches, yet never loses Bobby's charm! Tunefully, the record is one of his best in years – with some wonderful mellow soul groovers that never fail to delight – all produced with a warm California sound, and featuring some great backing vocals by The Waters and a host of other Womacks. Titles include "So Many Sides Of You", "Lay Your Lovin On Me", "Secrets", "Just My Imagination", "Games", "If You Think You're Lonely Now", and "Where Do We Go From Here". CD

Killer 70s work from Bobby Womack – reinventing himself here in a great style that keeps all the warmth and soulfulness of his Minit recordings, and gives it a healthy dose of 70s soul production – creating a sweet new groove that pushed Womack into a huge new audience at the time! Bobby strikes a perfect balance here – keeping things hip, but also tightening things up too – yet never by getting too smooth or too commercial. The result is a great batch of tracks that includes classics like "I Can Understand It", "Woman's Gotta Have it", and "Harry Hippy" – as well as a nice version of "Sweet Caroline", and Jimmy Lewis' great "Got To Get You Back". CD

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A collection of classics from Frankie Beverly and Maze – 10 tracks that perfectly sum up the mellow-grooving genius of the group at their best! The set brings together hits and key album cuts from the core Maze albums on Capitol! Titles include "Southern Girl", "Golden Time Of Day", "Before I Let Go", "Back In Stride", "Joy & Pain", "Happy Feelins", and "While I'm Alone". CD

(Hip Hop, Soul) 12-inch, Vinyl record

Essential funk in a single set – three killer albums from James Brown's legendary backing group! First up is Food For Thought – the classic first album by The JBs – James Brown's Fred Wesley-led backing band, and the force behind most of his greatest records of the early 70s! The band are incredible at this point – sharper, harder, and funkier than just about any other combo around – and that includes all the thousands of groups in the funky 45 underground who were always trying to copy their sound, but never got things this right! Not only are the rhythms the stuff of legend – but the use of the instruments is far far above the norm – as can be heard on the mindblowing "The Grunt", which was sampled heavily by Public Enemy to great fame – and which features a saxophone solo that sounds more like a whistling tea kettle! The set collects some of the group's best early singles, and includes all of the short little funky cuts that made them a legend right out of the box – "Pass the Peas", "The Grunt", "These Are The JBs", "Hot Pants Road", "Wine Spot", "To My Brother", "Blessed Blackness", "Theme From King Heroin", "Escapism (parts 1 & 2), and "Gimme Some More" – all together here in one tight little album of massive funky hard beats and breaks! Doing It To Death is an incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter segues between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker". Last up is Damn Right I Am Somebody – quite possibly our favorite record by the JBs, ever! The set starts with a wonderful conversational bit – rapping and musing on the idea of "Damn Right, I Am Somebody" – showing the group in a political and righteous mode for the first time ever. The grooves then kick in – with the same heavy funk as on earlier records, but also a nice nod towards experimental production – from strange fade ups and fade downs, to stark time and rhythm changes, and even bits of electronics used to create some very cool moments in the grooves! The whole thing's as dead funky as can be, and is stuffed with insane classics like "Blow Your Head", "Same Beat", "Damn Right I am Somebody", "I'm Payin' Taxes, What am I Buyin'", and a great cover of Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love to Ball"! CD

The only compilation of 60s female soul trio The Apollas we've ever seen – beautiful tunes with sweet and soulful vocals, big emotions and excellent arrangements – fantastic stuff from the trio, earlier material recorded as The Lovejoys and solo numbers by singer Leola Jiles! We'd love to say we've been fortunate enough to have heard more than a handful of the great Loma and Warner 45s, but that isn't the case – so this compilation from Kent as rewarding for us as just about anything they've put together in recent years – which is really saying something! A number of the tracks are should-be anthems that really allow the girls to sing big – backed by brass and tight arrangements to suit. That said, they're diverse talents, and there's some sweeter girl group styled tunes here that come across just as strongly. Glorious! Titles include "You're Absolutely Right", "Who Would Want Me Now", "Jive Cat", "See The Silver Moon", "Pretty Red Balloons", "I'm Under The Influence Of Love", "Baby I'll Come", "My Soul Concerto" and more from The Apollas proper, plus "He Ain't No Angel" and "Wait 'Round The Corner" by The Lovejoys, "I've Got So Used To Loving You" and "Why I Was Born" by Leola Jiles and more. 25 tracks in all. CD

Great stuff! From Motown songwriters to world-class superstars, the trip was a well-deserved one for Valerie Simpson and Nick Ashford – and this album's perhaps their crowning achievement in sophisticated club soul! The record's got a great groove that offers a more soulful version of disco than most of the competing albums on major labels at the time – a perfect summation of the care and craft that Ashford & Simpson had always put into their music right from the start! The pair handle all production on the record, and also contributed all the songs too – and the whole thing's so wonderfully tight, right, and on the money, the album soars to the top even before the vocals come into the mix. Titles include more than a few club classics, like "Found A Cure", "Stay Free", and "Nobody Knows" – plus the cuts "Dance Forever", "Crazy", "Follow Your Heart", and "Finally Got To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album by Roy Ayers – one that features none of his hits, which means lots of fresh material – and which has great examples of both sides of Roy's talents at the time! The dancefloor side of Roy kicks in with "Love Will Bring Us Back Together", an extremely catchy groover that's very much in the mode of "Running Away", with plenty of choppy funky riffs, and a good soul base at the core. Even better, though, is the mellow spacey side of Roy – which shows up wonderfully in the cuts "Is It Too Late To Try" and "If You Love Me" – two overlooked gems that float along in a perfect blend of jazz and modern soul, with great breathy vocals and vibes, very much in the spirit of stuff on the You Send Me album. Other cuts include "I Wanna Feel It", "Leo", "Take Me Out To The Ball Game", and "Simple & Sweet" – all nice too! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Detroit soul scene! As you might guess from the title, the album is Funkadelic's first – and it's a swirling mass of psychedelic guitars, echoey drums, and bass-heavy riffing, all topped off by the band's harmony vocals, which sound like a perversion of the deep-Motown styles of groups like The Temptations or Undisputed Truth – taken into even headier territory! The original 5-member version of the group includes Eddie Hazel, Mickey Atkins, Tawl Ross, Bill Nelson, and Tiki Fulwood – all working here with some mindblowing George Clinton production! Tracks include classics like "I Bet You", "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic", "Music for My Mother", and "What Is Soul" – and the album's the stuff that made these guys a legend right out of the box! LP, Vinyl record album

Queen of Soul is right! Heck, on these early albums, Etta practically invented soul – or at least invented a deep soul style of singing that would be taken up by countless other female singers during the 60s, but rarely matched with this kind of brilliance. Straight up beautiful stuff! The arrangements are uncredited, but we think they're probably by Riley Hampton – who did so much of Etta's other wonderful work in the early 60s. The recordings for sure took place at points between '62 and '64, mostly in Chicago, with couple in New York and one in Nashville. One other thing that is crystal clear about the sessions is that she had access to the very best musicians and the best sound possible – all you need is a listen to know that! The album's an all-solid, all-soul record with loads of obscure tunes and not a bit of filler! Titles include "Flight 101", "Bobby Is His Name", "Breaking Point", "Mello Fellow", "Do Right", and "Somewhere Out There". This first ever proper CD release is loaded with excellent bonus material – recordings from the same early-to-mid 60s period – 13 of them "You Got Me Where You Want Me", "Only Time Will Tell", "Pushover". "You Can't Talk To A Fool", "Would It Make Any Difference To You", "Pay Back", "Tomorrow Night", "I Can't Hold It Any More" and more. 23 tracks in all! CD

A solid overview of RCA material from Evelyn Champagne King – from the disco era hits, catchy club soul, and synth soaked 80s grooves! Evelyn's sound is usually upbeat and catchy, but she's does her thing and more measured and and smoothed out soul numbers, and bass & synth grooves in the early 80s. Very nice stuff all around! Titles include "Shame", "I Don't Know If It's Right", "Music Box", "I'm In Love", "Don't Hide Our Love", "Betcha She Don't Love You", "Action", "Get Loose", "Teenager", "High Horse", "Your Personal Touch" and more. 16 tracks in all. CD

Killer stuff from this legendary Philly soul instrumental combo – with funky soul horns, unstoppable dancefloor ready rhythms and those soul-stirring strings – and right up there with their best ever! Bobby Martin arranged almost every track – and the record's a great example of the kind of lean and mean Philly groove that he had going at the time, a sound that was hard to beat, and hard to copy without sounding silly and overblown. Top shelf soul instrumentals from Philly International in the mid 70s – what more could we ask for? Includes classics like "K-Jee", "MFSB", "TLC" and "Let's Go Disco" – plus the equally great "Sexy", "Love Has No Time Or Place" and "My Mood". LP, Vinyl record album

No mixed feelings from us, this an excellent mid 70s soul tune – magical stuff from mid 70s South Carolina combo Mixed Feelings! "Sha La La" is a wonderful tune with a vamping guitar groove mirrored by some really sweet keys, and tight drum work for instrumentation – but the best part about it is the interplay between lead vocalist Arthur Donaldson, formerly of The Royals, and his female backing vocalists – a rapport that shows love for earlier doo wop, in the middle of an overall sound that's right at home anywhere in the 70s! An exceptional number reintroduced by the always tasteful Soul Cal label! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Unreleased work by one of the greatest soul music songwriters of the 60s – the mighty Dan Penn, a key force in the Fame Records studio scene – heard here on a batch of mostly unreleased cuts from his best years! The package has Dan singing in the lead on all cuts – performing his own lyrics with backings from the same Fame Studios lineup that worked with soul greats like Clarence Carter, Candi Staton, and dozens of others who came to Muscle Shoals to record in the 60s and 70s – and Penn's vocals have this raspy, soulful charm that's years ahead of its time – a huge inspiration on male singers of the 70s, even though Dan never full got his due. His songs are the stuff of legend, but the man's equally great as a singer – and this collection really shows a light on his genius that should have gotten much more exposure back in the 60s. CD features 24 tracks in all – only 2 of which were ever issued before – and titles include "Trash Man", "Without A Woman", "Reaching Out For Someone", "I Need You", "Little Girl", "Destroyed", "Diamonds", "I Dig A Big Town", "I Love Everything About You", "So Many Reasons", "We're Swinging", "It Hurts", "She Ain't Gonna Do Right", "Do You Need It", and "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy". (Rock, Soul) CD

Amazing stuff! Arguably Leon Ware's greatest record – and one of the greatest Motown records of the 70's! The record is a beautiful set of interwoven mellow soul tracks, recorded right on the heels of Marvin Gaye's I Want You album, which was written and conceived by Ware, then taken at the last minute by Marvin! For this set, Ware creates a very similar sound – mixing together smooth keyboards with subtle bits of funk and electronics, all wrapped up in his own sweet warm vocals, which sound better here than on any other album. The whole thing's filled with loads of beautiful tracks, including "French Waltz", "Journey Into You", "Phantom Lover", and the great "Turn Out the Light", written with Minnie Riperton. Plus, this reissue features 5 previously unissued bonus tracks – Leon's original versions of "Comfort (aka Come Live With Me Angel)", recorded with Minnie Riperton, and "I Wanna Be Where You Are", both done by Marvin Gaye on I Want You, plus the tracks "Don't You Wanna Come", "Long Time No See", and "You Are The Way You Are". CD

A pair of incredible early Motown albums from Mary Wells – one of the label's first truly great singers – in a great single set from Kent UK! Mary Wells never sounded better than in her Motown years – and 1962's The One Who Really Loves You is key proof of her talents, as it's overflowing with laidback and mellow soul tunes – done in Mary's great blend of bluesy and classy styles! Titles include classics like "Drifting Love", "Strange Love", "The Day Will Come", "I've Got A Notion", "The One Who Really Loves You", "You Beat Me To The Punch", "Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right", "I'll Still Be Around" and more. The follow-up Two Lovers features the subtitle And Other Greatest Hits, but it's actually a great batch of songs that were most newly-recorded by Mary at the time – and not at all a simple round-up of singles! The approach here has just a little more rawness than some of the girl groups Berry Gordy was scoring hits with at the time, but also a sense of urban classiness. As is their wonderful way, Kent goes above and beyond here – with a great booklet of notes and photos – which shines a light on the making of these great records. Wonderful stuff! Titles include "Two Lovers", "Guess Who", "My 2 Arms - You = Tears", "Goody, Goody", "Stop Right Here", "Laughing Boy", "Looking Back", "(I Guess There's) No Love", "Was It Worth It" and "Operator". CD

A nice batch of pop soul on Liberty from Timi Yuro – an underappreciated vocalist who walked that fine line between uptown soul and pop vocals! Like so many Liberty recordings of the era, the arrangements are big and polished, courtesty of Bert Keyes. The backing vocals are just as sparking, provided the Johnnny Mann singers and the Gospel Pearls. Includes the title cut, plus "For Your Love", "The Right Time", "That's Right, Walk On By", and "I Waited Too Long". Fragile little girl stuff, with more soul than you'd expect! LP, Vinyl record album

No splashdown here – as Breakwater are every bit as soaringly soulful as they were on their debut set! The groove here is that perfect blend of jazz and soul that only a few groups in the 70s really got right – maybe Pleasure, or The Blackbyrds – and most certainly Breakwater, who were one of the reigning champions of the scene! Rhythms are often upbeat, but not in a disco or club-oriented way – and the instrumentation is tight, but never slick or smooth – always nicely funky with a nice little crackle, even on the mellow cuts – in a way that's opened up this album to new audiences for many years. This set's got a nice bit of moog that wasn't on the group's first – used almost in Mizell-like to further enhance the sound – and titles include the classics "Say You Love Me Girl", "Let Love In", "Time", "The One In My Dreams", and the monster sample cut "Release The Beast". Great stuff, and with a really beautiful vibe! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lesser-known albums from the mid 70's, and one that includes a mix of remakes of old stuff, and some faster tracks that seem to be aimed at the dancefloor. Dave Matthews arranged a number of tracks, including "Hot", "So Long", and "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons". James did the rest, including "Future Shock Of The World", "Woman", "Most Of All", and "Goodnight My Love". Not his greatest – but also with some pretty decent funky moments that aren't too fast! LP, Vinyl record album

A real lost chapter in the James Brown legacy of soul – tracks that The Godfather issued on a branch of TK Records, right during the same time he was cutting some familiar funk classics on the Polydor and People Records labels! The music here is an offshoot of the Funky People universe that James was serving up on People – in that much of the material here was by members of the James Brown stage show, given their own chance in the spotlight – but with Brown himself handling most of the work on the record. So the tracks are like James Brown gems, but with other singers in front – served up here in a massive set that features 21 funky nuggets in all – titles that include "Screwdriver" and "Put Something On Your Mind" by Lee Austin, "Bessie (parts 1 & 2)" by JBs Wedge, "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Johnny The Man, "Nature (parts 1 & 2)" by JBs International, and "Across The Track (parts 1 & 2)" by The Believers – plus Vicki Anderson cuts "I'm Too Tough For Mr Big Stuff", "Sounds Funky", "Don't Throw Your Love In The Garbage Can", and "In The Land Of Milk & Honey" – and Bobby Byrd gems that include "Hang It Up", "Never Get Enough", "Keep On Doin What You're Doin", "Hot Pants I'm Coming", "Signed Sealed & Delivered", "I Need Help", "Back From The Dead", "Headquarters", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Keep On Doin What You're Doin", and "The Way To Get Down". CD

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Detroit soul scene! As you might guess from the title, the album is Funkadelic's first – and it's a swirling mass of psychedelic guitars, echoey drums, and bass-heavy riffing, all topped off by the band's harmony vocals, which sound like a perversion of the deep-Motown styles of groups like The Temptations or Undisputed Truth – taken into even headier territory! The original 5-member version of the group includes Eddie Hazel, Mickey Atkins, Tawl Ross, Bill Nelson, and Tiki Fulwood – all working here with some mindblowing George Clinton production! Tracks include classics like "I Bet You", "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic", "Music for My Mother", and "What Is Soul" – and the album's the stuff that made these guys a legend right out of the box! This hugely expanded version features 7 bonus tracks that include alternate 45 versions and non-LP cuts from the time. Titles include "Music For My Mother (instrumental)", "I'll Be You", "Can't Shake It Loose", "As Good As I Can Feel", and "Open Our Eyes". CD

A 2CD set of Candi Staton – the complete Fame masters recorded by the female southern soul great and producer Rick Hall at the fabled Muscle Shoals studios – including a dozen previously unreleased tracks! It's one heartbreaking, soul stirring masterpiece after another on this set – some of best southern soul by anyone in this period, if you're asking us! Candi's voice brings grit and grace, sweetness and gruff truth. Includes the great late 60s/early 70s material plus some previously unreleased number cut before here mid 70s move to Warners – and that stuff is wonderful, too! 48 tracks in all: "Someone You Use", "Mr And Mrs Untrue", "Do Right Woman", "In The Ghetto", "Love Chain", "I'll Be Here", "Jolene", "It's Not Love", "Stand By Your Man", "For You", "Another Man's Woman, Another Woman's Man", "Where Were You", One More Hurt", "Do Right Woman" and many more. CD

No splashdown here – as Breakwater are every bit as soaringly soulful as they were on their debut set! The groove here is that perfect blend of jazz and soul that only a few groups in the 70s really got right – maybe Pleasure, or The Blackbyrds – and most certainly Breakwater, who were one of the reigning champions of the scene! Rhythms are often upbeat, but not in a disco or club-oriented way – and the instrumentation is tight, but never slick or smooth – always nicely funky with a nice little crackle, even on the mellow cuts – in a way that's opened up this album to new audiences for many years. This set's got a nice bit of moog that wasn't on the group's first – used almost in Mizell-like to further enhance the sound – and titles include the classics "Say You Love Me Girl", "Let Love In", "Time", and "The One In My Dreams". Great stuff, and with a really beautiful vibe! CD

A great bit of Chicago soul from the 70s – by a short-lived group who were sort of an offshoot of Brighter Side Of Darkness, who had scored earlier in the decade with the falsetto hit "Love Jones". This one was produced by Clarence Johnson/Star Vue Productions, and licensed to 20th Century, like the earlier work – and the record features a remake called "Love Jones 75". There's loads of other great stuff on the record, though – and the groove runs through the funk of "Tipsy Mood" and "Kung Fu You", to the mellower soul sounds of "I Found My Dancing Girl", and wonderfully sweet little number! LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – quite possibly our favorite record by the JBs, ever! The set starts with a wonderful conversational bit – rapping and musing on the idea of "Damn Right, I Am Somebody" – showing the group in a political and righteous mode for the first time ever. The grooves then kick in – with the same heavy funk as on earlier records, but also a nice nod towards experimental production – from strange fade ups and fade downs, to stark time and rhythm changes, and even bits of electronics used to create some very cool moments in the grooves! The whole thing's as dead funky as can be, and is stuffed with insane classics like "Blow Your Head", "Same Beat", "Damn Right I am Somebody", "I'm Payin' Taxes, What am I Buyin'", and a great cover of Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love to Ball"! CD

Although this 15 track compilation doesn't even begin to cover the full scope of this great messed-up funky group from LA, it's just about the only way you'll get their best stuff – because it's pretty darn hard to find in any format! The CD runs the gamut of the group's output – from tight choppy funky stuff like "Express Yourself" and "Spreadin' Honey", to later trippier soul stuff, like "90 Day Cycle People" and "Comment". Lots of other goodies, plus a good set of notes that tracks the roots of this enigmatic funk band from LA! CD

Rare funk doesn't get any better than this – massive music, all of it unreleased – recorded by Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band at the tail end of their classic years for Warner Brothers! This is the kind of stuff you read about in history books, but hardly ever get to hear on record – the full, unedited studio work of a hard-jamming funk group in all its glory – no edits, no overdubs, just live funky energy! Some of the key cuts here run for over 20 minutes in length – showing the Rhythm Band to be every bit as creative in long form format as the JBs were at the time – and the shorter tracks have a nicely gritty edge that takes us back to the best early 45 years of the group. The vocals are secondary here to the instrumentation, but that's ok with us, given the grooves! Titles include "Puckey Puckey", "Jam #3", "Watts Towers", "Brothers & Sisters", "Hard To Handle", "Sagittarius", "I Love You Girl", "Wine (early version)", "Gemini", "Jam #2", "Express Yourself (alt version)", "Till You Get Enough/Do Your Thing (alt)", and "Jam #1". CD

Fantastic early work from The Dramatics – an amazing blend of sweet soul harmony vocals, Memphis soul production, and some other-worldly songwriting that far surpasses later work of the group. This album's one of the band's most righteous, with a mixture of Curtom-type message cuts and sweeter love songs – and it includes the cuts "The Devil is Dope", "Beware of the Man (With The Candy In His Hand)", "Jim, What's Wrong With Him?", and "Hey You! Get Off My Mountain". Stellar soul sound, with a vibe that's unlike a lot of other stuff on the Stax/Volt label! LP, Vinyl record album

The best collection we've ever seen of the work of funky soul legends Dyke & The Blazers – a double-length set that features full, unedited versions of their classics – plus a whopping batch of previously unreleased tunes! Dyke & The Blazers had a groove that was mighty solid back in the late 60s – a hard-vamping, tightly rhythmic groove that easily matched the best early funk of the time from Charles Wright, Sly Stone, or James Brown – and which was often served up with a rougher edge, and an overall sound that was a lot more dangerous! However, many of the group's singles really trimmed down their performances – shaving off key instrumental moments that are lovingly re-attached here, and combining them with some even rarer tracks that never saw the light of day back in the 60s. The whole thing's amazing – and the 2CD set features a whopping 33 tracks in all, split into one disc of material recorded in Phoenix, and one more of tracks from Hollywood! Titles include "Black Boy", "Stuff", "Moon", "Booga Jivin", "Runaway People", "Funky Broadway Time (parts 1 & 2)", "Swamp Walk", "Extra Funk", "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man", "Soul Cake", "She Knows It", "Let's Do It Together", "Bring It On Back", "Funky Walk (parts 1 & 2)", and "Triple Funk". CD

A really well-chosen set of classic Afro Funk records from Fela Kuti – hand-picked by Idris Elba, and brought together in this limited box set! Open & Close is an early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! Fela teams up with vibist Roy Ayers on Music Of Many Colors – one of the best soul collaborations ever – a whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Opposite People is seminal work from one of Fela's most crucial periods – recorded at a time when his soul was the deepest! The album features 2 long tracks – "Opposite People" and "Equalisation Of Trouser & Pant" – and they both have beautiful spooky keyboards in the instrumental passages, then leap into hard soul vocals by Fela. Tremendous stuff – done in a style that shows that no matter how many people cop or remake Fela's sound, he's still the best one to do it! The rare Stalemate album features the side-long tracks "Stalemate" and "Don't Worry About My Mouth" – both really hard-driving numbers, with a fantastic mix of vocals and grooves! Live In Amsterdam is an excellent live set from Fela – one that shows that he was still very capable of going over the top during the 80s! The set's a double LP – and it features 4 great numbers by the group, with Fela on soprano sax, piano, and organ, and plenty of other great work on tenor, alto, and trumpet. Titles include "Gimme Shit I Give You Shit", "Custom Check Point", "Movement Of The People", and "Political Statement Number 1". I Go Shout Plenty is a great one from Fela – with a date of 1986, but a sound that's pure late 70s! The record features 2 long tracks – "I Go Shout Plenty" and "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" – and they're both hard groovers with a strong political feel. "Why Black Man" is especially nice, and has some great keyboard riffing in the middle, with that great tinny sound that you'll hear on the best Fela albums. One that we almost never see – and issued on the Decca subsidiary Afrodisia. (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An artist you might not know at all – but one you'll be digging plenty after hearing this wonderful set! Richard Marks is a guitarist and singer with a very funky, very gritty sound – really right up there with the best of the funky 45 underground of the time – which makes this overstuffed package feel like you've just inherited a sweet stack of rare 7" singles! Marks hardly made it outside of his hometown of Atlanta – but did work over the years with stars like Al Green and Eddie Kendricks – but, thankfully for us, he left behind a strong legacy of small label singles, nearly all of which are included in this beautiful set – along with a full book that tells the tale of Richard's time outside the limelight, plus lots of photos, images, and notes on the music. Titles include "Funky Fingers", "Never Satisfied", "Don't Take It Out On Me", "I'm With You Love", "Pretty Woman Pass On By", "Innocent Bystander", "Speak Now", "Purple Haze", "Why Did You Leave Me", and "Crackerjack". CD

Some of the best tracks ever from the pair of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – some of most righteous, authoritative and thematically heavy soul music ever created – compiled in one incredible set! Messianic, emotive vocals from Gil and stunningly restrained, magical soul jazz arrangements from Brian – words can't express how dynamic these tunes are! Great stuff from classic LPs such as Winter In America, It's Your World, First Minute Of A New Day, Secrets and more! 15 tracks in all: "The Bottle", "It's Your World", "Johannesburg", "Winter In America", "The Liberation (Red, Black & Green)", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Live)", "We Almost Lost Detroit", "Angel Dust", "Show Bizness", "Madison Avenue", "Shut 'Em Down", "Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams)". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little set for Sister Sledge – their first post Nile Rodgers album of the 80s – with production this time out by Narada Michael Walden – with a crisp, uptempo vibe the does a great job of balancing the righteous post disco club groove with the sing-a-long chorus vocals and catchier compositions that made the Sisters famous! Narada doesn't stray too far from the Chic-styled sound of the previous couple of records – with some really catchy songs that hint at the cleaner pop sound of later records with retaining the dancefloor groove. Sweet stuff from Sister Sledge! The sequencing of the record is top notch, each track floating into the next, with the tunes "All American Girls", "He's Just A Runaway", "If You Really Want Me", "Next Time You'll Know", "Happy Feeling", "Ooh, You Caught My Heart", "Make A Move", "Don't You Let Me Lose It", "Mais Makes Me Feel Good" and "I Don't Want To Say Goodbye". (Soul, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius from this hardly-heard group – a really wonderful little record that mixes soul and funk with some slight Latin touches as well – all in a blend that's as incredible as the record is rare! The group have this really warm vibe on the vocal numbers – a mix of female lead and chorus bits that's not unlike Voices Of East Harlem, and equally righteous too. But there's also some instrumental bits that are even harder and heavier – almost funky descarga numbers with some really jamming instrumentation, including some fuzzy vibes at one point that almost recall Stark Reality. Titles include "Getting It Down", "Through No Fault Of Our Own", "It's Wonderful Baby/Gina", "Come On And Stay With Me", "Stuff N' Thing", 'Keep On Keepin' On", "Babylon", "Reality", "Judgement Day", and "My People". LP, Vinyl record album

A special version of this excellent series – with an album by each artist in the package! Side one features a killer album by the justly described Great JJ Jackson – and one that's been a darn tough one to find over the years! The leadoff cut is JJ's amazing single "But It's Alright", a slammin' soul track that always stops us dead whenever we hear it – which isn't often enough! The rest of the material is excellent too, and there are lots of nice tracks like "I Dig Girls", "Courage Ain't Strength", "Too Late", "Try Me", "Down But Not Out", Sho Nuff (Got A Good Thing Going", and "Four Walls". He's equally adept at uptempo soul and more ballad inflected tunes – great stuff all the way! Side two features Hypnotized by Linda Jones – one of the greatest female singers on the east coast scene at the end of the 60s – heard here on a classic Warner Brothers set that includes some of her best-remembered tracks! At some level, the set's a prequel to Linda's later recordings for the Stang/All Platinum label – as it features production and arrangements by the great George Kerr – who really has a way with slow-moving soul tunes, and the kind of sad-tinged tracks that Jones always did so well! Plus, his raw production really brings out some of the deeper soul qualities in Linda's voice – a mode that's quite a surprise at times, and presented here in a way that's far beyond any of the Aretha Franklin-styled cliches of other singers. Jones is a tremendously unique talent in female soul, and this album's her lasting legacy – a true treasure with cuts that include the hit "Hypnotized", plus loads of other nice ones like "Last Minute Miracle", "Give My Love A Try", "You Can't Take It", "What've I Done", and "I Can't Stand It". LP, Vinyl record album

An essential chapter of Miami soul – even if most of the work is appearing here for the first time ever! The set is a magnificent companion to Numero's Deep City collection of pre-TK Miami soul – but it's put together in such a way that it's almost a beautiful introduction to the south Florida sound on its own – served up in a batch of rare, unreleased tracks! The music is every bit as wonderful as you'd expect – Miami soul recorded at a time before cliches had started to hit that scene – and when the best artists down south were strongly resonating ideas from Memphis and Muscle Shoals with other elements borrowed from northern groups both funky and mellow. But even above the 20 great tracks on the CD, the package is amazing too – filled with notes on each group, a special appendix on Miami soul, a rare indie label discography, and a wealth of great images and photos – all layered lovingly into a full-color, 32 page booklet! Numero have really outdone themselves with this one – and the collection is way more than a part 2 to their previous package – more of a brilliant set of soul tunes on its own, complete with a booklet that's as beautiful as the music. Titles include "One Little Piece" by The Rollers, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "No Way Out" by Clarence Reid, "What's In The Lovin" by Helene Smith, "Mr Lucky" by Betty Wright, "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Do What You're Doin" by The Rising Sun, "Do Your Stuff" by Perk Badger, "Masterpiece" by Deep City Band, "Nasty Dog (part 2)" by The Nasty Dog Catchers, "Thank You Baby" by Betty Wright, "Your Love Won't Let Me Leave You" by Snoopy Dean, "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle" by Helene Smith, "Show Me What You Got" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Don't Be A Fool" by Clarence Reid, and "Knockin At The Wrong Door" by The Rollers. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Fantastic funky sounds from TK Records – a Miami soul powerhouse that most folks know for some big disco hits in the 70s, but a company that also cut some killer 45s in the years before that time! Much of the work here is from the earlier funky 45 years of the TK empire – including singles issued on the Glades, Alston, and Cat labels – plus a few later tracks that show just how committed the company was to more unusual, more developing styles of funk – even when they were making big cash on their disco hits. The whole thing is fantastic – and filled with plenty of rare funky breaks that you'll recognize from samples – with titles that include "Funky Yolk" by Arnold Albury & The Casuals, "Nobody But You Babe" by Clarence Reid, "Cramp Your Style" by All the People, "Mashed Potato Popcorn" by Freddie & The Kinfolk, "Let's Take A Break" by Milton Wright, "Cutting Room (Hot Pants)" by Oceanliners, "Miss Hot Stuff" by Clarence Reid, "Lay It On Me" by Willie Johnson, "Let Me Be Your Lover" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "Cosmic Funk" by Mad Dog Fire Department, and "Don't Waste My Time" by Jerry Washington. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Funky nuggets galore – and a fair bit of righteous numbers too – all brought together in celebration of one of the hippest record labels of the early 70s! Flying Dutchman was around for just a bit over five years – yet during that time, the label recorded all sorts of really wonderful music – a mixture of jazz, soul, funk, and other styles that really helped push the envelope at the time – as it took the torch from older labels like Impulse or Prestige, and really continued a big wave of new sounds and groovily experimental music! You'll no doubt recognize some of the cuts here – but the collection does a great job of digging deeper past the Flying Dutchman hits – bringing together some real surprises that showcase the way that the company was trying so many cool things at once, and creating music that's still the stuff of legends many years later. Titles include "Head Start" by Bob Thiele Emergency, "Peaceful Man" by Esther Marrow, "Mama Soul" by Harold Alexander, "Soulful Strut" by Steve Allen, "Heavy Soul Slinger" by Pretty Purdie, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, "See Saw Affair" by Cesar, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "Bolivia" by Gato Barbieri, "125th Street & 7th Ave" by Oliver Nelson, "Whitey On The Moon" by Gil Scott-Heron, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, and "Lament For John Coltrane (take 1)" by Bob Thiele. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Funky nuggets galore – and a fair bit of righteous numbers too – all brought together in celebration of one of the hippest record labels of the early 70s! Flying Dutchman was around for just a bit over five years – yet during that time, the label recorded all sorts of really wonderful music – a mixture of jazz, soul, funk, and other styles that really helped push the envelope at the time – as it took the torch from older labels like Impulse or Prestige, and really continued a big wave of new sounds and groovily experimental music! You'll no doubt recognize some of the cuts here – but the collection does a great job of digging deeper past the Flying Dutchman hits – bringing together some real surprises that showcase the way that the company was trying so many cool things at once, and creating music that's still the stuff of legends many years later. Titles include "Head Start" by Bob Thiele Emergency, "Peaceful Man" by Esther Marrow, "Mama Soul" by Harold Alexander, "Soulful Strut" by Steve Allen, "Heavy Soul Slinger" by Pretty Purdie, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, "See Saw Affair" by Cesar, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "Bolivia" by Gato Barbieri, "125th Street & 7th Ave" by Oliver Nelson, "Whitey On The Moon" by Gil Scott-Heron, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, and "Lament For John Coltrane (take 1)" by Bob Thiele. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic double CD set that includes 44 tracks of the Moonglows amazing doo wop sides recorded for Chess in the 50's. This is some of the best doo wop ever recorded on the planet, and the track list includes such great cuts as "Secret Love", "Most of All", "In My Diary", "Penny Arcade", "Twelve Months Of The Year", "She's Alright With Me", "See Saw", "Over And Over Again", "Mr. Engineer", "Blue Velvet", "Lover, Love Me", "Sincerely", and lots of other cuts that you may be less familiar with. Super stuff, with a nice set of notes! CD

Killer funky stoner soul from LA! This album is one of the best by Charles Wright and his legendary funky group – and it features some straighter soul material, like the big hit "Loveland", or their mellow take on "Light My Fire" – plus some great heavy funk numbers, like "Till You Get Enough", "Everyday People", and "Must Be Your Thing". The record's a huge testament to the strength of the group – as they handle the soul material just as well as they do the funky stuff that they're more famous for – and we really dig this one for its tightness and straight ahead positive soul! CD

A beautiful collection of all the great and rare material Eddie Holland cut as solo singer in the late 50s and early 60s – including the incredible early Motown material, plus tracks he cut for Mercury, Kudo, Tamla and United Artists! Of course Eddie Holland is best remembered for uber-legendary work as producer, composer and arranger with the Holland-Dozier-Holland super soul unit – for damn good reason, but it's his early work as singer is way too strong to be considered a mere footnote to his greater legacy. Many of the cuts were written and produced by Berry Gordy, along with numbers written and produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, some recorded more famously by later acts, so what you truly have here is the foundation for great things to come – it's beautiful stuff that shines brightly in its own light. Eddie's a solid singer and the songs are terrific, formative stuff that's a pivotal bridge from earlier R&B to massive soul. 56 tracks on 2CDs: "Little Miss Ruby", "Will You Love Me", "Just A Few More Days", "It's Not Too Late", "Just Ain't Enough Love", "Brenda", "Baby Shake", "Magic Mirror", "If Cleopatra Took A Chance", "Action Speaks Louder than Words", "Bashful Kind", "Too Late To Cry", "Happy Go Lucky", "Pretty Little Angel Face", "Day Dreamer", "Rain And Thunder", "I Like Everything About You", "Happy Days" and many more. This set goes deeper than any compilation we've seen of Eddie's recordings, too, with a number of previously unissued Mercury recordings. CD

A righteous soul classic by Mike James Kirkland – one that has every element to make a rare soul gem worth owning! There's great production (with lots of nice funky intros), great original songs (with a great, righteous vibe), and Mr. Kirkland's fantastic soulful voice. The album is divided into two halves – a "peace" side, which is more political – and a "love" side, which has some mellow soulful stuff. Totally great, and we've only seen the original a few times – so don't bother waiting for it, and just scoop up this reissue. Titles include "What Have We Done", "Where's The Soul Of Man?", "Hang On In There", "Baby I Need Your Loving", "It's Alright With Me" and more. The CD's got 3 bonus cuts, too – including Mike's funky classic "The Prophet" – plus "Together" and "Love Is". CD