Sweet club grooving from the legendary Freda Payne – a very different album than her initial hits for Holland-Dozier-Holland, and a set that has a mature mix of disco and modern soul! Production is by Tony Camillo and Frank Wilson – and the tracks are long and nicely stretched out – getting Freda past the hooks and into territory that almost rivals the best on Philadelphia International at the time. The best cuts here are the ones that are slightly mellow, grooving in a midtempo mode – really letting Payne show off this new style to best effect. Titles include "Master Of Love", "Stares & Whispers", "Bring Back The Joy", and "I Get High On Your Memory". LP, Vinyl record album

We're a bit confused about this one, because it's got a 1980 copyright date, but the material on the LP is clearly from the Whispers' early career (and the liner notes confirm this, but don't give much more information). Excellent harmony soul material, with tracks like "You Must Be Doing Alright", "Planets Of Life", "I Can Remember", "Sing A Song", "I'm The One", and "Creations Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The Whispers crack into the 80s with one of their biggest selling sets! The group takes off from the Philly groove style of their late 70s work, moving into a style that picks up all the best touches of the early 80s LA sound – electro keyboards, but not too much; quiet storm production, but not so much so that the album's smothered in it; and a professional approach to harmonies and songwriting that showed that the group was still an unstoppable force in soul music! Includes "Imagination", "It's A Love Thing", "Say You", "I Can Make It Better" and "Up On Soul Train". LP, Vinyl record album

The Whispers are probably best known for their later work in the 70s – when the group picked up the pace and got a bit more clubby – but this set features them in their early days, when they were a sweet sounding harmony combo with a sound that was right up there with the best east coast groups of the time! If you dig harmony soul, but have shied away from The Whispers in the past, this set will completely change your mind – the album's filled with great mellow soul cuts, some of the best we could hope to recommend! Titles include "Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong", "You Must Be Doing All Right", "I'm The One", "Creation Of Love", and "Needle In A Haystack". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring uptempo soul from The Whispers – still going strong with the Solar sound well into the 80s – and stepping out here in a real hit-making style! The vocals are great, the grooves are solid – and there's a snapping, rhythmic feel to the first side – which is billed as the "Dancin" side, and done in a very 80s groove mode! Side two is named the "Romancin" side – and as such, has a slightly mellower feel – still some beats on the bottom, but mostly in a gentler way that really lets the harmonies take over. Titles include "On Impact", "Contagious", "Suddenly", "Don't Keep Me Waiting", "Sweet Sensation", "Never Too Late", "Are You Going My Way", and "Some Kinda Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Not as sublime as some of the group's earlier efforts, but still with a strong harmony sound that keeps things moving nicely ahead. The arrangements are in a smooth soul mode – still uptempo on a number of tracks, in the same style that they were using with the Philly crew. The difference is that there's a bit more of a modern LA soul sound in the mix – although not as much as you'd expect from some of the other albums on the Solar label. Includes the nice midtempo groover "Can't Stop Loving You Baby", plus "World Of A Thousand Dreams", "What Will I Do", "This Kind Of Lovin", and the retro jazzy "The Bright Lights & You Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums by The Whispers – a later gem with some really great songs, and a sound that shows the group strongly moving into hit territory! In some way, the album's almost a return to the mellow harmony soul of the group's roots – slowing down the pace from the disco years to craft some extremely great ballads and midtempo numbers. There's still a bunch of great club tracks too – like the classic "And The Beat Goes On" – but in a way, our favorite tracks are the mellower ones, like "Lady", "I Love You", and the sublime, "A Song For Donny", a tribute to the late Donny Hathaway, written around the music of his classic "This Christmas". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic Norman Harris production makes this one of the best-ever efforts from The Whispers at this time! Norman put together the incredible "Living Together (In Sin)", and plays some excellent guitar on the track – and he takes the sweet west coast harmonies of The Whispers into the realm of Philly Groove greatness. Other nice tracks include "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are", "Sounds Like A Love Song", and "In My Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure later album from Wally Badarou, but one that still continues the wonderful vibe he served up on his Island Records material in the early 80s – a blend of Caribbean roots, funky soul, and some sweet electronic touches! The album is all instrumental, and blends percussion – both electric and acoustic – with basslines, keyboards, and some other instrumental touches along the way – all shaped with some global inspirations, but mostly groove-heavy, although in a nicely laidback way! If you dug Wally's work in years past, you'll find plenty to love here – on titles that include "The Lights Of Kinshasa", "Pictures Of You", "Keep On Tryin", "Dance In The Dust", "Amber Whispers", "Crystal Falls", and "Purple Lines". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth disco grooving from Carrie Lucas – surprisingly soulful stuff, and handled with some wonderfully tight production by Dick Griffey, the genius behind the sound of Solar at the end of the 70s! Carrie's really moving past the cliches of earlier work here – stepping into a solid blend of pop, soul, and club. Titles include "Keep Smilin", "It's Not What You Got", "Lovin Is On My Mind", and "Use It Or Lose It" – plus "Just A Memory", which is a duet with the Whispers. LP, Vinyl record album

Two dozen tracks from the great Jackie Wilson, documenting some of his finest work for the Brunswick imprint,spanning nearly two decades! Includes "Reet Petite", "To Be Loved", "Lonely Teardrops", "That's Why I Love You So)", "I'll Be Satisfied", "Talk That Talk", "Baby Workout", "Please Tell Me Why", "Doggin' Around","Passin' Through", "A Woman, A Lover, A Friend", "You Don't Know What It Means", "Night", "The Tear Of The Year", "You Better Know It", "I Just Can't Help It", "I'm Comin' On Back To You","Danny Boy", "Am I The Man", "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)", "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me (Higher & Higher)", "No Pity (In The Naked City)", "She's All Right" and "You Got Me Walking". LP, Vinyl record album

The first rumblings of the pop genius in Yello's music – a record that still has all the best quirky electronics of their first two sets, but which also focuses that energy into a sound that's often more direct and oddly hook-oriented on the best numbers! There's a really percussive vibe going on here – a quality that makes the album almost more darkly rhythmic than other efforts, but which also pushes some tunes ahead with quite a sense of drive – mixing early samples, analogue electronics, and Dieter Meier's always-great vocals into a sound that's still better than many of the countless groups who sprung up in Yello's wake. Titles include "I Love You", "Swing", "Heavy Whispers", "Crash Dance", "Lost Again", "Smile On You", "Pumping Velvet", and "Salut Mayoumba". (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

20 beautiful tracks of rare soul and funk! The great Brit DJ Keb Darge put together this one – and if you've gotten his fantastic funk sets, you know that he knows his business! The set is filled with some incredible rare soul sides – all pulled from very rare sources, mostly on 45s – and we can guarantee that you won't have most of these, either on the original or on other compilations! The vibe is mellow and soulful, with a groove that's quite different from Keb's funk compilations – but every bit as excellent. Titles include "You've Got Me Hung Up" by King Tutt, "Loveland" by SPB, "Paradise" by Jewel, "Put Everything In Place" by Infinity, "Right On For The Darkness" by Willie Wright, "Baby, I Love You" by Vise, "As I Sit Here" by The Whispers, "Job Opening (part 1)" by the Del-Larks, and "Doin It Our Way" by Broomfield Corporate Jam. Great stuff, and the usual high level of quality from BBE! (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album