A set that's got all the classic soul vibe you might guess from the title and the cover, but one that's also got some more contemporary elements too – as Bella Brown and the group weave together strands of soulful influences from many decades – all with the feeling as if a 60s act on Atlantic Records were brought forward in time to hear a bit of Afro Funk from the 70s, Brand New Heavies from the late 80s, and other sweet bits which they then brought back to influence their sound! Bella's a very strong singer in the lead, able to shift things into her own mode way past standard retro soul approaches – and titles include "Bang Bang Bang", "Lady Time", "What Will You Leave Behind", "Soul Clap", "There Is Love", and "Fast As Lighting". CD features a bonus radio edit of "Soul Clap". CD

A set that's got all the classic soul vibe you might guess from the title and the cover, but one that's also got some more contemporary elements too – as Bella Brown and the group weave together strands of soulful influences from many decades – all with the feeling as if a 60s act on Atlantic Records were brought forward in time to hear a bit of Afro Funk from the 70s, Brand New Heavies from the late 80s, and other sweet bits which they then brought back to influence their sound! Bella's a very strong singer in the lead, able to shift things into her own mode way past standard retro soul approaches – and titles include "Bang Bang Bang", "Lady Time", "What Will You Leave Behind", "Soul Clap", "There Is Love", and "Fast As Lighting". LP, Vinyl record album

We don't know much about Bill Brown and his group – but they're a fantastic lost act from the 70s, and one who have a fantastic way of mixing warm soul harmonies with some very sharp grooves! The rhythms are pretty upbeat on most tracks, but the vibe is before the disco and club years – that special moment when funk musicians were able to move quick, and never lose their groove – and singers like Bill were able to slide into the mix and really soar with their vocals! We've never heard any of these cuts before, and the whole thing is like discovering a lost chapter of 70s soul that we'd completely missed – one that we'd rank right up there with some of the hippest east coast group soul of the time. Titles include "Bip Bam (parts 1 & 2)", "Stay Off The Moon", "Sock It To The Landlord", "Rainbow", "Time After Time", "Fool-Ology", "Love Under The Apple Tree", and "Dreamworld Fantasies". Also includes an instrumental of "Time After Time" – and a Billy Wilson version of "Fool-Ology". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure from James Brown & The JBs – a vintage live performance from the early 70s, and one that captures the group at the height of their powers! The format here is very similar to the excellent Revolution Of The Mind set – a totally funky, totally righteous live performance that has James and the group even more energized than in the studio – working with the kind of razor-sharp intensity that made them a legendary funk act – leaping from tune to tune with nary a break at all! Bobby Byrd acts as the MC, and joins James for a bit of vocals – and the group at this point still includes Bootsy Collins on bass, plus loads of great guitar from Catfish Collins, and Fred Wesley on trombone and Jabo Starks on drums. Dave Matthews handled some of the arrangements – and titles include "Soul Power", "Sex Machine", "Bewildered", "It's A New Day", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Brother Rapp", "Super Bad", "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose", and "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag/I Got You/I Got The Feelin". CD

Not necessarily a record of interviews – as the title might make you think – but one of Bruce's best records for Fantasy! The album's got some very edgey bits that approximate his live material, and which take the best part of his cleaner act, and transfer them well to record. Titles include "Dijinni In The Candy Store", "Enchanting Transylvania", "Interview With Dr Sholem Stein", "The Interview", "All Broadway Musicals Sound The Same, Especially The Baritones", and "The March Of High Fidelity". LP, Vinyl record album

Back in the first decade of this century, Build An Ark were one of the few groups to really carry forward the spiritual jazz legacy of the 70s – part of the same LA underground that rose up on Nimbus Records back in the day, and guided by the unstoppable power of Carlos Nino – who worked perfectly as both an instrumentalist in the group, and their producer! There were always some contemporary elements in the music, but maybe more surprising was the way that Build An Ark resisted all the remixing and programming that would often get in the way of the few others who tried for this territory – as they were always a committed spiritual jazz ensemble from the outset, not a club jazz act or a funk group. The package brings together all the best music from their out of print albums – a great 3LP run of titles that include "You Gotta Have Freedom", "John Coltrane", "Mother", "Build An Ark", "Door Of The Cosmos", "In The Park", "Sunflowers In My Garden", "Dawn", "Healing Song", "Love Sweet Like Sugar Cane", "World Music", "Our Cry For Peace", "Conversations", "Pure Imagination/The Tortoise & The Hare", and "When Ancestors Speak". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music from The Byrds – and one of the greatest evolutions in pop music from the 60s! The Byrds were always at the forefront of their generation – starting out as a folksy act mixing in early psychedelia, then reaching for deeper roots with a love of country, yet also really keeping their own unique identity – and finding a way for most group members to grow their own interests and help shape the sound of the band! This balance is unique, as is the mighty range of records that encompassed it – their legendary sounds for Columbia Records, which are presented here in a beautiful box of 13 CDs, featuring 11 full albums, all with their original artwork in LP-styled sleeves! Titles include Mr Tambourine Man, Turn Turn Turn, Fifth Dimension, Younger Than Yesterday, Notorious Byrd Brothers, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, Dr Byrds & Mr Hyde, Ballad Of Easy Rider, Untitled Unissued, Byrdmaniax, and Farther Along. CD

One of those landmark meetings of mighty talents that sounds even better on record than it does on paper – as the set somehow finds this really special space that's completely between all the best early 70s modes of both Terry Riley and John Cale! Cale was really coming into his own at the time as a solo act – creating amazing records after leaving the Velvet Underground, but also still tied to the deeper art scene from which he emerged. Riley was on the way to becoming one of the most popular of the more modern composers – thanks to a nod from The Who, and a big audience for his wonderfully trippy records on Columbia. The label allowed the pair to create this really special music here – sounds that borrow from Riley's minimalism, while also having some of the darkness of Cale's own compositions – and coming across with this jagged, almost modal sort of approach that's really great. Cale only sings on one song, and the rest of the set is instrumental – as Riley plays piano, organ, and soprano sax – and Cale joins in on bass, guitar, viola, and harpsichord. The two of them groove together in these totally cool tracks that build and build, with minimal lines repeating over and over in endlessly fascinating groove – in a way that touches on a weirdly funky mode! The cut "Ides Of March" has the potential to be dancefloor groover in the jazz dance scene, and there's lots of other great tracks like "Church of Anthrax", "The Protege", and "The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles". CD

One of those landmark meetings of mighty talents that sounds even better on record than it does on paper – as the set somehow finds this really special space that's completely between all the best early 70s modes of both Terry Riley and John Cale! Cale was really coming into his own at the time as a solo act – creating amazing records after leaving the Velvet Underground, but also still tied to the deeper art scene from which he emerged. Riley was on the way to becoming one of the most popular of the more modern composers – thanks to a nod from The Who, and a big audience for his wonderfully trippy records on Columbia. The label allowed the pair to create this really special music here – sounds that borrow from Riley's minimalism, while also having some of the darkness of Cale's own compositions – and coming across with this jagged, almost modal sort of approach that's really great. Cale only sings on one song, and the rest of the set is instrumental – as Riley plays piano, organ, and soprano sax – and Cale joins in on bass, guitar, viola, and harpsichord. The two of them groove together in these totally cool tracks that build and build, with minimal lines repeating over and over in endlessly fascinating groove – in a way that touches on a weirdly funky mode! The cut "Ides Of March" has the potential to be dancefloor groover in the jazz dance scene, and there's lots of other great tracks like "Church of Anthrax", "The Protege", and "The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles". CD

Sublime smooth soul from Jean Carn – who by this point has really honed her act into a polished one, perfect for the rising modern soul groove of late Philly. The record features production by Jerry Butler, Dexter Wansel, and Eddie Levert – but Jean unites the whole thing with her mature sense of poise, and her warm and loving vocals on classic cuts like "My Love Don't Come Easy", "Was That All It Was", and "When I Find You Love". A real gem – and another winner for one of soul music's greatest ladies! LP, Vinyl record album

A French group from the 70s, but one with a lead singer from Tunisia – the freaky-looking Mahmoud Ayari, who's got his feet up on the cover! The group are fiercely jamming – with a really heavy, driving percussion approach, and lots and lots of freaky guitar fuzz – often used in these really dark ways, which then seems to bring out even more darkness from Ayari's vocals – which act almost like loud calls to action than standard lyrics! A number of tunes are heavy on the instrumental section – which makes for even more great focus on the excellent guitar – and titles include "To Where I Belong", "Lot Of Things", "Explosion", "We All Come & Go", and "My Sorrow" – plus two tunes with really great special effects from Jean Pierre Massiera – "Pop Orbite" and "Pop Pull Hair". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked early funk from The Commodores – a group that spent so much time on pop ballads in later years, it's hard to believe they could be this sharp and hard-edged! There's plenty of that bass-heavy style that would later dominate many Motown combos at the end of the 70s – but the group's really in control of the groove on this one, without any of the cliches that such bassery could lead them into – and production is nicely restrained, so that the whole thing has the loose, live feel of some of the best ensemble funk of the time – even some of the gems from the underground. Lionel Ritchie contributed one nice smooth soul number, "This Is Your Life", and the rest of the album includes "Let's Do It Right", "Wide Open", "The Bump", "Look What You've Done To Me", and the funk classic "Slippery When Wet". CD

Wicked early funk from The Commodores – a group that spent so much time on pop ballads in later years, it's hard to believe they could be this sharp and hard-edged! There's plenty of that bass-heavy style that would later dominate many Motown combos at the end of the 70s – but the group's really in control of the groove on this one, without any of the cliches that such bassery could lead them into – and production is nicely restrained, so that the whole thing has the loose, live feel of some of the best ensemble funk of the time – even some of the gems from the underground. Lionel Ritchie contributed one nice smooth soul number, "This Is Your Life", and the rest of the album includes "Let's Do It Right", "Wide Open", "The Bump", "Look What You've Done To Me", and the funk classic "Slippery When Wet". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer early set from The Commodores – and exactly the kind of record that shows why the group was so great at the start! Long before they were the giants of adult pop, the group were a tight funk act who were able to really balance mellow moments with more full-on grooves – a quality that meant they could slide into a warm harmony soul number at one point, then boom the bass right out of the box the next – all with a quality that at this point was light years ahead of most of their contemporaries! There's lots of modes here that other groups would cop more strongly in years to come – but the album's still better than any others that tried to imitate its strengths – thanks to classic cuts like "Hold On", "Free", "(Can I) Get A Witness", "Sweet Love", "Mary Mary", and "Gimme My Mule" – as well as the great spacey instrumental "Cebu", which has an excellent moogy Dexter Wansel-ish vibe! That cut alone is a major discovery for anyone who doesn't know the group at this point – and will show you that they can be totally hip when they want. LP, Vinyl record album

A great solo performance from Jerome Cooper – not just drums and percussion, but work on flute, balaphone, and other instruments too! Cooper really brings all of his most thoughtful elements into play here – working slowly, and covering space with ideas that really take some time to stretch out and find themselves – then confidently move forward to open up new chapters in the performance – a bit like some of the best early moments of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, but presented here as a solo act! Side one features "The Unpredictability Of Predictability", in four movements – and side two features "Bert The Cat". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a very mod-looking cover – and a set that's also overflowing with lots of mod-styled tracks to match – a cool current of soul from the 60s, but still handled with the sharper 70s vibe of young Attractions! Production is by Nick Lowe – and although The Jam were also turning towards more soul-styled sounds at the time, Elvis and Lowe may well have done them one better with this set. Titles include "Love For Tender", "Opportunity", "The Imposter", "Secondary Modern", "King Horse", "Possession", "High Fidelity", "Riot Act", "Human Touch", "Beaten To The Punch", and "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down". Remastered with 10 bonus tracks. CD

One of the great lost groups of the UK scene of the 60s – not lost to UK audiences, or to hipsters over the generations – but still an act that never made the impact on these shores that they should! The Creation are step in step right up there with early material by The Who or Small Faces – and share a similar groundbreaking re-fusion of American roots into a new London groove – all with searing guitars, clever wordplay, and a cutting-edge spirit that may well have kept them off our charts – but which makes them so great to discover all these many years later. You might have caught a few of their songs over the years – thanks to soundtrack placement from directors like Wes Anderson, or covers by many of their bigger fans. This 2CD set features 46 tracks in all, with remastering overseen by original producer Shel Talmy – and the set includes early sides by The Mark Four, some alternate takes, and even new mixes – plus an 80 page hardcover book with scores of photos, other images, session and discographical details, and a new essay too. CD

One of the great lost groups of the UK scene of the 60s – not lost to UK audiences, or to hipsters over the generations – but still an act that never made the impact on these shores that they should! The Creation are step in step right up there with early material by The Who or Small Faces – and share a similar groundbreaking re-fusion of American roots into a new London groove – all with searing guitars, clever wordplay, and a cutting-edge spirit that may well have kept them off our charts – but which makes them so great to discover all these many years later. You might have caught a few of their songs over the years – thanks to soundtrack placement from directors like Wes Anderson, or covers by many of their bigger fans. This 2CD set features 46 tracks in all, with remastering overseen by original producer Shel Talmy – and the set includes early sides by The Mark Four, some alternate takes, and even new mixes – plus an 80 page hardcover book with scores of photos, other images, session and discographical details, and a new essay too. CD

Daft Punk's epic second live album – an uncommon feat for an electronic act of their era, in that they had that kind of pop or rock cache to build a reputation as a must see live "band', without compromising their club floor shaking genius – and a bit of a classic in its own right. This one came a decade after their first, and again somehow harnessing the show's energy in perfect form and blasting it outta the speakers – and it includes Robot Rock", "Oh Yeah", "Steam Machine", "Brainwasher", "Superheroes", "Rock N Roll", "Alive", "Da Funk", "One More Time", "Prime Tiem Of Your Life", "Short Circuit" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The first album by this excellent 80s groove ensemble – and a key part of the Ohio funk scene of the end of the 70ss! Forget the more famous funk acts you may know from Ohio, because Dayton's Dayton (can we say that?) were one of the sweetest, smoothest, tightest funk acts to come out of the entire midwest at the time – and the group had a hard-riffing, catchy-hooking sound that should have made them legends instantly . This album's got a great sound that mixes harmony vocals with modern soul use of bass and keyboards – blending the two aspects perfectly, without any of the painfully overwrought vamping and popping that could ruin other funk bands at the time – and from the very first note of the set, you can tell that Dayton's a class act, ready to go all the way! Titles include "Living For Today", "Dank", "Eyes On You", "Let Go", "So Glad", and "Tonight". CD

One of the headier groups in the Mainstream Records psychedelic scene of the late 60s – and that's saying a lot, considering the company the act were keeping on the label! December's Children features both a male and female vocalist, each of whom sing a bit solo, but also come together in occasionally majestic ways – a bit like the mode of Jefferson Airplane at times, but with a lot more complexity. Styles range from funky blues rock to gentler, folksier modes – and although the instrumentation is conventional for a rock combo, the group manage to get a lot of unusual sounds out of what they have on hand. Titles include "Afternoon", "Hide The Water", "Sweet Talkin Woman", "Slow It Down", "Livin Way Too Fast", and "Back Road Rider". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest blue-eyed soul albums ever on Motown – featuring early work by British singer Kiki Dee, better known for her later hit with Elton John! Kiki here sounds much more like a Motown soul act than on later work – singing with a wonderfully smooth style that fits the motor city mode perfectly, yet which also has some nice baroque soul touches, in the mode of other female UK singers of the time. She's accompanied by arrangements from Tom Baird, Paul Riser, and David Van DePitte – all very much in the best swinging style of late 60s Motown. A surprising gem, with a wonderful array of tunes that includes "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You", "More Today Than Yesterday", "The Day Will Come Between Sunday & Monday", "Johnny Raven", and "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The roots of a legend – and a massive look at the early work of the great Desmond Dekker – the singer who would soon explode on the global scene as one of the first big ambassadors of Jamaican music, heard here on a whole host of singles done at the start of his career! The set brings together titles that Dekker cut for producer Leslie Kong – some as a solo act, some as a member of The Aces – and the package includes both sides of every single, so that you'll also get some very cool instrumental cuts from Roland Alphonso and the Beverleys All-Stars! Titles include "It's A Shame", "007 (Shanty Town)", "Wise Man", "Madgie", "Sinners Prepare", "Parents", "You've Got Your Troubles", "Keep A Cool Head", "Sweet Music", "Unity", "Dracula", "Pretty Africa", "Sabotage", and "Mount Zion". CD

Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett certainly have some heavy friends here – a stunning host of guest help on the record, who make the whole thing come together with a sweet blend of southern rock and soul! The duo were always almost more of a soul act than a rock one, and that quality really shows through here – as they tear it up with help from The Memphis Horns, plus Duane Allman on slide guitar, Bobby Whitlock on organ, Charlie Freeman on guitar, and even a bit of guest help from King Curtis on tenor and Little Richard on piano! Tunes include some great originals that show why the Bramlett's were the premier roots rock act of the time – mixed with a few nicely-chosen cuts by other folks – in a lineup that includes "Lay Down My Burden", "God Knows I Love You", "Hard Luck & Troubles", "Soul Shake", "Miss Ann", "Living On The Open Road", "Free The People", "The Love Of My Man", and "Living On The Open Road". CD

Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett certainly have some heavy friends here – a stunning host of guest help on the record, who make the whole thing come together with a sweet blend of southern rock and soul! The duo were always almost more of a soul act than a rock one, and that quality really shows through here – as they tear it up with help from The Memphis Horns, plus Duane Allman on slide guitar, Bobby Whitlock on organ, Charlie Freeman on guitar, and even a bit of guest help from King Curtis on tenor and Little Richard on piano! Tunes include some great originals that show why the Bramlett's were the premier roots rock act of the time – mixed with a few nicely-chosen cuts by other folks – in a lineup that includes "Lay Down My Burden", "God Knows I Love You", "Hard Luck & Troubles", "Soul Shake", "Miss Ann", "Living On The Open Road", "Free The People", "The Love Of My Man", and "Living On The Open Road". CD

Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett certainly have some heavy friends here – a stunning host of guest help on the record, who make the whole thing come together with a sweet blend of southern rock and soul! The duo were always almost more of a soul act than a rock one, and that quality really shows through here – as they tear it up with help from The Memphis Horns, plus Duane Allman on slide guitar, Bobby Whitlock on organ, Charlie Freeman on guitar, and even a bit of guest help from King Curtis on tenor and Little Richard on piano! Tunes include some great originals that show why the Bramlett's were the premier roots rock act of the time – mixed with a few nicely-chosen cuts by other folks – in a lineup that includes "Lay Down My Burden", "God Knows I Love You", "Hard Luck & Troubles", "Soul Shake", "Miss Ann", "Living On The Open Road", "Free The People", "The Love Of My Man", and "Living On The Open Road". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great groups of the Detroit soul scene at the end of the 60s – but an act who never got the full fame of contemporaries like The Four Tops or Temptations! That didn't stop the Detroit Emeralds from being a hell of a vocal act, though – as they've got a mixture of tight harmonies and raw soul that's completely wonderful – and which finally gets full exposure here in a well-done selection of all their singles for the Westbound label! The imprint might be best known as the home for trippy soul by Funkadelic and Ohio Players – yet during the same classic stretch, Westbound also handled this hip Detroit trio to perfection – taking their 60s-schooled harmonies, and giving them a more sophisticated spin for the 70s – really letting the vocals take off as the group demonstrates their Dells-like power, and moving the arrangements of the tunes past overdone Motown styles of the decade before. The result is some of the hippest harmony soul you'll ever hope to hear – all presented here with the wonderfully deep Ace/Kent Records presentation – with 23 tracks that include "If I Lose Your Love", "Things Are Looking Up", "Lee", "Wear This Ring With Love", "Feel The Need In Me", "Whatcha Gonna Wear Tomorrow", "I Think Of You", "Rosetta Stone", "Set It Out", "Til You Decide To Come Home", "I'll Never Sail The Sea Again", "There's Love For Me Somewhere", "You're Gettin A Little Too Smart", and their classic "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms". CD

The Detroit Emeralds' last two albums for Westbound – back to back on a single CD! I'm In Love With You is maybe our favorite album by this Detroit soul group. Why? Well maybe it's because of the great lime-green suits they're wearing on the cover, but probably because they've really got their act together on this one, and lay down a tight set of soul cuts, that have all the great harmonies of yesteryear, mixed with a sweet funky sound that's right on the Westbound tip! The album features the great breakbeat track "You're Getting a Little too Smart", which begins with some excellent drums – and it also includes the cuts "Shake Your Head", "You Control Me", "Without You Baby", and "Heaven Couldn't Be Like This". Feel The Need is an excellent bit of modern soul from The Detroit Emeralds – one of the few older Westbound groups who successfully made the transition to the label's smoother sound of the mid 70s! The feel here is really great – smooth, slinky, and seductive grooves – often done in a midtempo way that still lets the group's harmonies come through nicely. Titles include the monster groover "Set It Out", which has a killer hook, and a tasty midtempo groove that's about the best thing you'll hear from Westbound after 1976! Other titles include "Take It Or Leave Me", "Sexy Ways", "Love For You", and "Love Has Come To Me". CD

It's hard to find fault with Lamont Dozier – even on one of his lesser albums, like this one! Lamont's best quality has always been his way with a song – and he's working here with a good batch of original tunes that all have sharp hooks and some very catchy choruses, perfect for his sweetly soulful vocal style, which is handled just right on the album. There's a few throwaway numbers on here, but the best material is head and shoulders above that of most of Lamont's contemporaries – and it's always amazing to us that he never was a bigger hit act during the 70s. The whole album's pretty nice – and titles include "I Got It All With You", "We're Just Here To Feel Good", "Fly Away Little Birdsong", and "Tough Act to Follow". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most consistently creative piano trios in the world today – a group who are always pushing the boundaries of their sound, strongly keeping away from familiar territory and tradition – yet always with a sense of swing and lyricism that continue to appeal to fans of more conventional jazz! EST aren't really ever that "out", but they're always stepping into unexpected space – odd sounds from the piano, noises you can't really place, and ways of blocking out a tune that are quite different than a regular trio session – but which also don't have the tricks or easy gimmicks of some of the jamband-oriented side of the jazz spectrum. Titles include "The Goldhearted Minor", "Beggar's Blanket", "Goldwrap", "Dolores In A Shoestand", "Fading Maid Postludium", and "Slipping On The Solid Ground". CD

One of the great, lost, under-discovered albums on Atlantic from the late 60s – the little-circulated debut of singer Scott Fagan – a very unusual talent who mixes soulful currents with a very personal singer-songwriter approach! Scott's sound is never too polished – he's certainly not trying to be a blue-eyed soul act here – but the music has these currents of organ, electric bass, and occasional groovy rhythms that make for a very compelling counterpoint to his raspy, island-bred vocals. All tunes are originals by Scott – and arrangements are by Horace Ott on most numbers, which might account for the soulful vibe. The album is completely unique – one of those sets that, if you dig it, you'll never find anything to match it – and titles include "In My Head", "South Atlantic Blues", "Crying", "Nothing But Love", "Tenement Hall", "Crystal Ball", and "In Your Hands". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just another box set by a well-established act – as this collection moves way past their hits, and pulls together a huge amount of unreleased material that really testifies to the long-running genius of one of the most unique British groups to emerge in the late 60s! The set does feature key album highlights, but also includes 55 previously-unissued tracks, and lots of rare material too – as well as a fair bit of live recordings that really show the role that improvisation played in the group's performance – that odd current of jazz that could sometimes show up and color the way that the group presented its influences from more ancient forms of music. The group also shifted members with ease, and really moved their sound around over the years – in a way that many fans would say was only a continued refinement of their aims. The huge set documents this change, and also includes the unreleased Manor album – and comes in a special box with 48-page book, and a total of 121 tracks on 7 CDs, nearly half of which (55 tracks) are previously unreleased. CD

A great set of tracks that shows an oft-hidden side of The Fatback Band – their talent for smooth, mellow numbers! Despite the fame of the group as a funky act and as dancefloor favorites, they could kick back and lay out a good ballad or a love song when they wanted to – something they did once or twice an album on their sides for the Spring label, from which the 10 tracks on the CD are pulled. The approach is a great one – as the group have a sweet sound that's perfect for mellow harmonies, drifting as effortlessly here as the band grooves on their funkier numbers. Titles include "Oh Girl", "She's My Shining Star", "I'm So In Love", "Please Stay", "I Found Lovin", "Sunshine Lady", "At Last", "Can't You See", "Is This The Future", and "Do It To Me Now". CD

Nice mid 80s UK pop soul from Five Star – sweet family act that's kind of in the mode that's a bit of an unofficial British answer to the cheery family pop soul vibe of groups like DeBarge and New Edition at the time – and a sweet one! Lean, lightly thumping synth soul backdrops and nice vocals from the group on some very catchy songs! Titles include "Love Take Over", "All Fall Down", "Let Me Be The One", "System Addict", "Hide And Seek", "RSVP", "Crazy", "Winning" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Most folks know The Foundations for one big crossover hit that still gets a lot of oldies radio play – but the group have a heck of a lot more to offer than that, as you'll hear in this wonderful collection that not only features all their 7" single releases from the UK, but also includes later solo material from the group's lead singer, Clem Curtis! The group were initially a bunch of British lads inspired by the sound of Motown, and they hooked up with Curtis, a singer from Trinidad – who really gave them the sound they wanted in the lead, and helped further the important identity of the group as a mixed-race act. Their sound is wonderfully tight – kind of a small group take on the larger studio majesty of Detroit soul – but with some nice British touches too, and a great sense of songwriting that gave the group plenty of original material along the way – a good deal of which you'll hear on this set. The 2CD package features 39 single tracks by The Foundations – including "Back On My Feet Again", "Come On Back To Me", "I Can Take Or Leave Your Loving", "Am I Grooving You", "New Direction", "Jerking The Dog", "Baby Now That I've Found You", "In The Bad Bad Old Days", "Born To Live Born To Die", "Solomon Grundy", "Till Night Brought Day", "Waiting On The Shores Of Nowhere", and "Build Me Up Buttercup". Also includes mid 70s solo work by Clem Curtis – five more tracks that include "Point Of No Return", "Time Alone Will Tell", "Mountain Over The Hill", and "I've Never Found A Girl". CD

Given that Atlantic's big claim to fame with Aretha was that they took her from being a supper club jazz singer and made her a hard soul act, we've always been a bit surprised at the way they chose to hook her up with some Bacharach tunes after her first few sides – giving her a classier uptown sound to mix with the deeper southern style that broke her out big. This album's a great example of how Aretha can mix the two styles – as it features the title rendition of "This Girl's In Love With You", and great versions of "Dark End Of The Street" and "Sit Down & Cry", and the sublime "Call Me", which is a perfect blend of the two styles in one song. And oddly, the "classier" material was recorded down in Miami, Atlantic's new home for soul in the south. LP, Vinyl record album

The Frightnrs have plenty more to say here – and they say it in a really sharp-edged approximation of older rocksteady modes! The group are contemporary, but like the best acts on Daptone, they've got an instantly classic feel – thanks to instrumentation and production that take us right back to late 60s Kingston, but with some of the sharper funky currents we've come to expect from the label! And while The Frightnrs may pitch themselves as an old school reggae act, they're also one that have a heavy dose of soul – almost a late night New Jersey current to their music at times – as if the All Platinum/Stang label put out their own version of Jamaican soul. The approach is great, and very unique – and titles include "Hey Brother", "Gotta Find A Way", "What Have I Done", "Nothing More To Say", "All My Tears", "Purple", "Dispute", and "Till Then". CD

Great work from a really overlooked group – one who have the skills of a prog act, but some of the sensitivity of a more folksy combo – which maybe is why they were such a perfect fit for the unusual sound of the Dawn label in the UK! These guys clearly have chops – the keyboard and guitar solos certainly testify to that – but they also space things out with some gentler, more personal moments – and here are also maybe a bit more hook-heavy than in the past, with a sense of almost crossing over with a few key cuts on the set. One of the catchiest numbers here is the great "Janet Planet", which has really cool production from Ian McDonald, who brings out all the best elements in the tune – and other titles include "Gormenghast", "Misty Morning Way", "Sheba's Song", "Mystery Might", and "Why". LP, Vinyl record album

They certainly got the title right on this one – because it definitely is the ultimate collection of Funkadelic goodies! The 2CD set pulls together 29 tracks from the group's classic years at Westbound – and shows them starting out as a messed-up, guitar-growling rock funk act – filled with the unique crossover spirit of Detroit – then turning into a tighter, funkier soul act with the power to really rock the charts! All the good funky tunes are here – and the set seems to have a special focus on tracks by the group that have been sampled strongly in recent history! Titles include "Red Hot Mama", "Funky Dollar Bill", "Hit It & Quit It", "Cosmic Slop", "Loose Booty", "Get Off Your Ass & Jam", "America Eats Its Young", "Maggot Brain", "I'll Stay", "Nappy Dugout", "I'll Bet You", "I Got A Thing You Got A Thing Everybody's Got A Thing", "A Joyful Process", "Be My Beach", "Undisco Kidd", "Biological Speculation", "Take Your Dead Ass Home", and "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure". CD

A great package – one that features the self-titled Taana Gardner album from the legendary New York club act on West End Records – plus lots of bonus material too! The core record is the only full length album cut by singer Taana Gardner – quite a surprise, given how much impact she had on the clubs with her 12" singles at the start of the 80s! The album's got Gardner as a much richer singer than you might expect – able to lay back on a mellow track as well as step out on a groover – always with that higher range of vocals that really made her a standout at the time, but in ways that are never gimmicky or poppy at all. And in fact, there's a lot more depth to the record than you'd guess from the dated exercise cover image – a classic soul approach that's also quite a surprise for the mostly disco West End label too. Tracks are all nice and long – and backings are by Sunship, with Bernard Wright on Fender Rhodes. Titles include "Work That Body", "We Got To Work It Out", "When You Touch Me", "Paradise Express", and "Just Be A Friend". 2CD set features lots of bonus material – Kenton Nix extended mixes of "When You Touch Me", "Just Be A Friend", and "Work That Body" – plus two key non-LP singles, "That's The World (12" club)" and "Heartbeat (12" club) – and lots of later mixes that include "No Frills (Larry Levan mix)", "I'm Comin (radio mix)", "Work That Body (MAW re-edit)", "When You Touch Me (MAW re-edit)", "Work That Body (wing it for the A-Man Tom Moulton edit)", and "Paradise Express (Gomi's tribute vocal)". CD

Red Garland's piano was certainly humming strong at the time of this session – as Red's trio were one of the key rhythm components of many Prestige albums of the late 50s, but also a real starring act on their own! The album's got a laidback, almost mellow feel that's a bit different from some of the Garland accompaniment on horn-based sessions – a style that's introspective, but always spirited – sprightly, but never flowery – that magical style that allowed Garland to bridge different worlds of jazz piano in the 50s. Paul Chambers is a perfect accompaniment here on bass, Art Taylor's work on drums is a masterpiece of understatement, and although the titles are all familiar, they're certainly given a special Garland touch! Titles include "The Very Thought Of You", "If I Were A Bell", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", "I Know Why", and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Red Garland's piano was certainly humming strong at the time of this session – as Red's trio were one of the key rhythm components of many Prestige albums of the late 50s, but also a real starring act on their own! The album's got a laidback, almost mellow feel that's a bit different from some of the Garland accompaniment on horn-based sessions – a style that's introspective, but always spirited – sprightly, but never flowery – that magical style that allowed Garland to bridge different worlds of jazz piano in the 50s. Paul Chambers is a perfect accompaniment here on bass, Art Taylor's work on drums is a masterpiece of understatement, and although the titles are all familiar, they're certainly given a special Garland touch! Titles include "The Very Thought Of You", "If I Were A Bell", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", "I Know Why", and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love". CD

Red Garland's piano was certainly humming strong at the time of this session – as Red's trio were one of the key rhythm components of many Prestige albums of the late 50s, but also a real starring act on their own! The album's got a laidback, almost mellow feel that's a bit different from some of the Garland accompaniment on horn-based sessions – a style that's introspective, but always spirited – sprightly, but never flowery – that magical style that allowed Garland to bridge different worlds of jazz piano in the 50s. Paul Chambers is a perfect accompaniment here on bass, Art Taylor's work on drums is a masterpiece of understatement, and although the titles are all familiar, they're certainly given a special Garland touch! Titles include "The Very Thought Of You", "If I Were A Bell", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", "I Know Why", and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love". CD

Killer early work from Renee Geyer – her first album as a solo act, and the kind of set that really made her one of the best artists on the Australian scene at the time! There's a blend of mellow funk and soul here that's totally wonderful – very much in the territory of the hippest American acts of the time, and served up by the Mother Earth group – who were kind of the Rufus to Renee's Chaka Khan! Titles include "Just Like A Woman", "Moon Dance", "Space Captain", "Mascara Blues", "Them Changes", "If Only You Believe", "Lean On Me", and "There's No Such Thing As Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The album's one of Jackie Gleason's finest – and a perfect demonstration of the lush, romantic backings that he did so well for Capitol during the decade – an approach that was very much in direct contrast to Gleason's pyrotechnic personality in TV comedies, but which was a surprisingly good fit for the late nite, booze-heavy antics of Jackie in real life. There's a sense of loss and longing here that few other arrangers at the time could duplicate – and while the album's clearly poised to be a tool in the act of seduction, it's got an emotional depth that might actually have your potential conquest running home with memories of sadness past flooding her mind – not actually coming across with the goods! Titles include "You're My Greatest Love", "It's The Talk Of The Town", "She's Funny That Way", "Coquette", "Did I Remember", "Dancing In The Dark", and "You & The Night & The Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set from the Grateful Dead – and one that features the group mixing studio tracks with their rising fame as a must-see live act! The package features both concert and studio recordings, and there's a wonderfully optimistic, late 60s vibe to the whole thing – the group still looking forward strongly, almost playing with a sense of surprise as they make their way through new musical discoveries – mixing catchiness and complexity together in ways that few of their contemporaries could match. Titles include "That's It For The Other One", "New Potato Caboose", "Born Cross Eyed", "Alligator", and "Caution Do Not Stop On The Tracks". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a number of late 70s milestones from the Great Jazz Trio – that sublime grouping of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums! Like the rest of their gems from the time, the album's got this simple, subtle brilliance – a way of approaching piano trio material that was quite fresh for the time – different than Jones might have sounded the decade before, and clearly influenced by the huge growth of the format in Japan – the market for which the album was originally produced. Carter really shines on the record – reminding us of his incredible ability to act as both a soloist and a rhythmatist – and Tony Williams is a great here as he is on the Herbie Hancock trio dates of the time. Titles include "Wave", "Milestones", "Mr Biko", and "Eighty One". CD

A blues album, but one with a difference – thanks to some tremendous help from the legendary Johnny Otis and his young son Shuggie! Despite the fact that the leader is billed as Guitar Slim Green, Shuggie actually plays some lead guitar on the record too – adding in some cool, complicated solos that point towards his genius to come as a solo act – and which also get some nicely romping rhythms from Johnny on drums! The Otis family was definitely bringing a lot of funk into their sound at the time, which they share plenty with Slim here – helping to make the record way more than just another late 60s rootsy blues session, and instead a great west coast criss-crossing of modes. Titles include "Shake Em Up", "My Little Angel Child", "5th Street Alley Boogie", "Old Folks Blues", "This War Ain't Right", and "Big Fine Thing". Also features two bonus tracks, both unissued – "My Marie" and "Rock The Nation". CD

A big comeback moment for Peter Green – really shining here as a lead act, at a time when his old group Fleetwood Mac had gone in a completely different direction! The guitar wizard is still amazing – and there's a shifting style from track to track, which includes a few instrumentals – making the album partly a great showcase for Green's always-inventive work on guitar, but also one for his surprisingly nice vocals too! The album marked a real return to the limelight for Green, and the first push to give him the sort of solo career he deserved for years to come – and it features help from Peter Bardens of Camel on some keyboards, and Snowy White on second guitar, sometimes sharing lead space on the record. Titles include "Tribal Dance", "In The Skies", "A Fool No More", "Proud Pinto", "Just For You", "Funky Chunk", "Apostle", "Seven Stars", and "Slabo Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Their name might seem a bit strange, but then you realize that Guinn is the last name of most of the members of the group – a really wonderful family act from the Philly scene of the 80s, and one who cut this gem of a record for Motown! The record's got a richness that moves past most other group soul of this type from the time – really wonderful vocal interplay, and a sense of class that elevates the whole thing past 80s production modes and instrumentation – on titles that include "Dreamin", "Open Your Door", "People Will Be People", "Give Everything You Got For Love", "Tell Me", "Sincerely", and "I Can't Live Without You". CD

Teddy Riley's second LP with Guy, one of many groups he held the helm for, laying down the blueprint for New Jack Swing, the sound that would rule modern chart soul for years. Like some of the other music of that era, this LP sounds a lot better to us now than it did then, when we had to act all hard and pump NWA from our jeeps. 12 tracks in all, including "Wanna Get With U", "Teddy's Jam 2", "Let's Chill", "D-O-G Me Out", "The Future" and "Let's Stay Together". Cassette

Arron Hall first served up some fantastic vocals in the group Guy, and here he steps out as a solo act on his own – turning out a wonderful debut that's full of all sorts of well-produced cuts that work together wonderfully as a whole! The set's one of those R&B records that was produced for the space of the CD generation – which means that tunes are linked together in these really great ways, although still ready to burst out as singles on their own – sparkling with Hall's great way with a hook, and kicked along with beats from the new jack generation that Aaron helped launch while working in Guy. Titles include "Don't Be Afraid (jazz you up version)", "Let's Make Love", "Do Anything", "Open Up", "Pick Up The Phone", "Get A Little Freaky With Me", "When You Need Me", and "I Miss You". CD features bonus tracks – "Get A Little Freaky With Me (ext club)", "Don't Be Afraid (nasty man's groove)", and "Don't Be Afraid (voc)". CD

Beautiful sounds from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – just an EP, but one that features material from the same recordings that gave us his Ever Changing View album – two long tracks that almost act like a ".5" to that original record! As with the full album, the performances here feature a small ensemble that comes together in very gentle, organic ways – modal grooves served up on percussion, bass, and drums – blended with warmer touches on harp, piano, and flute – plus trumpet from the leader, who also plays kalimba and percussion too! The set features tree tracks, and is over 24 minutes – almost as long as a vintage jazz record – with titles that include "Bright Sparkling Light", "Newborough Forest", and "The Tide & The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard Meat are a group with a name that's a bit misleading – you might guess some sort of Spinal Tap-ish posturing hard rock act – but instead, these guys have a really moody kind of quality that mixes plenty of acoustic instrumentation in with some more progressive electric passages – all at a level that almost makes you feel like these guys started out as a folk group, but one who wanted to jam a lot more in the end! Guitar and vocals are handled by Mick Dolan – a superb instrumentalist, and a compelling singer – and the other two members of the group include Steve Dolan on bass and Mick Carless on drums and percussion – both players who use acoustic elements as much as their guitarist. The blend almost makes you feel as of Joe Boyd had decided to record a prog album for Island – and titles include "Universal Joint", "Run Shaker Life", "Through A Window", "Yesterday Today Tomorrow", and "Time Shows No Face". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few 70s albums from the wonderful Major Harris as a solo act – and a lesser-known set that's a great follow up to the Major's previous records for Atlantic! The vibe here is a bit less Philly, but still in that mellow grooving style that works so well for Harris' vocals – a mature modern soul mode, with some excellent production from Jerry Ragovoy, who co-arranged the set with David Matthews. A few of the numbers go for a clubby feel, the best tracks are the mellower ones – which have Harris hitting those mature and personal notes that always made him one of the best romantic male soul singers of his time. Titles include "Lucky Day", "Night Moods", "How Do You Take Your Love", "Pretty Red Lips", "You're So Good You're Bad", "Your Sweet Song", and "This Is Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful collection of work from the legendary Phyllis Hyman – a set that not only includes her groundbreaking records as a solo act, but also a big range of her famous collaborations with jazz artists who include Norman Connors, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, and Grover Washington! Hyman is a singer unlike anyone else – an artist who was raised equally in jazz and soul, then found a way to mix the best of both with a new sort of sophistication that made her one of the most important female soul talents to show the way forward during the 80s – an artist who was always equal parts class and care, soul and style – and one who departed our planet all too soon. Fortunately, even after a short time of recording, Phyllis already left us an amazing legacy of music – as you'll hear in this set of overstuffed gems – a 33 track package that includes "Sacred Kind Of Love", "Baby", "You Know How To Love Me", "Under Your Spell", "Sleep On It", "Loving You Losing You (12" mix)", "Deliver The Love", "Can't We Fall In Love Again", "Let Somebody Love You", "Gonna Make Changes", "Black & Blue", "Somewhere In My Lifetime", "I'll Be Around", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "No One Can Love You More (7" version)", "Just Imagine", "Love Surrounds Us Everywhere", "In A Sentimental Mood", "In Search Of My Heart", "I Don't Want To Lose You", "Why Did You Turn Me On", "Riding The Tiger (single)", and "Tonight You & Me (disco version)". CD

Early crossover work as a solo act from James Ingram – and a set that features some stellar production from Quincy Jones! The album's one of the best of Q's pop-styled efforts of the time – and although it played big at the time, it's got a sound that's much better than we remember, especially on the more upbeat numbers – rock-solid vocals from Ingram, sung with a youthful quality that's nicely shies away from some of his more clunky commercial modes. Titles include the big hit "Yah Mo B There", plus "She Loves Me", "Try Your Love Again", "Party Animal", "Whatever We Imagine", "One More Rhythm", and "There's No Easy Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Crucial cuts from The Investigators – a UK lovers rock group, but one who borrow plenty from American soul as well – as you might guess from their look on the cover, which almost makes them appear like some east coast indie act from the early 80s! The rhythms are definitely reggae on most tracks, but they're blended with a warmer modern soul style too – easygoing, in true lovers rock style – and given some great vocals from lead singers Michael Gordon and Lorenzo Hall. Titles include remakes of "Close To You" and "How Could I Let You Get Away" – plus originals "Run Away Child", "Marley's Gone", "Baby I Am Yours", "Turn Out The Light", "Living In A World Of Magic", and "Woman I Need Your Loving". LP, Vinyl record album

This 1979 solo album by Michael is a killer batch of soul grooves – one of his best moments ever, and a crowning cap to a stellar 70s run – both as a younger solo act, and with the whole Jackson family! Quincy Jones produced, and the album's got a funky undercurrent that's really stunning – clubby, yet plenty darn soulful, with a wickedly sly groove that others would try to copy for years, but never fully match. Titles include seminal groovers like "Rock With You", "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", "Working Day And Night", "Girlfriend", "Off The Wall", "Burn This Disco Out" and more. Amazing amazing amazing work from the to-be-coronated King Of Pop! LP, Vinyl record album

Michael, if only you'd stayed at this level! This 1979 solo album by Michael is a killer batch of soul grooves – one of best moments ever, and a crowning cap to a stellar 70s run – both as a younger solo act, and with the whole Jackson family! Quincy Jones produced, and the album's got a funky undercurrent that's really stunning – clubby, yet plenty darn soulful, with a wickedly sly groove that others would try to copy for years, but never fully match. Titles include seminal groovers like "Rock With You", "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", "Working Day And Night", "Girlfriend", "Off The Wall", "Burn This Disco Out" and more. Amazing amazing amazing work from the to-be-coronated King Of Pop! CD features some cool bonus tracks – voice-overs from Quincy Jones, plus interview bits, and demos of "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" and "Workin Day & Night". CD

Four classic albums from this hip British soul group – issued here in a single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is New Religion – a record that was also released in America by Atlantic Records. Although they were a UK soul act, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds were a perfect match for the Atlantic soul stable of the 60s. The group had a smooth group style that was partly uptown, partly northern soul – as clearly illustrated in this album, which is divided up into a "mood red: you feel like leaping" side, and a "mood blue: you feel like digging deeper" side. The band chose some good material that really helps them maintain a solid socking soul sound – including "The Entertainer" and "Ain't Love Good, Ain't Love Proud" by Tony Clarke, "Ain't No Big Thing" and "I'm Just A Fool For You Girl" by Gerald Sims, and "Little Boy Blue" and "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield. Also features "Come To Me Softly", a sweet dreamy ballad by Jimmy, and kind of a bit crossover hit for the boys. London Swings is two-sided monster – as the album was originally split with work from the Alan Bown Set too! Here, the CD features just the live material from the soul group – a smoking performance from Jimmy James & The Vagabonds – one that goes way past the sweetness of their hits, and which has a crowd-pleasing, party-hearty approach to soul that's really great! Jimmy and the group serve up versions of "Sock It To Em JB", "That Driving Beat", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "You Don't Know Like I Know", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". This Is Jimmy James & The Vagabonds is a record that featured some crossover tracks with New Religion – but the set here just features the exclusive cuts – including "I Feel Alright", "I Can't Get Back Home To My Baby", "Never Like This Before", "I Don't Wanna Cry", and "You Showed Me The Way". Open Up Your Soul is a record with a really wonderful sound – the deeply soulful vocals of Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, mixed with rich arrangements handled by Nicky Welsh, and produced to perfection by Brit maestro John Schroeder! The record's got the sophistication of some of the Richard Evans productions over at Chess/Cadet at the same time – and, no surprise, the group lead off with a great cover of The Dells "Wear It On Our Face" – then roll into cuts that include "Cry Like A Baby", "Good Day Sunshine", "Four Walls", "Everybody Loves A Winner", "If You're Gonna Love Me", and "Open Up Your Soul". CD also features 7 more bonus tracks from singles – including "Why", "Bumper To Bumper", "Close The Door", "Give Us A Light", "I Wanna Be your Everything", "Hungry For Love", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". CD

An incredible treasure from the late 60s underground – the one and only album from the Jelly Bean Bandits, a group who really should have been huge! These guys are hardly the sweeter pop act you might expect from their name – and instead, they've got a rock-solid sound that's very heavy on the drums – then followed up by some very sinister organ and guitar! Lead vocals from Billy Donald are really great – with a nicely dark undercurrent that stands with the bigger names of his generation, but which never falls into any sort of overindulgence. Most tunes are somewhat short, but pack plenty of power from the bottom on up – and titles include "Happiness Girl", "Country Woman", "Poor Precious Dreams", "September Rain", "Goodtime Feeling", "Tapestries", and "Say Mann". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Elvin Jones' greatest records – a set that's quite different from both his work in the John Coltrane Quartet, and some of the powerhouse jazz sides he'd cut later as a solo act! The vibe here is a bit hard to describe, but it somehow comes together in the "midnight walk" of the title – as there's a pulsating rhythm to many of the numbers – one that comes partly from the record's great use of Dollar Brand on piano on some cuts. But other players are great, too – and there's some wicked electric piano work from Steve James – who really gives a few tracks a sinister edge – plus tenor from Hank Mobley, trumpet from Thad Jones, and added percussion from George Abend. Titles include "Midnight Walk", "HM On FM", "The Juggler", "All Of Us", and "Cross Purpose". A great album, and a real lost treasure from the Atlantic back catalog! LP, Vinyl record album

The fourth album from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – solidifying what we learned pretty early on from the indomitable soul spirit that is Sharon and her impeccable combo the Dap-Kings – it's that this is not some retro soul revival novelty act, what they are is the greatest active embodiment of a true soul sound that will never go away! We've always loved that Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings recognize the studio and the stage as different worlds. On stage, Sharon is the possibly the most energetic, charismatic presence you'll ever see and the band brings heft and heat. In the studio, they stretch out and diversify wonderfully, bringing both raw, unpolished funky soul realness to some more stripped down numbers and a full on Stax or Hi level heaviness to the bigger ones. The songs are better and more memorable than ever on this record – with "The Game Gets Old" and "I Learned The Hard Way" (an astoundingly strong one/two punch for the opening minutes) plus "Better Things", "Give It Back", "Money". "The Reason", "Window Shopping", "I'll Still Be True", "Without A Heart", "If You Call" and "Mama Don't Like My Man". CD

Khruangbin add one more chapter to their ongoing series of live albums – this time serving up a set that had them working with Toro Y Moi as their opening act! As with other records in the series, each act gets their own side of the album – and Toro Y Moi feature on side one, with the tracks "Girl Like You", "Ordinary Pleasure", "The Loop", "Deja Vu", and "Millennium". Khruangbin are tight and funky on the flipside – serving up the tunes "August 10", "Maria Tambien", "August Twelve", and "First Class". LP, Vinyl record album

An album named after a genre, but one that offers up the very special focus that BB King brought to blues music – especially in these early years of his career! King's a giant at this point – a hell of a singer, with a sound that's a key bridge between gospel and soul – and a equally solid guitarist, able to grace his tunes with searing solos, but in a way that's never as showy or overcrowded as all the later bluesmen who tried to copy his act! Instead, King's balance here is perfect – and often set to romping backings that link his approach not only to a postwar R&B tradition, but maybe even to the jazz world as well – with a vibe that's a lot less downtrodden than you might expect from a record called "the blues". If you've never dug BB at this early point in his career, you'll find plenty here to love – and titles include "When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer", "What Can I Do", "Troubles Troubles Troubles", "Early In The Morning", "You Don't' Have To Cry", and "Why Do Everything Happen To Me". CD features bonus tracks – "Sweet Little Angel", "Tickle Britches", "I'm In Love", "Bye Bye Baby", "Don't Keep Me Waiting", and "Don't Break Your Promise". CD

A very cool 12" replica of an early EP from The Kinks – one that features a whole host of tracks from that moment when Ray Davies was really taking off with his songwriting, and giving the group some of the most evocative work of their career! The leadoff cut is "Waterloo Sunset" – Ray's great anthem to London – and all the other tracks are great too, and include "Act Nice & Gentle", "Mr Pleasant", "Holiday In Waikiki", "Little Miss Queen Of Darkness", and the great "This Is Where I Belong". LP, Vinyl record album

On his second LP, KRS wisely brings in producers Premier, Diamond D, Showbiz and others to liven things up. Except for "Free Mumia", less politics than his earlier LPs. 16 tracks including "MC's Act Like They Don't Know", "Rappaz R N Danja", "Represent the Real Hip Hop", and four BDP classics "I'm Still #1", "My Philosophy", "Jack of Spades", "Why Is That?", and guest vocals from Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Mad Lion, Channel Live, and Das Efx. LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic from the great Patti Labelle – one of the lady's first few albums as a solo act, and a set that definitely marks her step forward into a whole new sort of sophisticated soul! Some of the funkier, grittier touches of the Labelle years are in place – but Patti's also got this new sort of lead confidence, especially on the album's fuller tracks, ballads, and midtempo steppers. At a time when so many other female singers were stepping right into disco with a style that Labelle helped to invent, Patti finds a whole new way to express herself and stand strong for years to come. Titles include the killer Latin groover "Teach Me Tonight" – plus "Save The Last Dance For Me", "Monkey See Monkey Do", "Little Girls", and "Eyes In The Back Of My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

A weird little record from underground romantic singer Lewis – an artist who's partially in a European tradition that runs from French singers up through the New Romantics generation – but one who's also a definitely individual, with an approach that's all his own! The album's got a slinky, classy sort of feel – one that befits Lewis' white suit on the cover, standing in front of a private jet and Mercedes – but the backings are also oddly dark, almost some ironic commentary on romance, with these moody undercurrents that almost make the whole thing feel like it comes from the Genesis P Orridge side of the universe! Let's put it this way: If you tried to use the record in an act of seduction, you might find yourself driving your partner out of the bedroom in a hurry – but if you're looking for a wonderfully weird, wonderfully oddball record, you've definitely found it. Titles include "We Danced All Night", "Bon Voyage", "As The Boats Go By", "So Be In Love With Me", "It's A New Day", and "Don't Stop It Now". CD

A fantastic selection of work from one of the hippest girl groups of the 70s – the mighty Love Unlimited trio, three singers who all worked under the genius of Barry White in his prime! Unlike other girl trios of the time, who often used an older soul mode refitted with disco grooves – sometimes acting more like a chorus than a lead act – Love Unlimited always brought their full vocal strengths to play, and do a fantastic job here working in modes that rival some of the best male harmony groups of the early 70s – especially the sweet soul groups from New Jersey, New York, and Philly. And yes, Barry does kick up the groove a bit at times, but even then things are usually more in a midtempo mode, not a disco one – which makes for tremendous sounds throughout. This is the first-ever proper collection of the girls' singles from the early 70s – and titles include "Oh Love Well We Finally Made It", "Fragile Handle With Care", "Are You Sure", "I Should Have Known", "Is It Really True Boy Is It Me", "Walkin In The Rain With The One I Love", "Under The Influence Of Love", "It May Be Winter Outside", "I Love You So Never Gonna Let You Go", "I Belong To You", "So Nice To Hear", "People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today", and "Share A Little Love In Your Hear LP, Vinyl record album

Da mouf of da souf returns! This one boasts "100% natural beats/rhymes/lyrics and chicken." Needless to say, 'Cris's Dirty South roots are waved loudly and proudly on this follow up to his mega-breakthrough Word Of Mouf, with appearances by Chingy, Snoop, Lil' Flip and members of the Disturbing Tha Peace clique. Ya gotta love the album, if for nothing else, 'Cris's frequent and relentless badgering of gaseous windbag Bill O'Reilly. O'Reilly seems to think 'Cris's belligerent drunken rudeness (quite obviously a SATIRICAL ACT) is ruining America more than any other element. Let's all write "The Factor", Fox News and the other babysitters and thank them for looking out for the kids, and all of us brainless monkeys who would do nothing but drink, smoke, and beat women if they weren't there to protect us from the evil rappers! (Sheesh.) Tracks include "Blow It Out", "Stand Up", "Splash Waterfalls, "Hard Times", "Diamond In The Back", "Screwed Up", "P-Poppin'", "Hoes In My Room", "Teamwork", "We Got", "Eyebrows Down", "Hip Hop Quotables" and more. CD

Sublime soul from The Main Ingredient – a collection of cuts from their classic early 70s years at RCA – a time when they were topping the charts with their wonderful harmonies! Main Ingredient had a sweetness that was different than some of their contemporaries – usually upbeat, with a sing-song presentation of the lyrics that always made for some wonderful hooks – and an overall sense of lightness, even when the subject matter was somewhat heavy. And given that the group were always more of a singles-based act than an album one, we're more than happy to endorse this well-chosen package of hits – with 16 tracks that include "Black Seeds Keep On Growing", "Everybody Plays The Fool", "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", "Superwoman", "Rolling Down A Mountainside", "Girl Blue", "Spinning Around", "You've Got To Take It", "Happiness Is Just Around The Bend", "Euphrates", "Make It With You", and "You've Been My Inspiration". CD