A really cool package, and one that goes past the easy old school hits from the early years of hip hop – and which instead brings together all these unusual strands of sound that really show how creative things were, right at the start! There's a number of tracks here that are a great surprise – nuggets we loved back in the day, and which spring to live here amidst other well-chosen tracks – all served up with the usual super-great notes and overall presentation we love from the Soul Jazz label. Many tracks have great basslines or boogie-styled grooves – from that moment when hip hop, funk, and soul were maybe more strong bedfellows than they would be a few years later – and themes are a nice mix of politics and partying, on titles that include "Get Live 83" by Carver Area High School Seniors, "Super Rock Body Shock" by Eye Beta Rock, "Street Talk" by Funky Constellation, "Do You Like That Funky Beat" by Kool Kyle The Starchild, "Jam To Remember" by Just Four, "Eei Eei O" by Silver Star, "Real Rocking Groove" by Chapter III, "To The Beat Y'All" by Sangrita, "Rappin & Rockin The House" by Funky Four Plus One More, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Mike T, and "Girls Of The World" by The Just Four. LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning harmony soul from the Jamaican scene – served up here by The Chosen Few, a group we'd rank right up there with some of the best American harmony soul acts from the Philly and New Jersey scenes at the start of the 70s! The rhythms, as you might guess, have a bit more reggae influence in the mix – but the vocal leads and harmonies resonate strongly with classic material by The Stylistics, Delfonics, and other key groups of the generation – plus Miracles material from the generation before! The package brings together some of the rare 7" single releases by the group, all with much better sound than original Jamaican pressings – and titles include "Make Way For The Young Folks", "Queen Majesty", "Hide & Seek", "My Thing", "Everybody Plays The Fool", "Tears Of A Clown", "Second That Emotion", "I Love The Way You Love (part 1)", "Children Of The Night", and "Reggae Stuff". CD

A well-chosen batch of tunes from June Christy's legendary years at Capitol Records – material that really helped transform the sound of the voice in jazz during the 50s! Arrangements are by Pete Rugolo or Bob Cooper – and there's a tremendous amount of darkness in many of these tunes – a mix of cold and sweet that's simply breathtaking, and which is still a style that June does better than anyone else. Titles include "How High The Moon", "Nobody's Heart", "Something Cool", "Just A Sittin & A Rockin", "Midnight Sun", "Willow Weep For Me", and "My Heart Belongs To Only You". LP, Vinyl record album

We have to be honest, by this point we'd all but given up on George. But the truth is, Clinton and crew have pulled off a decent job of turning the tables on the whole G-funk scene, and taking a page or two out of their book, after they'd done the same to him for years! While we'd never claim this is best work, it's held up a fair bit better to the test of time than you might imagine! With "If Anybody's Gonna Get Funked Up (It's Gonna Be You)", "New Spaceship", "Flatman & Bobbin", "Sloppy Seconds", "Rock The Party" and "Get Your Funk On". CD

Great early work from the enigmatic Wayne Cochran – a whiter-than-white cat who's most famous for his late 60s run of surprisingly great funk and soul records for Chess and King – heard here on the complete tracks recorded for a variety of different labels in the runup to those years! Some of these tracks have Cochran coming across with more of the rockabilly style you'd expect from his famous coiffure – but there's also plenty of early strands of soul music too – served up in that special blend that always made Wayne Cochran such a popular live act on a variety of different stages throughout the south! The package does great justice to these early years of Cochran – complete with a huge illustrated booklet of notes and details on the singles – material originally issued on labels that include Gala, Confederate, Bethlehem, and Scottie – plus key material recorded for King and Mercury as well. The 2CD package features 42 tracks in all - and titles include "No Return", "Liza Jane", "Think", "You Left The Water Running", "The Coo", "Harlem Shuffle", "Last Kiss", "Little Orphan Annie", "Dreams", "Linda Lu", "Cindy Marie", "Funny Feeling", "Money", "Lights Out", "A-Ok", "Get Down With It", "Somebody Please", and "To Make Me A Man". CD

Hey, don't hold Wayne Cochran's hair against him – because he's one massively soulful dude, despite a high white pompadour – and really knew how to rock the clubs back in the 60s! Cochran's a really unique figure – working with a look that was whiter-than-white, but coming across with a groove that was right up there in the best funky soul mode of the time! Wayne played for the same sort of crowds that went to see Baby Huey & The Babysitters – blending together soul and R&B influences with a really party-oriented groove laid down by his legendary CC Riders backup group – and crossing countless borders along the way, all in pursuit of a socking soul sound! This wonderful set is the best we've ever seen on his music – and features tracks pulled from his sessions for King, Chess, and Mercury – plus a full never-issued live album for King, titled The Wayne Cochran Show. There's more than a few covers here of other 60s soul tunes, but Wayne somehow manages to make most of them sound even better than the originals – bringing in funky arrangements that weren't even used on the hits, and making us wish we'd had a chance to catch his cooking show back in the day. 38 tracks in all – with titles that include "Dance To The Music", "Hold On I'm Coming", "Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa (Sad Song)", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Hard To Handle", "Chopper 70", "Everybody", "Let Me Come With You", "My Machine", "Get Ready", "Which One Should I Choose", "I'm In Trouble", "The Peak Of Love", "Somebody Please", "I'm Leaving It Up To You", and "Big City Woman". CD

One of those records that was a classic from the moment it was first released – the legendary second effort from the trio of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash – with added bonus of Neil Young in the mix, which gives the whole thing a current of darkness that's completely mindblowing – especially in comparison to the harmonies of the quartet! These aren't the vocal patterns of the Sunshine Pop generation of a few years before – and CSNY find a way to capture all the darkness of the fading light of the 60s, while finding a special space for more thoughtful, sensitive sounds that never would have gotten a chance a few years before. Every track's a classic – and titles include "Carry On", "Our House", "Almost Cut My Hair", "Deja Vu", "Country Girl", "Everybody I Love You", "Woodstock", and "Teach Your Children". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the deepest digs into the legacy of UK wonderproducer Joe Meek – a set that opens up a whole host of unissued tapes from the vaults, to present a hugely expanded set of work from a group who hardly issued any records back in the 60s! The Cryin Shames are not to be confused with the American Cryan Shames – as the Liverpool group had a great sound, but only released two singles – before spinning off into other groups with a short run too – including Friendly Persuasion, and Paul & Ritchie & The Crying Shames – all of whom recorded with Meek, and are presented here, in a massive 51 track package that features loads of unreleased takes, live material, and other rare tunes too! Core elements include the singles "September In The Rain", "Come On Back", "Nobody Waved Goodbye", "Please Stay", "What's News Pussycat", "The End Of The World", and "Come On" – and there's also 18 very early tracks from the group's audition, when they were initially billed as The Bumblies. Along with the notes, the whole thing is a great example of the way the wheels were really turning and the studio doors were opening during these key years of British rock – another new window into the production genius of the great Joe Meek! CD

A fantastic presentation of all that's wonderful with the mighty Daptone label – one of the hippest, funkiest record companies of the past few decades – the company that gave the world Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, and other great artists – all of whom are heard here in an extended length live set! The package documents three nights of music at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem – home to famous live shows by James Brown – whose tight way of presenting a variety of singers is replicated here – as Daptone cycle through some of their hippest acts in the lead, offering up a few songs by each – while the mighty Dap Kings provide all the backing! There's a huge amount of songs by both Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley – plus more by Budos Band, Antibalas, Menahan Street Band, Como Mamas, Sugarman 3, Saun & Starr, and Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens – then everybody comes together to perform a version of "Family Affair" at the end! Binky Griptite acts as the MC for the evening – and the whole thing has a rock-solid sound that's every bit the best that Daptone can offer. LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark work from Desmond Dekker – one of the first Jamaican artists to break bigger on the global scene at the end of the 60s – thanks to soulful sets like this! The music is still very much in a rocksteady mode, but has some currents of ska that's kept it on turntables for years – not the upbeat variant of the genre, but the laidback mode that was perfect for a hot night in Jamaica – when nobody ever wanted the grooves to move too fast! Both the instrumentation and production are impeccable – the latter handled by Leslie Kong – and Desmond is completely charming throughout, on titles that include "Music Like Dirt", "Rudy Got Soul", "007", "Sabotage", "Wise Man", "Shing A Ling", "Unity", "Mother Pepper", and "Mother's Young Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Roots rock but with a strongly soulful undercurrent – thanks to key late 60s Stax production from Donald Duck Dunn and Don Nix, both of whom make the record sound a lot hipper than many other similar sets from the time! The record showcases the singing and songwriting talents of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett – a pair who were hyped heavily by the rock scene of their era, but who also step out here with equally soulful appeal – almost a blue-eyed soul take on the Stax sound of the late 60s! Of course, it helps that the pair get plenty of help on the record from folks like Booker T & The MGs, The Memphis Horns, Isaac Hayes, and William Bell – but their own efforts are pretty great too, as heard on tracks that include "My Baby Specializes", "Things Get Better", "We Can Love", "Just Plain Beautiful", "Everybody Loves A Winner", and "Pour Your Love On Me". CD features 6 bonus tracks – including "A Long Road Ahead", "I've Just Been Feeling Bad", "Dirty Old Man", and "Get Ourselves Together". CD

Includes the songs "After You've Gone", "The Gasser", "Jump Through the Window", "Minor Jive", "Stardust", "Oh, Lady Be Good", "I Surrender, Dear", "Body And Soul", "I Can't Get Started", "After You've Gone", "Fish Market", "Twilight Time", "St. Louis Blues", "Embraceable You", "All The Cats Join In", "Poor John", "Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip", "Yard Dog", "Lover, Come Back to Me", "Rockin' Chair", "It's the Talk of the Town", and "Christopher Columbus". CD

Fuzzy and genuinely well-crafted private press grooves from the Emerson brothers – with crazy good hooks, some surprisingly solid musicianship – and songs that range from straight-up catchy, though fuzz-drenched rock, to funk and soul! Donnie Emerson is the lead singer, guitarist and bass player, along with some synth – and on the best tunes, he's got a confident, laidback and warm style on vocals that truly doesn't feel the voice of a kid still in his teens – with brother Joe on drums and other friends on backing vocals here and there. Here's a record that profoundly transcends the private press novelty and the goofy jumpsuits they're rocking on the front cover! Includes "Good Time", "Give Me The Chance", "Baby", the instrumental groover "Feels Like The Sun", "Love Is", "Don't Go Lovin' Nobody Else", "Dream Full Of Dreams" and "My Heart". CD

Fuzzy and genuinely well-crafted private press grooves from the Emerson brothers – with crazy good hooks, some surprisingly solid musicianship – and songs that range from straight-up catchy, though fuzz-drenched rock, to funk and soul! Donnie Emerson is the lead singer, guitarist and bass player, along with some synth – and on the best tunes, he's got a confident, laidback and warm style on vocals that truly doesn't feel the voice of a kid still in his teens – with brother Joe on drums and other friends on backing vocals here and there. Here's a record that profoundly transcends the private press novelty and the goofy jumpsuits they're rocking on the front cover! Includes "Good Time", "Give Me The Chance", "Baby", the instrumental groover "Feels Like The Sun", "Love Is", "Don't Go Lovin' Nobody Else", "Dream Full Of Dreams" and "My Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

There's never been anyone like Brian Eno in his early years – and despite countless copycats over the years, nobody comes close to the brilliance of a record like this! There's so much going on here – darkness and wit, guitars and quiet, fantasy and sentimentality – all amazingly blended into tunes that shouldn't be catchy, but are – and which come across much more with the oddly rocking vibe of Eno's years in Roxy Music, than any of his later, better-known ambient projects. Make no mistake, that sense of sound that would grace the ambient works is definitely brewing here – as there's very interesting production, unusual sonic elements, and other surprises taking place throughout – in ways that continue to mesmerize and delight as the years go on. Titles include "Burning Airlines Give You So Much More", "Back In Judy's Jungle", "The Fat Lady Of Limbourg", "Mother Whale Eyeless", "The Great Pretender", "Third Uncle", "Put A Straw Under Baby", "The True Wheel", "China My China", and "Taking Tiger Mountain". CD

A long-overdue package – one that finally brings together all the many strands of music from underground Cali rock legend Merrell Fankhauser! CD1 features some of Merrell's earliest music – a host of early singles by Merrell & The Exiles, some of which were issued on the Glenn and Golden Crown labels – mixed here with rare unissued titles too – for a whopping 19 tracks that offer up a rare look at Fankhauser's earliest years! CD2 features the classic Fapardokly record – a lost bit of legend from the west coast scene of the 60s – and a record that's maybe best-known as a showcase for the early genius of Merrell Fankhauser – who wrote most of the songs on the set, a good number of which were actually recorded for the record by his previous group, The Exiles! Yet despite that little bit of trivia, there's a great vibe going on here – a seminal shift in the Cali scene from garagey work to trippier modes – served up beautifully on titles that include "Glass Chandelier", "Suzie Cryin", "Tomorrow's Girl", "Lila", "Mr Clock", "No Retreat", "Gone To Pot", "When I Get Home", "Supermarket", and "The Music Scene". CD3 features the album Things, recorded by Merrell Fankhauser & HMS Bounty – a perfect blend of Fankhauser's earlier garage rock modes and latter trippier styles! The tunes are short and wonderfully tuneful – produced at Gold Star studios, with a simple, straightforward style that makes all the deftness of the songwriting come through even more – an approach that, although supposedly steeped in Pacific Ocean inspiration, almost feels more like that great moment when some UK groups of the mid 60s were tripping out, but not too much. Titles include "Lost In The City", "Your Painted Lives", "In A Minute Not Too Soon", "A Visit With Ashiya", "The Big Gray Sky", and "Rich Man's Fable". CD4 features MU – an incredible record, and one that really lives up to all its well-deserved legend over the years – one of those sets that's not just rare, but which has all the chops to really deliver the goods! A few short years before, Merrell Fankhauser was recording garage and psych on the LA scene – but here, he steps off the latter with a bit of post-60s hangover – working with a current of darkness that really changes things up, while still providing a great outlet for his legendary work on guitar – and his mindblowing sense of a lyric! Titles include "Ballad Of Brother Lew", "Eternal Thirst", "Too Naked For Demetrius", "Mumbella Baye Tu La", "The Clouds Went That Way", and "Nobody Wants To Shine". CD5 features MU's The Last Album – 20 more tracks recorded in 1974, but unissued for many years – and CD6 features the legendary Maui album from the enigmatic Merrell Fankhauser – a self-released set that drew inspiration from his time in Hawaii – even though the set was mostly recorded in LA and San Francisco! The tunes are beautiful – nicely evolved from Merrell's psych of earlier years, with a much more personal vibe – yet all without some of those west coast cliches that were creeping into more mainstream music of the period. You might get the vibe partly right if you could maybe imagine a more personal singer/songwriter take on the AOR vibe of the period – with leaner, better instrumentation and unslick production – but that's also only part of the picture too! Titles include "On Our Way To Hana", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Garden In The Rain", "Waterfall", "The Source", "Sail It Over The Ocean", and "We Were All Free". Box set features a very detailed book of notes – bonus tracks added to most of the albums, and a massive 95 tracks in all! CD

The legendary Charlie Feathers is best known as one of the rawest rockers on the Memphis scene of the 50s – but during the decade, he cut some of his best work for King Records in Cincinnati – a label who captured the dynamic energy of Charlie with the same skill they brought to their R&B work at the time! These sides are completely smoking – arguably some of the best recordings that Feathers cut during this initial burst of activity – work that we'd stand side by side next to some of the best that Sun Records has to offer – and by that, we'd even include some of the famous giants on that label! Both Charlie's guitar work and vocals are wonderfully distinct – and titles include "When You Decide", "Too Much Alike", "One Hand Loose", "Bottle To The Baby", "Everybody's Loving My Baby", "Can't Hardly Stand It", "Nobody's Woman", and "When You Come Around". CD

Crazy rhythms, joyous postpunk, frenetically catchy melodies – and to put it all simply, one of the best albums of its time! The jittery guitars by Glenn Mercer and Bill Million pretty much pave the way for indie rock guitar for the 2 decades to come, all of the oddball additional percussion by everyone in the band bring plenty of crazy to the sound, and the songs are unbelievably catchy. The crazy rhythms are just part of the incredible sound. It should be against the law for this album to be out print! Titles include "The Boy With The Perpetual Nervousness", "Fa Ce-La", "Loveless Love", "Forces At Work", "Original Love", their wild cover of "Everybody's Got Something To Hide (Except For Me And My Monkey)", "Raised Eyebrows" and "Crazy Rhythms". CD

The pious bird of good omen might well be the track "Albatross" here – nestled in the middle of the record, and a key sign that Fleetwood Mac were ready to break from their roots! But this is no heavy bird hanging around the group's neck – as the groundbreaking instrumental really set them free from their straight blues rock expressions, and is mixed here with a great range of material that really shows Peter Green and the group ready to take on the 70s. If you loved Green's blues guitar work on other records, don't worry – there's still plenty of it here – but the range of songs is great, and in addition to the amazing "Albatross", other tunes include the fantastic original version of "Black Magic Woman", plus "The Big Boat", "Rambling Pony", "Just The Blues", "Looking For Somebody", "Stop Messin Round", "The Sun Is Shining", "I Believe My Time Ain't Long", and "Coming Home". 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

Plenty sweet stuff from Marvin Gaye – a killer 60s set that's best known for the hit title track, but which is a rock-solid record all the way through! The rhythms really hit that upbeat, hard-stepping sound that seems to dig even more deeply into Gaye's soul than in the early years – that bad-walking Motown quality that really oozes sex and sophistication, pushing Marvin's vocals to new heights in the process! All cuts are great, and the album's an amazing step forward for Marvin – a mighty move that showed that there was no turning back, and that his previous hits were just the beginning. Titles include "One Of These Days", "How Sweet It Is", "Forever", "No Good Without You", "Now That You've Won Me", "Need Somebody", "You're A Wonderful One", and "Try It Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Man, these guys are really opening up their sound a lot with this release – moving into the heavier, harder rock territory that would bring them big fame in the 70s! The whole thing's a lot more tripped-out than before – none of the sweeter, lyrical modes of the group's earliest hits – and instead, a lot more moody numbers that really brood nicely on heavy basslines, fuzzy guitar, and some arch vocals sung in English throughout, despite the Dutch origins of the band. Why this one didn't rock the UK and US scenes bigger at the time is a mystery – but the record's ripe for rediscovery now, and filled with great cuts that include "The Truth About Arthur", "Who Cares", "Mr Fortune's Wife", "Must I Cry", "Magnificent Magistral", "I've Just Lost Somebody", "Sam & Sue", and "Crystal Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

The mighty debut of Grand Funk Railroad – a set that has them bursting out of the box as one of the hardest-hitting power trios on the American scene! Like contemporaries ZZ Top or James Gang, these guys have clearly been influenced by the best electric blues of the previous decade or two – but are already turning that inspiration into some harder rocking modes – really prefacing all the guitar hero groups to come along in the next few years! Mark Farner's work on the guitar is fantastic, and he also adds in a bit of harmonica too – but the whole thing is definitely a group effort – thanks to heavy bass from Mel Schacher and pounding drums from Don Brewer! Titles include "Anybody's Answer", "Time Machine", "Into The Sun", "Heartbreaker", "Call Yourself A Man", "Ups & Downs", "TNUC", and "High On A Horse". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from Nils Lofgren and his mighty early trio Grin – and a record that really shows all sorts of great criss-crossing styles of the time! There's some gentler echoes of late folk in the mix, put right up alongside fuller, harder rock impulses – but also given this sweeter Cali spin that reflects the album's recording at Wally Heider studios – all with a very down to earth vibe that preserves some of the Chicago innocence of Nils's roots. Titles include "Like Rain", "18 Faced Lover", "Outlaw", "Direction", "Open Wide", "I Had Too Much", "Sing For Happiness", and "Everybody's Missin The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

The first three Grin albums – all served up in a single package! First up is the self-titled debut – the first album from Nils Lofgren and his mighty early trio Grin – and a record that really shows all sorts of great criss-crossing styles of the time! There's some gentler echoes of late folk in the mix, put right up alongside fuller, harder rock impulses – but also given this sweeter Cali spin that reflects the album's recording at Wally Heider studios – all with a very down to earth vibe that preserves some of the Chicago innocence of Nils's roots. Titles include "Like Rain", "18 Faced Lover", "Outlaw", "Direction", "Open Wide", "I Had Too Much", "Sing For Happiness", and "Everybody's Missin The Sun". Next is 1 + 1 – the second album from the early group of Nils Lofgren – a really well-conceived combo that's expanded with just the right amount of larger arrangements on a few tracks here! It's clear that Nils is getting more confidence as both a singer and a leader – expressing himself through vocals that have a bit more bite, while still retaining some of the sweeter currents of before – and really pulling out some of the guitar and keyboard work that would make him a superstar in years to come. Bassist Bob Gordon and drummer Bob Berberich contribute some vocals too – and titles include "Slippery Fingers", "End Unkind", "Moon Tears", "Soft Fun", "Hi Hello Home", and "Just A Poem". All Out is a record with a wide smile on the famous cover image – maybe in part because Nils Lofgren and Grin really seem to be finding the sound that makes them happy! There's a blend of blues rock, rootsier modes, and a clear charisma that comes from Nils lead vocals throughout – and the group's expanded with second guitar from Tom Lofgren, which seems to let Nils do a bit more piano and keyboard work too – all of which really underscores some of the charms of the tunes. Kathy MacDonald joins the set on some guest vocals too – and titles include "Heavy Chevy", "Sad Letter", "She Ain't Right", "Heart On Fire", "Rusty Gun", "All Out", and "Don't Be Long". CD

The legendary debut of Hackamore Brick – a really unique little group who only gave the world this one little record, then disappeared for decades! Although issued on the mostly-pop Kama Sutra imprint, the album's got this earnest, honest quality that's really refreshing for the time – neither too-jamming rock or psych, but also not really singer-songwriter material either – and instead that kind of personal blend of acoustic elements and electric passion that's been rediscovered recently in the farther reaches of the "private" underground of the 70s. Yet here, the group are emerging already full-formed – with songwriting that's sublime, vocals that are transcendent, and mix of modes that was certainly a head-scratcher to the mainstream market of the time – but which has gone onto make the album a real treasure that's gotten some much-needed rediscovery in recent years. Titles include "Got A Gal Named Wilma", "Reachin", "Radio", "Peace Has Come", "Zip Gun Woman", "Someone You Know", and "Oh Those Sweet Bananas". CD

A great little soul album from Herbie Hancock – but one that's often lost in the valleys between his bigger hits of the time! The record was cut in the space right before Herbie's big "Rockit" success – and it's a sweet bit of funky fusion that has a good dose of R&B in the mix – similar to other records from Hancock's Columbia label keyboardist contemporaries – like Rodney Franklin, Webster Lewis, or Charles Earland! All orchestrations are performed by Herbie on a host of keyboards and synthesizers, and just about every cut has vocals – from singers who include Sylvester, Gavin Christopher, and The Waters. But even with this soul component, Herbie still keeps things jazzy – using a good bit of keyboards to open up the tunes in the middle, and hitting hard on all numbers with that classic Hancock approach to funk! Titles include "Magic Number", "Tonight's The Night", "Everybody's Broke", "Help Yourself", and "Satisfied With Love". CD also features the bonus "Magic Number (disco mix)". CD

A sublime early 70 set of rustic-accented folk, soul & blues from Tim Hardin that's heavy on covers – with tunes penned by Willie Dixon, Randy Newman, and others – in a soulful rock mode that's just ragged enough to give it a loose charm unlike any of Hardin's earlier work! Tim's in fine, effortlessly soulful voice here on material that could have found him going over the top, ala Joe Cocker, but he's tastefully restrained throughout. An underrated gem! Titles include the a loosely buzzing cover of the eternal Bo Diddley via Willie Dixon masterpiece "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover" and Dixon's "Do The Do", plus "Midnight Caller", "Yankee Lady", "Lonesome Valley", "Till We Meet Again", "I'll Be Home", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Post-Labelle solo work from Nona Hendryx – and a set that very much shows that she's the one who brought all the raw funky power to the group! Unlike Patti Labelle's work from the same time, which was getting smoother and classier, Nona's work here is almost in the vein of rock music – working the lead guitar hard in a style that's a bit Betty Davis, but more crossover too – in ways that helped Hendryx gain a huge audience for her groove in the 70s! The core group is super-tight, and also helps Nona with all the arrangements too – a nicely unified set that includes a version of Russ Ballard's "Winning", plus "Everybody Wants To Be Somebody", "Once Again", "Problem", "Will You Be There?", "Leaving Here Today", and "Take A Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal early country rock from Gram Parsons and the International Submarine Band – cut soon before Gram jumped ship to the Byrds for the legendary Sweetheart Of The Rodeo LP! The one-and-only International Submarine Band LP is the first official full length album from Gram Parsons, and probably the record in which GP's deep love of soulful 60s honky tonk is worn most proudly on his sleeve. He covers Merle Haggard's "I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known" and Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues", and overall the album sounds a little bit more Bakersfield than San Francisco. Notoriously produced by Lee Hazlewood's gal Suzi Jane Hokem. Essential! Tracks include "Blue Eyes", "A Satisfied Mind", "Folsom Prison Blues/That's Alright", "Miller's Cave", "Luxury Liner", and "Strong Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of New York soul gems back to back – the third and fourth albums from the legendary Chuck Jackson! First up is Encore – fantastic work from the great Chuck Jackson – a singer who was really at the height of his powers during these early years of his career! Chuck's maybe best known for heartbreaking material – and the notes on the album actually refer, oddly, to these songs as "the crying towel variety" – but what Jackson brings to his music is this strong sense of pride and power – this depth of reserve that makes you feel like he'll never give up, no matter how hard the going might be – a quality that southern soul singers would soon poach from Jackson and other singers up north, and make their own style of music. Yet back at the start, few folks did it better than Jackson – as you'll Hear on cuts that include the wonderful hit "Tell Him I'm Not Home", plus "Lonely Am I", "Blue Holiday", "Getting Ready for the Heartbreak", "Don't Believe Him Donna", "Tomorrow", "Two Stupid Feet", "Another Day", and "Invisible". Next up is Mr Everything – rock-solid set of heartbreaking soul – the sort that few others could touch at the time! Jackson often doesn't get his due in the history books these days – but records like these were landmark moments of pride, power, and open male emotion – of the sort that went onto inform generations of soul music to come – and help future artists find their way, guided by the emotional frankness of Jackson's approach! Backings are carefully balanced – tight, but never too polished to overwhelm Chuck's vocals – which soar out with a raw power that blows away Sam Cooke or some of Jackson's other contemporaries. Titles include "D-5", "I Need You", "Human", "I'm Your Man", "Tears Of Joy", and "Somebody New". CD

Chuck Jackson may be Mr Everything in the title – but there's one thing he does especially well on this classic 60s album – deliver a rock-solid sort of heartbreaking soul – the sort that few others could touch at the time! Jackson often doesn't get his due in the history books these days – but records like these were landmark moments of pride, power, and open male emotion – of the sort that went onto inform generations of soul music to come – and help future artists find their way, guided by the emotional frankness of Jackson's approach! Backings are carefully balanced – tight, but never too polished to overwhelm Chuck's vocals – which soar out with a raw power that blows away Sam Cooke or some of Jackson's other contemporaries. Titles include "D-5", "I Need You", "Human", "I'm Your Man", "Tears Of Joy", and "Somebody New". LP, Vinyl record album

Michael Jackson's last album with his famous family – a set of electric 80s soul that's a bit different than Jackson's well-known solo work! In a way, the later Jacksons albums almost feel like a place where Michael can try out some ideas that don't fit as tightly into the overall sound of his own records – and there's definitely more diversity here than before – a shift between gentle ballads, beat-heavy tunes, and even a few rockish/poppish moments. Of course, we should probably be crediting the other Jacksons for their help in the sound here too – as they're certainly credited on the cover – but there's also less of the "many parts as one" sound than before, so it's hard to tell how they're working together. Titles include "The Hurt", "Wait", "Torture", "One More Chance", "Body", "We Can Change The World", and "State Of Shock", the big single, which features a guest appearance by Mick Jagger. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent Chess session by Etta, with hard Chicago soul production by Monk Higgins and Ralph Bass – and the kind of searing vocals that always made Etta a treat, whether rocking or mellow! The album's got some wonderful hard soul tracks, of the style that Etta could really cut loose with when she was at her best. This album is very heavily weighted in this more storming mode – and it's tremendous! She's so much more better remembered in the pop realm for the more tender and ballady material she cut over the years, but there's a heck of a strong case to be made for grittier gems such as this album! Titles include "Happiness", "It's All Right", "842-3089 (Call My Name)", "That's All I Want From You", "Nobody Like You", "I Prefer You", "Don't Pick Me For Your Fool" and more. This great version from Kent UK is the first ever (!!!) CD release and it's expanded broadly, with 12 bonus tracks: "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", "I Got You Babe", "Misty", "I've Gone Too Far", "The Soul Of A Man", "Miss Pitiful", "Slow And Easy" and more. CD

Rick James hits a smoother sort of style here – one that's almost a compressed take on the mainstream version of funk first crafted on his earlier records, fused into a more radio-friendly approach for the Prince generation! The sound's actually not that bad – and the record has an appeal (albeit a dated one) as a relic of crossover soul from a time that's fading more and more from the collective memory. Rick's still writing, arranging, and producing the whole set – and titles include "Glow", "Melody Make Me Dance", "Can't Stop", "Spend The Night With Me", "Somebody", "Moon Child", "Sha La La La La", and "Rock & Roll Control". LP, Vinyl record album

The lost legacy of a Twin Cities group who gave the world two great singles back in the day – but also left behind a lot of other excellent material that never saw the light of day! Joker's Wild sound a lot like you might guess from their look on the cover – psychedelic, but down to earth too – that smaller city vibe from a point when garage rock groups were learning how to really play their instruments, write great songs, and expand their sound with a better understanding of the studio – all of which really marks the work on this set! The lineup is lean, and the sound is nice and raw throughout, but surprisingly tuneful too, thanks to strong production – and titles include rare singles "All I See Is You" and "Echo" – plus "Copper Penny", "Good Time", "Hard Road", "I See You", "Stranger", "Witch", "That Man's Not You", "River", "Dissatisfied", "American Dream", "Peace Man", "Park Music", and "Have You Ever Loved Somebody". CD

The lost legacy of a Twin Cities group who gave the world two great singles back in the day – but also left behind a lot of other excellent material that never saw the light of day! Joker's Wild sound a lot like you might guess from their look on the cover – psychedelic, but down to earth too – that smaller city vibe from a point when garage rock groups were learning how to really play their instruments, write great songs, and expand their sound with a better understanding of the studio – all of which really marks the work on this set! The lineup is lean, and the sound is nice and raw throughout, but surprisingly tuneful too, thanks to strong production – and titles include rare singles "All I See Is You" and "Echo" – plus "Copper Penny", "Good Time", "Hard Road", "I See You", "Stranger", "Witch", "That Man's Not You", "River", "Dissatisfied", "American Dream", "Peace Man", "Park Music", and "Have You Ever Loved Somebody". LP, Vinyl record album

A full set of Louis Jordan's excellent work for Mercury Records in the mid 50s – material that often reworks his older songs, but with a lean, mean vibe that's got a lot more early rock and R&B touches! The instrumentation is razor-sharp – often with searing sax solos from the man himself, and a groove that has all the other players hitting hard on the rhythms – romping in a way that definitely lives up to the rock and roll of the title, but with a quality that reminds us that Jordan was one of the originators, and not just some older talent trying to cash in on the new scene! CD features 21 tracks in all – and titles include "Run Joe", "Salt Pork West Virginia", "Beware Brother Beware", "Knock Me A Kiss", "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", "The Jamp", "Ella Mae", "Saturday Night Fish Fry", and "Morning Light". CD

Incredible music from Seu Jorge – and that's saying a lot, given how much we've loved all of his previous records! This time around, Jorge really knocks it out of the park – by stepping away from some of his tighter styles, and going for a looser, more organic approach that's totally great – forged strongly with the cool combo Almaz, which features members of Nacao Zumbi, and bassist Antonio Pinto – the guy behind the great music in City Of God! The result is a record that's completely fresh, new territory for Jorge – but a set that also still holds onto all the best charms of his previous records too – and given that he's always seemed poised for superstardom and global crossover, it's even more incredible that he's made such a rootsy record like this! The record's filled with cool covers – all given the Almaz twist – tunes by Kraftwerk, Roy Ayers, Michael Jackson, Jorge Ben, Tim Maia, and others – completely reworked, and tuned up with spare instrumentation that's mostly guitar, bass, and drums. Titles include "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", "The Model", "Cala Boca Menino", "Girl You Move Me", "Juizo Final", "Cirandar", "Tempo De Amor", and "Rock With You". LP, Vinyl record album

All praise to the mighty J5 – reminding us in the early 00s that hip hop could still be about funky, party rockin' beats and flowing on beat, with witty, intelligent rhymes – and sound as fresh as ever! This album's mostly produced by Cut Chemist, though Nu Mark has a hand in a number of tunes, and there's a couple of tracks by the Beatnuts. Akil, Chali 2na, Zaakir and Marc 7 don't do as much of the unison, sing song style that'd been their trademark in the past, but their back to the old school/new school style is still intact. 17 cuts in all, including "Freedom", "If You Only Knew", "Break", "React", "A Day At The Races", "After School Special", "High Fidelity" and "I Am Somebody", plus the Kool Keith skit "DDT" and Cut Chemist's cut'n'paste "Acetate Prophets". CD

A funky classic from Albert King's great years on Stax – a time when he was forging his bluesy roots with all the sharp sounds the Memphis label had to provide! The album's got production and some great songs from Don Nix – who certainly makes his presence known here, by slanting the groove a bit more towards that rockish mode that was working so well with electric blues in the early 70s – a mode that was more of an evolution than the commercialization that would come a few years later – and which here, in the hands of Stax, just adds a bit of funk to the rhythms, while still letting King shine right out on top. Titles include "For The Love Of A Woman", "Lovejoy IL", "Going Back To Luka", "Like A Road Leading Home", "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven", and "Bay Area Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A posthumous collection of work from Freddie King – material recorded in a variety of different sources, but all of it with Freddie's well-honed guitar sound in the lead! Some tracks were done down at Criteria Studios in Miami, and have a warmly southern sort of glow – others were done in the UK with Mike Vernon with a bit more of a rockish feel, and a few more were done for radio, with a slightly rougher edge than the rest. Titles include "Pack It Up", "Shake Your Bootie", "Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do", "Woman Across The Bridge", "Sweet Home Chicago", "Sugar Sweet", "TV Mama", "Gambling Woman Blues", and "Farther Up The Road." LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from The Kinks – a set that's got all the wit of their late 60s material, a bit of the rootsy currents of Muswell Hillbillies, and a lot more bite than the group would have in some of their next few albums to come! Ray Davies' pen is razor-sharp, as is his vocal approach – and the songs are maybe even more gritty than the group would have done a few years before – furthered by some of the instrumental currents that also bring in a few acoustic elements and some Americanized riffs, which are then also matched by an occasional twang in Ray's vocal presentation. Plus, the double-length set also features one album of studio material, and a second live album – almost as a "bonus" thrown in for good measure. Studio tracks include the hit "Celluloid Heroes", plus "Here Comes Yet Another Day", "Maximum Constipation", "Unreal Reality", "Hot Potatoes", "Motorway", and "Supersonic Rocket Ship" – and live cuts include "Skin & Bone", "Alcohol", "Banana Boat Song", "Lola", "Holiday", and "Mr Wonderful". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from The Kinks – a set that's got all the wit of their late 60s material, a bit of the rootsy currents of Muswell Hillbillies, and a lot more bite than the group would have in some of their next few albums to come! Ray Davies' pen is razor-sharp, as is his vocal approach – and the songs are maybe even more gritty than the group would have done a few years before – furthered by some of the instrumental currents that also bring in a few acoustic elements and some Americanized riffs, which are then also matched by an occasional twang in Ray's vocal presentation. Plus, the double-length set also features one album of studio material, and a second live album – almost as a "bonus" thrown in for good measure. Studio tracks include the hit "Celluloid Heroes", plus "Here Comes Yet Another Day", "Maximum Constipation", "Unreal Reality", "Hot Potatoes", "Motorway", and "Supersonic Rocket Ship" – and live cuts include "Skin & Bone", "Alcohol", "Banana Boat Song", "Lola", "Holiday", and "Mr Wonderful CD

One of the highest-concept of all 70s Kinks album – a dark exploration of fame and the price of success, done as a mini-rock opera starring Norman & The Starmaker! As with some of these sets, the best tunes here are those that are the most subtle and less dramatic – and which revisit the more everyday themes of the group's Village Green years. Other tracks are a bit more showy and gimmicky, in a way that almost makes you feel silly for caring about the subject matter – even though Ray Davies's vision of the issues at hand is still as biting as ever. A few standout tracks move into straighter rocking territory, but without the kitsch of some of the other "oldies" styled numbers – and titles include "Holiday Romance", "Everybody's A Star", "Rush Hour Blues", "Nine To Five", "When Work Is Over", "Ducks On The Wall", "You Can't Stop The Music", and "Face In The Crowd". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the highest-concept of all 70s Kinks album – a dark exploration of fame and the price of success, done as a mini-rock opera starring Norman & The Starmaker! As with some of these sets, the best tunes here are those that are the most subtle and less dramatic – and which revisit the more everyday themes of the group's Village Green years. Other tracks are a bit more showy and gimmicky, in a way that almost makes you feel silly for caring about the subject matter – even though Ray Davies's vision of the issues at hand is still as biting as ever. A few standout tracks move into straighter rocking territory, but without the kitsch of some of the other "oldies" styled numbers – and titles include "Holiday Romance", "Everybody's A Star", "Rush Hour Blues", "Nine To Five", "When Work Is Over", "Ducks On The Wall", "You Can't Stop The Music", and "Face In The Crowd". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius early work from Kris Kristofferson – four great albums in a single package, with SACD mastering too! First up is The Silver Tongued Devil & I – a masterful tribute to the genius of Kris Kristofferson, and a record that perfectly illustrates that unique place he held in music at the start of the 70s! The album's Kris' second, and has maybe a more unified vibe than his debut – filled with original material that has that open, honest quality that Kristofferson brought to country music – and which also had a surprisingly strong impact on mainstream rock and singer/songwriter material too! There's both a frankness of feeling and sharpness of wit that make the whole thing wonderful – and the album's overflowing with original gems that include "Jody & The Kid", "Billy Dee", "Loving Her Was Easier", "The Taker", "When I Loved Her", "The Pilgrim Chapter 33" and "Epitaph" – plus a great reading of the Bobby Bare/Billy Joe Shaver tune "Good Christian Soldier". Border Lord is a wonderful album, and one that's full of lesser-known gems from Kris Kristofferson – from a time when he'd started sharing his songs with other singers first, and started to hold back all the good stuff for himself! The album's got help from some country music studio greats, but it's clearly Kristofferson's show, right from the start – overflowing with tunes that get delivery from Kris that nobody else can match – with a special understanding of the choice of words, balance of wit, and depth of feeling that makes him so great on record. Titles include "Burden Of Freedom", "Border Lord", "When She's Wrong", "Kiss The World Goodbye", "Getting By High & Strange", "Somebody Nobody Knows", and "Josie". Jesus Was A Capricorn is one of those records in which Kris Kristofferson takes on the 70s, and comes up with a sound and style that's completely his own – even when working within the mainstream of the time! His label, Monument, could do plenty of hokey stuff – and even arranger Bill Justis wasn't always the hippest of cats – nor producer Fred Foster. Yet working here, they all rise to the occasion under the majesty of the man's music – a soaring batch of original tunes, of that special sort that Kris was always keeping to himself after his early years writing hits for others. Titles include "Why Me", "Give It Time To Be Tender", "It Sure Was Love", "Nobody Wins", "Enough For You", and the title cut "Jesus Was A Capricorn", owed to John Prine! Spooky Lady's Sideshow is a record that has Kris Kristofferson loosening up his mix of styles slightly, almost a nod back to his debut – but all in a way that only seems to bring an even greater range of feeling to his songwriting! Kristofferson maybe looks a bit more casual and laidback on the cover than some previous sets, but he's still got all the sharpness of delivery that makes him so great, and which really matches his magical words – on titles that include "Broken Freedom Song", "Star Spangled Bummer", "Smile At Me Again", "I May Smoke Too Much", "Stairway To The Bottom", and "Rescue Mission". CD

A seminal album from the great Patti Labelle – a set that allowed the singer to mature strongly and find her own voice away from the funky, rockish style of Labelle – this sophisticated style that marked a whole new level of the singer's career! The Philly International label turned out to be a perfect setting for Patti – as they too were also growing past some of their earlier styles – moving past the chart soul of the 70s, and some of their bigger disco hits – and finding just the right place to allow their artists to keep on growing strongly over the years. The album's an all-adult affair – no clunky commercial moments at all, and instead this great blend of jazzy currents and sophisticated soul – all handled with the excellent second generation Philly International approach! Titles include "I'm In Love Again", "Love Lives", "Love Need & Want You", "I'll Never Never Give You Up", "If Only You Knew", "Body Language", and "When Am I Gonna Find True Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most supremely classic of all classic hard rock albums! As huge as the debut was, Led Zeppelin II is the record that proved that the group were going to be in it for the long haul – with a righteous raw power that's still being felt all these many decades later! Nobody else could touch this one – and the album is filled with iconic cuts that include "Whole Lotta Love", "Ramble On", and"Heartbreaker" – plus the ridiculous Bonzo showcase "Moby Dick", and "Bring It On Home". Cassette

One of the most supremely classic of all classic hard rock albums! As huge as the debut was, Led Zeppelin II is the record that proved that the group were going to be in it for the long haul – with a righteous raw power that's still being felt all these many decades later! Nobody else could touch this one – and the album is filled with iconic cuts that include "Whole Lotta Love", "Ramble On", and"Heartbreaker" – plus the ridiculous Bonzo showcase "Moby Dick", and "Bring It On Home". CD

One of the most supremely classic of all classic hard rock albums! As huge as the debut was, Led Zeppelin II is the record that proved that the group were going to be in it for the long haul – with a righteous raw power that's still being felt all these many decades later! Nobody else could touch this one – and the album is filled with iconic cuts that include "Whole Lotta Love", "Ramble On", and"Heartbreaker" – plus the ridiculous Bonzo showcase "Moby Dick", and "Bring It On Home". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most supremely classic of all classic hard rock albums! As huge as the debut was, Led Zeppelin II is the record that proved that the group were going to be in it for the long haul – with a righteous raw power that's still being felt all these many decades later! Nobody else could touch this one – and the album is filled with iconic cuts that include "Whole Lotta Love", "Ramble On", and"Heartbreaker" – plus the ridiculous Bonzo showcase "Moby Dick", and "Bring It On Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Overlooked genius from Led Zeppelin – an album that was missed by many the first time around, because of it's tight focus and simplicity! For the set, the group step back just a bit from their more stylistically sprawling tendencies – almost as if they got some of the more ambitious ideas out of their system with Physical Graffiti, or simply wanted to get out there and kick some ass – a back to basics move, and one that sees some tremendous guitar work from Jimmy Page! The album still has some longer songs and complicated changes – this is Led Zeppelin, after all – and the lack of over-played classic rock radio fodder actually makes this one a better listen nowadays than the more iconic albums. Includes "Achilles Last Stand", "For Your Life", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", "Candy Store Rock", "Hots On For Nowhere", and "Tea For One". Cassette

Overlooked genius from Led Zeppelin – an album that was missed by many the first time around, because of it's tight focus and simplicity! For the set, the group step back just a bit from their more stylistically sprawling tendencies – almost as if they got some of the more ambitious ideas out of their system with Physical Graffiti, or simply wanted to get out there and kick some ass – a back to basics move, and one that sees some tremendous guitar work from Jimmy Page! The album still has some longer songs and complicated changes – this is Led Zeppelin, after all – and the lack of over-played classic rock radio fodder actually makes this one a better listen nowadays than the more iconic albums. Includes "Achilles Last Stand", "For Your Life", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", "Candy Store Rock", "Hots On For Nowhere", and "Tea For One". CD

Overlooked genius from Led Zeppelin – an album that was missed by many the first time around, because of it's tight focus and simplicity! For the set, the group step back just a bit from their more stylistically sprawling tendencies – almost as if they got some of the more ambitious ideas out of their system with Physical Graffiti, or simply wanted to get out there and kick some ass – a back to basics move, and one that sees some tremendous guitar work from Jimmy Page! The album still has some longer songs and complicated changes – this is Led Zeppelin, after all – and the lack of over-played classic rock radio fodder actually makes this one a better listen nowadays than the more iconic albums. Includes "Achilles Last Stand", "For Your Life", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", "Candy Store Rock", "Hots On For Nowhere", and "Tea For One". LP, Vinyl record album

Overlooked genius from Led Zeppelin – an album that was missed by many the first time around, because of it's tight focus and simplicity! For the set, the group step back just a bit from their more stylistically sprawling tendencies – almost as if they got some of the more ambitious ideas out of their system with Physical Graffiti, or simply wanted to get out there and kick some ass – a back to basics move, and one that sees some tremendous guitar work from Jimmy Page! The album still has some longer songs and complicated changes – this is Led Zeppelin, after all – and the lack of over-played classic rock radio fodder actually makes this one a better listen nowadays than the more iconic albums. Includes "Achilles Last Stand", "For Your Life", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", "Candy Store Rock", "Hots On For Nowhere", and "Tea For One". CD

Lothar & The Hand People gave the world one of the greatest psych albums ever issued by Capitol Records – but this set of earlier recordings shows the group in a very different light – raw, noisy, and very garagey – much more in the territory of The Seeds or The Sonics! The recording is live, but feels more like it was captured in a small basement room than a larger rock club – as there's a very forward sound to the whole thing, as if the group were trying to rip the performance space out of its foundations, while they work their own rough-edged magic on tunes that are familiar, but which sound very different in this setting – a perfect illustration of the genius of garage at its best! The guitar lines are wonderful – and titles include "If I Have To Choose", "Walking The Dog", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Come Along", "Who's Been Talking", "Gloria", "That's Another Story", and "Nobody Knows". CD

Quite an obscure one by Love – a mid 70s record that actually has quite a bit of soul in the mix! The album almost seems to be going for a Sly Stone approach – expanding the group past Arthur Lee and crew with a host of additional players that include Harvey Mandel, Bobby Lyle, and Joey Deguero. There's still plenty of bluesy and rocky tracks – but there's also a great cover of William DeVaughn's "Be Thankful For What You Got" – done in a chunky mode that really hits a great groove with us (and which is proof that people were covering the tune even back when it was first released!) Other tracks move between soulful rock, Thin Lizzy-esque compressed guitar numbers, and other styles that show a bit more soul than might be expected. Titles include "Time Is Like A River", "Everybody's Gotta Live", "You Said You Would", "Busted Feet", "With A Little Energy", and "Who Are You". LP, Vinyl record album