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The first album from Bedhead – a 1994 record that helped usher in something of a quiet revolution in 90s indie rock – paving the way for lusher, moodier and slower soundscapes, soon be dubbed slowcore! Bedhead is as much a breath of fresh air a couple decades later, delivering a timeless, moody sound that takes some cues from the vibe of the Velvet Underground at their mellowest, and more recent trailblazers like Spaceman 3 – but ultimately deliver their own distinctive, and now oft-imitated sound. Includes "Liferaft", "Haywire", "Bedside Table", "The Unpredictable", "Landlord", "Crushing", "Unfinished", "Powder", "Foaming Love", "To The Ground", "Living Well" and "Wind Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A big leap into the musical mind of David Brent – aka the character created by Ricky Gervais for the original UK version of The Office – now off to follow his dream as a singer/songwriter! The music here follows from those last few musical moments that Gervais gave us on the final installment of The Office UK – with maybe a bit less of the sexy soul vibe, and more of an earnest songwriter vibe – with some hilarious attempts at "correct" politics! Make no mistake, this is definitely an album of music – not comedic bits – and the songs are performed and produced at a level that's totally straight – so much so, they almost feel like lost AOR numbers from the late 70s, until you plug into the wit of the lyrics and their delivery by Gervais. Titles include "Spaceman", "Please Don't Make Fun Of The Disableds", "Lady Gypsy", "Native American", "Life On The Road", "Freelove Freeway", "Ain't No Trouble", "Electricity", and "Don't Cry It's Christmas". CD

Titles include "5D", "Eight Miles High", "Hey Joe", "Mr Spaceman", "Captain Soul", and "John Riley". LP, Vinyl record album

2 of Chuck Jackson's more unusual albums for Wand Records – back to back on one CD! On Tour is a great little live set that has Jackson opening up with a range of more grooves than usual – picking up some jazzy touches on a few songs, moving into Motown on a few others, and returning to his original Iceman groove on the rest. The crowd noise is very up in the mix – and from what we can tell, the album feels more live than the usual "canned" 60s set of this type, bristling with more electricity than we might expect from Chuck! Dedicated To The King is even more unusual – as "The King", in this case, is Elvis – which makes for a very strange album for Jackson! The album has Chuck dropping his Iceman style for a rougher, almost southern soul-styled approach – a mode that would show up more strongly on later albums, and which works surprisingly well with a set of Elvis tunes here! CD features 21 tracks in all – including live takes on "Billie Baby", "Any Other Way", "Stand By Me", "Please Please Please", "Beg Me", "I Don't Want To Cry", "Chuck's Soul Brothers Twist", and "I Wake UP Crying" – plus Elvis tunes "Hound Dog", "Don't Be Cruel", "Love Me Tender", "It's Now Or Never", and "I Forgot To Remember To Forget You". CD

A key moment in the career of 60s soul legend Chuck Jackson – 2 albums that really have him moving away from his "iceman" sound of the early years, into a harder-edge style that even more deeply soulful than before! Jackson first came to fame for his masterful interpretation of heartbreaking ballads and tear-jerkers at the start of the 60s – but the Jackson featured here is a prouder, more confident vocalist – one that's a perfect fit for the "tribute to R&B" format of the sessions, as they give Chuck a great chance to show off his vocal range in a variety of different modes. Arrangements on both sessions are by bandleader Bobby Scott – who works with Jackson here on a selection of tunes pulled from 50s R&B and 60s soul – all made famous by other artists, and performed here in versions that reference the original, yet give them all a unique Chuck Jackson twist! The set features 22 tracks in all – and titles include the two-part "Theme To The Blues", plus "Ya Ya", "Quarter To Three", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Satisfaction", "All In My Mind", "Sunny", "Hold On I'm Coming", "My Baby Loves Me", and "Every Man Needs A Down Home Girl". CD

Unbelievably beautiful work – and possibly the greatest album ever from the mighty Walter Jackson! Jackson was one of the best singers to come out of the Chicago soul scene of the 60s, and his Okeh recordings are a perfect example of the city's sophisticated approach to Iceman soul – as perfected by Walter, Jerry Butler, and (later) Garland Green. The arrangements are by Riley Hampton, and they have a cold fragile beauty that lingers somewhere between a Scott Walker album and Riley's earlier work with Lorez Alexandria – and the no-filler selection of songs is one of Jackson's best ever– a range of work that really show his deep talents, and his maturing approach to a tune – proud, powerful, and a new level of adult sophistication in soul. Titles include the amazing title cut "Speak Her Name" – plus "Corner In The Sun", "My One Chance To Make It", "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom", and "Not You". This expanded CD makes the original album ever better – and adds in a full batch of 10 bonus tracks – some of which are unissued, others of which are rare singles from Jackson's later Okeh years, plus rare Epic sides. Bonus titles include "No Butterflies", "Ad Lib", "The Look Of Love", "The Bed", "Forget The Girl", "My Ship Is Coming In", "Road To Ruin", and "Just One Smile". CD

Unbelievably beautiful work – and possibly the greatest album ever from the mighty Walter Jackson! Jackson was one of the best singers to come out of the Chicago soul scene of the 60s, and his Okeh recordings are a perfect example of the city's sophisticated approach to Iceman soul – as perfected by Walter, Jerry Butler, and (later) Garland Green. The arrangements are by Riley Hampton, and they have a cold fragile beauty that lingers somewhere between a Scott Walker album and Riley's earlier work with Lorez Alexandria – and the no-filler selection of songs is one of Jackson's best ever– a range of work that really show his deep talents, and his maturing approach to a tune – proud, powerful, and a new level of adult sophistication in soul. Titles include the amazing title cut "Speak Her Name" – plus "Corner In The Sun", "My One Chance To Make It", "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom", and "Not You". Fantastic stuff, and one of the most powerful soul records we can think of! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the strongest albums from the Leaders sextet – an ensemble that features 6 of America's best left-of-center players of the time – all of them leaders of their own groups, putting aside ego to come together beautifully here! The set features Lester Bowie on trumpet, Arthur Blythe on alto, Chico Freeman on tenor and soprano, Kirk Lightsey on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Don Moye on percussion – all jamming to a set of original tunes that vary between longer numbers and shorter bits that are interspersed between the tracks – a balance that further underscores the creativity of the players. Titles include "Lucia", "Now A Moment", "Heaven Dance", "Peacemaker", "The Search", "Lightish", and "Sun Percussion Six". LP, Vinyl record album

Another interesting, acerbic set of tracks from Sage Francis – who's enlisted an ambitious line-up of guests for this record, including Sixtoo, Will Oldham, Saul Williams, Alias, Danger Mouse and others. Tracks include "The Buzz Kill", "Sea Lion" featuring guitar and vocals by Will Oldham and beats by Alias, "Gunz Yo" with beats by Danger Mouse, "Escape Artist", "Product Placement", "Voicemail Bomb Threat", "Dance Monkey", "Agony In Her Body", "Lie Detector" and more. CD

A heady brew of fuzz from guitarist Stephen O'Malley – best known for his work in Sun O))) – but recording here in a free jazz setting with drummer Steve Noble – whose percussive contributions are wonderfully scattered around the edges of O'Malley's sonic drone! The album only features two long tracks – and they both build up over a long course of balanced sonic activity – with a style that almost answers the question "what would happen if a psychedelic group ever dabbled in free jazz?" But there's also a lot more going on than that – and the record's another strong statement from the rising Noble, and a great shift in setting for O'Malley. CD

A record that definitely lives up to its title – an obscure Italian sound library session that blends instrumental touches that evoke an America at the start of the 70s with some of the hipper, deeper currents you'd expect from the team of Stefano Torossi and Giovanni Tomasso! There's plenty of expected sound library funk in the mix here – but there's also bits of banjo, harmonica, and acoustic guitar – all used sparely, but in a way that paints "America" on some of the groovier cuts here – in a way that makes for one of the most unique sound library sessions we've ever heard! Plus, the book comes with some nicely hokey notes about our nation, and some nice vintage photos – including images of a hippie wrapped in a flag in a hammock, and a confederate soldier loading a canon. Titles include "Black Power", "Policeman", "Fake It", "Six Miles From Blackstook", "Slaterige Sunday Breakdown", "Harlem Jungle", and "Metropolis". CD

An extremely hip batch of southern soul from the start of the 70s – tracks that show the real growth in the genre as the decade approached – a move into deeper, more sophisticated forms that really helped break past the hit cliches of the 60s! All of the work here is from the Excello family of labels – including Mankind and A-Bet Records – all imprints dedicated to unearthing and exposing some of the deeper talents on the southern soul scene at the time – with fresh production styles that really gave the singers a chance to open up on the tunes. Most numbers are in a mellow or midtempo mode – presented with a nice degree of polish in the instrumentation, but never in a smooth or slick way. The package features great notes on these musical treasures – and the CD features a total of 22 tracks that include "I'm Going To Win Her Love" by Bobby Powell, "Bad Water" by Doris Duke, "Daddy's Home" by 5 Degrees Fahrenheit, "Tears (I Shed For You)" by Big T & The Pacemakers, "The Next Man" by Jean Stanback, "Got To Travel On" by Brooks O'Dell, "For The Good Times" by The Seventh Wonder, "Ten Carat Fool" by Jimmy Jules, "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" by Rose Davis, "Sun Comes Up" by Freddie North, "I'm Going To Try You One More Time" by Bobby Powell, "This Is My Chance" by Art Gentry, and "Lovin' On Back Streets" by Freddie North. CD

Essential stuff! This 2 LP set includes a huge amount of previously unreleased live material, played by the Ayler group in New York, during 1966 and 1967. Ayler's brother Don is on trumpet, and the rest of the group includes Henry Grimes (or Alan Silva), Michel Sampson, and Beaver Harris. Titles include "Light In Darkness", "Divine Peacemaker", "Angels", and "Omega Is The Alpha". The gatefold opens to some nice liner notes. Great all the way through, and a oft-missed, but essential slice of Ayler's career! LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout session from reedman Hamiet Bluiett – a record that's heavy on Afro-centric influences, with lots of heavy percussion at the bottom, and a rare jazz combo appearance for the time by trumpeter Hugh Masekela! There's kind of an earthy loft jazz sort of feel to the date – almost spontaneous creation, as Bluiett plays baritone sax and flute, and Masekela trumpet and flugelhorn, over percussion from Chief Bey, Titos Sompa, Seku Tonga, and Okeryema Asante – the last of whom we know from his record for the Black Fire label. Plunky plays soprano sax on one number – furthering the Black Fire connection – and other musicians include Donald Smith on piano and Billy Spaceman Patterson on guitar, each on one track. Quincy Troupe delivers some hip poetry on the cut "Snake Back Solos" – and other titles include "Bouka", "Enum", "Broken Sticks", and "Nali Kola". CD

Amazing soul from one of the greats of the 60s! This album was one of the first that Jerry cut for Mercury – where he'd begun working with the young team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff to completely rework the earlier sound he'd forged at Vee Jay Records. The album's still got Jerry singing in his wonderfully rich deep voice – hence the "iceman" in the title – but the songs have a bit more of a groove to them, with a soaring soul style that really lifts Jerry up, and pushes him onto a whole new generation of soul fans. The best proof of this are the hits "Hey Western Union Man" and "Never Give You Up" – but the whole album's great, and like most of Jerry's LPs, it's got many wonderful tunes hiding underneath the hits. Titles include "How Can I Get In Touch With You", "Can't Forget About You Baby", "Are You Happy", and "Go Away Find Yourself" – as well as other hits like "Lost" and "Only The Strong Survive". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of an amazing legacy in 60s soul – the first two Wand albums from Chuck Jackson, back to back in a single set! First up is I Don't Want To Cry – a real landmark from soul singer Chuck Jackson – part of a unique wave of male vocalists who really took the music to new heights in the 60s! Jackson's got this way of balancing heartbreaking emotion with masculine control – summed up perfectly in the album's title track, then carried forth in a set of other blue-tinged numbers that strike an equal balance! The approach is similar to the best work by Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson – with a similar blend of deep range and sophisticated ideals – and titles include "I Don't Want To Cry", "I Wake Up Crying", "A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry", "Tears On My Pillow", "I Cried For You", "Lonely Teardrops", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", and "In Between Tears" – plus more songs about crying, believe it or not! Next is Any Day Now – beautifully heartbreaking soul from Chuck Jackson – singing here in his early "iceman" style – clearly influenced by Jerry Butler's work on Vee Jay, but also a perfect fit for the uptown soul sound of New York! The title track – "Any Day Now" – is a late night mellow soul classic that never gets old – but the album's also filled with some great fresh numbers that make it a wonderful no-filler set all the way through! Titles include "Angel of Angels", "The Breaking Point", "Just Once", "I Keep Forgettin", and "Who's Gonna Pick Up The Pieces". CD

A tremendous second step for Chicago soul legend Walter Jackson – packaged here with a huge amount of bonus tracks as well! The core album is a sublime mix of new tunes and re-imagined standards – and a set that takes Walter Jackson into even more sophisticated soul territory than before! The record is proof that the up and coming soul artists of the 60s had a key place alongside the more established mainstream acts on the other side of the fence – as Walter's working here with arranger Riley Hampton to re-cast a number of familiar tunes in his cool Iceman soul mode – changing the themes, rhythms, and inflections of the tracks for a more contemporary soul market – and also interspersing them with a few great new songs of his own! The approach is amazing – far better than even Jerry Butler or Chuck Jackson's work in a similar idiom – and the album features the sublime hit "Welcome Home", plus the Van McCoy tunes "Suddenly I'm All Alone", "Still At The Mercy Of Your Love", and "The Magic's Gone" – alongside versions of "Moon River", "Let It Be Me", "Imagination", and "My Funny Valentine". Added to the original album are 7 more rare tracks pulled from singles – some of the true gems in Jackson's 60s career for Okeh – with titles that include "Deep In The Heart Of Harlem", "Cold Cold Winter", "That's When I Come To You", "Special Love", "One Heart Lonely", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", and "The Folks Who Live On The Hill". CD

A special performance of the work featured on Moacir Santos' Ouro Negro album – featuring most of the tracks from the record played live, and some especially nice guest appearances from Ed Motta, Joao Bosco, and Djavan! The DVD is as respectful of the music as the original production of the album, and the set list features 19 tracks that include "Coisa No 2", "Odudua", "Mae Iracema", "Jequie", "Bluishmen", "Amalgamation", "Lamento Astral", and "Suk Cha". 107 minutes long, with titles in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. DVD

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A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply – but also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes". CD