Perhaps the most heavenly of all the Chi-Lites albums, with soaring harmonies leaping all over beautiful Chicago soul production, and loads of great heartbreaking stories unfolding as the whole thing spins away! A true masterpiece from the Chicago scene – and filled with loads of wonderful moments that almost seem to be the group's answer to some of the growing wave of harmony soul coming from the east coast at the time. Includes the excellent title track, plus "Just Two Teenage Kids", "Too Late To Turn Back Now", "Someone Else's Arms", "You Smiled The Same Old Way", "My Heart Just Keeps On Breakin'", and "Love Comes In All Sizes". Nice cover, too, with a skyline shot of Chicago around the same time that Bob Newhart was working there as a shrink! CD

One of the biggest records ever from The Chi-Lites – thanks to the "Oh Girl" title hit that's referenced on the cover! But apart from that ballad classic, the record's actually got a heck of a lot more to offer – some incredible harmony soul tracks that show that even during their hit years, The Chi-Lites were one of those groups who could still stay true to their roots – and still come up with amazing tunes again and again! Mainman Eugene Record is at the helm producing and writing most of the tunes on the set – and some of the best numbers have that little gentle groove that was the best Chi-soul contribution to the sound of the 70s – that lilt or bounce from the 60s, turned towards slightly more sophisticated modes for the new generation. Titles include "Being In Love", "Love Is", "Coldest Days Of My Life", "Living In the Footsteps Of Another Man", "Ain't Too Much Of Nothing", and "A Lonely Man" – and a cover of "Inner City Blues". CD also features the bonus track "The Coldest Days Of My Life (part 1)". CD

A stone stellar batch of tracks from the mighty Chi-Lites – and a record that really shows why the group were such a standout at the time! There's a freshness here that few other groups could ever hope to match – lots of new material, penned by group leader Eugene Record – and these wicked arrangements by Record and Sonny Sanders – often put together with this gentle undercurrent of funk that kicks things along from the bottom, yet still saves plenty of space up top for the group's sublime harmonies! The approach is quite different than modes that east coast vocal groups were using at the time – and even different than Detroit, too – a really sophisticated blend of styles that shows the Windy City soul scene at its best. The whole thing's great – no filler at all – and titles include "Give It Away", "I Like Your Lovin", "Are You My Woman?", "Let Me Be The Man My Daddy Was", and "You're No Longer A Part Of My Heart". CD

A wonderful look at the later years of Chicago soul – a collection that brings together work from Chi-Sound Records, the imprint formed by producer Carl Davis after years of working with Windy City artists on labels like Okeh and Brunswick! Both Davis and the Chicago scene were reaching a new level of sophistication by the time Chi-Sound got its start – and the label took a keen cue from the Philly scene, and had its artists move into a broader range of work than just chart-bound singles – much more adult-oriented material that reflected the maturity of the artists, and the growth of an older middle class market for contemporary soul. As you'll hear on this set, Davis had a great way with a smooth tune – taking many older artists and allowing them to either re-record classic hits, or move towards material they wouldn't have been allowed to touch in earlier years. And as before, Davis also had a good ear for up-and-comers too – and exposed a few key acts on Chi-Sound during the short time the imprint was around. Titles on Volume 2 include "Maybe I'm Mistaken" and "Come To My Party" by The Impressions, "Hot On A Thing" and "Oh Girl" by The Chi-Lites, "Does She Have A Friend" and "Tomorrow I May Not Feel The Same" by Gene Chandler, "Passionate Breezes" and "I Touched A Dream" by The Dells, "It's All Over" and "And If I Had" by Walter Jackson, "Especially For You" by Manchild, and "I Still Love You" by Windy City. CD

A great collection of work from an under-documented side of the Chicago soul scene! At the end of the 70s, most of the older talent of the Chicago scene had regrouped around producer Carl Davis after the demise (thanks to tax bungling!) of the Brunswick label – under the umbrella of Davis' new Chi-Sound imprint. Great stars from years past like Gene Chandler, Walter jackson, The Chi-Lites, and The Impressions – plus a few new ones – returned to carve out some of their last great recordings – with Davis at the helm, developing a more sophisticated sound that worked great for the maturing soul artists. This set brings together 15 cuts from the glory days of Davis' Chi-Sound imprint – including "Windy City Theme" by The Windy City Orchestra, "I Don't Do This To Every Girl I Meet" by Sydney Joe Qualls, "Tomorrow I May Not Feel The Same" by Gene Chandler, "Especially For You" by Manchild, "It's All Over" by Walter Jackson, "Heavenly Body" by The Chi-Lites, and "Get Down" by Gene Chandler. CD

Blue-tinged work for those days when your heart is breaking and your soul is aching – a really wonderful batch of tracks that are heavy on those late 60s/early 70s moments when male singers were starting to open up a bit and let their emotions show! The vibe here is very different than Bobby Gillespie's own music – and the set brings together bits of country, roots rock, and soul – really special tracks that have a perfect blend of heartfelt vocals, well-penned lyrics, and the kind of arrangements and production that really send the whole thing over the top! The best thing about the collection is that it brings together songs we never would have thought to combine like this – a masterful set list that includes "I Don't Want To Talk About It" by Crazy Horse, "Wait & See" by Lee Hazlewood, "Shades Of A Blue Orphanage" by Thin Lizzy, "The Coldest Days Of My Life" by The Chi-Lites, "Roll Um Easy" by Little Feat, "Magnolia" by JJ Cale, "I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" by Willie Nelson, "Love Sick" by Bob Dylan, I'll Be Long Gone" by Boz Scaggs, "Strong As Death" by Al Green, "Kind Woman" by Percy Sledge, "Dark End Of The Street" by Ry Cooder, "I Feel Like Goin Home" by Charlie Rich, "When My Mind's Gone" by Mott The Hoople, and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" by Nick Cave. CD

Sam Dees is a hell of a singer, and he's a hell of a songwriter too – one who's worked not just with the southern soul stars of his roots, but also a much wider range of soul talents too! This wonderful collection really gets at the strength of Dees' amazing ability to pen a special soul tune – as it features work from a surprisingly huge array of talents from all sides of the soul spectrum – including a fair bit of vocalists we never knew worked with Sam's material. We love Dees' own records to death – and have enjoyed many of his demo recordings over the years, too – but a set like this really shows the important influence he had on soul music in the 70s – the way he touched so many folks, and helped them out with his meaningful lyrics. The set features great notes on Sam and his contribution – and 22 tracks that include "Where Did We Go Wrong" by LTD, "Vanishing Love (UK rmx)" by The Chi-Lites, "Girl Overboard" by Dorothy Moore, "So Your Love Finally Ran Out" by Les McCann, "Run To Me" by Sidney Joe Qualls, "Save The Overtime" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Seconds Of Your Love" by Johnnie Taylor, "One In A Million You" by Larry Graham, "Spoiled By Your Love" by Anita Ward, "What A Way To Put It" by The Temptations, "Good Guys Don't Always Win" by Ray Crumley, and "My World" by Sam Dees himself! CD

A stellar collection of work from the legendary Brunswick Records – put together with the special vibe of the Free Soul series! The tunes here are upbeat and soaring – not club or disco, but earlier soul numbers that sparkle with this sort of positive energy – a vibe that's very much the best side of the Brunswick Records approach of the late 60s and early 70s – as the imprint picked up Chicago soul, and gave it a whole new sort of groove! Yet not all this work is Chicago-based, despite the title – and the set's got a really nice range of Brunswick cuts that includes "We Need Love" by The Directions, "Loveland" by The Lost Generation, "Broken Home" by Ben Monroe, "It Only Happens When I Look At You" by Jackie Wilson, "When Temptation Comes" by The Chi-Lites, "Following You" by Dana Valery, "Here Is A Heart" by Ginji James, "I Always Wanted To Be In The Band" by Step By Step, and "Love The One You're With" by Herman. 24 tracks – and over 80 minutes of music! CD

Classic cuts from the TK Records stable of Miami disco from the 70s – all of which are served up here on 7" single mixes, a fair bit of which appear here on CD for the first time ever! TK is maybe best known for it's long-spun club cuts that were a perfect fit for the budding 12" format in the mid 70s – but the label also turned out plenty of cuts with a tight, catchy groove that was perfect for a funky 45 – which might have been why TK was one of the few labels to rule both on the radio and on the dancefloors back in the day! Japanese DJ T Groove takes us through 20 TK singles here – with tracks that include "Return Of Vader" by AD, "Macho" by Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch, "Higher" by Chi-Lites, "Star Cruiser" by Gregg Diamond, "Moon Ride" by Universal Love, "Let's Dance" by Wild Honey, "Have A Good Day (part 1)" by Gail Eason, "Music (voc)" by Montreal Sound, "I'm Gonna Dance" by Asha Puthli, "Dancin In My Feet" by Laura Taylor, "Holding Back" by Gregg Diamond, "At Midnight" by T Connection, "If There's Love" by Amant, "Spank" by Jimmy Bo Horne, and "The Break (short)" by Kat Mandu. CD

A 70s indie club classic – and the only album we've ever seen from Maryann Farra & Satin Soul! The group have a sound that's equal parts Brunswick Chicago soul and New York early disco groove – a combination that's brought out even more by the production talents of disco maestro Tony Valor and Chi-soul genius Eugene Record! The tunes groove along in a really rich style of arrangement – often using sweeping strings over tighter rhythms – sometimes hitting the loping midtempo groove you'd expect from Brunswick records at the time, yet also going for some of the faster, freer rhythms that were cropping up on the east coast indies of the time. Some tracks have a tight dancefloor feel – like "Never Gonna Leave You", "Do Those Little Things", and "Just A Little Timing" – while others have a beautiful soul groove – like "You Got To Be The One" and "Living In The Footsteps of Another Girl" – which both have a sound that feels like it was lifted from a lost Barbara Acklin or Chi-Lites album! The set also includes a female soul remake of "Stoned Out Of My Mind" that's almost worth the price of the record alone! CD also features a bonus cut – the single version of "Never Gonna Leave You". CD

A masterpiece of soul from the Chicago scene of the early 70s – and a set that really opens up some of the more sophisticated styles that set the city's music apart from the rest! The group's got a harmony vocal approach, but set to much more far-reaching arrangements than some of the east coast work of a similar nature – kind of a post Chess/Cadet approach, with superb help from Tom Tom Washington, who really sends home the core efforts of Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy, who themselves would later go on to great production/arranging fame with other artists! The spirit is a lot like the best Chi-Lites material of the time – and titles include "Can't Understand It", "I Just Want To Be There", "Just As Long As You Need Me", "Baby I've Been Missing You", "I Love You Yes I Do", and "Couldn't Hear Nobody Say". CD features a bonus version of "I Love You Yes I Do". CD

The only full length album ever cut by this amazing Chicago girl group! The Lovelites first broke onto the charts with their stunning track "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad" – a sad slow tune about teen pregnancy, sung in a strange otherworldly style that's also quite soulful – with a catchy hook and a way of referring to the problem at hand that's vague, and makes for a strange approach to the material. That track, and the others on the set, are very different than the usual girl trio material – rougher, more honest, with a quality that's emotive, yet not overly drippy. Part of the thanks for this goes to arranger Johnny Cameron, who handled the tracks on the set – but a lot of the credit should also go to lead singer Patty Hamilton, who co-wrote some of the tracks, and who has a fantastic way of putting over the songs. Titles include "This Love is Real", "Certain Kind Of Lover", "Who You Gonna Hurt Now", "Shy Boy", "I've Got Love", "Gotta Let You Go", "Oh My Love", and "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad". CD

Rare work from the early years of soul music – and a special set that focuses on sounds created in and around Los Angeles – a city that's not nearly as well known for 60s soul as Chicago, Detroit, or New Orleans! Yet during the postwar years, LA had just as much going on as those eastern cities – a huge new population influx, who'd move over from the south during the wartime years – and new labels that had cropped up to capture their sounds and serve their audience! 50s LA was already humming with R&B material, which gave the rising styles of soul plenty of places to get recorded – so much so, that there's even some work on this set that was never issued at the time! The vibe is great – similar to other Birth Of Soul sets from Ace/Kent – in that the music carries a bit of R&B and blues bite from earlier years, mixed with more romping and tighter soul styles – in a smoking set list of 24 tracks that include "But What About My Broken Heart" by Don Wyatt, "Everybody's Got A Lover But Me" by Richard Berry, "Have You Heard" by The Vows, "With These Hands" by The Wonders, "You Better Watch Out Girl" by The Imperialites, "Lose My Cool" by Ike & Tina Turner, "Let Him Walk Away" by Darlene Love, "My Pillow" by The Numbers, "Help Me With My Broken Heart" by Sylvester Stewart, "That Other Guy" by The Mandarins, "Don't Drop It" by The Question Marks, and "Young Lover" by Wilks & Wilkerson. CD

A totally great run of grooves – most of which were only initially available on expensive import singles, and which together represent a fantastic stretch of music from this very cool British label! Original Gravity is the brainchild of Neil Anderson, a cat who really knows his groove – whether it be 60s mod, 70s funk, Latin soul, rocksteady, and other great sounds from the past – all classic styles that come off together strongly in this overstuffed set! Anderson had a hand in nearly all the acts here – different combos and projects that have recorded all these different tracks, in different modes, for Original Gravity over the years – finally brought together here as a demonstration of the great, and sometimes overlooked, work of this excellent imprint. The 3CD set features 69 tracks in all, all on CD for the first time ever – with work from Brentford Rd Soul Rebels, Curtis Baker & The Bravehearts, Floyd James & the GTs, Nestor Alvarez, Luchito, Junior Dell & The D-Lites, So Cal Soul Stars, Jodie, Melvin Craig, and others. CD

The fourth fantastic chapter in this wonderful trip through the 60s – headed up by author Jon Savage, as a great soundtrack to his documents of the time! If you know Savage at all, you'll know to expect something different and fresh – an unusual take on the period, and one that goes way past the chart hits and overplayed oldies – to instead uncover currents of cultural activity at a much deeper level! And sure, there's a number of familiar songs here – but they're mixed with lesser-known gems, and presented in this great double-length package that features 48 tracks in all – all with notes from Savage himself. Titles include "Talkin About The Good Times" by Pretty Things, "Eastern Organ" by Brother Dan All Stars, "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding, "Freedom Train" by James Carr, "Say It Loud (part 1)" by James Brown, "Omnibus" by The Move, "Sunshine Help Me" by Spooky Tooth, "Everydays" by Buffalo Springfield", "How Does It Feel To Feel" by The Creation, "Dear Delilah" by Grapefruit, "Machines" by Lothar & The Hand People, "Tomorrow Street Puzzle" by Fairport Convention, "I Got A Line On You" by Spirit, "Kick Out The Jams (preview pressing)" by MC5, "World In A Jug" by Canned Heat, "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, "Honey Chile" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, "Danse A La Musique" by The French Fries, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker, and "Why Does It Feel So Right" by The Shades Of Jade. CD

The rich 70s legacy of the Lovelites – a Chicago trio who first sprang onto the soul with some wonderfully fragile work when they were young, and who continued to record some really great music – even though they never fully got their due at the time! The music here was all done after the girls got their one shot at an LP on the Uni label – and the set features rare work for a variety of different labels, all issued only as 7" singles – plus a few tracks that were never released at the time. All the strength of their early vocals is still in place here, but guided by a sense of maturity that makes the music even more powerful – and which seems to indicate that the trio have already lived a lot of life in the time since their first records – all of which they bring to play in the music. Most tracks have a groovy vibe – midtempo and mellow, but with a gentle groove too – one that brings out the best in lead singer Patti Hamilton, in a set of 16 tracks that includes "My Conscience", "Love So Strong", "Got To Be There", "Oh What A Day", "Get It Off My Conscience", "My Baby Loves Me", "Bumpy Road Ahead", "Man In My Life", "Love Is Pretty", "I'm The One You Need", "Come & Get It", and "Cravin For Your Love". CD