... LP, Vinyl record album

You gotta love Ken Boothe – a guy who can take familiar pop tunes like "Impossible Dream" and "Theme From The Godfather", and turn them into surprisingly soulful reggae classics! Yet that kind of magic is exactly what makes a great reggae album so great – the kind of special inflection and inversion of source material, especially when mixed with original inspiration – and served up in a classic Kingston setting that features the great Lloyd Charmers on piano and organ, as well as production of the entire set! But it's the soulful style of Boothe that really makes the whole thing great – as he presents the tunes with one of the most unique voices in 70s Jamaican music – almost a Caribbean trill at points, but mixed with raspier soul at other times. Titles include "Speak Softly Love", "Everything I Own", "Evil Girl", "Crying Over You", "Sad & Lonely", "Impossible Dream", "You Will Reach Your Goal", "Time Passage", and "My Kid". LP, Vinyl record album

Not a spice girl – as you might think from the cover – but a great male harmony soul group from the 70s, and one who are equally well skilled on ballads and groovers! The album's a lost gem from the New York scene of the disco years – and while some of the tracks definitely have the group hitting the clubs, there's also a deeper soul vibe overall – that wonderful harmony mode that was so great from New Jersey and Philly acts just a few years before! There's a slightly rough quality to the arrangements that makes the whole thing hit home way more than polished group soul of the time – a great indie vibe that reminds us of some of the best rare soul on the All-Platinum label. Titles include "Do It Nice", "Happy Music", "Everything Is You", "Fool In Love", "You've Got Me Girl", and "The Last Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from one of the smokinest soul labels of the west coast scene of the 60s – mighty Mirwood Records, a company that's kept the Northern Soul scene humming for decades! Mirwood wasn't one of the biggest, or most chart-topping labels – but the company came up with some incredible work in the uptempo mode that's really held strongly over the years. The label boasted some great singers with a straightforward, no-nonsense approach – often working with tight rhythms and rolling piano lines to send the tunes home with a solid sort of punch! This special vinyl-only set features some of the most crackling cuts from the Mirwood catalog – 14 titles that include "Do The Temptation Walk" by Jackie Lee, "That Beatin Rhythm" by Richard Temple, "My Little Girl" by The Bob & Earl Band, "I Wanna Do Everything For You Baby" by The Mirettes, "I Can't Get Away" by Bobby Garrett, "Is She In Your Town" by Curtis Lee, "Mine Exclusively" by The Olympics, "Where There's A Will" by Jimmy Thomas, "I Can't Stop You" by The Performers, "Stubborn Heart" by The Sheppards, and "Don't Pretend" by The Belles. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album of jazzy tunes from the British pop scene of the early 80s – and the kind of work that really helped set the stage for the later Acid Jazz movement in London – but which is equally enjoyable as one of the loveliest moments in the post-punk generation! Weekend's a combo that features players from Young Marble Giants, Working Week, and other Brit groups of the period who were strongly committed to the warmer sounds of music in a world that was often a bit colder and more post-punk – and they work here in styles that borrow heavily from bossa and certainly have a bit of jazz – all gentle pop of a style shared by contemporaries Antena, Everything But The Girl, and Kalima. Titles include "Sleepy Theory", "End Of The Affair", "Life In the Day Of", "Drum Beat For Baby", and "Summerdays". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic record from Prince – a double-length set that came out at a time when the purple one was brimming over with energy and new ideas – and a step slightly in the direction of more socially conscious material! Everything that was great about Prince before the record is completely intact – his amazing ability to create funky grooves, slinky sensuality, and songs that are so catchy, they can win over audiences on both sides of the fence. But there's also some deeper elements here going on too – maybe more space for thoughtful presentation spread out over the 2LPs that comprised the original record – at a level that's only more confirmation of the never-ending genius of prince! Titles include the great title cut "Sign O The Times" – plus "Strange Relationship", "Slow Love", "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night", "Adore", "Ballad Of Dorothy Parker", "Housequake", "U Got The Look", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man", "The Cross", "Hot Thing", and "Starfish & Coffee". Remastered for the first time ever! LP, Vinyl record album