Jackie & Roy at the height of their ABC powers – really stepping out strongly here with a bold jazz vocal approach that nobody else can touch! Both Roy Kral and Jackie Cain get a few moments of their own in the spotlight, especially Jackie, who steps out on a number of the tracks – but as usual, the duo's at their best when singing together – which they do beautifully here, trading lyrical lines with tremendous charm! Most instrumentation is small combo – with Roy on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – and titles include "From This Moment On", "Kiss & Run", "Cake Walk", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Who Cares", and "How Are You Fixed For Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit one for Patti Labelle in the 80s – a set that crossed over big at the time, but which still has the lady in very soulful territory! Patti seems to sparkle most here on the mellower cuts – the gentle groovers and laidback ballads that helped open her up to a whole new audience, and which really give her a different sound than her 70s Labelle years. Titles include the Bacharach/Carol Bayer Sager title "On My Own" – sung as a duet with Michael McDonald – plus "Oh People", "There's A Winner In You", "Finally We're Back Together", "Beat My Heart Like A Drum", "Kiss Away The Pain", "Something Special", and "You're Mine Tonight". CD

Excellent vocal group work by The Lamplighters – a less-remembered 50s outfit whose members later went onto greater fame in The Sharps and The Rivingtons! Most of the tracks on the set feature lead vocals by the amazing Thurston Harris – himself an important figure in R&B later in the decade – and all tracks on the set are from the group's King/Federal recordings, and are done at a level that easily match any other King vocal group recordings at the time! As with recordings by labelmates The Swallows, the backings on these sides is often very spare – in a way that lets the vocals carry most of the tunes, in a mode that's perfect if you really dig work with a strong focus on raw harmonies. The set features 28 tracks in all – with titles that include "Love Rock & Thrill", "Be Bop Wino", "Crazy Times", "Give Me", "Turn Me Loose", "Yum Yum", "Bo Peep", "Roll On", "I Can't Stand It", "Ride Jockey Ride", "Hug A Little Kiss A Little", "Part Of Me", "I Used To Cry Mercy Mercy", and "Salty Dog". CD

A strangely beautiful set of music composed by Zdenek Liska – described as orchestral/electronic, and it's soaring, haunting stuff – music with a great deal of subtley and abstract beauty on one level, and tense, fractured and spooky atmospherics on another! This is complex, accomplished material – classic soundtrack styled strings and other grander orchestrations blend with soundscape errata that's hard to define and describe – be it creaky, crackling beats, eerie bits of echo, or fuzzy effects. Titles include "Mala Morska Vila", "Witches Firewall", "The Sixth Sister", "The Black Sea", "The Kiss", "Games/Echoes", "Behind The Rock", "The Pendant" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Bubblehouse" (original, BBQ mix), "Dracula" (rmx), "Macha", and "Spy Kiss" (10:00 PM Whr. R. Your Chldrn mix). Features John Zorn on alto saxophone on "Dracula" (rmx). CD

A very unique little record – and one with a sublime blend of Latin, soul, and vocal styles! The record's a fair bit more sophisticated than most other efforts like this from the 60s – thanks to a strong batch of talents that includes Gil Fuller on arrangements, Phil Moore III on piano, Leni Groves on vocals – and a host of small combo players who include Joe Pass on guitar, Hadley Caliman on tenor and flute, and Francisco Aquabella on percussion! There's a warmly soulful west coast jazz sound here that's perhaps the strongest aspect of the record – a style that steps off nicely from the hipper side of LA, but throws in a few Latin influences – making for a really great sound that's totally fresh, and which really makes this record stand out from the pack! Titles include a great version of "What Is Wrong With Groovin", plus "Midnight Blue", "Batucada", "I Want Your Kiss", "Lavender Lady", and "The 8th Day". LP, Vinyl record album

First ever vinyl box set package of all the essential New Order singles – from their groundbreaking early years onward through the mid 00s – on a 4 X LP set! Includes their iconic, most treasured classics plus some great early singles that were pretty hard between the early 80s and the new millennium – and pretty great later cuts, too! Includes "Ceremony", "Everything's Gone Green", "Temptation", "Blue Monday", "Thieves Like Us", "The Perfect Kiss", "Thieves Like Us", "Bizarre Love Triangle", "True Faith", "Fine Time", Regret", "Spooky", "Crystal", "Jet Stream", "I'll Stay With You" and more. 32 tracks on 4LPs! LP, Vinyl record album

Lennie swings, but he keeps it cool too – as this rare Mercury set steps off of the same octet energy Niehaus brought to his better-known sides for Contemporary in the mid 50s! The players here are a bit lesser known than some of Niehaus' other all-star groups – with Ken Shroyer on trombone, Ed Leddy on trumpet, and Steve Perlow on baritone – alongside some nicely searing tenor from Bill Perkins, whose presence always makes a set like this sparkle! Lou Levy plays piano and Red Kelly is on bass – and titles include "Soon", "Little Girl Blues", "P & L", "Four Eleven West", "He Ain't Got Rhythm", "Kiss Me & Kill Me With Love", and "I See Your Face Before Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Prince in a grand groove – really hitting a new level of funk with a razor-sharp edge – and even blowing away some of his work on previous records! The record's a soundtrack for a film – Under The Cherry Moon – and although that movie never had the success of Purple Rain, we actually think it left behind an even stronger musical legacy – one that has Prince finding even more of a funky voice than before, with so many wonderfully freaky twists and turns! The music never got the showcase it might have deserved, because of the failure of the film – but it's one of our favorite Prince albums ever, and includes the massively funky "Kiss", the closest Prince ever got to James Brown, The whole album's got some great sweeping, pop psyche orchestral arrangements by Clare Fischer – and titles include "Christopher Tracey's Parade", "I Wonder U", "Under The Cherry Moon", "Girls & Boys", and "Anotherloverholenyohead". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive soul from Wendy Rene – one of the lesser-known talents from the Stax Records scene of the 60s, and an artist who's finally getting her due! We're not sure why Wendy never hit bigger at the time – because her singles here are wonderful – excellent female soul that not only ranks with the best of the Stax sound of the time, but which also challenges the bite of some of the best Motown music too – thanks to a particularly northern groove on some of the best cuts here! In fact, it may well be this style – often closer to Detroit soul than the usual Memphis bag at Stax – that might have held Wendy back. But that's hardly an issue all these many years later – and our hat's off to the folks at Light In The Attic for not only bringing together her rare singles, but also collecting unreleased songs, other rarities, and even material performed with the group The Drapels – all recorded in the years 1964 and 1965, and supported by some great notes too. Titles include "Bar B Q", "I Wish I Were That Girl", "What Will Tomorrow Bring", "Last Love", "Crowded Park", "Give You What I Got", "Deep In My Heart", "Wondering", "First Kiss", "Reap What You Sow", "After Laughter Comes Tears", and "He Hasn't Failed Me Yet". CD

The complete early recordings of Jody Reynolds – an artist who's probably best known for a famous early entry in the "death rock" genre, but one who's got a heck of a lot more to offer than just that one tune! Reynolds is a west coast rocker, and works here in a beautiful blend of tear-stained melancholy and more open-minded early rock – often with some of the currents blowing west from the Arizona scene, especially in the twang used on his guitar! And although Reynolds may look a bit like Buddy Holly on the cover image, he's got a moodier quality to his vocals overall – which are often recorded in a way that's as echoey as his guitar, and underscores some of the darker elements in his music. The production on most numbers is great – with a key sonic element or effect that makes each of these old singles so wonderful – and titles include his classic "Endless Sleep", plus "Kiss Of Love", "My Baby's Gone", "Tight Capris", "The Storm", "The Girl With The Raven Hair", "A Tear For Jesse", "Shot Down", "Golden Idol", and "Devil Girl". Also features two early duets with Bobbie Gentry – "Requiem For Love" and "Stranger In The Mirror". CD

A record that will blow your mind – way different than you might expect from the cover! Sure, Pee Wee was a bit of a traditionalist on his instrument – the clarinet – but he's working here in a starkly modern way that almost recalls some of the best 50s work of Jimmy Guiffre, or some of the earlier sides by Steve Lacy. There's still a swing-based approach to the tunes, but they're handled in a spare style that features equal interplay between Russell, trombonist Marshall Brown, bassist Russell George, and drummer Ronnie Bedford – a great player who really makes the album sparkle! The tracks include a couple of Thelonious Monk titles – "Ask Me Now!" and "Hackensack" as well as a couple of Marshall Brown originals – "Licorice Stick" and "Calypso Walk". Other titles are Ornette Coleman's "Turnaround", Coltrane's "Some Other Blues" and Ellington's "Prelude To A Kiss". LP, Vinyl record album

Has there ever been anyone as lovely as Sade? We think not – and from the time she first hit our ears in the 80s, it was the start of an instant love affair that's continued for decades! Sade really brought something new to music at the time – a return to older styles of acoustic and jazz-based instrumentation, at a time when so many soul singers were mostly working with beats, keyboards, and samples – and a breathy voice that was instantly unique, and which kept on captivating us for years of recordings. This best of collection dates from the mid 90s – and provides an excellent sampling of tracks from Sade's albums Diamond Life, Promise, Stronger Than Pride, and Love Deluxe – titles that include "No Ordinary Love", "Like A Tattoo", "Cherish The Day", "Kiss Of Life", "Your Love Is King", "Hang Onto Your Love", "Sweetest Taboo", "Is It A Crime", and "Nothing Can Come Between Us". LP, Vinyl record album

Carol Sloane's always been a sophisticated lady in the way she approaches jazz vocals – but this set takes things even further, by giving the singer a set of classic Ellington tunes to work with! The approach is great – way different than usual bigger group Ellington vocal records, as backing is by a modern trio that features Roland Hanna on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Richie Pratt on drums – a group who've got a nice loose swing, which leaves Carol plenty of room for extrapolation and expression! There's an understated feel to the record, but a great one too – as Sloane stretches out at a level that easily matches any of her contemporaries – a few classic singers as well. Titles include "Solitude", "In A Sentimental Mood", "Sophisticated Lady", "Come Sunday", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "Jump For Joy". CD

A hell of a tight doo wop group from the east coast scene of the late 50s – one who was often able to harmonize at breakneck speed, yet still come across with cool and class as well! That balance made the group equally great at groovers and ballads – the latter of which are maybe even our favorite side of their talents, although The Solitaires are maybe remembered more for the upbeat sound of singles like the title track! Both sides of the group are in full force here – in this very well-done collection that digs very deep into the full range of their recordings for the Old Town label – with a whopping 27 tracks in all, and titles that include "The Wedding", "Blue Valentine", "South Of The Border", "Wonder Why", "Come Back My Love", "Stranger In Paradise", "Please Kiss This Letter", "Walking Along", "How Long", "You've Sinned", "Give Me One More Chance", and "The Girl is Gone". CD

One of Jeri Southern's grooviest albums – thanks to jazzy backings from Marty Paich! The album's got that wonderfully full-fleshed sound that Paich could bring to a vocal date like this in the late 50s and early 60s – the same sort of perfect balance he brought to his work with Mel Torme, and which turns out to be a great fit for Jeri Southern's vocals as well! The group's slightly larger than his Dek-Tette – but features an equally great array of west coast hornmen who really shade in the tunes beautifully – including Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Bob Enevoldsen on trombone, Herb Geller on alto, and Georgie Auld on tenor. Yet despite the horn flourishes, Southern's vocals are always firmly in the lead – on titles that include "Lazy Bones", "Ridin High", "He Reminds Me Of You", "Porgy", "Warm Kiss", and "Isn't This A Lovely Day". CD

About as classic as you can get for the early Supremes – a set that has the group really hitting hard on all levels, thanks to production from the team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, plus a bit of help from Smokey Robinson – all of whom really help push the Supremes out of simple girl group soul – into the realm of Motown genius they would nearly rule for years to come! Tunes are by HDH, Norman Whitfield, and Smokey – top-shelf songwriting that further enforces the strength of the set – with that mix of poise and class, yet soul and feeling that always graced the group at their best. Titles include the sublime "When The Love Light Starts Shining Through His Eyes", plus the classics "Where Did Our Love Go" and "Baby Love", and the tracks "Come See About Me", "I'm Giving You Your Freedom", "Your Kiss Of Fire", "Ask Any Girl", and "A Breath Taking Guy". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet, deep, and righteous – some wonderful solo work from Rhonda Thomas, the lead singer of Jiva! The album's got a warm-flowing, easy-stepping sort of groove – gentle keyboards on mellow beats, almost in a style that takes us back to classic Minnie Riperton jams of the 70s – but which also opens up into some numbers that groove with a funkier, more full-on sound that's more in keeping with Rhonda's work with Jiva. The whole set's great – a really fresh approach to indie soul, handled by an artist who's really got her stuff together! Titles include "Fly Away", "Passion Plea", "Breathe New Life", "Friday Night", "Stand & Know", and "Kiss Your Smile". CD

The most legendary post-New York Dolls solo work by Johnny Thunders! Thunders is of the great rock guitar stylists of his time, messy as he was – the messiness is big part of the charm – but the biggest surprise on this album is the disarmingly beautiful title tune. Includes some great, loud, sloppy cover tunes as well, and it's we've come to love it over the years just as much the as the Dolls ouvre! It's his first and greatest solo album, and other tracks include "Pipeline", "Great Big Kiss", "Ask Me No Questions", "Subway Train", "Downtown", "London Boys", "Daddy Rollin' Stone" and more. CD

Allen Toussaint's complete recordings for Warner – a trio of classic albums from one of the greatest forces in Crescent City soul, plus rare live tracks – in a perfect 2CD set! Includes the complete Life Love & Faith, Southern Nights and Motion albums – from a creatively fruitful 70s period when Toussaint was mixing a bit of funk into the heavy soul mix, and even some mellow LA soul touches – coming up with a blend of styles without ever betraying his New Orleans roots! New Orleans legends like Leo Nocentelli, Zig Modeliste, Art Neville and George Porter Jr factor in to the Life Love & Faith and Southern Nights sessions, along with LA sessions all stars like Richard Tee, Victor Feldman, Paulinho Da Costa, Larry Carlton and producer Jerry Wexler on the Motion sessions – this this excellent Rhino CD anthology also include 10 previously unreleased live records! Titles include Soul Sister", "Victims Of The Darkness", "Am I Expecting Too Much", "Out Of The City", "Goin Down", "Electricity", "Fingers & Toes", Southern Nights", "Basic Lady", "Last Train", "Worldwide", "You Will Not Lose", "When The Party's Over", Motion", "Night People", "Just A Kiss Away", "Declaration Of Love", "Viva La Money" and more from the studio recordings, plus "Touch Of Love", "Brickyard Blues", "What Is Success", "Shoo-Ra", "Last Train" and more live tracks! CD

A trio of 70s killers from one of the greatest forces in Crescent City soul! Life Love & Faith is excellent work from New Orleans soul legend Allen Toussaint – and a set that may well be his funkiest album ever! The set features 12 tracks from the early 70s – a time when Toussaint was mixing a bit of funk into the heavy soul mix that he'd had from his early days in the Crescent City scene – coming up with a blend that's even darker, and more powerful than all his famous production and projects of the 60s! And while some of Allen's later work tended towards cliche, this record captures him right at that perfect point when all of this was totally fresh – delivered with a razor-sharp edge, and with great instrumental help from New Orleans legends like Leo Nocentelli, Zig Modeliste, and George Porter Jr – all of whom make the album groove harder than most of the other soul albums on Warner at the time. Titles include "Soul Sister", "Victims Of The Darkness", "Am I Expecting Too Much", "Out Of The City", "Goin Down", "Electricity", "Fingers & Toes", and "On Your Way Down". Southern Nights is damn great work from Allen Toussaint – a record that was cut at a time when he'd really made his way into the mainstream of American music, yet could still come across with a hard New Orleans groove! The title cut, "Southern Nights", is a perfect illustration of this fact – as it was written by Toussaint, but became a big hit for Glen Campbell, who recorded a very soppy version of the number. Yet here, Allen turns it into a weird trippy tune – produced with great Sansu production, and backing by New Orleans legends like Leo Nocentelli, George Porter, and Art Neville – all of whom help the tune bristle with new energy, and a really sinister groove. The rest of the record continues in a similar vein – with a spacey LA mellow sound that actually works great for Toussaint's vocals, and gives them a wild flanged-out sound that's pretty amazing – and downright spooky at points! Titles include "Southern Nights", "Basic Lady", "Last Train", "Worldwide", "You Will Not Lose", "When The Party's Over", and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do". Motion is a bit of a change for Allen Toussaint – the kind of an album that makes good use of all the connections he was making during the early 70s, when he was becoming the darling of the Warner Brothers scene in LA. Overall, Allen's getting pretty smooth by this point – so smooth that even some rootsy production by Jerry Wexler still makes it hard to remember that he got his start in the raw New Orleans soul scene – but at its heart, the album's still got a good talent for the kind of rolling groove that Toussaint brought to his own work, and that of so many other artists, in earlier years. This album features lots of LA studio backing, with players like Richard Tee, Victor Feldman, Paulinho Da Costa, Larry Carlton, and others of that ilk. Titles include "Motion", "Night People", "Just A Kiss Away", "Declaration Of Love", and "Viva La Money". CD

One of the finest moments ever from these proud sons of Milwaukee – with classics that include "Blister In The Sun", "Kiss Off", "Add It Up", "Gone Daddy Gone", and "Prove My Love". CD

Pair of albums from Dottie West – back to back on a single CD! First up is Here Comes My Baby – a 60s classic from singer Dottie West, a country artist who almost seems a direct heir to Patsy Cline with her blue-tinged style on the set! Most tracks move in a slow-stepping pace – perfect Chet Atkins production, with heavenly arrangements from Anita Kerr – whose backing vocal group seems to be a fantastic fit for Dottie – really lifting her voice to the heavens on waves of blue! Titles include "Night Life", "Here Comes My Baby", "Mama Kiss The Hurt Away", "Take Me As I Am", "All The World Is Lonely Now", and "I Dreamed Of An Old Love Affair". Next up is Dottie West Sings – beautiful blue-tinged work from Dottie – one of the more weepy-eyed country singers of the 60s – and definitely one who's got a different vibe than some of the more badass female talents to emerge in country a few years later! The set's got the slow-loping groove you'd expect from RCA in the 60s – warm, airy production from Chet Atkins – nicely isolated piano or guitar parts, and a gentle flow to the arrangements that allow West to get melancholy on the lyrics, yet never sound too emotionally overindulgent. Titles include "It Just Takes Practice", "No Sign Of Living", "Happiness Lives Next Door", "Gettin Married Has Made Us Strangers", "You're The Only World I KNow", and "When Two Worlds Collide". CD

A brilliant little compilation – despite the title – one that showcases some of the best work from the legendary Jackson scene of the 70s! As the Memphis and Muscle Shoals scenes were beginning to slow down after years of great soul records in the 60s, Jackson, Mississippi picked up the slack – thanks to the mighty might Malaco Studios! And while the Malaco name later became more associated with the label of the same name – and put out some great blues and soul albums in the 80s – back in the early years, the studio was more of an overall crossroads for many different styles of southern soul, and opened its gates to loads of excellent talent that wasn't getting recorded elsewhere. The depth of the set will really surprise you, as there's some tracks that have a straighter southern soul, but others with styles that are a bit more modern, sophisticated, and at times, even sound a bit like work coming out from east coast indie labels of the period. The set's got 21 tracks in all – filled with sublime work that represents some of the best of the indie scene of the south at the time, most of which you've probably never heard before, plus a few more modern numbers that are equally great! Titles include "Don't Matter To Me" by Billy Cee, "Calling For Your Love" by The Enticers, "All The Way In Love With You" by Ray Crumley, "Standing In The Wings Of A Heartache" by Ted Taylor, "I'm Gonna Love You More" by Richard Caiton, "Foot Loose & Fancy Free" by Carolyn Hudson, "Last Minute Plans" by Chuck Brooks, "Get Some Understanding" by Patrick Green, "When We Touch" by Floyd Taylor, "Kiss & Tell" by Stan Mosley, and "What Do We Have To Lose" by Sam Dees. CD

Early soul and group vocal tracks from the Class & Rendezvous labels – a pair of hip LA indies that cut some of the better material in the city at the time! A few of the tracks on the set are well known – but the bulk of the tunes are more obscure, and represent the labels' key contribution to the "birth of soul" years – helping to take the rougher R&B sound of the 50s, fuse it with some of the smoother LA male vocal blues tradition, and come up with some with seminal sides that point towards a wealth of great soul work on the west coast. Titles include "The Bear" by Johnny Guitar Watson, "Wow Wow Baby" by The Searchers, "I Ain't Goin For That" by Eugene Church, "No Time" by The Titans, "Ez Zee" by Googie Rene, "Nut Rocker" by B Bumble & The Stingers, "Rockin Robin" by Bobby Day, "Hey Girl Hey Boy" by Oscar McLollie & Jeanette Baker, "In The Mood" by Ernie Fields, "Miami" by Eugene Church, "I'm Confessin" by Jesse Belvin, "Texas Twister" by Ernie Fields, "Over & Over" by Bobby Day, and "One More Kiss" by Johnny Guitar Watson. CD

Great sounds from the early years of New Orleans soul – pulled together from one of the more obscure imprints on the Crescent City scene! Frisco Records hardly cracked the charts or the record racks north of the city, but for a few short years they were an instrumental force in capturing that key moment when Nola made the shift from R&B to 60s soul – often improving upon previous rhythm styles, and allowing singers even more vibrant presentation in the process! The package here is filled with gems from artists Danny White and Willie West – who'd both rise to fame on later fronts – and in the best Ace Records tradition, the track selection is superb, and the notes, sound, and package are equally great to match. Titles include "Long Time No See" and "Would You Love Me" by Wanda Rouzan, "Say Yeah" by Porgy & The Polka Dots, "Baby It's Love" by Al Adams, "The Flirt" by The Royal Dukes Of Rhythm, "Dance Every Dance" by The Rouzan Sisters; and "You Gold Me", "I'm Back Again", "Lost Love", "I Need Your Love Baby", and "Am I The Fool" by Willie West – plus "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye", "The Little Bitty Things", "My Living Doll", "Loan Me A Handkerchief", and "Never Tell Your Friend" by Danny White. CD

A second helping of studio genius from the legendary Jack Nitzsche – mostly served up in obscure 60s numbers that really show the full range of his talents! Only a few of the tracks here feature Jack as the main artist – and the rest either have him working as arranger, conductor, or producer – mostly in a highly groovy style that's the best side of cutting edge pop in mid 60s LA! As with the previous volume, the tunes here are pulled from a wide range of labels (and include 13 tracks appearing on CD for the first time ever) – all supported by great liner notes and track-by-track details that outline Nitzsche's contributions to the music! Titles include "Hard Workin Man" by Jack Nitzsche with Captain Beefheart, "Just Like That" by The Robins, "It's In His Kiss" by Merry Clayton, "Teardrops Til Dawn" by Timi Yuro, "Nobody Needs Your Love More Than I Do" by Tammy Grimes, "I'm Gonna Be Strong" by Frankie Laine, "A Man Needs Love" by Nooney Rickett, "As Long As You're Here" by Zalman Yanovsky, "Woman In Love" by Donna Loren, "Blow Your Mind" by The Gas Co, "I Don't Want To Talk About It" by Crazy Horse, "Break Away" by The Neville Brothers, "You Know What I Mean" by The Turtles, and "Baby I'm So Glad It's Raining" by The Satisfactions. 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

Perhaps the greatest years of genius for the team of Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller – all summed up perfectly in a package that spans their work for many labels in many styles! Included here are some of the pair's best R&B work from the late 50s – hard groovers, catchy pop numbers, and a few mini-symphonies that really pushed the vocal talents of some key groups! Also included are some great early soul numbers, a few surprising crossover tracks, and a few titles that we'd heard before, but never realized were handled by Leiber & Stoller! Package features 24 tracks in all – with really wonderful notes that tie together all these bits, and further illuminate the material. Titles include "Here Comes Henry" by Young Jessie, "One Kiss Led To Another" by The Coasters, "There Goes My Baby" by The Drifters, "Yes" by Jay & The Americans, "Stand By Me" by Cassius Clay, "Bossa Nova Baby" by Tippie & The Clovers, "Searchin" by Alvin Robinson, "Lips" by Roy Hamilton, "Smokey Joe's Cafe" by Buddy Holly, "Alligator Wine" by Screamin Jay Hawkins, "Old Fashioned" by Varetta Dillard & The Cookies, "Lucky Lips" by Ruth Brown, "Keep Tellin Yourself" by Marv Johnson, "Some Other Guy" by Richie Barrett, "An Open Fire" by Johnny Mathis, and "I'm A Woman" by Christine Kittrell. CD

The 3rd volume in Ace's great exploration of the career of Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller – and most likely the best so far! By this point in their career, Leiber & Stoller were totally at the top of their game – buoyed on a huge wave of previous hits, and able to really get creative once again in the studio – exploring their new interest in South American rhythms, their love of tight orchestrations, and appreciation for deeper-voiced soul singers – all in a flurry of lesser-known singles that offer up a refreshing antidote to some of their over-played hits! About half the tracks here are soul singles, and the rest are 60s pop, rock, and vocal numbers – written by the pair, and mostly produced by them. Titles include "It's So Exciting" by The Exciters, "His Kiss" by Betty Harris, "My Heart Said Do The Bossa Nova" by Irene Reid, "You Can't Love Em All" by Solomon Burke, "Keep It Up" by The Soul Brothers, "Only In America" by Jay & The Americans, "Down Home Girl" by Alvin Robinson, "The Gunfighter" by Tommy Roe, "Bull Dog" by The Shangri-Las, "Jackson" by Johnny Cash & June Carter, "Flying" by Carmen McRae, "Where's The Girl" by Ben E King, "On Broadway" by Jimmy Scott, "Is That All There Is" by Peggy Lee, and "Brother Bill" by The Honeyman. CD

A wonderfully groovy set – every bit as great as you might guess from the title and the cover – and the very first installment in the now-legendary Mood Mosaic series! The set's one of the few to bring together tunes from the groovier side of the spectrum at the end of the 60s – work from British, French, American, and German sources – all awash in a great blend of funky, easy, and pop-oriented modes! There's a nicely trippy feel throughout – and titles include "Hascisch Party" by George Garvarenz, "Kiss This" by Claude Denjean, "Acka Raga" by Shocking Blue, "Mas Que Nada" by Luiz Enriquez, "En Melody" by Serge Gainsbourg, "Love For Sale" by Marian McPartland, "Batucada" by Phil Crewe, "Marins Armins Amant Ou Maris" by Michel Legrand, and "Sitar Beat" by Klaus Doldinger. CD

A 70s soul treasure chest! This excellent CD sorts through some incredible lost sides on the Atlantic catalog of the 70s – and it features an amazing selection of work by artists who only ever cut singles or one-off LPs for the label and its subsidiaries. The overall groove is sweet, mellow, and very soulful – and titles include "Just My Way Of Loving You" by Garland Green, "Let Me Show You" by Larry Wu, "I'm So Happy" by Prince Phillip Mitchell, "Come On, Let Me Love You" by Moses Smith, "Save Your Love For Me" by Vivian Reed, "Kiss My Love Goodbye" by Bettye Swann, "The Rising Cost Of Love" by Darrow Fletcher, "Baby Don't Hold Your Love Back" by Bridge, "You're Too Hot To Hold" by Barbara Lynn, "You Got The Best Of Me" by Ronn Matlock, "Love Bandit" by Patti & The Lovelites, and "Got To Get You Back" by Sons Of Robin Stone. 24 cuts in all – with loads of rare stuff! CD

Incredible southern soul work from Sound City – a lesser-known studio operating out of Shreveport in the 70s, with a groove that's a bit different than some of its bigger contemporaries on the scene! The Sound City approach is a bit leaner than Hi, Jewel, Malaco, or other outfits running at the time – and this collection of tracks issued on its tiny Alarm label show a growing sophistication that moves past some of the more familiar southern soul modes. There's a bit of funk on some of the tracks – almost more New York influenced in approach than down south –and there's also some more personal, mature ballad numbers too – really great tracks that make great use of the more heartbreaking qualities of the vocalists featured here – Ted Taylor, Reuben Bell, and Eddie Giles. The set has a really unified sound – given that there's only these three singers featured on the set – and that all vocalists have a good way of hitting both high notes and rootsier modes. Titles include "Somebody's Getting It", "Steal Away", "I'm Gonna Hate Myself In The Morning", "Looking Back", and "Everybody's Stealing" by Ted Taylor; "I'll Be Your Woman", "Superjock", "One Sided Love Affair", and "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" by Reuben Bell; and "Swearing Out A Want", "There Must Be A Place", "You're My Sweet Inspiration", "How Many Times", "I Can't Get Over You", and "Married Lady" by Eddie Giles. CD

Where the girls are is right here – served up in a beautiful blend of rare tracks from the mid 60s – almost all of them in a female group mode, at a time when that style was really hitting new heights in American popular music! The work here is a mixture of rock and soul, and almost all of it features female harmonies set to sublime pop production – modes that range from west coast dreamy to Brill Building groovy – all laid out in an extended track list that also includes a few never-issued tracks as well! This series has been running for quite some time, but it's always a great one – and we're amazed at how the folks at Ace keep turning up nuggets we never would have heard otherwise – all presented with wonderful sound, and full notes to support the whole collection – a lot more than you can say for dodgier sets on the market. Titles include "Billy Sunshine" by Evie Sands, "With A Kiss" by The Bluezettes, "Don't Forget" by The Murmaids, "That's The Way It Is" by The Sweet Three, "Moon Walking" by The Blossoms, "More Than A Friend" by The Wooden Nickels, "On A Rainy Night" by The Flowers, "What Did You Do Last Night" by The Drake Sisters, "I Can Tell I'm Losing Your Love" by Lena Calhoun & The Emotions, "You Better Stop It" by The Lovelites, "Ballyhoo" by Ramona King, "Bad Boy" by Christine Cooper, and "Baby I Miss You" by The Popsicles. CD

Great stuff from Eryka Badu – sweet, mellow, soulful, and with a very righteous vibe! The record's got some impeccable production – and the best cuts have a stripped-down groove that mixes keyboards and vocals in a way that's similar to recent work by D'Angelo and Jill Scott. Eryka's all her own woman, though – and she keeps things very real with her own unique vocal style and phrasing on the lyrics. Loads of great tracks – and titles include "Kiss Me On My Neck", "Didn't Cha Know", "My Life", "AD 2000", "Bag Lady", "In Love With You", and "Booty". And on top of all that, if the album weren't dope enough as is, here is the limited edition promo version, packaged in a really awesome picture cover envelope styled sleeve! Ultra-rare! LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a reference to the double-length nature of the set – but it might also be taken as a reference to the group's sound, too – as Heron's got a slightly fuller approach than on their debut album! There's more electric instrumentation in the mix, and arrangements that have the band stepping out more strongly with some rockish inflections, even though the overall approach is still pretty darn folksy – and handled with that really unique, really personal style that makes the group one of the best of the Brit folk scene from the period. Titles include "Madman", "John Brown", "Miss Kiss", "Love 13", "Winter Harlequin", and "Big A". CD

The masterpiece by one of the greatest, most sincere rock bands of all time! Let It Be veers all over the place, or at least as much as jangly rock music can, in the best way possible. Includes the pseudo twangy opener "I Will Dare", with the distinctly midwestern hardcore of the group's earlier years showing up on "We're Coming Out" and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", and Westerberg's great heart-on-sleeve, ragged balladry appearing for the closers. Like the Meat Puppets and X, the 'Mats really found themselves after they shed the rigid rules of punk rock, and developed into something every bit as honest and heartfelt. They followed the rock songbook just enough to keep their work warm and familiar, but with way too huge and hard-pounding heart to ever seem even the least bit derivative. Hell, they even make Kiss's "Black Diamond" sound sincere! Other tracks include "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Seen Your Video", "Gary's Got A Boner", "Sixteen Blue" and "Answering Machine". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure magic from the height of Roy Ayers' classic 70s run on Polydor – a record that's filled with warm, jazzy grooves – all served up in that unique style that Roy was forging at the time! The album perfectly balances dancefloor tracks with mellower numbers – stepping out one minute with a funky groove on the bottom, then sliding into some slinkier laidback styles that are equally great. William Allen handles the arrangements with Roy, and does the strings himself – and also plays some monstrous bass on most numbers, which really brings up the rhythms from the bottom! Titles include the killer groovers "Sweet Tears", "When Is Real Real", "Let's Do It", and "Freaky Deaky" – and the warm mellow cuts "You Came Into My Life", "Kiss", and "Melody Maker". LP, Vinyl record album

Another dose of retro party rock from one of the first groups to come out of the Athens scene. Includes "Legal Tender", "Whammy Kiss", "Song For A Future Generation", "Butterbean", "Trism", "Queen Of Las Vegas", "Don't Worry", "Big Bird" and "Work That Skirt". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different album than usual for June Christy – one of her last for Capitol, and a very swinging, upbeat affair! As the title implies, June's singing a set of tunes made famous during the glory days of the big bands – tracks associated with Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and others – all given a nice reworking here by June, in a style that's got a hipper, swinging California kind of groove! Arrangers on the set are Bill Holman, Bob Cooper, and Shorty Rogers – and they all keep things light and above board – shaking away the bluer tones and quieter moods of some of June's other records, taking her vocals back to the highly swinging style that first brought her fame in the 40s. Titles include "Frenesi", "Time Was", "Good Bye", "Night In Tunisia", "Stompin At the Savoy", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "Skyliner". CD

The best of a handful of albums that the one-time Prince bassist put out in the early 80s – a record that made a splash via the great Prince-penned "The Dance Electric" – possibly a blessing and a curse for AC, as Prince was so huge at the time that the record going public was too quick to dismiss him as a clone! But don't let that stop you – as Cymone's got a groove that's all his own – and an 80s soul star definitely worth rediscovering. The percussive vibe is similar to Prince, but Andre's got a leaner, funkier style overall – virtually working as a one man band here, and handling most instrumentation himself – which brings a compact feel to the record that really comes through in the tightness of the grooves. Titles include "The Dance Electric", "Lipstick Lover", "Pretty Wild Lover", "Book Of Love", "Vacation", "Satisfaction", and "Neon Pussycat". Massive 2CD version features loads of bonus tracks – 20 more numbers that include lots of mixes of "The Dance Electric", "Satisfaction", and "Lipstick Lover" – plus "Vacation (Andre Cymone mix)", "Let Me Kiss The Bride (inst)", and "Anything (inst)". CD

Ella gets some great jazzy backings from Marty Paich – on titles that include "Little White Lies", "You Hit The Spot", "Little Jazz", "720 In the Books", "Knock Me A Kiss", and "My Kinda Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album of dark-hued vocals – sung by Johnny Hartman with a quality that's as smokey as the image of him with a cigarette on the cover! The album set a whole new standard for male vocal jazz in the 60s – and is a distillation and refinement of earlier ideas in music by Billy Eckstine, taken down to more personal and fluid levels by Hartman – and recorded here with great small group baking that includes Illinois Jacquet on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The vibe is very mellow, but never sloppy or sleepy – and titles include "Charade", "In The Wee Small Hours", "Stairway To the Stars", "Kiss & Run", "Our Time", "Don't You Know I Care", "If I'm Lucky", and "Don't Call It Love". CD

Both of Thelma Houston & Jerry Butler's duo records for Motown – back-to-back in a single set! 1977's Thelma & Jerry is up first – and it's a truly sweet pairing of the 2 legendary voices – tempering the more crossover disco mode that Thelma was working so strongly in the mid-to-late 70s just a bit, but still done with a fairly slick, nice and warm sound. The vocal chemistry with Jerry is pretty wonderful, too! Butler and Hal Davis take partial credit for production and tracks include a great, soul style medley of the pop hits "If You Leave Me Now/Love So Right", "Only The Beginning", Stevie Wonder's "Joy Inside My Tears", "Let's Get Together", "It's A Lifetime Thing","I Love You Through Windows" and more. The follow-up Two To One is another gem – this one featuring arrangements by Willie Hutch, Van McCoy, and Terry Woodford. Titles include "Find A Way", "We Owe It To Ourselves", "Never Gonna Get Enough", "If It Would End", "Chicago Send Her Home", and "Don't Pity Me". Also includes the bonus Motown single "Kiss Me Now". CD

All the incredible Syl Johnson cuts released as Twinight 45s back in the day – nicely assembled as an excellent 2LP compilation by the gentlemen of The Numero Group! If you have yet to take a dip into the Syl Johnson oeuvre, let us just say this is gritty, powerful vintage Chicago soul of the finest caliber, and would be a terrific first step into his kingdom. All cut over a 4 year period, written and produced by the man himself. Simply a stellar batch of one time overlooked, now justifiably revered Twinight gems – including the the sample classic "Different Strokes," strident soul gems "Is It Because I'm Black" and "Concrete Reservation" and many more – including "Going To The Shack", "Ode To Soul Man", "Sorry 'Bout That!", "Come On Sock It To Me", "Take Me Back", "Let Them Hang High", "Thank You Baby", "We Do It Together", "Kiss By Kiss", "Everybody Needs Love", "Same Kind Of Thing", "I'll Take Those Skinny Legs" and more. 29 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

A Philly soul classic from The Manhattans – one of their best 70s albums, and a record that showed that they were firmly out of the indie ghetto, and totally on top of their game! The record features arrangements and production by Bobby Martin and Bert DeCoteaux – bubbling along in that soaring style that you'd recognize best from Philly International albums of the time, but which also has some nice traces of the mellower ballad work that first put the group on the map. Every tune is perfect – the kind of sublime soul that easily explains why a record like this could be found in every single record collection of every single soul listener of the time – and titles include "La La La Wish Upon A Star", "We'll Have Forever To Love", "Take It Or Leave It", "Reasons", "Wonderful World Of Love", "Searching For Love", and the incredible "Kiss & Say Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy little Italian soundtrack – straight in some parts, but very nice in others! There's some sweet tunes that features wordless female vocals – in the mode of work by Armando Trovajoli or Ennio Morricone from the time – and there's other tunes that have a dancing groovy style that are right in the Easy Tempo mode. The tracks are very short, but groove around nicely – and really fit the feel you might expect from a title like The Wild Eye! Titles include "Bali Street", "The Sultan", "Don't Go Away", "The Kiss", "Two Lovers", "Love Comes Back", "Goodbye", and "Golden Age". CD

One of the only early albums as a leader from pianist Ronnie Mathews – a player who recorded more often in later years, but who really sounds incredible in this rare session for Prestige! Although a lyrical player at heart, Mathews also has a very hard edge here – more of a soul jazz groove than you'd hear on his later records, and a great example of the sound he was picking up from some of his key 60s work as a sideman. The group is great overall – with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Charles Davis on baritone sax – both players who bring a Blue Note-like sense of imagination to their solos here. The rest of the group features Eddie Kahn on bass and Albert Heath on drums – and titles include the killers "The Thang", "Ichi Ban", and "The Orient" – plus "Let's Get Down", "1239A", and "Prelude To A Kiss". LP, Vinyl record album

"I need a fix – and a kiiiiiiiiiissssssss!" What can we say? Johnny Thunders, David Johansen and the boys reinvented the wheel with the of wildly hedonist glam skronk spun on this still incredible debut record. Both records they made for Mercury are incredible, but this is the bonafide masterpiece. It's a classic purely on a primal rock 'n' roll level, but it's also one of rock's greatest examples of style equaling substance! The Dolls brought glammer to the gutter and vice versa, and this is no doubt their greatest moment! Includes "Personality Crisis", "Looking For A Kiss", "Trash", "Frankenstein", "Pills", "Bad Girl", "Private World" and "Jet Boy". Produced by Todd Rundgren and engineered by Jack Douglas – the former a legend in his own right, the latter whose name appears on so many great records that range from other proto-punk and punk-era classics (Patti Smith Group, The Runaways) to the trashier side of the mainstream (prime early Cheap Trick, Aerosmith and Alice Cooper). LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most beautiful music we've heard in years from pianist Matthew Shipp – a set of tracks dedicated to Duke Ellington, and played in a very creative style! The tracks are mostly by Duke (there's a few Shipp originals in the mix too), but the performance is Matthew at his best – with a really freewheeling, cascading approach to piano that gets great support from Michael Bisio on bass and Whit Dickey on drums. The music is never too free, and always has a sense of structure that echoes the original tunes – but Shipp's so clearly drunk deep from Ellington's spirit, he can also really step out without ever losing his place. It's been a long time since we've heard Shipp sounding this focused and soulful – and we love it – and tracks include "Prelude To Duke", "Mood Indigo", "Satin Doll", "Sparks", "Tone Poem For Duke", "Dickey Duke", "Solitude", and "Prelude To A Kiss". CD

A bit of a change for Allen Toussaint – the kind of an album that makes good use of all the connections he was making during the early 70s, when he was becoming the darling of the Warner Brothers scene in LA. Overall, Allen's getting pretty smooth by this point – so smooth that even some rootsy production by Jerry Wexler still makes it hard to remember that he got his start in the raw New Orleans soul scene – but at its heart, the album's still got a good talent for the kind of rolling groove that Toussaint brought to his own work, and that of so many other artists, in earlier years. This album features lots of LA studio backing, with players like Richard Tee, Victor Feldman, Paulinho Da Costa, Larry Carlton, and others of that ilk. Titles include "Motion", "Night People", "Just A Kiss Away", "Declaration Of Love", and "Viva La Money". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous rare work from Johnny Guitar Watson – almost a "lost era" in his career, beautifully brought back to life by this set! Johnny's first few R&B recordings of the 50s are well known – as are his 60s Northern Soul tracks for Okeh, and his 70s funk classics – but this collection looks at the time right after Watson's initial rise to fame in the 50s – an early 60s stretch when he was recording great work for a variety of different labels – all in styles that are as varied as the companies he worked with! The Johnny Watson here is really expanding his bag past the initial rough-edged blues of his roots – picking up elements of jazz and soul in his sound, and starting to move into the more sophisticated modes that would fully blossom on Fantasy Records in the 70s. The work here has a surprising amount of depth – wonderful vocal phrasing that shows a jazz singer side of Watson's career, straight Northern Soul grooving that's undeniably infectious, and a great ear for unusual time changes that really show the earliest roots of his funk. CD features 27 tracks originally recorded for the King, Class, Arvee, Escort, Highland, Jowat, and Magnum labels – with titles that include "I Just Wants Me Some Love", "The Eagle Is Back", "Untouchable", "One More Kiss", "Johnny Guitar", "Posin", "Broke & Lonely", "Sweet Lovin Mama", "Cuttin In", "That's The Chance You've Got To Take", "In The Evenin", "Those Lonely Lonely Nights", "Baby Don't Leave", "Ain't Gonna Move", "Wait A Minute Baby", and "Oh So Fine". CD

Nancy Wilson remakes American classics of the 20th century – taking a host of tunes from Gershwin, Ellington, Arlen, Porter, and Berlin – and remaking them in her sophisti-soul style of the 60s! She's got plenty of great help on the sessions – with arrangers that include Gerald Wilson, Jimmy Jones, and Billy May – plus accompaniment from players that include Cannonball Adderley, Hank Jones, and George Shearing. The collection features a total of 44 tracks in all – and titles include "Supper Time", "Sleepin Bee", "Secret Love", "My Ship", "Dearly Beloved", "Sophisticated Lady", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "All Of You", "Bewitched", "The More I See You", "Never Will I Marry", "This Time The Dream's On Me", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "By Myself". CD

A collection of work from soundtracks to Orson Welles films of the 40s – some from rare studio recordings, others from even rarer live performance! The first segment of work on the set is especially nice – and features the suite "Wells Raises Kane" – comprised of music from The Magnificent Andersons and Citizen Kane, played by the CBS Radio Orchestra conducted by Bernard Herrmann! Next up are 5 more titles by Herrmann – sweeter tunes from the soundtrack to Jane Eyre – followed by Anita Ellis' great dubbing of "Please Don't Kiss Me", used for Rita Hayworth's performance in The Lady From Shanghai. Remaining themes include "Macbeth" by Jacques Ibert, "Mr Arkadin/Confidential Report" by Paul Misraki, and 3 selections from "The Third Man" performed by zitherist Anton Karas – not really Welles-directed material, but still essential, given his role in the film! CD

"The Greatest Soul Hits Of All Time" is a pretty ambitious claim for this one to make – but the 4CD set is chock-full of some of the best known soul tunes of the 60s and 70s – wrapped up in the usual Rhino Records flair for making the commonplace seem special! There's a total of 90 tracks in all on the set – and if ever you wanted a compilation that would give you the best of soul oldies radio, this is it! Titles include "My Guy" by Mary Wells, "Please Mr Postman" by The Marvelettes, "Sweet Soul Music" by Arthur Conley, "Soul Man" by Sam & Dave, "Soulful Strut" by Young Holt Unlimited, "Cowboys To Girls" by The Intruders, "We Got More Soul" by Dyke & The Blazers, "Just One Look" by Doris Troy, "The Monkey Time" by Major Lance, "Sunny" by Bobby Hebb, "Rescue Me" by Fontella Bass, "Rainy Night In Georgia" by Brook Benton, "Tell It Like It Is" by Aaron Neville, "Dark End Of The Street" by James Carr, "Groove Me" by King Floyd, "One Of A Kind Love Affair" by The Spinners, "I Want You Back" by Jackson 5, "Kiss & Say Goodbye" by The Manhattans, and lots lots more! The tunes go from about 1960 up to the mid 70s – with a bit of Motown, a bit of Atlantic soul, a bit of Chicago, and a bit of funk! CD

A beautiful pairing – the keyboards of Bill Evans and harmonica of Toots Thielemans – presented here in a space that marks the record as one of the best from both players in the 70s! Some tunes are sad and blue, and very spare – others a bit more upbeat and lyrical, almost taking us back to Bill's more sprightly modes of the early 60s – and the clear, clean sound offers up the best tones from both players in a perfect space. Other musicians include Marc Johnson on bass, Eliot Zigmund on drums, and Larry Schneider on flute, tenor, and soprano sax – and Evans plays a bit of electric piano in addition to acoustic, something we always love! Titles include "I Do It For Your Love", "The Days Of Wine & Roses", "Jesus' Last Ballad", "The Other Side Of Midnight", "Blue & Green", and "Tomato Kiss". CD

A real change for French producer Guts – a set that has him working with a lot more live instrumentation than ever before – in a way that really opens up his sound! The record's the result of a live tour that had Guts working with a full band – and that spirit continues here in a deeply collaborative blend of hip hop rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and even some more cosmic moments as well – all given that core Guts funk at the base, but coming across with a richer quality overall. The record features work from Tanya Morgan, Leron Thomas, Lorine Chia, Florian Pellissier, and a number of other contemporaries from the same scene – and titles include "Kiss My Converse", "Dirty Otter", "All Or Nothing", "Take Me Back", "Give You Up", "Rest Of My Life", "Peacful Life", and "Desintoxication". CD

A real change for French producer Guts – a set that has him working with a lot more live instrumentation than ever before – in a way that really opens up his sound! The record's the result of a live tour that had Guts working with a full band – and that spirit continues here in a deeply collaborative blend of hip hop rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and even some more cosmic moments as well – all given that core Guts funk at the base, but coming across with a richer quality overall. The record features work from Tanya Morgan, Leron Thomas, Lorine Chia, Florian Pellissier, and a number of other contemporaries from the same scene – and titles include "Kiss My Converse", "Dirty Otter", "All Or Nothing", "Take Me Back", "Give You Up", "Rest Of My Life", "Peacful Life", and "Desintoxication". LP, Vinyl record album

A damn incredible package of work from Daryl Hall & John Oates – one that's got way more than just the stock greatest hits you'd find on other box sets, and which is filled with loads of rare moments alongside the classics! There's a vibe here that's really wonderful – an approach that really unlocks the more soulful side of the Hall & Oates sound – especially since the collection begins with a fair bit of pre-fame recordings, and also includes some rare live tracks from the mid 70s – plus a number of other previously unreleased gems too! Hits are still out in full effect, but they only comprise about half the material here – making the set list a great journey between the fresh and familiar – all wrapped up with a great booklet that has lots of rare photos and commentary on each track by the duo. 16 previously unreleased tracks, and 74 tracks in all – with cuts that include "I Need Your Love" (by The Masters), "Girl I Love You" (by The Temptones), "Perkiomen", "Fall In Philadelphia", "Lady Rain (live)", "Camellia", "The Woman Comes & Goes", "I Don't Wanna Lose You (7" rmx)", "Don't Go Out", "Possession Obsession (live)", "So Close (live)", "Storm Warning", "Have You Ever Been In Love (demo)", "I Want Someone (live from Daryl's house)", "Dreamer (72-09 redux)", "Heartbreak Time", "Las Vegas Turnaround", "She's Gone", "Love You Like A Brother", "Did It In A Minute", "Go Solo", "Kiss oOn My List", "Crazy Eyes", and lots lots more! CD

Massive soul from Wendy Rene – one of the lesser-known talents from the Stax Records scene of the 60s, and an artist who's finally getting her due! We're not sure why Wendy never hit bigger at the time – because her singles here are wonderful – excellent female soul that not only ranks with the best of the Stax sound of the time, but which also challenges the bite of some of the best Motown music too – thanks to a particularly northern groove on some of the best cuts here! In fact, it may well be this style – often closer to Detroit soul than the usual Memphis bag at Stax – that might have held Wendy back. But that's hardly an issue all these many years later – and our hat's off to the folks at Light In The Attic for not only bringing together her rare singles, but also collecting unreleased songs, other rarities, and even material performed with the group The Drapels – all recorded in the years 1964 and 1965, and supported by some great notes too. Titles include "Bar B Q", "I Wish I Were That Girl", "What Will Tomorrow Bring", "Last Love", "Crowded Park", "Give You What I Got", "Deep In My Heart", "Wondering", "First Kiss", "Reap What You Sow", "After Laughter Comes Tears", and "He Hasn't Failed Me Yet". LP, Vinyl record album