Amazing sounds from Lee Hazlewood – some of his most offbeat, unbridled recordings ever – and that's saying a lot if you've already heard his classics for Mercury, MGM, and Reprise! The package here brings together rare work from Lee's own LHI label – packaged beautifully with a rich set of notes, session details, and some amazing photos that follow in the spirit of the nutty-looking cover image! Hazlewood's voice is sublime throughout – that deeper-than-deep quality that always leaves us breathless – perfect for the sly wit and and "aw shucks" sensibility of the tunes – and also for unlocking the growing adult sensuality that Lee was letting into his work at the time. A few female singers step forth in that great Hazlewood duet mode – Nina Lizell, Suzi Jane Hokom, and Ann Margret – who each sing on a few tracks – but Lee's in the lead on most numbers, and titles include the previously unreleased "I Just Learned To Run" – plus "The Bed", "Sleep In The Grass", "The Night Before", "If It's Monday Morning", "Won't You Tell Your Dreams", "Hey Cowboy", "No Train To Stockholm", "What's More I Don't Need Her", "Trouble Maker", and "Nobody Like You". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever solo album from Doug McCombs – the well-known bassist with a huge legacy that includes work in Eleventh Dream Day and Tortoise – finally getting a chance to shine in the spotlight on his own! The vibe here is more like Doug's work in Brokeback, but even more open and improvised – as McCombs plays guitar and bass on the record, on long tracks that feature some guest instrumentation at points – electronics from Sam Prekop and drums from John Convertino on "Two To Coolness" – and drums and keyboards from James Elkington on "To Whose Falls Shallows". The album's remaining long song, "Green Crown's Step", is solo McCombs. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic follow up to the first, better-known Christmas album from guitar genius John Fahey – and a set that's maybe even more mindblowing overall! Side one features Fahey's shorter interpretations of Christmas themes – done on acoustic guitar, with his amazing sense of phrasing and tone – in duet with Richard Ruskin on a few tracks, with titles that include "Oh Holy Night", "Carol Of The Bells", "Russian Christmas Overture", and "White Christmas". But on side two, things really get interesting – as the side features two long tracks – "Christmas Fantasy", in two parts – with the kind of long, exploratory guitar lines that we love on some of Fahey's non-Holiday albums for Takoma – extended acoustic work that goes way beyond the simple sounds of the season! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album that perfectly mixes both sides of Aretha Franklin's talents – the hard-edged soul singer who first flourished at Atlantic records in the late 60s, and the artist who was growing even more as a vocalist – really reaching out her wings to more sophisticated material! There's a balance here that makes the record one of the deepest that Franklin ever recorded for Atlantic – lots of larger Arif Mardin touches, but also some raw moments that really round things out – on titles that include Aretha's classic take on the Weldon Irvine/Nina Simone tune "Young Gifted & Black", the funky classic "Rock Steady", the wonderful mellow groover "Day Dreaming", the hit "Brand New Me", and the strangely compelling "First Snow In Kokomo" – plus other titles that include "All The King's Horses", "Oh Me Oh My", "Border Song", "Didn't I Blow Your Mind", "April Fools", "I've Been Loving You Too Long", and "The Long & Winding Road". LP, Vinyl record album