One of the all-time classics of early 60s mainstream jazz – and a beautiful record that showcases writing and arranging talents of Oliver Nelson! Nelson had been bumping around a variety of sessions before this one – as a leader, sideman, and arranger – but it was with this album that his true talents really unfolded – sparkling with a depth of imagination and expression that marked him as one of the greatest artists in 60s American jazz! The group on the set is an all-star sextet – featuring Paul Chambers, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Roy Haynes, and Freddie Hubbard – a disparate group of players who manage to come together with Nelson and find a unique voice that's rarely been duplicated again! The album features 6 fantastic compositions by Nelson, including "Stolen Moments", "Hoe Down", and "Yearnin". A fantastic record – and one that you can't go wrong with! CD

The final album from Nirvana, and a set that marked a surprising turn away from the easy mainstream pop presence they could have easily embraced – a shift that comes in large part from the work of Steve Albini, who recorded the set with a raw edge that really has the group at their noisiest! While the approach was controversial at the time – especially to the band's record label – it turned out to be perfect for the mood of these songs, which have been the subject of plenty of analysis over the years, given that the whole thing is the final cohesive message that Kurt Cobain gave the world before departing this planet! Titles include "Serve The Servants", "Scentless Apprentice", "Heart-Shaped Box", "Rape Me", "Dumb", "Very Ape", "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter", and "All Apologies". CD

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

One of the greatest crossover albums of the 80s – and the record that catapulted Prince very firmly into the mainstream! There's a tightness here that surpasses even that of Prince's early classics for Warner Brothers – an unabashed love of a pop hook that makes for some incredibly catchy tunes that are still delivered with a nice funky undercurrent. The whole Prince family is at the top of their game at this point – and titles include "Darling Nikki", "Let's Go Crazy", "I Would Die 4 U", "When Doves Cry", "Baby I'm A Star", and "Purple Rain". This fantastic 3CD/DVD version features a completely new 2015 Paisley Park remaster of the album, done by Prince – plus a full CD that features unreleased songs and tracks from the vaults – with titles that include "Katrina's Paper Dolls", "We Can F**k", "Father's Song", "Possessed", "Computer Blue (hallway speech version)", "Love & Sex", "The Dance Electric", "Our Destiny/Roadhouse Garden", "Wonderful Ass", "Velvet Kitty Cat", and "Electric Intercourse (studio version)". CD3 features lots of rare single edits and non-LP b-sides – with tracks that include "Erotic City", "Let's Go Crazy (special dance mix)", "17 Days (edit)", "Baby I'm A Star (edit)", "I Would Die 4 U (extended)", "Another Lonely Christmas (extended)", "Take Me With U (edit)", "God (edit)", "When Doves Cry (7" edit)", and "God (inst)". DVD features a never-issued concert performance, recorded at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse in March of 1985 – with 19 songs in all! CD

An incredible album from Arthur Prysock – an amazing set of mature love modes, set to beautiful backings by Mort Garson! The album's easily Prysock at the height of his 60s sophistication – a complete reworking of the This Is My Beloved modes away from more mainstream readings, in ways that show the new poise, class, and confidence of the African-American scene at the end of the decade. Titles include "I Stood Long Where You Left Me", "I Need Your Love", "Your Words", "Your Eyes", and "You Did Not Come". CD

A fantastic take on the music of Sun Ra – a set that looks at the way his sounds dovetailed with the exotica movement in American music of the postwar years! Given that he claimed to be from outer space, Ra was already pretty darn exotic himself – but his music also arose at a time when artists like Martin Denny and Les Baxter were taking global sounds and fusing them into more mainstream American music, including jazz – with results that have become legendary over the years! And while Denny, Baxter, and other contemporaries were more involved with mood music, Ra was part of a generation of jazz musicians – such as Yusef Lateef or Wilbur Harden – who were working a richer vein of the territory for jazz – as you'll hear in these wonderful tracks. The set brings together key sides from the earliest Ra recordings, plus some unissued material too – done in the really great style of the other Modern Harmonic reissues in recent years. Unissued titles include "April In Paris", "Paradise", "Star Bright", "Spontaneous Simplicity", "Somewhere In Space", and "Cha Cha In Outer Space" – and other titles include "Overtones Of China", "Tiny Pyramids", "The Nile (part 1)", "Kingdom Of Thunder", "Ancient Aiethopia", "India", "Friendly Galaxy", and "Africa" – plus the complete version of "Island In The Sun". CD

The one and only album that Sun Ra ever cut for the Savoy label – a beautifully understated session that mixes more conventional jazz with some particularly Ra-like touches! The group on the set is extremely tight – especially the horn work of John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, and Pat Patrick – who glide together along with some of the best mainstream modernists of the 50s, but break out with earthier tones and phrases that clearly mark their playing as different from the norm. Ra plays relatively straight piano for the album, but there's more than enough Arkestra touches from other players on bells and assorted percussion – emphasizing the rhythmic qualities of the tunes, and really living up to the promise of titles that include "Bassism", "China Gates", "Of Sounds And Something Else", "Tapestry From An Asteroid", "Jet Flight", "Space Jazz Reverie", and "Where Is Tomorrow?". CD

The one and only album that Sun Ra ever cut for the Savoy label – a beautifully understated session that mixes more conventional jazz with some particularly Ra-like touches! The group on the set is extremely tight – especially the horn work of John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, and Pat Patrick – who glide together along with some of the best mainstream modernists of the 50s, but break out with earthier tones and phrases that clearly mark their playing as different from the norm. Ra plays relatively straight piano for the album, but there's more than enough Arkestra touches from other players on bells and assorted percussion – emphasizing the rhythmic qualities of the tunes, and really living up to the promise of titles that include "Bassism", "China Gates", "Of Sounds And Something Else", "Tapestry From An Asteroid", "Jet Flight", "Space Jazz Reverie", and "Where Is Tomorrow?". CD

A big crossover classic for the champions of the Minneapolis scene – their first for Sire and featuring some of the greatest rock songs of the 80s, be it college radio, mainstream or any thing – greatness period! The sound is a bit more polished than the Twin Tone years, but there's no scrubbing out the shambling attitude, and truth be told, the more soul-searching material here is some of the best stuff they'd ever record. Includes the all time classics "Left Of The Dial" and "Hold My Life", plus "Little Mascara, Lay It Down Clown", "I'll Buy", "Kiss Me On The Bus", "Waitress In The Sky", "Swingin Party", and "Here Comes A Regular". CD

Arguably one of the greatest pop albums of all time – a pure act of genius from Todd Rundgren, and one of the few cases in rock music where two records are actually better than one! The double-length set was Rundgren's third solo effort after the breakup of Nazz – but it's a broad step ahead from the first two, and a strong move into the kind of near-perfect, yet always-human pop that made Rundgren so great in the 70s. Sides one through three of the album were completely done by Todd himself – all instruments, voices, and production handled through the then-new magic of the 16 track studio – and Rundgren's really at his best here, working in the kind of personal modes that make his tunes so great, some of the best of the mainstream singer/songwriter generation. Side four has fuller arrangements and other players coming into the mix, but the core feel of the rest of the record is very nicely preserved – apart from a few tunes that perhaps get a bit too goofy. It's hard to imagine more great pop songs in one album – and the set's overflowing with genius moments that include "Marlene", "I Saw The Light", "I Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference", "It Takes Two To Tango", "Sweeter Memories", "I Went To The Mirror", "One More Day", "Song Of The Viking", and "Hello It's Me". CD

Maybe the biggest album ever from Tom Rush – a set that pushes the singer strongly past his more folksy roots, and seems to set him up for a bigger career in the 70s mainstream! And yet the record's not commercial at all – done with a laidback instrumental style that moves into rock from folk, with occasional rootsy elements, but passages of softer phrasing that really work well with Tom's vocals too. Titles include "Old Man Song", "Livin In The Country", "Driving Wheel", "Rainy Day Man", "Drop Down Mama", and a really great take on "These Days". CD

The long-awaited "real" second album from Jill Scott – finally out 4 years after her massive debut! Fortunately, the passage of time has done nothing to dampen Jill's genius – and the sound, style, and overall quality of this set is every bit as great as we could have hoped. The production is a bit fuller at times, but never cloying or overly mainstream – and still very much in the lean, mean, stripped-down Philly groove that Jill brought to the masses with incredible force. Jill's got help from a host of great Philly talents too – including Andre Harris, Jazzy Jeff, and Larry Gold – all of whom work with Jill in a sinister blend of beats, keys, strings, and soul! Titles include "I'm Not Afraid", "The Fact Is", "Bedda At Home", "Cross My Mind", "Family Reunion", "Can't Explain", "Not Like Crazy", "Rasool", and "My Petition". CD

A really important early album from this groundbreaking pianist – a set that initially got plenty of exposure at the time, thanks to its placement on the Infinite Zero label – even though Matthew Shipp's piano work was very far from the mainstream! The trio here is tremendous – and the work of William Parker on bass is especially wonderful, as is the subtle drum handling of Whit Dickey – as the group perform lne long suite of tracks that flow together in haunting patterns of criss crossing lines that describe seem to really bring a sense of spirituality back to the world of improvising music in the early 90s! CD

A classic Vegas moment for Sinatra – with accompaniment by Count Basie, and arrangements from Quincy Jones, to boot! The set features some great spoken bits – really one of the first chances the American mainstream got to taste the Vegas vibe – and titles include "It Was A Very Good Year", "Fly Me To The Moon", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Come Fly With Me", "Street Of Dreams", "One For My Baby", and "My Kind Of Town" – plus the previously unreleased track "Luck Be A Lady". CD

Classic funkiness from Sly & The Family Stone – an album that really pushed them to the top of their game, and exploded on the late 60s scene like a righteous funky bomb! The title cut's a mega-hit that you'll recognize right away – but the whole album's great, and is filled with the simple, joyous energy that made Sly's groove one of the freshest of his generation – and which helped foist all the great work going on in the 60s underground firmly into the light of a much wider mainstream audience. The messages are subtle here, but the group are already doing their part to change the world bit by bit – and the funky rhythms at the bottom assure that they'll be doing it ass by ass on the dancefloor! Titles include "Dance to The Music", "Ride The Rhythm", "Higher", "Don't Burn Baby", and the 12 minute "Dance To The Medley", with the groovy "Music Lover" passage! CD also features 6 bonus tracks, 4 previously unreleased – titles that include "Soul Clappin", "We Love All", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Never Do Your Woman Wrong (inst)", and "Higher (unissued single version)". CD

Fantastic work from one of the most compelling mainstream talents in recent years – an artist who can get wide fame and acclaim, yet keep on pushing the boundaries into fresh new cosmic territory! This album may well be Thundercat's masterpiece – not just a summation of all the ideas and areas he's explored in the past, but also kind of a re-filtering of other modes as well – including the more spiritual and jazz-based territory that he's moved towards, especially when working with others! Yet there's nothing here that's an easy copy of another style, or another's work – as the whole thing bristles with a personal newness that's wonderful – even when Thundercat is getting help from guests who include Kamasai Washington, Flying Lotus, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, and Kendrick Lamarr – as well as some especially nice work from AOR legends Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald. Titles include "I Am Crazy", "3AM", "Rabbot Ho", "Bus In These Streets", "Lava Lamp", "Jethro", "Show You The Way", "Drink Dat", "Jameel's Space Ride", and "Tokyo". CD

Early punk rock work from Ultravox – a record that's a lot sharper-edged than some of the group's later, more electronic pop! The guitars are very much upfront in the mix here – and although some tracks show a nascent love of synth, it's often mixed in with noisier, more driving sounds that are very much the best spirit of the British underground, circa 1977! And while it might be a stretch to call this a strictly punk rock record, it does stand very nicely next to some of the best mainstream punk releases from the same generation – and in a way, the stylistic complications of the set almost make it more appealing over the years – a bit of a label-less effort that still sounds plenty unique! Titles include "Rockwork", "The Frozen Ones", "Fear In The Western World", "The Man Who Dies Every Day", "Distant Smile", and "Hiroshima Mon Amour". CD features 6 bonus tracks too – including "Young Savage", "Hiroshima Mon Amour (alt version)", "Quirks", "The Man Who Dies Every Day (live)", and "Young Savage (live)". CD

A landmark 80s record in the return of blues to the mainstream, right back in front of a rock audience with work like this – as the young Stevie Ray Vaughn cooks things up here on cuts that include "Couldn't Stand The Weather", "Stang's Swang", "Cold Shot", "Voodoo Chile", "Things That I Used To Do", and "Scuttle Buttin". CD

A landmark 80s record in the return of blues to the mainstream, right back in front of a rock audience with work like this – as the young Stevie Ray Vaughn cooks things up here on cuts that include "Couldn't Stand The Weather", "Stang's Swang", "Cold Shot", "Voodoo Chile", "Things That I Used To Do", and "Scuttle Buttin". CD

A fantastic debut from Chicago soul singer Jamila Woods – the kind of artist that makes us very proud to be located in the Windy City! Woods is an extremely inventive lyricist – strongly inspired by poetry, but also immediately trying to communicate in a wider spectrum with her sound – at a level that's maybe even smarter and more sophisticated than you'd guess from her look on the cover, which might make you think that she's just another pretty face in mainstream music! Instead, Woods seems ready to reinvent the role of the female singer in soul music – getting help from hip collaborators who include our hometown hero Chance The Rapper, as well as Nico Segal, Saba, Lorine Chia, and Noname. Titles include "Bubbles", "In My Name", "Popsicle", "Assata's Daughters", "Blk Girl Soldier", "Emerald Street", "Breadcrumbs", "Stellar", "Holy", and Good Morning" – plus "LSD", a tribute to our city's great lakefront! CD

Hardly the gospel of your father's generation – and hardly even the gospel of previous Numero releases either – as the set's a wonderfully offbeat batch of tracks that definitely lives up to the "apocryphal" in the title! Production sounds and musical styles go way past the mainstream – and lots of these numbers feel like secular soul from the definite left end of the spectrum in the 70s – especially the mellower cuts, which have a trippy quality that comes from weird instrumentation and unusual studio work – often matched by vocal presentation that's anything but spiritual, and which feels more like Darondo overall! These tunes are a real discovery – a deeper level of unusual gospel recordings than even the funk and or soul sides featured on other compilations – all pulled from the hinterland of self-released albums and singles from back in the day. As usual, Numero's done as great of job with the notes and packaging as they have with the music – really telling the full tale of this unusual stream of music – in a smoking set that features "That's All I Need" by Sensational Saints, "A Message Especially From God" by Robert Vanderbilt & The Foundation Of Souls, "Come Holy Spirit" by God's Band, "Faith" by Soul Superiors, "Can't Run This Race Alone" by Flying Eagles Gospel Singers, "Searching For The Truth" by Dwain Vinyard, "Get Involved" by Jonah Thompson, and "I Hear You Calling" by Francis Reneau & The Mission Singers. CD

A huge chapter of work from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – one that not only includes their own albums for the ECM label, but also related solo and side projects too! The set begins with four Art Ensemble albums – Nice Guys, Full Force, Urban Bushman, and The Third Decade – all of which came out as a statement of the group's strengths in the late 70s and early 80s – their first mainstream appearance after a few years of being very underground, and material that helped set a whole new standard for avant jazz expression in the generation to come! Next is the fantastic album Divine Love, by trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith – not necessarily an Art Ensemble album, but one that does feature great work from trumpeter Leo Smith – plus trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, bassist Charlie Haden, and vibist Bobby Naughton. Next are four albums by Lester Bowie – two smaller group, and two with his Brass Fantasy ensemble – the records The Great Pretender, All The Magic/The One & Only, I Only Have Eyes For You, and Avant Pop. Then, after Bowie's early passing, the Art Ensemble recorded their beautiful Tribute To Lester – as a trio lineup with Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors, and Don Moye. Mitchell takes the helm next – on a surprisingly big flurry of projects for ECM – records that often show a deeper compositional strand in his music – on records that include Nine To Get Ready, Composition/Improvisation, Far Side, Bells For The South Side, and Boustrophedon – the last of which was led by Evan Parker, with Mitchell in the Transatlantic Art Ensemble. Last up are three records by drummer Jack DeJohnette for ECM – New Directions and New Directions In Europe, both featuring a group with Lester Bowie on trumpet – and Made In Chicago, which features Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Threadgill, and Muhal Ricard Abrams. Recordings were made between 1978 and 2015 – and comes in a box set with a big booklet of notes! CD

It's a long long way from Destiny's Child – as Beyonce comes on here with a righteous power she's never had before – much more message-oriented, and with larger agenda than the catchy pop of her youth! The album got quite a buzz before release, and definitely lives up to that promise – certainly darker, and deeper than anything we've heard before from the singer – almost her own move into some of the territory that D'Angelo hit in recent years, although with a more mainstream R&B construction to some of the tunes. The record features guest work from Jack White, Kendrick Lamarr, The Weeknd, and James Blake – but Beyonce is clearly the main focus throughout – on titles that include "Pray You Catch Me", "Daddy Lessons", "Forward", "6 Inch", "Don't Hurt Yourself", "Hold UP", "Freedom", "All Night", and "Formation". Deluxe CD includes a DVD with the Lemonade companion film! CD

Amazing music from one of our most-treasured stretches of David Bowie's career – that creatively-fertile time when he escaped to West Berlin, hid from the mainstream, and made some groundbreaking records with Brian Eno – then returned to the limelight to remind us all that he was still a hell of a force to be reckoned with! The set includes everything post-Thin White Duke, and pre-Let's Dance – a run of music that's still shaping new sounds on this planet all these many years later. The set begins with Low – the mix of experimental instrumentals and subtle vocal tracks that was a complete change from Ziggy Stardust – and follows with Heroes, Lodger, and Scary Monsters & Super Creeps – all albums that reintroduce some sense of song and lyrical interplay, but at a level that clearly indicates how important Bowie was to the generation of post-punk and new wave as his earlier work was to psych, prog, and glam! But the package isn't just a standard collection of albums – because along with those four studio records, it also features the live album Stage, presented here in two different full mixes – plus a new 2017 mix of Lodger, which really increases the edge. There's also a special Heroes EP, with all the different language versions of the song – and a very cool Re:Call 3 album – which features all the singles that were issued at the time, plus other rare material – and Bowie's very unique take on Bertolt Brecht's Baal. Titles on this album include "Alabama Song", "Crystal Japan", "Under Pressure", "Remembering Marie A", "The Drowned Girl", "The Dirty Song", "Cat People", and even his "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy" duet with Bing Crosby. As with other entries in this complete Bowie series, the presentation is wonderful – album sleeve replicas, great packaging, and lots of notes – kind of a treasure, even if you already own some of the records! CD

Arguably one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time – and the key flowering of the partnership between David Bowie and Mick Ronson! The guitars here are heavy – so much so that the record's always crossed over big with crowds who are always suspicious of Bowie's artier work of the 70s – and represented a crucial moment when his groundbreaking music also found a large mainstream audience as well. And despite the fact that Ziggy's an androgynous space rocker with a spurious pedigree, the manufactured posturing of the album's come to be taken quite literally over the years – a vivid text of alienation, expression, and redemption – served up beautifully over a host of classic tracks that include "Five Years", "Soul Love", "Moonage Daydream", "Suffragette City", and "Ziggy Stardust" – all further proof of Bowie's 70s ability to slide in wherever he wanted with ease! Features great bonus tracks – unreleased demos of "Ziggy Stardust" and "Lady Stardust" – plus the unreleased "Sweet Head", the b-side "Velvet Goldmine", and an unreleased mix of "John I'm Only Dancing". CD

A great set of rare early material by Betty Carter – featuring 24 tracks from the early days of her career! The set features one album Betty Recorded for the Peacock label, with hip arrangements by Gigi Gryce and Melba Liston, and one that she recorded for ABC, with more mainstream arrangements by Richard Wess. And although both albums don't have Betty singing in the strident style she adopted in later years, they're still pretty darn great, and are filled with a lot of rich emotion and strong jazz vocalizing. Titles include "Jazz Ain't Nothin But Soul", "I Can't Help It", "By The Bend In The River", "Foul Play", "Babe's Blues", "Mean To Me", "Something Wonderful", and "Make It Last". CD

A record that was an instant classic from the moment it was first released – and a set that's still pretty darn pleasing all these many years later! At a time when mainstream soul was often too smooth or too poppy, D'Angelo came along and not only found a way to return the music to the years of its power with singers like Al Green or Marvin Gaye – but also managed to bring in some of the best hip hop elements of his generation too, at a level that was far more successful than most other blends that had been tried before! Production is nice and lean, and super-crispy – at a level that so many folks are still copying all these years later – and the set's full of classics that include "Cruisin", "When We Get By", "Smooth", "Me & Those Dreamin Eyes Of Mine", "Brown Sugar", "Alright", and "Jonz In My Bonz". CD

A wicked reinvention of the sound of Bo Diddley – a set that electrifies his groove even more than before – and takes him into the same mix of funk and blues that Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf were exploring at the time! This album's right up there with the two Cadet/Chess classics by both of those artists – and is possibly even more messed-up too – with lots of jagged edges that push past the usual Bo Diddley groove – even though that classic sense of rhythm is still at the core to drive things along! We don't know who's playing drums, but they've got a nice heavy handed approach that makes these tracks really boom – and the set's in a massively funky style that's taken far too many years to be acknowledged for in the mainstream! Lots of nice ones, including "Shut Up Woman", "Funky Fly", "Power House", "Black Soul", "Elephant Man", and "I've Got A Feeling". CD

Classic late 80s underground rock from Dinosaur Jr – creaky, emotional vocals and blazing, yet raw guitars – you can definitely hear in this record the sound that was going to bust into the mainstream in a huge way several years later. It's pretty amazing to think that what Dino Jr was doing pretty much alone in 1988 was going to take over the world a few years later, and with a bunch more years of hindsight, Bug still stands strongly. Includes "Freak Scene", "No Bones", "Let It Ride", "They Always Come", "Budge", Pond Song", "Yeah We Know", "The Post" and "Don't". CD

Part 3 to the Five Spot recordings from Eric Dolphy – issued here as a "memorial" to Booker Little, even though Little was still alive for the recording! The album features especially searing work from Dolphy, and was part of a series of recordings that set a whole new standard for live jazz recording. The record features Dolphy going even farther out than on his studio sides from the time – as the record features very long tracks performed by a crack group that includes Booker Little on trumpet, Mal Waldron on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums. Despite the length of the tracks, Dolphy isn't as far out as on later European live recordings – but the performance is a great example of his inventiveness within a mainstream structure, and the modernist tendencies of both Waldron and Little shine very brightly in the set. The concert was one of Little's last (and greatest) recordings – and titles include "Number Eight" and "Booker's Waltz". CD

One of our favorite Funkadelic albums ever – a tightly grooving classic that never lets up at all! There's a sense of perfection to everything here – one that really gets the group past their tripped-out early years, and firmly into the sublime territory George Clinton hit with Parliament – an amazing sound that's wrapped up perfectly on every single track – grooves that definitely raised the bar for a huge amount of mainstream funk acts who were popping up at the time. Production is never too slick, and there's still lots of tasty guitar licks wrapped up in the mix – and titles include the classics "Freak Of The Week" and "Not Just Knee Deep" – plus "Field Maneuvers", "Holly Wants To Go To California", and "Foot Soldiers". CD

Simple and soulful elegance from the great Red Garland – prime mid-50s material for Prestige, recorded here with incredible backing from Paul Chambers and Art Taylor! The tightness of the trio is amazing – but never so much so that it gets in the way of Red's warmly introspective modes on the keys – a sound that's never overindulgent, nor as flowery as some of his mainstream contemporaries – and which really paves the way towards a rhythmic sensitivity that influenced generations of later players on the instrument. The tracks are a bit shorter than on some later Garland dates, but that shortness only further illustrates the sublime economy of the group. Titles include "What Is This Thing Called Love", "September In The Rain", "Constellation", "My Romance", "Blue Red", "A Foggy Day", and "Makin Whoopee". CD

A huge record in its day and it hasn't aged a minute since! On Psychocandy the Reid brothers took all the underground Brit indie psych revival modes and filtered them through the Velvet Underground at their noisiest, then paired melodies learned from sources as sweet as 60s Wall Of Sound pop and the Beach Boys to ferociously fuzzy guitars – and stunning found a way to spring this onto to fringes of the mainstream on both sides of the Atlantic! Hugely influential – a record that points the way towards sounds so many would soon follow. Titles include "In A Hole", "The Hardest Walk", "Taste The Floor", "Just Like Honey", "Never Understand", and "You Trip Me Up". DualDisc audio is advanced resolution 96khz/24 bit stereo sound and Dolby stereo sound. CD

The record that really put Jurassic 5 on the map – a set that came out after some key indie fame, but with a platform that helped the group become one of the more important mainstream hip hop forces of the century! All the creative lyrical interplay of the underground is firmly in place here – as the record's a major label effort, but one that's not sacrificing quality for success – thanks in part to the wonderful production from Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist – well-schooled in the more sophisticated styles of the 90s, yet also able to keep things lean and sharp – without some of the headier bedroom hip hop modes. Rhymes are by Zaakir, Chali 2na, Akil, and Marc 7 – every bit as sharp as the production – and tracks include "How We Get Along", "Contact", "Quality Control", "World Of Entertainment", "The Influence", "Monkey Bars", "Quality Control", "Twelve", "Contribution", "The Game", "Improvise", "Swing Set", and "Jurass Finish First". CD

Some of the most hard-edged work we've ever heard from Alicia Keys – a great record to follow her new stripped-down, no-nonsense attitude – and maybe one that we could include with a bold wave of energy from the mainstream, in a new wave of pride and politics – which would include recent sets by Beyonce and D'Angelo too. The set features guest appearances by A$ap Rocky and Nas – and titles include "Blended Family", "The Gospel", "Pawn It All", "Kill Your Mama", "Illusion Of Bliss", "Girl Can't Be Herself", "Holy War", "Where Do We Begin Now", and "Work On It". CD

The final album from Nirvana, and a set that marked a surprising turn away from the easy mainstream pop presence they could have easily embraced – a shift that comes in large part from the work of Steve Albini, who recorded the set with a raw edge that really has the group at their noisiest! While the approach was controversial at the time – especially to the band's record label – it turned out to be perfect for the mood of these songs, which have been the subject of plenty of analysis over the years, given that the whole thing is the final cohesive message that Kurt Cobain gave the world before departing this planet! Titles include "Serve The Servants", "Scentless Apprentice", "Heart-Shaped Box", "Rape Me", "Dumb", "Very Ape", "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter", and "All Apologies". CD

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

Elliott Smith's masterful first album for the majors – and one of the most creatively fruitful leaps from the indie rock realm to the big leagues of the 90s – or ever! At his earlier solo best, Elliott managed to make really powerful, emotionally resonant songs in rawer, starker settings – so it was fair to wonder if a Dreamworks budget and mainstream studio production set up would squander the intimacy. It didn't! The rawness and realness of his songwriting is really strengthened by the somewhat bigger, beautiful production and arrangements. A genuine classic. Includes "Sweet Adeline", "Tomorrow Tomorrow", "Waltz # 2 (Xo)", "Independence Day", "Bottle Up & Explode", "I Didn't Understand", "Amity", "Baby Britain" and more. CD

Groovy work from one of the greatest voices in American pop in the 60s – the amazing Joanie Sommers, a singer whose style went way beyond most of her contemporaries! Right from the start, Joanie's got a range that's breathtaking – a voice that's equally comfortable in jazz, rock, or mainstream vocals – and which is often recorded by Warner Brothers with some impeccable production that brings it out even more! There's usually a slight sense of echo, a dash of drama, and some well-constructed rhythm patterns used on these early 60s singles – very top-shelf studio work that's made these Sommers singles sparkle for decades – even though most of them barely cracked the charts at the time! The package is a treasure trove of great girl pop from a bygone age – and with a focus on singles, you'll find plenty that hasn't already hit the reissue market – including a fab duet with Ed Kookie Byrnes! Titles include "Ruby Duby Du", "When The Boys Get Together", "My Block", "The Great Divide", "Goodbye Summer", "I'd Be So Good For You", "One Boy", "Why Don't You Do Right", "Since Randy Moved Away", "Big Man", "Passing Strangers", "Johnny Get Angry", "Kookie's Love Song", "I'll Never Be Free", and "Talk Until Daylight". CD

One of the most righteous albums ever issued by Stax Records – from the title of the record, to the cover, to the grooves laid down by the group! The album was originally issued on Truth – the gospel subsidiary of Stax – and while it does have a bit of a spiritual component, the group's also plenty darn funky too – and the record has a feel that's far more secular than most other gospel records of the time! In fact, the whole thing may well stand as one of the best mainstream examples of the funky gospel genre of the 70s – one of the few records of this type issued on a slightly bigger label, even though the set still is something of a rarity! There's plenty of fuzzy guitar and electric piano in the mix – and the religion in the song lyrics is fairly buried in most cuts, and the overall approach is more one of general spiritualism and humanity, than it is preachy and churchy. Tracks include "The Ghetto", "Son Of The Deacon", "Give It Up", "God Bless The Children", and "He's All We Need". CD

A huge disco cash-in moment of the 70s – but a great one too, and a strong illustration of the power that Casablanca Records had in both the clubs and charts at the time! The movie and record were both a bit over-pressed upon release, but they nonetheless stand as a great snapshot of the way that funky soul had taken over the clubs during the disco generation – giving showcase to a whole host of new young artists, and exposing lots of mainstream listeners to soul music at a level they wouldn't have touched a few years before! Donna Summer was one of Casablanca's big acts at the time – and she really dominates the record with her classic rendition of "Last Dance", plus tracks "With Your Love" and a disco remake of "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus". Both other cuts are strong too – and include "Lovin, Livin, & Givin" by Diana Ross, "Too Hot Ta Trot" by The Commodores, "Disco Queen" by Paul Jabara, "Leatherman's Theme" by Wright Bros Flying Machine, "Floyd's Theme" by Natural Juices, and "Find My Way" by Cameo. CD

As warm and wonderful of a late 60s singer songwriter effort as we can imagine wanting to hear in the late 60s mainstream – so it's fitting that James Taylor was signed with the Beatles' Apple Records for this excellent self-titled album! Even Paul McCartney and George Harrison make a guest appearance! The lyrics chronicle a troubled soul, but man, did James ever making encroaching personal horrors sound sweet at his best. We think he's at his best here, and titles include "Don't Talk Now", "Knocking 'Round The Zoo", "Carolina In My Mind", "Night Owl", "Rainy Day Man", "The Blues Is Just A Bad Dream" and more. CD

A wonderful collection of New Orleans soul legend Allen Toussaint's recordings for Reprise in the 70s! The Reprise years were really magical period for Allen, recording some of the greatest music of his career – mixing funk with heavy soul early in the decade and with a bit more sweetness and polish as the years progress – but even at his most mainstream ready, the groove is very much traceable to the gritty, funkier Crescent City sounds of his younger years. Amazing stuff that we grow more and more fond of with each passing year! Includes "From A Whisper To A Scream", "What Is Success", "Am I Expecting To Much?", "On Your Way Down"., "Soul Sister", "Country John", "Last Train", "What Do You Want The Girl To Do?", "Lover Of Love", "Motion", "Viva La Money", "With You In Mind", Night People", "Happiness" and more. 16 tracks in all. CD

A stunning live recording from Sarah Vaughan – recorded in the late 70s, when she was at a whole new height in her talents – and at a level that's far more dynamic and striking than some of her other records from the time! The double-length set presents the first-ever commercial release of a beautifully recorded performance originally done for NPR – with Vaughan in a very open, expressive mode alongside a trio with Carl Schroeder on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – working at a small club in New Orleans with a wonderfully soulful vibe! Vaughan shines beautifully on the ballads, but really blows us away with the swingers – hitting some edges we don't always hear on her 70s sides for Pablo, Groove Merchant, or Mainstream – managing vocal complexity with inherent rhythm, all with effortless ease. The sound quality is wonderful – and titles include "I'll Remember April", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "The Man I Love", "Watch What Happens", "If You Went Away", "I Could Write A Book", "Time After Time", "Somebody Loves Me", "My Funny Valentine", "Everything Must Change", "Send In The Clowns", "Sarah's Blues", and "East Of The Sun". CD

A Tom Verlaine double header – two albums back to back on a single CD! First up is the fantastic first solo album from Tom Verlaine – a set recorded shortly after the breakup of Television, but with a vibe that almost makes it feel like the group's third album! The songs are maybe a bit tighter, but no less creative – both from a lyrical and sonic perspective – and Verlaine's got that fantastic sense of edge in his vocals, which can even make some of the nicer lyrics feel a bit nasty – but all at a level that's never overstated, and which should be a blueprint for later generations of singers who always try too hard. Titles include "The Grip Of Love", "Kingdom Come", "Mr Bingo", "Yonki Time", "Red Leaves", and "Last Night". On Dreamtime, Tom Verlaine has lost none of his edge – and instead has almost emerged as one of the most mature singer/songwriters on the New York scene – an underground-to-mainstream poet to match the skills of Lou Reed and Patti Smith! The album's got a vibe that's almost like Reed's work of the time – in that Tom's an artist who clearly knows the path to the dark side, and ways to overindulge – but always instead finds a way to keep things well-crafted and economical, but without sacrificing his sound or his intellect. Titles include "Penetration", "The Blue Robe", "Mr Blur", "A Future In Noise", "Down On The Farm", "Without A Word", and "Fragile". CD

A massive overview of work from the Barcelona scene of the mid 20th century – most of it music we'd never heard before! The package was done in conjunction with the book of the same name – and it's divided up into 3 different sections – trad jazz from the 20s and 30s, mainstream jazz from the years after the Spanish Civil War, and modern jazz from the late 50s and early 60s! That last segment is our favorite here – as you might guess – and the CD features rare early material from pianist Tete Montoliu, often in groups with horn players, plus other tracks from saxophonist Mantequilla. Modern titles include "The High & The Mighty", "Bernie's Tune", "Delaunay's Dream", "Home Cookin", and "Laverne Walk" by Montoliu; and "Blue Note", "Vat 69", "Balada", "Whisky Jazz", and "La Tuna Club" by Mantequilla. Trad jazz CD features a total of 27 tracks by assorted groups – and "posguerra" CD features an additional 31, mostly from the 40s and early 50s. CD

The world of moogy music first exploded back in the late 60s – when artists like Bruce Haack, Perry-Kingsley, and others were making all these wonderfully weird records that featured heavy analogue electronics and other playful elements! By the 80s, most of that music had gone away – some migrating to the world of new age, others turning more mainstream – yet up in Eugene, Oregon, there was a small scene that continued the electronic experiments of years past – work that sounded very different than most of the darker cold wave and industrial sounds that were popping up at other points on the globe. This collection offers up a long-overdue look at that scene – and features work from a collective of artists who really continue some of the hippest traditions of the genre – from the early records that Bruce Haack made with Miss Nelson, to some of the weird Mort Garson productions, even to some of the more wigged-out French psych/electronics of the 70s. Some of these tracks have vocals, some are instrumental – and they're all nicely "switched on" – providing a great bridge between the world of Walter Carlos and the Stereolab generation to come. Titles include "Energy" by Kim Carter, "Other Playgrounds" by Peter Kardas, "The Seven Rays" by David Stout, "Finale From A Walk Down Serenity Lane" by Joel Horowitz, "Self Regulation 2" by Carl Juarez, "The Ride" by Talve, "New Snow" by Peter Nothnagle, and "Patterns" by Suse Millemann. CD

One of best set's yet on Tucson, AZ's Cicadelic label – deep diggers of obscure regional psych sounds – this one collecting rumbling late 60s singles by TX combos Carrols Mood, The Nomads, The Rebellers, Smoke, and The Remaining Few! It covers the years '66-'68 – a really creative period when the Brit Invasion and folk rock stuff that was popular around the globe was morphing into nascent psychedelia. Regional US groups on the coasts were making it big, but so many regional acts were just as great and never really got a shot at massive popularity. Here's a great document of what was happening down in Texas! Includes "What You're Doing To Me" and Out She Goes" (unreleased mixes) by Carrols Mood, "I'll Be There", "Three O'Clock Merrian" (several takes) and a really wild cover of "My Little Red Book" all by The Nomads, "Mainstream" by Smoke, "Mystical Bells" by The Sights And Sounds, "The New Generation" (previously unreleased mix) by The Rebellers and more. CD

One of Ackerman's great guitar records – really a cut above some of the more mainstream modes of Windham Hill. The set also features guest work on varying tracks – with Philip Aaberg on piano, Michael Manring on bass, and Charles Bisharat on violin. CD

One of the first big moments of Albert Ayler's work in the jazz mainstream – and a record that doesn't dim his greatness at all from the earlier sides recorded for ESP! The album's got a sharply angular sound that more than lives up to its vibrant cover image – a well-honed approach to improvisation, showcased by Ayler in a set of recordings done upon his return from work on the European scene. The material was recorded on two different dates – featuring two different groups: one with Alan Silva, Beaver Harris, and Joel Friedman; the other with Donald Ayler, Henry Grimes, and Michel Sampson. Titles are long, with the searing emotional sound that Ayler was peaking at during this time – and titles include "For John Coltrane", "Change Has Come", and "Truth is Marching On". CD

A big breakthrough for Philip Bailey – and a record that was kind of a second-level explosion for the Earth Wind & Fire sound in the 80s! There's a definite crossover feel to the record – a style that takes Bailey's soulful vocals, and mixes them with lots of catchy hooks – in ways that push the Kalimba aesthetic even more into mainstream modes. Yet the album's still got some solid soul grounding, too – thanks to arrangements by Tom Tom and Arif Mardin – which is a nice contrast to the production by Phil Collins, who also guests on the hit "Easy Lover". Other cuts include "Time Is A Woman", "Go", "Walking On The Chinese Wall", "Photogenic Memory", "I Go Crazy", and "Children Of The Ghetto". CD features a bonus cut – "Easy Lover (extended dance remix)". CD

A landmark leaping-off point for The Beatles – and a record that really paved the way for countless new ideas to come! The mix of catchy pop and freer ideas here is really wonderful – tunes that introduce a whole new mature world in mainstream music – yet manage to have all the catchy complexity of the earlier years too. Production, songwriting, and delivery is superb – and this version features 14 songs that include "Drive My Car", "Norwegian Wood", "Nowhere Man", "Think For Yourself", "The Word", "What Goes On", "Girl", "I'm Looking Through You", and "Run For Your Life"". CD

The smash first solo album from Toni Braxton – a set that not only catapulted the singer to worldwide fame, but also earned the LaFace production team another big feather in their cap! The set's got a nicely deep vibe that's a few steps beyond some of the more mainstream pop of the time – yet also has a catchy, captivating quality to grab just about any set of ears – and is filled with lots of great tunes penned by the trio of Babyface, Kenny Edmonds, and Daryl Simmons. Titles include "Another Sad Love Song", "Breathe Again", "How Many Ways", "You Mean The World To Me", "I Belong To You", "Love Shoulda Brought You Home", "Love Affair", "Candelight", and "Best Friend". CD

A seminal set from Cheap Trick – a group who had already cut some excellent studio albums before this one, but who somehow finally reached huge fame in the mainstream with this classic concert release! The album is one of the greatest, most iconic live rock records of its era – in which the to that point under-appreciated Cheap Trick (in the US at least – as you can hear the wild screams, they had the love elsewhere) midwestern powerpop progenitors FINALLY broke through and cemented their legend! As great as the original live album was (and still is), it always felt truncated, and it was – until this long-waited complete concert was released! Most of the greatest cuts from the first few albums are represented, including "Come On, Come On", "I Want You To Want Me" (of course!), "Big Eyes", "ELO Kiddies", "Need Your Love", "High Roller", "Auf Wiedersehen", "California Man", "Surrender" and more. CD

Quite possibly the crowning masterpiece by The Clash – and a record that certainly pushed them out of the punk rock ghetto and into the collections of countless mainstream folks over the years! This is the set that really pushed the group over the top – the one that harnessed all the best energy of the previous two records and gave it a strong new focus – one that draws on roots as deep as the late 50s Elvis reference of the cover art, but which also bubbled over with newly approaching 80s musical ideas and politics! Yet the message never gets in the way of the guitar-heavy tuneful appeal of the songs – ringing out for decades on classics like "Train In Vain", "London Calling", "Spanish Bombs", "Lost In The Supermarket", "Guns Of Brixton", "Clampdown", and "Rudy Can't Fail". CD

Quite possibly the crowning masterpiece by The Clash – and a record that certainly pushed them out of the punk rock ghetto and into the collections of countless mainstream folks over the years! This is the set that really pushed the group over the top – the one that harnessed all the best energy of the previous two records and gave it a strong new focus – one that draws on roots as deep as the late 50s Elvis reference of the cover art, but which also bubbled over with newly approaching 80s musical ideas and politics! Yet the message never gets in the way of the guitar-heavy tuneful appeal of the songs – ringing out for decades on classics like "Train In Vain", "London Calling", "Spanish Bombs", "Lost In The Supermarket", "Guns Of Brixton", "Clampdown", and "Rudy Can't Fail". CD

Quite a different album than usual for John Coltrane, but a classic one too – and a set that has the great one exploring his ideas in a set of longer tracks recorded with an expanded jazz orchestra! The format's hardly the mainstream big band of the time – as Coltrane's filled the group with very hip players – including Booker Little, Freddie Hubbard, Julian Priester, and Eric Dolphy – in addition to usual compatriots who include McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones. The tunes have a soaring, modal sort of pulse – one that's filled with color and light from the addition of the other horn players, but which still has plenty of space for extended, exploratory solos. Coltrane plays both tenor and soprano sax – and titles include the legendary 16 minute track "Africa", a classic reading of "Greensleeves", redone here as a modal searching spiritual track, and "Blues Minor". CD

The title may say "standard", but with Coltrane at the helm, the record is anything but! Sure, the tunes are all familiar ones, but the presentation here is a far cry from mainstream piano jazz of the 50s – as John's working in a group with the Red Garland trio for rhythm, as well as trumpeter Wilbur Harden, the slightly off-kilter player who made some great Savoy records with Coltrane. Tracks are all quite long, and really open up with a fair bit of invention – and even when Coltrane's straight ahead, he's still compellingly creative. Tracks include "Don't Take Your Love From Me", "I'll Get By", "Spring Is Here", and "Invitation". CD

Smooth soul from Cliff Dawson – a singer as classy as his look on the cover, and definitely a cut above most of the mainstream soul artists of his time! The album's an overlooked gem that's very nicely put together – well recorded, arranged with a subtle flair, and usually done with a warmer sound than you might guess for the vintage of the set – almost like some late 70s underground modern soul set, which is saying plenty to ears like ours! Thor Baldursson did most of the arrangements, but in ways that are much more restrained than his disco years – and titles include "It's Not Me You Love", "Waiting For Your Love", "Betcha Didn't Know", "I Can Love You Better", "Ocean Green Eyes", and "Never Say I Do". CD