... LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "U Can Do (Life)", "My Writes", "Oooh", "Thru Ya City", "IC Y'all", "View", "Set The Mood", "All Good?", "Declaration", "Squat!", "Words From The Chief Rocker", "With Me", "Copa (Cabanga)", "Foolin", "The Art Of Getting Jumped", and "U Don't Wanna BDS"! LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

After the dope independent singles and then the just-aiight singles on Tommy Boy, we didn't know what to expect from the Defari LP. We're happy to hear him deliver some nice LP tracks that live up to the independent singles with production by Evidence, Alchemist and E Swift, and some nice guest verses from Xzibit, the Alkaholiks and Evidence of Dilated Peoples. 8 tracks on this single vinyl promo version: "Focused Daily", "Lowlands Anthem", "Yes Indeed", "Killin Spree", "These Dreams", "Juggle Me", "Thunder & Lightning" and "405 Fridays". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing moment from The Who – and from the UK rock scene in general – as Tommy is one of the most fully-conceived concept albums ever recorded – a masterful effort that's still pretty hard to match all these many years later! Pete Townshend really knocked it out of the park with this one – and pushed the group way way past the simpler songs the were recording just a year before – into this deeply introspective territory, spun out both in the album's words and music. The Tommy tale's been well told many times over the years – so we won't bother with the full narrative – but just let us say that it's hard to go wrong with this one, an essential item in any collection of adventurous rock – classic or otherwise. Titles include "The Acid Queen", "It's A Boy", "Sally Simpson", "Miracle Cure", "Pinball Wizard", "Do You Think It's Alright", "Cousin Kevin", "Christmas", "Tommy's Holiday Camp", "I'm Free", and "We're Not Gonna Take It". LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the greatest album by Tamiko Jones – and one that does an excellent job of matching arrangements to her sweet seductive vocal style. Tamiko put the whole thing together herself, and the album features lots of nice keyboard work, and some arranging help from Paul Riser and Tommy Stewart. The whole thing's got a nice slinky style to it, with good tight rhythm parts, sweeping strings, and nice choppy instrumentation under Tamiko's sultry vocals. Includes a nice cover of "Creepin", plus the cuts "Make Love To Your Mind", "Feel Like Makin Love", "Cloudy", "Let It Flow", "Reachin Out For Your Love", and "Boy, You're Growin On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty great little album – and very different than Gerry Mulligan's regular sides from the time! The session was originally produced as part of the sessions for the short-lived Jazztime label in the early 60s – and was produced by Dave Bailey with a soulful undercurrent that's quite similar to his own sessions from the period. Gerry's really shaking free of the "cool" cliches for the record – working with a deeply grooving rhythm section that includes Bailey on drums, Ben Tucker on bass, and Tommy Flanagan on piano – making a key return of piano to a Gerry Mulligan session! Alec Dorsey's also in the group on conga – adding a nice little extra kick to a few of the best tunes on the set – and Gerry himself is playing baritone with a style that's as fluid as on his freer-floating 50s recordings, but which also hits more of a rolling sort of tenor groove! Titles include "Get Out Of Town", "Blue Boy", "Capricious", "Here I'll Stay", and "Inside Impromptu". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic greatest hits package from The Who – one that had almost as much life as any of their major full length albums, and a set that served to re-introduce new audiences to the group after the success of Tommy and Who's Next! Most of the tracks here predate those albums – pulled from the group's earliest years, and awash in mod rhythms, tight guitars, and lyrics that are quite edgey – even in the format of a two-minute pop tune. Titles include "Boris The Spider", "Happy Jack", "Pictures Of Lily", "My Generation", "The Seeker", "I Can't Explain", "The Kids Are Alright", "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere", "A Legal Matter", "Substitute", "I'm A Boy", and "Pinball Wizard". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Art Pepper on alto, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – on titles that include "Surf Ride", "Make A List", "Nature Boy", "Straight Life", and "September Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A fab bunch of ska and rocksteady numbers, one of those compilations that Trojan has oddly let go out of print. 18 great tracks, including "Big Bamboo" by Lord Creator, "Latin Goes Ska", "Beardman Ska", "Street Corner" and "Ball O Fire" by the Skatalites, "hallelujah" by the Maytals, "Garden Of Love" and "Let George Do It" by Don Drummond, "Rough & Tough" by Stranger Cole, "Shame & Scandal" by Peter Tosh & The Wailers, "Bonanza Ska" by Carlos Malcolm, "Dance Crasher" by Alton Ellis, "Rudie Bam Bam" by the Clarnedonians, "Ska Jam" by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, "Doctor Dick" by Lee Perry & The Soulettes, "Owe Me No Pay Me" by the Ethiopians, "Independence Ska" by Baba Brooks and "Don't Be A Rude Boy" by the Rulers. LP, Vinyl record album

A record we'd never part with – and easily our favorite album ever from The Who! Quadrophenia represents the group at its peak from all perspectives – songwriting, performance, and even studio presence – as the album's got a sonic sensibility that few other albums of the time can match! The set's a concept record – a story, like Tommy – yet it remains incredibly lean, without any overcluttered rock opera feel – so much so that most tunes stand mightily on their own, but also have a dense sense of texture when taken together as part of the double-length album. And we'll also say that the record's one of the few extended sets we always end up breezing through from start to finish – almost surprised by the time it comes to a close – and often hitting repeat to hear the whole thing over again! Titles include "I Am The Sea", "The Real Me", "Cut My Hair", "The Punk & The Godfather", "Sea & Sand", "5:15", "Bell Boy", "Love Rein O'Er Me", and "Is It In My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

A sharp NYC underground effort from the end of the 90s – originally slated to come out through Tommy Boy – and oddly shelved, given that excellent quality, a situation rectified 10 years later! With skills honed in the freestyle and mixtape scene, A-Butta, L-Swift and Mr. Voodoo bring it with finesse and energy on these tracks. Titles include "2 Tons", "Bust Mine", "Supreme Domination", "Survive", "Second Hand Smoke", "Tell Me Something Good", "Tri-Boro", "Paper Chase", "Survive" and more. 20 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great – yet also with some cool twists and turns that make a record like this so great – the kind of chance-taking that A&M sometimes allowed its artists to take at the time! Backings are super-groovy – arranged by Artie Butler and Don McGinis – and titles include "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Teardrop City", "I Wanna Be Free", "The Countess", "Population", and "Two For The Price Of One" – a great cover of a Larry Williams & Johnny Watson soul tune! LP, Vinyl record album

Incendiary live set by The Ramones at their early prime – with the original, most classic line-up of Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy – recorded in all their raw glory at The Roxy in the summer of 1976! Includes "Loudmouth", "Beat On The Brat", "Blitzkrieg Bop", "I Remember You", "Glad To See You Go:", "Chain Saw", "53rd & 3rd", "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", "Havana Affair", "Listen To Your Heart", Let's Dance", "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Vintage recordings by Texas Troubadours, Roanoke Jug Band, Roanoke Entertainers, Johnnie Autrey, Dixie Playboys, Wanderers Of The Wasteland, Roy Hall & The Blue Ridge Entertainers, and Tommy Magness & The Orange Blossom Boys. LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a record from the great Merle Haggard – partly a tribute to the western swing pioneer Bob Wills, but also a fantastic demonstration of all the growth that Merle had undergone in such a short time! The songs are all Bob Wills classics, and they're interpreted here by a group that also features members of Bob's original Texas Playboys lineup – including Johnny Gimble on fiddle and Billie Tiny Moore on mandolin – but the real revelation is the way that Merle can not only give complete credit to the way that Bob Wills influenced his music, but also step into the role of a leader with the same sort of strength as Bob – yet in a completely different way. Hag's vocals are different than other Capitol Records of the time – able to capture all the jazzy inflections that Tommy Duncan had when singing with the Texas Playboys – and the style seems to just be another feather in Merle's mighty cap at the time. Titles include "Right Or Wrong", "Brown Skinned Gal", "Misery", "Roly Poly", "Old Fashioned Love", and "Take Me Back To Tulsa". LP, Vinyl record album

The great Aynsley Dunbar on drums – with lots of piano and organ from Tommy Eyre and guitar solos from John Moorshead. Produced by John Mayall too! LP, Vinyl record album

Hammering stuff! This is one of the hardest of the Goldmine compilations – with a heavy-duty garagey mix of soul, R&B, and beat-heavy tunes that fit perfectly together. The overall sound is super-mod, with the kind of grooves you'd expect to find at some wonderful underground party in London during the late 60s – where original soulboys are dancing all night long to a color-blind mix of storming chunes. Titles include "The Snake" by Al Wilson, "Jump & Dance" by Carnaby, "Exus Trek" by Luther Ingram, "Alligator Boogaloo" by Sandy Nelson, "These Boots Were Made For Walkin" by The Happy Cats, "Charley" by The Soul Runners, "Coffee Pot 2" by Bo Junior, "Crawling Up A Hill" by John Mayall, "Wobble Legs" by Tommy Dark, "Chain Gang" by The Powerhouse, and "Baby You Got It" by The Truth. 20 cuts in all – and all hardcore! LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Parker on alto saxophone, Curley Russell, Nelson Boyd, and Tommy Potter on bass, Max Roach on drums, Al Haig, Bud Powell, and Tadd Dameron on piano, and Fats Navarro, Kenny Durham, and Miles Davis on trumpet. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes Christmas tunes by Reno & Smiley, Jimmy Dickens, The Stanley Brothers, Jim Eanes, Leon Payne, Cowboy Copas, Hylo Brown, Jimmy Martin & His Sunny Mountain Boys, Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, and Tommy Scott. LP, Vinyl record album