This image is a general representation of the item and the actual product may differ slightly in terms of color shading, logo placement, borders, or other small details. Used items may have various cosmetic differences as well.
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has a cutout hole, some light waviness on the bottom half.)
Near Mint - (minus)
Black vinyl that may show a slight amount of dust or dirt.
Should still be very shiny under a light, even with slight amount of dust on surface.
One or two small marks that would make an otherwise near perfect record slightly less so.
These marks cannot be too deep, and should only be surface marks that won't affect play,
but might detract from the looks.
May have some flaws and discoloration in the vinyl, but only those that would be
intrinsic to the pressing. These should disappear when the record is tilted under
the light, and will only show up when looking straight at the record.
(Buddah and ABC pressings from the 70's are a good example of this.)
May have some slight marks from aging of the paper sleeve on the vinyl.
Possible minor surface noise when played.
Additional Marks & Notes
If something is noteworthy, we try to note it in the comments — especially
if it is an oddity that is the only wrong thing about the record.
This might include, but isn't limited to, warped records, tracks that skip,
cover damage or wear as noted above, or strictly cosmetic flaws.
The genius of Earth Wind & Fire knows no bounds – and even on this double-length set, the group keep up their groove tremendously! The 2LP scope of Faces might make it seem like an ambitious enterprise, but it's really just an overstuffed package that tries to contain all the genius the ... LP, Vinyl record album
Righteous soul from The Free Movement – a mixed male/female harmony group with a feel that's similar to The Fifth Dimension or The Friends Of Distinction, but a bit hipper! The group have a sunny feel that's quite nice – soaring harmonies reaching to the top of the groove on the best ... LP, Vinyl record album
The Manhattans were one of those groups who knocked around for years in the indie soul world – cutting some fantastic material early on, but then losing direction for a number of years until they sprung forth as a huge act for Columbia during the early 70s. By that time, the band had more ... LP, Vinyl record album
Damn! Bill Withers can never do wrong in our book – and this album is definitely case in point! The set marks Bill's big move from Sussex Records to Columbia, and it's the start of an amazing run in the late 70s – completely sublime soul that wraps up all Withers' roots from the ... LP, Vinyl record album
Massive work from the great Cheryl Lynn – and a key bridge between late 70s disco and the newer grooves of the 80s club scene! The album's a mix of midtempo groovers with a few mellower tracks – and it's got a tight, slightly jazzy sound that was very fresh at the time, and which still ... LP, Vinyl record album
Disco 9000 is Johnnie Taylor's 3rd release for Columbia – a great batch of smooth soul tracks with a lot less of the "disco" that you'd expect from the title! Johnnie produced the session himself – and the album was recorded as a soundtrack (to a film that was later retitled ... LP, Vinyl record album
Tight funky work from Tower of Power – produced here by Steve Cropper, but sounding a lot more like Average White Band than on earlier albums – with a great mix of mainstream funk and warmer, mellow cuts! The group takes advantage of the studio work to let the best funky sides of their ... LP, Vinyl record album
A killer bit of soul from The Dreamlovers – one of the rawest soul records on Columbia at the time! The group have a rough and ready harmony style that's more in keeping with some of the indie labels of the time – and the set's a nice batch of hard-edge dancefloor tracks with chunky ... LP, Vinyl record album
A sweet little comeback album for Isaac Hayes in the mid 80s – really going all in with a crisp and bouncy 80s soul groove – a far stretch from the smouldering and soaring funk of the 70s, but a record that's a lot easier to appreciate that a love for 80s sounds has crept back up into ... LP, Vinyl record album
Billy Paul at the height of his powers – able to capture the ears of the crossover audience, yet still stay very strongly on message – all with this righteous power that maybe makes Billy one of the hippest mainstream soul stars of the 70s! Gamble & Huff are at the helm, and ... LP, Vinyl record album
The third album by The Natural Four – the heavenly soul group that was one of Chicago's best harmony acts of the 70s! Like a lot of Curtom material from this period, this album experiments a little with an uptempo sound – and it mixes that with some mellower tracks that are in the vein ... LP, Vinyl record album