A landmark album from Joe Cocker – and a set that took blue-eyed soul in a whole new direction at the end of the 60s! The album's a surprising stunner all the way through – one that really gets past some of the overdone Cocker cliches that held on a bit too strongly in later years – served up here in relative simplicity, with core backing by Chris Stainton and The Grease Band, plus some key LA help from Leon Russell, and a bevy of backup singers that includes Merry Clayton, Bonnie Bramlett, Rita Coolidge, and Patrice Holloway. Russell co-produced the set, and his soulful touch definitely helps do a lot for Cocker's already-amazing vocals – adding in an undercurrent of funk that wasn't heard on Joe's first album. Titles include a classic remake of "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window", plus "Delta Lady", "Something", "That's Your Business Now", "Hitchcock Railway", "Dear Landlord", "Darling Be Home Soon", and "Hello Little Friend". CD

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Paul Desmond serves up his own versions of some key tunes by Simon & Garfunkel tunes – with results that are simply amazing! The style here takes all the airy brilliance of the original S&G tunes, and turns it towards a more jazz-based mode – one that has some of the slight Brazilian undercurrents in the rhythms that you'll find on Desmond's previous two albums for CTI! The full arrangements are by Don Sebesky, who brings a great sense of balance to the set – and Herbie Hancock plays some great electric piano, in a group that also features Airto on percussion and Gene Bertoncini on guitar. But the real star of the set is Paul Desmond – blowing with that amazing tone of his – and sliding from tune to tune with effortless ease, in a way that really transforms these tunes in their instrumental readings. Titles include "Cecilia", "Mrs. Robinson", "America", "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright", and "Scarborough Fair" – all done with a sweet jazzy A&M approach! LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible stuff – and a record that grows more and more important to us over the years! Desmond's best known as the icy alto behind Dave Brubeck's big records of the 50s, but by this point in his career, he'd developed a keen interest in Brazilian music – and was working at a level that was far more sophisticated than most other American jazzmen interested in Brazil. This incredible record features him working with the arrangements of Don Sebesky, and the Brazilian instrumentation of Edu Lobo, Airto, and Dorio Ferreira. The set's comprised almost entirely of tracks by Lobo and a young Milton Nasimento – and titles include "Faithful Brother", "From The Hot Afternoon", "Crystal Illusions", "October", "Catavento", and "Gira Girou" – all done in these amazing breezy versions that sound like nothing else we can think of! LP, Vinyl record album

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Arguably one of the most successful double live albums ever! Includes the classic "Baby I Love Your Way", and "Show Me The Way". LP, Vinyl record album

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A masterpiece of synth pop – and a landmark album for the Human League! The record took the group from the Brit post-punk underground to the charts of the world – with a stark blend of noisy keyboards, spare beats, and Phil Okey's wonderfully flat and monotone vocals. And although the record is a bit of a departure from the group's noisier first few albums, it's also still got a dark edge that we'd kind of missed the first time around. Includes a nice remake of the theme from "Get Carter", plus loads of little great synth tunes like "I Am The Law", "Seconds", "The Sound Of The Crowd", and "Darkness" – as well as the hits "Love Action", "Don't You Want Me", and "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most hard-hitting work ever recorded by Humble Pie – and that's saying a lot, given the power of the group on other albums! The performance is very unbridled – really open-ended, at a level that showcases not just the mindbending early guitar talents of Peter Frampton (something you'd never guess if you only knew his hits), but also the raw power that Steve Marriott could unleash in the group – quite a change from his work with the Small Faces. The tunes include a number of non-Humble Pie tracks, given a raw bluesy workout on extended versions – and titles include "Four Day Creep", "Stone Cold Fever", "I'm Ready", "Rollin Stone", and "I Walk On Gilded Splinters". LP, Vinyl record album

A crowning moment in New Jack Swing – or New Jill Swing, as it were – a perfect step forward for Janet Jackson, as she continues to work with the duo of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with a vibe that was setting the scene for the rest of mainstream soul at the time! The album's got a larger overall feel than her previous set – partly because it makes use of the expanded CD recording style to add in interludes that link the tracks, and create a great flow through the record – while the lady herself still soars through plenty of catchy cuts that would win her some big hits! Titles include "Escapade", "Miss You Much", "Rhythm Nation", "Alright", "Love Will Never Do (Without You)", "Black Cat" and "Come Back To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A crowning moment in New Jack Swing – or New Jill Swing, as it were – a perfect step forward for Janet Jackson, as she continues to work with the duo of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with a vibe that was setting the scene for the rest of mainstream soul at the time! The album's got a larger overall feel than her previous set – partly because it makes use of the expanded CD recording style to add in interludes that link the tracks, and create a great flow through the record – while the lady herself still soars through plenty of catchy cuts that would win her some big hits! Titles include "Escapade", "Miss You Much", "Rhythm Nation", "Alright", "Love Will Never Do (Without You)", "Black Cat" and "Come Back To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A heck of a great record – and we don't mind saying it! After knocking around in territory that ran from new wave to neo ska, retro swing, and other assorted genres, Joe Jackson really emerged with a strong voice on this 1982 classic. The album's a loving tribute to New York – and is steeped in Jackson's growing knowledge of Latin and jazz music – performed here by a great group that really sets things up right, and recorded in a warmly acoustic mode that was quite striking for the time! The tracks on the set hold up incredibly well over the years – getting past the cliches that later plagued Jackson's career, and reminding us of how great he was at his best. CD

A heck of a great record – and we don't mind saying it! After knocking around in territory that ran from new wave to neo ska, retro swing, and other assorted genres, Joe Jackson really emerged with a strong voice on this 1982 classic. The album's a loving tribute to New York – and is steeped in Jackson's growing knowledge of Latin and jazz music – performed here by a great group that really sets things up right, and recorded in a warmly acoustic mode that was quite striking for the time! The tracks on the set hold up incredibly well over the years – getting past the cliches that later plagued Jackson's career, and reminding us of how great he was at his best. LP, Vinyl record album

A heck of a great record – and we don't mind saying it! After knocking around in territory that ran from new wave to neo ska, retro swing, and other assorted genres, Joe Jackson really emerged with a strong voice on this 1982 classic. The album's a loving tribute to New York – and is steeped in Jackson's growing knowledge of Latin and jazz music – performed here by a great group that really sets things up right, and recorded in a warmly acoustic mode that was quite striking for the time! The tracks on the set hold up incredibly well over the years – getting past the cliches that later plagued Jackson's career, and reminding us of how great he was at his best. Plus, this 2CD set expands the original album way past the 9 basic tracks – adding in 6 demo tracks, 5 live numbers, and 5 tracks written for the soundtrack to Mike's Murder! Titles include "A Slow Song", "TV Age", "Target", "Another World", "Steppin Out", "Cancer", "Breaking Us In Two", "Cosmopolitan", "123 Go", "Laundromat Monday", and "Memphis". CD

An overlooked bit of crossover funk from Chas Jankel – best known both as the musical force of Ian Dury & The Blockheads during the late 70s, and as the composer of "Ai No Corrida", which was covered more famously by Quincy Jones! This set's got a surprisingly great feel that's ripe for new discovery – a tightening up of the kinds of tunes that Jankel was doing with Dury (who still contributes lyrics but not vocals here), and a warmly gliding style that's halfway between the New York Ze Records mode of the time, and some of the growing wave of British imports. Titles include the great club track "Glad To Know You", plus "3,000,000 Synths", "Questionnaire", "109", "Now You're Dancing", "Boy", and "Magic Of Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning mix of talents that brings the heavenly piano and guitar of Antonio Carlos Jobim into play with the lush, but light arrangements of Claus Ogerman – a swirling mix of post-bossa loveliness that redefines Jobim's sound, and opens up new avenues for exploration in sound! The production is amazing – pillowy-soft, but with a complex depth that's hardly been matched again – and although Jobim's the main player, other great musicians include Dom Um Romao, Claudio Slon, Jerome Richardson, Ron Carter, and others. Tracks include "Wave", "Mojave", "Lamento", "Batidinha", "The Red Blouse", "Antiguq", and the groovy "Captain Bacardi". Beautiful all the way through! CD

A stunning mix of talents that brings the heavenly piano and guitar of Antonio Carlos Jobim into play with the lush, but light arrangements of Claus Ogerman – a swirling mix of post-bossa loveliness that redefines Jobim's sound, and opens up new avenues for exploration in sound! The production is amazing – pillowy-soft, but with a complex depth that's hardly been matched again – and although Jobim's the main player, other great musicians include Dom Um Romao, Claudio Slon, Jerome Richardson, Ron Carter, and others. Tracks include "Wave", "Mojave", "Lamento", "Batidinha", "The Red Blouse", "Antiguq", and the groovy "Captain Bacardi". Beautiful all the way through! CD

A stunning mix of talents that brings the heavenly piano and guitar of Antonio Carlos Jobim into play with the lush, but light arrangements of Claus Ogerman – a swirling mix of post-bossa loveliness that redefines Jobim's sound, and opens up new avenues for exploration in sound! The production is amazing – pillowy-soft, but with a complex depth that's hardly been matched again – and although Jobim's the main player, other great musicians include Dom Um Romao, Claudio Slon, Jerome Richardson, Ron Carter, and others. Tracks include "Wave", "Mojave", "Lamento", "Batidinha", "The Red Blouse", "Antiguq", and the groovy "Captain Bacardi". Beautiful all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

Solid 80s grooving soul from Howard Johnson – a singer who'd worked often with other, bigger artists – but who only cut a handful of albums under his own name. The set's got a lot of production help from Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, who make their presence known in the record's electrified bass and keys approach – but it's Johnson's strong presence as a lead singer that really holds the set together – a sweet little groover! Titles include "So Tuff", "Knees", "Stand Up", "Outta My Head", "Older Girl", "Show Me How", and "You've Got A Lot To Learn". CD

Titles include "Love Struck", "I'm The One", "Color Shock", "I'm Just Wanting You", and "Stop Look Listen". LP, Vinyl record album

A truly fantastic record, and one that's become the stuff of legend over the years – a rare CTI album that was only ever issued in Japan – and which may well be one of the coolest sessions recorded during the A&M years of the label! Trombonists JJ Johnson and Kai Winding had recorded two other records for CTI during the period – both great – but this set has them stretching out in this really expansive mode that's completely unique – long tracks put together with complicated arrangements that really blow away anything else they ever did – funky, soulful, but also moving towards higher ideals too – a fantastic testament to the newfound arranging skills of Johnson, who handled most of the record. The group also features some amazing keyboard work from both Herbie Hancock and Bob James – who get plenty of room to roam – plus guitar from George Benson, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Grady Tate – a superb lineup who really make the whole thing shine. The depth of this music is hard to describe in words, but the whole thing's wonderful – and the set features just four long tracks – "Dontcha Hear Me Callin To Ya", "Musings", "Mojo", and "Recollections". LP, Vinyl record album

A super-huge album from Quincy Jones – a record that's almost like Quincy's trying to show the whole younger generation that an older master like himself can still deliver the goods! The set was delivered right after Quincy helped out Michael Jackson on Off The Wall – and while it's got a few of the soulful touches of that set, it's also marked more deeply by the kind of work that Jones was turning out in the 70s – nicely focused with soulful vocals on most cuts, including some especially nice work from Patti Austin – a singer whose sophisticated style works perfectly for Quincy's groove. Titles include the killer "Ai No Corrida", plus "Razzamatazz", "Just Once", "Something Special", "Turn On The Action", "The Dude", "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me", "Velas", and "One Hundred Ways". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great, oft-overlooked album from the best period of Quincy Jones! This album is quite possibly Quincy's most farthest-reaching – as he works in an array of styles that really shows his growing genius in the studio – not just jazz and soundtrack modes, but more soul-based ones, handled with work from a great array of guest stars who really expand the sound. There's loads of nice bits – like a version of "My Cherie Amour", done with vocals by Leon Ware and Minnie Riperton; a new take on "Bluesette", redone with Toots Thielemans; and the original "Beautiful Black Girl", which features rapping by The Watts Prophets! Other tracks include "Paranoid", "Cry Baby", "Tryin To Find Out About You", and "Listen (What It Is)". LP, Vinyl record album

Quincy Jones may be best remembered for his funky soundtrack work of the 70s – but the man can also hit a deeper, more serious vein when he wants – as he does on this ambitious album-length project inspired by the landmark Roots mini-series! The music isn't a straight soundtrack from the program, but instead evokes the longer narrative over the passage of its different selections – working as its own "saga of an American family", as it moves from African roots, through years of oppression, to moments of pride and power – amidst larger orchestrations from Jones, with help from Letta Mbulu on some key vocals, and more help from Bill Summers, James Cleveland, and even Lou Gossett. Titles include "Many Rains", "Free At Last", "Jumpin De Broom", "Ole Fiddler", "Boyhood To Manhood", "Oluwa", and "Motherland". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a lot more fitting for the blacksploitation era. The record includes the massive funky track cut "Hikky-Burr", which was the theme to the first Bill Cosby Show, and which has a sinister groove, and some wild shouted lyrics! Also features two more great themes – "Ironside" and "The Anderson Tapes" – both of which have a cool electric sound to them, and the nice title cut, which actually features Quincy on vocals! Other tracks include "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "What's Going On", "Brown Ballad" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The Dude at the height of his powers – serving up a smooth blend of soul and jazz that set the standard for an entire generation! As with some of his other 70s albums, Quincy's working here with a host of great talents that make the record sizzle – guests that include Hubert Laws, Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin, Luther Vandross, Gwen Guthrie, Eric Gale, and others – all of whom put their egos aside, and bring their best bits to the table working under Quincy's guidance! The album includes a great version of "Superwoman", plus the tracks "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", "Love Me By Name", and "Love, I Never Had it So Good". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Quincy Jones albums of all time! The record's a spacey jazz masterpiece – and it combine's Quincy's soulful soundtrack vision with the excellent production talents of Creed Taylor, for a monster album of long drawn out cuts that mix soul jazz with more sophisticated arrangements! Bob James plays electric piano on a number of cuts, and in a way, the record's kind of a blueprint for some of James' later CTI albums. Titles include "Killer Joe", "Dead End", "Walking In Space", and "Love & Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from Tamiko Jones – one of the more enigmatic soul singers of her generation! Tamiko could always handle a number of styles – and on this set, she moves between jazz and deep soul, working through a set of tracks that were recorded at either Sam Phillips in Memphis, or Rudy Van Gelder's famous jazz studio in New Jersey. Arrangements are by Teacho Wiltshire, Horace Ott, and Artie Butler – and Solomon Burke makes a guest appearance on the track "Try It Baby". Other tunes include "Where Are They Now?", "Black Is Black", "Ya Ya", "Suddenly", "This Time Tomorrow", and "Please Return Your Love To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A large, ambitious early 70s experiment in "chamber jazz" from pianist/composer Roger Kellaway – a really haunting set with the sweep you'd be much more in store for on a classical or chamber orchestra record, but with an earthbound core, chords and tonal shifts of a piano jazz album! Kellaway leads on piano, with a group that includes Emil Richards on percussion, Ed Lustgarten on cello and string arrangements, and the A&M Records staff symphony orchestra! Tracks include "Saturnia", "Sunrise", "Esque", "Invasion Of The Forest", "Morning Song" and more. CD

Just the kind of cool high-concept work we love from A&M Records – an all-star project with performances by Jessi Colter, Eric Clapton, Bernie Leadon, Waylon Jennings, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

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With Liebman on tenor, in an assortment of groups – with co-production from James Brown mainstay Pee Wee Ellis, who also plays tenor and electric piano, and co-wrote many songs! Leon Thomas also sings a bit on the record, too. LP, Vinyl record album

Spare, subtle duets from these two blossoming modernists – with Liebman on tenor, flute, and soprano sax – and Beirach on acoustic piano! LP, Vinyl record album

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Jeffrey Osborne's really emerging strongly here in the mellow soul mode – especially on the album's two great ballad cuts, "Concentrate On You" and "We Both Deserve Each Other", both of which are smooth mellow steppers with a modern soul approach that's slightly less overblown than Osborne's 80s work. Bobby Martin produced, and tracks include "Holding On", "Jam", "Don't Stop Loving Me Now", and "Let's All Live & Give Together". LP, Vinyl record album

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A fantastic record – one we shouldn't love as much as we do, and a set that's the crowning 70s achievement of Chuck Mangione! Mangione was the master of the smooth line on flugelhorn – and he really shines on the album's title track – done here at almost 10 minutes in length, with a great mellow intro, and a vibe that's very different than the shorter single edit! LP, Vinyl record album

Mangione plays Arp Soloist, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CS80, and piano, accompanied by Larry Carlton on guitar, Robert Pops Popwell and Abraham Laboriel on bass, Peter Donald and Ralph Humphrey on drums, Jeff Porcaro on drums and percussion, Greg Mathieson on piano, Chuck Findley on trumpets, Bill Reichenbach Jr on trombone, and Vincent DeRosa on french horn. LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly nice album for A&M, and one in which Letta's funky African soul style gets a bit more of an LA studio sound. The record features backing by a lot of well-known funky studio players, and Herb Alpert produced the record with a nice sound that still keeps Letta's rich voice in front. Titles include "Tristeza", "Sacred Drum", "Maru A Pula", "Feelings", and "Rainy Day Music". LP, Vinyl record album

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Upbeat soul from Sergio Mendes – but a record that's still got a Brazilian heart beating underneath! The sound of the set is very much in the best mainstream soul modes of the time – never too electric overall, but put together with a nicely warm groove that continues the legacy of R&B-influenced music that Sergio first started in the 70s. Vocals are by a variety of singers – including Gracinha Leporace, Carol Rogers, Leza Miller, Geoff Lieb, and others – and just when you think the whole thing's more LA than Rio, Sergio has a nice way of throwing in a slight Brazilian touch to remind you of his roots. Titles include "My Summer Love", "Carnaval", "Never Let You Go", "Voodoo", "Si Senor", and "Life In The Movies". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums by Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 – a perfect bridge between the simple pop of earlier records, and the group's expanding sound as the 70s approached! The warmly glowing Brasil 66 style is still very strongly in place, but the music here is all a bit hipper – tunes that show the growing sophistication of Brazilian music in the post-bossa years – picked up on by Sergio, and reworked for a larger audience in the US! The record's got some incredibly wonderful material – including a sublime cover of "Upa Neguinho", plus versions of "Casa Forte", "Canto Triste", "Lapinha", and "Laia Ladaia", a song that's a perfect fit for the group's unique style! Also includes the dreamy number "When Summer Turns To Snow", and the group's classic cover of "Scarborough Fair"! LP, Vinyl record album

Way past the hits, and into some really great territory – a move that makes the record one of our favorite Sergio Mendes sets for A&M! The sweeter bossa pop style here is undercut with a bit more influence from late 60s Brazilian grooves – some of the more baroque turns that Sergio's contemporaries back home were taking, mixed with a few of the trippier influences that were coming into the scene as well. The overall style is still in the warm two-voiced mode that made Brasil 66 famous, but we appreciate some of the headier moments moving into the mix – partly from the guitar of Oscar Castro Neves, as well as the orchestrations by a young Dave Grusin! Titles include the fantastic title cut "Ye-Me-Le" – a wonderful groover written by Luiz Carlos Vinhas – plus a number of excellent covers, like "Norwegian Wood", "What The World Needs Now", "Moanin", and "Where Are You Coming From?". LP, Vinyl record album

Was there ever anyone groovier than these guys? We don't think so – as Sergio had it all: 2 female singers in the lead, great bossa nova backing, and production on his records that couched the grooves in the pillowy-soft pop style of the A&M studios! This 17 track package isn't much on looks – but it does feature a great retrospective of Sergio's work – mostly 60s numbers, with a few of the best 70s and 80s numbers thrown in for good measure. Titles include "Pais Tropical", "So Many Stars", "Pretty World", "Bim Bom", "Never Gonna Let You Go", "Alibis", "Song Of No Regrets", "Mas Que Nada", "Scarborough Fair", "Look Around", "Like A Lover", "One Note Samba/Spanish Flea", "Going Out Of My Head", and "Look Of Love". CD

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Fantastically sweet pop from Chris Montez! Chris had a light little voice that was perfect for the A&M Records approach of the 60s – a style that has him singing gently over arrangements that glide and bounce around with ease, sometimes handled by Herb Alpert, in a breezy sunny LA mode that makes us want to be driving down Highway 101 with the top down, AM radio blasting out all of Chris' early singles at once! Chris' real genius here is the way that he takes standards and pop tunes – and, working with Herb, crafts them into a whole new sound – stripped down, streamlined, and perfect for the 60s! Titles include "One Note Samba", "The More I See You", "Fly Me To The Moon", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Call Me", "Hey Baby", and "Little White Lies". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing! This is when Wes Montgomery really starts to get interesting to us – when he's working with a top-line arranger like Don Sebesky, crafting some incredibly compelling chords over lightly jazzy arrangements and soaring strings, in a whole new mode of expression that would go onto transform a generation of guitar players! And sure, this album sold a gazillion copies – but we'll be honest in saying that we think it's loads more complex and mature than some of Wes' straight jazz sides from earlier years – light years away from the small combo dates of the early years, both in conception and sound. Titles include "Day In The Life", "Watch What Happens", "California Nights", "Windy", "Trust In Me", and "The Joker". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare larger group session that Gerry recorded in the early 70s for A&M – done in a style that's smoothly soaring, and a wonderful 70s extrapolation of his talents on baritone sax. Players include Bud Shank, Harry Edison, Roger Kellaway, Howard Roberts, and Emil Richards – and titles include "One To Ten In Ohio", "Maytag", "Golden Notebooks", "Country Beaver", "Grand Tour", and "Over The Hill & Out To The Woods". LP, Vinyl record album

An important American album for the great Milton Nascimento – his first recorded in the US since the earlier Courage set for A&M – and like that record, a perfect bridge between the sound of his work in Brazil and the global modes that he had to offer! A key part of the set is the participation of Wayne Shorter on saxes – an artist that Milton had recorded with on the Native Dancer record – and the group also features work from Herbie Hancock on piano, Raul De Souza on trombone, Toninho Horta on guitar, and Airto on percussion – all jazzy talents who really keep things lean and groovy – in a style that's different than some of Nascimento's 70s work in Brazil. Tracks include "Raca", "The Call", "Os Povos", "Fairy Tale Song", "Francisco", "One Coin",and a nice remake of the classic "Cravo E Canela". CD

An important American album for the great Milton Nascimento – his first recorded in the US since the earlier Courage set for A&M – and like that record, a perfect bridge between the sound of his work in Brazil and the global modes that he had to offer! A key part of the set is the participation of Wayne Shorter on saxes – an artist that Milton had recorded with on the Native Dancer record – and the group also features work from Herbie Hancock on piano, Raul De Souza on trombone, Toninho Horta on guitar, and Airto on percussion – all jazzy talents who really keep things lean and groovy – in a style that's different than some of Nascimento's 70s work in Brazil. Tracks include "Raca", "The Call", "Os Povos", "Fairy Tale Song", "Francisco", "One Coin",and a nice remake of the classic "Cravo E Canela". CD

Includes the smash hit "Love Hurts" – along with "Hair Of The Dog", "Miss Misery", "Changin' Times", "Beggars Day", "Rose In The Heather", "Whiskey Drinkin' Woman", and "Please Don't Judas Me". LP, Vinyl record album

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The overlooked collaboration between Human League singer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder! The duo initially worked together on the outstanding "Together In Electric Dreams" single – a surprise hit from Moroder's soundtrack for a forgettable movie – and given The Human League's move towards a dancefloor sound around the same time, the timing was perfect! Moroder lays down a soulful synth backdrop that rarely lets up – in fact, the first five tunes flow together almost like a continuous suite! Ultimately, this is a sweet, largely forgotten slice of quintessentially 80s sounds – in a style that's endured – especially when you consider its influence on groups like Passion Pit a good 25 years later! Other tracks include "Now", "Why Must The Show Go On", "In Transit", "Goodbye Bad Times" "Brand New Lover (Take A Chance)", "Be My Lover Now", "Valerie" and "Shake It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

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Titles include "We Belong To Love", "Soweto", "You Should Be Mine", "Emotional", "A Second Chance", and "Love's Not Ready". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Two early albums from the great Shawn Phillips – back to back in a single set! First up is Collaboration – beautiful early work from Shawn Phillips – a British singer from that moment when the folk scene was really taking off into all sorts of new currents – but which are handled here by Shawn in ways that are very different than most of his contemporaries! The "collaboration" in the title refers to the work of Paul Buckmaster – who plays cello throughout the record, and also handles these great large arrangements on a few tracks – and Peter Robinson, who plays piano and bass – working with the other two musicians in this spare trio approach on most numbers, which really opens up the moody quality of Phillips' lyrics. The record is very different than, say, some of the other acoustic work coming out on Island Records at the time – and titles include "Us We Are", "Burning Fingers", "For Her", "Armed", "Spaceman", "Times Of A Madman Trials Of A Thief", "Springwind", and "8500 Years". Faces is a set that's billed as "an anthology of music from 1969" – and which captures the songwriting skills of Shawn Phillips at their early best! Right from the start, Shawn was very much his own sort of artist – able to work with modes that go way past any standard folksy sounds you might expect from a guy with an acoustic guitar – thanks in part to his use of an LA setting for some of the recordings on the record, which include help from Joe Sample on piano, and Sneaky Pete Kleinow on steel guitar! Shawn's got a bit of a rootsy vibe on those cuts, and there's a few other titles recorded a bit earlier, in the UK, which feel a bit more like the material on his Collaborations album – a nice blend, on titles that include "Chorale", "I Took A Walk", "Anello", "We", "Parisian Plight II", and "Hey Miss Lonely". CD

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Titles include "Spirits In The Material World", "Hungry For You", "Demolition Man", "Too Much Information", and "One World". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Spirits In The Material World", "Hungry For You", "Demolition Man", "Too Much Information", and "One World". LP, Vinyl record album

Their runaway hit – with titles that include "King Of Pain", "Every Breath You Take", "Wrapped Around Your Finger", "Tea In The Sahara", and "Synchronicity". CD

A fantastic fifth album from Procol Harum – one that really demonstrates the ever-changing energy of the group, and the way they seemed to find a fresh new focus with each of their early albums! The vocals of Gary Brooker are even more wonderful than ever – rejoined here with the talents of organist Keith Reid, who is back in the group – cementing a musical partnership that pushes forward with stronger, more rockish modes throughout – a lean quality that really seems to bring out the best in everyone! The set begins with the fantastic "Simple Sister" – the moves on through other great numbers that include "Luskus Delph", "Power Failure", "Memorial Drive", "Song For A Dreamer", "Broken Barricades", and "Playmate Of The Mouth". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe our favorite album from Procol Harum – a set that adds in some wonderful use of strings to the group's unique style – almost moving forward on the promise of the earlier single "Whiter Shade Of Pale", moving into much deeper territory overall! There's something about Procol Harum on their early album's that's really indescribable – certainly an influence from blues and roots, but this really striking step forward with their song ideas and overall construction – not into jamming or progressive modes, like some of their contemporaries – although they're certainly never afraid to rock – but almost this balance between personal poetry and brashness, with kind of a slightly creepy current at times – as illustrated beautifully by the image on the cover. Titles include the completely wonderful "A Salty Dog", p0lus "Wreck Of The Hesperus", "Boredom", "The Devil Came To Kansas", "Too Much Between Us", "All This & More", and "The Milk Of Human Kindness". CD

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With "Dance Floor", "Freak To Me", "I'm Mackin", "Punks Give Me Respect", "Shotgun" and "The Vigilante". CD