The landmark first album from The Band – and along with the follow-up, it's among the greatest records of its time – which is all the more astounding given how independent of late 60s trends it is! Each member of The Band brings such inimitable textures – Garth Hudson's imposing organ grooves, Richard Manuel's aching tenor vocals, Rick Danko's voice and distinctive bass lines, Levon Helm's behind-the-beat drumming and the country wisdom of his voice, Robertson's guitar mastery – this really was THE Band. Includes "Tears Of Rage", "In A Station", "The Weight", "Long Black Veil", "Chest Fever", "Lonesome Suzie", "This Wheels On Fire", "I Shall Be Released" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The landmark first album from The Band – and along with the follow-up, it's among the greatest records of its time – which is all the more astounding given how independent of late 60s trends it is! Each member of The Band brings such inimitable textures – Garth Hudson's imposing organ grooves, Richard Manuel's aching tenor vocals, Rick Danko's voice and distinctive bass lines, Levon Helm's behind-the-beat drumming and the country wisdom of his voice, Robertson's guitar mastery – this really was THE Band. Includes "Tears Of Rage", "In A Station", "The Weight", "Long Black Veil", "Chest Fever", "Lonesome Suzie", "This Wheels On Fire", and "I Shall Be Released" – CD adds 9 outtakes. CD

Take these guys out of the Ashkan, because they can really rock their arses off! Ashkan have a heady, bass-y groove that rocks out with the power of early Deep Purple at their best – stretching out over longish tunes that have a freewheeling quality that's clearly driven by its own demons, and which falls together beautifully on this album – making an instant sort of sense, and coming across with an energy that should have made this one a classic. Guitarist Bob Weston has some incredibly dark tones on the record, matched nicely by bluesy vocals of Steve Bailey – and propelled to the depths by some massive bass by Ron Bending. Titles include "Practically Never Happens", "Stop", "Going Home", "Take These Chains", and "Darkness". CD

Fantastic solo work from Ginger Baker – a musician who only seemed to get better and better the farther he moved away from Cream and Blind Faith! A set like this really gives Ginger a chance to open up and explore all the many musical currents that were grabbing his interests – served up here in a mix of jazz, funk, rock, and soul delivered by a lineup who are every bit as stunning as the music on the album! In addition to plenty of work from Baker on drums, the set features jazz contributions from the excellent Harold McNair and Chris Wood, who both play saxes and flute – plus drums from the legendary Phil Seamen – as well as a heck of a lot more sax and organ from Graham Bond, plus bass from Ric Grech, guitar and vocals from Denny Laine, organ and vocals from Steve Winwood, percussion from Neemoi Acquaye, and lots more contributions from a lineup that's almost too big to mention. The results are wonderful – and titles include "Toady", "Let Me Ride", "We Free Kings", "12 Gates Of The City", "Do U No Hu Yor Phrenz R", and "Sweet Wine". CD

It must have cost Barrabas plenty to make the heart-shaped manhole on the cover of this album – but given the sound of the grooves, the money was well worth it! The set's a fair bit tighter than their earliest work from Spain – but also a great direction for their styles – one that's nicely soulful, with some club funk touches that fit in nicely with their American contemporaries on the Atco label. The tracks have a strong New York groove – with loads of great keyboards from Juan Vidal, and plenty of heavy basslines by Ernesto Duarte – pumping nicely in a way that's more stomping than straight funk, but still pretty great. Vocals are best when they're floating down amidst the instrumentation – and titles include "Mellow Blow", "Family Size", "Make It Easy", "Checkmate", and "Take A Wild Ride". CD

A blistering bit of blues rock from the UK scene – one of those records where strong blues influences turn into hard rock expression – and leave the world a little bit darker in the process! Imagine the territory of Paul Rodgers in Free, then turn it up a few notches – and you'll get the spirit of Brian Short here on lead vocals, working alongside the lead guitar work of Rod Price. Titles include "Sylvester's Blues", "Chauffeur", "Please Tell Me Baby", "Coming Back", "Save My Love", and surprising covers of Nina Simone's "Four Women" and the Newley/Bricusse tune "Feelin Good". CD

A great bit of work from the re-formed Blues Magoos – a new incarnation of the group that had a few early garage rock hits, and which on this set features some great work by Eric Kaz, who seems to add a hip singer-songwriter feel to the record. The group have clearly been listening to a lot of blues and blue eyed soul, but also seem to have picked up a jazzy edge too – one that shows up nicely on the album's use of vibes. These are heard to wonderful effect on the instrumental groover "Getting Off", the mellow swinging instrumental "Georgia Breakdown", and on the group's funky cover of Joe Cuba's great "El Pito – I'll Never Go Back To Georgia" CD

One of the stunning late 60 psych rock classics on Mainstream Records – and, like the rest, a set that's a real standout at the time – and one of the few musical statements by a group who never got picked up and pushed more heavily by another label! Yet that quality is what makes the whole thing wonderful – a freaky, fuzzy east coast set with a very down to earth vibe – music that would have been garage a few years before, but which has picked up some very heady influences along the way – especially in the strong use of fuzz and distortion on the guitar! Drummer Chuck Monica has a nicely urgent vibe at times, echoed by the bass of Victor Muglia – and lead singer Brian Cooke delivers some great work on organ too! Nick Manzi is the man with the fuzz on guitar – and titles include "All Kinds Of Highs", "Riddles & Fairytales", "She Always Gives Me Pleasure", "Images", "Deaf Dumb & Blind", and "Paradox City". CD

One of those 70s records that has everything going for it, but somehow never got a chance to get off the mark – well-written and catchy tunes, a tight approach to production that's also somehow fresh, and a sense of personality that marks this second set by the band to be one where they're really hitting their stride! The record's of the AOR generation, but it's also got a sense of individuality that really shines through – never too polished, but also not an indie effort as well – and some nice echoes of the kind of cuts that would have peaked on British radio a few years before. Titles include "Confident Man", "Coaltown", "As A Lover I'm A Loser", "Alone Tonight", "Good To Me", "Free & Easy", and "Faith In The Family". CD

A great little record from Brown Sugar – a group who really soar here, thanks to the presence of Clydie King on lead vocals! King sung famously on many rock and soul sessions during the 60s and 70s – but she's a great talent in the spotlight, and really helps to give the record a lot of focus – uniting the group's mix of deep soul and southern elements – lots of burning underneath the rhythms, and horns compressed over the top – in a style that's a bit Muscle Shoals, but more restrained overall, and with a few moments that go for more of an east coast feel. Titles include "Soul Asylum", "Love Can Bring You Down", "Weep For Me", "Don't Hold Back", "Real Love", and "Moonlight & Taming You". CD

A real standout in the career of Lesley Duncan – a singer who started in more folksy modes, but who gets warmed up here by just the right AOR touches – at a level that really seems to bring out the best in her music! The songs still have the more personal touches of some of Lesley's earlier work, but they somehow are strengthened by the well-crafted arrangements – which are still nicely laidback, never too commercial – yet handled in a way that makes Duncan's vocals open up with slightly jazzy touches, and maybe rival some of the better-known female singer/songwriters of her generation. Titles include "Jumped Right In The River", "I Can See Where I'm Going", "Moon Bathing", "Pick Up The Phone", "Helpless", and "Fine Friends". CD

An underground British classic that's every bit as dark as you'd expect from its cover – served up by a group that features a young Andy Scott on guitar, in the years before he ended up in The Sweet – already playing with a hell of an edge that brings plenty of fire to the proceedings! Like the best groups of this magical moment, Expansions Of Life have clear influences, but a sound that's never slavish to them – really marking their own territory through the mad vocals of Ted Yeadon, who also plays organ, piano, flute, and harmonica on the record – the last of which is maybe a slight nod to the group's blues inspirations – although, as you can see from the cover, these guys aren't a blues rock band at all! Instead, they're really set free in the heady new territory of the time – sounding great on titles that include "Mother Goose", "Last Person In The Bar", "Crabtree Farm", "That's Life", "Sad Jazz", and "Room Full Of Room". CD

Andy Fairweather-Low got his start in progressive rock territory – but here, as a solo act, he's in a very different mode entirely – more compact, and with almost a roots rock sort of vibe at times – but in a way that is nicely unfamiliar too, given Andy's rather distinct vocal style! There's help on the record from some key Nashville session players – like Vassar Clements and Charlie McCoy – but Fairweather-Low really keeps his own groove throughout, and uses these touches to open his sound, while also avoiding country rock cliches. Titles include "Drowning On Dry Land", "Same Old Story", "Mellow Down", "The Light Is Within", "Dancing In The Dark", and "Every Day I Die". CD

A really rare batch of garage psych from late 60s DC scene – served up on a record that barely got any circulation at the time! The oft-overlooked Fallen Angels were signed to Roulette in the late 60s, and the group only made a couple of albums – Roulette bailed when it became obvious that the group proved to be a bit challenging of a sell – but over the years their work has gone on to be the stuff of underground legend! Most of the tunes start with loose, ragged feel that eventually builds into a feedback frenzy – more controlled than groups those of groups like the Stooges and Velvet Underground – before finding the groove again and landing gently on their feet – a great approach that really shows just how tight and well-conceived these guys were overall. Titles include "Poor Old Man", "A Horn Playing On My Thin Wall", "Tell You A Story", "One Of The Few Ones Left", Didn't I", and "It's A Long Way Down". CD

A sweet 70s set on Capricorn Records – one from a time when the label was moving away from a more slavishly southern sound, and really opening up to some other currents of the period! The group have a nice way of harmonizing on the vocals, with some slight rootsy elements in the instrumentation, supported with richer backings overall – maybe a style that's a more southern take on the territory of America, with a slightly more AOR vibe overall. Titles include the great "She's A Mystery", plus "World On A String", "Lonely In Churchville", "I'm Never Alone", "Tie Me", and "We Got Love". CD

One of those really great records from a time on the UK scene when some groups were effortlessly mixing jazz and rock elements up in the mix – but in ways that are very different than some of the more familiar jazz rock modes of the mainstream! Gaillard have plenty of strong horn solos on this set – not in a brassy bigger lineup, but as a way of bringing in tenor, trumpet, or other instruments where you might normally have a guitar solo – also blown with qualities that show that the musicians in the group are doing a lot more than just flavoring in the tunes! Players include Tony Roberts on tenor and flute, Lyle Jenkins on tenor and baritone, Dave Caswell on trumpet, and even the great jazz musician Harry Beckett on flugelhorn – and the record also sports some nice sitar, Hammond, and electric piano as well. Geoff Brown and Andy Abbott handle vocals – and titles include "Open Up Your Mind", "Something's Going On", "Premonition", "In Your Minds Eye", "Winter Spring Summer", "Ask For Nothing", and "New Dawn Breaking". CD

A really cool group from the late 60s UK scene – one that we might be temped to put in the hipper camp of the jazz rock world of the time, but who've maybe got a bit more of the latter style than the former – which makes their use of tenor and trumpet come across in a really unique way! There's a nicely psychedelic approach at the core of the record – with a sound that might be more familiar in terms of the guitar work, lyrical style, and vocals – but when topped with trumpet from Dave Caswell, and a mix of tenor, alto, and soprano work from John Smith, the record really takes on some unique qualities that really set it apart from the pack. Titles include "Children Of The Sun", "Pastorale", "A Modern Day Fairy Tale", "Blood", "Frog Galliard", "I Wanna Be Back Home", and "Hear The Colours". CD

One of the greatest solo albums ever issued by Latin jazz trumpeter Luis Gasca – a set that really expands on his debut for Atlantic Records, and which brings in a whole host of early 70s west coast Latin influences! The style here is very laidback and open – a bit like some of the Chicano funk coming out of the LA scene at the time, but a fair bit more jazz oriented overall – with long lean solos from both Gasca on trumpet and Joe Henderson on tenor sax, set up in a half-electric set of rhythms laid out on guitar, organ, keyboards, bass, and plenty of percussion! Other players here are all top-shelf too – and include Carlos Santana, George Cables, Stanley Clarke, Coke Escovedo, and Lenny White. The album features 4 long tracks – "Spanish Gypsy", "Street Dude", "La Raza", and "Little Mama". CD

Solo work from James Griffin of Bread – music that's maybe in a similar style to the work of that famous group, but a lot more personal too! Griffin's got a slight more bit of bite in his approach, while not stepping too far from soft rock territory – early in the days for AOR entirely, yet given some well-produced touches throughout, so that guitar lines are often folded into the vocals in a nice way. Titles include "Someday", "Breakin Up Is Easy", "Father & Son", "You'll Get Along", "Lifeline", "Love To Light The Way", "Goin Back To Boston", "Love You Till The Cows Come Home", and "She Knows". CD

A really cool record from Jerry Hahn – a guitarist who's maybe known for his initial work in jazz, but who steps out here with a very groovy mix of those roots and long-haired, lyrical psychedelic sounds too! The set's got vocals on nearly every track, but Jerry still gets in all these fantastic guitar licks too – strong single-note lines that really show his roots in other styles of music, mixed with some roots rock touches on the rhythms and lyrics, and sweeet use of organ and piano by Mike Finnigan. Mike often harmonizes with Jerry on the lyrics – and titles include "Martha's Madman", "Comin Down", "Captain Bobby Stout", "Thursday Thing", and "What I Gave Away". CD

An overlooked group from the great Brit folk revival moment of the early 70s – a combo who have a sound that's maybe a more electrified take on the music of Pentangle or Fairport Convention, but which also isn't that far from those roots either! The set mixes original material with traditional numbers – and in addition to expected work on acoustic guitar, there's some especially nice use of flute and fiddle – shifting a bit from track to track, as do the vocals, handled by Margi Luckley, Stu Luckley, and Martin Jenkins – the last of whom plays violin and mandolins on the set. Titles include "Forest Child", "The Burning Of Auchendoon", "The Green Lady", "Cool Reelies", "Dreamer", "The Gardener", "Daemon Merchants", and "Go With The Flow". CD

A strange little side-chapter in the career of Tommy James & The Shondells – a group formed up by remaining members of that backing group, recording here maybe under the same Roulette Records contract as their star! The vibe is more roots rock overall – as you'd guess from the cover and their name – and Peter Lucia handles vocals on most tracks, with a bit of help from Michael Vale – as the rest of the group work guitar lines learned while cutting hits with James, but at a level that's got some stronger influences from country at times. Titles include "We All Go Down", "Glass Room", "Bumpin Slapcar Mama", "Wilma Mae", "Theme From A Thought", "Come Away", and "Pennsylvania". CD

A lost second chapter in the career of Mimi Roman – a singer best known for her groundbreaking country and rockabilly material for Decca in the 50s, but one who had a much greater range than most knew at the time! The material here features Mimi as Kitty Ford – a playful female vocalist running through a groovy blend of jazz, pop, and rockish styles from the early 60s – material that was mostly unissued at the time, but which is all pretty darn great! There's a real Brill Building feel to most of these tracks – and although much of the material comes from Kitty/Mimi's own archives, it got top shelf treatment at the time – demos recorded with good production and instrumentation, at a level that makes this whole package feel like discovering a whole pile of lost girl pop singles from the 60s! Titles include "Sisal Twine", "Pachanga", "Pussycat", "Think", "Blue Diamond Ring", "Gee Mom", "I Can't Run Away", "Sad Sad September", "Big Shot Nothin Bringer", "When You Hurt Me I Cry", and "My Feelings For Charlie Changed". LP, Vinyl record album

A sharper, darker album than Tricky's debut – and a set that clearly has the artist moving past the standard range of laidback beats and dubby production that dominated things at the time! There's definitely plenty of the tension promised in the title – as Tricky moves past the London modes from which he emerged, and goes for a larger sound that would help him stay ahead of the pack for years. The vocals of Martina Topley Bird are a big part of the album's strength here – and titles include "Lyrics Of Fury", "Piano", "My Evil Is Strong", "Makes Me Wanna Die", "Sex Drive", and "Bad Things" – plus a surprising remake of the Eric B & Rakim cut "Lyrics Of Fury". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album of crossover soul from the mid 70s – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If soul stations played album side specials the way that classic rock stations do, side one would be in heavy rotation – as it kicks off with the funky title cut, rolls into the hit "Boogie Nights", cuts to the sample classic "Ain't No Half Steppin" (forever made famous by Big Daddy Kane), and steps into the moody ballad "Always & Forever". It's hard to beat that lineup, but side two does a pretty good job – and includes a similar mix of titles like "Super Soul Sister", "All You Do Is Dial", and "Sho'nuff Must Be Love". This great version includes a full LP of bonus tracks – including "Turn Out The Lamplight", "Special Offer", "Slip Your Disc To This", "Boogie Nights (12" disco version)", "Ain't No Half Steppin (single version)", and "Always & Forever (single version)". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work from N'Dambi – a set that really moves her career forward strongly, while still holding onto the best soulful sound of her roots! The album's N'Dambi's first for a big label – the newly-reformed Stax – but it's got a perfectly balanced sound that's sure to please any past fans of her music, and win her a lot more in years to come! Grooves are spare, stark, and simple – with a soulful depth that definitely fits the legendary Stax imprint – and the vocals are fantastic – and proof that there's still some great female deep soul singers working today, if you know where to look. Yet there's also a deeper, more sophisticated vibe running through the mix – that spirit we loved on her Tunin' Up & Cosignin album – and the production by Leon Sylvers is surprisingly wonderful, at a level that really has us loving his studio talents all over again. Titles include "Mind Blowin", "The One", "Take It Out", "Daisy Chain", "Can't Hardly Wait", "What It Takes", "Nobody Jones", and "LIE". CD

The best from The Band in years – their first all originals studio effort in a few years, and one that deservedly re-established them creatively, if not commercially, as one of the all time great rock bands! Robbie Robertson is solely credited for the compositions, but make no mistake, this record is by The Band – not just notes committed to a page and played – it's a fluid, intuitive and timeless album that we love nearly as much as anything they'd ever done – possibly as much as Big Pink or self-titled, even more on some days. Essential! Titles include "Rags & Bones", "Acadian Driftwood", "Hobo Jungle", "Ophelia", "Ring Your Bell", Jupiter Hollow" and "It Makes No Difference". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little package, one that brings together three American releases of music by London's legendary Georgie Fame! First up is the classic Yeh Yeh – a brilliant mix of jazz, soul, and R&B – all filtered through a mod sort of London freshness, as early proof that the city could always take some great things from our own musical roots, and feed it back to us with a whole new flavor! Georgie Fame's no copycat here, though – and the sound is instantly Fame-like – a style that's really not the sort that any Americans were doing at the time, and certainly never this well. Hard-burning Hammond colors most of the tunes here – played with a tightly vamping quality – but it's Georgie's charmingly crackling vocals that really win us over! Titles include "Gimme That Wine", "Pink Champagne", "Monkeying Around", "I Love The Life I Live", "Point Of No Return", "Preach & Teach", "Get On The Right Track Baby", and the hit "Yeh Yeh". Next is Get Away – a great little album from Georgie Fame – with a hard raw soul sound that shows what a big crossover potential he had with the UK soul market – so much so that this batch of material was issued in the US as well! The album's got some wonderful arrangements – quite raw, with some nice organ, and plenty of heavy vocals from Georgie in a strong blue eyed soul mode. Titles include "Sitting In The Park", "Get Away", "Sweet Thing", "Ride Your Pony", "The In Crowd", "Last Night", and "Music Talk". Hall Of Fame is a bit of a best-of – a record that features some singles, and some album tracks – the latter of which aren't included here, as they'd be duplicated. The remaining material is Fame at his raw early best – working in a great soulful style, with plenty of jazzy charms – on cuts that include "Outrage", "Lil Darlin", "Sunny", "In The Meantime", "Something", "Do Re Mi", and Fame's own "Like We Used To Be". CD also features 9 more bonus tracks, some live recordings – titles that include "Bend A Little", "Telegram", "It Ain't Right", "Don't Make Promises", "Many Happy Returns", "I'm In Love With You", "Shop Around", "Green Onions", and "Do The Dog". CD

Dreamy, soul-steeped avant pop sounds from Sweden's Little Dragon! The group has been delivering with atmospheric production, high quality songs, and timeless, genuine soul for long enough that we could consider them veterans by this point – and we're glad they continue to do their thing with fresh, distinctive style. Singer Yukimi Nagano is a big part of the appeal, and she really flourishes on this one – infusing the synth pop styled tracks and the more subtle mood pieces with an indispensable soulful integrity. Includes "Klapp Klapp", "Mirror", "Pretty Girls", "Underbart", "Car Rider", "Paris", "Lurad", "Nabuma Rubberband", "Only One", "Killing Me", "Pink Cloud" and "Let Go". CD

Pick any 10 words out of any Outkast album description on our pages at random, and you'll see how dearly we've loved these boys throughout the years – but truth be told, deep down we didn't think that they would be able to pull off the double album/solo album project(s). We were seriously wrong – Speakerboxxx/Love Below is HUGE in every way, and both halves are great all the way through! If you were worried Big Boi's Speakerboxxx half would be lazy southern hip hop without Andre's freaky presence throughout, you can put those fears to rest right now. Speakerboxxx is a deeply soulful electro hopping pounder from front to back – every bit as innovative as Andre's half! Tracks include "Ghettomusick" (which features one of just two appearances by A3000 on the whole disc), "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown, "Bust" with Killer Mike, "Church", "Tomb Of The Boom" with Konkrete, Big Gipp and Ludacris, "Flip Flop" with Jay-Z, "The Way You Move" and more. A lot of press has been given to the assumption that Andre 3000 has largely forsaken hip hop on his half (The Love Below) and has instead dived head first into cosmic future funk. Well, the rumors are true. There's lots of straight up jazz piano and horn bits on the Love Below, with Andre's half serious, half tongue-in-cheek romantic soul cabaret croon way over the top. It's steeped in the classic Outkast party vibe, but with lots of Sign Of The Times-era Prince (complete with androgynous distorted vocals), Parliament and Cameo thrown into the mix. Sick, energetic genius! Tracks include the deliriously great "Hey Ya!" single, "She Lives In My Lap", "Love Hater", "Happy Valentine's Day", "Roses", "Good Day, Good Sir", "Behold A Lady", "Pink And Blue", "Spread", "Dracula's Lady" with Kelis, and more. Who the hell knows what they can possibly do to surprise us after this – but wherever Andre 3000 and Big Boi go from here, they each have yet another classic in the discography! LP, Vinyl record album

Director John Hughes gave the world some pretty great movies back in the 80s – and in most of those movies, music was a very big part of the experience – as Hughes had a way of using just the right songs in just the right moments, and also helped get wider mainstream exposure for some of the hipper acts of the time! This package is a great tribute to the kinds of cuts that Hughes would use – some done especially for his films, most from other records but used in key scenes – in a package that collects together songs from films that include Some Kind Of Wonderful, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty In Pink, She's Having A Baby, Weird Science, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Planes Trains & Automobiles. 2LP version features 25 cuts in all – with titles that include "Do Anything (soundtrack version)" by Pete Shelly, "Eighties" by Killing Joke, "Full Of Love" by Dr Calculus, "Beat City" by Flowerpot Men, "She's Having A Baby" by Dave Wakeling, "I Go Crazy" by Flesh For Lulu, "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds, "If You Leave" by OMD, "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush, "Oh Yeah" by Yellow, "Pretty In Pink" by Psychedelic Furs, "Brilliant Mind" by Furniture, "Six Days On The Road" by Steve Earle, "Crazy Love" by Bryan Ferry, "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby (soundtrack version)" by Kirsty MacColl, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (inst)" by Dream Academy, "Tenderness" by General Public, "Bring On The Dancing Horses" by Echo & The Bunnymen, "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Lick The Tins, "Weird Science" by Oingo Boingo, "Left Of Center" by Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson, and "If You Were Here" by Thompson Twins. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic funky follow-up to the first Mr Thing compilation from BBE – and a set that's equally filled with rare and soulful grooves! If we didn't know better, we'd swear he went into our crates and pilfered our own record collections – because the package contains plenty of overlooked cuts that we've loved for years, but which have never gotten their due – and not even all of them are from totally obscure pressings or small indie labels – just the kind of records that people pass over sometimes, because they don't know how great they sound! There's lots and lots and lots of deeply funky numbers on the collection – and the package really takes us back to the glory days when BBE compilations were always turning us onto something new – especially during the Keb Darge glory days. 2CD set features one mixed disc, one unmixed – with titles that include "Back Ground Music" by Kalyanji Anandji, "Searching For Soul" by Jake Wade & The Soul Searchers, "ABC" by Hot Butter & Soul, "Spooky Do" by Dick Walter, "The Horse" by Val Merral's Orchestra, "It's Just Begun" by Hot City Bump Band, "Sally" by Frank Pleyer Big Band, "Love Is Just A Word" by Johnny Griffith Inc, "Can't Stop Talkin" by Art & Ron, "Family Affair" by The Generation Gap, "Gacek" by Jerzy Milian, "Rockin Chair" by John L Watson with White Mouse, "Pink Panther" by Alan Tew, "Twinkle Stars Boo Galoo (live)" by Oscar Harris & The Twinkle Stars, "The Message" by Tinga Stewart, and "Pru Urebu" by The Rias Orchestra. CD

A fantastic funky follow-up to the first Mr Thing compilation from BBE – and a set that's equally filled with rare and soulful grooves! If we didn't know better, we'd swear he went into our crates and pilfered our own record collections – because the package contains plenty of overlooked cuts that we've loved for years, but which have never gotten their due – and not even all of them are from totally obscure pressings or small indie labels – just the kind of records that people pass over sometimes, because they don't know how great they sound! There's lots and lots and lots of deeply funky numbers on the collection – and the package really takes us back to the glory days when BBE compilations were always turning us onto something new – especially during the Keb Darge glory days. Titles include "Back Ground Music" by Kalyanji Anandji, "Searching For Soul" by Jake Wade & The Soul Searchers, "ABC" by Hot Butter & Soul, "Spooky Do" by Dick Walter, "The Horse" by Val Merral's Orchestra, "It's Just Begun" by Hot City Bump Band, "Sally" by Frank Pleyer Big Band, "Love Is Just A Word" by Johnny Griffith Inc, "Can't Stop Talkin" by Art & Ron, "Family Affair" by The Generation Gap, "Gacek" by Jerzy Milian, "Rockin Chair" by John L Watson with White Mouse, "Pink Panther" by Alan Tew, "Twinkle Stars Boo Galoo (live)" by Oscar Harris & The Twinkle Stars, "The Message" by Tinga Stewart, and "Pru Urebu" by The Rias Orchestra. LP, Vinyl record album

Director John Hughes gave the world some pretty great movies back in the 80s – and in most of those movies, music was a very big part of the experience – as Hughes had a way of using just the right songs in just the right moments, and also helped get wider mainstream exposure for some of the hipper acts of the time! This package is a great tribute to the kinds of cuts that Hughes would use – some done especially for his films, most from other records but used in key scenes – in a package that collects together songs from films that include Some Kind Of Wonderful, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty In Pink, She's Having A Baby, Weird Science, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Planes Trains & Automobiles. 4CD version comes in a great book-styled package, with plenty of notes – and includes 74 cuts in all – with titles that include "Do Anything (soundtrack version)" by Pete Shelly, "Eighties" by Killing Joke, "Full Of Love" by Dr Calculus, "Beat City" by Flowerpot Men, "She's Having A Baby" by Dave Wakeling, "I Go Crazy" by Flesh For Lulu, "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds, "If You Leave" by OMD, "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush, "Oh Yeah" by Yellow, "Pretty In Pink" by Psychedelic Furs, "Brilliant Mind" by Furniture, "Six Days On The Road" by Steve Earle, "Crazy Love" by Bryan Ferry, "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby (soundtrack version)" by Kirsty MacColl, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (inst)" by Dream Academy, "Tenderness" by General Public, "Bring On The Dancing Horses" by Echo & The Bunnymen, "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Lick The Tins, "Weird Science" by Oingo Boingo, "Left Of Center" by Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson, and "If You Were Here" by Thompson Twins. CD

The return of bright-eyed, oddball party pop Beck – probably his most unself-consciously fun album since the late 90s! We almost want to compare it to Midnight Vultures in the way it jettisons expectations for what a new Beck album might be supposed to sound like – strange as that is to say for a forever evolving figure such as him – but Colors has a big, dare we say it glossy post-millennium pop sheen, nothing like the funk & disco inspired MV. Still, you can't shine away the weirdness of Beck's somehow perfectly sensible nonsense lyricism and distinctive voice, so it's actually really endearing to hear Beck being Beck with production that wouldn't sound out of place on a Pink or a Sia record! Includes "Colors", "Seventh Heaven", "I'm So Free", "Dear Life", "No Distraction", "Dreams", "Wow", "Up All Night", "Square One" and "Fix Me". LP, Vinyl record album