A set that's heavy on the kind of country artists who often made key appearances on TV in the 60s – artists who were as much visual showfolks as they were singers – with an illuminating quality that really holds through in their recordings, even if you can't see their images on the screen! The cuts here often have a very animated, well-presented approach – especially on some of the numbers that require a slight current of drama or wit to send the lyric home! The package features 18 titles in all – and tracks include "A Million Years Or So" by Roger Miller, "The Good Lord Giveth" by Webb Pierce, "I Am The Grass" by The Stonemans, "Wino" by Porter Wagoner, "I Wouldn't Buy A Used Car From Him" by Norma Jean, "I Could Have Gone Right" by Mel Tillis, "Oriental Twist" by Pete Drake, and "Loser's Cocktail" by Dick Curless. LP, Vinyl record album

Funk from Belgium? Believe it or not, stranger things have happened – and we can promise that if you played these tracks back to back with more familiar grooves from other 70s sources, you'd quickly find that these Belgian grooves are right up there with the best of the bunch! The set's maybe a more sophisticated follow-up to the excellent Funky Chicken collection, which documented some grittier Belgian 70s material a few years back – and this one shows off a wickedly sharp batch of tunes that include funky fusion, sweet sound library numbers, and lots of really inventive cuts that are plenty funk, but often take some great chances too – in ways that almost make us think that the nation's scene was so small that musicians from different genres were often hanging out together, and breaking down lots of musical boundaries in the process! As with the other set, the presentation here is wonderful – not just fantastic music we'd never have discovered otherwise, but also very detailed notes and an overall punch that few other funky compilations can match. Titles on this second vinyl volume include "Guess We'd Better Break Up Now" by Etta Cameron, "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose" by Philip Catherine, "Riff For Peggy" by Roland Thyssen, "We Love The Policemen" by Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo, "Smoke Signal" by Indian Sound Of Blackfoot, "Inner City Blues" by Leslie Kent, "Chewing Gum Delirium" by Free Pop Electronic Concept, "Akkerwinde" by Lieven, "Concerto For Right Foot & Orchestra" by George Hayes & His Philarpopic Orchestra, "Punktowiec" by Skleroptak, and "Soul Melody" by R Dero. LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from Gong – and a weird little masterpiece that's left an undeniable imprint over the years! There's a definite proggish feel to the set, and some jazz rock elements too – but the overall approach is considerably madder than most at the time – hardly headed for the charts, and with more than enough space for weird little twists and turns that really keep things interesting! Production has a nicely rough quality that makes the record quite different from the group's later work – and the lyrics have a nicely looney feel that's a bit like work by Syd Barrett or Kevin Ayers. Titles include "Radio Gnome", "You Can't Kill Me", "Tried So Hard", "Tropical Fish Selene", "Squeezing Sponges Over Policemen's Heads", and "Wet Cheese Delirium". CD

The first album from Gong – and a weird little masterpiece that's left an undeniable imprint over the years! There's a definite proggish feel to the set, and some jazz rock elements too – but the overall approach is considerably madder than most at the time – hardly headed for the charts, and with more than enough space for weird little twists and turns that really keep things interesting! Production has a nicely rough quality that makes the record quite different from the group's later work – and the lyrics have a nicely looney feel that's a bit like work by Syd Barrett or Kevin Ayers. Titles include "Radio Gnome", "You Can't Kill Me", "Tried So Hard", "Tropical Fish Selene", "Squeezing Sponges Over Policemen's Heads", and "Wet Cheese Delirium". CD

A 70s set that brings together some nice sides from Wes and his brothers. Side one is taken from the Montgomery Brothers set, the first session to feature the group with Wes on the west coast – caught in the studio at a time when Buddy and Monk had left The Mastersounds, and recorded here with a sound that's quite similar to that group – but with a bit of a harder edge, thanks to the guitar. Side two continues in the same vein, capturing the group on a live set in Vancouver, grooving in a similar style that's a bit like some of Wes' early small group albums from the same time. The final two sides are pulled from the Groove Yard LP, another lively set that has a lot more swing than usual, and which grooves nicely on just about every cut. The drummers on the sides are Lawrence Marable, Paul Humphries and Bobby Thomas, all fitting nicely into the pocket with the Montgomerys. 15 tracks in all, including "Jeanine", "Green Dolphin Street", "Beaux Arts", "Snowfall", "Lover Man", "June In January", "Monterey Blues", "Delirium", "Back To Back", "Doujie", "Just For Now", and "Groove Yard" LP, Vinyl record album

Very longform work from Yes – with the tracks "Gates Of Confusion", "Sound Chaser", and "To Be Over". CD includes single edits of "Sound Chaser" and "Soon", plus a full-length studio run-through of "Gates Of Delirium". CD

Funk from Belgium? Believe it or not, stranger things have happened – and we can promise that if you played these tracks back to back with more familiar grooves from other 70s sources, you'd quickly find that these Belgian grooves are right up there with the best of the bunch! The set's maybe a more sophisticated follow-up to the excellent Funky Chicken collection, which documented some grittier Belgian 70s material a few years back – and this one shows off a wickedly sharp batch of tunes that include funky fusion, sweet sound library numbers, and lots of really inventive cuts that are plenty funk, but often take some great chances too – in ways that almost make us think that the nation's scene was so small that musicians from different genres were often hanging out together, and breaking down lots of musical boundaries in the process! Titles include "Funky Chimes" by Francis Coppieters, "My Chinese Girl Likes Kung Fu Fighting" by The Sumos, "Traveling On Rhythms" by Bud Hunga & His Diplomatic Music, "Pink Movement" by Experience, "Tiger Walk" by The Peter Laine Orchestra, "Faded Lady (inst)" by SSO, "Barabajagal" by The Flying Guitar, "Scratch My Back (parts 1 & 2)" by The Soul Scratchers, "Skylab" by Electronic System III, "Free Way Exit" by Guido Carnagy, "Guess We'd Better Break Up Now" by Etta Cameron, "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose" by Philip Catherine, "Riff For Peggy" by Roland Thyssen, "We Love The Policemen" by Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo, "Smoke Signal" by Indian Sound Of Blackfoot, "Inner City Blues" by Leslie Kent, "Chewing Gum Delirium" by Free Pop Electronic Concept, "Akkerwinde" by Lieven, "Concerto For Right Foot & Orchestra" by George Hayes & His Philarpopic Orchestra, "Punktowiec" by Skleroptak, and "Soul Melody" by R Dero. CD