A strong step forward from Breakestra – really moving out of the deep funk underground here, but never losing the groove that got them there in the first place! The set's got a depth that goes beyond most of the group's other work – way more than just a funky cover band sort of feel, and instead a really unified approach to grooving that lets in space for stronger influences from a range of older styles of music. Mainman Miles really surprises us on vocals, coming off here with a wonderful blue-eyed approach to funk that takes us back to key rock/soul crossover moments of the late 60s – but with none of the overdone hype of that generation, and more of a funky 45 groove overall! Drums are razor-sharp and super-tight throughout – still giving most of the album a deep funk approach – and titles include "Gotta Let Me Know", "Stand Up", "Hiding", "Burgundy Blues", "You Don't Need A Dance", "At The End Of The Day", "The Getting To It", "Show & Prove", "Keep On Playin", "Recognize", "Hit Tha Flo", "Family Rap", and "How Do You Really Feel". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Features cuts by Blackstreet, Trouble Funk, Boogie Down Productions, Jungle Brothers, Armand Van Helden, Jackson & His Computer Band, Silver Bullet, Felice Taylor, and others. CD

An early Northern Soul collection from the UK, done before Charly and Ace really started hitting the record racks – and with a great batch of 16 tracks from American soul singers, including work from Barbara Mills, The Showstoppers, Dobie Gray, Johnny Bragg, Gloria Jones, Sandy Wynns, The Carstairs, Ann Sexton, Eloise Jaws, The Jelly Beans, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! As with our Dot Dash design, this one's an upgrade from our previous shirts – 100% ring-spun cotton, well fitted, crew neck, and super-soft! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! As with our Dot Dash design, this one's an upgrade from our previous shirts – 100% ring-spun cotton, well fitted, crew neck, and super-soft! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! As with our Dot Dash design, this one's an upgrade from our previous shirts – 100% ring-spun cotton, well fitted, crew neck, and super-soft! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! As with our Dot Dash design, this one's an upgrade from our previous shirts – 100% ring-spun cotton, well fitted, crew neck, and super-soft! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! As with our Dot Dash design, this one's an upgrade from our previous shirts – 100% ring-spun cotton, well fitted, crew neck, and super-soft! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! As with our Dot Dash design, this one's an upgrade from our previous shirts – 100% ring-spun cotton, well fitted, crew neck, and super-soft! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! Clothing

An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we certainly share his sense of bliss as the musical notes stream out of the speaker! Clothing

This might not be the most important or vital album in the history of hip hop – but it's got some unstoppable party jams that can't be denied! "It Takes Two" will always be guaranteed to rock any party – and if Rob Base on the mic isn't anything to write home about, at the time Profile dropped this album, even the Jimmy Castor, ESG and James Brown samples weren't totally played out – and still sound great today. 10 tracks in all, also includes the hit "Joy & Pain", plus "Make It Hot", "Check This Out" and "Get On The Dance Floor". CD

Seompi may not have been the first group to bring some wilder sounds to the scene down in Texas – but they're definitely one that are years ahead of their time, and work with a doom-heavy approach here that's very different than more conventional psych and fuzz! There's a very heady vibe to most tracks – darker even than hard rock, with moody production that makes the vocals and guitars sound especially spooky – which is maybe why most of these tracks were never issued at the time. Titles include "Summer's Comin On Heavy", "Almost In The Whole", "Slide Slide", "Lay On The Floor", "Awol/Elijah", "Question Of Nobility", and "We Have Waited". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic from the Chicago house scene – and still a bonafide club floor shaker! "Get The Hole" is a persistent jam that continues on in the "Acid Hole" version – getting more beats focused as it builds. "Under Control" and it's dub version on the flip are classic level, too, with some nice keyboards and vocal atmosphere. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A standout solo moment for Yazz – the singer who first rose to fame as part of the Coldcut soundsystem, then really broke big at a point when UK soul was cracking the American mainstream! Yazz may have a bleached-out look on the cover, but her sound is deeply soulful – and fits in perfectly with the house-styled grooves on the record – backings that have an unabashed love of disco, at a time when listening audiences were maybe forgiving that music for all of its previous excesses, and strongly embracing its best qualities again – in a groove that's maybe a bit similar to Lisa Stansfield at the time, although with more beats and less strings. Production and backings are by Coldcut, FON, Youth, and other hip talents – and titles include her great remake of "The Only Way Is Up" – plus "Systematic People", "Wanted On The Floor", "Stand Up For Your Love Rights", "Fine Time", "Where Has All The Love Gone", "Got To Share", and "Turn It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Features "Suitcase Blues" by Sippie Wallace, "Trouble In Mind" by Jimmy Witherspoon, "Make Me A Pallet On The Floor" by Mama Yancey, "St Louis Blues" by Big Joe Turner, "Every Time" by Lil Green, "Destination Love" by Wynonie Harris, "Rain Is A Bringdown" by Ruth Brown, "I Don't Want To Be President" by Percy Mayfield and much more. LP, Vinyl record album

A huge amount of 12" singles, stuffed into one mighty nice 4CD set – maybe not the greatest of all time, but still pretty darn wonderful overall! The set does an especially great job of looking at a late 70s moment when some of the hipper soul artists were able to get the extra space of a 12" single to really open up their sound – grooves that move past the shorter space of a 7", and really do plenty in the process – often in ways that are much more interesting than some of the overplayed disco of the time. There's 43 long grooves on the set – all 12" singles – and titles include "Space Age" by Jimmy Castor, "You Are A Star" by Aquarian Dream, "Flashlight" by Parliament, "Good Times" by Chic, "Ten Percent" by Double Exposure, "I Should've Loved Ya" by Narada Michael Walden, "Fantastic Voyage" by Lakeside, "You're My Occupation (ext)" by Chaz Jankel, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "And The Beat Goes On" by the Whispers, "You Got The Floor" by Arthur Adams, "Do It Any Way You Wanna (Tom Moulton mix)" by People's Choice, "Do What You Wanna Do" by T-Connection, "Twilight (inst)" by Maze, "You + Me + Love" by Undisputed Truth, "More Bounce To The Ounce (parts 1 & 2)" by Zapp, "Now That We Found Love (disco mix)" by Third World, "Hi Tension" by Hi Tension, "Dancing In Outer Space" by Atmosfear, "Money's Too Tight To Mention" by Valentine Brothers, "Searching" by Change, and "Running Away" by Roy Ayers. CD

Deep, deep disco selected by Johnny "D" DeMairo – one of the more pivotal underground club music figures of the past couple decades, via his role in setting up the Henry Street imprint – here putting together an incredible set of the rare disco greatness! This the the expansive, floor-shaking, genre-straddling stuff that inspired the house and clubby soul scenes to come – and it's one of the best compilations of harder-to-find disco that's we've gotten our hands in years. The setlist features a divers mix of famous and lesser-remembered names – with styles ranging from straight forward disco stormers to strains of earlyish electro and 80s grooves – benchmark singles and inventive productions that bridge the eras! Tracks by Cerrone, Kasso, Skyy, The System, The O'Jays and more! Disc One of the 2CD edition feature 19 tracks mixed masterfully: "Ride On The Rhythm" by Mahogany feat Bernice Watkins, "Time For Live" by The Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band, "It's Passion" by The System, "Spank" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "Call Me" by Skyy, "Dance For Every" by Gaucho, "We're On The Right Track" by Ultra High Frequency and more. CD Two features 13 unmixed disco jams: "This Time Baby" by The O'Jays, "How To Win Your Love" by Spencer Jones, "Dub Till We Drop" by La Fluer, "I've Got To Find A Way" by Zena Djonay, "Think Fast" by Pamela Joy and more. CD

Rare rock from the Golden Triangle scene of Southeast TX in the late 60s and early 70s – a well-curated overview of the stylistically sprawling material being cut at Mickey Rouse's Lowland Recording Studio in Beaumont! Texas rock of the late 60s and early 70s justifiably brings to mind acts like The 13th Floor Elevators and The Bubble Puppy – tripped out psychedelia in other words, but Texas is huge, and there was a heck of a lot more going on than just the best remembered cult favorites. The music coming out of just the Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, Texas "triangle" chronicled here was incredibly diverse. It includes proto TX boogie rock that's a clear precursor to early ZZ Top, harmony flavored numbers that sound closer to Cali than they do The Lone Star State, one track that somehow fuses CS&N with The Beatles and does so with prominent cowbell in the mix (and it's good!!!), punchy psych grit, and swaggering country rock with some twang in the strings that feels a bit more profoundly Texan. You don't need our word that The Numero Group has devoted some serious attention to detail – with a 35-page booklet of notes, photos and histories, plus the impressive Lost In The Golden Triangle "family tree" of the regional musicians involved – as if discovering these long buried regional relics wasn't impressive enough already. Beautiful! 22 tracks in all: "Trash One" by the Lowland Studio Band, "Live My Life Today" by Insight Out, "Simple House" by Mother Lion, "Love Of The Morning" by Circus, "Take A Look At Your Friends" by Next Exit, "You Know I Love You" by Roy Briggs & Alton Tew, "Calling Me Home (Demo)" by Donald Thomas and more. CD

A batch of rare Northern Soul – featuring a whole bunch of numbers we've never seen before – floor shaking numbers by solo singers & groups such asJesse Davis, Jimmy Holiday, Brenton Wood, The Hytones, The Gypsies, The Tiaras and many more! You probably don't need us to tell you that Kent Records UK has been digging deep for the mightiest and most sought after Northern Soul singles they could find for their impeccable series of compilations – and they go above and beyond once again with this one. Great stuff with solid notes and put together with care and affection! 24 tracks in all: "Hang On In There Girl (Inst)" by The Jesse Davis Band, "Try My Love" by Troy Dodds, "Black Mother Goose" by Sam Nesbit, "Queen Of Losers" by Eleanor Rigby, "Hook, Line And Sinker" by San Greer, "Deeper" by The Cheques, "There's Room For Me" by Jesse Davis, "Just A Fool" by Jerry Ganey and more. CD

One of those few classic cases where a compilation of tracks was maybe even more influential than the original music itself – as this early 70s collection of 60s material turned out to shape and influence generations for decades to come! Guitar genius Lenny Kaye put the set together famously for Elektra Records in 1972 – as a reminder that, just a few years before, there were some amazing sounds that were not only brewing up in local indie scenes around the country, but also on the radio as well – even though most of those groups had been pushed into relative obscurity by the rise of soft rock, hard rock, and classic rock of the early 70s! The package is a return to the pre-prog years, with an especially strong ear for garage-tuned tracks that would go on to shape later punk, 80s indie, and lots more underground sounds in the future. Titles include "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" by Electric Prunes, "Dirty Water" by the Standells, "Respect" by Vagrants, "No Time Like The Right Time" by Blues Project, "Invitation To Cry" by Magicians, "You're Gonna Miss Me" by Thirteenth Floor Elevators, "Psychotic Reaction" by Count Five, "Baby Please Don't Go" by Amboy Dukes, "My World Fell Down" by Sagittarius, "Open My Eyes" by Nazz, "It's A Happening" by The Magic Mushrooms, "Lies" by The Knickerbockers, "Oh Yeah" by Shadows Of Knight, "Sit Down I Think I Love You" by The Mojo Men, "Just Like Romeo & Juliet" by Michael & The Messengers, "Hey Joe" by The Leaves, and "Farmer John" by The Premiers. LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool package that's way more than just the blues promised in the title – as the set brings together work from a variety of scenes and styles, all showing the many ways that American blues had such an impact on UK sounds from the mod generation onwards! There's definitely some tracks here that stick to a slavish representation of the original influence – but the set also includes all sorts of great divergences, tracing the path that so many artists would take from learning blues licks to really stepping out with new sounds of their own in psych, prog, hard rock, and other British styles to follow! There's also some surprising folk moments too – and over the course of 73 tracks, the box follows a fantastic journey – also supported with great notes too – through the work of artists who include Siren, Andy Roberts, Medicine Head, John Martyn, The Deviants, Pentangle, Killing Floor, Jo Ann Kelly, Jellybread, Alexis Korner, Rod Stewart, Mike Cooper, Savoy Brown, The Purple Gang, Al Jones, Bronx Cheer, Dave Ellis, Roger Hubbard, Taste, Incredible String Band, Ralph McTell, and many others. CD

A wealth of rare work from Jamaican studio genius Bunny Striker Lee – unusual cuts and unreleased material – all of it a further testament to his legendary ear for a mindblowing sound! These aren't half-baked cuts, or material that deserved to fall to the cutting room floor – because the style is years ahead of its time, and put together with techniques and styles that are still pretty darn revolutionary after all these many years! Some tracks have a strong vocal presence, others are more instrumental – and in addition to Lee's famous flying cymbals technique, there's lots more going on here too – including some totally cool space age sounds. Unreleased tracks include "Bell Road Rock" by The Aggrovators, "Joe Frazier" by Tommy McCook, "Go Jah Jah Pickney" by Linval Thompson, "No Man Is An Island" by Johnny Clarke & Horace Andy, "Bunny Lee & King Tubby's Dubplate Special" by Cornell Campbell, "Life Of My Own" by The Raver, "Look How Long Nyabinghi Calling You" by Linval Thompson, "King Tubby's Vs Arrows Dubplate" by Cornell Campbell, "Jamaican Fruit Of African Roots" by Lennox Brown & Sheila Richards, "No Babylon Shall Escape In This Time" by Johnny Clarke, and "Every Knee Shall Bow" by Ronnie Davis. LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime second solo effort from Syd Barrett – and maybe his most perfectly-formed album ever! There's a sinister balance to the record right from the start – a gentle approach to the offbeat themes that is almost more unsettling than if the matter was undertaken more forcefully – weird little bits just tossed off by Syd as if they're really the ramblings of the madman promised on the cover of his first LP – almost with a deadpan quality that makes the whole thing even more unsettling with repeated listenings! Instrumentation is relatively lean – almost a folksy mix of acoustic guitar, electric, sullen bass, and some haunting keyboards – all as if someone picked apart Pink Floyd, then started to construct a rough sketch from the parts that lay scattered on the floor. The album's had an influence from psych through punk and many years beyond – and titles include "Baby Lemonade", "Gigolo Aunt", "Wolfpack", "Effervescing Elephant", "Winde & Dined", "Rats", and "It Is Obvious". CD

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. CD

One of those 90s albums that really made people sit up and take notice of saxophonist Joe Lovano – a musician who'd been appearing on records since the 70s, but who finally got the due he deserved when Blue Note let him open up like this! The album's got a relatively loose, open vibe – almost free, but still swinging at most points – as Joe blows tenor, soprano, and straight alto sax in a trio with the great bassist Dave Holland, the the legendary Elvin Jones on drums! In some way, the record's an extension of that vibe that Jones had in the early 70s – when he's really let a strong reed player take the lead, while also egging him on with his boundless energy – interplay that definitely happens here, on titles that include "New York Fascination", "Eternal Joy", "Villa Paradiso", "Days Of Yore", "4 On The Floor", and "Studio Rivbea". CD

A bristling, crackling, completely charming set from Bruno Mars – and a record that lives up to all the best promise he has to offer! We don't know the man personally, but Bruno seems like a hell of a guy – warmly confident, upbeat, and positive – all qualities that really come through here – on tunes that are already pretty darn catchy at the start, then just keep growing on you the more you give them a spin! Instrumentation is very much in an 80s mode – with some sweet keys on most tracks, and a backing vocals that really flesh out the lyrics in a great way – unabashedly 1982, but maybe at a level that's better than most of the mainstream soul from the time. Titles include "Calling All My Lovelies", "Versace On The Floor", "That's What I Like", "Chunky", "24k Magic", "Finesse", and "Straight Up & Down". LP, Vinyl record album

What a great record! This one seems to be nothing fancy at the outset – mostly covers of soul and pop tunes, done by The Originals in an early 70s harmony soul mode – but the overall quality of the record is incredible, with a mixture of rough and sweet vocals that sends just about every tune over the top, more in an east coast indie mode than most of the other group work on Motown at the time. Arrangements are by Willie Shorter, Paul Riser, and HB Barnum – but it's the vocals that will floor you, on tracks that include "The Exodus Song", "The Rovin Kind", "Love Is Life", "I've Got A Need For You", "Make It With You", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", and "Lie No 2". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that came out at the end of the 90s, but which features unreleased material from earlier years – which you might have guessed, given the "vault" in the title! The set has tracks that go all the way back to the mid 80s, but is mostly focused on the final years when Prince was working with Warner Brothers – including some when he'd dropped his name – and overall, although there's no huge hits here, the material from Prince's cutting room floor is still head and shoulders above most from the rest – tight, funky, and full of catchy hooks! Titles include "My Little Pill", "Extraordinary", "Rest Of My Life", "It's About That Walk", "She Spoke 2 Me", "5 Women", and "When The Lights Go Down".". CD

Titles include "Kodachrome", "Loves Me Like A Rock", "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", "One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor", "American Tune", "Was A Sunny Day", and "Something So Right". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty compelling record from trombonist Bill Watrous – one of those players you always figure for a straight guy, but who always manages to throw in a curve ball at the right moment! This one's got Bill working with a large group in kind of a mixed electric big band style – and the tracks have the appeal of some of the European groups that were working in this mode during the early 70s – especially some of the larger ensembles on MPS! The grooves are more jazzy than funky, but still plenty great – and the horn sections really benefit from some great electronic help from Dick Hyman on moog and Fender Rhodes, and Joe Beck on guitar. Titles include "Dee Dee", "Ayo", "Fourth Floor Walk Up", "Zip City", and a nice version of Chick Corea's "Spain". LP, Vinyl record album

A New York performance by the legendary pianist Yosuke Yamashita, but one that burns every bit as strongly as his famous albums from Japan – thanks in part to some really incredible work from Akira Sakata on alto and clarinet! There's few folks who could ever hope to match the Cecil Taylor-like energy of Yamashita on the piano, but Sakata always seems to rise to the challenge wonderfully – and with the drums of Shota Koyama along for the ride, the trio must have left the New York audience with their jaws on the floor – especially as most of the US had not been able to get access to Yosuke's records at the time. The set features three very long tracks – "Rabbit Dance", "Mina's Second Theme", and "Sunayama". CD

A much-needed look at a key force in Italian disco – the legendary Baia Degli Angeli, a club that was as important to Europe as the Paradise Garage was to New York! The CD features a great selection of numbers that played strongly on Angeli's dancefloor in the late 70s, most of which have a spacey electronic quality that links them strongly to some of the best underground club of New York at the time. The CD's mixed together in a way that recreates the feel of the legendary floor – and titles include "Midnight Madness" by Don Ray, "Zone" by Rhythm Makers, "Don't You Know Who Did It" by John Forde, "Pazuzu" by Tony Silvester & The New Ingredient, "Surprise" by Andre Gagnon, "Sweet Lady" by Chain Reaction, "Timing Forget The Timing" by Black Devil, "Magnifico Mambo" by Five Letters, "Come On & Rock" by Needa, "Point Zero" by Voyage, "Un Habit En La Bemol" by Flashback Roger Gravel, and "Monkey Star" by Arpadys. CD

Features Strawberry Alarmclock, Count Five, 13th Floor Elevators, Spencer Davis Group, Frijid Pink and more – 21 tracks in all! CD

Includes tracks by Bobby Fuller Four, Sir Douglas Quintet, Steve Miller Band, Floyd Dakil Combo, The Loose Ends, Augie Meyers, Mouse, and The Thirteenth Floor Elevators – 18 tracks total. CD

A landmark double-live album that was easily one of the most important soul record moments of the 70s! The concert was an all-star event held in LA to celebrate the anniversary of the Watts riots – but it features a killer lineup of talent from the roster of Stax Records – by then a proud independent with more than enough power to spread a nationwide message from Memphis to Los Angeles without any trouble! The record is nicely segmented – so that it offers up mini "sets" by each artist – really recreating the feel of the event, at a level that lived on in countless living rooms long after the concert was over. Titles include "Son Of Shaft/Feel It" and "I Can't Turn You Loose" by The Bar-Kays; "Ain't No Sunshine" by Isaac Hayes, "I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To" and "Hearsay" by The Soul Children, "I Like What You're Doing To Me" and "Gee Whiz" by Carla Thomas; "The Breakdown" and "Do The Funky Penguin" by Rufus Thomas, "Killing Floor" and "Angel Of Mercy" by Albert King"; "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There" by The Staple Singers; and "Knock On Wood" by Eddie Floyd. Also includes 2 studio tracks recorded after the show – "Oh La De Da" by The Staple Singers, and "Lay Your Loving On Me" by Eddie Floyd. LP, Vinyl record album

Gerald Albright's not really one to push the envelope – at least not in the way you'd expect from more progressive jazzmen – but this set is still right on the money for Gerald, and very much in the soul-drenched territory that's kept him high in the charts for years! Albright's got help on the record from some classic soul jazz heavyweights – including Earl Klugh, Fred Wesley, and George Duke, who each guest on a track apiece – but it's Gerald's horn that's still the most winning element here, wrapped up in some relatively lean backings with a smooth variant on funk at the bottom. Titles include "Get On the Floor", "Bobo's Groove", "What Would James Do", "Capetown Strut", "Close To You", "Embrace The Spirit", and "Highway 70". CD

A sublime second solo effort from Syd Barrett – and maybe his most perfectly-formed album ever! There's a sinister balance to the record right from the start – a gentle approach to the offbeat themes that is almost more unsettling than if the matter was undertaken more forcefully – weird little bits just tossed off by Syd as if they're really the ramblings of the madman promised on the cover of his first LP – almost with a deadpan quality that makes the whole thing even more unsettling with repeated listenings! Instrumentation is relatively lean – almost a folksy mix of acoustic guitar, electric, sullen bass, and some haunting keyboards – all as if someone picked apart Pink Floyd, then started to construct a rough sketch from the parts that lay scattered on the floor. The album's had an influence from psych through punk and many years beyond – and titles include "Baby Lemonade", "Gigolo Aunt", "Wolfpack", "Effervescing Elephant", "Winde & Dined", "Rats", and "It Is Obvious". LP, Vinyl record album

2 lesser-known sides of Blossom Dearie – both recorded in Paris in the 50s! The first 8 tracks on the set are from a rare 10" session recorded in 1955 – one that features Blossom only at the piano, not singing, but swinging in a solid trio format. Tracks on that session include "The Boy Next Door", "Down In The Depths Of The 90th Floor", "April In Paris", and "Blue Moon". The other 4 tracks on the set are from a 45rpm ep by Blossom's famous vocal group, The Blue Stars. The ensemble featured vocalese performances by young singers that included Christine Legrand, Jeanine De Waleyne, and Fats Sadi – and was the virtual blueprint for later jazz vocal groups, like Les Double Six or The Swingle Singers. Titles from that group include "Toute Ma Joie", "Embrasse Moi Bien", and "Toute Ma Joie". CD

Solo work for drumset, percussion, feedback, prepared floor tom by Bill Harris. CD

A really well done collection of work recorded by Howlin Wolf for Chess – put together in the early 70s, but featuring sides from the 50s and 60s. The album's got a good set of notes by Pete Welding, and tracks that include "Down In The Bottom", "Forty Four', "My Country Sugar Mama", "Spoonful", "Red Rooster", "Moanin For My Baby", "I Asked For Water", "Wang Dang Doodle", "Who's Been Talkin", "Built For Comfort", "Ooh Baby Hold Me", "Baby How Long", "Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy", and "Killing Floor". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge record in its day and it hasn't aged a minute since! On Psychocandy the Reid brothers took all the underground Brit indie psych revival modes and filtered them through the Velvet Underground at their noisiest, then paired melodies learned from sources as sweet as 60s Wall Of Sound pop and the Beach Boys to ferociously fuzzy guitars – and stunning found a way to spring this onto to fringes of the mainstream on both sides of the Atlantic! Hugely influential – a record that points the way towards sounds so many would soon follow. Titles include "In A Hole", "The Hardest Walk", "Taste The Floor", "Just Like Honey", "Never Understand", and "You Trip Me Up". DualDisc audio is advanced resolution 96khz/24 bit stereo sound and Dolby stereo sound. CD

A bristling, crackling, completely charming set from Bruno Mars – and a record that lives up to all the best promise he has to offer! We don't know the man personally, but Bruno seems like a hell of a guy – warmly confident, upbeat, and positive – all qualities that really come through here – on tunes that are already pretty darn catchy at the start, then just keep growing on you the more you give them a spin! Instrumentation is very much in an 80s mode – with some sweet keys on most tracks, and a backing vocals that really flesh out the lyrics in a great way – unabashedly 1982, but maybe at a level that's better than most of the mainstream soul from the time. Titles include "Calling All My Lovelies", "Versace On The Floor", "That's What I Like", "Chunky", "24k Magic", "Finesse", and "Straight Up & Down". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Tex Ritter's finest moments – a very eerie take on the cowboy genre – with titles that include "The Face on the Barroom Floor", "Boll Weevil", and the title track. Beautiful color illustration on the cover, and nice Capitol sound on the album. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Bunny Sigler dancefloor tunes ever – a captivating, floor-storming number with a really propulsive groove! The track jumps along on some sweet Instant Funk backing – with just enough funky guitar riffing and warm keyboard lines to keep things soulful – and even Bunny's high vocals manage to come out just right for the tune! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Pretty darn obscure stuff from Clifford Thornton – and pretty darn great! The record features Thornton's New Art Ensemble, which includes Sonny King on alto, Karl Berger on vibes, Joe McPhee on trumpet, and Jimmy Garrison on bass. The tracks are similar to some of Thornton's later work, but with an open-ended style that's a bit more free. Titles include "Free Huey", "15th Floor", "O CT", "The Wake", and "Exosphere". CD

Seminal work from Roger Troutman and Zapp – a killer batch of cuts that forever changed the sound of funk! The group's "wheeeeeeet/whomp!" sound is very firmly in place by the time of this release – and the sound here is even more electric than their debut – a groundbreaking style that went onto inspire countless acts of the electro generation, and a fair bit of hip hoppers too! Vocals are by Roger, Bad Bobby Glover, and Gregory Jackson – and Zapp's basslines really kick the whole thing into gear – as do the keyboards, too. Titles include "A Touch Of Jazz (Playin Kinda Ruff Part 2)", "Dance Floor", "Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)", "Come On", "Do You Really Want An Answer", and "Playin Kinda Ruff". LP, Vinyl record album

The not so Guilty Secrets Of Northern Soul on Ace – uptempo, dancefloor ready singles compiled by Ace – leftfield stormers from pop, rock and blue-eyed soul and otherwise uncommon resources that meet the exciting, floor-shaking criteria! It's cool stuff all the way, with recognizable names and lesser knowns – singles by Judy Harris, The Rumblers, The Seeds with Sky Saxon, The Spyders, Garland Green, Jay & The Americans and many more! 24 tracks in all: "Don't Stop Lookin'", "You Touched Me" by Judy Harris, "Ten Miles High' by David & The Giants, "Keeps On Burning" by The Burning Bush, "You Sexy Sugar Plum (But I Like It)" by Rodger Collins, "Bumpin' And Stompin'" by Garland Green, "Elusive" by Babe Ruth, "I Can Take Care Of Myself" by The Spyders, "Walk Tall (Like A Man)" by by 2 Of Clubs, "Livin' Above Your Head" by Jay & The Americans and more. CD

A wealth of rare work from Jamaican studio genius Bunny Striker Lee – unusual cuts and unreleased material – all of it a further testament to his legendary ear for a mindblowing sound! These aren't half-baked cuts, or material that deserved to fall to the cutting room floor – because the style is years ahead of its time, and put together with techniques and styles that are still pretty darn revolutionary after all these many years! Some tracks have a strong vocal presence, others are more instrumental – and in addition to Lee's famous flying cymbals technique, there's lots more going on here too – including some totally cool space age sounds. Unreleased tracks include "Bell Road Rock" by The Aggrovators, "Joe Frazier" by Tommy McCook, "Go Jah Jah Pickney" by Linval Thompson, "No Man Is An Island" by Johnny Clarke & Horace Andy, "Bunny Lee & King Tubby's Dubplate Special" by Cornell Campbell, "Life Of My Own" by The Raver, "Look How Long Nyabinghi Calling You" by Linval Thompson, "King Tubby's Vs Arrows Dubplate" by Cornell Campbell, "Jamaican Fruit Of African Roots" by Lennox Brown & Sheila Richards, "No Babylon Shall Escape In This Time" by Johnny Clarke, and "Every Knee Shall Bow" by Ronnie Davis. LP, Vinyl record album

Let's face it, you're not buying an album entitled "B!tch Betta Have My Money" for lyrical depth. For better or worse, this one's earned its place in the hip hop history books, and we'll be the first to prop up "Vertical Joyride" as a funky guilty pleasure, and guaranteed floor filler for you working DJ's. 21 tracks, counting all the interludes, of rump-shaking, potty-mouthed, booty music, that believe it or not didn't come from the Dirty South, though it's no doubt in large part responsible for most of what has. Includes the title track, "Jiggable Pie", "Tha Booty Up", "Mai Sista Izza B!tch", "I Wanna Be Yo Ho","B!tch Betta Have My Money" and a whole trunk full of riffs on similar themes. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing session recorded by Bill Black – a singer known best for his work with Gene Krupa in the 40s, but whose life took a sad turn in the 50s, and was barely heard from again! This album's a really unique session recorded by Bill in the early 50s – one that features very spare accompaniment that's mostly guitar and bass – and these wonderfully fragile vocals by Black that easily place him in the Chet Baker camp. The tunes are all extremely well-chosen – numbers that have the right lack of bravado to fit Bill's sad-tinged vocals – and the arrangements are surprisingly fresh too, way more than just simple renditions of the tunes. There's a brilliance here that we'd almost match with Sinatra's Wee Small Hours album – but which also has the gentle easygoing feel of some of the work of Matt Dennis. Titles include "Listen Little Boy", "Nobody's Heart", "Spring Is Here", "Down In The Depths On The 90th Floor", and "Where Are You". CD

Two lesser known tracks from Booker T – but both nice! "Slim Jenkins" has kind of a slight western tinge on the guitar – stepping around a saloon floor with the kind of edgey approach you'd expect from a guy named "Slim"! "Groovin" is a nice instrumental take on the big crossover hit – done with easily sliding organ and guitar that kind of hint at the later Melting Pot years! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. Cassette

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. LP, Vinyl record album