Brilliant later work by Bobby Blue Bland – done with backings that are much fuller than on his earlier albums – a mixture of strings and horns that really expand the sound! That doesn't keep things from being soulful, though – as Bobby's in incredible form vocally, really rising to the occasion of the session with some of his best vocal performances of the decade. Great throughout – and one of his few true classic sessions after the early Duke years. Titles include "Today I Started Loving You Again", "I Take It On Home", "I Hate You", "If Fingerprints Showed Up On Skin", and "Too Far Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A landmark album in a landmark package – a set that takes this gem from Sly & The Family Stone, presses it up on a special hi-fidelity gold CD, then cradles the whole thing in special box with a heavy hardcover book with lots of new notes – and a fabric American flag sewn right onto the cover! The album's a wonderful moment Sly and crew – moving way past the straight funk approach of earlier records, into a complicated crossover soul style that's filled with warmth and righteousness! Despite the political tone implied by the "riot" in the title and the co-option of the American flag on the cover, the album's strongest suit is its warmth and personal soul message – sometimes filled with politics, sure, but always sounding like a sexy love song, no matter how hard it tries to get righteous! The flow is wonderful throughout – a very well-thought out album that shows that Sly was singing way past the singles scene – and the record's filled with great cuts like "Family Affair", "Luv N Haight", "Brave & Strong", "You Caught Me Smilin", and "Thank You For Talkin To Me Africa". Also features "There's A Riot Going On" – which runs for "0:00" minutes! The whole thing's completely sublime already – but in this special box, it's really something else. CD

The fantastic third album from Common – the record that really catapulted him on his way to stardom, yet a set that still retains all the best aspects of his early days in Chicago! Part of that quality comes from the superb production of No ID, who gets a bit of local help from Dug Infinite and Twilite Tone – all talents who have that special, sophisticated vibe that was really starting to flow from Chicago out to the rest of the world – and which here is perfect for the well-crafted lyrics from Common! The balance is great – never too hard or heavy, yet also not trying to ape either a west coast quirky or New York native tongues approach. This time around, there's also plenty of guests on board, of the sort that Common would soon be rubbing shoulders with on a regular basis – a lineup that includes The Roots, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, Canibus, Black Thought, Lauryn Hill, and De La Soul. Yet throughout, the vibe is Common's and Chicago's – something that's always made us very proud to be from the same scene at the same time. Titles include "1 2 Many", "Reminding Me Of Sef", "Invocation", "Stolen Moments", "My City", "Real Nigga Quotes", and "Retrospect For Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little later album from Miles Davis – one that still has some sharp edges and interesting moments that refine the earlier electric sound of the 70s! Teo Macero's still producing here, and he gives the record a focus that really brings the best sound out of the tunes – and although there's not as much noise, funk, or raw energy as before, there's still a shimmeringly modern style that's quite different from most other electric jazz of the time – proof that Davis was still an innovator even in these years! Other instrumentation includes electric piano, guitar, and soprano sax – and titles include "Fat Time", "Aida", "The Man With The Horn", "Ursula", and "Back Seat Betty". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet studio Miles Davis from the 80s – a record that takes the 70s electric experiments and fuses them into a sound that's got a lot more R&B influence than before! The style is a bit poppy at times, but never in a way that's too slick – and often, Davis is using his muted trumpet to state lines boldly in ways that still have a greater sense of depth and craft than most of his contemporaries. A few tracks show some of the gritty New York rock/funk trend of the time, while others are lighter and more lyrical – and titles include covers of "Time After Time" and "Human Nature" – Miles' attempt to find standards in contemporary pop – plus the tracks "Katia", "You're Under Arrest", "Ms Morrisine", and "One Phone Call/Street Scenes". LP, Vinyl record album

There's never been a better bit of pop throwaway dancefloor fodder ever! Sure, these guys were blaring out of every cheap radio at the time, and it was just about impossible to walk into a shopping mall without hearing "Groove Is In The Heart" for about 5 years after the album came out – but to us, that was a great thing, and the record represents one of the high points in pop music of the past few decades. Thanks to some skillful sampling by Towa Tei, the group were grounded in a rich history of funk, house, disco, soul, and Brazilian influences – all of which they managed to blend with a postmodern perfection that other groups could only ever dream of! The big hits are certainly very familiar, but the whole album's a delight – and tracks include "Who Was That?", "Smile On", "Try Me On . . . I'm Very You", "World Clique", "ESP", and "Good Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever cut by Les DeMerle, one of the hippest drummers of his time – made legendary thanks to legions of samplers and beatheads in the 90s! This is certainly one of Les' best ever efforts – a tight batch of funky big band tracks, with lots of nice grooves, and a very hip lineup that includes Frank Foster, Joe Beck, Chris Woods, Arnie Lawrence, and Charles Sullivan – all coming together in some great tunes that have very unusual rhythms, and a great format that puts the drums in line with the hip playing in the reed section! The album includes Les' famous version of "A Day in the Life", which begins with a monster funky intro – plus the cuts "Fusion – Pro & Con", "Underground", "Deflections 1, 2, 3, & 4", and "Aquarius". This great 2011 edition from Get On Down has 2 bonus tracks: "The Raven" and his version of "I Am The Walrus"! CD

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

There's a great sense of versatility going on here – both in terms of the nature of the tunes, and the production – which is handled by a large lineup that includes Camouflage Monk, Jon Glass, Streetrunner, Ill Tone, Enrique, Toney Boi, Stress Fracture, Elijah Think A Lot, and Imminent! Yet throughout it all, the upfront vocal style of Elcamino holds strong – almost as if you're confronting him in a variety of locations, but he's picking up the conversation from where he left off the last time you met. Titles include "James Brown", "Angels", "Blind Love", "Fashionably Late", "Lauren Would Love This", "Money Felt Better", "Art Dealer", and "Zion". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest songs ever from Issac Hayes – presented here in the non-stop, 33 minute jam session that gave the world the shorter single! The whole thing is amazing – and even more of a chance to see Hayes' genius in the studio than some of his full albums – as Ike conducts the core Bar-Kays group, and some additional strings and vocals – through passages that are tight and funky one minute, then freaky and fuzzy the next – with lots of cool time changes, instrumental shifts, and other sweet styles that make the whole thing feel more like an extended funk symphony than just a single song! This is the first time this full performance has ever been released – and the single features both parts, plus a bonus "rhythm section mix". Also comes with a cool booklet of notes! LP, Vinyl record album

Pivotal early dub! Depending upon whose history of the Jamaican recording industry you subscribe to, this is can be considered by many to be the first dub LP – and whether that's proveable or not, it's certain among the first! History aside, it's a mighty set with some raw early dub style workouts at the hands of Errol Thompson at the renowned 16 North Parade recording studio run by Randy's, with some deft production by Clive Chin. Needing virtually no introduction, the Impact All Stars drop some incredible rhythms, many which will be immediately recognizable as having been versioned from massive numbers for Augustus Pablo, Junior Byles and the Soul Vendors. Titles include "Java Dub", "Cheating Dub", "ET Special", "Ordinary Version Dub", "Hide Away Dub" and "Black Man's Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky funky Thailand – just about the only 70s funk group we've ever seen from that part of the globe, and a great one at that! The Impossibles work in a tightly-crafted ensemble funk style that's clearly influenced by Kool & The Gang – but which also has the group hitting some well-polished notes on a few of the album's vocal numbers – in a totally cool groove that's got plenty of hard funky riffs at the bottom, sweet horns in the middle, and some great compressed pop vocals on the top! The album's a real lost treasure – one that we've never seen on this side of the Atlantic – and was oddly recorded and issued in Sweden in the mid 70s! But this album is way more than just a musical oddity – as it's super-funky all the way through, with a level of quality that will have it at the top of your crates for a long, long time! Titles include "Hotpepper", "Give It Up", "California", "C'mon Baby", "Easy To Be Hard", "Pretty Thing", "Love Will Keep Us Together", and "Love The Life You Live". CD

The percussion-heavy soul gem from Herman Kelly & Life – recorded in both Brazil & Miami – and awash with killer drum work all the way through! The album's a key part of the Miami sound especially – and really shows the way that city's 70s funk scene used congas heavily – really filling up the middle of a cut with even more energy than usual! The album's best known for the classic sample cut "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" – which is offered up here in a nice extended version, with a long percussion break that makes it even tastier than usual – and the record's also got a few other uptempo cuts like "Who's the Funky DJ?" and "Do The Handbone" – plus the tracks "Time After Time", "A Refreshing Love", and "Share Your Love". CD

Soaring salsa from the mighty Lebron Brothers – a group who first burst on the Latin scene with a strong run of Latin Soul recordings, but who are taking a more straightforward approach here! Yet that change hardly makes any difference, as the Lebrons still have that bold, youthful energy that made their records such a great change from some of the too-big bands of the previous generation in Latin music – and their shift from boogaloo to salsa is a great example of the way the key younger acts were helping make the waves that so many other artists would follow! Pablo Lebron sings lead vocals, and Angel and Jose Lebron co-lead the mighty tight grooves – which include alto from Gabe Gill and tenor from Herman Saldana – both players who keep a soulful sound to the set. Titles include "Mi Fracaso", "Si Ti", "Todo Lo Hechaste Ha Perder", "Orgullo, Riqueza Y Lujo", and "Tus Recuerdos". LP, Vinyl record album

Very very very groovy stuff by this masterful jazz vibist, recorded with a sort of late 60s swingin' feel – but still very much in the pocket and warm as a summer breeze! Lytle has a pretty remarkable way of playing the vibes with speed and energy, yet the overall feel still has kind of a relaxed West Coast vibe – a beautiful blend that rivals, if not beats, the sound of Cal Tjader on late 60s Verve! Jimmy Foster grooves along on organ, and the interplay with Lytle is key to the classic sound – but the whole group is great here – Major Holley on bass, Peppy Hinant on drums and Don Alias on conga, which brings in plenty of Latin kick. 6 of the 10 numbers are Lytle originals, including "Done It Again", "Sleepy Dozier", "Zote", "Jungle Child" and "Happy Preacher" – plus "If Ever I Should Leave You", "People" and "The Nearness Of You". CD

Very groovy stuff from the Capitol heyday of the late 60s! The record ostensibly gives TV star (from "U.N.C.L.E.") David McCallum a chance to conduct a set of groovy instrumentals – but David Axelrod produced the album, and HB Barnum did some of the arrangements in the same groovy style he used on some of his best Capitol work! The record features a cool Axelrod composition called "The Edge", which is as good as anything from any of his 3 Capitol albums – plus other nice tracks like "Final", "Five O'Clock World", "Call Me", "Batman", and "Far Away Blue". CD

Very groovy stuff from the Capitol heyday of the late 60s! The record ostensibly gives TV star (from "U.N.C.L.E.") David McCallum a chance to conduct a set of groovy instrumentals – but David Axelrod produced the album, and HB Barnum did some of the arrangements in the same groovy style he used on some of his best Capitol work! The record features a cool Axelrod composition called "The Edge", which is as good as anything from any of his 3 Capitol albums – plus other nice tracks like "Final", "Five O'Clock World", "Call Me", "Batman", and "Far Away Blue". CD

Mobb Deep steps into a new millennium with a slightly bigger sound, but without losing the plot! Long-heralded for being gritty and raw in the best kind of way, Prodigy & Havoc had nothing left to prove on that front – so taking a slight left turn with a more introspective lyrical bent and some sweeter soul backing vocals on the hook is anything but a crime against their legacy if you ask us, it actually deepens it –- especially with the rhymes still in their cornerstone style on a lot of the tracks. 16 tracks in all, including "Get Away", "Bounce", "Hey Luv (Anything)", "The Learning (Burn)", "Get At Me", "Clap", "Crawlin", "There I Go Again" with Ron Isley, "I Won't Fall" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy moogy classic! This was one of the first records to apply the moog sound in a pop idiom in a major way – and boy, is it a resounding success with us! Hugo Montenegro scores a number of pop tracks and originals in the same cool jazzy style that he used on his best 60's soundtracks, then, he builds in a lot of groovy moog parts, and peppers the tracks with some vocals by male members of his chorus. The tracks have a lot of nice sharp bits that might be used as samples, with good quirky moog moments, and occasional heavy drums. Tracks include "Moog Power", "Dizzy", "You Showed Me", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Hair", and a very cool cover of "MacArthur Park". CD

A groovy moogy classic! This was one of the first records to apply the moog sound in a pop idiom in a major way – and boy, is it a resounding success with us! Hugo Montenegro scores a number of pop tracks and originals in the same cool jazzy style that he used on his best 60's soundtracks, then, he builds in a lot of groovy moog parts, and peppers the tracks with some vocals by male members of his chorus. The tracks have a lot of nice sharp bits that might be used as samples, with good quirky moog moments, and occasional heavy drums. Tracks include "Moog Power", "Dizzy", "You Showed Me", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Hair", and a very cool cover of "MacArthur Park". CD

If you don't know the music of Brief Encounter, prepare for a revelation – as the group were relatively obscure, even back in their prime – but managed to cut some of the hippest soul records that were ever issued on the Carolina scene! Brief Encounter aren't southern soul or combo funk – although they can handle the best elements of both modes – and instead, they've got this wonderfully wide-ranging sound that allows them to embrace so many rich styles at once – equally great on a ballad as on a groover, and as vocally sensitive as they are musically intense. The group only issued one full album back in the day – reissued successfully over the years – but this package brings together all their rare singles, including one from the early Sounds Of Soul incarnation of the group. Titles include "Where Will I Go", "Get A Good Feeling", "In A Very Special Way", "Human", "Total Satisfaction", "I'm So In Love With You", "We're Going To Make It", "I Want You So Much", "I'm Crazy About You", and "What About Love". This fantastic Japanese version features 16 tracks in all – titles from their singles for Seventy Seven, Capitol, Sound Plus, and Sonic – with additional titles that include "I'm So Satisfied", "Just A Little Notion", "Shake & Move", ""Get Right Down", "Don't Let Them Tell You", and the related cut "Always" by The Howard Sisters & Co. CD

Gene Chandler's one of those artists who never fails to surprise us. First known for his big early hits for Vee Jay – including "Duke Of Earl" – Gene stayed strong over many many years, shifting labels from time to time, continuing to grow as a singer and move through a range of different styles all handled quite well. This set offers an oft-lost side of Gene's career – his later recordings for Carl Davis' Chi-Sound label, home to a number of older Chicago soul artists who worked with Davis earlier at other labels. As with other singers on the label – such as Walter Jackson – Gene here moves into a smooth modern soul vein, mixing uptempo and midtempo tunes with ease, showing a sophisticated vocal style that you'd hardly ever expect from his earlier work! There's some real gems on this set – which features some of the best moments from Gene's years at Chi-Sound, including a few unissued cuts and at least one 12" track. 15 cuts in all, including "I'll Be There", in a previously unissued duet with Barbara Acklin, plus "Skate (aka Miss Crazy Legs)", "Does She Have A Friend", "I Keep Coming Back", "Time Is A Thief", "All About The Paper", "I'll Make The Living If You Make The Loving Worthwhile", "When You're #1", "Do What Comes Natural", "Love Is The Answer", and "Get Down", in both 12" and demo versions. CD

Three overlooked gems by the Everly Brothers – all very different than their early hits, and very much in the hippest territory the duo would ever hit! First up is The Hit Sound Of The Everly Brothers – a really amazing little album, and not a set of the pair's earlier hits, but instead an all new recording that has the duo moving into rootsier modes that rub shoulders with the same country rock territory of The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers! In truth, Don and Phil Everly are probably more important to the rise of the sound than anyone else – as their early work took a bluegrass harmony style, and moved it onto the rock charts – yet here, they almost seem to move backwards, and nod back to their roots – while still showcasing plenty of electric guitar in the mix. Most tunes are hits by other artists, but transformed with very hip late 60s Warner presentation – think Beau Brummels on Bradley's Barn – and titles include "Devil's Child", "Legend In My Own Time", "I'm Movin On", "Let's Go Get Stoned", "She Never Smiles Anymore", and "Sea Of Heartache". Sing is a record that has The Everly Brothers in a completely different mode than before, as you might guess from their look on the cover – a record that has Don and Phil moving into some very cool rootsy territory – really opening the door towards a generation of country rock to come, but at a level that reminds us that they maybe got the whole thing going in the first place! Production is in a very cool late 60s Warner Brothers mode – echoes of folk, psych, and sunshine in the mix – but all handled with this mature style that's at once sophisticated, yet completely down to earth – in a set of original tunes by the brothers, plus some gems from Terry Slater too – completely wonderful music that includes "Bowling Green", "A Voice Within", "I'm Finding It Rough", "Do You", "Mary Jane", "It's All Over", and "Talking To The Flowers". Roots is sublime country rock and superb vocals from the Everly Brothers – an album as close to our hearts as the much more hipster-celebrated work of the era by Gram Parsons, the Byrds and others! The Everlys grasped onto their significance throughout the 60s by hopping from trend to trend with little success – but they finally nailed it in 1968 with this effort. (Artistically, if not commercially.) The boys apply their staggering harmonies to country and country-ish material, adding their own unique spin to the tunes – and earnestly work in some montages of their family radio shows from the early 50s! It's easily their most endearing work of the 60s. Produced by Lenny Waronker with strings by Nick DeCaro. Includes wonderful versions of Jimmie Rodgers' "T For Texas", "Shady Grove", Randy Newman's "Illinois", Ray Price's "You Done Me Wrong", Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried" and "Sing Me Back Home", plus "Ventura Boulvard" and "Turn Around" written by Ron Elliot of Beau Brummels. 3CD set features lots more bonus tracks – including "When Eddie Comes Home", "Empty Boxes", "Milk Train", "Lord Of The Manor", "My Elusive Dreams", "You're Just What I Was Looking For Today", "Omaha", "Mr Soul", Shop Girl", "Human Race", "A Little Bit Of Crazy", "Nothing But The Best", and "Love Of The Common People". CD

The Kay-Gees' funkiest record ever – a set that's harder and sharper than anything else they'd ever record in years to come! Grabbing this one up is like finding a lost Kool & The Gang album from the early years – which is no surprise, since Ronald Bell of the group produced, and wrote a lot of the songs with the group – maybe acting as their mentor, and definitely giving the young group a great showcase for their boundless energy, and tight skills in the groove department! The band are incredibly tight – with lots of hard drums, choppy guitar, and the rolling party feel that made Kool & The Gang so great during their best years – captured here with a similarly raw production style. There's some great horns that blast in and out, sounding very off-beat at the best moments – like the classic "Who's the Man With the Master Plan", sampled by YZ many years ago – or other funky cuts like "Ain't No Time", "Get Down", and "You've Got to Keep on Bumpin". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet electric soul from Evelyn King – and a set that features lots of contributions from a young Kashif! Kashif both wrote some of the songs, and plays keyboards on the record – helping to give King that tightly focused sound that would really be her strongest suit in the early 80s! There's a nicely clean feel here that keeps the record moving strongly forward – and even though Evelyn's vocals are sometimes second-stage next to the beats and keyboards, they still have a way of sending the tunes home in the end. Titles include "Get Loose", "Back To Love", "I'm Just Warming Up", "Betcha She Don't Love You", "Love Come Down", and "I Can't Stand It". CD features some bonus cuts, too – "Love Come Down (12" version)", "Betcha She Don't Love You (US 12" inst)", "Love Come Down (12" inst)", and "Get Loose (US 12" voc)". CD

A great collection – 7 full albums from Kleeer, plus a full disc of bonus material too! First up is I Love To Dance – the first-ever album from Kleeer – and a set that's already got them head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries! The set's got just a bit of the keyboards that would later really define the Kleeer sound – and has some surprising disco elements, too – used by the quartet as a way to step away from the overblown mainstream of the time, into a groove that's leaner and cleaner for the next generation! Winners is a record that really has the group solidifying their sound – compressing keyboards, guitar, and grooves together in a sublimely boogie-heavy mode! Kleeer were really at the forefront of the coming 80s groove scene – and Woody Cunningham and the group draw heavily here from their previous experience with Patrick Adams, yet move into a smoother, tighter finish that set a new standard for the coming generation. License To Dream is seminal 80s work from Kleeer – a really wonderful record with a sound that's a heck of a lot more soulful than some of the group's contemporaries! A lot of the credit here goes to singer/songwriter Woody Cunningham – whose lead vocals really give the album a wonderfully solid feel, and push Kleeer away from the cliches of the keyboard-heavy generation – into a mode that sports tight lyrics, heartfelt leads, and a well-rounded sound that mixes equal parts ballads and groovers. Taste The Music is a classic from Kleeer – one of the best groups of their sound at the time – as they always have a perfect blend of new-style rhythms and keyboards with old school approaches to deeper soul grooves! The album's nicely heavy on that extended keyboard vibe that seems to have added that extra "e" to the group's name – and the keys are often used to punctuate the chorus of the tunes, then lay things down for the next round of grooves – all in a style that's very much the group's own! Get Ready is a record that nicely balances their funkier side with a better talent for more soulful styled numbers! The cover's got an 80s "workout" look that makes you worry that the record might be some aerobic material – but the grooves are often far more complicated than that, and stream out with some nice keyboard lines on the best numbers. Intimate Connection is one of the group's standout classics, and a set that's produced with kind of a jazzy finish by Deodato, who also plays some nice keyboards on the record! The Kleeer sound is at its height here – tight, warm, and filled with great harmonies on the vocals – which are then underpinned by a lot of keyboards and bass pedal work, yet in a way that never overwhelms the vocals. On Seeekret, the triple "e" is the key to the album's sound – as Kleeer are still very much at the top of their game, and opening up nicely with that string "wheeet" sound they get on their keyboards! The album's one of their key 80s partnerships with Deodato – who really helps them balance their sound, and come across with a style that's surprisingly rich and soulful – way more so than some of the other beats and keyboard acts of the time! The set also features a bonus CD – with 15 more tracks that include single mixes, remixes, and instrumentals! CD

There's a nicely dated look to the cover, and Moniquea comes across here with just the sort of 80s vibe you'd expect – plenty of beats and fat basslines underneath the keyboard-heavy instrumentation – all served up with a sweet sort of update on an older electro soul mode! The producers vary from track to track – and include Throwbakk and XL Middleton – but there's a nicely unified vibe to the whole record, and Moniquea brings plenty of soul to her vocals – making the whole thing way more than just a set of beats with a singer on the top. Titles include "Hate To See It", "How I Get Down", "Galaxy Dance", "I'm Not Sayin Nothin", "Movin On", "Don't You Worry", "Who Is That Girl (XL Middleton rmx)", "A Certain Way (Ghost rmx)", and "Just Wanna Dance". CD

There's a nicely dated look to the cover, and Moniquea comes across here with just the sort of 80s vibe you'd expect – plenty of beats and fat basslines underneath the keyboard-heavy instrumentation – all served up with a sweet sort of update on an older electro soul mode! The producers vary from track to track – and include Throwbakk and XL Middleton – but there's a nicely unified vibe to the whole record, and Moniquea brings plenty of soul to her vocals – making the whole thing way more than just a set of beats with a singer on the top. Titles include "Hate To See It", "How I Get Down", "Galaxy Dance", "I'm Not Sayin Nothin", "Movin On", "Don't You Worry", "Who Is That Girl (XL Middleton rmx)", "A Certain Way (Ghost rmx)", and "Just Wanna Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

With Busta Rhymes on "Get The Money And Dip". 12-inch, Vinyl record

A lost gospel treasure from this obscure Mississippi group – cut in the mid 70s, but with a stripped-down sound that's completely timeless overall! The Staples Jr Singers certainly have picked up some of the more righteous currents of mainstream soul and funk at the time – echoed both in their tremendous phrasing on the lyrics, and on some of the album's used of raw guitar licks next to their words – but the stripped-down vibe gives the record a feel that's almost more 60s deep soul overall – as befits their southern roots, and the album's issue on a small indie label! There's also maybe a bit less "church" on the record than the usual gospel outing of the time – more overall messages about love, unity, and feeling – which also gives the whole thing a very transcendent quality. Titles include "On My Journey Home", "When Do We Get Paid", "I'm Looking For A Man", "I Know You're Going To Miss Me", "Trouble Of The World", "I Got A New Home", and "I Feel Good". LP, Vinyl record album

The title gets it right – as the CD features 2 excellent albums by Swamp Dogg, both packaged back to back in one cool set! Total Destruction To Your Mind is one of the earliest albums from Swamp Dogg – cut down at the Capricorn Studios in Macon, GA – with a sound that's rootsier, and possibly less tongue-in-cheek than some of his later work. There's plenty of the rocking funk style that Swamp used heavily, but also some mellower southern soul styled tunes that we honestly like even more! Self produced, arranged, and penned – with tracks that include "Total Destruction To Your Mind", "I Was Born Blue", "Redneck", "Synthetic World", "Dust Your Head Color Ed", and "The Baby Is Mine". The cover of Rat On features Swamp Dogg riding a giant rat out of the ghetto – an image that might make you think the album's a goofy one, but don't be misled – because the record's easily one of Dogg's most soulful outings! There's a prime Muscle Shoals groove going down on the set – southern soul with a bit of dirty country funk in the mix – all a perfect foil for Swamp's down home vocals and honest presentation of the lyrics, which are surprisingly pointed at times. Titles include "Creeping Away", "Predicament #2", "Do You Believe", "Got To Get A Message To You", "I Kissed Your Face", and "Do Our Thing Together". CD

Swamp Dogg's on the cover, riding a giant rat out of the ghetto – an image that definitely hints at some of the politics on the record! The album's one of Swamp's key classics from the early 70s – recorded at a time when he was still super-sharp – and when the character was a great focus of all the indie soul energy that Jerry Williams had forged on the scene in the 60s! In fact, the record's so great, they made it twice – recorded once down at the TK studios in Miami, then scrapped – and re-recorded here at Muscle Shoals, with some wicked Quinvy touches that really hold the whole thing together. The Muscle Shoals approach works beautifully for the Swamp Dogg aesthetic – and really gives it the right sort of southern soul punch to send home the tunes – as you'll hear on "Creeping Away", "Predicament #2", "Do You Believe", "Got To Get A Message To You", "I Kissed Your Face", and "Do Our Thing Together". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the deepest soul records ever issued by Chess Records – and the album wasn't even done in Chicago! The album's the only full effort issued under the name of Kim Tolliver – a singer who'd worked previously for Fantasy as Kimberley Briggs – and it's a sublime effort from Tolliver and husband Fred Briggs, who'd worked together previously on work for Stax by Margie Joseph! The style here is quite unique – a mix of Kim's southern soul-styled vocals with some fuller, richer touches – almost in the same way that Gloria Scott comes across on her classic album with Barry White – but a bit more rough around the edges overall. The production is amazing – with a great sense of space and style – and some key use of echo that really underscores the emotion of the tunes. A good part of the album was recorded in Miami – with echoes of the TK modes of the time – but other recording was also done in Cleveland, which might account for the more unique aspects of the set. Regardless of location, though, the album's a tremendously individual effort – a bold, raw statement from Tolliver – filled with emotion that few of her contemporaries could match, and free of any crossover soul cliches that were really bogging down other artists at the time. Most tracks here are original – as original in conception as the sound of the record – and titles include "The Other Side Of Town", "The Way He Used To", "She Don't Know You Like I Do", "Takin A Woman's Stand", "I'm Losing The Feeling", "Learn To Get Along Without You", and "I Need You/Drop Whatever You're Doing". CD

These guys definitely live up to the "jam" in the name of their band – but not in the same way as 21st Century groups using the jam band name! Instead, the sound here is bass-heavy funk – a mode that's probably a bit inspired by P-Funk, but often faster and more frenetic – kind of a rougher-edged version of some of the Ohio funk acts that really rose to prominence at the end of the 70s. Charles Davis is the maestro on bass – and he never pushes things too far, nor pops the strings too much – and instead just uses his strings to really vamp the whole group from the bottom on up, setting the scene for lots of tasty interplay on horns, guitar, and keyboards – amidst a flurry of vocals by members of the group. Titles include "Chazz Jazz", "Midnight Stroker", "Instrument Soul", "Bolo", "Living In Style", "The Funky Get Down", "Can't Hide The Funk", and "Who Want To Fall In Love". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Can't You Ride The Western Funk" and "Whip That Mini Skirt". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic look at the instrumental strengths of the mighty Motown enterprise – music presented here in an unusual batch of vocal-less tracks from the Motown vaults – 11 of which were never issued at the time, and 5 of which appear here for the first time ever! There's been plenty said about the work of the Funk Brothers behind famous Motown singers over the years – but this set offers up an expanded look at the variations of instrumental modes expressed by the label – some with full charts and arrangements, some with more of a small combo mode, and some with a surprising touch of jazz in the mix! As you might guess from Ace Records, the presentation of the material is fantastic – and there's full session notes and other details that really illuminate the sounds within – in a set of 24 tracks that include "LBJ" and "Chicken Little 69" by Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers, "The Break Down" and "Come See About Me" by Choker Campbell, "True Fine Boy" by The Funk Brothers, "Uptight" by Herman Griffin, "Great Google Mook" by The Mysterions, "Soul Line" and "Double O & A Half" by The Agents, "I'll See You Later" by Johnny Griffith Trio, "Grazing In The Grass" and "Let Me Loose" by Stevie Wonder, "All Turned On" by Bob Wilson & The San Remo Quartet, "Papa Hooper's Barrelhouse Groove" by The Crusaders, "Ich I Bon #1" by Nick & The Jaguars, "Get Ready" by Jonah Jones, "Defunk Brothers" by Frank Morelli, and "Little Mack's Shuffle" by Morocco Muzik Makers. CD

A legendary compilation, and maybe one of the first that documented the big wave of older rock-inspired groups who emerged during the generation of punk rocks – new groups who were definitely influenced by the sharp, short, quality of the generation – but who also used the moment as a way to get back to basics too! The "psychobilly" name might be a bit slightly wrong-worded – as these guys aren't really psycho, or psychedelic either – and come to think of it, they're not always rockabilly too – but they do really get back to the raw roots of early sounds from the late 50s – offering up a different sort of intensity than their punk rock contemporaries. Titles include "Swamp Baby" by Sunglasses After Dark, "Cannibal Run" by The Guana Batz, "Graveyard Stomp" by The Meteors, "Murder In The Graveyard" by Screaming Lord Sutch Loony Party, "Red Headed Woman" by Panther Burns, "Wild Women (version)" by Alien Sex Fiend, "The Day The Sun Burned Down" by The Escalators, and "Dinosaurs" by The Stingrays. This hugely expanded edition offers up another 44 tracks, with work from The Cramps, Cannibals, Scientists, Pearl Harbour, The Sharks, Polecats, Blue Cat Trio, The Rattlers, Inca Babies, Vibrators, Brilliant Corners, Gun Club, Nomads, King Kurt, Voodoo Dolls, Primevals, Bananamen, Raymen, Erazerhead, Krewmen, X-Men, Prisoners, and many others! CD

Spiritual soul and spoken word with instrumental inflections – a perfect illustration of the righteous sound of the Flying Dutchman label at the start of the 70s! The imprint was famously home to Gil Scott Heron, Lonnie Liston Smith, Leon Thomas, and other hip cats at the time – but also recorded a fair bit of work that was even more progressive and political – including key records from forces helping to carry the legacy of Civil Rights well into the 70s! This package offers up a perfect blend of those modes – great jazz tracks that carry the legacy of John Coltrane forth even further, and political records that were often more powerful than anything in the press at the time. Titles include "Sais" by Lonnie Liston Smith", "Nevertite" by The Esoteric Circle, "The Creator Has A Master Plan" by Louis Armstrong and Leon Thomas, "Lament For John Coltrane" by Bob Thiele Emergency, "Friends & Neighbors" by Ornette Coleman, "Sit Down" by Carl B Stokes with Oliver Nelson, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, "The Giant Is Awakened"b y Horace Tapscot, "Gonna Get Some Right Now" by Chico Hamilton", and "We're Threatening The Oppressors" by Angela Davis. CD

Drop the "pop" from the title, and focus on the "swamp" – as the sounds here are a heady brew of all that was going down in the backwaters of the Louisiana scene at the end of the 50s – strands of blues, hillbilly, R&B, and early rock modes – all served up with a style that's quite different than some of the more polished work coming from up north! Some of these cuts echo familiar New Orleans modes, but most are very unique numbers that really show the special sort of vibe that was happening in Louisiana at the time – a real musical crossroads whose influence had later impact on styles in Texas, Tennessee, and other points south! As usual with Ace Records, not only is the choice of music great, but the presentation is too – with loads of notes that really illuminate these 28 rare tunes – titles that include "If You Don't Want Me" by Warren Storm, "Never Let Her Go" by Gene Terry & His Downbeats, "I'll Be Coming Home To You" by Hal Young & The Electras, "Where Should I Go" by Gabe Dean, "The Snake" by Merton Thibodeaux, "Lucy Lou" by Vince Anthony & The Blue Notes, "It's Too Late" by Rocket Morgan, "Now Is The Time" by Charlotte Hunter, "Play A Song For My Baby" by Rod Bernard, "Searching For Love" by Charles Page & The Rockin Aces, and "I Got Loaded" by Ken Lindsey. CD

Way more than just a greatest hits collection – as the record is one of the few albums from Solomon's years that you can ever find on vinyl, and it's a stellar collection of hard and deep soul tracks that no collection should be without! Every cut on here is a classic – or should be for you, if you haven't heard them all yet! Titles include "Words", "Cry To Me", "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", "Got To Get You Off My Mind", "The Price", "Down In The Valley", "If You Need Me", "Just Out Of Reach", and "Home In Your Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

The first four albums from this crucial group – along with four more CDs of rare live material too! First up is the self-titled Cactus – the first album from this legendary group – an important American hard rock powerhouse, driven by the famous rhythm duo of Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums – both of whom roll out of the gate here with amazingly frenetic energy! They're maybe only topped by the guitar work of Jim McCarty, whose searing lines are clearly learned from blues inspirations, then turned up in both speed and power – to match the vocals and harmonica of Rusty Day! There's nothing going on here that sounds like blues rock at all – even though the set begins with a cover of "Parchman Farm" – next to other titles that include "My Lady From South Of Detroit", "No Need To Worry", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and "Let Me Swim". On One Way Or Another, Cactus are totally at the top of their game – and the guitar of Jim McCarthy really sets the record on fire, right from the very first note – at a level that should have made Jim one of the real guitar hero legends of his generation! Yet there's also power from the whole group going on too – tight rhythms from the team of Carmine Appice and Jim Bogert, the latter of whom starts to bring in his own vocals a fair bit more, offering backup to the raspy lead of Rusty Day. And while there's a few currents that show their older influence from blues, the sound here is massively hard rock all the way through – making the record a great illustration of the way that slavish blues rock gave birth to a fresh new jamming sound in a matter of just a few short years. Titles include "Rockout Whatever You Feel Like", "Song For Aries", "Feel So Bad", "Rock N Roll Children", and "Hometown Bust". Restrictions is next, and despite the title, there's no restrictions at all – as Cactus seem to be even more confident, more able to stretch their wings and fly than ever before – even adding in some extra piano and keyboards at points to the core guitar-heavy sound of the quartet! All the group's best elements are very firmly in place – searing guitar, righteously confident vocals, and a strutting sensibility that makes this early 70s album way ahead of the game in terms of territory that so many bigger groups would later copy for their own classic records. Titles include "Guiltless Glider", "Evil Alaska", "Sweet Sixteen", "Bag Drag", "Restrictions", and "Mean Night In Cleveland". Ot N Sweaty is a record that's got a bit of a shift in the classic Cactus lineup – as the group's still driven strongly by the work of Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass, but get guitar power from Werner Fritzschings, who's a pretty amazing player – next to some added keyboards from Duane Hitchings, and vocals from Peter French – a singer who's ballsy power might be even more in line with the group than their previous lead singer! The album's got an unusual approach in that side one was recorded live, side two in the studio – each with a nicely different flavor as a result – on titles that include "Swim", "Our Lil Rock N Roll Thing", "Bedroom Mazurka", "Telling You", "Bad Stuff", and "Bringing Me Down". 8CD set is overflowing with great material – bonus tracks added to three of the four albums in the collection, than a further 4CDs worth of live material – titled Fully Unleashed – The Live Gigs Vols 1 & 2. The live material is great – and really shows the tightness of the group at their best! CD