Think you know Hi Records? Guess again – because this sublime set of rarities has way more Memphis soul than just the work of Al Green, Ann Peebles, and Willie Mitchell! The special package features lots of lesser-known cuts from the vaults of Hi – including a fair bit of upbeat singles that showcase more of a dancefloor soul side of the legendary imprint – music that's still got a fair bit of deep soul in the vocals, but which also shows a bit more Memphis snap in the rhythms – a great mixing of modes that lies in a space that's somewhere between Northern and Southern soul standards of the time. There's a huge amount of tracks here we'd somehow missed over the years – and titles include "Stepchild" by Venice, "So Good To Me" by George Jackson, "Help Yourself" by 5 Royals, "Farmer John" by Four Kings, "Hitchhike To Heartbreak Road" by Bobo Mr Soul, "Save The Last Dance For Me" by Henry Shed, "Frankenstein Walk" by Gene Miller, "I Want To Be There" by The Four Kings, "We've Got Everything" by T 99, "Hard Luck" by Bobby McClure, "Still Around" by James Fry, and "The Way You Do The Things You Do" by Ebony Web. CD

52 songs from The Admiral Tones, The Rocket Tones, Paul Thomas, Jerry Akins & His Rockin' Obsidians, Johnny Johns And The Three Jays, Joe Forte And The Originals, Garee, Larry Gibble, Thomas Shonk, The Missiles, The Chell-Mars, The Royal Lancers, Jimmy Rock, Cherry Lynn With The Royal Lancers, The Velaires, Dennis Sweigart, and The Conductors. CD

The legendary run of classic southern soul singles by Al Green for Hi Records – in a beautiful box set! It's as beautfully and respectfully put together as can be, full of beautiful represses so many essential songs on 7 inch singles – 26 classic style large hole 45s, with a 45 adapter if you don't already own one – plus a 56-page hardcover book with essays by Rob Gordon, Bob Mehr and Geoffery Himes. It all comes a linen & foil box with so many legendary recordings, including "Let's Stay Together", "I Can't Get Next To You", "Look What You've Done For Me", "One Woman", "Driving Wheel", "Get Back Baby", "Call Me", "Here I Am" and tons more. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Less funk than the title might imply, but still plenty darn great – thanks to a strong helping of work from Ann Peebles legendary years at Hi Records! Back in the 70s, Ann's work for Hi was second only to labelmate Al Green – and like Green, she worked in a similar slow-burning style that set a whole new sound for southern soul – one that updated an older Memphis mode into a more sophisticated, more adult groove that made tremendous use of Peebles' magnificent vocals! This 21 track package features some of the best tunes from those years – a great overview that includes "I Can't Stand The Rain", "99 LBs", "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down", "Come To Mama", "Beware", "Slipped Tripped & Fell In Love", and "I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home". CD

The complete Hi Records singles of Quiet Elegance – a great 70s soul female trio formed by two former members of The Glories, and one of Martha & The Vandellas – who recorded for Hi with some mighty great production work from Willie Mitchell! The girls have a style that's similar to Willie's work with Al Green on the first batch of tunes – and which then opens into more of an Emotions-like style on later tracks – all the while sticking to a strong female harmony sound that never falls into the cloying style of other girl groups of the time. This is great stuff – the kind of lost soul that needs further discovering – and the package also includes three unreleased recordings and some alternate mixes too. Titles include "I Need Love", "I'm Afraid Of Losing You", "Mama Said", "I Need Love", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "Roots Of Love", "After You", "How's Your Love Life?", and "Tired Of Being Alone". CD

A bit blues, a bit soul, and a great illustration of the strengths of the Memphis Scene and Hi Records! Includes a few biggger names like Al Green, Willie Mitchell, Ann Peebles, and Syl Johnson, but also some great selections from under-recorded talents like Donald Hines, Big Amos Patton, Norm West, and Big Lucky Carter! 57 tracks total. CD

Classic Memphis soul! This nifty 22 track compilation brings to light some excellent material recorded for the legendary Hi label – most of which was not issued on albums, by far the most-reissued part of the label. The set combines material from some of the label's bigger stars, and some of it's lesser-known treasures. Titles include "Is it Over?" by David Duke, "It Was Jealousy" by Otis Clay, "Still Around" by James Fry, "I Can't Let You Go" by Ann Peebles, "She's My Woman" by Bobo Mr. Soul, "Hey Little Girl" by Norm West, and "What Made You Change" by Eddie McGhee. CD

Music from Willie Mitchell, Otis Clay, Syl Johnson, Al Green, Ann Peebles, Al Green, Quiet Elegance, George Jackson and OV Wright. CD

A great slice of work from Chicago soul singer Otis Clay – a collection of his 70s singles for the Hi Records label – a number of which never appeared on his albums at the time! Clay's work was some of the best male soul on the label next to Al Green – and he received a similar careful treatment in the studio from producer Willie Mitchell – who made Clay's vocals come across with a richness that really topped his earlier singles from the Windy City! This package features some great numbers that were originally issued only as 45s – including "It Was Jealousy", "You Can't Escape The Hands Of Love", "Let Me Be The One", "Brand New Thing", "I Didn't Know The Meaning Of Pain", "If I Could Reach Out", "You Did Something To Me", "You Hurt Me For The Last Time", "Show Place", and "Baby Jane" – plus some other great tracks too! CD

The mighty second chapter of the great Syl Johnson – material recorded for the Memphis soul powerhouse Hi Records – done in the years after Syl had parted ways with Twinight Records! Johnson started out as a rougher, bluesier talent in Chicago – but by the time of these cuts, he'd developed this mature vocal style that was a great fit for the mix of sweet and deep soul styles at Hi – work that maybe didn't get the chart coverage of their Al Green records of the 70s, but which definitely got equal handling in the studio by Willie Mitchell! The package features 28 tracks in all – including non-album cuts that were only ever on 45s, like "Come On Home", "Fonk You", "That Wiggle", "Main Squeeze", "Stand By Me", "Age Ain't Nothing But A Number", "I Wanna Satisfy Your Every Need", and "Anyone But You" – plus other tracks that include "Mystery Lady", "That's Just My Luck", "Bout To Make Me Leave Home", "I Only Have Love", "Star Bright Star Light", "Let Yourself Glow", "Wind Blow Her Back My Way", and "Take Me To The River" – and a cool "Otis Redding Medley". CD

A killer collection, and a very unique look at the legendary Hi Records – one that goes way past the big hits on the label, and which features the rare singles and unusual cuts that remind us what an important player Hi was on the Memphis scene during the Stax generation! The package features over 75 minutes of music, hand-selected by Japanese DJ/collector Daisuke Kuroda – a 25 track set that features rare singles by Veneice, Africano, Majik, Bobby McClure, George Jackson, Phillip Michell, Jean Plum, Iota, Odyssey, Larry Gordon, and Donna Rhodes – plus more by Al Green, Syl Johnson, OV Wright, Willie Mitchell, and Ann Peebles – including one track that has both Ann and Don Bryant! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album of southern funk from the 70s – cut by the team that provided musical backing on many of the classic Hi Records sessions from the time! The groove is a bit different than usual for Hi – not compressed, burning deep soul – but tight, funky, and flanged-out – a bit like what classic P-Funk might have been like, had it been recorded in Memphis! The group's super sharp in their playing – with great bass and electric keyboards – but they've also got kind of a trippy feel that's very surprising, given the more restrained soul quality of much of the stuff on Hi. The album's all original material, and most cuts have cool vocals slinking in and out of the funk – and titles include "On The Loose", "Skinny Dippin'", "Superstar", "Purple Raindrops", and "You Got Me Comin". LP, Vinyl record album

19 songs from Charlie Rich, Don Bryant, Syl Johnson, Otis Clay, Al Green, Willie Mitchell, OV Wright, Majik, Don Bryant, Ann Peebles, Quiet Elegance, Bobo Mr. Soul, and more. CD

Quite possibly the most successful record Otis Clay ever cut – and a wonderful little set that recasts his bluesy Chicago vocals with a sweeter Memphis soul approach! Willie Mitchell is very firmly in the house for the record – and the approach he uses here with Otis is similar to that he used with Al Green on his biggest hits – slow-burning, slinkily soulful – in a way that infuses older modes of singing with a new level of sophistication and adult appeal! Backing is by the Memphis Horns – shimmering nicely in a trademark Hi sort of way – and titles include the classic "Trying To Live My Life Without You", plus "I Love You, I Need You", "Holding Onto A Dying Love", "I Die A Little Each Day", and "That's How It Is". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning 4CD tribute to the genius of Al Green – stuffed with 61 tracks from his classic years at Hi Records, and packaged in a super-nice format with a 64 page booklet! The set's got some great snippets from interviews, next to classic songs, a few unreleased and rare performances, and some great photos, notes on the music, and a full discography! Titles include "Back Up Train", "Hot Wire", Stop & Check Myself", "Guilty", "True Love", "Driving Wheel", "Free At Last", "Mimi", "Take Me To The River", "Rhymes", "The Love Sermon", "Bell", "Chariots Of Fire", and "Simply Beautiful". CD

Al Green's first major album, and a killer batch of Memphis soul tracks with a sound that's a bit rawer than later years. The formula for the hits is firmly in place – and Al's beautiful voice is swept up wonderfully in very sympathetic production by the great Willie Mitchell. Although Mitchell had worked fine on his own before the record, it's his work with Green that really pushes him to the top of the soul hall of fame – as it's hard to imagine how anyone could have come up with a better showcase for Al's amazing voice. Proof of this can be heard on the record's great original tunes by Green – like "All Because", "I'm A Ram", "You Say It", and the classic "Tired Of Being Alone" – as well as on covers like "Driving Wheel", "Can't Get Next To You", and "Light My Fire". CD

Al Green's first major album, and a killer batch of Memphis soul tracks with a sound that's a bit rawer than later years. The formula for the hits is firmly in place – and Al's beautiful voice is swept up wonderfully in very sympathetic production by the great Willie Mitchell. Although Mitchell had worked fine on his own before the record, it's his work with Green that really pushes him to the top of the soul hall of fame – as it's hard to imagine how anyone could have come up with a better showcase for Al's amazing voice. Proof of this can be heard on the record's great original tunes by Green – like "All Because", "I'm A Ram", "You Say It", and the classic "Tired Of Being Alone" – as well as on covers like "Driving Wheel", "Can't Get Next To You", and "Light My Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavenly soul doesn't get any more heavenly than this! Al Green's at the height of his powers here – working in that wonderfully smooth, wonderfully warm style that made his early 70s material so wonderful! This album's maybe slightly less iconic than some of Green's other titles for Hi Records – but only because it's less chock-full of hits, even though the quality and sound is every bit as high as the rest of them! Willie Mitchell did an impeccable job on production – and titles include the classic track "Love Ritual" is a great little groover with a funkier sound than usual for Al, which is fine by us – and other tracks include "LOVE", "The Love Sermon", and "There Is Love" Hey, they weren't kidding with that title! LP, Vinyl record album

What can we say? Most of the biggest hits, and many of the very best tracks cut in the prime of Al Green's career – which is to say some of the very best Memphis soul ever recorded! 10 essential tracks in all, and it's just one of these Greatest Hits packages of pure, inarguable perection – with "Call Me", "Let's Stay Together", "Tired Of Being Alone", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "I Can't Get Next To You", "You Ought To Be With Me", "Look What You Done For Me" and "Let's Get Married". LP, Vinyl record album

Al takes over the whole deal with this one – as the record features him writing, producing, arranging, and even playing lead guitar – stepping out from under the protective wing of Willie Mitchell, and doing a surprisingly great job overall! Al does get a bit of help in the studio – from Fred Jordan and Reuben Fairfax, whose names are hidden in smaller type, under the message on the back that says that the record is "something new" – but as we've come to learn from all the other Al Green records we've loved over the years, the man himself is more than enough to make the record wonderful – with vocals that are unbeatable at this point in his career! Titles include "All N All", "Belle", "Loving You", "Georgia Boy", "Feels Like Summer" and "Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

Al takes over the whole deal with this one – as the record features him writing, producing, arranging, and even playing lead guitar – stepping out from under the protective wing of Willie Mitchell, and doing a surprisingly great job overall! Al does get a bit of help in the studio – from Fred Jordan and Reuben Fairfax, whose names are hidden in smaller type, under the message on the back that says that the record is "something new" – but as we've come to learn from all the other Al Green records we've loved over the years, the man himself is more than enough to make the record wonderful – with vocals that are unbeatable at this point in his career! Titles include "All N All", "Belle", "Loving You", "Georgia Boy", "Feels Like Summer" and "Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm wonderfulness from the great Al Green – a record that may have a pale-looking cover, but a set that's one of Green's most deeply soulful albums ever! There's a grace and a glow to the set right from the very first note – that really unique presentation and performance that makes these early 70s Green albums such enduring treasures – and so unlike anything else that's ever come since, no matter how many folks were influenced by Al's sound! The production is perfect – with Al helping Willie Mitchell at the helm, as they balance together the richness of the instrumentation with core elements in the rhythms – on titles that include Al's stone classic "Love & Happiness", plus "I'm Still In Love With You", "I'm Glad You're Mine", "What A Wonderful Thing Love Is", "Look What You Done For Me", and his great remake of Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" – a country/soul classic if there ever was one! CD

A damn great bit of work from the legendary Al Green – maybe one of his best records ever – and in fact, maybe one of greatest soul albums of all time! The set's got a style that's really genre-defining – not the previous southern soul of a few years before, but also not the modes that were happening up north either. Instead, Al lays things out with this stunningly mature style – sexy, but never overdone – confident, but never in a swaggering way – with a really special flow that comes from the great Willie Mitchell's talents in the studio, but an edge that's Green at his secular best. The album's got a lasting appeal that's made it a favorite for generations – both a key introduction to soul, but also a treasured favorite for longtime collectors – and never every track's a gem – from the classic "Let's Stay Together", through a set list that includes "I've Never Found A Girl", "La La For You", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "So You're Leaving", and "What Is This Feeling". CD

A damn great bit of work from the legendary Al Green – maybe one of his best records ever – and in fact, maybe one of greatest soul albums of all time! The set's got a style that's really genre-defining – not the previous southern soul of a few years before, but also not the modes that were happening up north either. Instead, Al lays things out with this stunningly mature style – sexy, but never overdone – confident, but never in a swaggering way – with a really special flow that comes from the great Willie Mitchell's talents in the studio, but an edge that's Green at his secular best. The album's got a lasting appeal that's made it a favorite for generations – both a key introduction to soul, but also a treasured favorite for longtime collectors – and never every track's a gem – from the classic "Let's Stay Together", through a set list that includes "I've Never Found A Girl", "La La For You", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "So You're Leaving", and "What Is This Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

2CDs and 30 tracks of Al's heavenly soul from the 70s! All the material's from Al's classic years at Hi Records – and it sparkles with the sweet Memphis sheen that was Al's unique trademark. The set includes a good range of material, including a few live numbers, some big hits, and some more obscure album numbers. Titles include "Tired Of Being Alone", "Let's Stay Together", "Take Me To The River", "Let's Get Married", "So Good To Be Here", "Right Now, Right Now", "Lean On Me", "Let It Shine", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?", "Livin For You", "Call Me", "Here I Am", "Look What You Done For Me", and "I'm Still In Love With You". CD

The great Syl Johnson – doing his thing for Hi Records on a record that's more shiny diamond than it is rough – his second album for the label and a truly underappreciated gem from the Chi soul great! Diamond In The Rough is a much sweeter set of tunes than Syl's Chicago work on Twinight, with warmer production by southern soul guru Willie Mitchell to keep his sound much more in the Memphis soul camp – but still a nice album of bluesy stoked sweetness, and proof that Syl was one of the better talents on the Hi label. Titles include "Keeping Down Confusion", "Let Yourself Go", "Could I Be Falling In Love", "Stuck In Chicago", and "I Hear The Love Chimes", "Please, Don't Give Up On Me" and "Diamond In The Rough". CD

Funky Willie Mitchell at his best – "hit sound" to be sure, but one that still has plenty of grit in the grooves! The record's one from that stretch when Willie was working in a style that was more funky 45 than anything else – trumpet-heavy instrumentals that seem to take some good inspiration from his Memphis neighbors The Bar-Kays, especially at their early Soul Finger best! Titles are mostly hits, but redone with a gritty Memphis 60s soul sound – and tracks include "Sticks & Stones", "So Rare", "Land Of A Thousand Dances", "Mercy", "Treat Her Right", "When A Man Loves A Woman", and "Searching For My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Very early grooves from Willie Mitchell – a set that's got a bit more R&B than in Willie's later years – with less trumpet in the mix, and more of an overall punch in the rhythms! Guitar is quite strong on most of these instrumentals – and there's some nice tenor, too – and an overall sound that almost seems borrowed from some of the best King Records instrumental combos of the late 50s – including Bill Doggett, as the group seems to borrow the tenor sound of Clifford Scott and the wailing guitar of Billy Butler! Butler's "Hold It" is covered beautifully by the group – and other titles include "The Dog", "Last Night", "Mashed Potatoes", "Percolatin", and "The Crawl" – plus Willie's own "20-75". LP, Vinyl record album

It's Dance Time, Memphis style – thanks to a hip album of instrumentals from the great Willie Mitchell! This one's actually a bit rougher around the edges than some of Willie's other work, with strong guitar and groovy organ, very much in a Booker T & The MGs mode! The tracks groove along with a sound that's more Stax than Hi – which is ok by us, as the feel is nicely raw and raunchy! Titles include "Morning After", "Buster Browne", "Poinciana", "Twine Time", "Apple Jack", and "Wiggle Rock", "Fever", "Woodchopper's Bal" and more. CD

What a strange one! The title says "Willie Mitchell Live", but then the back says "All tracks previously released on Hi Records." Clearly, the Memphis bunch are knob-twiddling here, and adding fake applause to some of Willie's better instrumental moments from the old days. The good thing is that because the tracks are older, the record sounds better than it might have if it was a live session. Titles include "Smokie Part II", "Boot Leg", "Bum Daddy", "20 - 75", "Pin Head", and of course, "Soul Serenade". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set from the early years of the UK funk scene – the smoking debut from Hi Tension, and a set that's filled with sharp numbers throughout! There's a strong jazzy undercurrent to the music – a bit like some of the sounds you might hear from the Fantasy Records scene – no surprise, since those records were always huge on the British scene – and quite possibly had an influence on the direction of Hi Tension here – with tight rhythms on the bottom, complicated jazzy changes on the instrumentation, and some tight horn parts that really soar along strongly with the vocals! Lyrics are mostly presented in an ensemble mode – produced warmly, with almost an Earth Wind & Fire mode – and the album was put together by Kofi Ayivor of Osibisa, with a slight touch of Afro funk in the mix. Tracks include the classics "Hi Tension" and "British Hustle" – plus "Autumn Love", "You're My Girl", "Power & Lightning", "Peace On Earth", and "Unspoken". CD features bonus tracks – "British Hustle (7" version)", "Hi Tension (7" version)", and "Girl I Betcha". CD

Maybe one of the most important records in years from Waajeed – a set that really lets his deeper side flow out in full-length territory – all those wonderful elements he's brought to the Detroit underground over the years, given a righteous message, and delivered with a heft that's way more than just a handful of digital tracks floating around the internet! The album's a reminder that for an artist in the territory of Waajeed, a full length project is always a crucial part of their expression – a way soar with a great deal of power, which you'll hear on cuts that include "Right Now", "Remember", "Motor City Madness", "Snake Eyes", "Let's Give It Up", "Ballad Of Robert O'Bryant", "Keep It Coming", "The Dub", and "Memoirs Of High Tech Jazz". LP, Vinyl record album

A fascinating sub-chapter in 60s pop music – served up in a wealth of Beatles-related records from a variety of artists – Beatles tributes, Beatles parodies, and some especially great tunes that just plain make fun of the group! Much of the work here is pitched from the mainstream of rock and roll at the time – and seems to echo frustrations felt in the shadow of the Fab Four – not just those of competing musicians, but also spurned boyfriends who found their girls swooning heavily over the group! Tracks are done in a variety of different modes – some Beatles-esque, some country, some straight pop, and some in more mainstream American rock and roll – often with very funny lyrics, and at least a few great attempts at Beatles impersonations. The whole thing's very nicely in the style of some of Ace's other explorations into novelty records of the 60s – and like those other packages, the notes here are astonishingly complete – with a wealth of details on all the tunes, when the music itself already would have been enough! Titles include "What's Wrong With Ringo" by The Bon Bons, "Saint Paul" by Terry Knight, "Beatles Please Come Back" by Gigi Parker & The Lonelies, "John Paul George & Ringo" by The Bulldogs, "Beatle Crazy" by Bill Clifton, "A Beatle I Want To Be" by Sonny Curtis, "My Beatle Haircut" by The Twiliters, "John You Went Too Far This Time" by Rainbo, "Stamp Out The Beatles" by The Hi-Riders, and "A Letter To The Beatles" by The Four Preps. CD

Really wonderful work from the young Michael Hurley – one of his first records to get somewhat wide exposure, thanks to the help of Jesse Colin Young, who signed Hurley up to his Raccoon label at Warner Brothers! The vibe here is right up there with some of the best offbeat acoustic work cut during that stretch at the label – not the same in sound, but not far in spirit from unique records by Steve Young, John Hartford, and others – not to mention the cooler currents from Jesse's scene too! Hurley's vocal style changes nicely to fit the mood of each tune, really bringing the most out of the sorts of lyrics that were his special stock in trade – while the guitar playing is nicely unified, and although spare, really does a great job of holding the album together. Titles include "Blue Driver", "Water Train", "The Sun Is Slowly Sinking", "I'm Worried I'm Worried", "In Florida", "Lilly Pads Upon The Pond", and "Trinidad". LP, Vinyl record album

25 songs from the Performers, the Harptones, the Emblems, the Jumping Jacks, the Debs, the Creations, the Mastertones, the Hi Tones, the Five Vets, the Kingsmen & more. CD

Snowboy returns with another batch of grooves in the Hi Hat series – the first volume we've heard under that name in awhile – and while the sound is still great, the format here is a bit different than before! The style this time around is heavily jazzy – and pulled from records that are even more obscure than those used on previous volumes – mostly relatively recent recordings from the past decade or so, but those which were ignored the first time around – making the music here seem even more fresh! Most of the numbers are titles that were buried in more conventional records, but which stand out as modern jazz dance tracks – keeping the spirit of modal, hardbop, and Latin-styled jazz grooves alive and well on the dancefloor – as testified by the album's photos from Snowboy's Hi Hat club night! Titles include "Sunny Day (live)" by Jon Lucien, "Speed Trap" by Peter King, "If I Perish" by Terrell Stafford, "Our Man In Havana" by Cubana Bop, "Seven Steps To Heaven" by World Saxophone Quartet, "Caribbean Fire Dance" by Bobby Sanabria & Ascension, "Blue Bossa" by McCoy Tyner Latin Big Band, and "Fical Mal Com Deus" by Airto. LP, Vinyl record album

An early, early Hi-Lo's album on Starlite Records – and a harmony vocal masterpieces of the 50s! Vocal groups had certainly existed in American pop music before the quartet first hit the scene, but thanks to incredible vocal arrangements by leader Gene Puerling, and dynamic orchestrations by Frank Comstock, the Hi-Los managed to impress with a sound that was incredibly fresh at the time – and which went onto have a strong impact on many other groups for years to come. Comstock's got a great "loud then soft" style of backing that perfectly suites Puerling's tonal and chromatic complexities – heard here at a very early point, but already showing signs of the brilliance to come with Singers Unlimited. 11 numbers in all, including "Rockin' Chair", "Stars Fell On Alabama", "Nice Work If You Can Get It", "I Thought About You", "Jeepers Creepers", "Speak Low", "Button Up Your Overcoat", and "Put Your Dreams Away". LP, Vinyl record album

Really wonderful work from the young Michael Hurley – one of his first records to get somewhat wide exposure, thanks to the help of Jesse Colin Young, who signed Hurley up to his Raccoon label at Warner Brothers! The vibe here is right up there with some of the best offbeat acoustic work cut during that stretch at the label – not the same in sound, but not far in spirit from unique records by Steve Young, John Hartford, and others – not to mention the cooler currents from Jesse's scene too! Hurley's vocal style changes nicely to fit the mood of each tune, really bringing the most out of the sorts of lyrics that were his special stock in trade – while the guitar playing is nicely unified, and although spare, really does a great job of holding the album together. Titles include "Blue Driver", "Water Train", "The Sun Is Slowly Sinking", "I'm Worried I'm Worried", "In Florida", "Lilly Pads Upon The Pond", and "Trinidad". CD

Music from Roy Hall, Jim Myers & His Gems, Nolan Strong, Dell Vaughan & The Fortune Aires, The Centurys, Johnny Buckett, The Delteens, Gino Parks & The Hi-Fidelties, Nathaniel Mayer, The Hunt Sisters, and much more - 60 songs in all. CD

Music from the Gladiolas, Rudy Green, Louis Brooks & His Hi-Toppers, Ray Batts, Robert Garrett, the Marigolds, Jerry McCain & His Upstarts, Arthur Gunter, the King Crooners, Lillian Offitt, Hooks Coleman, and more. CD

Includes tracks by the Excellents, the 5 Discs, Ronnie & the Hi-Lites, the Court Jesters, Donnie & The Dreamers, the Corvells, the Magnificent Four, the Velons & the Montereys. CD

The first-ever album from the legendary Hi-Lo's – a landmark indie debut that went onto transform the sound of vocal harmony in the 20th century! The record's got a subtle brilliance that's hard to catch at first – a way of putting together the tunes that's often only slightly different than some of the group's contemporaries, but which already shows the rich talents that leader Gene Puerling would bring to later vocal experiments with Singers Unlimited in the 70s. As with most of the group's famous records, backings here are by Frank Comstock – perfectly poised on the gentle tunes, and nicely jazzy on the more swinging ones! Titles include "June in January", "Little White Lies", "I Don't Want to Cry Anymore", "She's Funny that Way", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Island of Desire", "You Brought a New Kind Of Love", "Fools Rush In", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Where Are You", and "You Can't Hardly Get Them No More". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great project from Erykah Badu – a set that's quite spare compared to the fuller sound and energy of her New Amerykah records – done in a bedroom studio in Dallas with producer Zach Witness! The music is lean and stripped-down – hip hop-influenced soul, but almost at a level that has Badu playing with more popular modes of the time – showing that she can do them better than most, but always with this sense of sophistication that draws on all the other sounds she's given us over the years! Badu released the set direct to digital as a mixtape, but it's a fantastic standalone album project on its own – with titles that include "U Use To Call Me", "Cel U Lar Device", "Hi", "Phone Down", "What's Yo Phone Number", "I'll Call U Back", and "Mr Telephone Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime southern soul from two of the genre's greats! Clay Hammond is perhaps not as well known as ZZ Hill – but they're both singing here on rare recordings done for Kent US during the mid 60s, produced with a sweet soulful finish that's extremely nice. The groove is almost in a Hi Records style – but it retains some rougher edges which keep things a bit more interesting, especially on the material by Hill. Clay Hammond is represented by 16 tracks, about a third of which have never been issued before, and titles include "I'll Make It Up To You", "You Messed Up My Mind", "I'm So Glad You're Mine", "Got A Letter This Morning", "You Threw Out Your Lifeline", "I'm So Glad You're Mine", and "Togetherness". The ZZ Hill material is just as great – if not better, since it's even rarer, as 4 of his 10 tracks were never issued before, and the other 6 have only been out as singles. Titles include "I'm Gonna Love You", "You've Got Me Chained To Your Love", "Please Take Me Back", The Greatest Love", and "Gimme Gimme". CD

A really really amazing package – the full story of the early years of Syl Johnson – one of the funkiest soul singers to ever come from Chicago! Syl's music has become the stuff of legend over the years – initially collected in rare funky 45s and two even rarer albums – then sampled heavily, compiled frequently, and spun out to a huge global audience that Johnson never had back in the day. Yet throughout the years, things were never done properly – and certainly with any sense of history or continuity that would unite the music – until now. The folks at Numero have really outdone themselves this time – not just by including both CD (4 of them) and LP (6 of those) versions of the music in the set – but also by coming up with one of the most attractive, uniquely packaged records we've ever seen! The box and booklet alone are completely beautiful – the latter filled with vintage photos, personal recollections by Syl, and some great Numero writing – not to mention much-needed details on the recordings within. And the LPs each come in their own jackets – two of which mimic the original Twinight albums, the other four of which create Shama, Trip, and Federal label albums of Johnson's music – records that didn't exist back in the 60s, but which look as if they've come from a time machine! The CDs come in a very cool LP-styled jacket – and the whole thing slides together as sweetly as the funky music within. None of the Hi Records material is included – just material from labels that include Twilight/Twinight, King/Federal, Shama, TMP/Ting, Zachron, One-Derful, Cha Cha, Special Agent, and P-Vine – including a number of tracks never issued before. We could write for hours about how great this set is – but honestly, one look, or one listen, and you'll be hooked! LP, Vinyl record album