Forget Dionne Warwick, and think Burt Bacharach – because on this sublime little set, The Dells are singing some of Burt's greatest tunes ever – all set to impeccable arrangements by the legendary Charles Stepney! The album's more wonderful than you might even expect – a true high point in the career of all parties involved – and a tremendous recasting of Bacharach's original brilliance – taking his key compositions into the most sophisticated styles of the Chicago soul scene in the 70s! There's a sense of timing and phrasing here that's quite unique – hardly simple covers of Dionne Warwick's approach to these hits – and Stepney's backings feature his own Fender Rhodes, guitar from Phil Upchurch, percussion from members of The Pharoahs, and some fuller horns, harp, and strings. The Dells are equally great too – and serve up some of the best vocals of their career – really magnificent harmonies, and soaring solo parts that seem to even go beyond their best-known hits. Titles include "Walk On By", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Wives & Lovers", "Close To You", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", and "A House Is Not A Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Leaving On A Jet Plane", "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Rocky Mountain High", "Sunshine On My Shoulders", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Hard-romping soul from the great Shirley Ellis – a singer most folks know for a single crossover hit – but an artist who's got a hell of a lot more to offer than just that novelty number! This excellent package is a long-overdue look at one of the queens of raw soul in the 60s – a singer who could belt it out with a hell of an edge, even when the music was moving at a mighty fast clip – which it does often here, as Shirley works with superb guidance from arranger Lincoln Chase – whose ears for a groove are outstanding at this point in his career! The package brings together early singles for the Congress label, plus even more obscure work a few years later for Columbia Records – and as always with Ace, the whole presentation is wonderful – light years away from just a simple greatest hits or public domain package. Titles include "The Nitty Gritty", "Bring It On Home To Me", "Get Out", "Takin Care Of Business", "The Clapping Song", "Sugar Let's Shing A Ling", "Back Track", "Yes I'm Ready", "Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife", "You Better Be Good World", "Ka Ta Ga Ta Boom Beat", "The Name Game", "I Never Will Forget", "Such A Night", "That's What The Nitty Gritty Is", and "One Sour Note". CD

Lots of groovers from this combo who were big on the Parisian scene of the 70s – titles that include "Jumbolo", "One Favor", "Music Is Revolution", "Gardez Derier", "Which One Is Me Home", and "Don't Bite The Hand". LP, Vinyl record album

13 tracks of Eddie's classic Stax sides, with a range of material that runs from 60s through 70s. A handful of big hits, and a big batch of lesser known, but still great Memphis soul from Floyd. Includes "I've Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)", "Bring It Home To Me", "Check Me Out", "Soul Street", "I've Got To Have Your Love", "Blood Is Thicker Than Water", "Don't Tell Your Mama", "Why Is The Wine Sweeter (On The Other Side)", "California Girl", "My Girl", "The Best Years Of My Life", "Yum Yum Yum (I Want Some)" and "Baby Lay Your Head Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Tired Of Being Alone", "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Here I Am (Come And Take Me)", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "Let's Stay Together", "I Can't Get Next To You", "You Ought To Be With Me", "Look What You've Done For Me", "Let's Get Married", "Love And Happiness", "Take Me To The River", "For The Good Times", and "Livin' For You". CD

Two great chapters of work from this legendary soul group – one that started out in the late 50s with an R&B vibe, rose to great fame on Motown, then really hit their stride on the material featured on this set! Gladys was always a great singer, but she really seemed to move onto greatness in the 70s – especially on the Buddah Records material that begins this collection – music that has the group moving past familiar group soul modes, to a sophisticated territory that really let Knight become the sort of diva that nobody would have expected a few years before! There's a richness in her voice that's really wonderful – and that continues strongly on the second half, which collects material for Columbia Records – including some great mellow groovers, and even a few hits from later years too. Package features 37 tracks in all – and titles include "The Way We Were/Try To Remember", "On & On", "To Be Invisible", "The Need To Be", "Little Bit Of Love", "The Makings Of You", "Make Yours A Happy Home (alt mix)", "Come Back & Finish What You Started", "Midnight Train To Georgia", "I've Got To Use My Imagination", "Landlord", "Taste Of Bitter Love", "I Will Fight", "Bourgie Bourgie", "Save The Overtime", "Hero", "Kiss Away The Pain", "You're Number One", "Seconds", "Add It Up", "I Will Fight", and "Still Such A Thing". CD

Fantastic harmony soul – in a class by itself! Ruby's lovely voice is right out front in the mix, and she's backed up by the all-male Romantics with a sweet soaring tone that blows away other male/female combos like Gladys Knight & The Pips or The Sensations. This greatest hits includes the group's crossover monster "Our Day Will Come", plus a whole bunch of other lesser-known gems, like "Young Wings Can Fly", "Nobody But My Baby", "Baby Come Home", "Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore", and "Hey There Lonely Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

A fabulous look at a new wave of music that hit the American scene at the end of the 60s – sophisticated songs with a deep sense of narrative that went way beyond the usual – first sprung by the world of country music, but with an influence that went on to touch all other styles too! This set goes right to the core – and brings together cuts from the hippest songwriters of the period, delivered in versions that may well be the best to ever make it on records – including a few tunes that will really come as a surprise if you think you know the artists from their hits! As you'd guess from the title, the world here is very similar to that in "Ode To Billie Joe" – a world that's also given great illumination by the detailed notes within. Titles include "Endless Miles Of Highway" by Jerry Reed, "If Only She Had Stayed" by Chris Gantry, "July 12, 1939" by Charlie Rich, "What Am I Doing In LA" by Nat Stuckey, "The House Song" by Lee Hazlewood, "Mr Jackson's Got Nothing To Do" by John Hartford, "Widow Wimberley" by Tony Joe White, "Mr Walker It's All Over" by Billie Jo Spears, "Drivin Nails In The Walls" by Waylon Jennings, "Four Shades Of Love" by Henson Cargill, "The Back Side Of Dallas" by Jeanne C Riley, "Way Before The Time Of Towns" by Hoyt Axton, "Down From Dover" by Dolly Parton, "Fabulous Body & Smile" by Sir Robert Charles Griggs, and "Why Can't I Come Home" by Ed Bruce. LP, Vinyl record album

Japanese club music from the disco years onward – but a set that's got a very universal appeal in the rhythms! The vocals are mostly in Japanese, but the arrangements, production, and instrumentation here resonate strongly with the best that New York or Philly had to offer during the disco generation – a well-done blend of funky grooves with some slightly larger instrumentation, all of which sends home the soulful vocals in a way that hardly makes you notice they're not singing in English! All of the tracks here are from rare albums – similar to the Wamono Jazz compilations – and titles include "Birth Of The Odyssey" by Godiego, "This Is Hot" by Ikue Sakakibsara, "I Will Give You Samba" by Soul Media, "Woman In A Man's World" by Hatsumi Shibata, "Disco Great Tokyo" by Pink Parachute, "Krishna" by Yumi Murata, "Ame Wa Knife No Ya Sa" by Yoshito Machida & Godiego, and "Purple Shadow" by Hatsumi Shibata. LP, Vinyl record album

Glorious girl group pop, solo and group soul singles from the heart of the 60s – beautiful stuff that might have made a splash in their time, but didn't enter the eternal pop culture canon like some of the bigger hits of the day – and we couldn't be happier to have them in our lives all these years later! Where The Girls Are 8 features tunes by The Blossoms, The Orlons, The Sherrys, Dee Dee Sharp, The Four Havens, The Del-Phis, The Bonnetts, The Darlenes, The Pussycats and more – with absolute top shelf craft behind them – but as grand as the productions are and as legendary as the songwriters are – and we're talking about Lou Alder, Ashford & Simpson, Lee Hazlewood, Gamble & Huff and others behind the scenes – nothing outshines the lovely ladies' voices! Includes "Cry Like A Baby" by The Blossoms, "Comin' Home Baby" by Dee Dee Sharp, "Baby It Hurts" by Kelly Garrett, "Stand By Me" by Little Eva, "My Little Baby" by The Witches, "You Don't Have A Heart" by The Bunnies, "I Ain't Comin' Back" by The Orlons, "Come On And Ska" by The Pussycats, "Let's Be Sweethearts" by The Cinnamon Angels and more. 25 tracks in all. CD

A wealth of great work from Jimmy Jones – a sweetly voice crooner who bridges the gap between rougher soul artists and the smoother sounds of singers like Sam Cooke and Jessie Belvin – best known for his hit "Handy Man" for the Cub label, but represented here with a huge amount of songs from the 60s! The set features 48 tracks in all, taking Jimmy way past the early hits, into territory explored by New York uptown artists – Ben E King, Tommy Hunt, Chuck Jackson, and others. The package is great – the first time Jimmy's ever been represented so heavily – and also comes with a full set of notes on the material, and an interview with Jimmy. Titles include the hit "Handy Man", plus "For You", "Ready For Love", "My Precious Angel", "Good Timin", "A Wondrous Place", "Never Had it So Good", "Dynamite", "Snap My Fingers", "Big Leg Woman", "Tell Me Why", "That Was My Mistake", "The Nights Of Mexico", "Mr Music Man", "Dear One", "I Say Love", "Pardon Me", "Mr Fix It", "Don't You Just Know It", and "Send Her Back Home To Me". CD

Loads of late 60s classics from the Rolling Stones – served up in a special set dedicated to the late Brian Jones! The music here really shows the darkening side of the Stones' sound – and titles include "Paint It Black", "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby Standing In The Shadow", "2000 Light Years From Home", "Mother's Little Helper", "She's A Rainbow", "Let's Spend The Night Together", and "Street Fighting Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice collection of tracks from this classic girl group, and one that has some nice lesser-known cuts mixed in with the chart busters. 15 tracks in all, including "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Stop The Music", "Dedicated To The One I Love", "Everybody Loves A Lover", "What A Sweet Thing That Was", "Welcome Home Baby", "Baby It's You", "The Things I Want To Hear", "Soldier Boy" and "Mama Said". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Hi Records perfection from the mighty Al Green – slightly later than some of his key early hits, but a record that shows Green still taking fire on all burners! Production is by the team of Al and Willie Mitchell – in a mode that's slightly fuller and more updated than before, but still very much that original mode the pair pioneered during Green's first years at Hi – a smooth, rich sound that's never slick, never poppy, and never cloying – and a mode that never falls into disco or pop temptations other singers were trapped in at the time. Backings are by the Memphis Horns and Memphis Strings – with some occasional backup vocals from Rhodes Chalmers & Rhodes or The Duncan Sisters – and titles include "I'd Fly Away", "That's The Way It Is", "Glory Glory", "Always", "Full Of Fire", "Together Again", "Soon As I Get Home", and "Let It Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

Four classic albums from this hip British soul group – issued here in a single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is New Religion – a record that was also released in America by Atlantic Records. Although they were a UK soul act, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds were a perfect match for the Atlantic soul stable of the 60s. The group had a smooth group style that was partly uptown, partly northern soul – as clearly illustrated in this album, which is divided up into a "mood red: you feel like leaping" side, and a "mood blue: you feel like digging deeper" side. The band chose some good material that really helps them maintain a solid socking soul sound – including "The Entertainer" and "Ain't Love Good, Ain't Love Proud" by Tony Clarke, "Ain't No Big Thing" and "I'm Just A Fool For You Girl" by Gerald Sims, and "Little Boy Blue" and "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield. Also features "Come To Me Softly", a sweet dreamy ballad by Jimmy, and kind of a bit crossover hit for the boys. London Swings is two-sided monster – as the album was originally split with work from the Alan Bown Set too! Here, the CD features just the live material from the soul group – a smoking performance from Jimmy James & The Vagabonds – one that goes way past the sweetness of their hits, and which has a crowd-pleasing, party-hearty approach to soul that's really great! Jimmy and the group serve up versions of "Sock It To Em JB", "That Driving Beat", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "You Don't Know Like I Know", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". This Is Jimmy James & The Vagabonds is a record that featured some crossover tracks with New Religion – but the set here just features the exclusive cuts – including "I Feel Alright", "I Can't Get Back Home To My Baby", "Never Like This Before", "I Don't Wanna Cry", and "You Showed Me The Way". Open Up Your Soul is a record with a really wonderful sound – the deeply soulful vocals of Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, mixed with rich arrangements handled by Nicky Welsh, and produced to perfection by Brit maestro John Schroeder! The record's got the sophistication of some of the Richard Evans productions over at Chess/Cadet at the same time – and, no surprise, the group lead off with a great cover of The Dells "Wear It On Our Face" – then roll into cuts that include "Cry Like A Baby", "Good Day Sunshine", "Four Walls", "Everybody Loves A Winner", "If You're Gonna Love Me", and "Open Up Your Soul". CD also features 7 more bonus tracks from singles – including "Why", "Bumper To Bumper", "Close The Door", "Give Us A Light", "I Wanna Be your Everything", "Hungry For Love", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". CD

By the time she reached the Buddah label, Gladys Knight had already recorded for many years and other labels, but that didn't stop her and The Pips from having an extremely successful run during their stay there – as is evidenced by the great selection of hits on this set! The album includes the super-huge "Midnight Train To Georgia" and "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me", plus the sophisticated soul reworking of "Try To Remember" mixed with "The Way We Were". Also includes 2 nice Curtis Mayfield cuts – "Make Yours A Happy Home" and "On & On"! LP, Vinyl record album

Early, early Coxsone Dodd produced sides of groovy rocksteady, voiced by a young Bob Marley with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. While we don't find this material nearly as compelling as his later work produced by Lee Perry and then his huge international hits, it's great Studio One rocksteady and an interesting portrait of a legend in the earliest stages of his career. 10 tracks, including "Simmer Down", "Maga Dog", "I Made A Mistake", "I Am Going Home", "Donna", "Nobody Knows" and "Love & Affection". LP, Vinyl record album

Link Wray is definitely Jack The Ripper here – ripping away with incredible guitar work that may well top his famous hits of the late 50s! The set is one of the sharpest ever issued by Philly indie Swan Records – an early home to The Beatles too – and the label's quick demise makes the set one of the more obscure Link Wray recordings, and a key bridge between his years to come as a singer and his early work that helped revolutionize the sound of the electric guitar! The production is great – almost some west coast sonic experiments at times – and titles include "Rumble", "Cross Ties", "Run Chicken Run", "Big Ben", "Dinosaur", and "Fat Back". CD

Heavy soul from the house of Holland-Dozier-Holland – some of the best bits from their Invictus powerhouse label of the early 70s – definitely a scene-setting imprint at the time! Invictus had some of the deepest grooves ever recorded by the trio – heavy, rumbling bottom sounds – soaring vocal passages – and production that took the Motown lessons of the late 60s to a whole new level. The package is overflowing with gems – and titles include "Crumbs Off The Table" by The Glass House, "Band Of Gold" and "Bring The Boys Home" by Freda Payne, "Give Me Just A Little More Time" and "Everything's Tuesday" by The Chairmen Of The Board, "You've Got To Crawl" and "She's Not Just Another Woman" by The 8th Day, and "I Had It All" by The Barrino Brothers. LP, Vinyl record album

A great look at the huge influence on 60s soul from Burt Bacharach – a rich legacy that goes way beyond the big hits from Dionne Warwick, to include a wealth of work from artists you might not expect! Back in the early days, Burt was the tall white guy running around the Brill Building – where he made key connections to a range of different artists, and was able to already hit the ground running – with a huge legacy that would go onto inform soul singers for years to come! In fact, we'd almost say that Bacharach's music sounds even better in the hands of these singers than in more mainstream pop artists – and although a few of these cuts are well-known hits, you'll find plenty more great ones here to discover. Titles include "Alfie" by The Delfonics, "Reach Out For Me" by Willie Tee, "Message To Martha" by Jerry Butler, "Long After Tonight Is All Over" by Irma Thomas, "Another Tear Falls" by Marv Johnson, "Walk On By" by Gloria Gaynor, "Anyone Who Had A Heart" by The Orlons, "The Look Of Love" by Nina Simone, "Forgotten Man" by Gene McDaniels, "A House is Not A Home" by Mavis Staples, "Don't Make Me Over" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "This Empty Place" by Cissy Houston, and "My Little Red Book" by Tony Middleton with Bacharach himself! CD

A harmony heaven way to enjoy the Holiday! The group's version of Christmas has to be one of the best-ever recorded in rock and roll – and given the undercurrent of sadness that was coming forth in their non-Holiday hits of the period, the style here is perfect to fit the melancholy mood of the Christmas tunes – even some of the more upbeat numbers! Production is great too – beautiful enough to hold up strongly after all these years – and titles include "Blue Christmas", "Merry Christmas Baby", "Little Saint Nick", "Santa's Beard", "We Three Kings", "Frosty The Snowman", and "I'll Be Home For Christmas". 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". CD

A collection put together in the 80s of Jerry Butlers fantastic material from the late 60s when he went to Philly to work with the then young Gamble and Huff team. A dozen classic numbers in all, including "Only The Strong Survive", "A Brand New Me", "Never Give You Up", "I Could Write A Book", "Just Because I Really Love You", "Hey, Western Union Man", "Lost", 'Are You Happy", "Moody Woman", "What's The Use Of Breaking Up", "Don't Let Love Hang You Up" and "Got To See If I Can't Get Mommy (To Come Back Home)". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning standout from Ray Charles' years on ABC Records – and a set that brings in a bit of hard-swinging jazz to the country-styled groove Ray was hitting at the time! Backings are by Ralph Burns, who keeps things pretty hip – not as modern as some of his 50s charts for other singers, but with some great horns that cascade beautifully alongside Ray's raspy vocals in the lead. The "road" title leads to a bunch of travel-themed tunes – but that approach also yields one of Charles' biggest classics – his version of "Georgia On My Mind" – heard here amidst other tracks that include "New York's My Home", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Deep In The Heart Of Texas", "Blue Hawaii", "Carry Me Back To Old Virginny", "Alabamy Bound", and "Mississippi Mud". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget Dionne Warwick, and think Burt Bacharach – because on this sublime little set, The Dells are singing some of Burt's greatest tunes ever – all set to impeccable arrangements by the legendary Charles Stepney! The album's more wonderful than you might even expect – a true high point in the career of all parties involved – and a tremendous recasting of Bacharach's original brilliance – taking his key compositions into the most sophisticated styles of the Chicago soul scene in the 70s! There's a sense of timing and phrasing here that's quite unique – hardly simple covers of Dionne Warwick's approach to these hits – and Stepney's backings feature his own Fender Rhodes, guitar from Phil Upchurch, percussion from members of The Pharoahs, and some fuller horns, harp, and strings. The Dells are equally great too – and serve up some of the best vocals of their career – really magnificent harmonies, and soaring solo parts that seem to even go beyond their best-known hits. Titles include "Walk On By", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Wives & Lovers", "Close To You", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", and "A House Is Not A Home". CD

A wonderful set of work by this fantastic east coast harmony group – a short-lived early 70s ensemble who were discovered by the great George Kerr when on a trip to a prison! The Escorts were handled by Kerr with the same flair he brought to other groups like The Whatnauts and The Moments – a wonderful mix of ballads and well-crafted vocal numbers that show the fragile New Jersey style of singing at its best. The set features 20 tracks in all – all the tunes from the group's 2 albums, plus some bonus material, and even an interview snippet! Titles include "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow", "Brother", "Corruption", "Disrespect Can Wreck", "Let's Make Love (at Home Sometimes)", and "All We Need (Is Another Chance)", their plea to society to forgive them for their past crimes. Classic New Jersey! CD

16 tracks of Eddie's classic Stax sides, with a range of material that runs from 60s through 70s. A handful of big hits, and a big batch of lesser known, but still great Memphis soul from Floyd. Includes "I've Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)", "Bring It Home To Me", "Check Me Out", "Soul Street", "I've Got To Have Your Love", "Blood Is Thicker Than Water", "Don't Tell Your Mama", "Why Is The Wine Sweeter (On The Other Side)", "California Girl", "My Girl", "The Best Years Of My Life", and "Yum Yum Yum (I Want Some)". CD

PJ Harvey at peak power! This one came at a point in her career when she'd hit such stylistically varied high points earlier on, it's hard to imagine what she could've done to surprise long time fans or impress the critics as much as before – and she hits the mark by diverting expectations all together, with disarmingly great songs and her one of a kind voice. From the relatively spare and intimate songs to the fuzzy guitar stormers, she revisits styles she's done before without repeating herself, it's a next step all around and it hasn't aged a day since it came out. Includes "Big Exit", "Good Fortune", "A Place Called Home", "One Lane", "This Mess We're In", "This Is Love", "Horses In My My Dreams", "We Float", "Beautiful Feeling" and more. CD

Includes the songs "This Is It", "Whenever I Call You "Friend"", "Footloose", "Heart To Heart", "Danger Zone", "Meet Me Half Way", "I'm Alright", "Return To Pooh Corner", "Don't Fight It", "Forever", "Conviction Of The Heart", "The Real Thing", "For The First Time", "Celebrate Me Home", and "The Rest Of Your Life". CD

It's a smooth smooth Christmas from The Platters – heard here in their wonderful 1963 Christmas album! The set follows in the style of the group's late 50s hits – but with a sound that's a bit more tuned to the season, and not as much in the late nite smoochy mode of some of their more famous ballads. The harmonies on the set are great – and the album's a real precursor to the smoother group soul Holiday albums of the 70s and 80s. Titles include "Jingle Bells Jingle", "Blue Christmas", "I'll Be Home For Christmas", "Silent Night", "Come Home For Christmas", and "Winter Wonderland". CD

A nice collection of tracks from this classic girl group, and one that has a lot of lesser-known material that's pretty darn nice! Includes their very groovy "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad World" – plus the tracks "Boys", "I Met Him On A Sunday", "Don't Go Home (My Little Darlin)", "Maybe Tonight", "What Does A Girl Do", and the classic "To Know Him Is To Love Him". LP, Vinyl record album

Jr. Walker's deep soulful tenor graced many a Motown hit back in the 60s – including the dozen featured on this tasty "best of" compilation, put together back in 1968, from singles that were issued earlier in the decade. Includes the huge hit "Shotgun", plus "Home Cookin", "Road Runner", "Hip City", "Shake & Fingerpop", "Shoot Your Shot", and a version of "Money". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant grooves from the London scene – some of the greatest cuts to come out on the Afro Art label, a huge precursor to some of the groundbreaking British imprints in recent years! There's a really righteous vibe to most of these numbers – that first burst of post-jungle sounds from London, when beats were first getting broken, and lots of cosmic jazz elements were running through the mix! Titles include "Headspace Lullaby" and "Crusing Home" by Black Science Orchestra, "Space & Time (Phil Asher's Restless Soul mix)" and "E Side Story/Lude No 7" by Souldrummers, "Prophecy Reveal (night time is the right time mix)" by Ballistic Brothers, "In Dub" by Dance Freak, "Sambana" by United Eye Vs Souldrummers, "Phoenix Rising (a new beginning mix)" by Universal Jones, "Question (Phillysophical soul mix)" by The Man", "Keep On Keepin On (road to Washington mix)" and "Sunshine (sunset mix)" by Black Science Orchestra, and "Jazz Room" by Paul Murphy/Marc Woolford Project. CD

A really cool collection of vintage country music Christmas tunes – not just hits, but some excellent obscure material – all pulled together in a way that really lives up to the high standards we expect from the Bear Family label! These tracks are pulled together from a variety of labels and sources, and don't just include cowboy numbers you might guess from the "range" in the title – but also western swing, honky tonk, and maybe a few countrypolitan gems as well! The set features 26 titles in all – with great graphics and notes throughout – to accompany titles that include "Santa Claus Is Coming" by Skeeter Davis, "Santa's On His Way" by Bob Wills, "North Pole Boogie" by Billy Briggs, "Christmas Can't Be Far Away" by Eddie Arnold, "Christmas Time's A-Coming" by Bill Monroe, "Jolly Old St Nicholas" by Wilf Carter, "I Wish Everyday Was Christmas" by Ray Salter, "New Baby For Christmas" by George Jones, "Blue Snowfall" by George Morgan, "White Christmas" by Ernest Tubb, "Christmas Carols By The Old Corral" by Tex Ritter, "No Place Like Home On Christmas" by Little Jimmy Dickens, "It's Christmas Time" by The Louvin Brothers, "Home At Christmas" by Nelson Young, "I'm Gonna Lasso Santa" by Brenda Lee, and "We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo" by Terry Fell. CD

A great collection of some of the best numbers from the Hot Wax label of the early 70s – second generation Detroit soul that really set the standard for the 70s! The tunes here were massive back in the day – blasting out of juke boxes, car radios, and a fair bit of home stereos too – all for good reason, given the care and balance the Holland-Dozier-Holland team brought to their work in the studio, and their ears for selecting singers to handle the work. Titles include "Want Ads" and "Stick Up" by Honey Cone, "Somebody's Been Sleepin" and "Too Many Cooks" by 100 Proof Aged In Soul, "Westbound #9" and "Mind Body & Soul" by Flaming Ember, "Woman's Love Rights" by Laura Lee "Women's Love Rights", and "Frightened Girl" by Silent Majority. LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous collection of 70s soul – one of our favorite-ever compilations from the UK Kent label! The set focuses on the lesser-known gems of the Spring and Event labels – companies who were well-known for bigger hits by Joe Simon, Millie Jackson, and others – but who also cut some sublime singles in a modern soul mode, many of which were new discoveries to our ears before this CD! The package is really incredible – filled with 23 cuts that really opened our ears to the labels, and which do a fantastic job of blending mellow, sophisticated, and bits of southern soul in the 70s! Titles include "What Did I Do Wrong" by The Mayberry Movement, "You Didn't Love Me Anyhow" by Act One, "I Can't Believe You Love Me" by Lou Jackson, "House For Sale" by Millie Jackson, "Alakazam" by Sonny Ross, Time" by Don Williams & The Exchange, "There's Another In My Life" by Phillip Mitchell, "Can I Get A Witness" by Jackie Verdell, "C'Mon & Give It Up" by Clare Bathe, "Please Come Home" by Garland Green, "I'm The Other Half Of You" by Ray Godfrey, and "Lead Me On" by The Internationals. CD

Fantastic work by The Drifters – not only proof that their career was still going strong, but also a landmark batch of uptown soul tracks that set the blueprint for so many other New York artists of the 60s! The album includes the hits "On Broadway", "Up On The Roof", and "Under The Boardwalk" – but there's a dozen tracks, and they're all great! Other tracks include "Rat Race", "I'll Take You Home", "Let the Music Play", and "If You Don't Come Back". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive package of work from the mighty Kool & The Gang – 6 full albums from the 80s, served up here in a 3CD set! First up is Ladies Night – a shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but a record that's still pretty darn great as well! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. Deodato keeps a nice jazzy punch in the tracks, while still moving towards the slickly produced funk sound that was the group's main approach at the time of the record. JT Taylor's on vocals, and the album's even got a few mellow cuts – like the crossover easy number "Too Hot" – amidst the midtempo 80s grooves that really step out and make the whole thing move. Other tracks include "Ladies Night", "Hangin Out", "Tonight's The Night", "If You Feel Like Dancin", and "Got You Into My Life". The next album is Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a sweet and smooth talent with a real flair for putting over a modern soul groove! Deodato's approach is really great – smooth, yet soulful, without any tricks or gimmicks – and a real appreciation for lead vocals and a catchy little hook! The album features the group's party classic "Get Down On It", plus "Steppin Out", "No Show", "Pass It On", "Be My Lady", "Take My Heart", and "Good Time Tonight". As One is solid 80s grooving from Kool & The Gang – a group who inspired so many others in the early 80s soul generation, but who could still do it better than most of the rest! The style here is tight and smooth, but never too slick – and Deodato's giving the group some really great production for the album – helping them to focus their energy and soar soulfully, but without resorting to any stiff gimmicks or cliches! There's a great groove running through most of the numbers here – a confident quality that's never too commercial, and which bubbles along nicely throughout. Titles include "Street Kids", "Big Fun", "As One", "Hi De Hi Hi De Ho", "Let's Go Dancin", and "Pretty Baby". In The Heart is a sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". Last up is Emergency – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". CD

Killer postwar work from a figure who really laid the ground for 60s soul to come! Titles include his classic "One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer", plus "Sax Shack Boogie", "Tears Tears Tears", "Let Me Go Home Whiskey", "Bad Bad Whiskey", "In The Middle Of The Night", and "Let's Make Christmas Merry". LP, Vinyl record album

Catchy, clubby grooves from the team of Zack Roberts and Gebah Swary – a Liberian duo who issued this very catchy record at the start of the 80s! The pair have an 80s look on the cover, and definitely bring that into their music too – with early electro touches used in very spare ways, next to the sort of more club-styled Afro funky sounds that were really coming into play on the west African scene. Titles include their hits "No Peace No Love" and "For The Love Of Money" – the latter of which is not a cover of the O'Jays song, but instead their own great groover – plus "Take It Easy", "Rock To The Music", "Home Is Home", and "My Luck Will Shine". CD

A fabulous look at a new wave of music that hit the American scene at the end of the 60s – sophisticated songs with a deep sense of narrative that went way beyond the usual – first sprung by the world of country music, but with an influence that went on to touch all other styles too! This set goes right to the core – and brings together cuts from the hippest songwriters of the period, delivered in versions that may well be the best to ever make it on records – including a few tunes that will really come as a surprise if you think you know the artists from their hits! As you'd guess from the title, the world here is very similar to that in "Ode To Billie Joe" – a world that's also given great illumination by the detailed notes within. Titles include "Endless Miles Of Highway" by Jerry Reed, "If Only She Had Stayed" by Chris Gantry, "July 12, 1939" by Charlie Rich, "What Am I Doing In LA" by Nat Stuckey, "The House Song" by Lee Hazlewood, "Mr Jackson's Got Nothing To Do" by John Hartford, "Widow Wimberley" by Tony Joe White, "Mr Walker It's All Over" by Billie Jo Spears, "Drivin Nails In The Walls" by Waylon Jennings, "Four Shades Of Love" by Henson Cargill, "The Back Side Of Dallas" by Jeanne C Riley, "Way Before The Time Of Towns" by Hoyt Axton, "Down From Dover" by Dolly Parton, "Fabulous Body & Smile" by Sir Robert Charles Griggs, and "Why Can't I Come Home" by Ed Bruce. CD

A hell of a tribute to the songwriting genius of Dolly Parton – a side of her talents that's sometimes obscured by her incredible voice and overwhelming personality! Yet right from the start, long before she was a superstar, Dolly was as much a writer in country music as she was a singer of songs – and her early records are filled with gems that opened up a whole new space for the female voice not just in country music, but in other styles too – as testified by the mix of soul, rock, and other modes that appear on this set! Dolly kicks off the collection with one of her hits – but the package then spans decades to bring together a range of really wonderful readings of songs from the pen of Parton – all accompanied by detailed notes on every selection in the set. Titles include "I Will Always Love You" by Linda Ronstadt, "Two Doors Down" by Zella Lahr, "In The Good Old Days" by The Everly Brothers, "Here I Am" by Percy Sledge, "Nickels & Dimes" by Buck Owens, "I Loved So Fast & Hard" by Porter Wagoner, "There'll Always Be Music" by Tina Turner, "My Tennessee Mountain Home" by Maria Muldaur, "Little Sparrow" by Bettye Lavette, "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" by Bill Phillips, "Most Of All Why" by Holly Dunn, "I'm In No Condition" by Hank Williams Jr, "Touch Your Woman" by Margie Joseph, "Kentucky Gambler" by Merle Haggard, "Coat Of Many Colors" by Emmylou Harris, "Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind" by Rhiannon Giddens, and "Love Is Like A Butterfly" by Nana Mouskouri. CD

Link Wray is definitely Jack The Ripper here – ripping away with incredible guitar work that may well top his famous hits of the late 50s! The set is one of the sharpest ever issued by Philly indie Swan Records – an early home to The Beatles too – and the label's quick demise makes the set one of the more obscure Link Wray recordings, and a key bridge between his years to come as a singer and his early work that helped revolutionize the sound of the electric guitar! The production is great – almost some west coast sonic experiments at times – and titles include "Rumble", "Cross Ties", "Run Chicken Run", "Big Ben", "Dinosaur", and "Fat Back". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collection of southern soul – and actually way more than the usual CD compilation, and almost instead a time machine back to the glory days of the genre! The set comes in a heavy slipcase, with a huge booklet of notes – not just track-by-track stories on all the 75 songs in the package, but also beautiful vintage images of the southern scene from which these deep soul tracks come – great photographs that are a great accompaniment to the often-narrative tracks in the set. The music is a mix of tracks from southern soul giants, and some key lesser-known acts – and as you'd expect from Kent, the whole thing goes way past the hits – and features plenty of obscure numbers too. Titles include "A Sad Sad Song" by Charles Crawford, "Mary Jane" by Bobby Rush, "If Loving You Is A Crime" by Lee Moses, "Go On Fool (ext)" by Marion Black, "Someone To Take Your Place" by Bill Locke, "I Got Everything I Need" by Eddie Floyd, "I've Got Memories (demo)" by Melvin Carter, "Give Me Back The Man I Love" by Barbara West, "Somebody Done Gone Took My Baby & Gone" by Joey Gilmore, "Depend On Me" by Steve Dixon, "Going Back Home" by Ground Hog, "Just A Touch Of Your Hand" by Al Gardner, "Sure As Sin" by Jeanie Greene, and "Please Don't Desert Me Baby" by Gloria Walker & The Chevelles. CD

A magnificent set from the Chicago Afrobeat Project – the kind of group that makes us plenty proud we live in the Windy City! The record's got a quality that's a bit more ambitious than you might guess – a complicated style that's still plenty grooving, but which really features some sophisticated instrumentation overall – mostly in familiar Afrobeat modes, but served up with a freshness that we really love! The group's quite large – with instrumentation that's heavy on horns and percussion, but also features some killer keyboards too – snaking through the mix with a soulful vibe that really hits home, especially on the more righteous numbers in the set. Ugochi sings on one track, but the main focus is instrumental – and the great Bobby Broom also plays guitar on one cut too! Titles include "Superstar (part 7)", "Chupacabra", "Carcass", "Fix & Release", "Media Man", "Cloister", and "BSCG2". CD

The second album from The Clash – ferocious, melodic and masterful bits of barbed greatness from the group – the greatest flaw of which is that it's not the first album. They're still completely great, playing in peak form even with the less shambling, slightly more polished production of Sandy Pearlman. This one stands out beautifully to us nowadays, since most of the songs aren't as overplayed as the more zeitgeiest-y earlier ones or the Mtv hits that came later on. Essential!! Titles include "Julie's In The Drug Squad", "All The Young Punks", "Last Gang In Town", "Guns On The Roof", "Cheap-Skate", "Drug-Stabbing Time", and "Safe European Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Back in the 60s, the Grass Roots already had this tight, compressed energy that was totally great – a quality that also makes their 70s work like this so wonderful too! There's a focus here that's totally great – horns informed by earlier soul music styles, and vocals that borrow a bit too – upbeat and bubbling, but with maybe a nicely mature vibe too – still hook-heavy, but slightly different than the earlier hits – on titles that include "Just A Little Tear", "Pick Up Your Feet", "Where There's Smoke There's Fire", "Ballad Of Billy Joe", "We Almost Made It Together", "Ain't No Way To Go Home", and "Claudia". LP, Vinyl record album

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" LP, Vinyl record album

A modern soul classic – and the first album recorded by 70s mellow soul maestro Al Johnson, a great artist whose lent his talents to countless others over the years! The sound is incredibly tight and plenty darn soulful – very much in the spirit of mid 70s classics by Leroy Hutson, Ronnie McNeir, and Leon Ware – with a massively personal approach that hits hard on both the groovers and the mellower cuts. There's a style here that's nicely rougher than that on Al's better-known album for Columbia – but one that shows that he can still cook up impeccable tunes without a major label budget for production! Titles include the great groover "I've Got My Second Wind", plus "Let's Go Home Together", "Peaceful", "Come Check Out This Love", and "Let Me Love You". CD

Beautiful early sounds from the legendary Sylvester – very different than the later hits, especially the disco ones – and a set that was recorded before all the big records of the 70s! The approach here is jazz, and intimate enough to warrant the "private" in the title – as Sylvester sings on most numbers with just piano backing, but in a way that really has the vocals soaring high – driven to heights of expression without the urging of any other instruments – and a great document of the soulful genius that Sylvester had right at the start! Titles include "Big City Blues", "Stormy Weather", "Carioca", "Viper's Drag", "Indian Love Call", and "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" – and at points, other singers join into the mix as well. LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning showcase for the saxophone work of Mototeru Takagi, in a set of duets with bassist Motoharhu Yoshizawa – yet a set that also really explodes when it hits a series of solo performances from Yoshizawa too! The first two CDs feature duet material – with Takagi on tenor, plus a bit of solo – and Yoshizawa adding some slight effects to his bass, yet never in a way that's gimmicky – as the record features long improvisations that are pure emotive, expressive power from both individuals. CD1 features the disc-long "Stone Blues", while CD2 features unusual expansions on "Arirang Variations", "Ballerina/Going Home", and "La Vie En Rose". CD3 features four solo bass improvisations, recorded two years after the duets – all pretty darn amazing! CD

Think you know the sound of Atlantic Records in the 60s? Think again – because this stunning series opens the vault to a huge amount of rare treasures from the legendary label! The package is amazing – and offers up rare tracks that were mostly only issued by Atlantic on singles – including some on the other imprints associated with the company – some by names we never even knew recorded for the label, others by bigger names, but represented here by obscure material that goes way past their hits – and which is ultra cool because of that. There's also a fair bit more deep soul than you might expect from the usual Atlantic mix – tremendous vocals, and often in less hit-heavy modes – which makes the whole thing a great revelation – and just one more reason to bow down and give even more expect to one of the key companies who helped soul music find a home in the 60s. Plus – as if that's not enough – the whole thing comes in a very cool 7" gatefold package – which emphasizes the from-singles nature of the collection. Volume 3 is overflowing with amazing sounds from the heart of the 60s – rare 45rpm tracks by Atlantic stars, Stax artists, and a few lesser-knowns too. Titles include "Hello Stranger" by The Capitols, "Help Me (parts 1 & 2)" by Ray Sharpe, "Long Distance Love" by Ted Taylor, "Lonely Soldier" by Mike Williams, "How Can You Babysit A Man" by Ned Towns, "Keep Looking" by Solomon Bourke, "I'm Sorry" by Fred Lowrey, "Please Uncle Sam" by The Charmels, "Share What You Got" by William Bell, "Reputation" by The Four Shells, "Me & My Baby" by Mary Wells, "Got No One" by The Delcardos, "Weak Spot" by Ruby Johnson, "Good Love Bad Love" by Eddie Floyd, "Bingo" by Ned Towns, "I Had A Dream" by Johnny Taylor, "I Can't Take It" by Ray Sharpe, "You Can't Love Them All" by The Drifters, "Believe It Or Not" by Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers, "Patch My Heart" by The Mad Lads, "She's The One I Love" by The Delcardos, "Find Me Somebody" by Bobby Womack, "Hello Stranger" by The Capitols, "So Much Love" by Ben E King, "Help The Bear" by Ted Taylor, and "I Feel A Sin Coming On" by Solomon Burke. CD

The best look at Chicago's legendary Twinight label that we've ever seen – a massive 2CD set that goes way past the obvious hits, and really digs into the heart and soul of this unique little record company! Twinight is best known as the home of Syl Johnson during his legendary run of funky soul singles at the end of the 60s – but the company was also home to a lot of other great talent during the same stretch – harmony vocal groups, sweet soul singers, funky combos, and more – all of which you'll hear in this incredible little set! (And in fact, the set does such a great job of presenting the other artists on Twinight, that it leaves out Syl Johnson entirely – so the package is a 100% non-Syl set – which is ok with us, because you can always get Johnson's work on other reissues.) The Numero Group have really outdone themselves this time around – using their careful ear to pull out the best lost bits from Twinight, remastered here with wonderful sound – and a brilliant 32 page booklet that tells the story of the label, and also includes loads of vintage photos. The set's a must-have for any fan of quality funk or soul – and the package includes a whopping 40 titles that include "Goin Man Huntin" by Jo Ann Garrett, "I've Made Up My Mind" by Josephine Taylor, "A New Day" by The Notations, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones, "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins, "Life Walked Out" by Mist, "Put Out The Fire by Mystiques, "You & Me Baby" by Kaldirons, "Rosemarie" by Dynamic Tints, "Remind Me" by Schiller Street Gang, "Is It Meant To Be" by Krystal Generation, "Pardon My Innocent Heart" by Nate Evans, "Package Of Love (part 1)" by Dynamic Tints, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "Mama" by Annette Poindexter, "Pass It On (part 1)" by Pipes Of Peace, "My Sunshine Girl" by Radiants, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback, and "Can You Find Me Love" by Harrison & The Majestic Kind. CD

This is mod, and a bit more too – as the set moves past some of the overdone tropes of the UK mod scene in the 60s – getting past some of the Motown hits and UK blues rock to focus on some of the more underground cuts that would have played well on the ultra-hip sides of the scene! The collection is overflowing with soulful gems from the 60s – almost all on small American labels, of the sorts that changed hands almost secretly between UK DJs and tastemakers – a mode that will definitely have you feel like you're digging something special here! Titles include "It's My Life" by Timmy Thomas, "Talkin Woman" by Lowell Fulsom, "Sundown" by The Merced Blue Notes, "Looking For A Fox" by Clarence Carter, "The Pain Gets A Little Deeper" by Darrow Fletcher, "Lay This Burdon Down" by Mary Love, "Coming Back To Me Baby" by James Carr, I Can't Stop" by Arthur Conley, "Keep My Woman Home" by Danny White, and "Elijah Rockin With Soul" by Hank Jacobs. LP, Vinyl record album

Goodbye Yesterday, hello 70s – as Lucky Thompson plays wonderfully here in a mode that's quite different than his early years – working in a cool group that includes Cedar Walton on electric piano and celeste, Larry Ridley on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! While most cuts are relatively straight, they've got an open soulful approach that's quite different from most of Lucky's other work – much more in the vein of recordings by Walton from the time, with an arch soul jazz righteousness to them, and a bit of an electric vibe when Cedar hits the keyboards. Titles include "Fillet Of Soul", "Back To The World", "Home Come'n", "Tea Time", and "Soul Lullaby". CD

2 key albums in the early career of Nancy Wilson – back to back on one CD! For Hollywood My Way, Wilson turns her wonderfully sophisticated vocal style towards a batch of hits from Hollywood films of the 40s, 50s, and 60s – arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones, in that classy blend of jazz and soul that suited Wilson so well in the 60s! The style is really a cut above the usual – handled with great poise by Nancy throughout, but also done in a mode that's relaxed enough to get past some of the stodgier sounds of records like this. The mellower tunes are actually some of the best here – personal, reflective, and echoing the "Guess Who I Saw Today" sound of Wilson in the 60s. Titles include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Almost In Your Arms", "When Did You Leave Heaven?", "My Shining Hour", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Wild Is The Wind". Broadway My Way is also arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones – and as usual with Wilson in this sort of setting, the material is really transformed by her presentation – taken way past its roots in popular shows of the time. Titles include "Loads Of Love", "My Ship", "Getting To Know You", "Tonight", "You Can Have Him", and "I Believe In You". 24 tracks in all. CD

A fab collection of work from the second great wave of girl group music – the great run of female groups that rose to the forefront during the power pop generation, then continued to burn strongly all through the following decade! You'll recognize a few of the names here from bigger hits on the radio – but as with the previous Ace Records collection in this series, the focus is on tight early tunes that really hew to the sharp, catchy vibe of the power pop generation – music that's as lean as punk, but a lot more friendly – and free from some of the moodier modes that would later emerge in grunge, shoegaze, and other styles to come! The music is as playful as the cover – and supported with the usual great Ace Records notes and attention to detail – in a package that features 25 titles that include "Hit The Ground" by The Darling Buds, "Knock Knock Knock" by The MnMs, "The Real World" by The Bangles, "Goodbye To You" by Scandal, "Cherry Bomb" by The Runaways, "Dream Lover" by The Rebel Pebbles, "Just Before Mary Goes" by Universal Honey, "Jimmy Loves Maryann" by Josie Cotton, "Way Behind Me" by The Primitives, "Cruel To Be Kind" by Letters To Cleo, "Lipstuck" by Eve's Plum, "I Wanna Go Home" by Holly & The Italians, "Vacation" by The Textones, "Glad Again" by Fuzzy, and "Boys Are Drinking" by The B Girls. CD

An incredible collection of lost recordings by the Four Tops – culled from the groups earliest days with Motown in the early 60s and through the rest of the decade – a mighty testament to the pioneering group's amazing track record! Most of their sessions with Holland-Dozier-Holland actually saw the light of day (there are only a couple here), so this set runs pretty deep, and it honestly sounds as great to our ears as most of their biggest hits do! Many of the earlier tracks on disc one stand up very well with the best soul of the era, with the glorious harmonies and sterling sound you know they laid down – even on the b-sides! Disc one features tracks from '63-'68, with productions by Mickey Stevenson, Smokey Robinson, Ivy Joe Hunter and others. Tracks include "Get My Hands On Some Lovin'", "I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me", "Baby Baby Come Home", "Fantasy", "Sweeter As The Day Days Go By". "Lost For Words", "I'm So Afraid Of Losing You" and many more! Disc two features the tracks we love the most on the set – late 60s numbers in which the lead vocals get grittier, the drums clap harder, the guitar and bass gets fuzzier – looser, funkier stuff – along with straighter soul ballads, so you know they could still do it all! Producers include Raynard Miner, Ron Miller, Pete Moore, Johnny Bristol and others. Tracks include "Same-O", "Clip My Wings", "No Time", "My Love Keeps On Growing", "Never Say No To Your Baby", "Magic Mary", "Rocks In My Bed", Which Way Is The Sky", "You're My Kind Of Woman", "Lost Without You" and more. 41 tracks in all! CD

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from Slim Harpo – an album that kicks off with one of his biggest hits ever, and follows with plenty of great tunes as well! Things here are pretty rootsy and stripped-down – lots of spare, slowish rhythms (but a few funkier ones too!) – and instrumentation that's dominated by guitar and harmonica alongside Slim's vocals – all in a mode that's maybe a bit more vintage than his funky soul of the late 60s, but still equally powerful too! There's some great echoey production at points – almost taking a Bo Diddley tip, which makes for some really great sounds – and titles include "Snoopin Around", "Buzz Me Baby", "I'm A King Bee", "Moody Blues", "My Home Is A Prison", "Dream Girl", "Blues Hangover", and "Rainin In My Heart". CD

The second album from The Clash – ferocious, melodic and masterful bits of barbed greatness from the group – the greatest flaw of which is that it's not the first album. They're still completely great, playing in peak form even with the less shambling, slightly more polished production of Sandy Pearlman. This one stands out beautifully to us nowadays, since most of the songs aren't as overplayed as the more zeitgeiest-y earlier ones or the Mtv hits that came later on. Essential!! Titles include "Julie's In The Drug Squad", "All The Young Punks", "Last Gang In Town", "Guns On The Roof", "Cheap-Skate", "Drug-Stabbing Time", and "Safe European Home". CD

One of Tyrone Davis' last albums for Dakar – and a great one too – issued in 1976 before the demise of that label, and Tyrone's big move to Columbia Records! Tyrone's still working strongly here in that great Chicago mix of smooth and rough – a sound first forged on his early Dakar hits, and carried through strongly here by arrangers Tom Tom and James Mack – who still keep a lot of the indie elements that made Davis' music for Dakar great right from the start. The centerpiece of the album is the title track "Turning Point", and it's situated in a set of other nice tunes, a number of which have that smoothed-out feel that Tyrone brought to his work in the late 70s. Includes a remake of "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" (done at a nice ballad tempo), plus "It's So Good (To Be Home With You)", "Saving My Love For You", and "I Can't Bump" (parts 1 & 2). LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include the huge hits "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" – plus "The Damage Is Done", "Woman Oh Woman", "Long Long Way From Home", and "At War With The World". Cassette

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" CD

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" CD

Classic work from Slim Harpo – an album that kicks off with one of his biggest hits ever, and follows with plenty of great tunes as well! Things here are pretty rootsy and stripped-down – lots of spare, slowish rhythms (but a few funkier ones too!) – and instrumentation that's dominated by guitar and harmonica alongside Slim's vocals – all in a mode that's maybe a bit more vintage than his funky soul of the late 60s, but still equally powerful too! There's some great echoey production at points – almost taking a Bo Diddley tip, which makes for some really great sounds – and titles include "Snoopin Around", "Buzz Me Baby", "I'm A King Bee", "Moody Blues", "My Home Is A Prison", "Dream Girl", "Blues Hangover", and "Rainin In My Heart". CD

A surprisingly sensitive score from Henry Mancini – much more so than we'd expect for this famous film about Joan Crawford's child-rearing habits! Mancini's at his mature best here – and there's lots of lovely, beautiful little tunes that kind of unfold like gentle flowers – slight strings and light woodwinds that move slowly, but with this really evocative quality – one that builds up a bit more strongly as the score progresses towards the end. Really great stuff – and a rich reminder that Mancini has so many great moments that go way beyond his familiar hits. Titles include "Spoiled Children", "Home Again", "No More Pain", "Test Of Wills", "Battle Axe", "On Your Mark", "My Darling Daughter", and "Of Shoes & Socks". Great CD reissue – with 9 more bonus tracks – including source cues and other older music used in the film. CD

A legendary sound library set from the 70s Italian scene – exactly the kind of record that got so many folks digging for sound library funk so many years ago! The record's a masterpiece of funky rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and warmer touches – served up with plenty of Fender Rhodes in the mix, plus sweet flute lines, wah wah guitar, and just the right use of strings to give the whole thing almost a blacksploitation vibe at times! The set was billed to the team of Jay Richford and Gary Stevan – but it's actually the product of better-known sound library maestros Sandro Brugnolini and Stefano Torossi, who work here at a level that's at the top of their powers. There's almost a cop/crime vibe to the record at times – and although some instruments solo at points, the real groove lies in the tight vamping of the orchestra – which hits all the right notes to really send the whole thing soaring – often with a nice use of tone and color too! Titles include "Flying High", "Fearing Much", "Going Home", "Running Fast", "Walking In The Dark", and "Feeling Tense". LP, Vinyl record album

Two early 70s albums by Lucky Thompson – back to back in a single set! First up is Goodbye Yesterday – an album that has Lucky Thompson working in a mode that's quite different than his early years – working in a cool group that includes Cedar Walton on electric piano and celeste, Larry Ridley on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! While most cuts are relatively straight, they've got an open soulful approach that's quite different from most of Lucky's other work – much more in the vein of recordings by Walton from the time, with an arch soul jazz righteousness to them, and a bit of an electric vibe when Cedar hits the keyboards. Titles include "Fillet Of Soul", "Back To The World", "Home Come'n", "Tea Time", and "Soul Lullaby". I Offer You is an excellent album of mellow soulful tracks by Lucky Thompson – with a sweet 70s groove that's quite different from most of his other recordings! The album's got a cool mellow feel – with Lucky veering much more towards a CTI-ish electric mode than the style he used on most of his other earlier albums, which were in a soul jazz or hardbop style. Thompson plays both tenor and soprano sax – sometimes with hints of a post-Coltrane influence, in lines that are nice and snakey! The group's great too – with Cedar Walton on acoustic and electric piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – all very soulful players that help bring a righteous sort of energy to the album! Titles include "Munsoon", "Sun Out", "Aliyah", and a good cover of "Moment Of Truth". LP, Vinyl record album

You may not recognize the name of Deniece Chandler in soul music, but you'll definitely know her by her later name of Deniece Williams and her many hits of the 70s and 80s for Columbia Records! Yet here, while still Chandler, the young singer comes across in a very different way – serving up some excellent early material from the Chicago scene – perfect for the higher-voiced style she used at the start – really wonderful tunes that also echo some of the more sophisticated ways that Chicago cooking up at the time. The set features a host of early singles that Chandler recorded for the Toddlin Town label, plus some unreleased material, and even some bonus tracks too – including two duets with Lee Sain. Titles include "Yes I'm Ready", "Love Is Tears", "I'm Walking Away", "Come On Home To Me Baby", "Goodbye Cruel World", "Mama I Wish I Stayed At Home", "Just One Time", "Glorious Feeling", "Hey Baby", "Shy Boy", and "I'm Not Like The Others". LP, Vinyl record album

Think you know the sound of Atlantic Records in the 60s? Think again – because this stunning series opens the vault to a huge amount of rare treasures from the legendary label! The package is amazing – and offers up rare tracks that were mostly only issued by Atlantic on singles – including some on the other imprints associated with the company – some by names we never even knew recorded for the label, others by bigger names, but represented here by obscure material that goes way past their hits – and which is ultra cool because of that. There's also a fair bit more deep soul than you might expect from the usual Atlantic mix – tremendous vocals, and often in less hit-heavy modes – which makes the whole thing a great revelation – and just one more reason to bow down and give even more expect to one of the key companies who helped soul music find a home in the 60s. Plus – as if that's not enough – the whole thing comes in a very cool 7" gatefold package – which emphasizes the from-singles nature of the collection. Volume 4 is filled with 50 rare tracks – loads of uncommon Atlantic singles, including some from their 50s partners – with cuts that include "Bye Bye Baby" by Ella Washington, "Sleep Good Tonight" by Sam & Dave, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Dee Dee Sharp, "Book Of Memories" by Percy Wiggins, "I've Got That Feelin" by Darrell Banks, "Let's Go Steady" by Arthur Conley, "Let Me Down Slow" by Bobby Wilson, "These Simple Reasons" by The Mad Lads, "Cool Pearl" by The Capitols, "Happiness" by The Ambassadors, "That Man Of Mine" by Jean & The Darlings, "One Plus One" by William Bell, "Left Over Love" by Mable John, "Get Down" by Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds, "All On A Sunny Day" by Deon Jackson, "Sentimental Reasons" by Percy Wiggins, "Feels Good" by Bobby Wilson, "Bigger & Better" by Mable John, "I'll Be Loving You" by Soul Brothers Six, "Greasy Spoon" by Rufus Thomas, "Don't Say Maybe Baby" by The Capitols, "I'm So Proud Of My Baby" by The Ambassadors, "She Knows What To Do For Me" by Ben E King, "I Gotta Have My Baby's Love" by Sir Mack Rice, "Loveitis" by Harvey Scales, "Love Comes & Goes" by Arthur Conley, "The Grass Always Seems Greener" by Ella Washington, and "Behind Every Great Man There's A Woman" by Percy Sledge. CD

A fantastic collection of work from a real golden age in hip hop – a period that you'll probably guess from the image of the Native Tongues posse on the front – served up here in a compilation that brings together classics from De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, and many others! The set list is superb – and while most of the tracks are well-remembered gems, and not the kind of rare cuts we usually hear from Ace Records – taken together, they're a tremendous reminder of a time when hip hop really came alive – bursting with wit, wisdom, and a whole new sense of musical imagination! As usual with Ace, the liner notes and other details are great – making this way more than just a slap-dash mix of hits – and titles include "You're Not Coming Home (Mase's funkay recall mix)" by Groove Garden, "Age Ain't Nothin But A #" by Chi Ali, "Bonita Applebum" by Tribe Called Quest, "Sunshine Men" by Freestyle Fellowship, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "K Sera Sera" by Justin Warfield, "It's A Shame" by Monie Love, "Doin Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, "OPP" by Naughty By Nature, "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul, "The Choice Is Yours" by Black Sheep, "All For One" by Brand Nubian, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children" by Queen Latifah with De La Soul, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, and "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" by Da Bush Babees. CD

A fantastic collection of work from a real golden age in hip hop – a period that you'll probably guess from the image of the Native Tongues posse on the front – served up here in a compilation that brings together classics from De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, and many others! The set list is superb – and while most of the tracks are well-remembered gems, and not the kind of rare cuts we usually hear from Ace Records – taken together, they're a tremendous reminder of a time when hip hop really came alive – bursting with wit, wisdom, and a whole new sense of musical imagination! As usual with Ace, the liner notes and other details are great – making this way more than just a slap-dash mix of hits – and titles include "You're Not Coming Home (Mase's funkay recall mix)" by Groove Garden, "Age Ain't Nothin But A #" by Chi Ali, "Bonita Applebum" by Tribe Called Quest, "Sunshine Men" by Freestyle Fellowship, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "K Sera Sera" by Justin Warfield, "It's A Shame" by Monie Love, "Doin Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, "OPP" by Naughty By Nature, "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul, "The Choice Is Yours" by Black Sheep, "All For One" by Brand Nubian, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children" by Queen Latifah with De La Soul, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, and "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" by Da Bush Babees. LP features two bonus tracks – "Case Of The PTA" by Leaders Of The New School and "What's Up Doc (K-Cut's fat trac rmx)" by Fu Schnickens. LP, Vinyl record album

A doo wop Christmas party, but one that doesn't mind moving past the usual run of bigger groups from the 50s – as the set also brings together some pop and harmony work in other styles too – so that the package goes way past some of the over-collected doo wop hits from groups like The Drifters! The set features 30 tracks in all, and while the harmonies rule the scene, the real charms lie in the choice of material – as there's a cool blend here of unusual tunes and reworked Holiday hits – definitely keeping things fresh, especially if you look for unusual Christmas tunes! Titles include "Santa Santa" by The Rocky Fellers, "Christmas Time For Everybody But Me" by The Midnighters, "My First Christmas Without You" by The Eligibles, "Silver Bells" by The Four Aces, "White Christmas" by The Precisions, "Stompin Around The Christmas Tree" by The Stompers, "Merry Christmas One & All" by The Rhythm Kings, "A Very Special Birthday" by The Cashmeres, "Christmas In The Congo" by The Marquees, "Rockin Santa Claus" by The Martels, "Winter Wonderland" by The Ames Brothers, "I'll Stay Home" by The Creators, "A Merry Christmas" by The Unknowns, "Jingle Bell Twist USA" by Johnny Mendell, "Early Christmas" by The Classic Four, and "Santa Twist" by Tommy Regan. CD

The best look at Chicago's legendary Twinight label that we've ever seen – a massive 2CD set that goes way past the obvious hits, and really digs into the heart and soul of this unique little record company! Twinight is best known as the home of Syl Johnson during his legendary run of funky soul singles at the end of the 60s – but the company was also home to a lot of other great talent during the same stretch – harmony vocal groups, sweet soul singers, funky combos, and more – all of which you'll hear in this incredible little set! (And in fact, the set does such a great job of presenting the other artists on Twinight, that it leaves out Syl Johnson entirely – so the package is a 100% non-Syl set – which is ok with us, because you can always get Johnson's work on other reissues.) The Numero Group have really outdone themselves this time around – using their careful ear to pull out the best lost bits from Twinight, remastered here with wonderful sound – and a brilliant 32 page booklet that tells the story of the label, and also includes loads of vintage photos. The set's a must-have for any fan of quality funk or soul – and the package includes a whopping 40 titles that include "Goin Man Huntin" by Jo Ann Garrett, "I've Made Up My Mind" by Josephine Taylor, "A New Day" by The Notations, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones, "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins, "Life Walked Out" by Mist, "Put Out The Fire by Mystiques, "You & Me Baby" by Kaldirons, "Rosemarie" by Dynamic Tints, "Remind Me" by Schiller Street Gang, "Is It Meant To Be" by Krystal Generation, "Pardon My Innocent Heart" by Nate Evans, "Package Of Love (part 1)" by Dynamic Tints, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "Mama" by Annette Poindexter, "Pass It On (part 1)" by Pipes Of Peace, "My Sunshine Girl" by Radiants, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback, and "Can You Find Me Love" by Harrison & The Majestic Kind. CD

A key style in Jamaican music during the 70s – the mode of the DJ, which often featured a toaster speaking over more familiar tunes – adding spoken bits and new lyrics in the process, in a mode that many claim was a key influence on the birth of hip hop! The relationship between the two forms isn't exactly a straight line – but the approach is somewhat similar – a way sharing enthusiasm about the music and grooves, by adding in new verbal aspects that take things in a whole new direction. And given that toasting tracks were often not as played as straighter vocal numbers, there's plenty here that's new and fresh – a very specific and unusual take on the 70s years of reggae, and one that takes you way past the hits. Titles include "Mava" by Dennis Alcapone, "Monkey Spanner" by Dave & Ansel Collins, "Fire Corner" by King Stitt, "Sunday Dish" by Early B, "We Hot" by Charlie Chaplin, "Tighten Up Skank" by Dillinger, "Blackman's Time" by I Roy, "Buttercup" by Winston Scotland, and "Home Guard" by Mikey Campbell. CD

An obscure later album from Lesley Gore – and a set that's far more mature and adult than you might know from her 60s girl pop hits! The album's cut for Motown's MoWest subsidiary, and has the same hip style as other albums on the label at the time – kind of a California singer/songwriter style, which fits well with all the original material penned by Gore for the album – arranged with kind of a gentle, glowing sound by Artie Butler and the team of Michael Omartin and Jimmie Haskell. The approach is laidback and warm on most numbers, with compressed orchestrations that would be right at home behind Dionne Warwick – and titles include "She Said That", "Out Of Love", "For Me", "The Road I Walk", "Someplace Else Now", "Mine", and "Be My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Haden and Hank Jones reunite as a duo – working through a set of songs with spiritual sources, in ways that really seem to unlock the warmest elements of both players! Jones is no stranger to this sort of mode, especially in later years – and his gentle, spacious touch on the keys of the piano is a real change from some of the heavier modes you might have heard when these tunes were played along with a choir. But the real revelation is possibly Haden – who hits some of his most evocative, sentimental sounds in years – a great reminder of the ways that he could always paint such a pretty picture with his basslines when he wanted. Titles include "Deep River", "The Old Rugged Cross", "Down By The Riverside", "Going Home", "Blessed Assurance", "Come Sunday", and "Nearer My God To Thee". CD