It's impossible to simmer down with a groove this great – a wicked blend of African funk and fuzzier psych touches – all served up by Nigeria's legendary Survival! The set was recorded at Ginger Baker's Arc Studios, and has his own blend of rootsy elements, complicated rhythms, and more straightforward touches on guitar and vocals – all delivered with a mode that's a bit more freewheeling than Zamrock material of the time – nicely tripped-out in all the best ways! The vocals and instrumentation have the same sort of sinister edge you'd expect from the cover – and the mix of offbeat and groovy is somewhere in the same territory as the legendary 70s recordings by Blo. Titles include "Ripples", "Emotions", "Simmer Down", "Everybody's Got His Own Kind Of Trouble", "Jungle Justice", and "Chewing Dust". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last totally righteous albums by the Temptations – recorded at the end of their progressive run at Motown, and done with some really hard-hitting tunes and production from Norman Whitfield! Tracks step off with that beautiful mix of badass soul, heavy production, and soaring harmonies that always made the group so great during this period – and the tracks are some wonderful numbers that get way way past the hit-bound material of other albums. Paul Riser handled arrangements for the set, bringing in a few sweet touches that are very much appreciated on the mellower numbers – and titles include the extended mellow funky number "Zoom" – plus "1990", "I Need You", "You've Got My Soul On Fire", "Heavenly", and "Ain't No Justice". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked little record, and one that lives up to its Space Invaders theme right from the start – thanks to a host of sweet electronic touches from Scientist, over a set of killer head-nodding dubs from Roots Radics! The group themselves are in totally top form – massive bass from Flabba Holt and drums from Style and Santa – topped with wicked guitar licks, and some sweet organ lines from Winston Wright – but it's clearly Scientist who's the star of the show, for the way he cooks the elements together and comes up with a sound that more than does justice to the extra-cool cover! Familiar elements are nicely abstracted, and juxtaposed with clever shifts in the studio – all to create massive dubs that include "Beam Down", "Red Shift", "Time Warp", "Cloning Process", "Pulsar", "Laser Attack", "Dematerialize", "Fission", "Super Nova Explosion", and "Quasar". 2LP version features bonus vocal tracks – by Wayne Wade, Wailing Souls, Sammy Dread, Linval Thompson, and Johnny Osbourne! LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of rare gems from the Studio One label – one that's filled with unusual material that we've not seen elsewhere! Some of the tracks are alternate mixes, some are unissued recordings – and there's also a nice range of material that goes past the more familiar early period of the label, which is normally the most reissued. Titles include "Hush Up (unreleased stereo mix)" by Larry & Alvin, "I Need You Girl (stereo mix)" by Larry Marshall, "Mr Moses (stereo mix)" by Lloyd Charmers, "I'm In Love With You (original JA mix)" by Lloyd Williams, "Freedom Justice Equality" by Alf & Teep, "Torture & Flames" by Jackie Bernard, "Mark I Word" by Winston Prince, "Give Me True Love (stereo mix)" by The Meditators, "Down In The Bone Yard" by The Three Tops, "Down By The Sore (7" version)" by The Silvertones, and "Jay Dip (stereo mix)" by Prince Jazzbo. CD

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s classic from Willie Colon – continuing the progression of his "gangster" image by supposedly having him break out of prison! (Previously, Willie had been brought to justice on the Juicio album – but now on the loose, is described in a wanted poster on the cover – "Willie Colon & Hector LaVoe have been known to kill people with little provocation with their exciting rhythm without a moment's notice"!) That claim might be a bit far-fetched, but considering the strength of Willie's work at the time, it's certainly well-founded – as he and Hector cook things up nicely on this set by bringing in some even-earthier grooves to their blend of 70s salsa modes! The group's got Colon's tight twin-trombone approach firmly in the lead, and other instrumentation is merely piano, bass, and lots of percussion – all very stripped down, and with lots of room for LaVoe's wonderfully evocative vocals. Titles include "Pa' Columbia", "Ghana'E", "No Cambiare", "Barrunto", and "Sigue Feliz". LP, Vinyl record album

Mad homegrown soul from the enigmatic Darondo – a brief Bay Area star back in the 70s, and also host of TV comedy and children's shows! Darondo only ever saw release of 3 singles, but they're all pretty darn great – a weird mix of funk, soul, and sly slinky grooves – very unique in conception, and with a heady, tripped-out vision that makes us wish he'd recorded more. Luv N Haight have really done Darondo justice with this set – bringing together all 6 tracks from the singles, plus 3 more previously unissued numbers – all in a great package that features words from the man himself, plus some great images from his older TV shows. A near-lost soul figure, but one with enough charisma to fill the careers of other more famous acts! Titles include "How I Got Over", "Let My People Go", "Legs (part 1)", "True", "Didn't I", "I Want Your Love So Bad", "My Momma & My Poppa", "Sure Know How To Love Me", and "Listen To My Song". LP, Vinyl record album

French vibist Dany Doriz has been making music for many decades – as you can probably guess from the title of this set – and during that time, he's proven to be one of the most versatile musicians on his scene – able to shift between modern and trad jazz modes, hit some Lionel Hampton swinging styles, and even do some sound library material as well! This 3CD set is the first collection we've ever seen to do justice to Dany's long musical legacy – and it brings together a huge amount of work in a variety of settings – a long list of associates here that includes Claude Bolling on piano, Clark Terry on trumpet, Stephane Grappelli on violin, Manu Dibango on saxes, Sacha Distel on guitar, Rhoda Scott on Hammond, and even Lionel Hampton on vibes. Most of Dany's records never made it to our shores back in the day – and the set features lots of early material on CD 1, which runs up to the 90s – then a remaining three decades on the following two CDs – a total of 55 tracks in all, with notes in French and English! CD

Faada Freddy already has a very striking style – a blend of gospel and soul with some elements of his Senegalese roots – yet here, he pushes the boundaries even more by just working with voice and human percussion elements, but in a mode that makes for a mighty full groove! Freddy's voice mixes with others in the group, rising up with a very righteous vibe that's wonderful – served up with English lyrics that, if there were any justice in the world, would get Faada some exposure on our side of the Atlantic too! The approach is great – hardly gimmicky at all, and really lean and stripped down to just the groove and voice – on titles that include "The One For Me", "Tables Will Turn", "Happy Together", "Day To Day Struggle", "Aladdin", and "Truth & Lies". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little album that shows a whole new side of Sinatra! Frank's a bit late on the bossa game – but the record's a wonderfully gentle batch of bossa nova tunes, performed with musical and occasional vocal accompaniment by Jobim, and larger orchestral backings by Claus Ogerman. Far more than a gimmicky fake bossa album – this is a wonderful set of tracks that show that Sinatra could still hit a gentle ballad without going as over the top as he did on some of his other Reprise work. Jobim's talent is very respected – and the record is a true blending of musical styles, in a way that does justice to both artists equally. Titles include "Change Partners", "Dindi", "Meditation", "How Insensitive", and "I Concentrate On You". LP, Vinyl record album

2CDs – and a motherlode of classic work by The Temptations! The set focuses on the group's groundbreaking work with producer Norman Whitfield at Motown – sides from the late 60s and early 70s that were some of the most righteous to ever come out of the motor city! Whitfield had a really magical style that was perfect for the group – taking their older group style, and souping it up with heavy bass, rumbling drums, and lots of fuzzy guitar licks – all of which made for a sound that was instantly psychedelic, and massively righteous! The set includes 2 previously unreleased longer takes of "Psychedelic Shack" and "Ball Of Confusion" – plus 22 other classics that include "Slave", "Message From A Black Man", "I Can't Get Next To You", "Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down", "Cloud Nine", "Runaway Child", "Love Can Be Anything", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", "Ungena Za Ulimengu", "Masterpiece", "Ain't No Justice", "1990", "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On", "Take A Stroll Thru Your Mind", "Plastic Man", and "War". CD

A great look at the huge second wave of UK punk after the bigger labels were leaving the music behind at the end of the 70s – a bold surge of independent sounds from the underground, including a fair bit of work that was really pushing the boundaries of the music and its politics at the time! Some of these groups are strongly in the spirit of 1977, others are even more radical, and still others are maybe more rough around the edges with an agenda that's a bit hard to figure out – a bit like the way that the LA hardcore scene was changing at the time too. The package provides a huge amount of detail on the moment – a lavish book-style set with pages of notes on the groups and their music, and lots of great images too – all to support a whopping 117 tracks by the likes of Urban Dogs, Anthrax, Anti Pasti, Poison Girls, Cockney Rejects, The Toy Dolls, Blitz, The Ejected, Chelsea, Rudi, GBH, 4 Skins, Charge, Vice Squad, The Mob, UK Subs, Blitzkrieg, The Insane, Damned, Erazerhead, The Samples, Chaotic Dischord, The Adicts, Anti-Nowhere League, Angelic Upstarts, Rabid, Violators, Crash TV, Icons Of Filth, Ultra Violent, Omega Tribe, Subculture, Criminal Justice, and dozens of others! CD

The lovely and late Edie Sedgwick is the cover draw on the record and movie – but the music within is maybe an even more interesting blend of sounds, and very different than what you might expect to come from the famous star of Andy Warhol's Factory scene! Some of the music here is by Gino Piserchio – and is spare, electronic material – of the creepy style that you'd hear in underground films of the time, but sometimes almost given a Brian Eno sort of tunefulness too. Other tracks are vocal numbers, and have a rootsy rock vibe that seems much more west coast than New York – which makes a nice contrast. There's even a few spoken passages that feature Edie's voice from the film – which balances things out in a great way. Titles include "Angel Shock", "Driving Verdeccio", "Revolution Of Youth", and "Night Riders" by Gino Piserchio – plus "I Can't Make It Anymore" by Richie Havens, "Citizen Kane" by Skip Battin & Kim Fowley, "To Give All Your Love Away" by Richie Havens, "Malibu People" by John Phillips, "Justice" by Kim Milford, and "Shouldn't All The World Be Dancing" by Richie Havens. CD

Raw work from the American underground of the 60s – material that predates punk by more than a decade, but which really sets the scene for the kind of searing, sneering attitude that really burst forth at the end of the 70s! The work is from a variety of scenes, although is especially heavy on the west coast – tracks recorded as a great antidote to more polished pop of the time, especially the sort that was trying to pass itself off as rock, but which was really a much more watered-down vibe. The "garage" in the title doesn't really do the music justice – as many of these acts are great musicians, given a key opportunity to really showcase their sound – and some of these tracks were surprising hits, although many others are under-discovered gems. The set is put together in the best style of the Strawberry label – a nice box, and plenty of notes on the tracks within – a whopping 94 titles in all, with work from The Unusuals, Dimensions, Shadows Of Knight, We The People, The Standells, Rationals, Other Half, Rangers, Strangeloves, Barbarians, Castaways, Remains, McCoys, Mad Hatters, Love, Mojo Men, Rocky & The Riddlers, Chris Morgan & The Togas, Limey & The Hanks, Echoes Of Carnaby Street, Don & The Goodtimers, Bobby Fuller Four, Seeds, Merrell & The Exiles, New Yorkers, Bedlam Four, Jackals, and dozens of others. CD

Includes "Cruel Summer", "Robert De Niro's Waiting...", "Rough Justice", "Hot Line to Heaven", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A crucial live set from Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – recorded in Paris during that formative year of 1958, when Art was starting to put together the lineup that would make the Messengers a legend! Both the young Lee Morgan and Bobby Timmons are in the group, on trumpet and piano respectively – and Benny Golson handles tenor, and brings a sharp modern sense of arrangement to the music that would forever open up Art's sound! Jymie Merritt's on bass next to Blakey's drums – and the tracks are long, and have that live performance bite that makes Messengers concert recordings from this time so great. Titles include "Moanin", "Justice", "Whisper Not", "Blues March", and "I Remember Clifford". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers – recorded at a time when that group was really coming together! After a slightly wayward year of 1957, when the Messengers had a different lineup away from Blue Note, Art re-forged the group for the end of the 50s with a rock-solid array of players – including a young Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, plus Benny Golson on tenor, with a sense of arrangement that really helps give the group some focus – while still letting the solos open up in a live setting like this! All tracks are long, and played with lots of fire – and the kind of amazing open-ended solos that the group could cook up whenever they were working in a live environment. Titles on this second volume include "Moanin With Hazel", "Blues March For Europe #1", "Like Someone In Love", and "We Named It Justice". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best ever sets of sprawling, spacey soul funk and jazz from the impossible to pen in Burnt Sugar Arkestra Chamber – never an easy group to describe in a nutshell, and that's a good thing – their best work in years and their first effort for the Livewired label! Making Love To The Dark Ages is a weirdly apt title, starting out with kind of dark, bluesy soul backdrop for Lisala's vocal in the beginning of the opening three part suite "Chains And Waters", slowly building into a tense, free jazz groove that's unafraid to pepper it up with some psyche rock guitar, heady/heavy bass, keys and synth, sax and drums. Guitarist and group leader Greg Tate conducts a sprawling chamber with slightly altered lineups depending on the piece, with players including vocal chanteuse Lisala, fellow vocalists Jeremiah, Karma Johnson, Justice Dilla X (who moonlights on piano, too) and others, alto & tenor sax by Matana Roberts and Petre Radu Scafaru, synth by Bruce Mack, cello by Will Martina, acoustic and electric bass by Jason DiMatteo and Jared Michael Nicherson, drums by Chris Eddleton and Trevor Holden & others, guitars by Rene Akan, Vernon Reid, trombone by David Smith, trumpet by Lewis 'Flip' Barnes, Jr, – lots more instrumentation and orchestration. The record rolls in and out of evocative soul, bits of electro and hip hop soundcraft, spaced out astral jazz, sharp solos and textured bursts of noise – never sacrificing a confluent sense of togetherness for all of the diverse sounds. Titles include the suites "Chains And Water" and the title track, plus "Thorazine/81", "Love To Tical" and "Dominata (The Gabri Ballad)". CD

One of the greatest Italian crime soundtracks of all time – a totally groovy little record that's done in a style that's quite different than American crime scores of the time, but still completely wonderful! Most of the instrumentation here is relatively spare – almost a small combo funk approach to scoring for a cop film, but done with the penchant for isolated focus on a key instrument that makes Italian soundtracks so great. There's no full horns nor funky orchestrations – and in their place are stepping bass bits, lightly dancing keyboards, and plenty of guitar parts – some jamming, some nicely spacey with a really eerie feel! The sound is great – never as cheesy as other Italian work from the mid to late 70s – and there's a grittier feel here than you'd expect, one that really keeps things interesting. CD features note in English and Italian, and a total of 23 tracks that include "The Reason Of A Just War", "The Punitive Justice", "The Other Face", "Undercover Investigation", "Gangster Story", "Casa Di Muda", and "Chicca". CD

Stellar work by Jimmy Hughes – one of those southern soul talents whose name you've heard, but can't always find on record! Jimmy's best known for his classic Muscle Shoals tune "Steal Away" – and that great number, plus many other similar ones, are presented on this obscure Vee Jay release – issued at a time when both that label and Chess were licensing a number of titles from Rick Hall's Fame studios. The sound is great – a key link in the southern scene of the 60s, and one that's often lost because it wasn't recorded for a bigger label, like Atlantic. Titles include "Steal Away", "Try Me", "I Want Justice", "Shot Of Rhythm & Blues", "Neighbor Neighbor", "I'm Getting Better", and "I'm Gonna Rise Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Small Town", "Rain On The Scarecrow", "Justice & Independence 85", "Rumbleseat", "You've Got To Stand For Somethin", "ROCK In The USA", and "Between A Laugh & A Tear". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that was years ahead of its time – and which still stands as one of the boldest statements from the New York jazz underground of the 60s! The revolutionary styles of the scene were documented by bigger labels like Impulse and Blue Note – but this obscure indie set goes even deeper, and opens up to a special side of the generation that would have lasting influence for years to come – players who work here with a formative free jazz mode, one that begins with the energy of the ESP scene, but also hits some of the more open styles of the loft jazz and European recordings to come! The lineup is legendary – drummer Sonny Murray at the head – with Albert Ayler on tenor, Don Cherry on trumpet, and both Henry Grimes and Louis Worrell on drums – working with unbridled imagination and righteous power. LeRoi Jones performs a recitation on "Black Art" – and other titles include "Virtue" and "Justice". CD also features the bonus track "The Lie". CD

Jalen Ngonda's a hell of a soul singer, and he's working here in a stunning setting that really does justice to his fantastic voice – a larger set of arrangements than you'd usually hear on a Daptone Record, in a way that rises up with a really majestic sort of vibe! Ngonda's got a way of mixing raw and smooth that almost brings to mind Marvin Gaye – and we don't use that sort of reference lightly – yet he can also slide into more of a sweet soul style too, which creates this range of expression that really deepens the record in a great way! And speaking of vibe, there's some nice vibes in the backings – and cool strings, excellent basslines, and tight percussion – on titles that include "Just Like You Used To", "So Glad I Found You", "Rapture", "It Takes A Fool", "Come Around & Love Me", "What A Difference She Made", and "Give Me Another Day". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the better tracks off Sade's Lover's Rock, with a mellow vibe that does justice to the title of the LP in the original, and a similarly spacious island inflection on the "Yard mix". Truthfully the more amped up Neptunes mix and the "Reggae mix" don't really do the track justice to our ears, but that doesn't mean you won't be feelin' them. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Music by King Kooba, BLIM, Cousin Grizzly, Professor Stretch, Justice, Kaltech, and Grand Unified. CD

A deep deep dive into the farther reaches of the California scene in the late 60s – music that's completely wonderful all the way through, and presented with a level that really blows away some of the less-official collections on the market! If you know the hit sounds of the time, you'll know a bit of what to expect here – but the selection of cuts goes way way deeper, put together by Alec Palao, a guy we'd already trust with anything Cali from the 60s – and who really knocks himself out with this set! If you dig Beach Boys, Mamas & Papas, and the Byrds, you'll find plenty of new sounds here to fall in love with – and as usual with Ace, the whole thing comes with superb notes, and even features a few unreleased tracks – including two rare cuts by Third Wave, who recorded one album for MPS! Titles include "Niki" and "Three Kingfishers Ferris Wheel" by Third Wave, "Go Try & Put Out The Sun" by The Forum, "Soul Sunrise" by JP Rags, "A Thousand Faces" by The Thousand Faces, "Out In The Open" by The Justice League, "Meadows & Flowers" by Curt Boettcher, "Richard & Me" by Evergreen Tangerine, "Someday Sunday" by The Gettysburg Address, "Lazy Bones" by The Tricycle, "Sugar Stone" by The Candy Company, "The Life You Lead" by A Small World, "Summer Flower" by Crystal Set, and "Until Now" by Augie Moreno. CD

The great, bracing score to the fantastic Otto Preminger film, with music by Georges Auric, and nice dramatic saxophone passages. Juliette Greco sings the title song in a nice dramatic Frenchy fashion, and the whole thing does great justice to the steamy book by Francoise Sagan. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". Also includes the bonus track "Hang On To Your Ego". CD

Smoking live material from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – a set recorded at Birdland, aka The Jazz Corner Of The World – home to a number of key performances by the group! The lineup here features a key transitional version of the group – with the younger Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, already setting the combo on fire with their new ideas and very bold work on solos – and the great Hank Mobley on tenor, who'd worked with Blakey for a few years at this time – and provides this deeply soulful grounding that's as great as his own records, but maybe even a bit more open in the live setting. The great Jymie Merritt is on bass – one of Art's secret weapons over the years – and the set list of this first volume includes "Hipsippy Blues", "Justice", "Just Coolin", and a nice version of "Close Your Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A really mindblowing collection of work from trumpeter Bill Dixon – and a package that does full justice to the other sides of his creative activity too! Odyssey is a limited, numbered box set – filled with 6CDs that include music from Dixon, and two books that also display his artwork and paintings – and also offer up some commentary on his music as well. 5CDs feature Dixon on mostly solo trumpet – with some of the recordings going as far back as the early 70s, but most of more recent vintage – and CD6 features Dixon speaking – in ways that really get at some of the larger ideas he explores in his recordings and paintings. The box also contains some great vintage paper inserts, too – almost as documents of the avant underground in which Dixon circulated in the 60s and 70s – and the book also features a few contributions from later students too. Even for the music alone, the set is a treasure – but the extra items all make it especially wonderful! CD

McKinley Dixon has an amazing way of mixing depth with crisp, catchy production – at a level that delivers a record that's instantly personal, and pretty darn powerful – yet which also has a quality that could well make McKinley a superstar, if the world had any justice! The music bursts out with a tremendous amount of pride and righteous energy – graced with key guest appearances, but always circling back to the vision of Dixon at the core – hip hop blended with soul in all the right ways, and put together with a style that cares less for generic tags than it does for the rock-solid quality of the album as a whole. Features work from Teller Bank$, Angelica Garcia, Hanif, Anjimile, Ms Jaylin Brown, and Chais Guevara – on titles that include "Tyler Forever", "Dedicated To Gar Feather", "Run Run Run", "Sun I Rise", "Live From The Kitchen Table", and "The Story So Far". LP, Vinyl record album

A new Gang Starr album nearly a decade after the Guru passed away, and a surprisingly strong one - One Of The Best Yet might not come really come close to genre redefining classics like Step In The Arena or Daily Operation, but it when it comes to careful assembled posthumous projects, this one makes a strong case for its title! Premier is doing his oft-imitated, rarely matched thing here, really doing justice for his departed partner's unreleased rhymes. Guests include Q-Tip, MOP, Jeru The Damaja, Big Shug & Freddie Foxxx, and titles include "Bad Name", "Hit Man", "From a Distance", "So Many Rappers", "Family & Loyalty", "Bring It Back Here" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first collections we've ever seen to really do justice to the genius of Roy Hamilton in the 1950s – a package of tracks that not only features his better-known crossover ballads of the time, but which also includes some great tracks in a harder R&B mode! Roy was one of the first singers of his generation to strongly break down the color barrier in popular music – and his amazing vocals were wonderfully suited to a range of material that reached out to many listeners – mellow love songs, rocking upbeat numbers, and even a bit of early country soul – all presented here in great sound with a batch of notes that further illustrates the importance of this material. 26 tracks in all – including "Unchained Melody", "You Can Have Her", "Don't Let Go", "Hurt", "Earthbound", "Crazy Feelin", "Mr Rock & Soul", "I Need Your Lovin", "Dreams Oh Dreams", "I'll Never Be Free", "Blowtop Blues", "On My Way Back Home", "Jungle Fever", "Forgive This Fool", "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down & Cry", "You'll Never Walk Alone", "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town", and "That's All Right". CD

Stellar work by Jimmy Hughes – one of those southern soul talents whose name you've heard, but can't always find on record! Jimmy's best known for his classic Muscle Shoals tune "Steal Away" – and that great number, plus many other similar ones, are presented on this obscure Vee Jay release – issued at a time when both that label and Chess were licensing a number of titles from Rick Hall's Fame studios. The sound is great – a key link in the southern scene of the 60s, and one that's often lost because it wasn't recorded for a bigger label, like Atlantic. Titles include "Steal Away", "Try Me", "I Want Justice", "Shot Of Rhythm & Blues", "Neighbor Neighbor", "I'm Getting Better", and "I'm Gonna Rise Again". CD

The second album from Kendrick Lamar, and the one that really helped bring his talents to the rest of the world – and maybe mark a whole new generation of hip hop in the process! At some level, Lamar is in the same territory as many of the south Cali rappers before him – with tales of rough life on the mean streets – but his approach here is very different, both in terms of the personal quality in the lyrics and the subtle drama in his presentation – and the lean production, which seems to strip things bare, and avoid the thuggish cliches that might celebrate such a background. Even the title alone hints at the tension that's made the record so durable over the years – and titles include "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe", "The Art Of Peer Pressure", "Money Trees", "Poetic Justice", "MAAD City", "Singing About Me I'm Dying Of Thirst", "Real", and "Compton". Deluxe edition vinyl 3 bonus tracks: "The Recipe" with Dr. Dre, "Black Boy Fly" and "Now Or Never" with Mary J Blige. LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Kendrick Lamar, and the one that really helped bring his talents to the rest of the world – and maybe mark a whole new generation of hip hop in the process! At some level, Lamar is in the same territory as many of the south Cali rappers before him – with tales of rough life on the mean streets – but his approach here is very different, both in terms of the personal quality in the lyrics and the subtle drama in his presentation – and the lean production, which seems to strip things bare, and avoid the thuggish cliches that might celebrate such a background. Even the title alone hints at the tension that's made the record so durable over the years – and titles include "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe", "The Art Of Peer Pressure", "Money Trees", "Poetic Justice", "MAAD City", "Singing About Me I'm Dying Of Thirst", "Real", and "Compton". CD

An album that was years ahead of its time – and which still stands as one of the boldest statements from the New York jazz underground of the 60s! The revolutionary styles of the scene were documented by bigger labels like Impulse and Blue Note – but this obscure indie set goes even deeper, and opens up to a special side of the generation that would have lasting influence for years to come – players who work here with a formative free jazz mode, one that begins with the energy of the ESP scene, but also hits some of the more open styles of the loft jazz and European recordings to come! The lineup is legendary – drummer Sonny Murray at the head – with Albert Ayler on tenor, Don Cherry on trumpet, and both Henry Grimes and Louis Worrell on drums – working with unbridled imagination and righteous power. LeRoi Jones performs a recitation on "Black Art" – and other titles include "Virtue" and "Justice". CD also features the bonus track "The Lie". CD

Jalen Ngonda's a hell of a soul singer, and he's working here in a stunning setting that really does justice to his fantastic voice – a larger set of arrangements than you'd usually hear on a Daptone Record, in a way that rises up with a really majestic sort of vibe! Ngonda's got a way of mixing raw and smooth that almost brings to mind Marvin Gaye – and we don't use that sort of reference lightly – yet he can also slide into more of a sweet soul style too, which creates this range of expression that really deepens the record in a great way! And speaking of vibe, there's some nice vibes in the backings – and cool strings, excellent basslines, and tight percussion – on titles that include "Just Like You Used To", "So Glad I Found You", "Rapture", "It Takes A Fool", "Come Around & Love Me", "What A Difference She Made", and "Give Me Another Day". CD

A killer set from British tenorist Ronnie Scott – and a record that's very different than anything else he's ever done! There's a lean sound to the record, as Ronnie blows in a hip trio with organ work from Mike Carr – a very groovy sthle that has Scott taking off with all these styles he never had before! The group's totally on a classic Jack McDuff organ combo vibe, and they do total justice to the sound on four long cuts – including a great reworking of McDuff's "Lou's Piece", plus "The More I See You","Midnight Blue" and "Sombrero Sam". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set that combines the work of two lost horn players from the 50s! The first 8 tracks feature titles from an earlier 10" recording by Eddie Shu – an icy genius on the alto and tenor, working here in quartet format with Bobby Scott, Vinnie Burke, and Roy Haynes. Shu's got an angular tone that's a bit like that of Lee Konitz, but which is slightly less acrobatic, and perhaps a bit warmer – and he's a hell of a player, as you'll hear on the tracks "Tom Dick & Jim", "It's Sand Man", "Justice", "On East Side", and "Peace". Side two features one of the only albums ever cut by tenorist Bob Hardaway – a young west coast player who really cooks on this obscure record for Bethlehem! Hardaway's tenor has a bit more bite than some other Bethlehem horns of the time – and the vibe is almost east coast at time – with a stronger attack on the solos, and a sense of soul that comes through even more strongly on the ballads. The lineup is great, too – with Marty Paich on piano, bringing a nice punch to the tunes – plus vibes from Larry Bunker on side one, ringing out with a really wonderful tone. Bunker shifts to drums on side two – and the record features bass from either Max Bennett or Joe Mondragon, and additional drums from Art Madigan. Titles include "Jr", "Lou's Blue", "Indiana", "I Cover The Waterfront", and "Out Of Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little album that shows a whole new side of Sinatra! Frank's a bit late on the bossa game – but the record's a wonderfully gentle batch of bossa nova tunes, performed with musical and occasional vocal accompaniment by Jobim, and larger orchestral backings by Claus Ogerman. Far more than a gimmicky fake bossa album – this is a wonderful set of tracks that show that Sinatra could still hit a gentle ballad without going as over the top as he did on some of his other Reprise work. Jobim's talent is very respected – and the record is a true blending of musical styles, in a way that does justice to both artists equally. Titles include "Change Partners", "Dindi", "Meditation", "How Insensitive", and "I Concentrate On You". CD

A beautiful little album that shows a whole new side of Sinatra! Frank's a bit late on the bossa game – but the record's a wonderfully gentle batch of bossa nova tunes, performed with musical and occasional vocal accompaniment by Jobim, and larger orchestral backings by Claus Ogerman. Far more than a gimmicky fake bossa album – this is a wonderful set of tracks that show that Sinatra could still hit a gentle ballad without going as over the top as he did on some of his other Reprise work. Jobim's talent is very respected – and the record is a true blending of musical styles, in a way that does justice to both artists equally. Titles include "Change Partners", "Dindi", "Meditation", "How Insensitive", and "I Concentrate On You". CD

A huge turning point for Sonic Youth – one of those records that suddenly made the world understand that they could craft songs as well as they could craft noise – propelling them from the New York underground onto the turntables of hipsters around the globe! The set's still one of our favorite by the group – and includes the beautifully sinister "Death Valley 69", with fantastic guest lyrics from Lydia Lunch – plus "Brave Men Run", "Society Is A Hole", "Ghost Bitch", "I Love Her All The Time", "Just Is Might", "I'm Insane", and "Justice Is Might". LP, Vinyl record album

wicked little record, and one that lives up to its Space Invaders theme right from the start – thanks to a host of sweet electronic touches from Scientist, over a set of killer head-nodding dubs from Roots Radics! The group themselves are in totally top form – massive bass from Flabba Holt and drums from Style and Santa – topped with wicked guitar licks, and some sweet organ lines from Winston Wright – but it's clearly Scientist who's the star of the show, for the way he cooks the elements together and comes up with a sound that more than does justice to the extra-cool cover! Familiar elements are nicely abstracted, and juxtaposed with clever shifts in the studio – all to create massive dubs that include "Beam Down", "Red Shift", "Time Warp", "Cloning Process", "Pulsar", "Laser Attack", "Dematerialize", "Fission", "Super Nova Explosion", and "Quasar". 2CD version features bonus vocal tracks – by Wayne Wade, Wailing Souls, Sammy Dread, Linval Thompson, and Johnny Osbourne! CD

The group name here hardly does the record justice – as the combo is a unique blend of bass and percussion – the former played by Harrison Bankhead and Benjamin Duboc, the latter by Hamid Drake and Ramon Lopez! The lineup is trans-Atlantic, but the sound is very personal – recorded at the end of a long tour of France, during which time the musicians clearly developed a kinship for each other – especially Bankhead and Duboc, whose work on basses is really beautiful – very subtle, but very complex too – and the percussion comes in with a very organic vibe. The double-length set also features some added bass from William Parker, plus trumpet from Jean-Luc Capozzo and alto from Lionel Garcin – but these players only contribute briefly, and the core energy comes from the quartet on most numbers. Titles include "Electric Network", "Rotor/Sator", "Compression/Depression", "Natural Energy", and "Free Power". CD

Two classic country narrative LPs from the unapologetic showman and honky tonk kingpin Porter Wagoner – the adultery themed Cold Hard Facts Of Life and the behind bars concept album Soul Of A Convict – back to back with rare bonus tracks! Cold Hard Facts Of Life is peak Porter, balancing a core of rugged honky tonk with lush arrangements better than anyone in the business (then or now) and with songs that teeter on the edge of nudge & wink hokum without losing the sincerity. Titles include "First Miss Jones", "Words And Music", "Cold Hard Facts Of Life", "Tragic Romance", "Julie" and more. Soul Of A Convict And Other Great Prison Songs, also from 1967, takes the trademark Wagoner approach to the jailhouse, with Porter doing justice to Cash and Hag classics, and other great tunes, including "Boston Jail", "Convict And The Rose", "I'm Just Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail", "Green Green Grass Of Home", "Soul Of A Convict" and more. This great Omni edition includes 6 bonus tracks including "I Lived So Fast And Hard", "House Of Shame" and more. CD

A laidback, and almost rootsy effort from Cassandra Wilson – recorded with small combo backing, and still handled in the sweetly swinging style of her other Blue Note work – but also with some folksy touches that create a more intimate feel on the record than you might think. Of course, part of the reason for that is that a few of the tunes on the set are classic blues numbers – handled by Wilson in an updated style that has kind of a fake authentic quality to it. We still prefer her on the smoother jazzier sides of the set – like the album's great remake of Jobim's "Waters Of March", or the mellow tune "Only A Dream In Rio". Other tracks include "Road So Clear", "Hot Tamales", "Show Me A Love", 'Drunk A Cooter Brown", "Wichita Lineman", "The Weight", and "Justice". CD

A landmark collection of music – the now-famous series of American Folk Music volumes put together by Harry Smith in the 50s! The work here spans the space of a few early decades of recorded music – all in styles expertly chosen by Smith, with countless examples of music that might have fallen beneath the sands of time if not otherwise included in the series! Even back at the original release of the collection, the series was a crucial bit of musical archaeology – and over the ensuing space of decades, has only gone onto become even more important. Styles run the gamut from blues to roots to folk and other styles in between and features tracks by Dick Justice, Coley Jones, Buell Kazee, Kelly Harrell, the Carter Family, the Bently Boys, Henry Thomas, the Alabama Sacred Harp Singers, Blind Willie Johnson, Dock Boggs, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and more! CD

Classic soul, with a slight touch of funk – all served up in a limited vinyl-only package that really does justice to the longstanding legacy of the Free Soul series from Japan! The tunes here are upbeat, soaring, and very much on the positive side of soul music from back in the day – and although most of these tracks are more obscure than the big hits of the 70s, they've achieved greater fame over the decades – thanks in part to use as samples, and through great collections like this one! Titles on this volume include "We've Only Just Begun" by Frank Cunimondo Trio with Lynn Marino, "Don't You Care" by Alice Clarke, "Misdemeanor" by Foster Sylvers, "We've Gotta Find A Way Back To Love" by Freda Payne, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Reid Inc, "You Light Up My Life" by Judy Roberts, "I Think I'll Call It Morning" by Gil Scott Heron, "Girl Overboard" by Dorothy Moore, "Love Each Other" by Leon Thomas, "Run Away" by Salsoul Orchestra with Loleatta Holloway, and "Am I The Same Girl" by Barbara Acklin. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic soul, with a slight touch of funk – all served up in a limited vinyl-only package that really does justice to the longstanding legacy of the Free Soul series from Japan! The tunes here are upbeat, soaring, and very much on the positive side of soul music from back in the day – and although most of these tracks are more obscure than the big hits of the 70s, they've achieved greater fame over the decades – thanks in part to use as samples, and through great collections like this one! Titles on this second volume include "My Baby's Got ESP" by Four Below Zero, "Jolie" by Latimore, "Ain't It Good Feeling Good" by Eloise Laws, "Changin" by Sharon Ridley, "Let Your Love Rain Down On Me" by Jewell Bass, "Queen Of My Soul" by Average White Band, "Party Down (part 1)" by Little Beaver, "You've Got To Be The One" by Maryann Farra & Satin Soul, "Love Land" by The Lost Generation, and "My Baby Just Cares For Me" by Nina Simone. LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to believe that the German Infracom label has been around for 30 years – maybe because the label was so future-thinking at the start, they helped set the tone for so much music to come! And if you're not hip to Infracom, the collection's a chance to dig the label in all its glory – as the set is filled with cosmic soul and jazzy club tracks that still stand as some of the hippest work to come from overseas in the past few decades – music that we've dug for years at Dusty Groove, served up in a package that really does justice to the label's legacy! Titles include "Freedom" by Gabriele Poso, "Hot Pot" by Mop Mop, "Who's Sorry Now" by Nekta, "Smoke & Regret" by Rime, "The Accessory" by Taxi, "Driver (Joash rmx)" by Matthias Vogt Trio, "Herbie's Delight" by Valique, "Love Is A State Of Mind" by Jhelisa, "Celebration Of Life" by Woodland Conclave, "You Can Dig" by Metropolitan Jazz Affair, "Tears" by Re:Jazz, "Calling" by Aromabar, "La Seule Fleur Dans Le Jardin" by Kosma, and "Something's Missing" by Dublex. LP, Vinyl record album

Very righteous work from the legendary catalog of Studio One – material that includes some early reggae numbers mixed with later roots numbers – served up here with a few unreleased tracks as well! Studio one might be known for more soul-based reggae from the late 60s/early 70s, but the tracks here showcase a much deeper current in the label – proof that although Clement Dodd released plenty of his productions during the long career of the company, there's still a lot to be discovered in the vaults! Unreleased tracks include "We're Gonna Climb" by Alton & Zoot, "Hooray" by Wailing Souls, "Rasta Footprints (12" mix)" by Vicedroys, "Afrikan Blood (take 2)" by Judah Eskender Tafari, and "King Alpha (take 2)" by Dennis Lovelock – and the set features unreleased stereo versions of "I Was born A Free Man" by Al & Freddy, "Drought" by Simms & Robinson, and "I Am Free" by The Gaylads" – plus the tunes "Send Another Moses" by The Willows" and "Justice & Peace" by Rodley Brissett. CD

Very righteous work from the legendary catalog of Studio One – material that includes some early reggae numbers mixed with later roots numbers – served up here with a few unreleased tracks as well! Studio one might be known for more soul-based reggae from the late 60s/early 70s, but the tracks here showcase a much deeper current in the label – proof that although Clement Dodd released plenty of his productions during the long career of the company, there's still a lot to be discovered in the vaults! Unreleased tracks include "We're Gonna Climb" by Alton & Zoot, "Hooray" by Wailing Souls, "Rasta Footprints (12" mix)" by Vicedroys, "Afrikan Blood (take 2)" by Judah Eskender Tafari, and "King Alpha (take 2)" by Dennis Lovelock – and the set features unreleased stereo versions of "I Was born A Free Man" by Al & Freddy, "Drought" by Simms & Robinson, and "I Am Free" by The Gaylads" – plus the tunes "Send Another Moses" by The Willows" and "Justice & Peace" by Rodley Brissett. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever compilations of funky work from BGP Records – and even better than their other Super Breaks sets! This one features some totally rare killers – not only from hard-to-find funky 45s, but also from obscure studio tapes that have never been properly issued! The set's a funky fanatic's dream, and pushes past the usual Ace/BGP line, into territory more reserved for the likes of Keb Darge and Ian Wright, on smaller labels. A large number of the tracks are from the catalogs – released and unreleased – of Westbound and Kent – and titles include "Gotta Get Me A Job" by Ann Alford, "Here Comes The Judge" by Larry & Tommy, "Soul Power" by The Houston Outlaws, "Freedom & Justice" by The Pace-Setters, "I Got To Have You" by Little Ann, "Soul Funk" by Chico & Buddy, "Skunk Juice" by The Pazant Brothers, "I Love You" by The Motivations, "Hook & Boogit (parts 1 & 2)" by Abraham & The Casanovas, "Motor City" by The Counts, and "Groove" by Dave Hamilton. 20 cuts in all! LP, Vinyl record album

Mary J Blige broke through well over a decade ago, but Breakthrough is an apt title for her eighth album – as it not only busts up the morass of mid 00s urban radio fodder – it also breaks through MJB's own creative doldrums – adding up her best work in years! It's certainly not a flawless listen (we could have lived without the U2 appearance) but the production is crisp and sparkling, leaning towards the seamless hip hop soul feel that Mary built her name upon – and remarkably consistent given the long list of contributors – including 9th Wonder, Will I Am, Raphael Saadiq, JUSTICE League, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and others. Tracks include "No One Will Do", Enough Cryin'" feat Brook, "About You" feat Will I Am, "Be Without You", "Can't Hide From Luv" feat Jay-Z, "MJB Da MVP", "I Found My Everything" feat Raphael Saadiq, "Father In You", "Alone" and more. CD

Early 90s greatness from Brand Nubian – and proof that the group had a lot of life in them, even after Grand Puba set out on his solo career! Sadat X and Lord Jamar acquit themselves nicely on the mic, and the beats are head-noddingly satisfying too – work from DJ Sincere this time around, but very much in the best Brand Nubian mode! The whole thing's a landmark from that moment when the 5% movement had a big impact on hip hop – which means there's a few dated opinions at points, although the set's got more than enough strength to stand as a lasting classic. Titles include the singles "Allah U Akbar", "Love Me Or Leave Me Alone", and "Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down" – plus the cuts "Travel Jam", "Steal Ya Ho", "Steady Bootleggin'", "Black Star Line", "Meaning Of The 5%", "Ain't No Mystery", "Pass The Gat", 'Allah & Justice", "The Godz", "Brand Nubian Rock The Set", and "Black & Blue". Features a bonus 7" single with the tracks "Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (single mix)" and "Love Me Or Leave Me Alone (rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Passenger 57 Main Title", "Lisa", "Justice's Groove", "Lucky Again", "Father And Sun", "Theme From Boyz N The Hood", "Grandpa's Theme", "Higher Learning Main Title", "The Learning Curve", "Anna Mae", "Capital/Naty's Theme", "Meeting", "Deja's Theme", "Black On Black Crime", and "Max's Theme". CD

McKinley Dixon has an amazing way of mixing depth with crisp, catchy production – at a level that delivers a record that's instantly personal, and pretty darn powerful – yet which also has a quality that could well make McKinley a superstar, if the world had any justice! The music bursts out with a tremendous amount of pride and righteous energy – graced with key guest appearances, but always circling back to the vision of Dixon at the core – hip hop blended with soul in all the right ways, and put together with a style that cares less for generic tags than it does for the rock-solid quality of the album as a whole. Features work from Teller Bank$, Angelica Garcia, Hanif, Anjimile, Ms Jaylin Brown, and Chais Guevara – on titles that include "Tyler Forever", "Dedicated To Gar Feather", "Run Run Run", "Sun I Rise", "Live From The Kitchen Table", and "The Story So Far". CD

One of the most unlikely of success stories in the long string of posthumous Jimi Hendrix releases – a "new" album of studio recordings from Jimi that actually hits the mark. Billed as an unreleased album, the material has popped up on releases from time to time, but the new mixes and sequencing surpisingly do it justice and make this one worth picking up for Hendrix fans and newbies alike. It ain't on par with the first three albums by The Experience, but really, what is? Includes "Stone Free", "Bleeding Heart", "Mr Bad Luck", "Lover Man", "Fire", "Red House", "Lullaby For The Summer", "Ships Passing Through The Night", "Sunshine Of Your Love" and more. CD

The complete recordings of a crucially overlooked deep soul singer – the amazing Rozetta Johnson, a voice that should have been as big as Aretha Franklin or Gladys Knight, if there were any justice in the world! And Johnson isn't just a great singer on her own – she gets incredible help here from Sam Dees – a hell of a songwriter, and a great producer that puts Rozetta in perfect territory – a mode that's often more righteous than traditional southern soul, with some funky currents at the bottom – and an overall badass vibe that fits her vocals perfectly! There was a previous collection of Rozetta's music about a decade ago – but this set supercedes that with excellent sound and some unreleased alternate tracks, too – plus the usual top-shelf Ace/Kent presentation, which makes the collection as much of a joy to hold as it is to hear. Titles include "Mama Was A Bad Seed (alt)", "You Better Keep What You Got (alt)", "I Can Feel My Love Coming Down", "It's Been So Nice", "Personal Woman", "Chained & Bound", "Holding The Losing Hand", "Who Are You Gonna Love (Your Woman Or Your Wife)", "Mine Was Real", "A Woman's Way", "Willow Weep For Me", "That Hurts", "For That Man Of Mind", "How Can You Lose Something You Never Had", and "To Love Somebody". CD

A huge amount of music, and the first-ever collection to really do justice to the huge amount of vocal material recorded by the lovely Jeanne Moreau – a figure that most folks know as an actress on screen, famous for her work in French film starting in the new wave generation! Moreau sang a famous song in an early film by Truffaut – but shortly after that, she began a legacy of really interesting, well-done albums that created as surprisingly strong legacy away from the screen – music that's included here in a complete collection of her work, then mixed with lots of other rare music too! The core of the set features seven full albums, all with a lot of bonus tracks – her two albums of songs by Cyrus Bassiak, plus Les Chansons De Clarisse, Jeanne Chante Jeanne, Chante Norge, her 1994 album of songs by Satie and Poulenc, and her 2010 duet with Etienne Daho! Then, there are three more albums of additional material – one of 25 songs from films, plus two more CDs that offer up La Voix De Jeanne Moreau. Then, the set also features two more DVDs, which feature television performances from the late 50s onward – most of which we've never seen. The whole thing comes in a massive book-style package, with 48 pages of notes and images – and a whopping 203 songs in all, including lots of unissued work too. CD

Roge is the kind of singer who should be huge, if the world had any justice – yet, like some of the best from his scene in Brazil, he's also got this instant charisma that grabs you right away, but which avoids all the cliches of American stardom! The record's got Roge sliding into the sort of raspy charms we love in a Brazilian legacy that stretches back through Seu Jorge and Marcos Valle – a voice that's unadorned and so instantly compelling, you find yourself following it immediately, even past the boundaries of language. Instrumentation on the set is focused, but nice and lean – usually acoustic guitar over rhythms, augmented by enough contemporary production to make you know you're hearing a 21st century set, but not in any sort of clubby or too-slick sort of way. Titles include "Existe Uma Voz", "Pra Vida"," Yemanja", "Curyman", "Misterio Da Raca", "Se Eu For Falar Da Amor", and "Camara". CD