Funk from Seattle? Hardly seems likely – but prepare to be amazed! The funky reissuers at Light In The Attic, in collaboration with Mr Supreme, have unearthed a treasure trove of rare singles and groovers for the set – all obscure local recordings from the Emerald City scene, most of which never made it past the Pacific Northwest to the national charts. Back in the day, Seattle was a real cross-cultural hotbed – filled with folks who'd picked up and moved out from points east, settling in the Central District, working for Boeing, and reveling in the freedom of the new city to find their own groove. This set does a great job of documenting the flowering of eastern-styled funk in Seattle's growing scene of the late 60s – and features a range of tracks that run from deep funk to hard soul, sock-boogaloo, and even a bit of hard-handed piano jazz! The package features a great set of notes on the music, and a long set list that includes "Louie Louie" by The Topics, "Brighter Tomorrow" by Soul Swingers, "This Is Me" by Cookin Bag, "Bold Soul Sister Bold Soul Brother" by Black On White Affair, "Cissy Strut" by Johnny Lewis Trio, "Stop Losing Your Chances" by Cold Bold & Together, "I Just Want To Be" by Robbie Hill, "Wheedle's Groove" by Annakonda, "Hey Jude" by Overton Berry Trio, and "A Little Love Affair" by Patrinell Staten. CD

The Black Angels are back with their precise take on hallucinatory drone pop – kind of a tighter take on the cosmic swirl of the banana era Velvets with hints of the bluesier underpinnings of the Angels' Texan psyche progenitors! The group is evolving into experts in hypnosis – knowing that a well captured repetitive pattern in sound is just as involving as a great melody – and they manage to celebrate the psych rock exploratory committees of 3 decades ago without coming off as mere revivalists. Expansive and efficient at the same time, and a pretty close to timeless take on the classic psychedelia. Titles include "You On The Run", "Doves", "Science Killer", "Mission District", "18 Years", "Deer-Ree-Shee", "Never/Ever", "Vikings", "You In Color", "The Return" and "Snake In The Grass". CD

Lee Hazlewood is looking a bit nervous on the cover – very different than the swaggering bravado of his mustachioed fame of the late 60s – which is quite fitting, given that these tracks were all recorded very early in his career! The collection presents the debut of a set of early demo recordings by Lee – recorded in Phoenix, at a time when his flame was just starting to flicker – but with a clear songwriting genius that already points the way towards the tremendous work he'd do on his own, and for other singers! Most numbers just feature Hazlewood on vocals and guitar, with occasional extra guitar from Al Casey – but Lee's also already starting to use echo to bring out the best quality of his songs, creating all these cool and moody little corners that make the music sound very different than regular demo recordings. Titles include "Five Thousand & One", "Cross Country Blues", "Peculiar Guy", "Buying On Time", "The Country Bus Tune", "The Old Man & His Guitar", and "Fort Worth". Also includes a full early draft of the album Trouble Is A Lonely Town – ten more songs that include "Run Boy Run", "Big Joe Slade", "Georgia Chain Gang", "Six Feet Of Chain", and "Long Black Train". LP, Vinyl record album

An underground classic from Japanese singer/songwriter Sachiko Kaneobu – and a set that resonates a lot with American work of the time from the hipper side of the LA scene! Sachiko has these great little songs that are often supported by her own creative work on acoustic guitar – and the vocals occasionally have jazzy currents that almost recall a sort of Joni Mitchell approach – at least in the way that Kaneobu's stretching out way past any sort of folk-styled references that might come from such a setting. Haruomi Hosono produced the record, and does so with a very subtle touch – really preserving the acoustic charm and personal vibe of the songs throughout – on titles that include "Aoi Sakana", "Mistora", "Kagero", "Sora Wa Fukigen", "Michi Yuki", and "Hayabusa To Watashi". CD

Wonderful work from one of our favorite singers of all time – an artist with roots in jazz, but one who quickly stepped out into something else entirely – as you'll hear on this beautiful selection of tunes! Karin Krog's been a key figure in the Norwegian jazz scene since the start of the 60s, but she's hardly ever gotten any global exposure (although we've always tried to stock her music whenever we can) – and she's got a sound that's really mindbending, and far-reaching – every bit as powerful and soulful as some of the new generation of jazz singers who worked in the US scene of the 70s – like Dee Dee Bridgewater, Flora Purim, or Ursula Dudziak – but with a sound that's maybe even more revolutionary than all three put together! Karin uses her voice like an instrument, but still pays very careful attention to the words as well – which is crucial, since her lyrics are often her own, or penned by hip collaborators like Steve Kuhn and John Surman. The result is something that's hardly jazz at all – but instead this really cosmic, forward-thinking approach that may well be the 70s equivalent in vocals to Herbie Hancock's work on the keys. No surprise, Karin turns in a wonderful version of "Maiden Voyage" here – and shines on other tunes that include "A Love Supreme", "Just holding On", "Don't Just Sing", "Glissando", "Break Of Day In Molde", "We Could Be Flying", "Raindrops Raindrops", "Lazy Afternoon", and "All I Want". CD also features two never-issued songs – "Images In Glass" and "Tystnaden" – and musicians include John Surman and Dexter Gordon too! LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little set from organist Jackie Mittoo – one that has him stepping out nicely in all his best modes! Some tracks here are straight rocksteady instrumentals, but others get a bit of 70s funk in the mix – soaring out with a vibe that's almost like some of Alan Hawkshaw's organ work from the same time – in a groove that really makes this album stand out from some of Jackie's other ones! The production isn't as rough and ready as on the Studio One years – and there's a cleanly compressed sound that makes the funky tracks sound especially nice. Titles include "Groovy Spirit", "Wishbone", "Grand Funk", "Dry Wine", "Love Of Life", "Soul Bird", "Mother Funk", and "Right Track". CD

Fantastic work from Lee Moses – an underground funky soul singer who never saw great fame in the 70s, but who's hit legendary status in recent years – thanks to collectors and DJs around the world! Lee is best known for his album Time & Place, but he also cut a number of other excellent singles before and after that famous set – most of which are collected here, along with a few unissued tracks – all making the whole album a fantastic second chapter in the too-short Moses career in music! Much of this work has a very gritty vibe – southern soul, handled with funkier currents – often with production that's nice and raw around the edges, which makes these tracks feel way deeper and dirtier than anything that might have come from Memphis or Muscle Shoals. The set's a bit short on notes, so we're not sure of the details of all cuts – but we can say that the singles were originally issued on the Dynamo, Gates, Front Page, Musicor, and Lee John labels – with titles that include "Bad Girl (parts 1 & 2)", "You Are Too Much For The Human Heart", "I'm Sad About It", "How Much Longer", "My Adorable One", "Diana", "Day Tripper", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "I'm Sad About It", "If Loving You Is A Crime", "She's A Bad Girl", "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man", "What Do You Do", and "I Can't Take No Chances". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard music from the enigmatic Jim Sullivan – the singer/songwriter who disappeared in the New Mexico desert after giving the world his fantastic album UFO! The style here is a bit different than that one, and maybe even more to the heart of Jim's spirit – as the work was all recorded in 1969, with just vocals and guitar – in a way that lets the brilliance of Jim's songcraft come across even more strongly than before – but all without ever feeling like scratchy demo tapes, or half-finished ideas! Instead, the album stands as a much-needed addition to the tiny Sullivan catalog – and really has us wondering what else Jim would have given us, if the shadows of mystery hadn't taken him away. Titles include "Roll Back The Time", "Walls", "Sandman", "Jerome", "Close My Eyes", "What Is My Name", and "So Natural". CD

Some of the most brilliantly baroque work ever recorded by Marcos Valle – an obscure 1970 album that collects together tunes from a few of his odd soundtrack experiments of the late 60s, plus a few others that are in a very similar vein! Marcos is really going over the top here – breaking way way out from his bossa roots, into a mode that has him pushing the envelope of Brazilian music to unheard of heights, with equal parts groove and sophistication, hardly ever matched by any other artist since! Things are funky one minute, groovy the next, and subtly sophisticated at other points – a completely captivating blend that's one of the best illustrations of Valle's genius we can think of. Titles include "Quarentao Simpatico", "Ele E Ela", "Dez Leis", "Freio Aerodinamico", "Os Grilos", "Suite Imaginaria", and "Esperando O Messias". Also includes the bonus track "Berenice"! New reissue features in-depth liner notes, song notes from Valle, and lyrics in English too! CD

A wonderful snapshot of the late 60s/early 70s underground rock scene in Vancouver! The original album was put together as a benefit for the Cool Aid House – a shelter for homeless youth in Vancouver, and no doubt a haven for hippie culture at the time. The album was and is a vital document of the scene – touching on the freedom-seeking vibe of the time in the lyricism, but free of hippie rock cliche –it's great stuff! Sunny and loose harmonies, deft acoustic and electric instrumentation, creative and inviting music from Spring, Route Nine, Mock Duck, Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Black Snake, Mock Duck and others. Includes "Girl Of The Night Suite" by Route Nine, "The Reason" and "Catfish" by Black Snake, "Do Re Me" by Mock Duck, "Gardens And Flowers" by Hydro Electric Streetcar and more. This beautiful joint effort reissue from Light In The Attic and Lion includes a bonus second LP of material! 9 on LP2: "Borrowed Song" by Mock Duck, "Wordplay" by Spring, "Carousel" by Black Snake, "The Planet Man" by Greydon Moore and Leo Jung and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Warm, soulful sounds from a crucial time in the Japanese music scene – a 70s moment when the nation was finding a special groove of its own – but one that also drew heavily from American soul and jazz as well! It's no secret that the Japanese have always had a great love of American sounds – but by the mid 70s, that longtime love had also turned into some great homegrown sounds of their own – as Japan developed a number of its own strong soul singers, who were often backed by the ever-growing array of great jazz musicians, particularly those of the fusion side of the spectrum. Plus, there also seemed to be a lot more criss-crossing between Tokyo and US studios at the time – particularly those on the west coast – which resulted in a special blend of sounds that had all the class and cool of the Japanese urban scene, but also some of the sunniness of the west coast too. That special mix of music is perfectly summed up here – in a collection that offers up plenty of cuts that were never issued outside of Japan back in the day – with vocals both in English and Japanese, and plenty of grooves that are perfect for any fan of fusion-styled R&B. Titles include the classic "LA Nights" by Yasuko Agawa – plus "Say Goodbye" by Hiroshi Sato, "I Say Who" by Tomoko Soryo, "Sports Men" by Haruomi Hosoni, "Midnight Driver" by Minako Yoshida, "Machibouke" by Tazumi Toyoshima, "Exotic Yokogao" by Hitomi Tohyama, "Lady Pink Panther" by Shigeru Suzuki, "Drip Dry Eyes" by Yukihiro Takahashi, and "Bamboo Vendor" by Masayoshi Takanaka. CD

Warm, soulful sounds from a crucial time in the Japanese music scene – a 70s moment when the nation was finding a special groove of its own – but one that also drew heavily from American soul and jazz as well! It's no secret that the Japanese have always had a great love of American sounds – but by the mid 70s, that longtime love had also turned into some great homegrown sounds of their own – as Japan developed a number of its own strong soul singers, who were often backed by the ever-growing array of great jazz musicians, particularly those of the fusion side of the spectrum. Plus, there also seemed to be a lot more criss-crossing between Tokyo and US studios at the time – particularly those on the west coast – which resulted in a special blend of sounds that had all the class and cool of the Japanese urban scene, but also some of the sunniness of the west coast too. That special mix of music is perfectly summed up here – in a collection that offers up plenty of cuts that were never issued outside of Japan back in the day – with vocals both in English and Japanese, and plenty of grooves that are perfect for any fan of fusion-styled R&B. Titles include the classic "LA Nights" by Yasuko Agawa – plus "Say Goodbye" by Hiroshi Sato, "I Say Who" by Tomoko Soryo, "Sports Men" by Haruomi Hosoni, "Midnight Driver" by Minako Yoshida, "Machibouke" by Tazumi Toyoshima, "Exotic Yokogao" by Hitomi Tohyama, "Lady Pink Panther" by Shigeru Suzuki, "Drip Dry Eyes" by Yukihiro Takahashi, and "Bamboo Vendor" by Masayoshi Takanaka. LP, Vinyl record album

Lee Hazlewood is looking a bit nervous on the cover – very different than the swaggering bravado of his mustachioed fame of the late 60s – which is quite fitting, given that these tracks were all recorded very early in his career! The collection presents the debut of a set of early demo recordings by Lee – recorded in Phoenix, at a time when his flame was just starting to flicker – but with a clear songwriting genius that already points the way towards the tremendous work he'd do on his own, and for other singers! Most numbers just feature Hazlewood on vocals and guitar, with occasional extra guitar from Al Casey – but Lee's also already starting to use echo to bring out the best quality of his songs, creating all these cool and moody little corners that make the music sound very different than regular demo recordings. Titles include "Five Thousand & One", "Cross Country Blues", "Peculiar Guy", "Buying On Time", "The Country Bus Tune", "The Old Man & His Guitar", and "Fort Worth". Also includes a full early draft of the album Trouble Is A Lonely Town – ten more songs that include "Run Boy Run", "Big Joe Slade", "Georgia Chain Gang", "Six Feet Of Chain", and "Long Black Train". CD

One of the rarest Lee Hazlewood projects of the 60s, and one of the most unique as well – a set of surf-themed instrumentals, but served up with a nice current of exotica too! Given that Lee first rose to fame in the late 50s, for his excellent production of Duane Eddy's guitar – the mix of modes here is a perfect advancement of his roots – taken into even cooler, even hipper territory – with that really wonderful sense of sound that always made some of Hazlewood's productions so amazing! Most songs have a guitar in the lead, but are performed with less of the super-tight modes of surf groups – as many of the numbers are leaner, and more spacious – and go for a great sense of the overall sound. Titles include "Movin", "Bangkok Cock Fight", "Crickets Of Karachi", "Torn Sarong", "Batman", "Baja (parts 1 & 2)", and "Angry Generation". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard music from the enigmatic Jim Sullivan – the singer/songwriter who disappeared in the New Mexico desert after giving the world his fantastic album UFO! The style here is a bit different than that one, and maybe even more to the heart of Jim's spirit – as the work was all recorded in 1969, with just vocals and guitar – in a way that lets the brilliance of Jim's songcraft come across even more strongly than before – but all without ever feeling like scratchy demo tapes, or half-finished ideas! Instead, the album stands as a much-needed addition to the tiny Sullivan catalog – and really has us wondering what else Jim would have given us, if the shadows of mystery hadn't taken him away. Titles include "Roll Back The Time", "Walls", "Sandman", "Jerome", "Close My Eyes", "What Is My Name", and "So Natural". LP, Vinyl record album

A holy grail! This is one of Marcos Valle's best-ever albums – and it's certainly the one to best realize the larger scope he was heading for in the years after the bossa – that sublime mix of jazz and more expansive arrangements – a perfect fit for the growing sophistication of Valle's songwriting. The record is fantastic – done with a sweeping sound that still leaves us breathless after all these years – and put together with an approach to composition that is virtually indescribable. There's a huge amount of influences running through here, and the album is proof that Valle was one of Brazil's richest talents, never ceasing to perfect and transform his craft – even long after he could have rested on the laurels of his success! Tracks include "Democustico", "Revolucao Organica", "Vento Sul", "Paisagem De Mariana", and "Pista O2". CD features the bonus track "O Beato". CD

Another blistering treasure trove of Canadian reggae! You heard us right, this batch of deep and heavy roots comes all the way from Toronto, and though it may be geographically isolated from the Caribbean, the vibes are deeply rooted foundation rock, not unlike some of the other astoundingly great material the folks at Light In The Attic have reissued. Jerry Brown's Summer Records imprint churned out no small number of tremendous reggae cuts, as this excellent compilation documents, working with West Indian ex-pats, visiting luminaries and local talent, too! The tracks run the gamut from bright and crisp to murky smoked out but it's all unbelievably great and will open your eyes to a whole new scene in the same way that the refreshing Jamaica Toronto set did! 15 tracks in all, including "Love Makes The World Go Round", "Warrior" and "Jah Jah Live Forever" by Johnny Osbourne, "Sufferer" and "Awakening" by Earth, Roots & Water, "Run Them A Run" by Willi Williams, "Reach My Destiny" by Noel Ellis, "Dreadlock Lady" by Jerry Brown, "Come Together" by Bobby Gaynair and Earth, Roots & Water, and "Mankind" by Adrian Homer Miller and Earth, Roots & Water. Plus as a bonus, there's a DVD layer on the CD, with 20 minutes of excellent archival footage of Jerry Brown and his artists in the studio and at the dance! CD

A wonderfully weird little record from Japanese electronic musician Harumo Hosono – conceived as a soundtrack for an imaginary Bollywood film, but a set that's much more an electric masterpiece that we'd rank with Hosono's best work! The tracks are long, and rhythmically pulsing – perhaps that's the inspiration from Bollywood – but they're also never too standard, or aiming for any sort of groove – as most moments are more spun out from Terry Riley minimalism, but mixed with the playfulness of 70s Japanese electronics from Hosono and some of his best contemporaries. Ryuichi Sakamoto plays keyboards on the set, and titles include "Hepatitis", "Hum Ghar Sajan", "Madam Consul General Of Madras", and the long "Malabar Hotel" suite. LP, Vinyl record album

Primitive genius from the mighty Monks – their early demos for tracks that would eventually be ignited and explode on record for the uber-essential Black Monk Time LP and others – including the pre-Monks single by The 5 Torquays – issued properly in full for the first time ever by Light In The Attic! The thing that knocked us out about the Early Years compilation almost immediately is how sharp and clear the sound is – you never know the recording quality you'll get with the word "demo" in the title, but this stuff sounds great – secondly, the tracks demonstrate just how fierce these dudes were early on! The eerie organ, tribal thump of the drums, fuzzed out guitar and sneering vocals are in full glory here. This is a necessary set for longtime fans and would even serve a solid into to the uninitiated – and Light In The Attic has done an impeccable job with the booklet, photos and overall presentation. Pure greatness! Titles include "Monk Time", "Love Came Tumblin Down", "Boys Are Boys", "Space Age", "We Do Wie Du", "I Hate You", "Pretty Suzanne", "Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy", "Hushie Pushie", "Oh, How To Do Now" and more from the '65 demos, plus 2 tracks from the a single recorded by the pre-Monks moniker "The 5 Torquays" in '64: the earlier version "Boys Are Boys" plus "There She Walks". CD

Fantastic work from Lee Moses – an underground funky soul singer who never saw great fame in the 70s, but who's hit legendary status in recent years – thanks to collectors and DJs around the world! Lee is best known for his album Time & Place, but he also cut a number of other excellent singles before and after that famous set – most of which are collected here, along with a few unissued tracks – all making the whole album a fantastic second chapter in the too-short Moses career in music! Much of this work has a very gritty vibe – southern soul, handled with funkier currents – often with production that's nice and raw around the edges, which makes these tracks feel way deeper and dirtier than anything that might have come from Memphis or Muscle Shoals. The set's a bit short on notes, so we're not sure of the details of all cuts – but we can say that the singles were originally issued on the Dynamo, Gates, Front Page, Musicor, and Lee John labels – with titles that include "Bad Girl (parts 1 & 2)", "You Are Too Much For The Human Heart", "I'm Sad About It", "How Much Longer", "My Adorable One", "Diana", "Day Tripper", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "I'm Sad About It", "If Loving You Is A Crime", "She's A Bad Girl", "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man", "What Do You Do", and "I Can't Take No Chances". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet sweet work from Jane Birkin – an early solo set that steps strongly off of her classic duets with Serge Gainsbourg! In a way, this album's as much a record by Serge as it is by Jane – since Serge wrote almost all the tracks, and since the arrangements are handled by the legendary Jean-Claude Vannier – who worked famously with Gainsbourg on Melody Nelson and other funky recordings! The set's got a slow, sexy, funky vibe – very similar to the Gainsbourg/Vannier collaborations – and maybe even sexier, given the way that Jane Birkin handles her breathy vocals. There's some sweet guitar bits that go great with Jane's delivery of the material – and the whole thing's an essential part of the Gainsbourg/Birkin canon. Tracks include "Help Camionneur!", "Banana Boat", "Kawasaki", "Leur Plaisir Sans Moi", and "Les Capotes Anglaises". Amazing LP package – 180 gram vinyl, tip-on jacket, and gatefold with English translations of the lyrics! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from a duo who were one of the strongest instrumental forces on the Italian sound library scene – trumpeter Cicci Santucci and saxophonist Enzo Scoppa – both musicians with a strong legacy in jazz as well! Those jazz chops certainly come to light here – on a sweet set of instrumentals that really show the color of the duo's style – often upbeat and groovy, with wonderfully bright tones that come from the horns, and the really cool keyboards throughout the set – which include a fair bit of organ lines that feel like they were lifted from classic Italian soundtracks! When piano is used, it's often nice and echoey – and when flute comes into the mix, it's got a great compressed sound that's pretty unique too – and titles include "Guanabara", "Raggio Zero", "Mirelle", "Attica", "Hot Pants", "Tenerife", "Isabelle", "Ustica", and "Eleven". LP, Vinyl record album