An overdue look at the lost Lamp Records – a crucially important indie soul label on the Indy scene of the late 60s and early 70s – a company that was never as big as Chess or Motown, but did a similar job of documenting its city's musical scene! Indianapolis was always a very diverse city – and gave the world bigger funk and jazz luminaries like Wes Montgomery or Funk Inc – but like most cities of its size, Indy also sported a rich underground of great singers and bands who were really trying to make it big – all really great artists who were captured in deep detail by the Lamp Records label! Now Again/Stones Throw have given us a slight look at this scene in the past – most notably with their reissues of work by Ebony Rhythm Band – but this is the first really detailed dig into the label, with a huge amount of material that's only ever circulated on very rare original pressings. The work is a great mix of group soul, funky cuts, sweet harmony, and even a bit of gospel – and titles on this 2LP set include "Somebody Please" by The Vanguards, "You Made My Everything" by Words Of Wisdom Truth Revue, "Hum Bug" by Diplomatics, "I Didn't Know" by Funder Cooper, "Go To Work" by Revolution Compared To What, "Everybody Who Wants To Be Free" by Amnesty, "Can I Call You Baby" by The Pearls, "Take Me" by Fabulous Souls, "High On The Hill" by Squidd, "Soul Heart Transplant" by Ebony Rhythm Band, "See The Lord" by Mighty Indiana Travelers, "Huh" by Tony Black & Revolution Compared To What, "I'm Only Human" by Embers, "It Swells My Desire" by The PHDs, and "More Than I Can Stand" by Moonlighters. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing package – one that comes in a tiny replica of the original home of Motown Records in Detroit! As you'd guess from the title, the 11CD set features every single Motown track that ever hit #1 on the charts – almost 200 classic songs, running from the early 60s right up through the 90s – with work by The Temptations, Four Tops, Diana Ross, Boyz II Men, The Contours, Rockwell, The Originals, Marvin Gaye, The Marvelettes, Stevie Wonder, High Inergy, The Dazz Band, Rick James, Commodores, and lots more! The package also includes a photo book with classic images and notes – but man, what we dig most of all is that tiny house of hits packaging – a really amazing thing! Plus, this version of the set also features a bonus CD that wasn't in the original version – with 12 more tracks whose cover versions charted at #1! CD

16 Motown hits, including "I'm Still Waiting" by Diana Ross, "We Can Work It Out" by Stevie Wonder, "Never Can Say Goodbye" by Jackson 5, "River Deep, Mountain High" by Supremes and Four Tops, "Just My Imagination" by The Temptations, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Not the usual Motown Christmas set you might imagine – as the record features new material, not old Holiday soul classics – and many of the numbers are special duets recorded just for this project! The set list is impressive – way better than we were expecting – and although the cover art is a bit underwhelming, our hats are off to Motown for re-igniting the label's commitment to quality Christmas tunes! Titles include "Go Tell It On The Mountain/Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Gregory Porter & Anita Wilson, "The Christmas Song" by Ne Yo & Tasha Cobbs, "It's Christmas Time" by Smokey Robinson & Kevin Ross, "This Christmas" by Brian Courtney Wilson & Gene Moore, "Angels We Have Heard On Hihg" by Kierra Sheard & Chrisette Michele, "Mary Did You Know" by India Arie & Gene Moore, "O Holy Night" by Smokie Norful, "O Come All Ye Faithful" by Tasha Cobbs, and "Bethlehem" by Kem & Janice Gaines. CD

Second UK volume in this series of Motown compilations aimed at the dancefloor – and in spite of the tile, the material here is more soul than disco, but definitely more in the dance vein than the get your groove on side of things. Not exactly disco, but solid all the way through, with 12 numbers in all, including "Slippery When Wet" by the Commodores, "Don't Knock My Love" by Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye, "Keep On Truckin'" by Eddie Kendricks, "Forever Came Today" by the Jackson 5, "Glasshouse" by the Temptations, "Love Power" by Willie Hutch, "Where Do I Go From Here" by the Supremes, "Virgin Man" by Smokey Robinson, and "Do It Baby" by the Miracles. LP, Vinyl record album

A great EU-only collection that features on a key Motown moment in the mid-60s – 36 tracks by artists who include The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Shorty Long, Marvelettes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Edwin Starr, Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, R Dean Taylor, The Temptations, Jr Walker & The All Stars, and Stevie Wonder. LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of rare Motown from some of legendary label's most classic acts – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Four Tops, Brenda Holloway, Martha & The Vandellas, The Supremes, The Originals, Bobby Taylor, The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye & The Jackson 5 – prime vintage late 60s to early 70s recordings that have barely if ever seen light of day! Motown recording artists put a lot of work into the recording side of their artistry back in the day, so there was a lot classic level material that didn't come out right away, some finding release on later compilations or on box sets, some STILL just now seeing release. Half of this dozen song collection have never come out in any form until now – including "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" by The Originals and stereo mixes of "For Once In My Life" by Diana Ross & The Supremes, "Pretty Little Brown Skin Girl" by The Temptations and "Touched By Love" by Bobby Taylor and more – plus the rarities "You're Walking Out With My Heart" by Brenda Holloway, "Which Way Is The Sky" by the Four Tops, "Let's Have A Party" by the J5, "The Boy From Crosstown" (Version 1) by The Marvelettes and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A never-heard album from this excellent Detroit vocal group – recorded for Motown at the end of the 60s, but appearing here for the first time ever – and compiled with lots of bonus tracks from the vaults! The Fantastic Four never hit the bigger heights of some of the big Motown male groups of the 60s – but in some way, especially at this time in the label's history, they were a much more cohesive, organic ensemble – one that's a bit like The Originals in their strong commitment to great harmonies, and ability to always hold onto their own sort of personality, even amidst the larger Motown production machine. As with most great "lost" projects, we're not sure why this record never saw the light of day – because every aspect is great, from the vocals down through the arrangements and instrumentation – and although a few shorter singles came out over the years the rest of the set is wonderful – and matched here by another 13 rare bonus tracks, including many other unreleased singles! Titles include "A Little Too Much", "We Can Work It Out", "Take Him Back If It Makes You Happy", "You Turn Me Around", "I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love Again", "How Big Is Your Heart", "It Keeps Raining Down Tears", "In A Bad Way", "Fan The Flame", "I Shall Not Be Moved", "Double Cross", and "Loving You Is Hurting Me". CD

One of the strongest chapters in the career of 60s soulman Chuck Jackson – his brief stint with the Motown label, served up here in a package that includes 3 albums' worth of material, plus assorted rare and unreleased tracks as well! Although Chuck only worked with Motown for a few short years, his time at the label marked a big shift in his work – a move away from the more staid "Iceman" soul of the Wand recordings, and into a sound that was deeper, more expressive, and nicely mature as well. There's a growing southern soul sensibility to many of these tracks – as Chuck seems to be taking a cue from some of the better singers of the late 60s, and deepening his sound with influences brought north from Memphis and Muscle Shoals. The core sound's still prime Motown, though – with top-shelf arrangements and productions – and in a way, these recordings mark the link between Memphis and Detroit that would be explored a lot more heavily in key 70s recordings by Don Davis and other producers who skirted between the two cities' scenes. CD features the complete tracks from the albums Chuck Jackson Arrives, Going Back To Jackson, and Teardrops Fallin On My Heart – plus a whopping 11 bonus tracks! Titles include "Let Somebody Love Me", "The Man In You", "Girls Girls Girls", "Where You Gonna Run To Now", "We'll Find A Way", "I'd Still Love You", "No More Water In The Well", "Honey Come Back", "You Keep Running Away", "Have You Heard About The Fool", "That's Me Lovin You", "Pet Names", "It Must Be Love Baby", "Without Your Love", "Helpless", and "Pinpoint It Down". CD

Basically a greatest hits package. But the 10 nice tracks are hard to argue with though: "I Want You Back", "ABC", "I'll Be There", "The Love You Save", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Dancing Machine", "Got To Be There", "Rockin' Robin", "I Wanna Be Where You Are", and "Ben". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite chapters in Motown soul of the 70s – the stunning early years of Eddie Kendricks' solo career, served up here on a 2CD set that features his first four albums for Motown! Although a key part of the Temptations during their heady late 60s years, Eddie sounded even hipper, deeper, and more sophisticated on his own – breaking out into a range of styles that included some of the more progressive modes being explored in mainstream soul at the time, as well as some great straightforward groovers that put Eddie on the dancefloor with a really solid boogie groove! These albums have been crucially neglected by reissue programs for years – so it's great to have them all together in one set – a beautifully-done package that features the full tracks from the 4 albums All By Myself (1971), People Hold On (1972), Eddie Kendricks (1973), and For You (1974). 33 tracks in all – with titles that include "Can I", "Let's Go Back To Day One", "It's So Hard For Me To Say Goodbye", "If You Let Me", "Girl You Need A Change Of Mind", "My People Hold On", "Date With The Rain", "Eddie's Love", "Just Memories", "Only Room For Two", "Someday We'll Have A Better World", "Any Day Now", "Can't Help What I Am", "Keep On Truckin", "One Tear", "Shoeshine Boy", "Deep & Quiet Love", "If", "Let Yourself Go", and "Each Day I Cry A Little". CD

6 Motown albums from Jr Walker & The All Stars – all long overdue for reissue! First up is A Gasssss – a gas of a record from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that has the magical Johnny Bristol producing – giving the group this really warm, soaring sound that's totally great! Walker still serves up plenty of strong tenor solos, but there's also some vocal currents in the mix – strong leads at times, but also some nice backups too – all of which really helps to keep things soaring! Titles a nice mix of Motown covers and original material – and titles include "I Was Made To Love Her", "Do You See My Love", "And When I Die", "Honey Come Back", "Holly Holy", "Riding High On Love", "At A Saturday Matinee", and "Groove & Move". Next up is Rainbow Funk – a record that definitely has Jr Walker & The All Stars picking up a bit of funk – but in a groove that still mixes things with that warmly soulful glow the group had right from the start! The basslines are definitely up a bit from before – although not rumbling in Norman Whitfield territory – and the sax solos get a bit more space to stretch out and bite on the longer numbers, but often with a bit of backing vocals to warm things up around the edges! Jr is great all the way through – Motown's very strong answer to King Curtis – and titles include "Right On Brothers & Sisters", "Way Back Home", "Feeling Alright", "Psychedelic Shack", "Pieces Of A Man", and "Teach Them To Pray". Moody Jr is a sweet early 70s groover from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that reunites the group with producer Johnny Bristol, who always has a great way of helping them set fire to their sound! Walker and company may have shot from the gate with a mix of R&B tenor and Motown soul – but the sound here is much more in the latter, more matured mode of the label – with strong deep soul lyrics on a number of cuts, which are balanced out nicely by Bristol's fuller production. There's plenty of sax solos too, of course – and titles include "Way Back Home", "Bristol's Way", "Don't Blame The Children", "Me & My Family", "Still Water Medley", and "Groove Thang". Peace & Understanding is a record that has Jr Walker and the group stepping out with some of the righteous touches promised in the title – partly in the choice of songs on the set, which are all nicely tucked into that strong mix of deep soul vocals and saxophone lines that had become the Jr Walker groove! The set features work from a number of different arrangers – all the hipper side of Motown in the early 70s, as the list includes, Willie Hutch, Gene Page, and James Carmichael – and tunes include two great originals, one by Hutch, one by Leon Ware. Tracks include "It's Alright Do What You Gotta Do", "Soul Clappin'", "Gimme that Beat (parts 1 & 2)", "It's Too Late", and "Peace & Understanding Is Hard To Find". The self-titled Jr Walker & The All Stars album is maybe the rarest in the bunch – an obscure UK-only record from 1974, and one that has the group's usual approach warmed up by some more ambitious arrangements – a bit like the direction some of the vocal acts of the 70s were taking at the time! The production on most of the set is by Clarence Paul – and there's mostly a focus on the saxophone, not any vocals at all – which makes the set feel a bit like some of the Willis Jackson or Lou Donaldson work for Atlantic around the same time – or maybe even a bit like Hank Crawford on Kudu. Titles include "Boogie Down", "All In Love Is Fair", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Break Down & Sing", and "Dancin Like They Do On Soul Train". Hot Shot is a mid-70s stormer from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that glides along on a fuller set of backdrops than before, with Holland-Dozier-Holland production from Brian Holland returning to Motown – but in a hip 70s style that has strings and funk dancing along in a great way beneath the strong sax solos in the lead! There's a bit of vocals on the record, but the real strength lies in the instrumentation – especially some of the weirder, fuzzier guitar lines and keyboards. Titles include "Why Can't We Be Lovers", "Hot Shot", "Probe Your Mind", "I Need You Right Now", and "You Ain't No Ordinary Woman". CD

Bobby Watson on alto & soprano saxophone, Edward Simon on piano, Melton Mustafa on trumpet, Carroll Dashiell on upright acoustic bass viol & Victor Lewis on drums. CD

Think Kim Weston only worked on Motown as the female voice in a set of Marvin Gaye duets? Guess again – because as this 2CD package shows, Kim had a rich rich history at the label as a solo act! Although Weston never recorded a full album for Motown, her mid 60s years at the label resulted in a tremendous number of recording sessions for singles – some of which were released successfully at the time, but a good deal of which remained unissued for years, and are making their first appearance on this set! The young Motown Weston's got a great style that's strong, bold, and proud – with few of the little girl soul touches of some of her contemporaries on the label, and a deeply mature approach that made her a good choice for the famous work with Marvin Gaye. Here, though, she's all on her own – singing on tunes that include key singles, titles from Motown collections, and 34 previously unreleased numbers! Obviously, the previously unreleased numbers are reason enough to check out the set – but the whole thing also presents Kim's work with better notes than we've ever seen on her career, and enough details to keep our discographic little minds happy! Titles include "This Dream", "I Got Good News", "Absent Minded Lover", "What Have I Done To Myself", "Joey Joey", "Just Call Me", "When I Lost You", "Where Am I Going", "Will I Find My Love", "Marionette", "Perfect Love", "Meet Me Halfway", "Loving Touch", "I Know His Name", and "Love Troube Heartache & Misery". CD

Way more than just a "cellarful" of Motown – a wealth of great tracks, all of which are previously unreleased! This incredible 2CD set is a landmark in the history of both Motown and Northern Soul – as it brings together 40 tracks that were recorded in the glory days of the Detroit scene, but never issued at the time. A number of cuts on the set have risen to fame over the years as bootlegs floating around the UK club scene, and they're issued properly here for the first time ever, along side other lost gems that will soon become new classics to a generation of soul fans – all wrapped up in one great package filled with notes on the music, and listing the origins of the tunes! Titles include "My Sugar Baby" by Frank Wilson, "Baby A Go Go" by Barbara McNair, "How Can I" by Brenda Holloway, "He Was Really Sayin Somethin" by Earl Van Dyke, "Until You Came Along" by Carolyn Crawford, "Before It's Over" by Sammy Ward, "Long Gone Lover" by Velvelettes, "If You Ever Get Your Hands On Me" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Lucky Lucky Me" by Jimmy Ruffin, "I Wish I Liked You" by Marvin Gaye, "You Made Me Feel Like" by Syreeta, "Don't Let Me Down" by Kim Weston, "Don't Put Off Till Tomorrow What You Can Do Today" by The Monitors, and "It Must Be Love Baby" by Chuck Jackson & Yvonne Fair. Lots lots more, and filled with wonderful tunes! CD

An amazing return to form for this legendary collection – filled with never-heard numbers, pulled from the 60s and 70s vaults of Motown Records! Even if you think you've got plenty of Motown in your collection already, you'll find plenty more here to love – totally fresh tracks by some of the label's biggest artists, plus some other gems by lesser-known stars – all of which have all the punch, power, and sparkle of classic Motown at its best! The 2CD set is brimming over with greatness – and we're honestly stunned that they can still come up with so many unreleased gems, even after three previous volumes in the collection. Titles include "Kidnapped" by The Blackberries, "Keep On Tryin" by The Fantastic Four, "My Baby Moves Me" by Brenda Holloway, "Your Kiss Kiss" by Marvin Gaye & Oma Heard, "Miss Lonely Heart" by The Vandellas, "You Gave Me Love To Live For" by Debbie Dean, "Head Over Heels In Love With You Baby" by The Spinners, "I'd Cry" by Chuck Jackson, "Twin Brother" by Eddie Holland, "Daddy Cool" by Oma Heard, "Three Time Loser" by Marvin Gaye, "The Girl I've Chosen To Be My Bride" by Joe Stubbs, "A Bird In The Hand" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Somebody's Waiting For Me" by The Contours, "Only A Lonely Man Would Know" by Ivy Joe Hunter, "The House That Jack Built" by JJ Barnes, "The Philly Dog" by Earl Van Dyke, and "Why Don't You Come Home" by Stevie Wonder. CD

The mighty talents of Lord Finesse take on the sound of Motown – as the man himself picks seven key cuts from the legendary soul music label – then serves them up on new mixes in this special set of 7" singles! Every single features the original on the b-side, and a new Finesse mix on the a-side – and the sound and presentation is great – really a cut above, and far more than just a few simple knob twists on the classics! Titles include "I Wanna Be Where You Are (Underboss rmx)" by Michael Jackson, "Now Is The Time (Mack Revisited mix inst)" by Sisters Love, "Jackson Five Tribute Medley (Underboss rmx)" by Jackson 5, "There'll Never Be (Solidified Soul mix)" by Switch, "I Want You (Underboss rmx)" by Marvin Gaye, "I Like It (Soul Synopsis mix)" by DeBarge, "Body Talk (TBG mix)" by Eddie Kendricks, and "Now Is The Time (Mack revisited mix voc)" by Sisters Love. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Funky cuts from the Motown catalog – a set that mixes key classics with a number of overlooked album cuts – all to remind us that the Motor City label could get plenty heavy in the groove! There's a few cuts here you'll know from hip hop samples, a few you'll remember for their own fame, and a number of others that should hopefully come as a new discovery – and which really make the package great! 32 tracks in all – with cuts that include "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Girl You Need A Change Of Mind" by Eddie Kendricks, "Scratchin" by Magic Disco Machine, "Rapid Fire" by Commodores, "Strung Out" by Gordon Staples, "Lo & Behold" by Jimmy & David Ruffin, "Every Time I See You I Go Wild" by Stevie Wonder, "You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover" by Yvonne Fair, "Mister Magic" by Grover Washington, "Sun Country" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love" by Odyssey, "Gonna Find A True Love" by Bottom & Co, "Give Me Your Love" by Sisters Love, "Psychedelic Shack" by Temptations, "Sing A Simple Song" by Diana Ross & The Temptations & The Four Tops, "Can I Get A Witness" by Barbara Randolph, "Here Comes The Judge" by Shorty Long, "Easin In" by Edwin Starr, and "Smiling Faces Sometimes" by Undisputed Truth. CD

A long-overdue look at this near-forgotten Motown group from the 60s – a male/female quartet who only recorded for the label for a handful of years, but who managed to leave behind a brilliant batch of music! The Elgins have an approach that puts female vocalist Saundra Edwards in the lead, with support from three male singers – a style that's a bit like that of Gladys Knight & The Pips, but which comes off quite differently here – often with a bit more sweetness, and a more wrapped-together quality that often has all four members harmonizing together on a near-equal scale. Although the group never earned big space on the charts, they did record a fair bit of work for Motown – much of it previously unissued, but finally making its appearance here. A number of tracks on the 2CD set are by The Downbeats, a previous incarnation of the group – and the 2CD package features 50 tracks in all, a full set of notes, and finally presents a complete portrait of The Elgins! Titles include "In The Midnight Hour", "Heaven Must Have Sent You", "No Time For Tears", "Put Yourself In My Place", "It's Gonna Be Hard Times", "Love Is The Answer", "I Still Love You", "Life Can Be Beautiful When You're In Love", "My Love For Your Love", "Love Where Are You Hiding", "Request Of A Fool", "Lonely Boy", "I Feel So Fine", "It's Gonna Be Hard Times", "Camel Walk", "I Understand My Man", "Stay In My Lonely Arms", "Let The Groove Roll On", "Until I Lost You", and "Boo Hoo". CD

A massive amount of Isley Brothers material recorded for Motown – almost more than we ever knew the trio recorded for the label! The 2CD set is filled with hard-hitting gems from these seminal years for the Isleys – a key time when they were turning their rough-edged groove towards some tighter soul ends – really setting the stage for their 70s breakout on T-Neck Records! There's a few familiar classics here, mixed with a motherlode of lesser-known gems – a whopping 52 tracks in all, including some rare mono and stereo mixes too. Titles include "Good Things", "Little Miss Sweetness", "Ain't That Real Satisfaction", "It Moves Me To Tears", "Take Some Time Out For Love", "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love", "Seek & You Shall Find", "Whispers", "One Too Many Heartaches", "It's Out Of The Question", "Save Me From This Misery", "Put Yourself In My Place", "Nowhere To Run", "I Hear A Symphony", "Take Me In Your Arms", "My Love Is Your Love", "How Sweet It Is", "Leaving Here", "Greetings", and lots lots more! CD

Way more than just a "best of" – as the record is more like a full Spinners album for Motown – issued as a way of bringing together some of the best singles the group recorded for the label! The work's not really hits – at least not at the level of the group's later fame on Atlantic – and instead the set is a key illustration of the group's Detroit roots, with a soaring Motown groove mixed with their sublime harmonies – a style that's often forgotten, given their big move to Philly styles in the 70s! The whole thing's great – about as killer as you can get for Motown group soul – and titles include their classic "It's A Shame" – plus "Oooh Child", "Truly Yours", "We'll Have It Made", and "I'll Always Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

11 big ones from Edwin Starr – recorded during his classic late 60s years at Motown! Includes the tracks "Soul Master", "Oh How Happy", "Way Over There", "Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Heart", "Ooo Baby Baby", "You Beat Me To The Punch", and "Cloud Nine". CD

Christmas Motown in all of its glory – a huge collection that features a whopping 46 tracks in all – most of them Holiday classics from the earliest years of the label, plus just a few important Christmas tunes from more recent years too! Almost all the work here is by Motown superstars – and titles include "Silver Bells", "Children's Christmas Song", "Joy To the World", and "My Favorite Things" by The Supremes; "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Frosty The Snowman", "Up On The House Top", "Christmas Medley", and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by The Jackson 5; "Let It Snow" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by The Miracles; "The Little Drummer Boy" and "My Christmas Tree" by The Temptations; "Christmas Delight" and "Merry Christmas Baby" by The Four Tops; "Someday At Christmas" and "A Warm Little Home On A Hill" by Stevie Wonder; "Jesus Is Love" by The Commodores, "Little Christmas Tree" by Michael Jackson, "A Joyous Song" by Boyz II Men, "Wish You A Merry Christmas" by Kim Weston, "Give Love On Christmas Day" by Johnny Gill, and "Christmas Presence" by Gerald Alston with Shanice Wilson. CD

Northern soul from the source – over two dozen 60s soul stompers from Motown Records – most of them the kind of underground grooves that have always been prized on the Northern scene! The work here moves past obvious Motown hits, and really shows the kind of hard-burning stormers that set fire to the British all night dance scene in the 60s – music that moved the mods, then continued to help redefine our understanding of soul for decades to come! The set's a treasure trove of gems – some of which would cost you a pretty penny as original singles – and titles include "For The Love Of Mike" by Patrice Holloway, "You Can Do It" by Kim Weston, "Crying In The Night" by The Monitors, "Baby Come Home To Me" by Shorty Long, "Sure Is A Lotta Woman" by The Isley Brothers, "You're Gonna Love My Baby" by Barbara McNair, "I've Been Blessed" by Bobby Taylor, "Look What You Done Boy" by The Lollipops, "I Miss You Baby" by Marv Johnson, and "Keep On Loving Me" by Frances Nero. CD

A motherlode of Northern Soul work – all compiled by Dave Godin, the man who first coined the name for the genre! As you'll guess by the title, all the tracks on the set are from the Motown label – no surprise, as the Detroit powerhouse was a huge influence on the British scene of the 60s, thanks to a lot of help from Godin, whose work really allowed Motown to gain a foothold in the UK. The groove here is all uptempo, all driving – that jumpy approach to soul music that always played big on the Northern dancefloors – and the 2CD brings together all of the 48 tracks that were previously issued on 2 individual volumes. Titles include "Do I Love You" by Frank Wilson, "Keep On Lovin Me" by Frances Nero, "Goodbye Cruel World" by Linda Griner, "Share A Little Love With Me" by The Monitors, "This Love Starved Heart Of Mine" by Marvin Gaye, "You Hit Me" by Kim Weston, "Just Walk In My Shoes" by Gladys Knight & the Pips, "What More Could A Boy Ask For" by The Spinners, "Goodnight Irene" by The Originals, "When I'm Gone" by Brenda Holloway, "Nightmare" by Andantes, "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by The Contours, "I'll Always Love You" by The Spinners, "I Gotta Let You Go" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Lonely Lonely Girl Am I" by The Velvelettes, "Just Ain't Enough Love" by Eddie Holland, "Suspicion" by The Originals, "My Weakness Is You" by Jr Walker, "Lonely Lover" by The Four Tops, "My Smile Is Just A Frown Turned Upside Down" by Carolyn Crawford, "Two Can Have A Party" by Tammi Terrell, "Baby Hit & Run" by The Contours, "When I Feel The Need" by Marvin Gaye, "I Gotta Let You Go" by Jimmy Ruffin, and "Baby Come Home to Me" by Shorty Long. CD

The first ever compilation of the best music made for MoWest – the eclectic, but still soulful cuts made when Berry Gordy Jr. relocated from Motown to the west coast in the early 70s – releasing cool and sometimes strange music with a soul background, yet toasted by LA sunshine! The MoWest subsidiary lasted just a few years, and gets overlooked in the canonization of Motown at it's most classic and revolutionary – but the legacy is pretty incredible. Funk, sunshine rock and soul fused adventurously by a stunningly diverse roster – late period Frankie Vallie & The Four Seasons (who's comp-opening track is a slept on sunshine pop-soul classic), breezy-jazzy-soul from Odyssey, the sister funk of Sisters Love, a stunning solo left turn from Spinners singer GC Cameron and more great stuff from Syreeta, The Commodores, Suzee Ikeda, Thelma Houston and others. We've been dying for a well selected MoWest comp like this for years, and Light In The Attic stepped to the plate and knock it right out of the park. The songs choices are great, the notes are great. . .everything about it is a win. Essential! Includes "You're A Song (That I Can't Sing)" and "The Night" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love" and "Broken Road" by Odyssey, "Don't You Be Worried" by The Commodores, "A Heart Is A House" Nu Page, "I Ain't Going Nowhere" by Thelma Houston, "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" by Suzee Ikeda, "You've Got To Make The Choice" and "Give Me Your Love" by The Sisters Love and more. CD

47 tracks on 2CDs!! CD

A legendary studio musician finally gets his due – as keyboardist Earl Van Dyke steps out in a massive collection of 60s work for Motown – one that features two full albums, 21 bonus tracks, and some very detailed notes! First up on CD 1 is the excellent That Motown Sound album – heavy batch of Motown soul instrumentals that features backings that are often very similar to the vocal versions on Motown – but which are topped with sweet organ solo work from Earl – who has this lean, mean style that's mighty nice – kind of a Jimmy McGriff groove that really fits the soul of the recordings! Most of the backings are exactly the same ones used for vocal hits, but the use of Hammond really transforms them nicely – making the whole record a sweet popcorn soul version of Motown – almost a bit grittier, with a nice sort of backroom jukebox flavor. Titles include "Try It Baby", "Can You Jerk Like Me", "Money", "Can I Get A Witness", "Come See About Me", and "All For You". Then, CD 1 continues with a huge amount of added bonus tracks – some compilation tracks, singles, and more rare bits – with titles that include "Soul Stomp (live)", "Opus & Funk", "6 By 6", "There Is No Greater Love", "You Name It (live)", "He Was Really Sayin Somethin", "Hot N Tot", "Mobile Lil The Dancing Witch", and a massive four-part version of "The Flick"! CD 2 starts with Earl Of Funk – a set that's overflowing with great original tracks, plus some sweet funky covers too! The style here is quite different than Earl's previous work – and quite different from most of Motown too – with a hard-edged approach to the grooves that's much more like the work going on in the funky 45 underground on other labels – especially on the drums, which often snap nicely and give the album a great breaking sort of sound! The set was recorded live at the Hi Chapparal club in Detroit, with audience noise dubbed in later – and titles include "The Flick", "Cissy Strut", "Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again", "Fuschia Moods", "The Stingray", "The Whip a Rang", "Someday We'll Be Together", and "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye". CD 2 then moves on to include another 8 bonus tracks – a few core instrumentals with vocals stripped off and Van Dyke's organ added in – and a few singles too! Titles include "Ode To Benny B"," Gonn Give Her All The Love I've Got", "Fever In The Funk House", "Greedy Green", "Behold", "Up On Your Feet", and "Runaway Child Running Way". The set features 45 tracks in all – and full notes to finally unlock the mystery of this music! CD

Featuring Marvin Gaye, Jackson 5, Four Tops, Supremes, Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Spinners, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Despite the fame of their big hits – like "Reach Out I'll Be There", "I Can't Help Myself", "Baby I Need Your Loving", and "It's The Same Old Song", all of which are on this set, and which have been heard ad infinitum – the Four Tops are actually a heck of a great vocal group, with harmonies that blew away many of their contemporaries, and which keep their work shining long past the hits. This set's got some nice cuts that fall into that category – like "Bernadette", and "Ask The Lonely" – and the package is about as solid as you'd expect. LP, Vinyl record album

Given how much you hear this sort of stuff on the radio, you could easily forget that the Four Tops are actually a heck of a great vocal group, with harmonies that blew away many of their contemporaries, and which keep their work shining long past the hits. This second volume of hits has 12 tracks, including "In These Changing times", "Still Water (Love)", "Still Water (Peace)", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "What Is A Man", "You Keep Running Away" and "Yesterday's Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

Why did Motown ever let the Four Tops get away? This album was their last for the label – and it's an excellent one, filled with soul, sweetness, and some of the best arrangements the group had in their later years! The soul component is super-high – with tight group instrumentation that reminds us of the best Philly backing combos of the same time, but leaner too – as Dennis Coffey and Wah Wah Ragin are on guitars, Jack Ashford handles percussion, and Leonard Caston adds some nice funky keyboards. The real talent, though, is the group – and Levi Stubbs is in fine fine form on cuts like "She's An Understanding Woman", "I Am Your Man", "If You Let Me", "Nature Planned It", "Walk With Me, Talk With Me Darling", and "Happy (Is A Bumpy Road)". Even includes a great version of Todd Rundgren's wonderful track "We Gotta Get You A Woman"! CD

One of the last albums the Four Tops ever issued on Motown – but also one of the best, and a set that really has the group taking off in a strong new direction for the 70s! Frank Wilson's at the production helm, and the set has all these cool little twists and turns that work perfectly with the magnificent harmonies of Levi Stubbs and the group – a mode that draws on all their vocal highlights from older years, but also refits them with a more spacious, more mature sort of sound! The approach is different than that used with the Temptations at the same time – less political, but still flowing with plenty of new ideas – handled by arrangers Jerry Long, Jimmy Roach, and David Van DePitte. The title cut – "Still Waters (Run Deep)" – is a perfect example of this – as the tune's got weirdly wonderful production, almost as watery as the cover image, and a bit of moog buried in there – which comes forward even more on the reprise of the song at the end of the record. Other titles include "Love Is The Answer", "Reflections", "I Wish I Were Your Mirror", "Bring Me Together", "LA (My Town)", and "Everybody's Talkin". CD

Motown legends finally get their due – in this first-ever collection of work by The Funk Brothers! The group were the backing band for most of the classic Motown recordings of the 60s – and labored for years with hardly any credit, until recently, when their achievements have been brought to light by the film Standing In The Shadows Of Motown, and a much-deserved Grammy award! And despite its cheap packaging, the collection's got plenty to offer any solid fan of Motown – 12 tracks that are pulled from sources that include tracks issued under the name of organist Earl Van Dyke, British singles, and even a previously unreleased mix! The tunes include a few originals, plus instrumental takes on Motown classics – with titles that include "Soul Stomp", "6 By 6", "Too Many Fish In The Sea", "All For You", "Come See About Me", "How Sweet It Is", "The Way You Do The Things You Do", "What's Going On", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", and "Runaway Child Running Wild". CD

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks – with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous record. The record shows a sexy side of Marvin that would stun fans of his 60s work – very adult, very warm, and very preoccupied with desire and love. In a way, this sort of full-on love fest was a big payoff for all the folks who'd hung onto his simpler expressions of affection in the earlier years – sort of like getting let into the bedroom after spending years on the front porch! The record was produced by both Marvin and Ed Townsend – and the arrangements by David Van DePitte, Rene Hall, and Gene Page are smooth and seductive all the way through. Includes slow jam classics like "You Sure Love To Ball", "Distant Lover", and "Let's Get It On" – plus "Come Get To This", "Just to Keep You Satisfied", and "If I Should Die Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

This is the second of two live albums that Marvin Gaye cut during the 70s – and in many ways, it's the better one! The record features three sides of work recorded live at the London Palladium – mostly in these swirling medleys that are introduced by Marvin in a very soulful mode, then swing into well-arranged combinations of classic tunes with some excellent instrumentation. The album features a few straight cuts like "Since I Had You", "Let's Get It On", "Trouble Man", and "Come Get To This" – but the medleys are great, too, especially the one on side 2, which features kind of a mini version of the album What's Going On! But then, even after all that, side 4 opens up in a slamming studio track – the extended funky groover "Got To Give It Up", which has some great keyboards by Marvin and cool rhythm work by Jack Ashford. All very funky, and Marvin's big bid at a club cut – one that worked pretty darn well! LP, Vinyl record album

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A tremendous live performance from Marvin Gaye – recorded at the Kennedy Center in 1972, and based around his classic album What's Going On – yet handled in a completely different way! The set's not just a straight reading of the record – as the song order is different, and the presentation is unusual too – with Marvin at the piano, bringing a more intimate style to some of the songs – while also opening them up with looser, more fluid backings – all in ways that show us just how much was going on in his ever-fertile mind during this high point of creativity! The material was issued originally as a bonus CD of the deluxe release of the core album – but it stands proudly here on its own, in a new package that also offers up an even better mix of the music than before. Titles include "Wholy Holy", "Save The Children", "Right On", "Inner City Blues", "What's Going On", "Flyin High", and "God's Love" – plus a very cool 13 minute "Sixties Medley", which offers changed-up takes on Marvin Gaye tunes from the earlier years of Motown. CD

A tremendous live performance from Marvin Gaye – recorded at the Kennedy Center in 1972, and based around his classic album What's Going On – yet handled in a completely different way! The set's not just a straight reading of the record – as the song order is different, and the presentation is unusual too – with Marvin at the piano, bringing a more intimate style to some of the songs – while also opening them up with looser, more fluid backings – all in ways that show us just how much was going on in his ever-fertile mind during this high point of creativity! The material was issued originally as a bonus CD of the deluxe release of the core album – but it stands proudly here on its own, in a new package that also offers up an even better mix of the music than before. Titles include "Wholy Holy", "Save The Children", "Right On", "Inner City Blues", "What's Going On", "Flyin High", and "God's Love" – plus a very cool 13 minute "Sixties Medley", which offers changed-up takes on Marvin Gaye tunes from the earlier years of Motown. LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing collection of work from Marvin Gaye – tracks recorded in the space right after What's Going On – many of which were never issued at the time! All this incredible material from 1972 has been brought together to create a stunning double-length album – one that features a few tracks that only ever saw issue as 45s back in the day, others that only later turned up as bonus tracks on CDs or box sets, and still others that appear here for the first time ever – all to show the incredible talents that Marvin was working with during this incredibly fruitful time in his career! Much of the material has the same righteous, socially-conscious spirit as What's Going On – and, if anything, the whole set provides a much-needed missing link between that album and the more sensual territory of Let's Get It On. There's definitely some of the spirit of that later album in place here too, as well as the instrumental complexity that Gaye would display on his soundtrack for Trouble Man – and the set even features a few Christmas tunes too. Titles include two versions of "You're The Man" – a killer 45 cut that we've loved for years – plus "Piece Of Clay", "I'm Gonna Give You Respect", "Try It You'll Like It", "You Are That Special One", "We Can Make It Baby", "My Last Chance", "Symphony", "I'd Give My Life For You", "Woman Of The World", "The World Is Rated X", "Where Are We Going", "I Want To Come Home For Christmas", "I'm Going Home (Move)", and the killer "Checking Out (Double Clutch)" – one of the funkiest tunes that Marvin ever recorded! LP, Vinyl record album

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

A sweet 80s classic from Finis Henderson – and the kind of record that should have launched him on a much bigger run as a lead singer! Despite the plastic look of the cover, the album's really solidly put together – produced by Al McKay with a vibe that definitely echoes his work with Earth Wind & Fire, and a style that also shows some of Henderson's roots in the Chicago group Weapons Of Peace – which means lots of jazzy inflections with the grooves, in a style that works perfectly for Finis' style of singing. And given that Henderson has a range that sometimes hits Philip Bailey territory, the match is a great one – and gives the album a sense of class that other Motown soul from the time didn't always have. Titles include "Lovers", "Making Love", "Skip To My Lou", "Vina Del Mar", "Crush On You", "I'd Rather Be Gone", and "You Owe It All To Love". CD

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... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Featuring Phife Dawg. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A monster! Foxy Brown is Willie Hutch's magnificent soundtrack for Foxy Brown – a Pam Grier blacksploitation film from the early 70s – and it's pure genius all the way through, a record filled with some of the best funky soundtrack cuts of the era! Willie's got a real Curtis Mayfield sound here – with a dope mixture of full orchestrations and heavy funk, guitar riffing away as drums snap tightly across the album's best rhythms! Includes the classic funky numbers "Ain't That Mellow Mellow" and "Give Me Some of that Good Old Love" – plus "Whatever You Do", "Foxy Lady", "You Sure Know How To Love Your Man", "Theme Of Foxy Brown", "Out There", and "Chase". LP, Vinyl record album

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... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Jermaine's going the way of most of Motown at this point – popping the bass pretty heavily, and grooving in a smooth funky mode. The cuts that go too over the top with the funky stuff definitely lose us – but there's a few decent mellow soul tracks that redeem the album, and which keep Jermaine in safer territory vocally. Titles include "You Need To Be Loved", "Some Kind Of Woman", "I Love You More", and "Got To Get To You Girl" – and arrangements are by Greg Adams, HB Barnum, and Gil Askey. LP, Vinyl record album

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... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A new packaging of one of the best Motown Christmas albums ever – a really playful romp through a set of classic Holiday tunes, all sung by the youthful Jackson 5 at their best! The set features 12 tracks in all, with titles that include "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", "Give Love On Christmas Day", "Frosty The Snowman", "Up On The House Top", "Someday At Christmas", "Christmas Won't Be The Same This Year", "The Christmas Song", "Santa Claus Is Comin To Town", and "The Little Drummer Boy" – plus, this CD features a bonus track not on the original album, "Little Christmas Tree". CD

Not as huge as some of the Jacksons' other early 70s albums – but still pretty darn great! The original soundtrack to the group's TV special – and it's got some excellent numbers, plus a few odd tracks that are very nice. Bill Cosby, Rosey Grier, and Tommy Smothers all make a bit of a guest appearance on the record – and it also includes hits like the tune "Goin Back To Indiana", plus versions of "I Want To Take You Higher", "Feelin' Alright", "The Love You Save", and "Stand". LP, Vinyl record album

A testament as to how many hits the Jacksons produced in a short amount of time – this Greatest Hits was compiled only three years after the group's first record was released. It contains all the goodies you'd ever want by them, from arguably their best years. This excellent single LP contains cuts like "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", "Mama's Pearl", "Goin Back To Indiana", "Maybe Tomorrow", and "I Found That Girl". Beautiful stuff, never to be equaled. Michael, what happened? CD

Holiday magic from The Jackson 5 – a group whose youthful warmth made them one of the best acts to ever handle Christmas music for Motown! The set features rare tracks, plus the group's great Christmas Album for Motown from 1970 – one of the best Motown Christmas albums ever – a really playful romp through a set of classic Holiday tunes, all sung by the youthful Jackson 5 at their best! There's a charm here that's undeniable – and the energy of the group at this point in their career makes the music way more than just a simple Christmas set – almost a poetic homecoming of sorts, an imagined warm and peaceful place amidst what must have been a pretty hectic time in their young lives. Original album titles include "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", "Give Love On Christmas Day", "Frosty The Snowman", "Up On The House Top", "Someday At Christmas", "Christmas Won't Be The Same This Year", "The Christmas Song", "Santa Claus Is Comin To Town", and "The Little Drummer Boy". But then, there's lots more great stuff too – special "Seasons Greetings" wishes from Michael, Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine – plus a "J5 Christmas Medley", "Up On The Housetop (DJ Spinna re-edit)", "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (stripped mix)", "Someday At Christmas (stripped mix)", "Give Love On Christmas Day (acapella version)", and "Little Christmas Tree", sung by Michael! CD

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Rick James' first LP for Motown subsidiary Gordy – an effort that was to provide the blueprint for his later success! James' trademark pop bass funk style is fully formed on this one already, and though we may once have thought little of the slick production and style, looking back this stuff has a good bit more substance than some of the other commercial R & B of the day! "Mary Jane" & "You & I" were the 2 big hits of this album, which also includes "Be My Lady", "Hollywood" & "Sexy Lady". CD

Kind of a "best of plus" set from Rick James – featuring some of his older work for Motown, plus a few new numbers to round out the set! As usual, the whole thing's written, arranged, and produced by the Super Freak himself – with that bass-heavy pop-funk groove that Rick virtually invented! Titles include "Super Freak", "You & I", "Mary Jane", "Dance Wit Me", "Give It To Me Baby", "You Turn Me On", "Bustin Out", "Fire & Desire", "Oh What A Night", and "17". LP, Vinyl record album