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Two fantastic early albums by Al Hudson – working here with his initial group, The Soul Partners! First up is Especially For You – a record that's kind of a first chapter to all the excellent work by One Way to come – even though Al's not using that group name at this time! The record's got this cool, classy vibe – an update of an earlier Detroit soul mode, and one that maybe followed that city's shift a few years later than 70s soul changes in Philly during the decade – and handled with a similar blend of groovers and mellow cuts! The vibe is similar to the great shift The Dramatics were making on ABC Records at the time – and Al and the group work here with production by Al Perkins and arrangements by Jimmy Roach. Titles include "Baby Let Me Love You", "I Got A Notion You Got The Motion", "Real Love", "You're So Wonderful", and "Trying To Prove My Love". Cherish is a funky soul classic from Al Hudson and the Soul Partners – a second full length set, and one that really has Hudson finding his groove! The rhythms are funkier than before – thanks to strong work on bass from Kevin McCord, who also joins Al a bit on vocals – in a mode that still continues the group's strong work on midtempo numbers, but also maybe answers a 70s disco wave with more of a Detroit funk overall! Great work from the group that would later turn into One Way – with titles that include "Tripped, Slipped, Stumbled, & Fell", "If You Get Caught", "If You Feel Like Dancing", and "I Like Everything About You". CD also features bonus tracks – "Feelings (7" version)" and "If You Feel Like Dancin (12" version)". CD

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Features Pat Methney on guitar, Jack Dejohnette on drums, and Dave Holland on bass – plus guest piano from McCoy Tyner. CD

With selections by Chaka Khan, The Motels, Waylon Jennings, Gap Band, Maria Conchita Alonso, Adalberto Santiago, and themes by David McHugh. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Michael Hudson Casanova is a saxophonist, but the sound of the record draws equally strongly from the contributions of Erik Skov's guitar – a player whose sense of color is balanced wonderfully by the sharper edges of the saxophone – then given some nice structure through the work on drums by Gustavo Cortinas Fouilloux! The work on the record has a slow-building, spacious vibe – maybe not too far from contemporary ECM, but a lot warmer overall – thanks in part to the very expressive sounds of the leader – a player who can cover a lot of ground, but all without going outside – and never in a way that's showy or calls too much attention to itself. James Davis joins the group on trumpet on one track – and titles include "The Now", "Animus", "Infinite Perspective", "Continuum", "Etude For Clementine", "What If Everything Is Not Enough", and "Recycle". CD

A fantastic classic from The Band – a set that's hardly got them cowering in the corner the way the "stage fright" title might imply – and which instead seems to have the group at their most confident during the early years, effortlessly spinning impeccable musicianship and some surprisingly biting lyrics! The young Robbie Robertson is on guitar, Garth Hudson warms things up with organ lines, and vocals are handled by the shifting array of other players in the lead – Rick Danko, Levon Helm, and Richard Manuel. Titles include "The Shape I'm In", "Sleeping", "Strawberry Wine", "Just Another Whistle Stop", "Daniel & The Sacred Harp", "Stage Fright", and "Time To Kill". CD reissue includes an alternate take of "Daniel & The Sacred Harp", two alternate mixes, and a radio commercial. CD

A beautiful book of images – not just for record lovers, but for all fans of sonic delights – as the author starts from the earliest days of recorded sound, then moves up through decades of representation – following images of record players, radios, cassette tapes, albums, 78 record sleeves, and dozens of other variations on the way that sound and music is presented! The heavy volume is an artbook first, but also has plenty of history in the mix – and the author presents images from around the world, in a way that really gets away from the Anglo-centric evolution of the record industry – coming up with all sorts of weird images of record scenes in so many different locations, mixed with stark photographs, blueprints, and other images too. The book is a visual delight throughout – even in final pages that deal with the digital generation – and this heavy hardcover volume is 350 pages, with full color images throughout! Book

One of the most lavish, loving books on hip hop that we've ever seen – a huge volume that manages to be a history of rap music, a photo book, a guide to key albums, and also a personal journey as well – all served up with a vivid, non-stop array of images that make the whole thing even more of a visual delight than digging in the crates! The volume is huge – stuffed with over 1000 images, most in color – photos of album covers, street art, hip hop DJs and MCs, and countless other subjects – all presented in loose chronological order, alongside a history and evolution of the music, plus a timeline of key records and moments – all guided by some personal reflections by the author as well. Chuck D gives the book some huge props in the intro – and this updated volume is a heavy 446 pages, in a softcover edition, filled with images throughout. Book

You may not know the name of Barney Bubbles, but you're likely to have seen his artwork – important images that graced key records in the post-punk years – vinyl from Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, Devo, Hawkwind, and dozens of others – all presented here in very vivid color! Bubbles actually got his start in the prog years – and this book goes way back to feature some of the gems from those years, then traces things up through the 70s, to Barney's big explosion in the latter part of the decade and beyond – a surprisingly rich history, all presented with a very strong focus on the images, including some inner record contents, mock-ups, and more! This heavy softcover edition is 240 pages in all – and full color throughout. Book

A nicely global look at the history of comics over the past 50 years – one that assumes from the start that the graphic medium is a worldwide one, which allows the authors to quickly move past overdone coverage of American giants from the time! The book begins in 1968 – a time when underground comix were already on the rise, and bigger US publishers were shaking it up – and things quickly jump overseas – to look at the amazing explosion of talent on the French and Italian scenes at the end of the 60s, the huge wave of British creativity in the 70s, and the ongoing changes in manga that took place over many decades. The writing is great – and very thoughtful – and the book is illustrated with examples throughout, both in color and black and white – with a very good balance between word and image. 317 pages, softcover. Book

Wow, this is SO not the Tortoise that first set the underground aflame in the early 90s – the group has evolved and opened up in ways we never would have expected. With It's All Around You it's emerged with an airy, open, stargazing set of tracks that resemble the languid atmosphere of Tangerine Dream as much as they do early post rock! Gone, for the most part from early Tortoise is that strong, rubbery electric bass groove and tightly thudding live drum sound. It's All Around You retains the bright vibes and sputtering electronics of the TNT album, and the out front, almost rock & roll guitar lines of the Standards album – and adds an ever present, ambient synthesizer bubble of sound to surround the thing. It's all so catchy, too, and almost sunny. If Tortoise hasn't really broken any new ground this time, it's only because they're the ones who broke it in the first place. Tracks include "It's All Around You", The Lithium Shifts", "Crest", "Stretch", "Dot/Eyes", "By Dawn", "Five Too Many" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A gorgeous visual celebration of the legacy of Motown – a huge full-color book that features rare photographs, magazine ads, record jackets, labels, and lots lots more – all presented with a history of the label as well! And yes, there have been plenty of books written about the legendary soul music label – but this one really knocks it out of the park with its huge selection of images – countless photos that we've never seen before, and all sorts of images and ephemera that really trace the history of the label in a way that's almost more detailed than the text inside. This heavy softcover edition is 400 pages in length, full color throughout – and a must for any fan of Motown! Book

Clasic toasting and freestyling from I- Roy, one of the most heavyweight DJs of all time! Riding some of the finest rhythms of Buny Lee & Keith Hudson mixed by dub master King Tubby & Errol Thompson, this collection features boasts and more conscious topics, too: "Hot Stuff", "Black Talk", "Sufferer's Psalm", "Superfly" and "Straight to Heathen Head". CD

Excellent compilation put together by the folks at Pressure Sounds to showcase their amazing reggae reissue series. 11 tracks, pulled from their releases of essential and hard to find roots, dub and Jamaican soul classics: Keith Hudson "Barbican Dub", "Black Belt Jones" & "Sinners", Horace Andy "Problems", Augustus Pablo "Ras Menilik Congo" & "King Tubby's Dub Song", Black Skin the Prophet "Red Blood", Prince Far I & the Arabs "Mansion of Invention" & "Bass Ace", Little Roy "Tribal War" and Israel Vibration "Same Song". CD

Mute Records was one of the most striking British labels of the post-punk years – second maybe only to Factory Records for the way it mixed art and design to package modern music – a legacy that began with the label's very first 45, and continued through countless great albums and singles for years to come! This beautiful volume is an especially strong look at the first decade or so of Mute – and showcases the way it found new styles to present its music – a rich legacy of sounds from Nick Cave, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Fad Gadget, Nitzer Ebb, Einsturzende Neubauten, and many others – a mode that continued even after Mute had found bigger fame in the mainstream, and started to issue some of its productions on major labels. The book traces hundreds of images, and even includes label scans, mock-ups, and other related work – along with a complete representation of the label's albums too. This hardcover edition is full color throughout, over 300 pages, and a great companion to the classic music of Mute! Book

A loving look back at The Face – one of the most important British magazines of the 80s – and a key outlet for music, style, and all things that had to do with the cutting edge of culture! The Face was a beautiful publication that combined art and criticism – all with a very left-leaning approach during the Thatcher years – and with an aesthetic that rose above the music weeklies like NME, taking things a bit deeper, while also setting a new standard for visual representation in the post-punk, post-disco generation. This huge book presents The Face in all its glory – with huge oversize full color pages that present some of its best covers and inside images – alongside the history of the publication, which is also a history of changing British culture from the late 70s through the early 90s. 352 pages, softcover, with full color images throughout! Book

That's Lucy Sante on the cover – and she not only delivers a small piece of her own at the front of the magazine, but is also the focus of a nice long article penned by Sasha Frere Jones, which is then followed by an interview with Sante too! And there's way more here too – a look at 30 years of Sleater Kinney, the contemporary Detroit jazz scene, Chicago music legend Doug McCombs, painter Shonto Begay, the music of Dredd Foole, the teenage recordings of Teresa Leigh, gallerist Hudson, writer Jeff Noon, the cosmic soul of Shabazz Palaces, and lots lots more – all in vivid color throughout, with hardly any ads at all! Magazine

An overlooked debut from singer Bert Robinson – an artist who was part of the large Al Hudson/One Way collective from Detroit, but who really comes into his own in this sweet little set! Robinson's got a very rich, deep vocal approach – almost a nod back to the pre-soul generation of male vocalists, but set here to some classy, contemporary vibes that sparkle with the best 80s Capitol Records touches – put together by Hudson and crew – plus others who include Stan Sheppard and Preston Glass. The best numbers are the ballads – smooth steppers that really suit Bert's vocal approach – and titles include "Never Gonna Give You Up", "Heart Of Gold", "No More Cold Nights", "You Turn Me Out", "Just Begun To Know You", "Burning Inside Your Love", and "Still Waiting". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Change Of Season", "Sassy & Dolphy", "Almost Blue", "Stokey", "Coming On The Hudson", "God Had A Girlfriend", "All Too Soon / Way Low", "Theme From Babe", "The Light", and "Change Of Season". CD

An excellent companion to the legendary first Disco Spectrum set – and like the first, this one's a stunning batch of rare club tracks, expertly selected by Joey Negro! This one's even more soulful than the first set – and is more a great set of rare club and dancefloor tracks, than it is a straight bunch of disco tunes. Nearly every cut's a winner, and there's loads of excellent vocals, and plenty of nice jazzy playing in the mix. This 2CD version features a total of 22 cuts, all unmixed – including "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" by Love Symphony Orchestra, "Spread Love" by Al Hudson & The Partners, "Making Love" by Sammy Gordon & The Hip Huggers, "Welcome To The Disco" by Air Power, "Phoenix" by Aquarian Dream, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Louie Ramirez, "I'll Keep A Light In My Window" by NYCC, "Music Is My Way Of Life" by Patti Labelle, "Don't Let This Rainbow Pass Me By" by Cloud One, "Get Another Love" by Chantal Curtis, "Evening Of Love" by Main Ingredient, "Hooked On Your Love" by Fantastic Aleems, "Hooked On You" by Cerrone, and "Give Me Some Action" by Queen Samantha. CD

A fantastic tribute to the legendary Disco Spectrum series of compilations – a run of records that first burst forth at the end of the 90s, and showed the world that there was a huge amount of underground music to discover from the mainstream disco years! Disco Spectrum cuts aren't the ones you'll know from Saturday Night Fever – or from K-Tel compilations of the time – and instead, they represent the much deeper current of groove that was still burning bright away from the limelight, even while the more commercial disco crumbled into dust – music that was sometimes cut by artists who disappeared quickly, sometimes by older masters, and sometimes by talents who never fully got the respect they deserved. Both Joey Negro and Sean P have given us some great sets before, but this one is right at the top of their talents – filled with gems that include "Let Me Down Easy" by Rare Pleasure, "Spread Love" by Al Hudson & The Soul Partners, "Can't Shake Your Love (Larry Levan 12" mix)" by Syreeta, "Trinidad (special disco mix)" by John Gibbs & US Steel Orchestra, "Isabelle & The Rain" by Jo Boyer, "Don't Let My Rainbow Pass Me By (club 12" mix)" by Cloud One with Margo Williams, "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This" by Idris Muhammad, "I Don't Want You Back" by Ramona Brooks, "Hot To Trot" by Alfredo De La Fe, "Out Of My Hands" by Omni, "Under The Skin" by The Brothers, "Let Me Love You" by Bunny Mack, "Can You Get Down" by Universe City, and "I Want You For Myself" by George Duke with Lynn Davis. CD

The landmark first album from The Band – and along with the follow-up, it's among the greatest records of its time – which is all the more astounding given how independent of late 60s trends it is! Each member of The Band brings such inimitable textures – Garth Hudson's imposing organ grooves, Richard Manuel's aching tenor vocals, Rick Danko's voice and distinctive bass lines, Levon Helm's behind-the-beat drumming and the country wisdom of his voice, Robertson's guitar mastery – this really was THE Band. Includes "Tears Of Rage", "In A Station", "The Weight", "Long Black Veil", "Chest Fever", "Lonesome Suzie", "This Wheels On Fire", "I Shall Be Released" and more. CD

A fantastic classic from The Band – a set that's hardly got them cowering in the corner the way the "stage fright" title might imply – and which instead seems to have the group at their most confident during the early years, effortlessly spinning impeccable musicianship and some surprisingly biting lyrics! The young Robbie Robertson is on guitar, Garth Hudson warms things up with organ lines, and vocals are handled by the shifting array of other players in the lead – Rick Danko, Levon Helm, and Richard Manuel. Titles include "The Shape I'm In", "Sleeping", "Strawberry Wine", "Just Another Whistle Stop", "Daniel & The Sacred Harp", "Stage Fright", and "Time To Kill". CD

An overlooked debut from singer Bert Robinson – an artist who was part of the large Al Hudson/One Way collective from Detroit, but who really comes into his own in this sweet little set! Robinson's got a very rich, deep vocal approach – almost a nod back to the pre-soul generation of male vocalists, but set here to some classy, contemporary vibes that sparkle with the best 80s Capitol Records touches – put together by Hudson and crew – plus others who include Stan Sheppard and Preston Glass. The best numbers are the ballads – smooth steppers that really suit Bert's vocal approach – and titles include "Never Gonna Give You Up", "Heart Of Gold", "No More Cold Nights", "You Turn Me Out", "Just Begun To Know You", "Burning Inside Your Love", and "Still Waiting". CD