Hard to imagine the Michael Keaton Batman being any sort of a "partyman" – but Prince's sweet little Bat-tune really does a great job of evoking that fantasy! There's just a slight hint at the old Batman theme in the background – but overall, the whole thing feels more like one of those great 80s soundtrack soul tunes – usually when a famous guest is on stage in the background of a scene – adding a little funk to an otherwise staid moment in the drama! There's plenty of mixes here to keep the tune going – and the short stroke version of "Feel U Up" too. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic musical gift from beyond – early 80s recordings by Prince, and the sort of work that might have been a huge revelation if it were issued during his too-short career! As the title implies, the set just features the man himself at the piano – singing and playing with a very intimate vibe – completely unlike any of his 80s material at all, even though some of the songs are the same! Prince is fantastic at the keys – really compelling and inspirational – with a sense of feeling that opens up some of his jazz chops in a way we never would have expected – and which is then matched by a more freewheeling sense of vocalization – with these fantastic inflections that leave us breathless, but again in a completely different way than his other music. The first half of the set features Prince flowing through songs that include "17 Days", "Purple Rain", "Mary Don't You Weep", "A Case Of You", "International Lover", "Wednesday", and "Strange Relationship" – and the second half features the songs "Why The Butterflies" and "Cold Coffee & Cocaine". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue audio presentation of the famous performance that was captured in 1985, and used in the concert film of the same name – brought together here as an audio release that stands as a tremendous document to the strength of Prince and his famous group of the time! This is the fantastic lineup that features Wendy & Lisa, who helped Prince hit a whole new level of grooviness – a blend of funk, soul, and rock touches that takes the Purple Rain sound to a much richer dimension in the setting of the arena! The performance was recorded at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse on March 30, 1985 – and the core set features 20 tracks that include "Let's Go Crazy", "1999", "God", "Computer Blue", "Darling Nikki", "International Lover", "Possessed", "Do Me Baby", "Irresistible Bitch", "Little Red Corvette", "I Would Die 4 U", and "Delirious" – plus extended jams that include an 11 minute version of "Baby I'm A Star", a 9 minute version of "When Doves Cry", and a 19 minute version of "Purple Rain"! CD

One of the greatest crossover albums of the 80s – and the record that catapulted Prince very firmly into the mainstream! There's a tightness here that surpasses even that of Prince's early classics for Warner Brothers – an unabashed love of a pop hook that makes for some incredibly catchy tunes that are still delivered with a nice funky undercurrent. The whole Prince family is at the top of their game at this point – and titles include "Darling Nikki", "Let's Go Crazy", "I Would Die 4 U", "When Doves Cry", "Baby I'm A Star", and "Purple Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest crossover albums of the 80s – and the record that catapulted Prince very firmly into the mainstream! There's a tightness here that surpasses even that of Prince's early classics for Warner Brothers – an unabashed love of a pop hook that makes for some incredibly catchy tunes that are still delivered with a nice funky undercurrent. The whole Prince family is at the top of their game at this point – and titles include "Darling Nikki", "Let's Go Crazy", "I Would Die 4 U", "When Doves Cry", "Baby I'm A Star", and "Purple Rain". This version features the new 2015 remaster of the album, done by Prince! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest crossover albums of the 80s – and the record that catapulted Prince very firmly into the mainstream! There's a tightness here that surpasses even that of Prince's early classics for Warner Brothers – an unabashed love of a pop hook that makes for some incredibly catchy tunes that are still delivered with a nice funky undercurrent. The whole Prince family is at the top of their game at this point – and titles include "Darling Nikki", "Let's Go Crazy", "I Would Die 4 U", "When Doves Cry", "Baby I'm A Star", and "Purple Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic record from Prince – a double-length set that came out at a time when the purple one was brimming over with energy and new ideas – and a step slightly in the direction of more socially conscious material! Everything that was great about Prince before the record is completely intact – his amazing ability to create funky grooves, slinky sensuality, and songs that are so catchy, they can win over audiences on both sides of the fence. But there's also some deeper elements here going on too – maybe more space for thoughtful presentation spread out over the 2LPs that comprised the original record – at a level that's only more confirmation of the never-ending genius of prince! Titles include the great title cut "Sign O The Times" – plus "Strange Relationship", "Slow Love", "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night", "Adore", "Ballad Of Dorothy Parker", "Housequake", "U Got The Look", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man", "The Cross", "Hot Thing", and "Starfish & Coffee". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic record from Prince – a double-length set that came out at a time when the purple one was brimming over with energy and new ideas – and a step slightly in the direction of more socially conscious material! Everything that was great about Prince before the record is completely intact – his amazing ability to create funky grooves, slinky sensuality, and songs that are so catchy, they can win over audiences on both sides of the fence. But there's also some deeper elements here going on too – maybe more space for thoughtful presentation spread out over the 2LPs that comprised the original record – at a level that's only more confirmation of the never-ending genius of prince! Titles include the great title cut "Sign O The Times" – plus "Strange Relationship", "Slow Love", "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night", "Adore", "Ballad Of Dorothy Parker", "Housequake", "U Got The Look", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man", "The Cross", "Hot Thing", and "Starfish & Coffee". 2020 version – remastered for the first time ever! 3CD version features lots of bonus tracks – single mixes and edits – all remastered – tracks that include "U Got The Look (long look)", "Shockadelica (12" long version)", "Hot Thing (ext rmx)", "Hot Thing (dub rmx)", "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (fade)", "La La He He Hee (highly explosive)", "If I Was Your Girlfriend (edit)", "Housequake (7 minutes moquake)", and "Sign O The Times (edit)". CD

A fantastic record from Prince – a double-length set that came out at a time when the purple one was brimming over with energy and new ideas – and a step slightly in the direction of more socially conscious material! Everything that was great about Prince before the record is completely intact – his amazing ability to create funky grooves, slinky sensuality, and songs that are so catchy, they can win over audiences on both sides of the fence. But there's also some deeper elements here going on too – maybe more space for thoughtful presentation spread out over the 2LPs that comprised the original record – at a level that's only more confirmation of the never-ending genius of prince! Titles include the great title cut "Sign O The Times" – plus "Strange Relationship", "Slow Love", "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night", "Adore", "Ballad Of Dorothy Parker", "Housequake", "U Got The Look", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man", "The Cross", "Hot Thing", and "Starfish & Coffee". Remastered for the first time ever! LP, Vinyl record album

Produced my Jimmy Miller and Larry Fallon. 7-inch, Vinyl record

An excellent Wackie's dub set, lost to the world for too long, with bubbling rubs of heavy, heavy rhythms reputed to have been given to Bullwackie Barnes and Doug Levy by Sly & Robbie, though the notes don't betray that. Whatever the case may be these tracks are some mighty fine dubs of early 80s reggae, with some nice effects over the stark rootsy numbers as well as the sunnier rhythms. 9 numbers in all, including "Jam Love Dub", "Hard Times Dub", "Let Me Love You Dub", "Tongue Shall Tell Dub", "March Down Babylon Dub", "Sunshine Dub", "You & Me Dub", "North Of The Border Dub" and "Tribesman Dub". CD

... CD

Four fantastic albums from the legendary Prince Far I! The set begins with the classic Free From Sin – Great early work from Prince Far I – a stunning mix of reggae and dub, with a righteous quality that really gives the prince his title amongst 70s Jamaican royalty! Backing is by a version of the Roots Radics – with the excellent Style Scott on drums, Errol Holt on Bass, Bingy Bunny, Sowell and Chinna Smith on guitar, Bobby Kalphat and Snappin on keys, Bobby Ellis and Deadly Headly on horns, and Bongo Herman and Ras Millinek on percussion – but the real key to the sound is the way that Prince Far I produces the whole thing, and mixes his own sinister vocals with the heady, bottom-heavy rhythms – all with a quality that matches Lee Scratch Perry at his best! Titles include "Free From Sin", "Light Of Fire", "Reggae Music", "I & I Are the Chosen One", "Don't Deal With Folly", "Call On I In Trouble", "When Jah Ready You Got To Move", and "Siren". Jamaican Heroes is a totally great album by Prince Far I – and a set that already shows him building that crucial London/Kingston bridge that would be such a big part of his sound! The album features work from Sly & Robbie, and the killer drums of Style Scott on rhythm – but also includes contributions by London hipsters Viv Albertine & Ari Up (of the Slits), and David Toop (noted music writer and historian) – quite a mix, and all brought together wonderfully by the Prince's production, and really unique vocal approach. Titles include "Jamaican Heroes", "Prison Discipline", "Musical History", "Natty Champion", and "Golden Throne". Next up is a classic from Prince Far I – Voice Of Thunder couldn't be a more appropriate album title or moniker! Recorded at Channel One in 1981 with incredible analog dub production, it fully carries the grit, murk, heavy and heady soul of the 70s into the new decade –even if the sound is ultimately a bit different then the what he delivered in the 70s. That thunderous voice toasting over the rhythms is as incredible as ever – over the commanding bass of Professor Larry Silvera, tripped out drums & percussion by Jah Lloyd & Scully, occasional swirling keys by Steely, Tarzan and Tony Asher and the other great Channel One players. Titles include "Ten Commandments", "Every Time I Hear The Word", "Head Of The Buccaneer", "Shall Not Dwell In Wickedness", "Skinhead", and "Hold The Fort". Musical History is one of the last albums ever issued by Prince Far I – and a set that marks a fantastic cap to a too-short career! The Prince's vocal contributions are as impeccable as his dubby production work – and titles include "At The Cross", "More We Are Together", "Take Heed Frontline", "What You Gonna Do On Judgement Day", and "Tell Them About Jah Love". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A hip hop masterpiece from Prince Paul – his second album as a solo act, but one that builds on years of top-shelf experience in the east coast scene – including his roots with Stetsasonic and production of De La Soul! The record came up at a time when there seemed to be a new sense of self-awareness in hip hop – maybe not a postmodern sensibility, but a gentle play between the real role of the artist and imagined pop presence – handled here by Paul with a lot more care than most, and presented in a concept album format that's full of great surprises along the way! Breeze Brewin of Jugganauts handles the main lyrics, but the story has lots of famous guests along the way – almost a Wizard Of Oz sort of journey that includes Kool Keith, Big Daddy Kane, Chubb Rock, Biz Markie, and many others. Titles include "MC Hustler", "The Other Line", "Pain", "Steady Slobbin", "War Party", "Weapon World", "Handle Your Time", "The Men In Blue", and "Mood For Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Single from RZA in his early days as Prince Rakeem, before any Wu-Tang releases, but with a nod to the future in the titles. It's sounds surprisingly nice in this day and age. RZA's delivery is loud, measured and clear – like a lot of late 80s, early 90s MC's. The beats are straight up, soulful samples with catchy-as-hell beat tracks. Check the Wu-Tang mix of "Sexcapades" for the dawn of the Wu sound. (Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 23. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 22. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 23 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) 12-inch, Vinyl record

"Live At Union Square", is a live recording from 1986, that starts off with Fresh Prince doing some crowd participation chants and then moves into Jazzy Jeff cutting up Herman Kelly's "Dance To the Drummer's Beat" in the old transformer style. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

Early work from Prince – really his first full fledged masterpiece! Prince ushered the 80s in with a mix of recognizable influences, but filtered through his unique sensibility – taking a new approach to funky soul – by using his own sinister blend of layered vocals, crisp rhythms, and ultra catchy songs – always capped with that unbridled, fearless sexuality that comes across right here on the cover – and which already shows that the singer is a bold new force to be reckoned with! And despite his claim of having a dirty mind, Prince uses the music to unlock the sensual souls in all of us – with tracks here that would already become calling cards for a generation – such as the unstoppable classics "Dirty Mind" and "When You Were Mine", plus "Head", "Sister", "Do It All Night", and "Party Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing debut of Prince – a record that virtually snuck onto the market at the time of its release, but which has gone on to become the launching pad for one of the greatest recorded legacies in soul music! The whole thing has a really lean, stripped-down sort of sound – one that testifies to the fact that the man himself produced and performed the whole thing – almost as if Prince were up there in Minneapolis, looking at all the overblown funk ensemble and disco records of the time, and decided to throw his own hat in the ring with a great variation of the funk sound of the 70s! The lean quality puts the record in a legacy that also includes 70s work by Shuggie Otis and Timmy Thomas – but that star quality that was about to make Prince huge is already firmly in place – on titles that include "For You", "Soft & Wet", "Crazy You", "Just As Long As We're Together", "My Love Is Forever", "I'm Yours", "So Blue", "In Love", and "Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Well, it wasn't Purple Rain – nor Parade – but this 3rd Prince soundtrack still had some nice moments, thanks to an ever-expanding Paisley Park family that included George Clinton, Morris Day, and Mavis Staples! The older funk acts don't come off as nicely as Prince and The Time do – but with 2LPs worth of material, there's enough good numbers to pick out of the set. Titles include "New Power Generation", "Can't Stop This Feeling I Got", "Love Machine", "Tick Tick Bang", "Shake", "Thieves In The Temple", "Still Would Stand All Time", "Graffiti Bridge", and "The Latest Fashion". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most romping tunes ever recorded by Prince – the kind of cut that was an instant dancefloor stormer back in the day, and still sounds mighty groovy all these many years later! The song is featured here in it's very extended version – and is backed by the fantastic non-LP cut "Erotic City" – a masterpice of slinky funk! The track grooves for over 7 minutes – and if you were to ask us the one Prince tune we remember most fondly from the 80s dancefloor, this would be it! 12-inch, Vinyl record

An overlooked record in the grand scheme – which is unforgivable in our book! This self-titled album is Prince's second album, and already his vision is becoming a little more focused, and you can really hear the seeds of his later efforts – a really remarkable, unique, and fascinating record that stands up with some of his best work, and bucks all late 70s trends and cliches in pop, soul and funk! In some ways this is one of our favorite Prince records, as it has a kind of intimacy that was lacking on later sets – or maybe because the hit "I Wanna Be Your Lover" has such a mad groove! "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" has the sly sound that would run throughout the rest of Prince's better work for years to come – and Chaka Khan would later cover "I Feel for You", and hit large with it in the 80s. Also includes "Sexy Dancer", "With You" and "When We're Dancing Close & Slow". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

With the classic "A Touch Of Jazz" plus "The Magnificent Jazzy Jeff", "Just Rockin", "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble", and "Just One Of Those Days". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

More jumping Bunny Lee rhythms blessed by Tubby's echoplex! Taking what they first documented on the Dub Gone Crazy compilation to the next level, this set highlights a number of rhythms that had been voiced by Johnny Clarke and taken even farther out than the previous set, with thunderous reverb and cascading echoes. Yet another essential, with 14 tracks including "King Tubby's in Fine Style", "African Sounds", "Channel is a Joker", "The Poor Barber" & "Higher Ranking". CD

One of many unoffical Prince recordings that started to become unearthed in the 80s, and though the sleeve says these recordings are from 1977, we'd argue that they were likely a bit later than that, as there's definitely a distinctly 80s feel to the tracks, which were recorded with lineup including Andre Cymone and Pepe Willie. 6 tracks in all, mostly instrumental though a couple have some spots of female vocals: "If You Feel Like Dancin", "Lovin Cup", "Games", "Just Another Sucker", "Dance To The Music Of The World" and "One Man Jam". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of rare dub albums – back to back in a single set, with bonus tracks too! On A1 Dub, Blacka Morwell serves up some massive dub – working at Channel 1, for an obscure album on Trojan Records – but maybe coming across with some of the richness of the Island Records generation! There's a fullness to the sound that's wonderful – top-to-bottom completely solid, and often highly focused on the rhythms, but also always using one key instrumental element on each cut – a bit of organ here, a weeping guitar there, or even an odd sonic element – always given center stage in the spotlight, and set apart from the rest of the mix in a really great way. Titles include "Downtown Rebel", "Well Crucial", "Different Style", "West Side Ranking", "Pressure Rock", "Blackboard Jungle", and "Waterpump Skank". Next is Cry Tuff Dub Encounter 4 – from Prince Far I & The Arabs – an almost seamless set of dub instrumentals, recorded at Channel One in 1981 – the underground Jamaican groove, but maybe given a slightly better sound quality overall – that good mix of indie and professional that was the Trojan Records calling card as the 70s moved on! A crisp upfront production style separates this one from some of its dub predecessors – but the record has a great analog dub sound, with many effects and instruments echoing in and out of the mix. Titles include "Lion Stone", "Foundation Stepper", "Sound Gesture", "Destruction Sound Battle", and "Stone African Ground". And if that's not enough, the whole thing features a whole CD of bonus material – rare tracks taken from the 12" Attack series by Trojan Records – with cuts that include "Jammin For Survival" by Jammy's At The Controls, "Bali Hi Special" by The Sowell Radics, "Fuss & Fight Dub" by Eddie Fitzroy, "Ball Of Fire" by Bim Sherman, "Stand & Look Dub" by Fat Man All Stars, "Caring For My Sister" by Scientist & Roots Radics, "Won't You Come On (dub)" by Witty's All STars, "Babylon Wrong Dub" by Ashanti Waugh, and "Cool Pon Your Corner Version" by Barry Brown. CD

Early work from Prince – really his first full fledged masterpiece! Prince ushered the 80s in with a mix of recognizable influences, but filtered through his unique sensibility – taking a new approach to funky soul – by using his own sinister blend of layered vocals, crisp rhythms, and ultra catchy songs – always capped with that unbridled, fearless sexuality that comes across right here on the cover – and which already shows that the singer is a bold new force to be reckoned with! And despite his claim of having a dirty mind, Prince uses the music to unlock the sensual souls in all of us – with tracks here that would already become calling cards for a generation – such as the unstoppable classics "Dirty Mind" and "When You Were Mine", plus "Head", "Sister", "Do It All Night", and "Party Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing debut of Prince – a record that virtually snuck onto the market at the time of its release, but which has gone on to become the launching pad for one of the greatest recorded legacies in soul music! The whole thing has a really lean, stripped-down sort of sound – one that testifies to the fact that the man himself produced and performed the whole thing – almost as if Prince were up there in Minneapolis, looking at all the overblown funk ensemble and disco records of the time, and decided to throw his own hat in the ring with a great variation of the funk sound of the 70s! The lean quality puts the record in a legacy that also includes 70s work by Shuggie Otis and Timmy Thomas – but that star quality that was about to make Prince huge is already firmly in place – on titles that include "For You", "Soft & Wet", "Crazy You", "Just As Long As We're Together", "My Love Is Forever", "I'm Yours", "So Blue", "In Love", and "Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great return to form for Prince – even though at the time, we all had to refer to him with an unpronounceable symbol! There's a lean, funky vibe to most of the record – almost a step back to the unified group approach of his mid 80s classics – and even though a few sonic elements have been updated, they changes have been done in the best way possible – partly by absorbing some of the new pop psychedelic touches that Prince himself had unlocked back in the 80s, filtered into the work of others, and which are taken back here with great modifications that really sound great next to the grooves! Titles include "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", "We March", "Now", "319", "Billy Jack Bitch", "Eye Hate U", "P Control", and "Shy" – plus a number of short "NPG Operator" tracks. Promo-only vinyl pressing features a full side of bonus material – five different mixes of "Eye Hate U". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of our favorite tracks ever from Prince – an instantly funky, instantly catchy tune that never fails to blow us away with its dexterity! The jam sounds great, even after all these years – and it's backed by a non-LP cut, "Another Lonely Christmas" – in which Prince almost single-handedly revives the Holiday soul single tradition for the 80s generation! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Classic! Although folks had been saying for years that Prince was funky, "Kiss" was the first tune to really have him going to town on the instruments – in a way that we always expect from a true funk act, but not so much for the pop charts – reason alone to adore this one! The track snaps along with an intensity that makes it an instant classic groover – and flip side "Love Or Money" is a pretty nice track too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the greatest crossover albums of the 80s – and the record that catapulted Prince very firmly into the mainstream! There's a tightness here that surpasses even that of Prince's early classics for Warner Brothers – an unabashed love of a pop hook that makes for some incredibly catchy tunes that are still delivered with a nice funky undercurrent. The whole Prince family is at the top of their game at this point – and titles include "Darling Nikki", "Let's Go Crazy", "I Would Die 4 U", "When Doves Cry", "Baby I'm A Star", and "Purple Rain". CD

Sure, the politics seem a bit silly now – but the track's still one of Prince's last really compelling hits. It's got a totally infectious hook, a spare Timmy Thomas-ish beat, and a strangely captivating vocal that really sticks with us. 7-inch, Vinyl record

House remix by Junior Vasquez. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great release of the song that really put Prince over the top – a song that got him maybe more play on rock and pop stations than he was ever getting on soul radio – and which for years became an anthem for folks who never would have touched his music in years before! "God" is a very cool non-LP b-side, which has this gentle vibe that's really beautiful – with lots of room for Prince's vocals to step out slowly into space! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Mellow jazz guitar stylings on Vanguard, with a large group backing up Prince, and giving a sort of uptempo funky feel to some of the material, though really it's mostly swing based. Ed Bland (who's on a lot of these NYC studio sessions from the time) wrote a lot of the material, and people like Joe Farrell, Kenny Barron, John Hicks, and Virgil Jones play on the session. Includes "Samba De Unity", "Iron Band Dance", "Red Pearl", "Giant Steps", "Aldon B", "Eddie A" and "Genevieve". CD

Of all the Prince Far I dub encounters, this one's the most essential – a modern dub classic! A young Adrian Sherwood mans the desk over Far I's driving rhythms with a helping hand from British reggae great Dennis Bovell. Though this doesn't get as way out as some of the spaciest ON-U dubs that we've loved over the years, Sherwood treats the rhythms with a respect they well deserve, while still bringing a fresh outlook to the knob twirling that recasts these mighty rhythms into ghostly soudscapes. The band is a veritable all star Jamaican rhythm section, including Fish Clarke, Sly, Horsemouth & Santa on drums, Flabba Holt on bass, Bingy Bunny & Chinna Smith on guitar, and Sticky Thompson on percussion. 10 cuts, including our faves "Long Life", "The Encounter" & "Abderrahane". CD

In spite of a few legendary battles with I Roy and Big Youth on wax, Prince Jazzbo never seemed to enjoy the notoriety, outside Jamaica at least, that many other Dee Jays did, though his rough and ready delivery over many self produced rhythms was no less worthy of note. This fantastic compilation brings together a load of great dee jay tracks, many of which hit huge in the dancehall, over solid rhythms laid down by the Aggrovators, Roots Radics & Revolutionaries. 17 tracks, with their versions, including the great "Kick Boy Face", "Mr. Funny", "Every N*gga Is A Winner", "Step Forward Youth" & "Jazzbo's Mercy". CD

A classic of spiritual jazz! The album is one of the few rare pairings of Sonny Simmons and Prince Lasha from the 60s – and it's arguably the greatest album they ever cut! The set was recorded for the Contemporary label in LA, but it's far far different than the cool jazz that was the label's stock in trade during most of the 50s – done instead with a pulsating spiritual feel that really takes off as the album progresses! The lineup features the twin-reed frontline of Lasha on flute and Simmons on alto, plus an amazing rhythm section that includes 2 bass players (Gary Peacock and Mark Procter), who really give the tunes a pulsating feel overall – plus drums by Gene Stone. Titles include the famous groover "Congo Call", plus the tracks "AY", "Lost Generation", "Red's Mood", and "Green & Gold". CD

Another oddball batch from the unpredictable, inimitable Prince Paul – not exactly an instrumentals records, hence the deliberately spelled title – really more of leftfield hip hop beat suite with plenty of vocal samples and a few guest appearances! Paul's styles here rarely stray from a hip hop template – with some trippy passages in which he plays his own instruments and samples his own damn self – and appearances by previous collaborators Steinski and MC Paul Barman. Tracks include "MVU (Acts 1, 2, 3 and Final Act)", "It's A Stick Up!", "Flattery", "My Friend The Popmaster", "Yes, I Do Love Them Ho's!", "I Want You (I'm An 80s Man)", "Gangsta's My Style", "And The Winner Is?", "The Night My Girlfriend Left Me", "Think Or Die" and more. CD

Prince Paul returns to the hard-hitting, ambitious narrative format of his great Prince Among Thieves LP with this all star effort that features Guru, Masta Ace, Trugoy, Planet Asia, the Beatnuts, Chuck D, Ice T, Jean Grae, Premier, Kardinal Official, Erick Sermon, Sly Boogie, MF Doom, comedians Dave Chappelle & Chris Rock, and others. This time the story line covers the life span of a hip hop record, and the hard truths of a life in the business. The incisively satirical skits that Paul's famous for (he's one of the VERY few cats that can actually pull those things off, possibly because he hires actual comics to play them out) are here in abundance, and so are the darker-edged, lean & popping beats and surprising samples that he does so incredibly well! Another great piece of work from one of the most innovative producers of the last couple of decades. Lots of tracks and skits including "Make Room", "So What", "The Drive By", "Politics Of The Business", "What I Need" and more. Dialogue sample: "C'mon Paul, this is backpacking music. We'll be lucky if we can go double wood with this $h!t. Take back these wackass records and bring me something I can sell!" Highly recommended! CD

A hip hop masterpiece from Prince Paul – his second album as a solo act, but one that builds on years of top-shelf experience in the east coast scene – including his roots with Stetsasonic and production of De La Soul! The record came up at a time when there seemed to be a new sense of self-awareness in hip hop – maybe not a postmodern sensibility, but a gentle play between the real role of the artist and imagined pop presence – handled here by Paul with a lot more care than most, and presented in a concept album format that's full of great surprises along the way! Breeze Brewin of Jugganauts handles the main lyrics, but the story has lots of famous guests along the way – almost a Wizard Of Oz sort of journey that includes Kool Keith, Big Daddy Kane, Chubb Rock, Biz Markie, and many others. Titles include "MC Hustler", "The Other Line", "Pain", "Steady Slobbin", "War Party", "Weapon World", "Handle Your Time", "The Men In Blue", and "Mood For Love". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Single from RZA in his early days as Prince Rakeem, before any Wu-Tang releases, but with a nod to the future in the titles. It's sounds surprisingly nice in this day and age. RZA's delivery is loud, measured and clear – like a lot of late 80s, early 90s MC's. The beats are straight up, soulful samples with catchy-as-hell beat tracks. Check the Wu-Tang mix of "Sexcapades" for the dawn of the Wu sound. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

Here's a blind date we'd be happy to go on – one that not only involves the great Bill Callahan and Bonnie Prince Billy – but also opens up the door to a host of their hip friends and contemporaries! Given the warmly familiar company, there's really nothing blind about this date – think of it more like a party where you keep bumping into people you forgot you liked so much – somehow even better in the warm company provided by the hosts! The lineup features contributions from Ty Segall, David Grubbs, Emmett Kelly, Six Organs Of Admittance, Richard Bishop, Sean O'Hagan, Matt Sweeney, Azita, and others – and their presence also seems to make for some of the most charming work we've heard from Callahan and Oldham in years. Titles include "I Love You", "I've Made Up My Mind", "OD'd In Denver", "Blackness Of The Night", "Miracles", "I Want To Go To The Beach", "Night Of Santiago", "Wild Kindness", "Lost In Love", "She Is My Everything", "Sea Song", "Night Rider's Lament", and "Arise Therefore". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Tremendous work from the legendary Prince Lasha – a rare UK-only date from 1966 – and one that has the reedman working away from more familiar contemporaries like Sonny Simmons and Eric Dolphy! The approach on this session is very unique – as Lasha includes harp with the instrumentation, played by David Snell in a style that's right up there with Dorothy Ashby's best jazz work. Pianist Stan Tracey is also on board – playing beautiful notes that have a sharp modern edge, while still falling on the inside of the spectrum – and Lasha himself is especially great – blowing plastic alto sax and wooden flute, both of which have a slightly offbeat sound – but one that's surprisingly warm, which makes the album one of his most sensitive and soulful sessions ever! The tunes are a mix of standards and originals – and there's a wonderful sense of balance here – sounds that are sometimes more inside than other records from Lasha, but which have a really Dolphy-like sense of expression – right at home amidst a wider history of jazz, yet also reaching for new ideas at the same time. Pure genius throughout, and a record that was never made available to audiences in the US. Titles include "Nuttin Out Jones", "Impressions Of Eric Dolphy", "Out Of Nowhere", "Just Friends", "Body & Soul", and "Everything Happens To Me". CD

A pair of masterful collaborations between Bunny Striker Lee and Prince Jammy – fantastic dubs based upon rhythms by The Aggrovators! The set brings together two full albums – one from the late 70s, one from the early 80s – and while there's some slight shifts in production and technology, the overall vibe runs true and clear – that amazing ear for spacier sounds around the sides of the grooves that Jammy could do so well – beautifully captured in the overall production, and balanced against the depth of the basslines, and the warmth of some of the few horn parts in the mix! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Nigerian grooves, recorded in the mid 70s by Prince Nico Mbarga and his Rocafil Jazz group. Note that these guys use "jazz" loosely, and that the record's not actually a jazz/funk one – and that the tracks have a long, free-flowing sound that's more directly African than some of the other funkier work coming out of Nigeria in the 70s. Titles include "Wayo In Law", "Christiana", "Aki Special", and "Sweet Mother". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The record that forever put Prince on the map – a legendary set that took him from being an under-appreciated soul singer to a lasting pop music legend! Prince had been around for a few years before 1999 – but the double-length set was the first to really win over the masses to his genius – and still stands as one of the most perfect blends of soul, funk, and pop that we can ever think of – especially since the man himself pretty much put the whole thing together on his own! The set begins with the classic singles "Little Red Corvette" and "1999" – then soars into lots more gems that include "Let's Pretend We're Married", "Lady Cab Driver", "All The Critics Love U In New York", "International Lover", "DMSR", and "Delirious". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A mad bit of psychedelic soul from Prince – a record that sounds better and better over the years, and which stands out from most of his 80s work thanks to some really unique production and songwriting! After Purple Rain, Prince did anything but freeze up in the face of living up to such a massive crossover smash – and instead stepped sideways nicely with a fresh approach to his sound – on a record that puts the "Paisley" in Paisley Park! The album mixes core Prince funk with some nicely playful touches – hardly classic psych, but that refined version that was floating around in the mid 80s – maybe mis-named, but used to great effect here. The album's a gem through and through – and titles include"Raspberry Beret", "Paisley Park","Around The World In A Day", "America", "Temptation", "Pop Life", and "Condition Of The Heart". CD

Titles include "The Future", "Electric Chair", "Vicki Waiting", "Partyman", "Scandalous", and "Batdance". LP, Vinyl record album

Recorded in 1987, but never officially released until 1994, when Prince was trying to get out of his Warners contract. Prince's attempt to return to his more funky side after flirting with more straight pop songs was a Holy Grail amongst collectors for a time, and though we don't like it as much as his first couple of albums, there are more than a few good moments on here, and it certainly stands up better than most of what came after. 8 songs: "Le Grind", "Cindy C", "Dead On It", "When 2 R In Love", "Bob George", "Superfunkycalifragisexy", "2 Nigs United 4 West Compton" and "Rockhard In A Funky Place". CD

A key moment of transition for Prince – a set that's got him toning down the longer-haired look of previous records, and going for the new wave sense of style that would help him cross into many audiences in years to come! Controversy still has Prince singing to the already-converted, but the record's full of moments of stardom to come – blending the open sexuality of his previous records with an even sharper sense of hook and tunefulness! There's a slight touch of politics here, hinted at by the cover – but the driving force is the desire of the man himself, as he performs and produces himself on titles that include "Controversy", "Jack U Off", "Do Me Baby", "Let's Work", "Annie Christian", "Ronnie Talk To Russia", and "Sexuality". CD

A key moment of transition for Prince – a set that's got him toning down the longer-haired look of previous records, and going for the new wave sense of style that would help him cross into many audiences in years to come! Controversy still has Prince singing to the already-converted, but the record's full of moments of stardom to come – blending the open sexuality of his previous records with an even sharper sense of hook and tunefulness! There's a slight touch of politics here, hinted at by the cover – but the driving force is the desire of the man himself, as he performs and produces himself on titles that include "Controversy", "Jack U Off", "Do Me Baby", "Let's Work", "Annie Christian", "Ronnie Talk To Russia", and "Sexuality". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first really breakout funky numbers from Prince – an anthemic groover that was also the title cut to his album of the same name! "Controversy" never sounded so good – with popping bass and sweetly gliding keys that emphasize the grooves! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Almost an album, more than a 12" single – given all the many mixes and tracks included on the vinyl! The set's based around the core "Cream" – one of the better jams from Prince & The New Power Generation – but the whole thing explodes in lots of mixes, extra tracks and instrumentals! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Early work from Prince – really his first full fledged masterpiece! Prince ushered the 80s in with a mix of recognizable influences, but filtered through his unique sensibility – taking a new approach to funky soul – by using his own sinister blend of layered vocals, crisp rhythms, and ultra catchy songs – always capped with that unbridled, fearless sexuality that comes across right here on the cover – and which already shows that the singer is a bold new force to be reckoned with! And despite his claim of having a dirty mind, Prince uses the music to unlock the sensual souls in all of us – with tracks here that would already become calling cards for a generation – such as the unstoppable classics "Dirty Mind" and "When You Were Mine", plus "Head", "Sister", "Do It All Night", and "Party Up". CD

The amazing debut of Prince – a record that virtually snuck onto the market at the time of its release, but which has gone on to become the launching pad for one of the greatest recorded legacies in soul music! The whole thing has a really lean, stripped-down sort of sound – one that testifies to the fact that the man himself produced and performed the whole thing – almost as if Prince were up there in Minneapolis, looking at all the overblown funk ensemble and disco records of the time, and decided to throw his own hat in the ring with a great variation of the funk sound of the 70s! The lean quality puts the record in a legacy that also includes 70s work by Shuggie Otis and Timmy Thomas – but that star quality that was about to make Prince huge is already firmly in place – on titles that include "For You", "Soft & Wet", "Crazy You", "Just As Long As We're Together", "My Love Is Forever", "I'm Yours", "So Blue", "In Love", and "Baby". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Classic! Although folks had been saying for years that Prince was funky, "Kiss" was the first tune to really have him going to town on the instruments – in a way that we always expect from a true funk act, but not so much for the pop charts – reason alone to adore this one! The track snaps along with an intensity that makes it an instant classic groover – and flip side "Love Or Money" is a pretty nice track too! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Nice mid tempo-ish groover off of Prince's great "Controversy" LP, which we look back at a little more fondly now in light of the rest of his career. This long version is more than twice as long as the LP, and features a non-LP b-side which was unavailable elsewhere for the longest time, until they put together the CD comp of singles and b-sides some years back. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

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