Funk | Soul 205 Items

Why you'll love it...
"‘I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You’ runs the stylistic gambit without feeling Franklin is doing things just for show. The album isn’t trying to function as a resumé of her skills. Genre shifts feel organic and natural. “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream” is built on a bossa nova groove, while “Do Right Woman Do Right Man” has a little country ballad flavor. “Dr Feelgood (Love Is A Serious Business)”—one of four songs penned by Franklin herself—is a bluesy belter. She might have been Queen of the genre, but pigeonholing Franklin in soul is like calling Sugar Ray Leonard just a welterweight. She could shuffle through styles as smooth as velvet. Everything is stamped with her own distinct character."

Japanese pressing without OBI! Gatefold cover is close to VG+ and the record is close to VG!

Why you'll love it...
Back to Back captures the instrumental aspect of the ’67 Stax-Volt European tour (“Volt” is the name of Stax’s subsidiary label). Immediately apparent is that the live versions of these songs are played much faster than the recorded ones. Exuberant? Definitely! These folks were racing across unfamiliar cultures and landscapes, reimagining their place in this world, looking down at the clouds for the first time. The pace was faster because their lives were — quickly — getting so much larger. In these recordings, you can hear all of that emotional exhilaration, all of that savoring of personal respect, that thrill of the new. Many of these songs were several years old, but they shine on Back to Back like they’re being performed for the first time. Over and over, you hear the musicians throwing in something extra, curlicues and tangents that express their excitement.

Sleeve has handwriting.

Record is close to VG+. Cover has small seam splits.

Record has many hairlines and surface marks. Cover has slight water damage, no splits or tears.

Vinyl is Close to VG+. Original US pressing.

Cover has two seam splits and shelf wear.

Vinyl with scuffs and hairlines. Cover with shelf wear on the back, close to VG+

The Egyptians - Thanks Yo You

Corner cut bottom left corner. Small price tag on cover.

Cover is close to VG+.

Record has many hairlines and surface marks

Drill hole. Mono pressing.

seam split

Vinyl with light scuffs and hairlines

Close to VG+

seam split, Writing on cover.

close to NM. 2020 reissue.

The Soul Album is the fourth studio album by American soul singer-songwriter Otis Redding, released in 1966. It features Redding performing songs that he co-wrote, as well as covers of songs by such musicians as Sam Cooke, Eddie Floyd, Roy Head, and Smokey Robinson. Guitarist Steve Cropper contributed guitar on the album and is also credited as the co-author of three tracks. The Soul Album shows Otis Redding moving from strength to strength in a string of high-energy, sweaty soul performances, interspersing his own songs with work by Sam Cooke ("Chain Gang"), Roy Head ("Treat Her Right"), Eddie Floyd ("Everybody Makes a Mistake"), and Smokey Robinson ("It's Growing") and recasting them in his own style, so that they're not "covers" so much as reinterpretations.

Vinyl LP pressing.

Limited green colored vinyl LP pressing.

Family vocal group the Esquires was formed in Milwaukee in the late 1950s; by the time they moved to Chicago to launch their recording career the group featured Gilbert Moorer, Alvis Moorer, and Sam Pace and although Curtis Mayfield turned them down, Bunky Sheppard recognised their potential, their debut single ‘Get On Up’ a smash hit that led to the recording of this brilliant debut album, an excellent collection of upbeat melodic soul with the group’s vocal harmonies in the spotlight. Further permutations would follow but Get On Up And Get Away captures the group in its illustrious eginning, full of shining joy. A top-notch release!

Cover has seam split and small tears along the opening edge.

Japanese pressing with OBI!

Splits in seams.

taped spine. Writing on cover.

Record has many hairlines and surface marks.

Tear in top spine.

Still sealed. Price tag. Cover has waterdamage stains.

Writing on label.
Cover with punch hole.

Stained cover. Slight label variation. Stereo.

Record plays with surface noise without overpowering the music.

Seam split. Original US mono pressing.

Vinyl is Close to VG+.

Torn spines, stickers on cover. Original US pressing.

Ships in a label sleeve.

In 1962, legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans collaborated for the first time on record with jazz guitarist Jim Hall to create the landmark album Undercurrent. And even though it is a two-person improvisational affair, it is almost unfathomable that these two giants alone fill up all the grooves on this record. The thoughtful interplay between these two musicians created such a beautiful, lush, and emotional journey that their work influenced many. At the time of this recording, Bill Evans was one of the top jazz pianists (his performance with Miles Davis on Kind Of Blue is still a high-water mark), but he had stopped performing and recording after the death of his peer, bassist Scott LaFaro. Eventually, he was persuaded to return to music, and this was one of the first recordings upon his return. Guitarist Jim Hall - who had worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, and Chico Hamilton - started his partnership with Evans during this time. Recorded over two sessions in April and May 1962, the two have that beautifully unspoken musical language of give and take; their recordings are refreshingly busy but also incredibly sparse. These two giants understand that intertwining their personalities and harmonic styles could create greatness. This notable re-issue is an all-analog production affair—AAA Mastered and cut live by audio guru Kevin Gray (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus)—and it’s never sounded better. So dim the lights and let this music breathe with you; it’s an incredible listen and an essential album for both the novice listener wanting to dip their toe into the genre or the audiophile who needs to replace their well-worn vinyl copy. And depending on your day, it will color your mood in any emotive shade you desire.

Record slightly warped but still enjoyable and close to VG+.
Ships in a label sleeve.

Ships in a label sleeve with small tear at the centre.