An Album Full of Soul - Various Artists ($tateside 1965)

Excellent compilation of rare soul sounds from the mid '60s. I picked this one up in a flea market last week but unfortunately it came without a cover and also with a big scratch which makes Brooks O'Dell's 'You Better Make Up Your Mind' unplayable - hence it not being included in the zip. My current favourite tracks here are Little Eva's excellent cover of 'Stand By Me', which is an uptempo dancefloor stormer, and Titus Turner's 'I'm a Member of the Club'. Mostly though, this is lovely, blue, doleful, soulful stuff.

Tracklist:

01 Clyde McPhatter-Everybody's somebody's fool
02 Little Eva-Stand by me
03 Brooks O'Dell-You better make up your mind
04 Lee Dorsey-Work work work
05 Glady's Knight & The Pips-Lover's always forgive
06 Eddie Billups & The Gigs-My Faith in you
07 Pearl Woods-Something touched me
08 Titus Turner-I Am A Member of the club
09 Gladys Knight & The Pips-Stop and get a hold of my self
10 Big Dee Irwin-You satisy my needs
11 Betty Harris-What a sad feeling
12 Ed Towmnsend-I Love you
13 Earl King-You'll Remember me
14 Bobbie Smith-Wait
15 Clyde McPhatter-I Belong to you

Get it HERE.

Get Up and Get Down! - Various Artists (Philips 1974)

Absolutely top notch collection of rare mid-'70s funk, soul and disco. The record contains some sweet northern soul like this one from Brother's Guiding Light:

It also has a sprinkling of street-tough ghetto funk like Etta James' stunning 'Out On the Street Again':

My very favourite though (and also one of John Peel's all time favourites) is this classic from Don Covay:


Tracklisting:

A1	Act One -	Tom The Peeper
A2	Brothers Guiding Light -	Getting Together
A3	Al Downing -	I'll Be Holding You
A4	Joe Tex -	Cat Got Her Tongue
A5	King Floyd -	Can You Dig It?
A6	Aaron Neville -	Hercules
A7	Cissy Houston -	Midnite Train To Georgia
A8	Annette Snell -	You Oughta Be Here With Me
B1	Whispers -	A Mother For My Children
B2	Roy C -	Got To Get Enough (Of Your Sweet Stuff)
B3	Etta James -	Out On The Streets Again
B4	Joneses -	Hey Babe (Is The Gettin' Still Good)
B5	Don Covay -	It's Better To Have (And Don't Need)
B6	Ohio Players -	Streakin' Cheek To Cheek
B7	Dramatics -	Choosing Up On You
B8	Little Anthony & Imperials -	La La La At The End

Get Up and Get Down HERE.

Mirwood: The Sound of Swinging Hollywood (Inferno Soul Club 1984)

This is a collection of Northern Soul classics originally issued in the 1960s on the Hollywood label Mirwood. Northern Soul: Black American music but a White working class dance phenomena here in England. The sound came to be associated with the all night dance parties of Northern venues such as The Wigan Casino or the Twisted Wheel in Manchester.

Here's a fascinating ITV documentary that places the all-nighters into the bleak social context of '70s Britain and really shows the parallels with the early uk rave scene:


Anyway, the Mirwood album kicks out a joyful noise, heartfelt stomping soul music thats heavy on the vibes.

Tracklist:

01 That Beatin' Rhythm - Richard Temple
02 The Duck - Jackie Lee
03 Where There's a Will - Jimmy Thomas
04 My Sugar Baby - Sherlie Matthews
05 The Same Old Thing - The Olympics
06 I Can't Get Away - Bobby Garrett
07 He's Alright With Me - The Mirettes
08 Would You Believe - Jackie Lee
09 Don't Pretend - The Belles
10 My Little Girl - Bobby Garrett
11 Ooh Honey Baby - Earl Cosby
12 Cigarette Ashes - Jimmy Conwell
13 Baby Do The Philly Dog - The Olympics
14 Words Can't explain - The Belles
15 Oh My Darlin' - Jackie Lee
16 Do The Temptation Walk - Jackie Lee

Get it HERE.