The 1979 key-work of this eight-piece from Washington DC: high steppin’ rhythms, tight, funky arrangements, and gorgeous gospel-influenced vocal harmonies.
Produced by Wayne Henderson, with Bobby Lyle and Side Effect in the house.
Featuring the almighty two-step classic Hollywood Dreaming.

Deep soul from the Minaret label, out of Florida, with an early Candi Staton, and the great Doris Allen.

Sweet soul from Baltimore, produced by none other than George Kerr and Bunny Sigler.
The opener Count To Ten was their big hit, grabbing a couple of bars of Smokey Robinson; Candy is treasurably cannibalistic (‘her heart’s made of caramel’ etc); that’s a secret-weapon version of War (What Is It Good For?).

The single LP via Rhino is in lovely mono.

The double LP is newly transferred from the master tapes, remastered, and cut at 45rpm, in an all-analogue process.
Presented in a gorgeous gatefold sleeve by Analogue Productions, as part of its Atlantic 75 audiophile series.

Fab, zinging Aretha, pre-Atlantic, with the dodgy jazz and showtunes sifted out, and two recordings previously unreleased — the self-penned I Still Can’t Forget, and When They Ask, recorded when she was just 19.

Mono.

I Never Loved A Man, Lady Soul, Aretha Now, Spirit In The Dark, Live At Fillmore West.