This compilation of the best of Gil Scott-Heron’s Flying Dutchman output was originally released in 1974, pulling together tracks from his first three albums: Small Talk At 125th And Lennox (1970), Pieces Of A Man (1971), and Free Will (1972).
This very welcome LP reissue is a top-notch pressing, resplendent in the original gatefold sleeve.

Only a previously unreleased Curtom recording, from the sessions for Closer To The Source, in 1977.
‘A beautiful floating mid-tempo dancer, with anthemic lyrics, in two different 7” edits: a short-intro version, perfect to drop in the middle of set to keep the dancefloor moving; and a version with the original forty-second intro, using the fantasic female backing vocals as the outro.’

From 1974, featuring knockout rare groove like I Don’t Need Nobody Else and What Do You Want Me To Do.
Limber, feeling and introspective, with full horns and strings setting fine songs and frankly soulful singing.
Lou came through in Detroit as a writer and producer with Barbara Lewis, before signing in his own right to Epic, via the Rags label run by legendary producer Jerry Ragovoy. Hereafter he was briefly a member of The Fifth Dimension.
One of the greatest of all modern soul albums.

Remastered, adding extended versions of the original LP, plus the remix of Paisley Park, the extended version of Girl, and Hello (Fresh Dance Mix). This new version of America runs over twenty minutes.

‘Oo-ooh, I’m burning…’
Slinky, sultry, in-the-pocket West Coast soul, from BG’s forgotten, late-seventies stint with Warners.
It shames the assignations in Lew Kirton’s classic Heaven in the Afternoon — out the same year — as routine, pedestrian sex.
Lovely, entwined piano and xylophone.
Composed by Mac Davis, who wrote In The Ghetto for Elvis. ‘I try to tell the truth and hope it rhymes.’
Killer.

Heavy on the Paisley, dense like P-Funk, ecstatic like MPG — a warmly recommended return.

Outsider electro-funk entirely self-produced, designed and distributed by Fushimi himself in 1985, featuring some deadly shamisen in amongst the drum machines and synths.
With a four-page insert including the hand-written comic which came with the original release, plus an English translation.

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.