Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story 1961-1977 2008

The Kent label, a subsidiary of Ace Records in England, has produced some of the best reissue box sets/series exploring the finest Southern "deep" soul music. No Motown, no Philly, just Memphis, Muscle Shoals, Miami and several other deep south locations. The pinnacle of their success in this vein is probably the Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures series, which is rife with great songs and artists you've never heard.

This 3 CD set mixes big hits with lesser-knowns. So there's Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin and Al Green, but also Eddy Giles, O V Wright, Jimmy Braswell, Bobby Newsome, and Denise LaSalle. In that sense it is a bit like a smaller version of the Beg, Scream and Shout box that Rhino did in 1997. There is plenty to discover here.

The booklet has a nice introduction essay, and then discusses each song with a reasonable level of detail, not just a two-sentence blurb. The book/disc holder format is the same one used for The Fame Studio Story, also a Kent release that focuses on similar material all produced in Rick Hall's famous studio in Muscle Shoals.

I remember my trip to Columbus, Georgia in 1966, and how amazed I was with all the incredible soul music that was absent from radio airplay north of the Mason-Dixon line. Motown was big in the north, but many of the artists on this and other deep Southern soul compilations will be new to many listeners. New, and excellent, music to your ears from a mere 70 years ago.

Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968 1998, Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969 2001

 

The original Nuggets double LP, compiled by Lenny Kaye, was released in 1972. It was an important seed for punk rock in the seventies, and frankly a whole lot of fun. Then in 1999, at the height of Rhino's compilation fever, comes this four CD box set. The first CD includes the same 27 tracks that were on the original LP. You might think that the quality would sag a bit to fill three more CDs, but alas you would be wrong.

Kaye's original concept was to focus on what he termed Garage Rock, a simple, bash-it-out aggressive style often featuring relatively primitive recording techniques. The psychedelic and poppier sounds included weren't exactly what Kaye was looking for, but the set achieves it's goal. Many of the songs made the charts although quite a few languished in the higher numbered positions. Quite a few didn't chart and will be new to many listeners. Some were regional hits that weren't as successful nationally. That was a thing in the 60s before corporate radio owned every station.

The box set was a big hit for Rhino, and for good reason. The song list is excellent. Songs you've heard if you were around in the 60s plus similar and only slightly weirder or more challenging songs from the period, many of which listeners haven't heard. The box is well curated, well sequenced, and the music is well documented in the accompanying book.

Three years later they couldn't resist a Volume 2. But they didn't try to dig up more similar material from the US. Instead they went international, collecting songs from the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Iceland, Peru, and Brazil. This time, there are not many that you've heard. That means that this is a big old box of garage rock exploration. Approach with open mind and ears, and you're in for a treat. While the band names may not ring a bell, a lot of the artists in those bands became familiar names a few years later. Again, well assembled material and another informative book.

Two great box sets. One a classic, the other a wild deep dive.

Loud, Fast, and Out of Control: The Wild Sounds of 50s Rock 1999, Rockin' Bones: 1950s Punk and Rockabilly 2006

Here's two four-CD box sets that both cover the rocking 1950s, but they are certainly not the same product. Both are from Rhino Records. Both feature 50s music that parents of the day would not appreciate. Given that those parents were raised on The Andrews Sisters and Benny Goodman this should come as no surprise. Loud, Fast and Out of Control covers a broader range of sounds and hits a few more of the big name artists that anyone (over 60) will recognize. Rockin' Bones focuses more on rockabilly, and as such includes a few more artists and songs that will be unfamiliar to most listeners.

As an introduction to what made early rock and roll sound dangerous to adult ears, either will help a young person today in an academic study of the era. For the older music fan that wants to dive deep into 50s rock, both are almost indispensable.  

Several writers have complained that the two sets have too much overlap, and I have thought that myself. So I did the dull work of actually finding out how many songs they share. Both sets have just over 100 songs. There are fifteen identical songs that are included on both sets. There are also four songs that are included on both, but in versions by different artists. So there is less that a CD's worth of duplication. It could (and should) have been avoided by Rhino without significant loss to either set, but it isn't as big of a deal as I thought it was.

I think Loud, Fast and Out of Control is the better all-rounder. It's got more familiar material and still throws enough lesser-knowns into the mix to keep things interesting. But Rockin' Bones, with it's focus on rockabilly, has more to offer someone already tuned into the early days of rock and roll. If you already have some early rock compilations, Rockin' Bones will have more new material you haven't heard.

I'm happy to have them both. Neither appear to be available through streaming, a situation that applies to many great compilations. Both are available used at reasonable prices well below their original cost. As usual with Rhino, the booklets that come with the sets are well done and discuss each song individually.

Have A Nice Decade: The '70s Pop Culture Box 1998

Here's another in my mission to discuss my collection of box sets. This is another Rhino product, and it is excellent, so long as you want to hear this stuff again. The set consists of seven jam-packed CDs, with 160 songs arranged chronologically from January 1970 with Edison Lighthouse's Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) to April 1979 and McFadden and Whitehead's Ain't No Stopping Us Now.

The set features songs immediately recognizable from '70s commercial radio. That means there are songs in multiple genres, including Rock, Soul, Funk, Disco, Singer-Songwriter, and Pop, including quite a few cringe-worthy tunes. The only thing missing is Country music, with the exception of a few crossover hits. These are not deep cuts- everything here was a radio hit, at least top twenty on one of several possible charts. Many selections represent one-hit-wonders like Starland Vocal Band, The 5 Stairsteps, Gallery, Paper Lace, Five Man Electrical Band, and Jigsaw. The chronological presentation makes for a nice exploration of how music evolved (not much really) during the '70s. 

The set comes with a very good 89-page book that includes a couple of good essays, one of which, The Tackiest Decade in the History of Civilization, makes a strong case for it's premise. The book also includes a short blurb about each song, and plenty of pictures of artists and pop trivia. It is a fine package as these things go.

Rock: American Woman (The Guess Who), Rock And Roll Part 2 (Gary Glitter), Radar Love (Golden Earring). Soul: Have You Seen Her (Chi-Lites), Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder), Let's Stay Together (Al Green). Funk: The Payback Part 1 (James Brown), Theme From Shaft (Isaac Hayes), Tear The Roof Off The Sucker (Parliment). Disco: We Are Family (Sister Sledge), I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby (Barry White), Disco Inferno (The Trammps). Singer-Songwriter: Fire and Rain (James Taylor), Sometimes When We Touch (Dan Hill), Wild World (Cat Stevens). Pop: You're So Vain (Carly Simon), Chick-A-Boom (Daddy Dewdrop), The Morning After (Maureen McGovern). 

If you're interested in just how eclectic the tracks are, it is probably easier to just take a look at the track listing at Discogs. The crazy thing was that you could easily hear any of these songs back-to-back on the same radio station in the '70s, before stations started specializing in only one genre. It's probably not one you'll sit and listen to repeatedly, but it's a great source for several '70s playlists, and a fine example of reissue programming.

The Golden Era of Rock 'n' Roll 1955-1963 2004

During the 1990s and early 2000s the reissue market took off like crazy. Motown, Stax/Volt, Atlantic and others all released box sets of their back catalog hits, usually with nice booklets with essays and track information. Rhino Records and Hip-O Records both did excellent work in the reissue field, and especially in various artist compilations. This set is a companion to The Roots of Rock 'n' Roll set I discussed way back here.  

This is one of the better compilations of it's ilk, and hits most of the highlights (with the usual licensing issues) that one might want in covering this early rock and roll era. Bill Haley, the Moonglows, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent and Carl Perkins show up on the first CD (the set is nicely chronological). The Ventures, Dion, Del Shannon and Roy Orbison populate the third CD. All the names you might remember or that you may have studied through reading about the era are here, but so are some of the lesser artists such as The Bobettes, Lee Andrews and the Hearts, The Five Satins, Shirley and Lee, and Joey Dee and the Starlighters. Their songs are more familiar than their names in most cases.

It isn't quite the revelation that the Roots of Rock 'n' Roll set was, as that one explored the era before rock really took over the airwaves, and was a deep dive into less familiar music and varied genres. But for someone born in the seventies or later, much of this material might be quite alien, and perhaps even as revelatory. And if you were listening to the oldies station in the sixties or seventies, much of this will sound pleasingly familiar, and some of it will be new. The set ends in 1963 with The Angels' My Boyfriend's Back, The Chiffons' He's So Fine, and The Beach Boys Surfin' USA. Let's just say they nailed the landing.

I've explored a number of Box Set collections in the past, and the good ones are mighty fine listening. You can check those entries out here. Additionally, most of them are available at bargain prices these days. I'm going to try to review the remainder of these sets in my collection in the near future. Stay tuned.

The Fame Studios Story 1961-1973 2011

I'm a terrible sucker for the soul box set/compilation. I've reviewed quite a few in the past here and here.

So now this one comes along, and you know it's a great story. The Fame studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, was one of the preeminent purveyors of that funky, gritty soul style our U.K. friends like to call Southern soul, or deep soul, in sharp contrast to the slicker, smoother sounds coming from up north in Motown and Philadelphia. 

Rick Hall is the man. He made the sound his signature, he hired fabulously talented house bands that provided the rhythm for most of the featured artists. He also regularly used some of the best writers available, with George Jackson, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham among them.

Add the singers- Arthur Alexander, James and Bobby Purify, Arthur Conley, Clarence Carter, Wilson Pickett, Candi Staton, Mitty Collier, Otis Reddding- and you've got the recipe for a hit-making palace. A funky-looking cinder-block palace with all the exterior appeal of the warehouse the building had been before Hall turned it into a studio. All of those great singers are featured here, but so are many lesser-known artists that give no less riveting performances.

It's three CDs with a built-in booklet that includes an excellent history of Hall and his studio, an in-depth discussion of the signature sound of that studio, and a track-by-track narrative that is the rival of any product in the box set category. It's what I've come to expect from the Kent label, an English reissue company committed to unearthing everything soul and every sub-genre of soul possible. These guys released an entire CD of Vietnamese soul (no, I don't have that one). They released the four volumes of Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures Taken From The Vaults, the most remarkable treasure trove of lost soul classics you (or I) can imagine.

They did a stellar job putting this one together. There are a few familiar songs, but this isn't a product meant to provide you with a greatest hits/chart-toppers sort of package. Rather it does its intended job of showcasing the sound of one of America's most famous studios in fine fashion. And the studio is worthy of this deep investigation, because it, and Hall, leave their mark on every song. There are also several interesting never-before released selections (Otis Redding accompanying himself on guitar on a demo of You Left The Water Running, anyone?), and a few surprises as well. The third CD features a few non-soul acts that came to benefit from the sound of the place. This may upset a few purists, but they need to lighten up.

If you still enjoy buying music that comes with well-thought out packaging and supporting material, here you go. If you just love deep, Southern soul and want to discover a few new artists or songs in the genre, here you go. If you need research material to write a thesis for a music appreciation class with an open-minded professor, here you go.

The Roots Of Rock 'N' Roll 1946-1954 2004

This three-CD set is yet another classic from Hip-O. Now out of print (for how long?), it's bringing a premium price on the used market. It is worth it. More than a history lesson (and it is that), it's huge fun and the sound quality is first rate.

Several, if not all, of the songs labeled as the first Rock 'n' Roll record are here, including Arthur "Big Boy" Cruddup's That's All Right, Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats' (with Ike Turner) Rocket 88, and Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog. These recordings are not all technically Rock and Roll because, well, they didn't have that yet. Tell that to these guys.

Blues, country, swing, jazz, and early rockabilly are all represented, and the song selection is hard to argue with. T-Bone Walker, Louis Jordan, The Clovers, Bill Haley & His Comets, Merle Travis, Fats Domino, B.B. King, and a host of bands and artists that you've never heard. And the unheralded artists have every bit as many killer tracks as the stars.

All of the styles of the forties and fifties that were part of the gene pool out of which Rock and Roll was born are here. And for most of us, we've never heard this stuff. Which usually is no big deal. But when the set is put together this well, and the contributions that will become a new sound are documented with such loving glory, it is hard to resist, and hard not to love.

I can't possibly make you understand how good this collection is. Maybe your library has a copy. They should- it should be in the history section. If you like any of the early Rock and Roll, say pre-1964, and you want to know where the artists that developed the sound got their ideas, here is your best opportunity to do so. It's all here, even if there isn't an actual Rock "n" Roll song in the bunch. Yea, right.

Girl Group Greats 2001 More Girl Group Greats 2001 One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds, Lost & Found 2005

The Girl Group sub-genre was a fascinating little piece of sixties pop that really didn't last too long, but certainly has had a lasting effect on popular music through influence and inspiration. The concept didn't exactly begin in the sixties or even the fifties. The Andrews Sisters are sort of a modern place to begin, but the girl groups of the sixties saw producers using the form to elevate teen drama to new heights. And what a day that it was...

These Rhino CDs and box set are spot on perfect. The two separate Girl Group Greats and More Girl Group Greats include the essential classics and better lesser hits of this genre. Little Peggy March singing I Will Follow Him, Lesley Gore's It's My Party and You Don't Own Me, The Paris Sisters' I Love How You Love Me, the list goes on and on. Shangri-Las, Chiffons, The Angels, Supremes, and The Dixie Cups: this set has it all.


Or does it. You can go deeper. Much, much deeper. Rhino's One Kiss Can Lead To Another, a four disc set with reasonably slick packaging, Includes many of the groups from the two Girl Group CDs, usually performing less well known hits, and a bevy of obscurities that certainly are entertaining, if not the equal of some of the hits. Not all of the one-off girl group selections are top rate, and the set can force you into academic mode just to get through it all. So you gotta want it.

Anyone who loves sixties pop sounds should like the Girl Groups and More... CDs. They sound good, the hits are all there and the occasional non-hit is always perfect.

The box set One Kiss Can Lead To Another is certainly recommended, but with reservations. You have to really want to delve into the girl group sound, and not every track is a winner. Most are very solid. In today's "download the hits" era, it may be more than any but the most dedicated are ready for.

The Beatles Box Set, The Beatles In Mono, 2009

This one has been a long time in the making. I decided that I should review the newly mastered Beatles catalog and evaluate them for myself. I’ve been listening to the new Beatles remasters in both stereo and mono, and comparing to earlier CDs as well as vinyl copies. This has been happening on and off since late November, and I’m now ready to draw some conclusions. Well, sort of conclusions, anyway.

For those of you who don’t appreciate the weird permutations that are the Beatles catalog, a brief review. In the 1960s the original Beatles LPs and singles were released in the UK by Parlophone. The same music in different packaging configurations was released in the US by Capitol (VeeJay released the first Beatles singles and LP in the US, but Capitol got the distribution deal rather quickly, and reissued all of the VeeJay material later). The Beatles LPs in the US and the UK were quite different all the way until Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the first LP to be released with the exact same songs and running order in the US and UK. In 1987 when the Beatles catalog was at last released on CD, the UK LPs were released on CD worldwide. Also in 1987, the two-CD Past Masters sets were established, which collected singles and EP tracks that never made it to a UK LP. Many of the Past Masters tracks had been LP tracks in the US. Since 1987 the entire “official” catalog consisted of 16 CDs, the 13 original UK LPs (with the White Album on 2 CDs), and the 2 Past Masters CDs. Since 1987, quite a bit of “new” and recycled material has been released, including the three 2-CD Anthology sets of outtakes, demos and alternates, the Live At The BBC 2-CD set, and the recent (2004) release of the Capitol Albums Vol. 1 and 2, two 4-CD sets that present the pre-Sgt. Pepper material as it was packaged in the US, with each LP in both stereo and mono versions.

And now for the 2009 CDs. All of the original material from the 1987 CDs that was included in the 1987 Box Set is here in the new Box Set, in newly remastered stereo using the original master tapes as a guide. There are mini-documentaries on each disc that tell about the recordings and include Sir George Martin’s own personal recollections. There are nice sleeves and both original liner notes and newly written recording notes, again with Sir Martin’s input. Just to confuse things, there is also a Beatles In Mono box set that collects all of the LPs that were originally mixed for mono (you don’t get Abbey Road or Let It Be, which were only ever mixed in stereo). You get mono mixes of Sgt. Pepper and the White Album that you’ve probably never heard. Finally, in 1987 George Martin remastered Rubber Soul and Help! because he didn’t like the original 1965 job. The 1987 mixes are presented on the stereo box, but the mono box includes both the mono mixes and the original 1965 stereo mixes of Help! and Rubber Soul.

All of this material has been painstakingly restored. The original master tapes were cleaned up and transferred to a high resolution digital format, and then the digital copies were remixed to enhance their sound, correct any mixing and tape errors made in the original mixes, clean up any noise (there was plenty), and finally the high-resolution digital files were taken down to the Red Book standard CD 16 bit, 44 kHz file format. What, no SACD? No Blue Ray Audio or DVD-A? No. But there is a limited edition USB format that delivers all the box set goodies as well as all the music in 24 bit FLAC files. So if you’re using a computer as a music source and can handle higher resolution audio files, the USB version would be the best sound possible right now. I have not heard the USB version, so I can’t tell you how good it is.

So what sounds best? Should you replace the box set of 1987 CDs? Should you buy the mono or the stereo box? Should you even care at all? These are the questions we hope to answer.

I purchased the new Beatles In Mono box set. I bought it because I was interested in hearing the mono versions of the later records, and because the mono versions of the earlier records always sounded better to me than the stereo versions. Also, I own stereo versions of just about everything on vinyl. I have good condition vinyl copies of Let It Be and Abbey Road, so I didn’t need those. I borrowed my friend’s copy of the new Beatles stereo box set, and I’ve listened to every version I have on hand of each record, including vinyl and several of the 1987 CDs that I own or borrowed from the library.

As far as the first four LPs go, I listened to the Stereo Box, Mono Box, Japanese Mono Vinyl (these are the Japanese vinyl versions that Michael Fremmer hates because they are mastered from digital files, but they are probably hi-res PCM files because they sound better than the 87 CDs for sure), and various original and reissued American vinyl versions. Please Please Me, With The Beatles, A Hard Day’s Night and Beatles For Sale all sound better to me in their mono incarnations. The mono mixes are more dynamic, and seem to have slightly better bass than the new stereo versions. The new stereo versions are very, very good. The detail is excellent, the noise floor is dead quiet, and they are super-clean. For these records, either the new mono box set or the Japanese mono vinyl copies sounded equally excellent, followed closely by the new stereo versions. In all cases, the American Capitol vinyl copies I had on hand sounded worse than every other version, and like the 87 CDs, sounded dry and thin in comparison to these newly remastered versions in either stereo or mono. The big thing about the mono mixes is that they sound “right”. The Beatles were recording to two-track and four-track tape, and the stereo mixes often have voices on one side and instruments on the other. The mono mixes are more natural sounding, and remind you of the way these songs sounded in cars and on jukeboxes.

The middle period is a bit of a mixed bag, but generally I preferred the new stereo versions of Help!, Rubber Soul, and Revolver. I had the 87 CDs to compare, and the new CDs sound significantly better. Again the 87 CDs sound dry and thin and lifeless while the new CDs are quieter, more dynamic, cleaner and reveal small details in the mix better than the 87 CDs. The bass is up in the mix more than any previous versions, but don’t expect to be wowed by this. The new CDs have more bass, but it’s a very minor effect. Listening to In My Life from Rubber Soul, the new stereo mix really focuses Ringo’s snare drum pops and cymbals, while the new mono mix has less attack on the snare, but more prominent background vocals. An older American Apple label vinyl version has the new stereo’s nice attack on the snare, but the background vocals were harder to separate from each other in the mix. Eleanor Rigby from Revolver was interesting. The new mono mix is really great, and the strings are beautiful. The new stereo mix is cleaner, and again the strings are gorgeous. The 87 CD was harsh and dry in comparison, but an old American Capitol vinyl version had the best bass of the bunch on the cellos, and it also had a nice warm sound that was different, and just as good as the new stereo CD. Of course, this would have been George Martin’s original stereo mix, and the new CD uses his 87 remix. It’s confusing.

This brings us to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Compared to the 87CDs, the new stereo version is cleaner, more dynamic, more revealing. The difference is not night and day, but it is real. The new stereo and mono versions are different, and both sound great. It’s fun to hear the mono mix of Sgt. Pepper, but it’s not as big of a deal as you might think. The stereo is what you grew up with, and it sounds excellent, just like you remembered, but better. The only vinyl version I own right now is a Japanese digital mastered LP, and it sound great too, but the new stereo CDs are the detail retrieval winners.

Magical Mystery Tour benefits from being in stereo. The mono version is interesting, but the stereo separation is an important factor in all the effects that are used on this recording. My original American vinyl version was bettered by the new stereo CD, also.

For The Beatles (aka The White Album) I listened to the 87 CDs, an American reissued “red label” Capitol LP, and the new stereo and mono versions. In this case, my personal favorite turned out to be the vinyl version. Warmer, more organic, a little forward sounding, and great bass. But there were more details in the new stereo version, and it’s clean. The 87 CDs were dry, flat, and one-dimensional. The new mono mix was fun to hear, and really changes a few of the songs on this record for the better. This one is by far the most interesting to hear in mono, even though the stereo mix is the more familiar.

Let It Be sounds great in the new stereo version compared to an original American Apple label vinyl version, and the new version of Abbey Road in stereo bested two very different vinyl versions, with my original American Apple pressing coming real close.
Some of the singles on the Past Masters CDs sound much better in mono, including Long Tall Sally, Slow Down, Day Tripper and Revolution. The mono mixes just sound “right” in a way that again harkens back to the car radio of the sixties.

Conclusions. If you own a good stereo system that lets you hear the difference between well made CDs and crappy CDs, and you listen to your current Beatles CDs with any regularity, then you need to buy new copies. The new stereo box set is excellent. The CD booklets are good, the packaging is good, the mini-documentaries are just OK and mostly a waste of time, but for some less knowledgeable fans, they may add to the experience some.

Am I sorry I bought the Beatles In Mono box set instead of the stereo version? No. I like the mono versions of the first four LPs. They just sound better in mono. I also own vinyl copies of the entire catalog, and they sound almost as good as the new CDs, and consistently better than the old 1987 CDs. The packaging isn’t as nice with the Mono box. You don’t get the individual CD booklets, or the videos, but the booklet that comes with the set is OK.

If you are moving from CD playback to downloading high resolution computer stored music files and using a computer as a legitimate high-end music source component, then the USB stick with 24 bit FLAC files is the best you can do right now, and I’ll bet they sound great. I’d be concerned that an even higher resolution digital format might become available soon, and the USB version is expensive.

If you listen to an iPod mainly or a small one-box type system tucked under the kitchen counter, your 1987 mastered CDs will be fine. Of course, if you’re that person, you wouldn’t possibly have read all the way to here.

The Beatles are back. Again.

Box Sets - Soul and R&B Part 2

After the initial post on this topic there remain a few sets that were left off. So here we go...

The Funk Box 2000- Here's another fine piece of work from Hip-O Records. Covering 1970-1982, this four-disc set hits most of the high points from funk's golden era. James Brown, The Meters, Ohio Players, Funkadelic, Brothers Johnson, Rick James, Bootsy Collins, they're all here. The selections are mostly dance floor hits, and there's always room for debate over what isn't included on a set like this, but this one's pretty solid, and nicely varied. It includes a number of artists not immediately associated with funk (O'Jays, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin), as well as the most obvious suspects (Brown, Kool & The Gang, Ohio Players, Rufus, George Clinton) and quite a few bands you may be hard pressed to remember (The New Birth, Jimmy Castor Bunch, Brass Construction, Bohannon). The selections are consistently good, and the definition of funk is broad enough that the set is varied and eclectic. It's too much funk for many, but it is an excellent overview of the best of the genre. Do it 'till you're satisfied.

What It Is! Funky Soul And Rare Grooves 2006 Here's a set from Rhino Records that is a lot of fun but does not maintain their usual high quality. The tracks are from 1967-1977, and most of the big hits are missing on purpose. Focusing intentionally on lesser-known artists in an attempt to show that there was a lot more funk happening than just the artists on the Funk Box, this is "dirty, gritty, gutbucket funk" according to the excellent book that accompanies the set. Mixed in with a few name artists are many groups distributed by tiny labels and the occasional one almost-hit wonder. As an historical study in funky soul, it is a worthy complement to the big stars, but you've got to want it bad. Compared to most Rhino box sets, the lesser-known artists often sound like they were lesser-known for good reason. There's plenty of good stuff, but those tracks would have fit onto two discs.

Atlantic Soul 1959-1975 2007 Atlantic was a hotbed of great soul stars in the sixties, and this set is packed with great performances. Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke, and Patti LaBelle are mixed in with many lesser-knowns, and the quality is quite good. Hits from the smaller artists, and less well-known songs from the big stars help to make the set something other than just another soul compilation with the same old songs. With only Atlantic artists represented, it can't be the set that Rhino's Beg, Scream and Shout is, but it's a good look at a label that did a good job with a variety of soul sounds. You have to be open to hearing some songs you missed the first time around, so don't come here for a comprehensive soul hits package.

Well, I think that mostly covers my collection of R&B box sets. There are of course lots of single and double disc compilations for the more casual fan, and I've got some of those, too. Let me know if I can help you find the set for you.

Box Sets - Soul and R&B

Let me start by saying up front that I am an absolutely huge fan of sixties soul music. I have vinyl copies of many of the Motown three-disc anthologies- Stevie Wonder, Four Tops, Temps, Supremes, Marvin Gaye, etc. and they are all good stuff. So I don't own any of the four-disc CD sets by these artists, but if you've got a favorite, there's sure to be some non-hits in those boxes that are fun to hear.

I do own a bunch of soul sets that I thoroughly enjoy, so I'll talk about some of those.

Beg, Scream and Shout! The Big 'Ol Box of Sixties Soul 1997. This is a huge six CD box that is a treasure trove of hits and lesser hits that is just about as good as it gets. With artists appearing no more than once on the set, there are some unusual choices from big artists that won't please everyone, but the set more than makes up for it with rare 45s and great minor hits. There are numerous original versions of songs made into hits in the seventies by Linda Ronstadt, J. Geils Band, and Janis Joplin, to name but a few. If you're open to discovering some great old songs you've either never heard or forgotten, mixed up with big hits from most major artists, and including a healthy dose of Memphis-style "deep soul", this will keep you very happy for a good long while. One of the best box sets ever.

Hitsville U.S.A. The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971 1992
Easy one-stop shopping for most of the biggest Motown hits, and a few interesting lesser-known artists. This really focuses on what you're already familiar with, and as such it's packed with great songs. Nicely done in chronological order.

The Complete Stax//Volt Singles 1959-1968 1991
This nine-disc set is definitely diving into the deep end. There's great songs here by Carla Thomas, Otis Redding, Booker T & The MGs, Sam and Dave, and many more. The ones you know are outnumbered by the ones you've likely never heard (unless you lived in the southern US and listened to the black radio station), and that is either what you like about this set or it's what you hate about it. I love it, but even I have a hard time spending a lot of time with it. But every time I throw a disc on, I'm amazed at the quality of what this label did overall, and the sound they got in the studio is just wonderful. Funky stuff, but only recommended to the hard core.

Soul Spectacular! The Greatest Soul Hits of All Time 2002
This four-disc set is a great crowd-pleaser. It overlaps Beg, Scream and Shout a lot (they are both Rhino products), but if you want a taste of that set with less cost, here you go. There's less of the obscure on this set, but it otherwise hits most of the big hits, licensing issues keeping a few out.

Can You Dig It? The Seventies Soul Experience 2001
Yet another Rhino product, and another killer. A six CD set companion to Beg, Scream and Shout!, this one proves soul was still quite alive in at least the first half of the seventies. Mixing big hits with lesser-known fare, the formula works again. The last two discs are a little heavy on the burgeoning disco era, but they avoid most of the worst of that genre. Not as easy to recommend as the sixties stuff, but an excellent package for the soul fanatic.

Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures Taken From The Vaults... Vols. 1-4 1997-2004
This one isn't actually a box set but four individual compilations. But oh, my, what an amazing collection of hidden jewels. Each of the four discs contains 2-5 songs you've maybe heard before, and twenty more that it is hard to believe weren't hits. Dave Godin was an English music journalist and soul fan that compiled these mostly rare recordings. Let's just say that Mr. Godin loved his work, and was particularly good at it. All four discs are to die for, and if you're not convinced, you can buy any one and see what you think. I think you'll buy the rest.

There's a few I've left out, so I may have to return to this theme again, but I can't end until I've mentioned
James Brown Star Time 1991
Yes, four discs of James Brown may be too much for some. But this, for me, is the best single-artist four CD set ever. The first two discs are the sixties and early seventies hits, and are just essential. There's a few extended versions and interesting alternatives, but it's the singles you want, and they're all here. The later seventies and eighties tracks on the last two discs explore Brown's love and mastery of funk, and there's only 2-3 non-essential tracks here. Unless you already own a ton of JB, this box is a terrific buy.