Various Artists - Eccentric Soul: The Shoestring Label (Various Artists) - VINYL LP

Ride With Pride So what is Sweet Soul? Maybe the sweet spot between lowrider and symphonic soul? rich yet vibrant pro- duction, seemingly wrapped in audible silk, sure to give every listener pause. Either way, if one thing is certain, it's purpose stays perfectly clear. Pleasure, low and slow, bajito y suavecito. Every kiss begins with soul, or sweet soul for low rides. Sweet soul is the predecessor to what we now call modern soul. It came into it's own in the late '60s and '70s, alongside-but apart from-the grittier, funk-driven soul dominating the airwaves. Where that music pushed hard rhythms and raw emotion, sweet soul softened the edges. It favored melody, warmth, and Polish, giving it a calm, rich feel that made it easy to return to, and easy to love, even de- cades later. Album Tracks 1. Wonderful to Be Loved 2. Don't Stop Smiling 3. Gentle Man 4. Crying Baby Won't Help the Hurt 5. Love Is Gonna Rain Down on Me 6. Slow Change Up 7. Lost Her Love 8. All I Want Is You 9. With a Broken Heart 10. The Magic of Your Love 11. What About Me 12. Hiding in Your Heart 13. I'll Never Love Again

Operating in a basement studio at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, pipeline man Howard Neal and his appropriately named Shoestring tag was Alton, Illinois' answer to a question no one asked. Pressed in minuscule numbers and barely outside the 62002 zip code, the singles by The James Family, Jimmie Green, Pete & Cheez, and Carletta Sue are prime examples of cosmic midwestern disco in search of a break. This heavy weight 10-song LP is housed in a tip-on sleeve, and includes an essay and imagery that complete the picture of this pure expression of small-town soul. Album Tracks 1. We've Got It Made 2. Let Yourself Go 3. You and Me 4. A Broken Heart Will Mend 5. Disco Fever 6. Dance (Part 1) 7. So Smooth 8. You Keep Holding Back on Love 9. I Need You So 10. You're All the Woman I Need 11. Radio Promo

Lost in the soot and fallout from Youngstown, Ohio's infamous Black Monday steel industry collapse was Tony March's cross-generational Tammy tag. From it's early days as a doo wop powerhouse to their last gasps chasing disco hits, Tammy unintentionally documented Youngstown's small but prolific Black music scene. This single LP surveys the tag's best R&B, soul, funk, and disco, with 13 tracks from Ice Cold Love, Lynn Minor, J.C. & the Soul Angels, The Snapshots, Iron Knowledge, Roy Jefferson, and Steel City Band. Housed in a deluxe tip-on jacket, with a booklet crammed full of notes and ephemera, The Tammy tag continues Numero's 20 year tradition of preserving regional Ohio music. Album Tracks 1. Sheer Magic 2. I Finally Found True Love 3. True Love Is Hard to Find 4. Wonderful to Be Loved 5. Oh Love 6. Should I Believe in You 7. Angel's Theme 8. Nightmare Strut 9. Dance Party 10. Shakin' It Down (Part 1) 11. Give Me a Little Taste (Of Your Love) [Part 2] 12. He's Got to Go (Part 1) 13. Hesitate One Time for Me