1091 Gangsters dedications vol. 2 (Soul Strivers) 23 more hard-to-find "harmony soul" oldies culled from various labels in late '60s and '70s, all collector's item and guaranteed for its sweet ness or mellowness, lots of label scans The Aristocrats/Be my lady,The Unknowns/Please don't go,R.D.M. Band/Give up,Domestic Five/It's an empty world,The Delicates/You say you love me,Living Colour/Gotta strange feeling,Mighty Lovers/Ain't gonna run no more,El Sid/Ladies choice,etc. (***/*****)

1092 Chicano sweet sounds / Natural high (Chicano Sweet Soundz) 21 sweet harmony ballads in late '70s or '80s, more "modern" recordings than other "sweet or harmony soul" compilation albums, all from now-hard-to-find soul45s, sadly no notes Arnie's Love/Natural high,The Gaslight/It's just like magic,The First Love/Dry your eyes,Alvin Green & Green Fire/Turning on and turning in,The Dramatic Experience/Someday somehow,Sho-Nuff/Don't be lonely,Klas/Break your promise,etc. (****/*****)

1093  The Miracles / Depend on me : the early albums (Hip-O Select) wow! incredibly 53 their "early" songs on Motown catalogs in 2 CDs set, all the songs from their early 5 albums - "Hi, we're The Miracles", "Cooking with The Miracles", "I'll try something new", "The fabulous Miracles" and "Recorded live on stage" plus 3 non-album singles and 2 rare versions, good package as usual on this label Who's lovin' you,Depend on me,A heart like mine,Shop around,Won't you take me back,Cause I love you,Your love,After all,Way over there,Money,Don't leave me,That's the way I feel,Everybody's gotta pay some dues,Mama,etc. (****/*****)

1094 J.D. (Puma) Lewis / Shake it - "make it loose" (Funky Town Grooves) a singer who's possibly better known for his work in the group Spank, early '80s boogie sounds with tight rhythms, the reissue of his second album ('84) plus two bonus songs The cat,Dancing shoes,Tears,Sexy hi-school-lady,Shake it "make it loose",Hearts of gold,Automatic woman,Party rap,Check it out,Robot baby Jane (**/*****)

1095 The best of Lash records/ Rare R&B & soul productions 1961-1975 (Lash) do you know this tiny Philadelphia label owned by Howard Ravitsky, full of early soul, teen pop, Motown sounds and some '70s soul by obscure (but some "famous" later) singers/groups, helpful liner notes with discography Lee Johnson/You love Billy,Sonny Fulton/Here she comes now,Honey & The Bees/Inside o'me,Inspirations/Can't stop thinking about her,Ann Byers/I'm happy without you,Timmy Carr/Got no time,Bunny Sigler/I want my lovin' from you,Patti Hamilton/He brought sunshine into my life,etc. (***/*****)

1096 Holland-Dozier featuring Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland / Love and beauty (Edsel) this contains all of Lamont Dozier's "Love and beauty" Invictus album ('74) + alternate versions + all the Invictus releases credited to Holland-Dozier featuring Brian Holland and Eddie Holland, incredibly soulful '70s Detroit sounds with very informative notes, 25 "H-D-H" songs in 2 CDs set Why can't we be lovers,Don't leave me,New breed kind a woman,Don't stop playing our song,Don't leave me starvin' for your love,Slipping away,You took me from a world outside,I'm so glad,Let's get together,Lady bu day,etc. (****/*****)

1097 Lillian Alexander / Let love take a holiday (Family Groove) the reissue of her only one album on Reynolds label, a female vocalist who'd previously worked with both The Grateful Dead and Marvin Holmes & The Uptights in bay-area, full of late '70s soul, boogie and funk, 5 bonus tracks Can you feel it,It's not love,Let love take a holiday,Relays,Sweet on you,A dream without you,Love for sale,You're gone,Lillian's boogie,A dream without you(inst.),etc. (***/*****)

1098 Wheedle's groove / Seattle's finest in funk & soul 1965 - 75 (Light in the Attic) compilation of 18 classic Seattle funk'n soul rarities by obscure artists, 24 page booklet with band bios, liner notes, pictures and original poster art from hey-day shows, raw but soulful sounds galore, excellent reissue album Black on White Affair/Bold soul sister bold soul brother,Soul Swingers/Brighter tomorrowmCookin' Bag/This is me,Ron Buford/Deep soul,Robbie Hill's Family Affair/I just want to be,Patrinell Staton/Little love affrair,The Topics/Louie louie,etc. (****/*****)

1099 Malaco soul brothers volume 1 (Soul Scape) 9 songs by Chuck Brooks, 13 songs by Joe Wilson and 3 songs by George Soule! all from Malaco vaults including 11 previously unissued recordings, excellent notes by John Ridley, you should listen those heart-felt southern soul Chuck Brooks:Loneliness,What would we do without music,Once upon a love affair,Joe Wilson:When a man cries,Our love is strong,Don't look back,Nothing from nothing,You need me,George Soule:Talkin' about love,That's why I'm a man,etc. (****/*****)

1100 Spank / Spank you! (Funky Town Grooves) reissue of their '85 album, '80s midtempo grooves with Eddie Green's warm yet emotional vocals, more "soulful" than other Spank's albums, no liner-notes Oh baby,You,Classy lady,Falling in love,Freakin' babies,It's not what you think,Come on and dance,Night people (**/*****)