Archives: Features

From its cover art to its incisive original songs, few records better illustrate the gulf between the promise of America and its reality than Curtis Mayfield's THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE AMERICA TODAY. The self-produced 1975 set touches on gun violence, economic woes and the struggles of life in the city, but the litany of problems is balanced by resilience and beauty, particularly on singles “So In Love” and “Love to the People.” Mayfield's haunting voice and muscular guitar work are just as impressive as his lyrics, and the Curtom collection was named one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All...

United Souls, in conjunction with Sony Legacy Recordings, is delighted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Philadelphia International Records with the eagerly anticipated release of ‘Get On Board The Soul Train – The Sound Of Philadelphia International Records Volume 1’. This is the first volume in a limited-edition series which covers the first eight studio albums released by the label from 1971-1973.  The series, in which all the albums are re-mastered from the original tapes, will map the history of Philadelphia International Records chronologically. Housed in a stylish 48 page slip cased book, the edition is strictly limited to 2500 copies....

Marcos Valle's 1983 self-titled masterpiece gets an upo-to-date makeover on Mr Bongo. A pure vintage that features the ultimate Brazilian-boogie cult-classic ‘Estrelar’ and iconic 80s cover art that sees a gloriously sun-drenched Marcos dressed in a pink v-neck t-shirt surrounded by a generous selection of deadly-looking neon cocktails. The album was produced by the legendary Lincoln Olivetti and Marcos' brother Paulo Sérgio Valle. It showcases a real who's who of Brazilian music at the time, with stellar performances from vocalists and musicians such as Rosana, Serginho Do Trombone, Robson Jorge and Oberdan Magalhães to name but a few. This was Marcos’ second album, after having moved back...

"Join us in our tribute to peace and beauty—walk with us, dance with us, sing with us, rejoice with us—Join us in peace and love" - P. Sanders (1981) Pure Pleasure Records return with a timely reissue of the saxophone giant Pharoah Sanders' double album Rejoice, initially released on the Theresa Label in 1981. Recorded in session with a host of stalwart players such as Joe Bonner (Keys), Bobby Hutcherson (Vibes), Art Davis (Double Bass), John Hicks (Keys), Elvin Jones (Drums), Babatunde (Percussion) and Billy Higgins (Drums)—among others—Rejoice is a powerful monument to the spirituality and raw, caustic skill that...

Check out some of our most recent 45's - some great Soul, Jazz-Funk, Disco and Modern singles well worth checking out! All of these are unplayed and have recently arrived in the shop—don't sleep on any that you may have missed out on! Some great titles in here, all of which are new reissues and will respectively be in mint condition - unplayed. Combine multiple titles together to save on shipping costs and have a flick through some of our stock to see what you would like! Some highly reccommended listening in here and some must haves for any self-respecting...

‘Crosswinds’ dates from 1974 and is Billy Cobham’s second solo album.  It features the Brecker Brothers in the horn section, keyboard legend George Duke and guitarist John Abercrombie.  It is a Jazz Funk gem that features four tracks.  The first ‘Spanish Moss – A Sound Portrait’ comprises the whole of side one of the vinyl and is divided, like a symphony, into four segments, two of which are superb – the foreboding yet serene ‘Quiet Before The Storm’ and the fast ‘Flash Flood’.   The classic Jazz Funk of ‘Pleasant Pheasant’ starts side two in rapid and vibrant form.  The lovely...