Johnny Burnette -- The Complete Coral Rock 'n Roll Trio Recordings (Hip-O Select)

Brothers Johnny and Dorsey Burnette headed up a Memphis-based rockabilly combo around the time that Elvis Presley got his start. They captured the raucous energy and unbridled enthusiasm of the era in their six sessions yielding over two dozen sides for Decca Records subsidiary Coral. Among the highlights are "Oh Baby Babe" -- which may have influenced Presley's "My Baby Left Me" -- "Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee", "Honey Hush", as well as "Lonesome Tears In My Eyes", a tune covered by the Beatles during an early BBC Radio set. However, the Trio's most significant contribution is the driving "Train Kept A-Rollin'", -- a number frequently overhauled by rock royalty including Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and Motorhead. Unbelievably, this is the first collection of its kind and it need be the last as the sound is powerful and the 20-page liner booklet is packed with a sessionography, photos and copious notes from music historian Colin Escot.

James Brown -- Sex Machine Today  (Hip-O Select)

The mid 1970s was a definite period of transition for not only the Godfather of Soul James Brown, but R&B itself was undergoing a radical renovation -- much of which was based on the funkified grooves that Brown and company had been serving up for well over a decade. After re-christening himself as the "Minister Of New New Super Heavy Funk", Brown began a flurry of activity that would ultimately produce eight respective long players between 1974 and 1977. This 1975 collection was a Top Ten entry on the Black Album chart and is responsible for several revisions of seminal Brown selections, including a 12+ minute "Sex Machine (Part I and Part II)", and a slinky, syncopated redux of "I Feel Good". Another far out highlight is the spacey and trippy "Dead On It", as Brown muses on how he was influenced by Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. I told you it was far out. You also gotta love the miniaturized version of the original LP jacket artwork.

Buddy Miles Express -- Expressway to Your Skull (Hip-O Select)

At long last the debut album from Buddy Miles (drums) is once again available. His career has been one musical zenith after another. During a mid '60s stint with vocalist Wilson Pickett, guitarist Michael Bloomfield hand-picked him to become the backbone behind the all-star psychedelia-meets-Motown aggregate, The Electric Flag. Although brilliant, the band imploded leaving Miles to form his own outfit, The Express. The head rush that is Expressway To Your Skull (1968) melds funk, jazz and acid rock into a wholly new sonic beast, foreshadowing his work in Jimi Hendrix's Band Of Gypsys and with Mahavishnu John McLaughlin. One of the hardest hitting cuts is Miles' overhaul of Otis Redding's "Don't Mess With Cupid" and his dynamic version of Sam & Dave's "Wrap It Up" is worth the price of admission in and of itself. However, it's the instrumental "Funky Mule" that gives up the beat to drive you outta your seat. This is an essential relic from the '60s, get it while you can.

The Checkmates Ltd. -- Love is All We Have to Give (Hip-O Select)

Another almost "forgotten" timepiece is from The Checkmates Ltd. The quintet -- led by vocalist Sonny Charles -- made a name for themselves with the gorgeous and uplifting Top 20 hit "Black Pearl". The spiritually powerful song was given an equally impressive production from none other than Phil Spector, who utilizes his infamous 'Wall Of Sound' technique, providing a mammoth omnipresence. They also unleash a gospel-informed take of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary" and the dramatic and edgy "I Keep Forgetting." The original release included the side-long 20+ minute "Hair Anthology Suite" incorporating key musical elements from the Broadway play fused together into a single multi-movement work. The results are impressive with the empathetic string section bringing "Aquarius" and "Let The Sunshine In" to an epic finale. Without question, Love Is All We Have To Give  is unequivocal proof of Phil Spector's ability to create some of the best and most interesting records around.