Solid
Artist: Ashford & Simpson

Ashford & Simpson have always been the prime representatives in R&B of the joys of wedded bliss, and this extended valentine is their most consistent set as well as their biggest hit ever. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide Read More

Lowdown
Artist: Kane Gang
The Belle Album
Artist: Al Green

Al Green severed his ties with longtime producer Willie Mitchell in 1977, establishing his own backup band and seizing the production reins. But he hadn't yet made the final break with soul; this was the last secular work he would make for many years, and it was brilliant, even though it didn't come close to equaling his previous commercial... Read More

The Man and His Music
Artist: Sam Cooke
Community Score: 6.25

When this 28-song compilation (two LPs/one CD) originally appeared, it was the first serious exploration of Sam Cooke's catalog ever done. What's more, a lot of care went into the selection, if not the packaging -- despite the fact that it has no annotation, or even release dates on its 28 songs, The Man and His Music is still the only... Read More

Greatest Hits (The Bomb)
Artist: Parliament
Community Score: 9.00

Treating Parliament as a singles band isn't entirely fair, since many of their greatest moments came when they pushed the boundaries of funk and soul to their limits. However, George Clinton's vision was often so sprawling that it was often best articulated as individual tracks within the studio, which is what makes Greatest Hits (The Bomb) such... Read More

Treacherous: A History of the Neville Brothers 1955-1985
Artist: The Neville Brothers

At the dawn of the 21st century, the Neville Brothers may well be the greatest living institution of New Orleans R&B, but it took a long time for them to achieve such a lofty status, and the talents of Aaron, Art, Charles, and Cyril Neville had been scattered through a number of different groups (and a number of different record labels) over the... Read More

The Best of Isaac Hayes, Vol. 2
Artist: Isaac Hayes

These two compilations dutifully boil down Isaac Hayes' sometimes long-winded albums to their essential parts -- in other words, they're both singles collections, highlighted by '70s landmarks such as "Theme From 'Shaft'" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." Fanatics may want to investigate Hot Buttered Soul and Black Moses. ~ John Floyd, All... Read More

The Best of Isaac Hayes, Vol. 1
Artist: Isaac Hayes

A decent attempt to present some of Isaac Hayes' past hits on an anthology. But as one of R&B and soul's first concept and album artists, it's impossible to appreciate his contributions out of sequence. His early and mid-'70s albums helped change the course of contemporary black music production approaches, and that can't be understood by... Read More

30 Greatest Hits
Artist: Aretha Franklin

30 Greatest Hits zeroes in on Aretha Franklin's prime recording period for Atlantic, from her breakout in 1967 with "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" through the end of 1974, during which the Queen of Soul truly reigned over the charts -- she averaged over one pop hit every two months. This two-disc set delivers all of her classics... Read More

Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
Artist: Sam Cooke

For anyone who thought they knew Sam Cooke's music based on the hit singles, this disc will be a revelation. This is the real Sam Cooke, doing a sweaty, raspy soulful set at the Harlem Square Club in North Miami, FL, on Jan. 12, 1963, backed by King Curtis and his band, a handful of local musicians, and Cooke's resident sidemen, guitarist... Read More