Strongly Felt Italy Vinyl & CDs

Review: James "Baby Huey" Ramey's sole album remains a striking reflection of his talent and untimely passing. The Chicago-born soul singer, best known for his work with Baby Huey & the Babysitters, was in the midst of recording his debut when he tragically died from a heart attack in 1970 at just 26. The resulting albumiunfinished at the time of his deathiwas later completed by producer Curtis Mayfield and released posthumously in 1971. A blend of psychedelic soul, funk and rock, the album's standout moments include a sprawling, otherworldly take on Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' and the deeply emotive 'Hard Times', which later found its way into the lexicon of hip-hop, sampled by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Ghostface Killah, and Ice Cube. The work's raw energy and emotive performances give it a timeless quality, a feeling of tragic grandeur heightened by Ramey's powerful vocal presence. Tracks like 'Mama Get Yourself Together' and 'One Dragon Two Dragon' are emblematic of the freewheeling creativity of 70s soul, blending jazz-inflected structures with funk grooves that seem to stretch toward an unknown, future-facing horizon. Despite its unfinished nature, it is an album that never feels incomplete, embodying a voice and vision that remains eternal in its influence. From his time performing around Chicago to his collaboration with Mayfield, Baby Huey's legacy continues to reverberate across generations.

Review: The ultimate revenge anthemian album that stalks, struts and demands its due with the kind of swagger that few records have ever matched. Originally written as the soundtrack for a rejected blaxploitation film, it instead became one of Brown's most defining statements, a double LP of hypnotic grooves, militant funk and raw emotion. Overall, his 37th album and one of his most memorable. The title track alone is a masterclass in simmering tension. With its deep bassline, wah-wah guitars and Brown's electrifying growl, it's both menacing and danceable, a battle cry disguised as a slow-burning funk jam. Tracks like 'Mind Power' and 'Shoot Your Shot' extend the formulailong, relentless jams where Brown's commands to his band shape the music in real time, making it feel alive and dangerous. The JB's, Brown's legendary backing band, provide razor-sharp horns, intricate percussion and rolling basslines that lock into hypnotic loops. 'Time Is Running Out Fast' and 'Take Some... Leave Some' groove with an effortless cool, while 'Stone to the Bone' oozes confidence. More than just a funk record, this reissue of The Payback is a declaration of defiance and self-assurance, showing James Brown as the undisputed Godfather of Soul and still had plenty to give.