Free Your Mind vinyl

Dayton, Ohio's Record Player may have only released one private press 7" in 1979, but their story runs far deeper. Led by Charles Jackson, the band recorded a full suite of material that until now remained locked away, the product of a promising trajectory that was cut short before a major label deal could land. Excavated and restored by Now-Again, these tracks reveal a group entirely in step with the deep disco and street-level funk that defined late-70s Midwest soul. 'Free Your Mind' sets the tone: optimistic, rhythmically tight, and alive with the democratic spirit of funk's second wave. Cuts like 'Your Fantasy' and 'Backup N Funktown' showcase punchy horn charts and low-slung grooves, while 'Magic' and 'Bump-a-rump Ability' lean more playfully into disco and boogie. With bonus tracks like 'Sweetest Thing' and 'Go' rounding out the set, this is a joyous, overdue resurrection of a band that could've-and maybe should've-been. For fans of Edge of Daybreak, Split Decision Band and those tireless Dayton reels, this one's gold.