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Review: Some of the finest soul albums of all time are not studio sets, but rather live recordings that capture the energy of the greats at the peak of their powers. Aretha Franklin's Oh My Oh My: Aretha Live in Philly 1972 is one such example. Backed by a band of hugely talented musicians, the two-hour concert recording sees the undisputed Queen of Soul deliver spine-tingling recordings of stone-cold classics ('Rocksteady', 'Respect', 'Oh Me Oh My', 'Spanish Harlem' and so on) interspersed with some genuinely brilliant cover versions. The album was first released on CD way back in 2007, but this marks its' belated and much deserved release on vinyl. In a word: essential.

Review: Warner Bros Motion Picture Sparkle has an essential soundtrack, all thanks to the work of two soul legends in Aretha Franklin and Curtis Mayfield. In the film itself, it was the movie's main stars Irene Cara and Lonette McKee who mostly sang the tunes but this recording features the Queen of Soul Aretha singing them at Curtis's Curtom studio in Chicago. He composed and produced all the tunes and here they are pressed onto sealer vinyl for the first time since they were first released. It's a feel good selection whether or not you have seen the film.

Review: On March 5-7, 1971, the one and only Queen of Soul headlined Bill Graham's world-famous rock venue Fillmore West. The triumphant three-night series of sold-out concerts, which the legendary singer has since called a career highlight, was the vision of Atlantic's Jerry Wexler, who'd signed Aretha and produced her classic studio recordings. In looking to win her a broader audience, Wexler turned to the musical home of San Francisco's flower children for crossover success. Her connection with the enthralled audience proved intense, and the shows were a seminal breakthrough for Aretha's own peerless legacy and for the popularisation of soul music overall. Backed by the super-charged rhythm section of King Curtis and The Kingpins, Aretha is in peak form on a diverse set of classic songs that dramatically show why this 15 x Grammy winning artist - and the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - is one of music's all-time greats of any genre. Two CDs featuring two hours of concert magic, remastered to sound better than ever-the original classic live album plus a second disc of alternate rarities. Disc 1 features the original single-disc album, updated to present two previously edited tracks in their entirety including Franklin's momentous duet with Ray Charles on "Spirit In The Dark." Disc 2 is comprised of rare alternate versions previously available only on the very limited edition, now out-of-print, Rhino Handmade title Don't Fight The Feeling: The Complete Aretha Franklin & King Curtis Live At Fillmore West. Highlights include 'You're All I Need To Get By' 'Mixed-Up Girl' and 'Dr. Feelgood' and more.