Welcome to S.E 22 - I can't believe it's a year since the last one; or put another way, and just to make you feel better, 2.5% of my remaining life expectancy has passed since we last did this! We will HAVE to go back to twice yearly!

....First off - cheap and cheerful is how many people profess to liking them, and a fiver to Honest John Manship a month ago got me Martha Reeves "Really like your rap" (Fantasy). Hidden away on the B side of some 'orrible Euro disco dross, or possible early Ian Levine style production, I can't make up my mind which, it's a top drawer midpacer from Michael Smith and Lamont Dozier with that classic late 70's Dozier style rhythm, as examplified on his Columbia elpee. Also on a Fantasy / Kent "Two-Fer" CD for the anti-vinyl elitists....The trouble is with the ubiquitous Reeves later sides, you can tend to ignore them - don't cos' you'll miss this!

At the other end of the spectrum I managed to get my hands on Caroline Crawford's elusive Philly side "If you move you lose" courtesy of the aforementioned Mr Levine no less, who has been selling his records (the smart money is in US Comics I was told. Records? "Sell Sell Sell !" I was told - my research analyst however disagrees, and reckons you should be ditching your copies of "The Beano" and buying rare soul vinyl). Anyway it's a really good adult style Philly sound (flip ain't bad either), but those that stepped out and bought a 12 when Ralphy "Tee Boy" over at Expansion put it out a few years ago, know that already.

...Down to Tx next and into the X-Over style, and The InnKeepers Band "I could never hurt you". The label, Big John, has a porcelain toilet for a logo (I kid you not), and my other encounter with this label was a piece of garage crapola (calm down calm down, not US uptempo 'garrige' - 60's punk 'garage'). Yet this is a great midpace black sound with a hook that is reminiscent of a Motown crossover record that escapes my recognition right now. Talking of Motown, I do occasionally have my Motown moments.....Margo Michaels "Take my heart (remix)" being one. Also gobsmackingly-good Motown comes courtesy of The Festivals on Gordy and the grinding slow "So in love". And for sheer uptempo 'bounce around in yer flares' fare from the same label, this time round I give you Jay & Techniques "I'll be here ". Then there's old Chris Clark on Weed with "How about you" - acquired from Denmark's Kent Munch for a reasonable price, not an album you see very often these days, though around in quantity back in the day!.

....Daywood Records is well loved for Jan Jones, and I recently acquired, courtesy of Soul Bowl 7 Nombres "Listen People", on the same label (identical label except a red colour!) and from 10 years earlier in 1970. An early Lou Rug-land production, and it shows, off key and a great ameteur feel, yet with some heady strings, and singing from some Imperial Wonders wannabees, it is one to pick up. There may be a few of these about. Also from John Anderson a wonderful x-over sound in Frank Williams "It's all over". Actually the original of a song made famous here a few years ago at Essence for Pearl Dowdell's later version (which in turn reminds me so much of Baby Washington). Here you get the guy's take on the thing from none other than a young Little Beaver on vocals.

From the 80's we have Roland Haynes & Phenix and a nice Kashif style indie dancer - worth looking out for called "Mind Games".

....A really under-rated 80's sound comes courtesy of Eddie Horan and his "City life", surely the best record on WMOT. Quite jazzy, but with some great meaningful lyrics about the struggles of growing up, and some dap fingerwork from the electric piano player, it's a must. Someone told me Robin used to spin it at Stafford. Not a disco cowbell in sight, or earshot, so it wins over the Thompson Twins, sorry Brothers, easily in my book. In the ballad department, Ed Robinson and an issue copy of "I wanna be there" ( An Ashford & Simpson song) gets you a sublime slowie in "Ivory". The demos without this side turn up all the time - get an issue, it's a stone killer. Another deepie that just came my way - Latimore doing an answer to the Gladys classic - "If I were your man" - The first record on Dash, the guy just rips up the vocals as only he can. Staying in Miami and for Glades records one of the more obscure sounds on the label Jerry Washington "Don't waste my time" - a tricky little dancer with some potential - expect this to go the same way as former Essence tip "Fly Now pay later" by The Intrigues - i.e. straight into Sam's playbox if it isn't there already! Fresh from my first gig at the 100 Club for 20 years , we find Patti Labelle & Bluebelles and a Curtis Mayfield produced gem in "Trusting in you" - another 45 that won't bust the wallet. Forget "Loving rules" etc. this is the dog's round things with sublime swirling strings, and Patti, a girl about to lose her socks for the first time (!) playing the part of a a girl in distress at the prospect of said socks coming off. Their last 45 for Atlantic, it bombed, before Patti reinvented herself and re-appeared in conical shaped chest attachments, rubber gloves, and leather hot pants for "Lady Marmaduke(!)". Having championed Shirley & Shirelles "Never gonna give you up", as a cheap'n cheerful 45, another of their Bell trio is quite good too - "Looking glass", takes a few seconds to get going, but turns into a standard x-over chugger. In the old faves dept finally - flip over Marvell Love's "Don't break that rule" for a spartan yet so right for today sound in "Gotta have love".

See you at the races - you bet!