Stuff in their "new" bin that ya'll might like:

Zutons - Who Killed the Zutons
Von Bondies - Pawn Shoppe Heart
Radiohead - Hail to the Theif
Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong
The Thrills - Let's Bottle Bohemia
The Music - Welcome To The North
Mooney Suzuki - Alive & Amplified
The Libertines - The Libertines
Coldplay - Live 2003 (1 CD/1 DVD)
Beta Band - Heroes To Zeros
The Cure - Three Imaginary Boys (Deluxe Edition)
Razorlight - Up All Night
Wilco - A Ghost Is Born
Radio 4 - Stealing of A Nation

hmmm...it's almost time to rejoin.

If ya need an invite, I'm your man.

thanx for the word. i noticed some of these but not all.

just fulfilled my agreement with yesterday's purchase so i'll have to wait til later. bought bowie's "space oddity" and "hunky dory", along with nin's live cd, shatner's "has been" and kasey chambers "barricades & brickwalls". (found i didn't have a proper copy of hers after doing that top30 of 00-04 thing. had to remedy that.)

I don't think I want any of these, but thanks for the info..

I either have these or I'm meh on them.

I still have to fulfill the rest of my obligation to them. Throw ideas at me, people.

What genres are you open to?

Yeah, really. 'Cause if you like blues, country, reggae there is a ton of great stuff. Billy may have even more in mind.

Steve

I'm open to anything. When it comes to BMG, I like to buy albums that I should have bought a long time ago, or I like to focus on one genre to boost my collection in that area.

From your posts, I gather that you're into a lot of soul, funk, etc., right? My collection is seriously lacking in those areas, so I would LOVE some suggestions. Thanks!

For soul, I'd recommend:

Ray Charles "The Birth of Soul - Complete Atlantic Rythmn & Blues Recordings" - a great 3 disc box set which you can't use freebies on. I think its priced well below retail (or you can get it for below during sales) though for your 1 required purchase.

James Brown "Live at the Apollo" & "Live at the Apollo vol II"

Chambers Brothers "Time Has Come" - psychedelic soul from the late 60's

Aretha Franklin "Amazing Grace - the Complete Recordings" - 2 discs of live gospel recorded at churchs in LA in the early 70's, amazing stuff was on my listmania

Aretha Franklin "Lady Soul"

Aretha Franklin "I've Never Loved a Man The Way I Love You"

Funkadelic "One Nation Under A Groove" - one of three funkadelics av from BMG, all are good this is the best one though

Marvin Gaye "I Want You"

Marvin Gaye "What's Going On"

Marvin Gaye "Let's Get It On"

Isaac Hayes "Shaft Soundtrack" & "Hot Buttered Soul"

The Impressions "Ultimate Collection"

Etta James "Tell Mama - The Complete Muscle Shoals Collection"

Curtis Mayfield "Superfly Soundtrack" & "Curtis Live!" Superfly is an alltime fav of mine and was 2 or 3 on my listmania

The O'Jays "Ultimate O'Jays" 70's philly soul if you're old enough you'll recognize alot of hit songs

Parliament "Mothership Connection" & "Chocolate City" the second which is very underrated, the first which is just great. Can't go too far wrong with any of their stuff

Otis Redding "The Story of..." another 3 disc set..same comments as Ray Charles

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles "Ultimate collection"

The Temptations "Psychedelic Soul" & "Ultimate Collection"

Stevie Wonder "Music of My Mind", "Talking Book", "Innervisions", "Fulfillingness' First Finale" either separately or as part of the 4pack of remasters. All great

Stevie Wonder "Songs in the Key of Life" - probably my favorite stevie

The Five Stairsteps "First family of soul"

I'd rank priorities as

Curtis Mayfield
Marvin Gaye
Aretha Franklin
Stevie Wonder
James Brown
Funkadelic

I'll do a separate post on jazz & other stuff

np: Dennis Brown "Crown Prince of Reggae"

Just noticed they have Maceo Parker "Life on Planet Groove" which is also great and probably mislabeled as a jazz album. Maceo was James Brown's bandleader, a member of the JB's, and a collaborator with George Clinton in addition to being a great Jazz/Funk/Soul artist on his own. "Life on Planet Groove" is a live recording and is probably the only Maceo album I'd call great.

For jazz, I know its hypocrisy but I'd recommend all of the following:

Sonny Clark "Cool Struttin'"
Johnny Griffin "A Blowin' Session"
Hank Mobley "Soul Station"
Sonny Rollins "Saxophone Colossus" or "Tenor Madness"
Bill Evans "Live at the Village Vanguard"
Jimmy Smith "The Sermon"
Archie Shepp "Attica Blues"
Lou Donaldson "The Natural Soul"
Quincey Jones "Walking in Space"

over any albums by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, or Charles Mingus. Not that those guys aren't great, but they are over-canonized in my opinion. First four are hard bop. Bill Evans is piano jazz. Jimmy Smith is a bit difficult to categorize but is a funky jazz organist. Last three are soul-jazz offerings although Archie is a bit of free jazz player as well.

The two I'd probably recommend the highest are Saxophone Collusus and Attica Blues.

np: Dennis Brown

Awesome -- thanks, man. Now I can't wait to place my order!

I'm hoping to get Jimmy Smith - Retrospective for my birthday.

I'm looking for more international type stuff.
Any suggestions Billy G?

These are in alphabetical order, not by any ranking:

Bebo & Cigala "Lagrimas Negras" - one of my favorites from last year pairing Spanish Flamenco singer Diego El Cigala with Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes

Buena Vista Social Club OST - if you don't have this, its every bit as good as advertised and prob. the best introduction to Cuban Son. On my listmania. They also have many solo offerings from artists playing on this: Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo & Omara Portuondo

Lila Downes "Una Sangre" , this was my introduction to her last year. They have another album by her which is on my own shopping list for my next order

Cesoria Evora "Miss Perfumado", "Sao Vicente" - her two best in my opinion. Her whole catalog is very good though and they have most of it.

Joao Gilberto "In Tokyo" - Bossa Nova Master still has it

Gilberto Gil "Kaya N' Gan Daya" - Brazilian superstar album of Marley covers recorded in Jamaica with backup singing by Marley's I Three. Still has distinct brazilian flair though.

Antonio Carlos Jobim "Stone Flower" - Bossa Nova Classic, they also have the Box Set "The Man From Ipanema" which I like at a discount but I think its overkill as an introduction - the three discs are all the same songs but different versions.

Salif Keita "Moffou" - awesome. one of the best albums from any country in the last five years

Monte, Brown, & Antunes "Tribalistas" - my favorite album from 2003 and one of the very best albums from the last five years. A rarity - a real superstar colloboration that works. Here's a review from: Popmatters I can't recommend it enough.

Orchestra Baobab "Specialist in All Styles", "Pirate's Choice" - both great, hard to pick the better one

Oumou Sangare "Oumou" - two disc compilation from Mali Diva

Various Artists "Chill: Brazil" - a great 2 disc compilation of Bossa Nova Gems selected by Marcos Valle (one of my favorite Brazilian artists) There are a volume 2 and 3 curated by Joyce and Gilberto Gil which BMG doesn't offer. I don't have 3 but 2 is also very good.

This is probably a good start. BMG's world music selection is actually pretty good so if you want more let me know.

It's also a good place to get some jazz classics.


Getz/Gilberto
Miles
Coltrane
Dave Brubek
Charles Mingus
Charlie Parker
Theolonius Monk


No obscurities but their most famous works are on there.

Great! Thanks