Chairmen of the board

Three-CD, 64-track compilation of unsung '70s soul visionaries

While many of St Etienne's 'concepts' have left me cold, this one resonates, perhaps because I've just read the enchanting coffee-table tome Classic Cafes by Adrian Maddox and Phil Nicholls. Bob Stanley's sleevenotes similarly eulogise the faded majesty and allure of "caffs"—"'It's for lorry drivers,' said my mum." As these temples to a bygone age disappear, they exude the melancholy of half-recalled Donovan songs. In homage to these hallowed halls of grease are kitsch gems from The Kinks, Chairmen Of The Board, The Moments and The Sapphires.

When Motown's power trio struck out on their own

An in-depth tribute to the master craftsman and architect of the Motown sound by friend and former collaborator Eddie Holland

Björk, Steely Dan, Ashley Hutchings, Herbie Hancock, Aoife Nessa Frances, Cat Power and more

Pristine pop-soul from multicultural pioneers