The concept behind this 20-track compilation of Memphis soul, blues, and R&B from the 1960s is a little vague around the edges. Basically the idea seems to be to compile some of the best such material that's both raw and rare, taken from the vaults of a bunch of Memphis labels. That includes not just (which is well represented), but also smaller imprints, including the and labels, both of which have cults among collectors. The title is pretty awkward too. But the quality of the music counts more than being able to neatly classify and file it, and on that score, this is a pretty good anthology, though not one that's a starter Memphis '60s best-of due to the absence of big hits or star artists. , , the gospel group , and (on the rare 1965 single by ) all have some name recognition, and the original version of ' blues standard is a highlight, but otherwise it's doubtful even big Memphis '60s soul collectors have much of this. The material tends toward the bluesier end of the Memphis R&B/soul scene, and while the grooves and the performances are more impressive than the material, it's a good cross-section of the style at its swampiest and funkiest. There are some near-gems in 's brooding ; ' spooky about the killing of president ; and ' instrumental which is like a very unrefined . Too, (who became far more famous about 25 years later) is represented by his rare, and very gutbucket, 1967 cover of 's There's no sense in getting hot and bothered about the fuzziness of the CD's focus when the music is good, and this is recommended to soul fans looking for something different on a well-annotated compilation where rarity and quality aren't mutually exclusive. ~ Richie Unterberger