VA - HOPES AND DREAMS - Rare & Unreleased Psych-Soul Nuggets from the 1970s (2026)

This album contains genuine rarities that definitely deserve more attention. Take, for example, the opener by Guamanian Frankie & the Karter's Peanut Organization. The protagonist comes from Guam, a tiny island in the western Pacific, a good 5000km north of Australia. The previously unreleased "Back In Time" comes from an acetate pressing. As far as we know, it is the only existing copy. Easy and Carrie Chaplin & Mark Perron delight us with light folk soul, and fans of Terry Callier will certainly enjoy the following songs. Family Progression, Brandy, and Benito Hodge breathe a little jazz into the soul. Incidentally, the co-producer of "Loving You" was none other than Hubert Eaves III, who was part of the electro-funk duo "D-Train" in the 1980s and had several Billboard Dance and R&B chart successes.

A little psych rock or psych soul is also a must. The remaining songs by Godspeed, Reflection, Sons of Jubal, The ThreeO, and John Laughter & the Third Generation probably fall into this category. All of them are extremely rare and magnificent at the same time. When you hear the first notes of "She Who Stands Beside Me," you inevitably think of Portishead before you are unexpectedly caught off guard by the song's brutal mood change. And with "By The Sea," we are pleased to present another previously unreleased song