The Guys Who Came Up From Downstairs - Growth

I first heard his track on one of Craig Dishington's mixes. What a track. Craig's Grow Your Own club is well worth visiting Glasgow for and his mixes are always an education. I've ended up trying to find virtually every track off his mixes. I bought this minty copy off ebay and, to my surprise and delight, when it arrived it also included a poster, a signed sleeve and a message from one of the "Guys". Awesome!

Sandy Sarjeant - Can't Stop The Want

This is such a cute record. Sandy was a dancer and featured in loads of sixties beat performances. She was the wife of Ian McLagan of The Small Faces and she produced this fine slice of beat pop herself. There is an awesome video of her performing this on German TV on youtube. Check it out.

Ray Sharp and The Soul Set - Earthquake

Picked this up in Hova last year too. Two mint copies, side by side, for a couple of quid. Yes. Really hope to get back to Sweden this year. Lovely country. Lovely people. Shame the beer is so expensive.

El Pooks - Psychedelic Soul

Everything about this record is right. From the band name, to the track title to the demented sound to the popeye kazoo solo. What's not to like.

James Chapman - Overtime

It's hard to beat a bit of Gospel and this is the genre at its best. Pure soul. Glorious. Testify.

Young Jessie - Teacher Gimme Back

Well, this was my most costly purchase of 2011. I've been after this for years. Young Jessie, born Obediah Donnell "Obie" Jessie, recorded a few singles with The Flairs and Blue Jays before going solo and working with Lieber and Stoller as Young Jessie. He joined The Coasters briefly in 57 but recorded his best material, in my opinion, shortly after including this monster in 61. This record is just pure joy. Love it.

Ronnie Hall - I'm Getting Nowhere

This was another I first heard in Hova. It's taken me months to track down a copy but I finally found one just before Christmas. For me, it's up there with Mike Leslie "Right Or Wrong", a brilliant track despite the croonerish overtones.