Laci on Top

Phil Guy didn't eclipse his older brother Buddy's status as a blues superstar, and in reality, Phil's funky brand of blues was not captured correctly for posterity. But he remained an active attraction on the Chicago circuit, following in his sibling's footsteps and patiently waiting for his own star to rise up until his death. Like his sibling, Phil Guy played with harpist Raful Neal (for a decade) before leaving the Baton Rouge scene for Chicago in 1969. There he played with his brother's high-energy organization as well as behind harpist Junior Wells (Phil handled guitar duties with Sammy Lawhorn on Wells' underrated mid-'70s Delmark album On Tap). Phil Guy cut albums of his own for JSP; they were generally lacking in originality if not spirit. Phil Guy lost his battle with liver and kidney cancer in August of 2008.

Recorded in Nashville, Tenn. , and produced by four-time Grammy winner Keb' Mo', the blues influenced album features guest appearances from Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robben Ford and Keb' Mo'. A trending theme in today's world is women overcoming obstacles and breaking through the glass ceilings to reach the top. 'Like It On Top' celebrates those that take initiative, develop, inspire and motivate. But it also credits the men who are motivated and enlightened enough to support women in their quest to be their best versions of themselves.

This isn't his most well-known stuff, but it's a very solid late '60s set. Featuring brassy arrangements by Johnny Pate (who also worked with many prominent Chicago soul acts during the '60s), it presents King's sound at its fullest without sacrificing any of his grit or sophisticated swing…

There are 21 cuts on this Hip-O collection of Van Morrison's Greatest Hits. The interesting thing is that of these 21 cuts, only about half of them will be recognizable to the casual Van Morrison fan, as they come from his Bang sides and the far more popular Warner Brothers singles of the early '70s. As it should be, although there is one glaring omission: "Tupelo Honey" is absent from the song list. The rest may not have been greatest hits in America, but they do represent a fine – if arguable – selection of the material from the late '70s, '80s, and '90s. "Dweller on the Threshold" is here (though it sounds like an alternate take!) There is a bona fide alternate take of "The Healing Game" that sounds more like a well-executed demo and has plenty of Celtic soul.

In 1968, Carl Perkins re-signed with Columbia Records, and immediately released one of the best records of his career, Restless. Already a star of the Johnny Cash Show, Carl Perkins was now back in the charts, and his career was once again on the upturn. The 4 CDs in this box cover all of his recordings from his second tenure with Columbia (1968 to 1972) and all of the Mercury recordings (1973 to 1975).