When brothers Hy and Sam Weiss passed in 2007 and 2008, respectively, the Romanian-born immigrants to Brooklyn were eulogized as the last of the golden age record men.  The Weiss brothers formed their first record label in 1949; in 1953, they launched Old Town Records which Hy would take on as his own in 1956.  Many of Old Town's classic hits are still favorites today, such as The Capris' "There's a Moon Out Tonight," Billy Bland's "Let the Little Girl Dance," and "Remember Then" by The Earls.  Upon leaving Old Town, Sam had turned to distribution.  But by the mid-1970s, he was ready to dip his toes back into the creative end of the music business.  He launched SAM Records, and along with Salsoul, West End, and Prelude, the feisty SAM label became one of the most ubiquitous of the disco era.  Demon Music Group, through its now-defunct Harmless imprint, previously celebrated the SAM discography on such releases as SAM Records Extended Play and The SAM Records Anthology, as well as individual album reissues.  Earlier this year, Demon's Edsel imprint issued SAM: The Sound of New York City 1975-1983, a 3-CD, 36-song compendium that has much in common with the 2015 Anthology, albeit with upgraded, oversized packaging. Disco fans who missed out on the earlier set will find much to appreciate here.

Perhaps ironically, the New York label's first release was a British recording by a singer born in the American south: Doris Duke's rendition of Marlena Shaw's "Woman of the Ghetto."  That torrid, funky workout would be followed, though, by dance music of every sound and style.  SAM is probably best remembered today for its house band (and answer to Philadelphia International's MFSB and Salsoul's Salsoul Orchestra), John Davis and The Monster Orchestra.  Producer-arranger-conductor Davis built his group from many of the same musicians as those two venerable units, including guitarists Bobby Eli and Michael "Sugarbear" Foreman, drummer Charles Collins, percussionist Larry Washington, string and horn contractor (and violinist) Don Renaldo, and background vocalists The Sweethearts of Sigma.  The formidable and funky Monster Orchestra is heard on "Bourgie, Bourgie," "I Can't Stop," "Love Magic," "Night and Day," the "Kojak Theme," and "Up Jumped the Devil."  In addition to his own plush disco grooves, Davis wrote, produced, arranged, and conducted Lucy Hawkins' single "Gotta Get Outta Here."

Davis' recordings are far from the only notable ones released on SAM and collected here, however.  Other highlights include Queens, NY group Gary's Gang's ethereal "Keep on Dancin'," New Jersey band Rhyze's brassy "Do Your Dance," a trio of songs from the Motown-bred duo of Michael and Brenda Sutton (the irresistible "Any Way You Want My Love," "We'll Make It," the Shep Pettibone mix of "Don't Let Go of Me"), First Choice alumna Wardell Piper's imploring but sleek "Come On Back to Mama," and Leroy Burgess and Convertion's "Let's Do It."  (Burgess would clash with Sam Weiss, move to Salsoul, and rename his group Logg.)

Though pop success largely eluded the label, SAM was a frequent visitor to the R&B and Dance charts.  Weiss initially carried on through 1983, and this collection spotlights some efforts from the label's post-disco period as electronics were becoming increasingly prominent.  British-born, Munich-based Geoffrey Bastow had been a part of the city's thriving Eurodisco scene; he emerged on SAM In 1981 with the spellbinding instrumental "Hupendi Muziki Wangu? (You Don't Like My Music)" under the name of K.I.D.; the same year, SAM imported The Evasions' novelty "The Wikka Wrap" and took the spoof of British television presenter Alan Whicker to the U.S. Club charts where few listeners had any idea of Whicker or that the song was satirizing him.  In 1982, producers Darryl Payne and Gary Turnier took "Feel Alright," credited to studio outfit Komiko, to the R&B and Dance charts.  Turnier was also the co-producer of Vicky D's No. 11 Club hit "This Beat Is Mine," also featured on this set, while Payne helmed Kreamcicle's boogie-funk jam "Hold On," heard in its Jellybean mix.

The non-chronologically-assembled box, compiled by Dom Williams and Mike Weiss, makes a strong case for how influential SAM's records were on the hip-hop and house scenes that would follow disco.  Alexis Petridis provides the new liner notes in the 24-page booklet, and Phil Kinrade has remastered the audio.  The Sound of New York City circa 1975-1983 has proven timeless.

Back in 2004, BBC DJ Sean Rowley introduced Guilty Pleasures as a special segment of his radio show.  The concept - showcasing '70s songs that were "slightly shameful to love," as Rowley said, tongue planted firmly in cheek - became so popular that it spawned a series of compilation albums, live shows, tribute LPs, and more.  Earlier this year, Rowley teamed with Edsel to celebrate 20 years of Guilty Pleasures on a new 20th anniversary 4CD, 70-song box set.

The four discs of the oversized, slipcased box are arranged by theme.  The first disc, All the Hits and More, features songs that are played today with regularity: Captain and Tennille's chart-topping "Love Will Keep Us Together," ELO's "Sweet Talkin' Woman," Ace's "How Long," 10cc's "The Things We Do for Love," and Helen Reddy's "Angie Baby" (another U.S. No. 1) among them.  Alessi's "Oh Lori," the dreamy 1977 U.K. hit that launched the Guilty Pleasures brand, opens the disc which expectedly brims with melody and nostalgia.  The second disc, Pop Goes Smooth, is again self-explanatory.  It opens with Looking Glass' "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)," a 1972 chart-topper on the Billboard 200 which received a new lease on life when director James Gunn included it on the soundtrack to his 2014 blockbuster film Guardians of the Galaxy.  Rowley has included a number of staples on SiriusXM's yacht rock format (Blues Image's "Ride, Captain, Ride," The Ozark Mountain Daredevils' "Jackie Blue," Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Reynolds' "Fallin' in Love," Seals and Crofts' "Get Closer") along with some well-curated, lesser-known cuts (singer-songwriter Randy Edelman's U.K. hit cover of "Concrete and Clay," Jim Gilstrap's take on Kenny Nolan's "Swing Your Daddy") and gems such as Art Garfunkel's ethereal "Break Away."

Disc Three, No Static, doesn't have Steely Dan's "FM (No Static at All)," but does have not-so-guilty treats from Rupert Holmes (the lyrically sharp "Him"), Olivia Newton-John (Xanadu favorite "Magic"), Nicolette Larson (the Neil Young-written "Lotta Love"), and England Dan and John Ford Coley (Todd Rundgren's uplifting "Love Is the Answer").  The most delicious campy item is Carole Bayer Sager's "You're Moving Out Today."  The U.K. top ten hit co-authored by Bette Midler and Bruce Roberts melds its catchy, perky melody to an unforgettably quirky, comic lyric which is delivered to tart perfection by Sager (whose timeless concept album Sometimes Late at Night was reissued, remastered, and expanded last year by Iconoclassic Records).  A happily unexpected inclusion is The Four Seasons' "Down the Hall."  Led not by Valli but by Gerry Polci, the bubbly pop-meets-disco-prog mélange made the U.K. top 40 but stalled at No. 65 stateside.

The fourth disc, No Hit Wonders, has the deepest cuts - but all still fit within the series' framework as songs from an era where melody was king.  A handful of hitmakers are indeed peppered in here (The Mamas and the Papas, with "Shooting Star" from the underrated People Like Us; The Rascals' Felix Cavaliere with "Only a Lonely Heart Sees" - which actually was a U.S. top 40 hit; Gary Wright with "Let It Out," Stephen Bishop with "Little Italy") and there are choice cuts from "Happy Days" singers Pratt and McClain ("Whachersign") and "Moonlight Feels Right" group Starbuck ("Easing Back").  Three Dog Night's Cory Wells is heard on his rare 1978 solo entry "Midnight Lady."

Rowley's detailed track-by-track notes in the 32-page booklet are informative and sincere; those looking for pithy put-downs of the songs are better off looking elsewhere.  Phil Kinrade has remastered the audio; the individual CDs are stored in slots within a folder.  Truth to tell, there's no guilt whatsoever in enjoying these pleasures.

Various Artists, SAM: The Sound of New York City 1975-1983 (Edsel EDSL0177, 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

1. Doris Duke - Woman Of The Ghetto Original UK 12" Mix
2. Gary's Gang - Keep On Dancin'
3. Komiko - Feel Alright
4. Glen Adams Affair - Just A Groove
5. Rhyze - Do Your Dance A Jim Burgess Mix
6. John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Bourgie', Bourgie' Special Disco Version
7. Mike & Brenda Sutton - Any Way You Want My Love
8. Sound Troupe - Can You Really See Me
9. Wardell Piper - Come On Back To Mama
10. John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - I Can't Stop
11. Steve Shelto - Don't Give Your Love Away A Shep Pettibone Mix
12. Scandal - Love Either Grows Or Goes

CD 2:

1. John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Love Magic Special Disco Version
2. Rhyze - I Found Love In You
3. Kreamcicle - Hold On John 'Jellybean' Benitez Mix
4. Lucy Hawkins - Gotta Get Outta here
5. Scandal - Just Let Me Dance A Jim Burgess Mix
6. K.I.D - Don't Stop
7. John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Night & Day Disco Version
8. Rhyze - Just How Sweet Is Your Love
9. Evasions - The Wikka Wrap A Jonathan Fearing Edit
10. Monica Neal - Begging For More
11. Underground - Behind My Back
12. Mike and Brenda Sutton - We'll Make It

CD 3:

1. Greg Henderson - Dreamin'
2. K.I.D - Hupendi Muziki Wangu?! (You Don't Like My Music) A Jonathan Fearing Mix
3. Convertion - Let's Do It
4. David Mc Pherson - You Can't Stop A Shep Pettibone Mix
5. Klassique - Somebody's Loving You A Ray Reid Mix
6. B.B.C.S.&A. - Rock Shock
7. Gary's Gang - Let's Love Dance Tonight Special Disco Version
8. Vicky "D" - This Beat Is Mine
9. Rhyze - Free Special Disco Version
10. John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Kojak Theme
11. Mike and Brenda Sutton - Don't Let Go Of Me A Shep Pettibone Mix
12. John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Up Jumped The Devil

Various Artists, Sean Rowley Presents Guilty Pleasures: 20th Anniversary (Edsel EDSL0170X, 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1:

1. Alessi Brothers - Oh Lori
2. Captain and Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together
3. Pilot - January
4. Electric Light Orchestra - Sweet Talkin' Woman
5. Climax Blues Band - Couldn't Get It Right
6. Ace - How Long
7. The Fortunes - Storm In A Teacup
8. Andy Kim - Rock Me Gently
9. Sherbet - Howzat
10. Marshall Hain - Dancing In The City
11. 10cc - The Things We Do For Love
12. Andrew Gold - Never Let Her Slip Away
13. Gallagher & Lyle - I Wanna Stay With You
14. David Essex - Gonna Make You A Star
15. Peter Skellern - Hold On To Love
16. Brian Protheroe - Pinball
17. Helen Reddy - Angie Baby
18. Andrew Fairweather-Low - Wide Eyed & Legless
19. Colin Blunstone - Say You Don't Mind

CD 2:

1. Looking Glass - Brandy You're A Fine Girl
2. Blues Image - Ride Captain Ride
3. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Jackie Blue
4. Billy Swan - I Can Help
5. Jim Gilstrap - Swing Your Daddy
6. Lynsey De Paul - Sugar Me
7. Stretch - Why Did You Do It
8. Jigsaw - Sky High
9. Silver - Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang
10. Randy Edelman - Concrete And Clay
11. Alan O'Day - Undercover Angel
12. Liverpool Express - You Are My Love
13. Starland Vocal Band - Afternoon Delight
14. Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds - Fallin' In Love
15. Elvin Bishop - Fooled Around And Fell In Love
16. Art Garfunkel - Breakaway
17. Seals & Crofts- Get Closer

CD 3:

1. Charlie Dore - Pilot of the Airwaves
2. Chris Norman & Suzi Quatro - Stumblin' In
3. Oliva Newton-John - Magic
4. Rupert Holmes - Him
5. Carole Bayer Sager - Moving Out Today
6. Eric Carmen - She Did It
7. Roger Voudouris - Get Used To It
8. Gerry Rafferty - Get It Right Next Time
9. Leo Sayer - Easy To Love
10. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Down The Hall
11. Nicolette Larson - Lotta Love
12. Little River Band - Reminiscing
13. Ambrosia - How Much I Feel
14. Dollar - Love's Gotta Hold On Me
15. England Dan & John Ford Coley - Love Is The Answer
16. Player - This Time I'm In It For Love
17. Orleans - Love Takes Time

CD 4:

1. Clout - Let It Grow
2. Doctor Father - Umbopo
3. Hollywood Freeway - You Are The Song (That I Can't Stop Singing)
4. Browning Bryant - Liverpool Fool
5. Robert John - Give a Little More
6. The Mamas & The Papas - Shooting Star
7. Pratt & McClain - Whachersign
8. Denne and Gold - Let's Put Our Love Back Together
9. Gary Wright - Let It Out
10. Cory Wells - Midnight Lady
11. Felix Cavaliere - Only A Lonely Heart Sees
12. Starbuck - Easing Back
13. Jim Rafferty - Tomorrow Is Another Day
14. Stephen Bishop - Little Italy
15. White Plains - I Can't Stop
16. Blue Mink - Another "Without You" Day
17. Pickettywitch - Days I Remember