Echoing the vintage blues-rock of Chuck Berry and Led Zeppelin, and the timeless soul of Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, The Bomb Shelter Sessions is Californian four-piece Vintage Trouble's attempt to re-create the era of vinyl records and juke joints. Produced by Rogers Masson (Daughtry, Day of Fire), and recorded live in just three days at the Bomb Shelter studios in Laurel Canyon, its 11 retro tracks, described by James Brown-esque frontman Ty Taylor as "primitive soul," include the singles "Nancy Lee" and "Nobody Told Me."

Diana King's sophomore outing Think Like a Girl is a well-crafted, diverse set of soul/pop/reggae that merited much more attention it received. The album contains several ultra catchy songs that have hit written all over them, namely the infectious title track and "Wicked." King is also an extremely earnest and sincere singer, and nowhere is that more evident than on the album's 30-second a cappella interlude "Mi Coffee." On some tunes, such as "Love Yourself" and the single "L-L-Lies," King sings in her trademark, powerful reggae style. On others, such as her sexy and breathy remake of Culture Club's classic "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and "Find My Way Back," King's performance is more traditional and subdued, yet just as effective.

The other Herb Alpert bargain bin classic, Keep Your Eye on Me is the trumpet legend’s ’80s comeback and essentially a Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis record. Feeling the need to revitalize his outdated trumpet jazz, Alpert made his way to Minneapolis to work with Jam & Lewis, the songwriting & production duo and ex-The Time members who produced Janet Jackson’s chart-topping 1986 album Control. A3 “Diamonds” and B3 “Making Love In The Rain” are the big hits of the bunch and both feature Janet Jackson on lead vocals. The music video for “Diamonds” hilariously features a DJ taking a bite out of Alpert’s last record and saying “doesn’t taste like a hit to me…” B1 “Pillow” is another highlight and is a slower tempo’d late-night jam featuring Alpert and his wife Lani Hall on vocals.

It's an irresistible budget-priced summary of their prime Motown recordings. There may be a couple of noteworthy songs missing, but many of their best-known songs are here, including "The Tracks of My Tears," "Ooo Baby Baby," "The Tears of a Clown" and "I Second That Emotion." Serious fans will want something more extensive, but this is an excellent introduction for neophytes and a great sampler for casual fans, considering its length and price. That doesn't erase the ridiculousness of the series title, but the silliness is excusable when the music and the collections are good.

Known for his mariachi-inspired easy listening sound, trumpeter Herb Alpert is one of the most successful instrumental performers in pop history. He is also one of the entertainment industry's canniest businessmen, having co-founded A&M Records – a label that ranks among the most prosperous artist-owned companies ever established – with partner Jerry Moss. Collection includes: The Lonely Bull (1962); South Of The Border (1964); Whipped Cream & Other Delights (1965); !!Going Places!! (1965); What Now My Love (1966); S.R.O (1966); The Beat Of The Brass (1968); Rise (1979); Fandango (1982); Bullish (1984); Keep Your Eye On Me (1987); Classics, Volume 1 (1987); Steppin' Out (Featuring Lani Hall) (2013); In The Mood (2014); Come Fly With Me (2015).