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This is one of the prolific Numero Group's best packages, an intimate and epic look into the early work of Lou Ragland, an on-fire writer, producer and soul singer who recorded all of this work while still off the grid in Cleveland, Ohio. The live in-studio disc with his early Hot Chocolate (not the other Hot Chocolate who had a hit with I Believe in Miracles, btw) is the only disc where sound is an issue; I assume the original acetates were pretty damaged and NG did the best they could. Even with heavy distortion, the spirited, gorgeous rendition of "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" (later a huge hit for the Spinners) is a real treat. The great prize is Ragland's self-produced solo record, Understand Each Other. All heart, this try-anything platter has some of the most soulful singing this side of Al Green, and songs that sound as if they could have been written today. Definitely recommended to classic soul lovers and to anyone who likes funky beats and good music.