I purchased these great compilations in the wrong order, getting Vol 3 first. All three are superb - no contest. Thankfully through a great soul scribe like Dave Godin, I've been exposed to great lesser known talents like Eddie & Ernie, Kenny Carter and many more. The quality does not let up from the opening track to the last one. Deep Soul is a difficult term/genre to describe, but it hits you mostly in the heart, and with the uptempo numbers in the feet. The UK has always seemed to appreciate American soul artists more, and this is only borne out with the three Deep Soul volumes, and the other soul compilations put out by ACE/Kent. Bring on Vol 4 Dave !