MODERN SOUL and R'n'B REVIEWS
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Rhonda
Thomas – Breathe New Life US3 –
Questions Angelique Ginger
Jackson – Ghetto Bourgeois Kofy
Brown – Love Warrior Will
Brock – A letter from eye to I Lil
Fallay – Follow my lead Gladyz E
Thomas – My Place EP Juliette
Leon ft Myron & Jarrard Anthony - Vinx –
Through Colored folks eyes Little
Buster and the Soul Brothers – Live Vol 1 Ayanna
and the Soul Mates – Looking for a home to Traedonya
- Beloved This is
Elephunk St James
– The St James Experience Adriana
Evans - Nomadic |
Jahah –
Ear for Music Jahah –
Mamas Only Son Fertile
Ground – Black is. Tyrone
Thomas – Now Ola Onabule
– In emergency, brake silence Heston –
Special Edition Anthony
David – 3 Chords & the Truth Charli –
Can I dance 2nite Capri –
Boogie Man Daniel
Austin – Confidence in you Capri –
Boogie Man Lil
Fallay – Follow my lead Charli –
Can I dance 2nite Willie
Walker & the Butanes – Right where I belong Tim
Dillinger – Love is on my mind Dexter
Myers St James
– What did I do? |
Reviews
Index - Reviews
Jahah – Ear for Music www.beezee70.com
Jahah –
Mamas Only Son
A couple of
great albums in the soulful R’n’B mould, each containing some fine cuts
The top cuts
on the first album are No Pressure and You remind me feat Young Legend, Push-
n- Pullin feat Pam and Can’t Believe, all of which could and will be played at
upfront soul venues, and evidence seems to be that this is happening and not
before time. This album was cut
between 1999 and 2001 so apologies for being a bit slow on picking up on it but
sure glad that I have. It’s great
to see artists like this who have been brought up on hip hop fusing current day
beats with the more soulful side of things. Ghetto Philosypher feat good Company sums up where this
album is coming from.
Mamas Only
Son is current (2004) and a bit more polished(or experienced) but coming from
the same arena. The two top cuts
are Everybody Up and Oooh. That’s
not to denigrate the rest of the album Afrodeziac is a great hip hop track for
example. On the slower stuff
Official and Gone are for me the best.
01. Intro
05. Mr Moody Interlude
11. Mr Moody Interlude
12.
Here We Are Again (feat. Mr Moody)
14. Leave a Message
16.
Its For You
17.
Back in the Day (feat. Stan Splif)
US3 –
Questions www.us3.com www.kwerk.net
Geoff
Wilkinson has put together an album which is heavily influenced by his passion
for latin music and nu soul.
Featured vocalists this time are Mpho Skeef and rapper Reggi Wyns.
Whatcha gonna
do is a great opener with excellent vocals and lazy jazzy trumpet and latin
vibes. The fusion of hip hop and nu soul beatsgenerally works. The US hip hop (Reggie) is harder and
gives the album an edge and it is those tracks that are livelier and more
memorable – ‘What does that mean’ for example is a great cut over a funky
backbeat. Can U feel it and Why
not also work well over the flute.
Goodbye works
well, good interplay betweenReggi and Mpho.
Two versions
of the refreshed 2004 Cantaloop, Soul and Bossa mixes, both fine versions and
fine mixes.
Well
produced, excellent musicianship, especially trumpet, funky and jazzy, nicely
crafted but as I said it’s the rap tracks that do it for me.
estions Us3 2004
1 A new beginning - (listen)
2 Whatcha gonna do? - (listen)
3 Get it together - (listen)
4 What does that mean? - (listen)
5 Believe in yourself - (listen)
6 Cantaloop 2004: soul mix - (listen)
7 Can u feel it? - (listen)
8 When she's dancing - (listen)
9 Why not? - (listen)
10 The truth - (listen)
11 Goodbye - (listen)
12 Give thanks - (listen)
13 The healer - (listen)onus track:
14 Cantaloop 2004: bossa mix - (listen)
This album was
originally released by Toshiba EMI in Japan in 2003 and included the track
'Happiness'
Angelique http://perso.wanadoo.fr/zoopaloop/Angelique.htm
In the main
mellow jazzy and from time to tme a French influence. The funkier tracks like Hollywood are my preferences. Lots of influences and nuances though
with a mild reggae beat on I’m in love with you, and a Lennon McCartyney cover –
All I’ve got to do, and jazzy Latin on Bossa Nova Hotel.
No show and the aforementioned Hollywood are picks.
Reasonably put together album but could do with a track or two
that jumped out and grabbed you.
Tracks -
Baby, Hollywood, It could have been love, I'm in love wit' you, All I gotta do,
The Box, Creepin', Bossa Nova Hotel, Take a Look in the Mirror, No Show,
Falling, Audition.
Ginger
Jackson – Ghetto Bourgeois http://www.gingerjackson.com/
You seem
these days have to turn around music so quickly, so its easy to overlook
something. All I can say is don’t
do that with this. I’m feeling this now and am glad I stayed with it. The uptempo cut Roc wit me kicks off
the set in fine style, but the mellower melodic roots in the old skool Walking
is fine stuff too.
Free is the
track in which the vocal talents are extended and expressive. My personal
favourite is Home, just below midtempo but with a groove, harmonic and
excellent vocals. Lots of
influences throughout, jazz, R’n’B and old soul, touches of an Al green/Willie
Mitchell in Cool Out. And all written by Ginger too and tracks like Papa I
would guess are very personal.
Discography:
Ghetto-Bourgeois
adj. pronounced (Get-toh Boo-shee)
An exciting collision of Jazz, HipHop, R&B and Soul music to bring out the
dual nature in all of us. Whether you are at home playing dominoes with friends
or on your way to a slam, this eclectic mixture of song styling will surely
enhance your CD collection. At the head of all this fusion is Ms. Ginger
Jackson, who is creative enough to make her trained technique sound down-home,
which is why she and her musical style is Ghetto-Bourgeois.
Track Listing:
1. Gintro (Featuring The Poetess)
2. Roc Wit Me
3. Walking
4. Free
5. Scorpio Man
6. Queen's Castle
7. Searching
8. Home
9. Gingerlude
10. Another Side of Heaven
11. Silence (Featuring Kaya Ramos)
12. No Way (Nancy Hanks)
13. Cool Out
14. Papa
Kofy Brown
– Love Warrior http://www.kofybrown.com/
Another set
from the extremely popular live and progressive Kofy Brown, advancing and
extending her boundaries. Tight and live sounding and conceptual, from an acid
jazz funk or blaxploitation area.
A groovy
Wanna luv yo with a funky guitar is one of the pick cuts. Meeting current neo trends on Fly
away. Also like the spacey,
haunting and bass driven I like
it. Walking out of time is qute
excellent evoking images of an earlier day. All she could say, midtempo track is one of my favourites, I
must say I prefer these kind of tracks to the almost spoken word Mind
travellin.
But check the
bonus track at 20, exceptional. Continuing and improving where she left off.
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Will Brock
– A letter from eye to I http://www.dirtyhat.com/records.html
I cannot
commend this highly enough. For a
first album, for an independent album it is solid throughout. Taking influences through jazz and
gospel, through soul and R’n’B. Well produced and well written.
Opening track
despite the title has a touch of gospel.
Lil My is heavily Prince influenced. Will is not from the South but Home and Buttah are very
Soutern Soul influences both in feel and lyric content. Little Man is the one
for the dancefloor, more upbeat than the rest, with some funky keyboards and
guitar. Broken reminds me of Let
it Be, simple, melodic. If I is a
deep Prince like ballad.
Betcha is
probably the top track for me, excellent vocal range, mellow groove with a
catchy hook. Drift is a fine
ballad that runs this track close.
Will is
talented instrumentally (piano), in prodtion and writing too but for me his
best talent is his voice.
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Fertile
Ground – Black is. http://www.blackoutstudios.com/ http://www.counterpointrecords.co.uk
Fertile
Ground continue to forge their own niche, developed over 4 albums, with
influences through old and new, local and cultural. The musicianship, togetherness and influences merge together
to produce their own sound of driving grooves and haunting melodies.
There is an
overriding feel to this that you could just pick them up, drop them down
anywhere, say play and you would get exactly this – such is the tightness of
the unit. I wouldn’t say that there is an overriding track or tracks on the
album, though Live in the Light is the one getting most attention, it’s just
one of those albums that you can just drop and feel it from wherever you
start. That in itself can be good
and bad, whilst it makes a more than solid album, there is no focal powerful
track that will cross boundaries and say to people hey I want that.
Personally I
like the percussive spiritual feeling to the album whether in the driving funky
opening Spirit World, or the spoken word of An Artist Prayer. Heavily jazz
based and lyrically thoughtful, mellow and dreamy on tracks like Black is and
Naked. A conceptually excellent album, lacking that one track focal point, but
in a sense that’s not them anyway.
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Tyrone
Thomas – Now http://jmmg.com/bb/index.htm
Tyrone posses
a warm rich baritone which comes through strongly on most tracks on an album
engineered by Patrick Adams. There
are some lovely ballads on here like We’re still in love and This song, and a
storming upbeat offering Sugah Sugah to set dancefloors alight. Some of the backing is a bit sparse but
the arrangements are clean and fresh, with Patrick Adams as engineer.
One night
affair is also a favourite with a different more haunting vocal delivery. Always is a smoother ballad. A crafted vocal album
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Ola
Onabule – In emergency, brake silence http://www.olasmusic.com/
Despite Ola
having a big fan base and being very popular amongst those ‘in the know’ I
remained not entirely convinced.
However this album goes a long way to turning me around. From the
opening bars of the superb vocals,
melodic, groovy, jazzy vibe on Soul Town through to the deep ballad
Forgiven this is a very solid album.
Soul Town is a standout but there are a lot of different grooves
here. Parallel Universe despite
its heavy opening is also a midtempo groover. You can is also a top track. I find myself preferry the slightly
more uptempo tracks that the straight ballads.
Much jazz in
evidence to, and vocally strong as always on tracks like Heart of Lead and Thanks.
Lots of good ballads, I especially like Alive tonight.
Good album
which should increase the fanbase, and also keep the existing ones happy. See him because he’s regularly on
tour. Check his website for
details.
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IN EMERGENCY BRAKE
SILENCE (CD) 2004 1. Soul Town mp3 This album costs £9.37p (USD $15.99 ) plus p+p: Buy Now From CCNow |
Heston –
Special Edition http://www.hestonmusic.com/
I have to say
that the studio tracks, of which there are only 5, on here blew me away. All 5 are different and offer something
different. The vocals, with old
school influences, are fresh and
dynamic. I was familiar with If
from the excellent Soul Lounge compilation, a track that will grace any
dancefloor. Angel, the track
probably picked up most reaction is mellower, yet still with a strong beat. The other 3 tracks are warm, slower and
soulful. Difficult to pick a
favourite really but I do like In this life.
Not a fan of
live albums but am of live music.
The remaining tracks are live, they do capture a strong live
performance, which I’d like to see rather than hear on here.
The voice is
distinctive and warm and deserves to get as big as a D’angelo or a Maxwell.
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Anthony
David – 3 Chords & the Truth www.anthonydavid.com
Out of Brash
Music in Atlanta this is a most welcome.
A style of his own which is refreshing. Think a bit of Bill Withers, a bit of India Arie, but most
of all feel Anthony David. These
songs really grow on you so give it a chance, warm vocals and excellent lyrics
taking on social issues. Feeding
on Soul from the 70’s but taking in lots of influences throug reggae to hip
hop. Heartstrings is a superb emotive ballad, and Cold Turkey is so intense. Ga
peach, the single, is as upbeat as you get. Ain’t enough for me is mellow and
warm.
Well produced
and consistent all the way through.
Charli –
Can I dance 2nite – (Buy it here - http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/charli/from/lifeandsoul )
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From Lil
Fallay’s stable of Louisiana Swing Out, Charli (pronounced Char- Lay) picks up
where he left of with some sweet danceable grooves. One More is the one getting
radio plays but the slower Can we talk about it featuring Lil FallayI much
prefer. It allows charli’s strong
vocals to come through. However on
Sweet thing she really lets go, great to see artists still putting down tracks
like this a million miles away, and much better altogether than some R’n’B
dross out there.
Two mixes of
the upbeat Can I dance 2Nite the title track.
The album
very much with Fallay’s stamp is worth seeking out. Taster I hope of beter hings tocome
Lil Fallay
– Follow my lead www.lilfallayboy.com (Buy it here - http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lilfallayboy4/from/lifeandsoul
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There’s
always one track at least on a Lil Fallay’s album that blows me away. It doesn’t take long on this one, the
opening track is excellent My Baby’s Magic, just hitting a mellow modern soul
groove. I don’t know but in my mindset I expect more traditional Southern Soul
stuff from Fallay, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but there’s much
more to it than that – Swing Out is the thing, and yes it’s the Louisiana’s
answer to R Kelly’s Steppin and it’s what Fallay excels in.
Don’t walk
away is a touch more ‘Southern’ but still easy to listen to with a great sweet
vocal performance. Let’s swing
again, soulful in an old skool way. A couple of slower tracks but for me the
better ones are more upbeat Missing You picks it up again with a great song
which would be enhanced by some punchy horns, such are the restraints of
independent releases I guess. Two
mixes of this.
Follow my
lead is another Stepper or Swing Out, though good I find it a little more
contrived than the earlier cuts of this ilk.
I’m coming
home is another that, with the female backing singers, will appeal to the UK
Soul Scene or those that like 60’s soul or 70’s crossover.
Great stuff I
have to say.
Capri – Boogie Man www.caprimusic.co.uk
Title - Boogie Man
Release - due 29/05/2004
Tracks
1.
Shake It
2. Earth Song
3. Car Chase On Phoenix Avenue
4. Real World
5. Boogie Man
6. Into the sun
7. Prelude
8. Barbarella
9. Northside
10. Firebird
11. The Getaway
12. Putting it all together
Listen
to tracks
Click HERE to launch the mp3 player
Capri
certainly are moving forward and developing their own brand of pretty hard
funk. This album being the latest and most progressive. When they hit a groove they hit a
groove, take Earth Song, Real World, firebird and Car Chase on Phoenix Avenue
for example, longy groovy easy
funky pieces merging together the best in funk from twangy guitars, jazzy sax
and driving beat. Cuts like these
are encouraging and I must get to see the live act as that’s where their
reputation is growing from. These guys are building a pretty strong funk
collective , I dunno how many there are of them a core of about 9 I think, but
they have the full works and when the rhythm section stays tight and the horn
section blows it sure sounds good.
Personally I
prefer the instrumental tracks but Real World motors along, builds up over the
clavinet into a big group chorus – lots to hear. A more balladic Into the Sun, with a stripped downline up is
also good. Barbarella I thought, given the soundtrack blaxploitation
influences, would be just that but it is mid to uptempo groover.
Not always
however do they hit the spot and one or two tracks fall just a bit short in
feel like the opener Shake it and oddly, for me anyway, the title track.
However lets not let this detract there is plenty of good stuff to latch on to
and I wish them well.
Gladyz E
Thomas – My Place EP contact lamarandjudy@evenlink.com
From Lamar
Thomas’s Thomtay stable a 6 track EP.
You can’t blame love is a sensuous ballads that builds and grows. My Place is altogether funkier, almost
a reggae rhythm. Why don’t you treat me so bad, the long version containing
spoken word by sister Carrie K Thomas on this family affair also utilising Mom
and Dad (Lamar and Judy and brother Jamal).
Ain’t it good
love and The morning have a more contemporary, neo feel to them as Gladyz seeks
to findher niche in the marketplace.
A fine showcase
of varied material.
Tracks:- You
can’t blame love, My Place, Why don’t you treat me so bad, Ain’t it good love,
The morning, Why do you treat me so bad (no rap)
Juliette
Leon ft Myron & Jarrard Anthony – (Juliette can be contacted at richiesilver@birminghamnightlife.co.uk)
5 Track
sampler from the UK’s own Juliette Leon – the uptempo cuts already creating a
buzz in the upfront venues.
Unconditional has the right vibe for today’s Soul Rooms – mid paced,
strong beat and soulful vocals – great track. Personally though have a
preference for Merry Go Round, slightly more to it yet retains sufficient to
keep a dancefloor happy. Take me there being the third of the Solo tracks which
is again strong. I am sure they
were fun to do but again personally I put the solo tracks above the duets – Two
Hearts is the best of the two but Jarrard’s vocals are nice on that track.
I believe one
or some of these songs has attracted some interest and a proper release will be
forthcoming.
Tracks: Two
Hearts (ft Myron); Just Say (ft Jarrard Anthony); Merry Go Round;
Unconditional; Take me there
Vinx –
Through Colored folks eyes www.basementboys.com
Tracks:-
Black Boy; Taste to be acquired; Through Colored Folks Eyes; Don’t talk to me
like that; Man and Wife; Kiss yourself for me; Oil Drum Song; Bonbelaya; Africa; Tomorrow (album version,
Afro Beat and Carnival Mixes)
Daniel Austin – Confidence in you www.danielaustin.com
Another solid
Independent album from the opening bars of Let me in. the track that has the Uk dancing is Confidence in you, an
up beat Modern Soul gem, but disregard the rest at your peril.
The album is
well produced, written by Daniel and contains some excellent jazzy
ballads. Dreamers know is one I
particulatly like. Islands is a
dreamy ballad with a fine alto sax.
Each track
has something to commend be it a balad or a funkier cut like Fire and Ice or
Point and Click. The title track
Confidence in you is a stormer too, midtempo but still danceable
We certainly
have confidence in you!.
Willie
Walker & the Butanes – Right
where I belong http://www.thebutanes.com/butanes_website_pages/index.html
http://www.thebutanes.com/butanes_website_pages/stars_WillieWalker.html
Wow you don’t expect an album like this to come
out full stop, let alone in the UK.
So big props to Colin Dilnot and his Keeping Soul Alive project and
oneononerecords. Willie Walker
will be known to some from an obscure back catalogue and live shows.
This is pure deep or southern soul, it is cool and
laid back. The stories and lyrics are strong as you’d expect of this genre, the
musicianship is slick, fresh, professional and most of all real. The overriding
factor for me however is Willie’s vocals, still distinguished , impassioned and strong across the typical Southern
grooves.
The album grows with familiarity but my favourites
remain the opening clutch of tracks, not that the latter ones are weak. The
opening track ‘I don’t mind at all’ sets the scene, containing all the
ingredients for top quality Southern Soul, from the horns, through rhythm to
lyrics and vocals. ‘(We gotta) Put
out the fire goes deeper still introducing the next and missing ingredient the
responsive female backing vocals (which although needed on tracks like this I
felt overall were weak, and that’s my only, very small, criticism of the whole
album) – a great track despite this comment. ‘Careless’is more upbeat and funky. ‘No longer for me’ is
another favourite, slower, deeper, with Stax written all over it.
The title track ‘Right where I belong’ has a
groove that is in a way more instant and catchy. I have to say that the tracks that I prefer tend to be the
slower sparser ones that allow the passioned plea to hit, tracks like
‘Sometime’s loves not enough’, ’Ain’t it funny’ or‘Crying to do’ , though
things do get funky on ’Change’ or ‘I understand’
In summary a great album, a great project, if you
have any interest whatsoever in Soul or Blues, support it.
Little Buster and the Soul Brothers – Live Vol
1 http://www.little-buster-records.com/
http://www.little-buster-records.com/_wsn/page3.html
Recorded in Japan in 1993 and 1996. Please buy this in order to halp
Buster’s recovery from Illness.
Buster is as good a Blus guitarist as you’ll get
to hear, and vocally he ain’t bad either!
Put it together and you get a storming show and these must have been a
blast to attend. Live albums you either love them or hate them, and usually I
fall in the later bracket but this set is full of exhuberance and quality, from
the warm Swing Blues through to deep deep soul.
What can I do, as a studio number is tailor made
for the Northern Scene. That’s what I want to do is mellow yet deep, classic
live 60’s Southern Soul with a lazy lilting sax, a controlled building
performance that retaains your attention through to it’s climax some 9 minutes
later. Great stuff. Each track is pretty much a different
style showing great versatility to portray all things R’n’B. The straight Blues of Just let me Burn
is a great showcase of Buster’s guitar playing.
Tracks: Buster Swing Blues, What can I do, That’s
what I want to do, I’ve been watching you, All night worker looking for a home,
Tougher than tough, Just let me burn,
Ayanna and the Soul Mates – Looking for a home
to http://www.little-buster-records.com/
http://www.little-buster-records.com/_wsn/page3.html
This is driving forceful old style soul R’n’B led
by the powerful soulful voice of Ayanna in the tradition of the great Southern
Soul names. Pleading soulfully
portrayed stories of love and desertion.
Thinking about you is strong whilst retaining a slightly different take,
a reggae rhthm, yet it is still undisoutably American heritage music. I know it
should be expected of Blues music but I found some of it a bit too guitar laden
for my ears. For example What can I do (also done by Little Buster) is almost a
classic Northern Soul sound yet it is unlikely to get played for this reason –
great track though.
The killer cut for me is the deep soul That’s what
I want to do- 6 minutes plus of controlled strength. Title track Looking for a
home is mellower and also extremely nice.
Live feel to the whole thing and I would guess
that if you hear this ‘out’ it would sound exactly the same and you would go
home satiaited with Ayanna’s presence and most of all voice. Unfortunatley you
don’t hear voices like this too often in todays material but it should be
captured and bottled.
Tracks – What can I do, I’ve been watching you, My
Darling, Thinking about you, Broken Hearted Girl, Tougher than tough, That’s
what I want to do, Ever since, Looking for a home.
Tim Dillinger www.timdillinger.com
A solid,
consistent and thoroughly enjoyable selection. Already being critically acclaimed as one of the albums of
the year. Largely mellow smooth
and soulful echoing soul from an earlier day, but also able to get modern day
funky. Therefore an ability to
appeal to young and more mature!
“The day you held me” is classic
soul with a vocal in the higher regions and catchy hook. ‘Can’t help but stay’ is more in the
Stevie Wonder range and equally appealing. However I kinda like the funkier
r’n’B style of ‘The Way you love
me’ ft Kyhil. It’s sparce enough
but one of those tracks that could be hardened to appeal even further on a
remix by Blacksmith or someone of that ilk. ‘Dreams’ is funkier oin a different way, old skool and every
reminiscent of something I can’t put my finger on, maybe Isley Brothers in the
3+3 or just after………..no just got it Brothers Johnson!
‘Promise to stay’ I really like a
lot, back to ballad territory and extremely good. Another favourite is the more upbeat and nearest to the
modern soul dancefloor is You take the Clouds Away.
Quality lyrics and production
throughout. All round good stuff.
TRACK LISTING
Tim Dillinger
Love Is On My Mind
Produced by Dale Babb for Babb Productions
1) Interlude: You Know I Love You
2) The Day You Held Me
3) Can't Help But Say
4) The Way You Love Me featuring Kyhil
5) Just Doesn't Matter
6) Dreams (Come Alive)
7) Promise to Stay
8) Suddenly (Love Is On My Mind) featuring Just One
9) Segue: 'Til The Six Is Nine: A Tone Poem
10) 'Til The Six Is Nine
11) You Take The Clouds Away
12) In Your Arms
Adriana Evans – Nomadic www.adrianaevans.com
Great to see Adriana back
with this album. It is very
different from her first and is very much driven by what she wants to do,
rather than what she felt she ought to do, or was advised to do. It is mellower, laden with brazilian
beats, but invariably the soulful voice wins through. Not particularly ‘current’ in the commercial sense but it is
worth persevereing with.
Remember love is getting
attention. Cold as Ice is the best track on the album with strong vocals and
lyrics. In search of also appeals
despite it’s folky feel and catchy chorus. What it is is funky and fine, a bit jazzy and a bit neo –
nice. I had a dream has caribbean
leanings. Morning Light is just
voice and piano evoking visions of the jazz club – only very short though,
and a kind of interlude.
I wish it well because it
is where Adriana wants to be, commercially however I’m not sre.
Track Listing
Walking to the sun
Remember Love
Cold As Ice
In Search Of
What it Is
Something
I Had A Dream
Midight In Bahia
7 Days
Morning Light
I hear Muisc
Rollin On
Former Self
St James – The St James Experience www.stjamesexperience.com
St James – What did I do?
Two albums by St James, very much a poetess and a
style that suits her lyrically. A
mixture of influences for the nomadic St James. Personally I prefer the follow up album as it is harder and
more current in a soulful/R’n’B style.
The first album is more spiritual, sensual, folky
suited to the beautifil imagery on the album sleeve which is very good for an
indie release. Beter on the
more hip hop influenced tracks like Been around the world.
What did I do is altogether more upbeat with
Eastern influences on the title track with handclaps and featuring Automatic. The bouncy more clubby feel continues
on Everybody’s so. The beats are much stronger, more r’n’B but again with
worldly nomadic styles. Lyrically
also different, stronger and more political
Tracks:-
1.
The Gypsy
Burnin' Inside Me
The Truth
Leaving On a Jet Plane
Been Around the World
Change
Love Poem
Trains of Thought
1. What Did I Do?
2. Everybody's So...
3. Money, Money,
Money
4. Don't Wanna Fight
5. Naked Mirror
6. People - (start
Livin' in Love)
Dexter Myers www.dextermyers.com
The first series of tracks on this promo given to me
by Dexter is from the album Soul Stories, the back four are from its
predecessor Eclectic Soul.
Smoothly delivered and well constructed, modern mellow soul, taken
influence from Soul and funk gone by, but by no means feeling old. My favourite from the second album is
Why with it’s catchy chorus, acoustic feel and excellent vocals. Citing Lenny Kravitx and Sade as
influences you can certainly feel these styles coming through both in vocal and
instrumentation. Live feel to it
and I understand that Dex puts on a good show. Modern beats filter through on Summertime, a more neo feel.
Personally don’t care too much for the folky feel on I got U, much better is
the funkier 1988. Excellent
songwriting too. Tempo picks up on
Ecstasy but it’s not really a dance track.
The earlier tracks are more spacier, more trippy,
generally but What is love is a bit more upbeat and in fact one of my
favourites of the whole.
Tracks – Crush; Why?; The One ;
Sunshine/Summertime; Foolish Pride; I got U; 1988; Ecstasy; What is love;
Alright; I want you back; Angel.
Traedonya – Beloved www.traedonya.com
“The time is Traellineum, a time of rebirth
and new growth, a realm of existence where there are no limits and no
boundaries, no colors and no genders. The Mothership has landed, and as
the mouth opens to reveal it's fruit and harvest, behold a beautiful golden
woman-child! Here stands "Traedonya Chequelle", "The Bride
Of New Funk Hip Opera"! She is a peacock, a funky princess, a supernova
star in the making who backs her outrageous image with outrageous talent!
Traedonya stands 5'11 in height, she is energy with attitude, her arrogance
irresistible, her flavor hotly addictive. The spirited approach of a
young Nina Simone, this young, yet well versed goddess, serves the proper
ingredients in her brew. Giving you everything you need to revitalize your
being! The fire of Grace Jones and the "in your face" sass, of
Lynn Collins, Traedonya Chequelle has arrived, and we all will watch "The Bride
Of New Funk Hip Opera" light the world of music and beyond, with a new
sound and new approach. Let her feed your mind, body and soul with the
food of her song”
5 different mixes of a breathy, opera funk track –
Original, Bass, progressive House, Euro, Latin Caribbean. The track has a haunting quality and
the operatic chorus remains in your head whichever mix you choose or is your
preferred style. However the
quality of the song stands out best on the original or bass mix with old skool
funk derivatives and you get to feel the track or the song rather than just the
chorus. The Dance mixes are Ok but
a bit formulaic and don’t really add much to the track or do much for me. In fact they pretty much have the opposite
effect.
This is Elephunk www.basementboys.com
An excellent compilation introducing Elephunk out
of the Basement Boys stable. The Basement Boys being built on a base of soul
gospel and good uptempo dance music move into a funkier side and retaining all
the good things, as one would excpect.
There is some top notch material on display, a brief summary of each
below within the tracklisting. My
personal favourites are Those guys and Fertile Ground, the latter already
kickin up a storm UK wide..
Taja Seville – Never Givin Up (Brazilian Mix) –
Great vocals over a pacey, brazilian and almost accoustic backing. Nonetheless still punchy enough for the
dancefloor, never letting up and the persistent riffs never bore just make you
wanna move.
Fertile Ground – Livin in the light (UK Remix) –
laid back vocals, driving beat, (almost) hidden but essential horns, bit the
old skool, mix it up and comes this storming track.
Vinx – Tomorrow (Afrobeat Mix) – There’s going to
be more of Vinx on these pages I’m sure including his album Through Colored
Folks Eyes which I’m trying to get to grips with. Vocally and lyrically fine and strong directionally, but I
still need to get it all together in my head.
Klement Bonelli & Rochdee – Nocturne – They
certainly know how to mix everything in at this place, with violins (or
soundalike from the desk!) and stuff on show here, hints of D&B in the drum
patters. As instrumentals go there
is sufficient to retain your interest.
Belita Woods & Leroy Burgess – Best of me
(orig Mix) – Great to see names like this being able to get something out. All their past experience on show, this
gives this track a certain (undescribable) feel that is so often missing these
days. Not the best of material but
Leroy’s (particularly) vocal is a joy.
Teddy Douglas – The Bush – Sorry but I don’t
really get this one!
Those Guys ft Sharon Adams – Take you down – now
this is much better, excellent warm feel to it. Singalong yet soulful, reminiscent of old skool and my pick
of the album.
Marvin Springer – Broken Down Soldier – It is good
to see such a variety of material on a project like this. This is a meaningfull (lyrically)
ballad almost unyil the beat kicks in after about 3 minutes or so. Marvin has
an exceptional vocal quality.
Marvin Springer - July – I really like the voice but I think I need to see
this in the context of an album or something.
Vinx – Taste to be acquired – Along with Marvin
there is some thoughtful and different material and again this fits better on
the album rather than this showcase I feel
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