I thought I would add a few brief reviews of some soulful R'n'B that has hit me recently and that I have not had time to review elsewhere.

A long time coming this one but this is the best track from the album 'Instant Village'. Great groove, sort of easy uptempo, to this and distinctive vocals a la Tony Toni Tone. If you don't get the album get this. Rap bit kept to a minumum so this will and is getting plays in the Soul Clubs. One of the big records of the year.

I was commenting to someone recently that there was some good stuff coming out on Motown recently only to be told that this one has been pulled, though this is unconfirmed. This cut is around on a 12". Again more of this midtempo groove is coming out with a less hardened R'n'B style. It certainly is the Groove I felt in New York back in February and it is not dissimilar to that found in the upfront UK Modern Soul venues. Less Rap, more groove and essentially more soul. Good stuff all round.

This ones a bit slower than the ones mentioned above but essentially falls into the same category. Good and strong 'story' lyrics. Probably not uptempo enough to hit the kind of clubs I've mentioned but a good cut nonetheless.

More good stuff from Erro, mellower and easier than the above and difficult to choose between them

Fast becoming one of those voices that you cannot ignore. This is easy grooving soul with a beat and sufficient of a chorus for it to stick in your mind. Great track.

Must say that I was a bit slow picking up on Ghetto Hymns not liking it at first and Call On Me has only just hit my playlists. I know like it a lot. This cut is R'n'B but quite funky with a punchy beat. Destined for big things and i think I read that this has been picked up by Motown (not MCA).

More Motown - see what I mean, and theres Remy Shand, Lathun and more. Have to do some research on this but I assume that this must be a relation (son maybe) of DJ Rogers. Catchy lyric, well delivered, easy but danceable -what more do you want?

I find Musiq hard to get on with, the narrative style songs I find hard or slow to take. I only got into the first album after I saw him live. The follow up album has been out for a while and the same thing applies. I do try, harder than I do with most artists and I guess it will come. This track at the moment is the one I'm giving most time to.

Montell has a good voice actually and this is an excellent slow soul ballad. Occasionally a ballad like this hits big time - I don't think it will be this one but you never know.

I'm not doing this deliberately (I'm taking them as they come) but this is more Motown. A gamble Huff song, O'Jays, if I recall correctly. I love this to death - awesome slow Soul with a capital S. You see there is still some Soul around in this year 2.

Back to some Modern Soul Groovin and this was getting some plays in the fairly recent past. Strong voice over a beat that will 'et Off' the dancefloors. One that will nestle among my top cuts for the year.