Flirt (reissue) (2016)
The voice has always been the one constant for Evelyn “Champagne” King. King’s instrument led to her Hollywood type discovery at Philadelphia International Records where as a 16-year-old she worked with her mother as a custodian. King was singing in the bathroom while cleaning when she was overheard by one of the label’s producers, who […]
The American Mythology: The 7th Sign (2016)
Donnie – The American Mythology: The 7th Sign Atlanta-based, Kentucky reared Donnie Johnson is one of the distinct musical geniuses to come out of the early 2000s, following a string of new creative musician spiritualists whose ambitious work was something more than just notes and chords. Their music is life. And, like D’Angelo and Lauryn […]
Momentum (2015)
I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere after the watershed event of 2009’s utterly brilliant Soulacoaster and before 2015’s Momentum, it felt like UK producer, remixer, and musician Soulpersona had largely lost his mojo. The well-executed soul jazz, soul funk, and danceable R&B musicianship that were hallmarks of much of his chic sound were […]
Code Red (2015)
On her eighth studio release in 20 years, Code Red, Monica sings the sentiments of Gen Xers and Baby Boomers who fail to research what’s available outside of terrestrial radio with “I Miss Music,” which along with lyrics from the title track are supposed to signify a return to something timeless. And the Atlanta-bred songstress […]
Return of the Tender Lover (2015)
Babyface – Return of the Tender Lover For those of a certain age, there was a surefire ‘starter kit’ to get the romantic engines racing to the finish line (or at least beyond second base): wine, roses, candlelight and repeated spins of Tender Lover. Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds wasn’t the only soul man singing love songs, of course, but […]
The Chocolate Noise Effect (2014)
A short conversation can be heard early on The Chocolate Noise Effect, the debut album by Detroit native Frank “Frankie” Simmons III, in which a group of young musicians express their desire to go back to an earlier musical era. One wishes that he could have been a young musician in the 1960s when Motown […]
Lightyears (2015)
David Ryan Harris – Lightyears Veteran Atlanta-bred singer-songwriter David Ryan Harris is probably best known in a certain lane for his recent guitar work with fellow troubadour John Mayer, but Harris is and has been so much more than a notable sideman for a celebrity pop star. He’s also long been a boundary pusher and visionary […]
At Least For Now (2015)
At 16 years old, Benjamin Clementine found himself homeless in Camden, England, and then homeless in Paris, in order to live away from his parents, who wanted him to be a lawyer. Clementine won the Mercury Prize in November for his debut album At Least For Now, when only a few years ago he used […]
Dirty Revival (2015)
This year has showcased some of the most promising talent out of Portland, Oregon on SoulTracks.com. The Rose City unmistakably has one of the U.S.’s most respected music scenes. From introducing jazz vocalist/musician Esperanza Spaulding to national audiences to the eclectic ensemble of Pink Martini, Portland has proven itself a force. Yet, as a whole, […]
Spiritual Relationship: The Deeper Meaning (2015)
Matthew Shell – Spiritual Relationship: The Deeper Meaning One of the things that remained with me after watching “20 Feet From Stardom,” the documentary about the largely black female backing vocalists who provided the vocal foundation to pop, rock and soul music’s greatest hits, was hearing several of them talk about the toll that the […]
