Happy August SoulTrackers!
What a July it was for us here. If there is any doubt that Soul music is coming back strong, one only had to listen to all the great new albums coming out. Our ears were never happier. And thousands of you checked our April Hill free mp3 download, making it our most popular ever! As some of you have seen, we've added a new regular feature to SoulTracks, called Listen and Vote. It gives SoulTrackers the chance to sound off and help artists choose which song from their album to make their single. We ran our first Listen and Vote last week with SoulTracks favs Soulive (see right) and this month we'll be returning with some hot tracks from the upcoming album by New York based group Albright feat. Vivian Sessoms. Let us know how you like this new feature! Lots of other good stuff in this month's newsletter, so sit back and enjoy! Chris
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New CD Reviews
Down to the Bone – Fans of hot instrumental funk have flocked to Down to the Bone for years, and they'll find an awful lot to love on DTTB's newest release, Supercharged. Come see our review by Detrel Howell. Chris Jasper – The legendary Isleys keyboardist and songwriter has returned with another fine new solo album of soulful Gospel. It's our CD of the Month (see below).
Ledisi – Fans of this great soul/jazz singer have been waiting too long for her Verve Records debut. Lost and Found finally arrives this month and we have an advance review by L. Michael Gipson.
Kendra Ross – This New York singer has been turning heads on the East Coast for awhile, and she's finally released her debut album, New Voice. See how our Christopher Whaley liked it.
Kool & the Gang – For their first new album in a decade, Kool & the Gang have pulled out the stops. Check out our review.
Soulive – Soulive has been a funk/soul favorite for nearly a decade (see our feature, right), and they take another step on their Stax debut, No Place Like Soul.
Paul Taylor – With his new Ladies Choice album Paul Taylor again shows he's the master of smooth grooves. See our Steven Riggs' review.
Marvin Sapp – Former Commissioned member and popular minister Marvin Sapp returns with another album that won't leave you Thirsty.
Trinitee 5:7 – They scored with "God's Grace" and a number of other hits earlier this decade. Check out our biography of this Gospel trio.
Terence Trent D'arby – Can you believe it was 20 years ago now that this singer topped the charts with his unique, soulful sound? See what happened to him after his meteoric rise and fall.
Mark Broussard – This young singer dared to taken on some of the most popular soul songs of the 60s and 70s for his album SOS:Save Our Soul, and our Drake Phifer says he pulled it off!
G – Named the "Voice of the Black Collegian," G is putting out intelligent hip-hop that moves above the common. See our Vernita Naylor's review.
And check out our music news on artists such as Raul Midon, The Whispers and Sy Smith.
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Where Are They Now? KOOL & THE GANG
Kool & the Gang has had two distinct lives at the top. One as the funk group of the 70s kicking out cuts like "Jungle Boogie" and one as perhaps the biggest soul/dance group of the 80s with hits like "Celebration" and "Joanna." Now they're poised for a third life with their brand new album Still Kool. Check out our update on this longtime favorite group. Click Here to see our Where Are They Now? Feature
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CD of the Month – New Chris Jasper!
Chris Jasper was a driving force behind the long success of the Isley Brothers and has been a force for conversion and faith through his two decade Gospel solo career. So were pleased that his new album Invincible will be our CD of the Month, at a special price and with FREE SHIPPING. Click here to listen to or purchase Invincible.
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SoulTracks Popularity Index
Each month SoulTracks publishes the SoulTracks Popularity Index, our summary of the most popular artist pages on our website. This month's winner is a group that defined romantic soul of the 70s: the fabulous Stylistics. We also had a number of first-timers in the top 10, including Phil Perry and April Hill. Click Here to see this month's Popularity Index.
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Featured Artist
Soulive has been one of the hottest funk groups for nearly a decade, and now the addition of lead singer Toussaint has added a great new dimension to the group, just in time for the release of their newest album, No Place Like Home, on the revitalized Stax label. This week we're featuring Soulive and are also finishing our "Listen and Vote" piece on them. To read more about Soulive, click here.
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Choice Track Melissa Young South Carolina native and current Atlanta resident Melissa Young has a guitar and a whole lotta talent, and she's showing it on her new album, Just Up the Road. We think you'll like Melissa so much that we're featuring her new single, "Just A Girl" as this month's Choice Track FREE DOWNLOAD so come check it out. |
The SoulTracks Top Ten CDs Phil Perry
Classic soulster Phil Perry had a big month in July, nailing his first #1 on the SoulTracks charts with his brand new CD A Mighty Love. But close behind were recent albums by Maysa, Ryan Shaw, Donnie and Chrisette Michele.
To see the entire Top Ten Chart, CLICK HERE. |
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