Following up on the retro sounds of his last album, The Way I See It, singer/producer/multi-instrumentalist (and former member of Tony Toni Tone and Lucy Pearl) Raphael Saadiq has decided on a similar format for his fourth solo album, Stone Rollin‘. Variously described as a ’70s tribute album/sequel to The Way I See It (which had a more ’60s vibe) or a “rock” album, Stone Rollin‘ is neither, really. While it’s instantly recognizable as a successor to The Way I […]
Posts tagged "soul music"
A Moment With: Kenya Hall
One wouldn’t necessarily expect Maine to be a hotbed of soul, but sure enough, there’s an up and coming soul band emerging from the…er, whatever Maine is famous for (anyone from Maine reading this post-please don’t kill me.) If you’re from the area and you haven’t checked out the Kenya Hall Band , then shame on you. If you’re not from the area and you love soul music, please allow this column to be your introduction. I was fortunate enough to be able […]
Who the Hell Are…Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears?
Because I live in an area where you don’t see a lot of live soul and funk, it’s become something of a treat when I do get to see an artist who knows how to bring the groove. I was fortunate enough to check out a thrilling show by Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears at the Middle East on Sunday night. Based in Austin Texas, the band’s got a solid buzz, lots of blog love and they’ve just released […]
Before “Bleuphoria”, Rahsaan Patterson Delivers Some V-Day Treats
While you’ll certainly come across more than your fair share of Michael Jackson references on this site, you’ll also find me giving props to a great deal of artists and bands that fall just under the commercial radar these days, like Mike Doughty, El DeBarge, and Ray LaMontagne and Me’shell Ndegeocello, just to name a few. For nearly a decade and a half now, I’ve checked for Rahsaan Patterson. He is, quite simply put, the most underrated male R&B singer […]
Blerd Appreciation: Teena Marie
Teena Marie, soul legend, passed away on Sunday December 26th at the age of 54.
Hear Here!: “Easier Said Than Done” by Rahsaan Patterson
Why does every blogger who knows even a little about modern soul music go apeshit over Rahsaan Patterson? Because he’s THAT. FUCKING. GOOD. Mainstream America isn’t hip to him yet (and probably never will be-their loss), but if you think about modern soul’s greatest and most consistent voices, Rah is definitely up there. And unlike most contemporary soul stars, he hasn’t yet felt the need to take a ten year break so we can miss him-thank God. Rahsaan’s new album, […]
TVone Wants to Know: Who Should Be on the Next Season of Unsung?
If you’re a fan of soul music and you’re not watching TVone’s documentary series “Unsung”, you are missing out big time. The series, which concludes its’ third season this week, spotlights artists with compelling back stories who have not gotten their deserved props from the mainstream. The folks behind this show really do their research-almost every episode has been sit-in-front-of-the-TV-rapt good. They’ve covered everyone from Donny Hathaway and Phyllis Hyman to DeBarge and Stacy Lattisaw, and this season’s final episode […]
Chamone!! New Michael Jackson Album Coming Out 12/14
Well, this is a nice little Christmas gift. Sony Music has announced that an album consisting of previously unreleased Michael Jackson material is coming out on December 14th, just in time for the festive holiday season. No word on the track listing yet, but the album, entitled “Michael”, will contain at least a few tracks recorded in 2007 in New Jersey. There’s already been a bit of a kerfuffle (I’ve always wanted to use that word) regarding whether the vocals […]
Blerd’s Notes: A Guide To The Music Of Prince (Part Two)
Originally published 11/1/10 When dealing with someone whose released approximately 600 albums during his lifetime, it’s best to go piece by piece. When it comes to Prince, we’re gonna go five at a time. When we last left the Purple Yoda, he was on the verge of megastardom. “1999” was his biggest pop success, and set the stage for… “Purple Rain” (1984)– By the time “1999” hit, Prince was feeling himself so much, he convinced his label (and film studio […]
How Does He Still SOUND Like That?: Philip Bailey is Back with “Love is Real”
35 years ago, Earth Wind & Fire scored their first (and strangely, only) #1 pop single with “Shining Star”. It catapulted the band into huge stardom, and they, along with Parliament/Funkadelic, were the pre-eminent soul/funk band of the Seventies. Songs like “Reasons” and “Can’t Hide Love” became soul classics, while “September” is a perennial of any oldies station these days. The main voice on many of EW&F’s hits was, of course, the incomparable Philip Bailey. He’s alternated between pop and […]