The Spinners’ Atlantic Singles Were Their Peak
Recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees the Spinners made some great Philly-style soul with producer Thom Bell but are still defined by a single song.
soul
Meshell Ndegeocello’s ‘The Omnichord Real Book’ Is Stellar Soul Music
Meshell Ndegeocello always creates a mood around the music that puts rhythm, harmony, and melody in delicious orbits. This is a real genre-crossing soul album.
Róisín Murphy Makes a Valiant Attempt at Being a Soul Diva
On Hit Parade, Róisín Murphy takes her sound – a swirling cacophony of electropop, synthpop, and nu-disco – and looks to soul to elevate her music.
Funky Bluesman Bobby Rush Offers All of His Love
As the title All My Love For You suggests, this is a love album. Blues artist Bobby Rush solicitously offers his feelings and suggests the best is yet to come.
Dr. John’s ‘The Montreux Years’ Highlights His Very Best
The 14 performances recorded over 26 years at the Montreux Jazz Festival capture New Orleans’ Mac “Dr. John” Rebennack at the peak of his powers.
Chris Pierce’s Soulful Anthem “Meet Me at the Bottom” Unites (premiere)
Los Angeles singer-songwriter Chris Pierce premieres his latest tune, “Meet Me at the Bottom”, a slow-burning soul song about finding common ground.
Black Thought and El Michels Affair Team Up for Throwback Hip-Hop
El Michels Affair’s Glorious Game blasts through its 12 tracks in a brisk 31 minutes and changes approach but keeps the focus on Black Thought’s verses.
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats’ ‘What If I’ Is a Mixed Bag
Two years after The Future, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats offer up an EP of leftovers that leave listeners wanting more.
Bettye Crutcher’s “Just the Way You Loved Me” Is a Stax Highlight (premiere)
Enjoy the incomparable Bettye Crutcher and her Stax Records demo for “Just the Way You Loved Me”, a sweet, romantic slice of irresistible soul pop.
Celebrating Sylvester’s Greatest Hits for Pride 2023
Sylvester’s voice – an otherworldly sonic boom of a voice that climbed to dizzying heights – was a significant force in queer pop culture in the 1970s.
A Hero’s Homecoming: Jon Batiste Steals the Show at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
A show with this many moving pieces could easily have devolved into chaos, but in Jon Batiste’s hands, it was a wonderfully diverse, talented vision of what America can be at its best.
Durand Jones’ Solo Debut Is Powerful and Personal
Braiding stirring songwriting prowess and beautiful vocals, Durand Jones has created one of the most assured and brightest debut albums in quite some time.