Review: Marie and Necalli's new Thee Lakesiders project has been snapped up by the Big Crown imprint and slapped up onto tasty 7" format! We just love new soul and jazz, with too many reissues filling up our charts these days, and especially if it sounds anywhere near as fresh as this. "Si Me Faltaras Tu" is a straight-up soul groover, made with LA's sun-kissed charm and South American sensibilities, while "Parachute" is the stand-out piece, all lo-fi and stripped-back, but filled with enough mystique and garage sensibility to render it comparable to the very best psych acts of the 70s. TIP!
Review: Thee Marloes are next up on the popular and brilliant Big Crown label with two seductive soul sounds. This is a 45rpm debut from this band and a fine one too that comes all the way from their homeland of Surabaya, Indonesia. As such this is a wide mix of sounds from American soul, jazz, and pop with plenty of local culture and influences. The A-side is an upbeat jam with dancefloor grooves and ear worm melodies while the flip is a different vibe entirely with wide open space used beautifully and great Indonesian vocals.
Review: Two tracks from the Indonesian three piece - and two moods to match. 'Not Today' is all warmth and groove, a feel-good anthem built for slow mornings and easy afternoons, with Natassya Sianturi's vocals gliding effortlessly over the beat as she carves out space for self-preservation. On the flip, 'Over' evolves into a more contemplative space, opening with a weighty drum break before unfolding into layers of rich melody and soaring emotion. Sianturi traces the emotional arc of a love affair from spark to collapse, her voice soaring over Raka's intricate, slow-burning arrangement, all crashing into a dramatic finale. It's a perfect balance of light and shade, showcasing the group's ability to move between joy and heartbreak with effortless finesseia compact but potent statement from a group hitting their stride.
Review: Those superb soul overs at Big Crown have dug deep again and unearthed a new one from Thee Marloes, who turn out a ballad sung in Indonesian. It's an inescapably exotic vocal and it comes over a stripped down track made from lovely hand drums, warm electric piano, and super guitar lines. This tune comes as the Thee Marloes are in the midst, we're told, of working on their new album but whether it is a tune from it is unsure. On the B-side of the 45rpm is 'True Love', another heartwarming gem with worldly charm and unforgettable grooves.
Review: Thee Sacred Souls dropped a well-received debut album last year after a great run of singles, all of which came on the Penrose label out of Spain. They have already started with more singles post that LP and 'Future Lover' is next up. The title tune takes up the a-side with its slow-motion soul, languid guitar licks and gorgeous vocal harmonies. Fans of Leon Bridges or Khruangbin will love this one. 'For Now' then strips right back to a beautiful falsetto and star-gazing guitar that makes you ache for you don't know what, but it's a lovely feeling.
Review: First released back in 1973, Flying Dutchman aver their grand standing on the parapet that is the New York jazz scene with a timely new reissue of Leon Thomas' 'Just In Time To See The Sun', which now appears with a different B-side counterpart. Shaker-uppers, these sonic sailers are! Where As 'Just In Time...' itself first surfaced as the B-side to a stirring album cut 'Never Let Me Go' - which also graced the pimpin' Tennessee blues-jazz musician's later record Full Circle - it now comes paired with the pentatonic skiffle 'China Doll'. FD's new curative duopoly on Thomas' bellowing sound flaunts the singer and musician's deep range, contrasting the styptic funk explosions of the titular Santana cover on the A with the shaker-laden Orientalist groove on the B.
Leon Thomas - "The Creator Has A Master Plan (Peace)" (edit) (3:02)
Louis Armstrong & Leon Thomas - "The Creator Has A Master Plan (Peace)" (4:06)
Review: 'The Creator Has a Masterplan (Peace)' might have been performed beautifully by Louis Armstrong but it was written by Pharoah Sanders and Leon Thomas. Sanders was the first to record and release it on February 14, 1969 and it has since been covered by the likes of Don Cherry, Krokodil, The Dynamics, Lord Echo and many more artists right up to the present day. Here we get the Leon Thomas versions from 1969 as well as the one he recorded alongside Louis a year later. Two sublime sounds that make the whole world feel at peace.
Review: Unlike many of their compatriots, Timeless Legend were a soul group who didn't limit themselves to a killer, one-off EP before disappearing into the shadows. Believe us when we say that this is basically what happened to most bands in the 70s. In the case of these guys, they stuck around for a series of albums and singles that have remained engrained in every collector's memory, and that now go for big bucks on the second-hand market. "Everybody Disco" is their 1979 masterpiece, a tune that encapsulates the disco movement perfectly, from the beats to the bass and even the synths. What a hummable dance anthem - grab it before the RSD 2018 stock runs out!
Review: February is the month of love and so it is fitting that a new 7" drops from our much loved Washington DC label Peoples Potential Unlimited US. Every bit of lo-fi funk and disco this label deals in comes with a healthy dose of romance and this one from Marshall Titus is another case in point. 'Take A Chance' is full of steamy promise and retro-future 80s synth work over crunchy drums. The vocal is alluring and sensuous and the bassline further pulls you in. On the flip is a more raw and affected alternate version.
Review: Produced in 1986 by one Willie Harpe, 'Give It Up' was originally written by TL ('Tom Lipkins'), a fake moniker for little-cited artists George Mahood and Soul Sam. Never before seeing the light of day, it's a testament to just how little talent corresponds with recognition in the music market - this is heartbreaking music, produced with the utmost quality. 'Give It Up' combines loose drumming and a misty, boxy reverb on the master to produce a red-lit mood of sultriness, as TL wails and belts over a dozy soul groove. 'Let's Talk It Over', meanwhile, is a stunning lullaby for breaking up to make up.
Review: Back in the glorious 1970s, Tobi Lark's 'Happiness Is Here' was one of the key Northern Soul anthems and one that brought plenty of Motown influences. However, as soul aficionados' palates evolved in the 80s and 90s, the slower, deeper 'Challenge My Love' became the favoured Lark track. Unexpectedly, its B-side, the bluesy 'Sweep It Out In The Shed,' also emerged as a new favourite among r&b enthusiasts, transforming it into a sought-after floor-filler. Once a modest collector's item, it now commands four-figure prices. This reissue faithfully recreates the coveted original pressing, injecting it with a vibrant twist and ensuring that the timeless allure of Tobi Lark's music endures for new generations.
The Tolbert Family Singers - "Ride The Gospel Train" (feat Brother O C Tolbert) (3:36)
O C Tolbert - "Give It To Glory" (5:46)
Review: With Cordial Recordings, LoveVinyl's Roual Galloway is doing a terrific job in making rare, sought-after tracks available to a wider audience. In truth, you'll struggle to find a more rare and expensive gospel killer than The Tolbert Family Singers' "Ride The Gospel Train", a drum machine driven chunk of gospel-boogie with crunchy funk guitars that's been changing hands for hundreds of pounds online. Andrew Weatherall is a fan and it's easy to see why. Flipside "Give it Glory", a solo cut by Tolbert Family patriarch Brother OC Tolbert, is a sweeter and breezier slab of gospel-soul that has never before been released on vinyl. Two killer cuts for the price of one: nice one, Roual!
Bibleway Church Of God In Christ - "Since Jesus Came Into My Life" (3:09)
Eliezer Mass Choir - "Where He Leads Me" (3:01)
Review: If you're looking for an introduction into the world of original 1970s and '80s gospel funk and gospel soul, you can't do better than Tone B Nimble's ongoing Soul is My Salvation series of double A-side "45s". This is the eighth edition in the series and contains two more thoroughly obscure workouts. On the A-side you'll find Bibleway Church of God in Christ's 'Since Jesus Came Into My Life', a fizzing gospel-soul stomper that was first featured on the organisation's 1980 private press LP What Do You Say About Jesus. Over on the flip there's a chance to savour Eliezer Mass Choir's 'Where He Leads Me', a more disco-tinged number that reminded us a little of the Joubert Singers' much-loved 'Stand on the Word'.
Spiritual Souls - "We Came To Show You The Way" (5:11)
Heaven's Sound - "Fire" (3:16)
Review: Tone B Nimble's eight part 7" series is shining a light on some essential gospel, disco, boogie and soul sounds which, when all put together, reveal a beautiful design courtesy of designer Charlotte McCrae. That makes this an extra special collector's piece even before you add the music into the bargain. Chapter 7 is a busting one with Spiritual Souls 1982 jam 'We Came To Show You The Way' layering up hardcore funk rhythms with some early rap vocals that bring the attitude. Reverse it for Heaven's Sound's 1984 gold, 'Fire,' which is an expansive and expressive vocal masterpiece.
Can't You See (feat Keith Murray - Bad Boy remix) (4:21)
Review: American R&B girl group Total penned the original 'Can't You See' in 1995 as part of the New Jersey Drive soundtrack. By then, the duo had already appeared on classic joints by Notorious BIG such as 'One More Chance' and 'Juicy,' so he returned the favour with an intro rap verse to this one. IT made it a huge success n the US Billboard Top 100 and also hit the Top 50 of the UK chart. On the flip is the Keith Murray Bad Boy remix which is that bit slower and more sensuous
Review: Allen Toussaint was a production, songwriting and performance great who had a vast impact on music until his passing in 2015. Whipped Cream & Other Delights is a special, limited edition 7" that commemorates his work and features some of his most well-loved songs and famous tunes. First up is 'Whipped Cream' by The Stokes (which went on to become a worldwide hit via Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass album), then comes 'Here Come The Girls' "Working In The Coal Mine' by Lee Dorsey and 'Fortune Teller by Benny Spellman', all written of course by the one and only Allen Toussaint.
Towana & The Total Destruction - "Wear Your Natural, Baby" (2:49)
Ty Karim - "If I Cant Stop You (I Can Slow You Down)" (3:40)
Review: Digging and finding rare soul, funk and disco 7" is like a right to passage for many obsessed with finding black gold in record shops. Sometimes, it's just too hard to find good copies let alone one at all. Kent Records does us all a big favor and gathers up two hard to come by soul tracks for one special 45. Towana & The Total Destruction's - 'Wear Your Natural, Baby' & Ty Karim's 'If I Can't Stop You (I Can Slow You Down)'. Both of these were originally released on Romark, which was a small Los Angeles label releasing funk and soul, and are destined to delight the hardcore afficianado and casual visitor to soul music alike.
Review: Transport's Move Your Body is a thrilling rediscovery from a once short-lived Portland outfit, featuring members from Ural Thomas' 1960s band. This eleven-piece disco-funk powerhouse recorded an album's worth of gems in 1978, but they remained buried for over four decades. The steady groove of the A-side captures their original essence, yet it's their dynamic rendition of 'Always There' that steals the showiarguably the finest cover of Ronnie Laws' classic to date.
Review: Famously featured on NY Style Vol. 46 by DJ Masaru, Tranzit's 'Necessary Love' is a rare boogie gem from the 1980s that deserves more shine - and will not get it with this reissue. Smooth and soulful to its core, it delivers a mid-tempo groove wrapped in dreamy chords, lush textures and heartfelt vocals. With its romantic message and mellow energy, it's perfect for slow dancing or late-night reflection and is more than just a love song. It captures the emotional essence of 80s modern soul, so if you love overlooked r&b treasures, 'Necessary Love' is a crucial pick up.
Review: Alonzo Turner's 1978 classic 'Whoever Said It' gets a repress here for all you disco fanatics in the know. There's a familiar vocal (what a falsetto!) and bass hook on part one that was probably sampled a lot over the years, while the second part on the flip is more funked-up and groovy - perfect for DJ use. Turner went on to garner production credits for the likes of Rivage, a funk/soul-quartet from Miami, and for vocalist Norma Lewis (Passion All Stars, Shakatak, Stepsisters) before fading into obscurity. Turner passed away in 1991, aged 38.
AC Tilmon & The Detroit Emeralds - "That's All I Got" (2:58)
Review: This reissue seven-inch offers up another double-header of hard to find heat from the expansive vaults of the legendary Kent label. First up on the A-side is Unique Blend's 1973 cut "Gonna Spread The News", a spiraling chunk of sing-along soul goodness full of heady group vocals, cut-glass strings, hazy horns and clipped guitar riffs. Over on side B you'll find A.C. Tilmon & The Detroit Emeralds' 1975 side "That's All I Got", a slightly more up-tempo and punchier affair that prioritizes groove and vocals over any kind of orchestral sweetness.
Haunted By Your Love (Call Sender dub version) (3:17)
Review: Get your lugs around this, the first single from Leo Vidal & The Rayvelles, and you will soon be keen to know more. 'Haunted By Your Love' is a modern take on the West Coast oldies sound from Leo Vidal, a 70s soul singer from rural Virginia who brings his East Coast harmonies to croon about lost love. The Rayvelles is the duo of Fergal McBride and Tuck Nelson and are the creative force behind Echo Ray Studios in London, a space that channels the soul of Motown into contemporary music. Backing vocals are provided by Cassandra Dali and Marietta Smith while the flip has a remix by Call Sender who layers in some inviting dub weight.
Albert Washington & The Kings - "I'm The Man" (2:40)
Albert Washington - "Case Of The Blues" (2:55)
Review: Kent Soul continue in their efforts to 100% faithfully replicate the works of old soul greats from the 60s and 70s, sustaining the everlasting flame of Northern soul and its various splinter hubs across the UK. Now Cincinnatian blues legend Albert Washington gets his due: a highly productive recording artist, active from the 60s all the way through to the 90s, Washington's 'I'm The Man' seizes the a short window moment in which a new spinster might be met with an opportunistic proposition after a bad breakup. "You don't have nobody to call your own / darlin', I'm the man / I share your pain, I do / I can make all your dreams come true / now, come on / yessir, you need me..."
Review: During the various pandemic lockdowns of 2020, BBC Radio Wales suggested to multi-instrumentalist Carwyn Ellis that he joined forces with their National Orchestra of Wales and Brazilian band Rio 18 for a one-off, audience-free concert. In the end, Rio 18 were not permitted to travel, so instead their contributions were recorded remotely and assembled by Ellis and his producer Shawn Lee, to which the orchestrated parts were then added live. Despite this complex recording process, the results are stunning: sublime songs, sung in Welsh, with an attractive mixture of Brazilian rhythms and instrumentation, soaring orchestration and attractive melodies aplenty. It has a conceptual theme - it's meant to be a sort of musical day in Rio - but that doesn't really matter; what matters is the music, and it's uniformly spellbinding.
Review: The glorious Athens of the North label will always be one of our favourites. It is pretty much buy on sight for lovers of soul, funk and disco and this month it is serving up two more unmissable long players. Here it is Ike and The Uptights and their superb sounds which make, what me might bravely, say, could be one of this always high class label's finest releases. Formed by Henry Bradley in Forrest City, The Uptights recorded for Memphis label Action Records and here we get a perfect window into their world of raw and guttural funk.
Review: Ebo Taylor, a towering figure in highlife and afrobeat, recorded his latest album during his debut US touria milestone that came at the remarkable age of 88. Teaming up with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Taylor crafted a psychedelic journey steeped in 70s-inspired rhythms. Tracks like 'Beye Bu, Beye Ba' and 'Kusi Na Sibo' reflect his spiritual depth and lyrical wisdom, exploring themes of gratitude and divine guidance. Recorded at Linear Labs, the album pulses with fuzzed-out guitars, polyrhythmic percussion, and Taylor's signature vocal style, standing as both a testament to his enduring brilliance and a crown jewel in the Jazz Is Dead series.
Review: Thee Marloes bring a fresh and unique sound to the soul music scene, blending elements of soul, jazz, and pop with their Indonesian roots. Hailing from Surabaya, the trio consists of Natassya Sianturi on vocals and keys, Sinatrya ("Raka") Dharaka on guitar, and Tommy Satwick on drums. Their debut album, Perak, harnesses their ability to craft deeply emotional and rhythmically engaging tracks. Opening with 'Midnight Hotline,' a vibrant dancefloor hit with jazzy guitar riffs and infectious piano, Thee Marloes immediately capture attention. The B-side, 'Beri Cinta Waktu,' is a soulful ballad sung in Indonesian, demonstrating their linguistic versatility and heartfelt delivery. Tracks like 'I Know' explore themes of deception in love with a mid-tempo groove, while 'Not Today' offers an uplifting, feel-good vibe perfect for any laid-back setting. 'True Love' dives into soulful jazz, creating a cinematic atmosphere reminiscent of a Tarantino film. The album closes with 'Over,' starting with a powerful drum break and evolving into a beautifully layered melody that encapsulates the intensity of a sudden breakup. Perak is a beacon of Thee Marloes' passion and creativity. Their music transcends cultural and language barriers, leaving a lasting impression.
Review: Thee Sacred Souls return with Got A Story To Tell, the highly anticipated follow-up to their 2022 self-titled debut. This new album, featuring 12 original tracks, showcases the band's growing artistry, recorded and produced by Gabriel Roth at Daptone's Penrose Recorders in Riverside, CA. Drawing from a deep well of soul music, Got A Story To Tell weaves a timeless yet contemporary tapestry. The album kicks off with 'Lucid Girl,' a celebration of independence set against powerful drums and bass, while 'Waiting On The Right Time' brings a hint of slow-burning psychedelia. In 'One and the Same,' vocalist Lane delivers a heartfelt plea for unity through her passionate lyrics. With lush orchestration, including strings, congas, and horns, the album is rich and textured, making each listen a rewarding experience. Got A Story To Tell marks a stunning evolution in Thee Sacred Souls' sound.
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