The Dirty Dozen - The Best Of 2021... Part 2 (Feb 2021 Wk 6)

My selection of the best releases this week (Feb 2021 Wk 6)

This is a new feature I'm starting to keep track of the best releases as we progress through the year. In general it will be releases of new material only unless a cover version or a reissue is good enough to warrant posting. I'll try to do it weekly on Sundays and keep it to 10/12 each week but if there is an abundance of great material then I'll expand as necessary. At the end of each month/quarter I'll then whittle it down to the top 10/12 of the month/quarter so that by the end of the year the best tracks should present themselves as often tracks released early in the year get forgotten when the best of the year is being chosen.

Part 1

This is my selection of the best release so far this month (Feb 2021).

In no particular order with [Camelot Key/BPM] where available.

Alvin Garrett Feat. Kim Scott - The Lightness of Love [Hill Entertainment] [7A/100]

Sound of SuperBad Feat. Robert Imtume Owens  - Vibration [Izipho Soul#ZP56] [8B/100]

Tesa Williams Feat. Marc Nelson - Just The Lonely Talking Again [Society Hill] [8B/67]

Chelly K - Yesterday Is Gone [Self Released]

S. Fidelity Feat. NDO - Mixed Signals [Jakarta] [3B/92]

Abi Farrell - I Will See You Through [Big AC] [7A/116]

Hi Love  - Cold Wind [Spin Forward] [4A/91]

Tristan - Perfect Girl

Dav Hall  - Still Lov'n You [Davhallmuzic] [9A/96]

Leela James  - Complicated [BMG] [4B/70]

Robin Thicke - That's What Love Can Do [Lucky Music] [2B/82]

Raquel Rodriguez - Don't You Know [Blue Dream]  [8B/81]

 

Robin Thicke [2021] - On Earth, And In Heaven [Lucky Music] (Full Album)

The new album from Robin Thicke 'On Earth, And In Heaven', from which I've already posted a couple of tracks prior to release, has now been released on 12 Feb 2021. 

I have to admit that I've never really considered Robin Thicke seriously before, but after this album and a track that came up on my feed afterwards 'Can U Believe', it looks like I've missed out on some good music. So, if like me, you've previously dismissed his music give this a listen, you may be as surprised as I was.

After having a first listen, I can recommend the following tracks:

Lucky Star

Hola

The Things You Do To Me

Beautiful (already posted)

Take Me Higher (already posted)

That's What Love Can Do

I'm not going to post them all, so I'll just point you to the Full Album here

That's What Love Can Do

For me, this is the classiest track on the album with jazzy muted horn towards the end.

Raquel Rodriguez [2021] - Don't You Know [Blue Dream]

Raquel Rodriguez entered the UK Soul chart this week with 'Undone' and has also just released another track 'Don't You Know' on 12 Feb 2021 which is a mellow and soulful, ballad/stepper.

Yas VW [2021] - Be The One [Forbidden]

The third release from 21 year old Londoner Yas VW (Yasmin Vaughan-Williams) who debuted last year with 'Weakness' and followed it up with 'Off The Ground' with Jacob Latimore. Both of these were R&B tunes. Her latest single 'Be The One', released 5 Feb 202,1 is a more soulful affair although the R&B elements are still there.

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Lamone [2021] - Girl You Need a Change of Mind (Honeycomb Vocal Mix) [Honeycomb Music]

Released 5 Jan 2021. I posted it a few weeks back  but it wasn't available on YT at the time so linked to sample on BandCamp.

There are 3 versions of this Eddie Kendricks cover version, this vocal mix, a piano mix and an instrumental. You can listen to them all here.

Solex Feat. Tony McLendon [2021] - It Won't Last [Solex]

A new album from Solex (Solomon Edmond) 'Full Moon' was released 1 Feb 2021. This will be his 8th album since his debut 'Together Again' in 2007. The title track is the new single but the track I'm posting is 'It Won't Last' featuring Tony McLendon. The majority of the album is instrumental piano smooth jazz.

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Tony McLendon [2015] - Smile [The Music Church]

Tony McLendon released an album in 2015 'I'm A Winner' which has several good tracks on it. As a sampler here's 'Smile' from it.

Omar Wilson [2021] - Sounds That You Make [BSE]

This ballad has been released from Omar Wilson's 2019 album 'Living Legend' as a single on 11 Feb 2021, almost 2 years after the album's release.

I just realised that I also posted some other tracks by him last year here.

It's A Man's World

On the album he does a verions of James Brown's It's A Man's World'.

Carmen Rodgers [2021] - Again And Again [Candigirl]

Carmen Rodgers has released a new EP 'Hello Human, Vol. 1' on 12 Feb 2021. The only track of any interest to soul listeners is 'Again And Again'.

Lannie Counts [2021] - You're Free To Go [BTBLive]

New release (4 Feb 2021) with an old school feel. Lannie Counts is from Phoenix. AZ and now lives and peforms in Las Vegas with the Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns who celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2019. I beleieve that he also does Nat King Cole impersonations.

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Take Time

An earlier release from May 2019

iStevie [2021] - Oral Lovin' [iStevieMuzikLand]

From a new album 'The Bedroom Soundtrack' released 11 Feb 2021. As you can probably ascertain from the title it's 'supposedly' love music, but Teddy Pendergrass or Barry White he ain't.  

The titles and lyrics are vulgar and 'lewd' and I'm no prude, I just don't 'get it' as it's all a bit juvenile and detracts from the music.  To give you an idea, some of the track titles are Doggy Style, Fuckin', Sex, Quickie, how do they think they will get airlpay with these titles, or is it some sort of perverse ploy to market to juveniles who think it's cool? 

Oral Lovin' is about the only 'soul' track on the album, to be honest i don't really know why I'm bothering to post it as the lyrics are obviously about oral sex, but it has got a decent  groove, the rest is the usual and predicable fare. 

Maybe it's me, but most of the R&B of music is instantly forgettable as there's no discerning rhythm or melody and they just all blur together, the singers and the songs sound the same.