More Sy Smith, taken from her debut album
'Psykosooul +' which was initially released as a promo only CD in 1999 and again in 2005, but didn't get a proper release until 2007.
It was also released on B side of a (promo only) 12" which featured
Raphael Saadiq & Q-Tip 'Get Involved' on the A side. Both featured on the soundtrack for Spike Lee's animated sitcom The PJs.
I thought it sounded familiar, as it was written by Eddie Brickell and
released by
Eddie Brickell & New Bohemians
in 1988 and reached #31 on UK chart in Feb 1989.
I posted this quite a while ago (it was released 30 Dec 2020) and did
a
feature
on her. However, an official video for it has just been released on 10 Feb 2021, and
I for one, don't need to be asked twice to watch
Sy Smith!
A couple of tracks from Castella both released as singles in the last half of 2020.
Castella is a singer from Long Beach, CA who left an executive job in HR and began singing professionally in 2019. You can read her full story on her website.
The only track that could be considered as 'soul' from a new album/EP from Keith Buxton ('Always
There') released 19 Feb 2021. The remaining 5 tracks are all
R&B.
A new 14 track compilation of female southern soul was released 19 Feb
2021 titled 'Southern Soul Queens'. I think most of these tracks
have been around for a while and have been put together for the
compilation by Ricky White.
Released 19 Feb 2021, a new album from Steve Stickz Heyliger titled 'The
Midlander', which suggests to me that he's from UK, and indeed, I've
discovered that he's from Nottingham from a bio
here.
He hit the UK charts in 2000 (#23) with Monsta Boy on a garage track
called 'Sorry' and was heavily involved in the reggae scene in the 80s
with his own sound system 'Tumblah Entertainment Express'.
This is a good set and, on first listen, the standout tracks
include:
The most 'instant' tune, for me, which probably ought to have been the first single, is
'Something In You' which is a mellow stepper (posted below), but it looks like he's gone with 'Living For You'[8B/81].
An interesting album from Flowers For The Living, 'Bouquet Of Beautiful', which features various different vocalists/artist on each track was
released on 2 Feb 2021.
It's a mellow affair of neo soul/R&B/hip-hop with spoken rather than
rapped sections on some tracks.
In addition to the album they seem to have released a dozen singles
between Nov 2020 and Feb 2021 not all featured on the album.
I can find no info on them. It comes across like a sort of
conceptual album and may just be a producer/studio album rather than an
artist if you know what I mean.
It seems that Harold Green (a poet) appears on most of the tracks and I found his YT channel and website so I would guess that he's behind the album i.e. main artist/producer.
The lastest release on Sean Hampsey's Diggin' Deep label are two sides
from Detroit's Melvin Davis originally written in 1979.
It will be the
first appearance of Davis' 'Thinking Of You' on vinyl although co-writer
Tim Murray released it in 1982 and it has appeared on two CD
compilations.
The flip side 'Let Love In your Life was released twice on vinyl, by
Charisma in 1983 and by Davis himself in 1991.
Davis recorded around 8 45s in the 60s on various labels before joining Holland Dozier Holland at Invictus in the 70s where he recorded a couple of solo singles and was also a member of The 8th Day. In 1975 he formed his own label, Rock Mill, which ran until 1984 releasing material on himself, Charisma and Liz Taylor which amounted to around 10 releases.
He wrote many songs which have been played on the Northern Soul scene recorded by Darrell Banks, J.J. Barnes, Edward Hamilton, Johnnie Mae Matthews, Steve Mancha and himself. In 2005 he recorded a version of Jackey Beavers' 'I Need My Baby' with Bryan Davis (his son?) on (reactivated) Rock Mill, which is credited to Davis and Clyde Wilson (aka Steve Mancha) although the original by Beavers is credited to Don Davis, so I'm not sure whether they actually wrote it but didn't get credit at the time?
Melvin Davis [2004] - Thinking Of You [Rock Mill/Hayley #RMR 1001]
First released on 'His Greatest Recordings' CD in 2004 and then on a 2012
compilation CD from Hayley 'More Soulful Serenades'.
Tim Murray [1982] - Thinking Of You [Detroit Traks #531825]
Murray released his version in 1982, his only record and the only release
on the label.
Mel Davis [1991] - Let Love In Your Life [Rock Mill #RM5238]
Originally written in 1979 but released in 1991 on his own Rock Mill
label. It was also released on the 2004 CD compilation 'His Greatest Recordings'.
Charisma [1983] - Let Love In Your Life [Rock Mill #RP 8267]
Charisma were a group formed by Jerry Green (a former member of The
Contours between 1964-68) with his brother Ray. The song was was speeded
up a bit for Charisma to record on Davis' Rock Mill label in 1983. It was
their only releasee as the group split up after recording it.
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