The Dirty Dozen Mix Part 13 2021 May (week 17)

A blended, 40 minute, non-stop, mix of the best new releases last week (May 2021 week 17) based on the 'The Dirty Dozen' published 2 May 2021. 

I've extended the dozen, published above, with two additional tracks as Diane Marsh isn't available on Spotify otherwise it would have featured, and a track I 'relegated' to the covers etc, dozen by Deja Vu Bella + DJ Twelvz.

NB They are beat and key matched as best as possible given that I have only 14 tracks to work with.

Tracklist 

(with links to original posts)

W3sst - Midnight (62.8)

Breonna B. - Throwback Love (70.6)

Jonas Winge Leisner - Wrapped in Your Love (73.0)

Kali Akeylah - Best Friend (73.0)

Ledisi - Nothing But You (75.0)

Kedron Brown - Be Ready (Caught Up) (77.0)

Michon Young - Happy (82.0)

King Sis - Encore (80.0)

Full Crate & SABRI - Tell Me Why (85.0)

THEHONESTGUY - Let's Get Blown (88.2)

Wildson Feat. Astyn Turr - One On One (88.0)

Diane Marsh - I'm Taken (I'm Spoken For) (95.0)

Deja Vu Bella + DJ Twelvz - Love On You (102.0)

JB Rose - Gold (106.0)

Previous mixes:

The Dirty Dozen Mix Part 12 2021 April (week 16)

The Dirty Dozen Mix Part 11 2021 April (week 15)

The Dirty Dozen Mix Part 10 2021 April (week 14)

Leroy Allen [2021] - You And Me [Cmn Records]

Isn't it strange, a record languishes for over 40 years and then two artists decide to cover it in the same week, Gil on 16 Apr and now Leroy Allen on 23 Apr 2021. I posted Gil's version along with the Rockie Robbins' 1980 version last week.

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Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Cmn Records
Cat No:	None
Year:	23/04/2021
Key:	9B
BPM:	91
Value:	£1

Wesley Bright [2021] - What I Want [Mayhem Music] (Full EP)

Wesley Bright (Brent Wesley) from Akron, OH, released a solo five track EP on 28 Apr 2021 without The Honeytones (or at least without credits - it may well be them supporting him).

Three of the five tracks are retro southern soul style ballads with the last track a more funky affair and the lead track 'Stick Together' is a mid-tempo crossover style tune. 

The top tracks for me are 'Look At Me', 'Someone Who Really Loves Me' and 'Stick Together', although they are all pretty good, I'm even warming to the funky tune 'We're Back' now I've listened to it a few times!

Wesley emerged around 2012 in a group named Wesley Bright & The Hi-Lites who released three singles between 2012-15. Whether they changed their name or the backing group changed, I don't known, but in 2018 it was Wesley Bright & The Honeytones who released a 45 on Colemine, the A side 'Happiness' has a neo Northern Soul style sound. More recently he featured on a reggae single with a group called The Soul Chance on a track titled 'Who Could It Be?'.

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Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul / Retro
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	Mayhem Music
Cat No:	None
Year:	28/04/2021
Value:	£4.95

MD Records - 3 New releases: Ruby Andrews, Bottom & Co. & Mary Gresham

Three new releases have been announced by MD Records which Mark Merry has been playing over the last few weeks on his SoulSermonMixUp on Starpoint Radio. Two are previously unreleased and the other consists of two album tracks released on CD only in 2008, available on vinyl for the first time.

They were available as test pressings (limited to 20 each) which have now all sold out. I'm awaiting confirmation of if and when they will be available as standard pressings.

NB - No sound files available but if you click on images below it will take you to MD website where sound samples are available. If you want to hear them in full then check out Mark Merry's podcasts.

Ruby Andrews - It Takes Me Away  / You're My Life [MD #112]

This is the first song that Ruby Andrews recorded at Zodiac (written by Bridges, Knight & Easton), probably around 1967,  but it wasn't considered good enough at the time to release. MD are issuing it for historical reasons and have stated that the sound quality isn't up to their normal standards. The flip side was selected by Andrews herself as one of her more modern unreleased tracks.

Bottom And Company - You're Messing Up A Good Thing / I'm Sorry [MD #113]

Two previously unreleased tracks from Bottom & Co. found on a reel tape by Jordan Wilson. The tape comes from Wishbone production company which was a company and studio owned by Terry Woodford and Clayton Ivey who worked at Muscle Shoals before being signed as writers/producers for Motown. Bottom & Co released four singles on Motown in 1974-75 and an album on Gordy in 1976. Their 1974 B side 'Gonna Find A True Love' has been a modern/Northern soul favourite for years and was written by Terry Woodford and produced and arranged by him and Clayton Ivey for Wishbone Inc..

The A side is a 70s/modern version of 'You're Messing With A Good Thing', a track also recorded by several others including John Edwards in 1973 on 'John Edwards' (and 1996 on 'Careful Man'),  Bobby Womack in 1974 on 'Lookin' For A Love Again', Heywood Cash in 1976 on Epic 45 and Bobby Sheen in 2010 on 'Too Many To Fight: The Wishbone Sessions From Muscle Shoals' released on CD by Soulscape. 

It is thought that Bottom & Co.'s version may actually be the first recording of the song. The flip 'I'm Sorry' is a soulful group harmony track written by John J. (J.J.) Boyce who was a member of Bags.                                  

Mary Gresham - Use Me / Nobody's Gonna Turn Me Against You [MD #114]  

Mary Gresham first became known via a 2008 CD 'Voices From The Shadows' released on Garry Cape's Soulscape label. Both sides are from that album and were originally recorded in 1973. It's the first time they have been issued on vinyl. 'Use Me' is a sister funk cover of the Bill Wither's song (also recently released by Joy Denalane), whilst 'Nobody's Gonna Turn Me Against You' is an upbeat southern soul dancer.

Big Jacks Feat. Angela Apigo [2021] Higher [Snackalot, GGBR Records]

A new single from DJ/producer Big Jacks featuring Angela Apigo from Toronto on what she says on Twitter is her debut release, but I found another single 'Right Here' released in 2018 on Spotify, but it's not featured on her YT channel. 

This came out a few weeks ago on 16 Apr 2021. It has a retro 70s/80s feel which I'm sure samples something that I can't place, but I'm sure someone out there will recognise it.

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Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Snackalot, GGBR Records
Cat No:	None
Year:	16/04/2021
Key:	12B
BPM:	101
Value:	£1

Malia Laura [2021] - First Date [loveovertout]

A debut six track EP (released 30 Apr 2021) from Montreal artist Malia Laura. Two of the best tracks 'Hélène' (Feb) and 'What's that about?' (Mar) have already been released as singles earlier this year. The best of the rest is 'Wildflower'.

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Details

Rating:	7.8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	loveovertout
Cat No:	None
Year:	30/04/2021
Value:	£5.94

Cool Million Feat. Fraser [2021] - Next Level (Rob Hardt Remix) [Self Released]

Having very recently been a top 10 Starpoint UK Soul chart entry, Cool Million's 'Next Level' gets a slightly more uptempo remix from Rob Hardt (who is one half of the duo behind Cool Million).

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Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	30/04/2021
Key:	11A
BPM:	92
Value:	£1

Raquel Rodriguez [2021] - Last Night [Live from Blue Dream Studios]

Raquel Rodriguez released her first full length album ('Sweet Side') on 23 Apr 2021 which I posted last week. It looks likely that the next single will be 'Last Night' which is more uptempo than her recent releases. Here's a live version she posted on her YT channel last week.

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Album/Single?
Media:	Digital
Label:	Blue Dream
Cat No:	None
Year:	23/04/2021
Key:	10B
BPM:	123
Value:	£1