The Vandellas [2021] - I'm Movin' On [Muzik Evolution Productions]

This one's a bit of a mystery, The Vandellas without Martha Reeves(?), although she appears on the sleeve (on the left), but it doesn't sound like her singing. 

The main side 'I'm Movin' On' is a modern ballad, whether it is a new recording, or has been around for years, I've no idea, but it's got that late 80s/90s synthesised sound (i.e. no real musicians). It was released 7 May 2021 but may be something that's been in the can for years.

It has been released as a two track EP with a hideous update of 'Dancing In The Street', that no one with any musical taste needs in their life! It's probably as bad as Mick Jagger & David Bowie's version on Live Aid!

Details

Rating:	6.5
Genre/Style:	Soul Ballad
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Muzik Evolution Productions
Cat No:	None
Year:	07/05/2021
Key/BPM:	8B/83
Value:	£1

Ane' - Mystery Solved!

Regular readers will no doubt be aware that over recent weeks two albums and a single have appeared from an artist named Ane'.  I couldn't find any information on her at the time and speculated that her name may well be Shirley Anne Marshall based on the fact that most of her material was written under that name.

I can now confirm that she is indeed Shirley (Anne) Marshall who spent 26 years (1990-2016) as a member of a reformed Shirelles led by original member Beverly Lee who won the rights to the name.  Shirley Owens/Alston/Alston-Reeves led another 'splinter' group with the name Shirley Alston-Reeves & The Shirelles.

Ane' is on right, Beverly Lee centre

She is originally from Newark, NJ, but relocated to, and now performs in, Las Vegas in 2005, at which point she changed her stage name to simply Ane'. In 2017 she was inducted into the Las Vegas Entertainers Hall Of Fame.

Also, as I originally suspected, her 'latest' album 'Learning To Love Myself' was in fact recorded in 2005, whether or not it was released then I don't know, but I don't think it got released (it is on Discogs as a CDr unreleased promo only). It originally had 16 tracks but the recent release has only 14. One of the 'missing' tracks is the one she has just released as a single 'If I'd Only Known', which is a song she wrote after the sudden and unexpected death of a close friend and her father. The other 'missing' track is called 'Surrender', so don't be surprised if that appears as the next single.

She released her first album on CD, 'Once Upon A Time', in 1997 as Shirley Marshall which she repackaged in 2005 as 'My Story Volume 1' as Ane'. The album consists of eight original songs written by Ane' along with covers of 'It's Too Late' (Carole King) and, what she describes as, a soulful-Brazilian rendition of 'Use Me' (Bill Withers). It is still available to purchase on Amazon (link on image below), although sound samples are no longer available, but there are some on her website (first web link below), and I found a few on her YT channel and have embedded below.

Four of the tracks were released on a 12" EP in 1997 on SAMA #ECHO-2293 as Shirley Marshall.

Once Upon A Time

Lover Man

I Choose You

Her cover of Janet Jackson's 'Anytime, Any Place' (which is on 'Learning To Love Myself') was released on an Expansion compilation 'Andreas Hellingh Presents Soul Exposed' in 2005.

The first album that appeared this year was a covers album, 'Where I'm Coming From', which I would say is a more recent album as her voice sounds 'older'.

Since 2018, she has her own show production in Las Vegas which she has titled 'This Is A Man’s World…..Buttt'

Little Simz Feat. Cleo Sol [2021] - Woman / Introvert [Age 101]

Pre-released new single, 'Woman', from a forthcoming album from Little Simz titled 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert' due 3 Sep 2021. Another single 'Introvert' was released 21 Apr, which has an intro like a Bond movie theme. 

Little Simz is 27 year old Simbiatu Ajikawo from London, who I'm sure we will be hearing a lot more about. She is also an actress who most recently played the role of Shelley in the Netflix series 'Top Boy' in 2019. 

The new album will be her sixth since debuting in 2014 (Note, not incl. the new album, Wiki lists 3, Discogs lists 4 and Spotify has 5. It all gets a bit confusing as to what constitutes an EP vs an LP as, in addition, Wiki lists 4 mixtapes and 8 EP's!

Her last album 'Grey Area' won Ivor Novello and NME (New Musical Express) Awards and a Mercury nomination for best album. Despite that, it only reached #87 on the UK album chart and, to date, none of her singles have charted!

Regular readers will know that I'm not normally 'hip' to rap in the main, but I have to say that after hearing the first two tracks pre-released from this album, this is smart, intelligent, making a political statement, kind of rap with good musical accompaniment, and also she is real and British, not trying to sound like an American rapper. I do like both tracks.

I probably wouldn't normally post this, but it has been a particularly slow week for new releases so far this week, and, whilst you may be thinking it's not soul, it is different and edgy.  If you don't like it then skip to the next post!

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul/Rap
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Age 101
Cat No:	None
Year:	06/05/2021
Key/BPM:	3B/87 : 12A/93
Value:	£1

Parson James & JoJo [2021] - Dirty Laundry [12Tone Music] New Video

I posted this release last week (which also featured in last week's 'The Dirty Dozen'), and they have just created, and posted, a new video for it. A bit 'poppy' perhaps, but lovely floating melodies.

Parson James (Ashton Parson) was born in South Carolina and raised by his mother. He moved to NY at 17. His debut single was released in 2014 and he had a hit with his third single as a featured artist with Kygo ('Stole The Show') in 2015.

His latest single (released 30 Apr 2021) features JoJo (who had several pop hits in the early noughties) and leans towards the pop side of soulful R&B but it's quite a pleasant tune.  

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	12Tone Music
Cat No:	None
Year:	30/04/2021
Key:	11B
BPM:	89
Value:	£1

B-Free Feat. Durand Bernarr [2021] - Hate 2 Luv [Self Released]

B-Free was born in Chicago and raised in Milwaukee. She debuted in 2012 with an album 'Open Mic, Open Heart', but in 2013 she caught pneumonia and a throat infection which resulted in vocal chord surgery meaning she couldn't sing for a year. Her next album 'Ode 2 A Luv Affair' followed in 2016 after rehabilitation.

She released her latest single on 11 May 2021, which is a Nu Disco tune called 'Hate 2 Luv' and features Durand Bernarr, who regularly performs backing vocals for Erykah Badu, as well as releasing his own music.

She has some interesting material on her YouTube and SoundCloud channels (links below). I've embedded her latest YT video, which is a medley of the following songs which she has labelled 'Songs in D Minor' for obvious reasons:

Tevin Campbell - Can We Talk

JoJo - Leave (Get Out)

Faith Evans - You Used To Love Me

Shanice - When I Close My Eyes

Blackstreet - Don't Leave Me

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	7.4
Genre/Style:	Nu Disco
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	11/05/2021
Key/BPM:	10A/110
Value:	£1