The 1st SoulStrutter Readers' Poll 2021 UPDATE (3) Top 20 Albums & Top 100 Tracks

As it's getting even closer to the end of the year I thought it was about the right time to begin a poll for the best of 2021. 

I'd like readers to send in their own nominations. You can either leave them in the comments to this post (ONLY) or send to soulstrutter@gmail.com. Entries in by 30th Nov please.

There are only just over a week left to get your votes in for the 2021 readers' poll.

To get the ball rolling here's my Top 20 Albums (which may change if something special gets released in the next couple of weeks) and Top 100 (73 so far) Tracks. A list has also been provided by Starpoint Radio's Gary Van Den Bussche.

2021 Selections by Gary Van Den Bussche

Albums

Down To Earth - Still Risin' High (Album)

Regi Myrix - BlakButtahVOL2!! (Album)

Cornell CC Carter - Next Life (Album)

GarciaWalker&Durrell - Praying For Rain (Album)

Tracks

Cleo Soul - 23

Candace Woodson - Midas Tough (Nigel Lowis Remix)

Silk Sonic - Leave The Door Open 

Ane' - Anytime Any Place

Beth Macari - Love You More (Nigel Lowis Mix)

Odyssey Feat. Lillian Lopez - New York City

Alexander Morris - Loves Knockin'

Brooklyn Groove Machine - Deja Vu (Baby Powder Mixes)

SoulStrutter's Top 20 Albums of 2021

1/ Carmichael Musiclover - Slow Motion

2/ Down To Earth - Still Ridin' High

3/ GarciaWalker&Durrell - Praying For Rain

4/ J'Cenae - Decency

5/ Silk Sonic - An Evening with Silk Sonic

6/ Cornell CC Carter - Next Life

7/ Durand Jones & The Indications - Private Space

8/ JKabel - Collective Thoughts

9/ D. Saunders - Let Me Sing To You

10/ Yuma Hara - Reality

11/ Ms. Kriss - Blacbuttahfly (EP)

12/ Will Downing - Sophisticated Soul

13/ Myles Sanko - Memories Of Love

14/ Bound - Bound I & II

15/ Doc City - Welcome To Doc City

16/ Rob Ruha - Preservation Of Society

17/ Funkee Boy - Elevate

18/ Alvin Garrett - The Lightness Of Love

19/ Keni Jackson - Keni Jackson

20/ W3sst - Runnin'

SoulStrutter's Top 100 Tracks of 2021

(not really in order of 'merit') NB 73 so far but will make it up to 100

1/ Carmichael Musiclover - Time For The Sunshine

2/ GarciaDurrell&Walker - Now That You're Gone

3/ Down To Earth - Right From The Start

4/ Tom Bailey - Love And Happiness

5/ Myles Sanko - Streams Of Time

6/ Alanna Royale - Fall In Love Again

7/ PenzillaTheGreat - Stay A Little While

8/ W3sst - Midnight

9/ Eugene Cole Feat. Felton Pilate - Why Are You Holding Back

10/ Kadeem Tyrell Feat. Omar - All My Love

11/ Derrick Sena & James Sena Feat. Senco - I Can’t Help It 

12/ Eric Roberson - Lessons / Lessons (Remix)

13/ LeVelle Feat. Anthony Hamilton - Fell In Love 

14/ PJ Morton - Please Don't Walk Away

15/ Estee Pierce  - Spoil You

16/ Vince Bryant - Gitwitu

17/ Tarrey Torae - IN TIME

18/ Nicholas Davis - Let's Work It Out

19/ RASida - Don't Go Back

20/ Alexander Morris - Loves Knockin'

21/ Funkee Boy - A Better Way

22/ D. Saunders - Lucky Or Blessed

23/ J'Cenae - On The Avenue

24/ Ms. Kriss - Honeydeux (Honey Do)

25/ Rob Ruha - Alamein 

26/ Ranay Shakara - Who Do You Love / I Been

27/ Anthony Lofties - I'm So Sorry / Go Back

28/ Keni Jackson - Thinking About Your Love

29/ Timothy Bloom - Losing My Mind

30/ Silk Sonic - Leave The Door Open

31/ Sunni Colon - Provide

32/ Wesley Bright - Look At Me

33/ Keni Myles - The Last Time

34/ Hassan Farrow - I'd Do Anything / So In Love

35/ Tomeka Williams - The Beginnings Of Me And You

36/ Durand Jones & The Indications - Love Will Work It Out

37/ Isabelle Eberdean - Falling In Love

38/ Yuma Hara Feat. Monique Marian - Stay With Me 

39/ Jacob G. - Never Late

40/ Eric Shaun - Man Torn

41/ Roderick Harper - Heart's Desire

42/ Lamone Feat. Najee - You Complete Me

43/ Ledisi  - Nothing But You

44/ Breonna B. - Throwback Love

45/ David Scott - You Don't Have To Be Hard

46/ The Bruce Gardner Experience - JUSWANNALUVU

47/ Binky Womack Feat.The Womack Sisters - Vitaman B

48/ Marlow Jones - It's About to Go Down

49/ Davante Thornton - Give All My Luh

50/ Cha Star - Vibe

51/ Elaine E’ssential  - Dreamin'

52/ Stokley Feat. Snoop Dogg - Jeopardy:Verbalize

53/ Secret Night Gang -  Wanna Be With You

54/ Rob Ruha  -  Running Away

55/ Ms1 Project - Life's Celebration

56/ Michon Young - Your That One

57/ Cornell CC Carter - Next Life

58/ Radio Galaxy Feat. Carl Thomas - YU

59/ Jasmine Bailey - Cherry Pie

61/ Rev. Evan E. Newman - Confirmation

62/ Caino  - Starship

63/ Latonius - Back 2 Soul

64/ Mad Yella - With Your Love

65/ Rachael Marks - Need You

66/ Will Downing - Never Wanted Anyone

67/ Samm Henshaw - Grow

68/ Durand Jones & The Indications - More Then Ever

69/ Rob Hardt & Ferry Ultra Feat. Sharon Phillips - If These Walls Could Speak

70/ Teedra Moses Feat. Uncle Chucc & Brody - Make Me

71/ Alvin Garrett Feat. Kim Scott - The Lightness Of Love

72/ Lady Ri Feat. Heaping Teaspoon - Black Girl

73/ LaTanya Hughes - Too Grown

To make it straightforward there are just four categories. Please choose a maximum of five and a minimum of one for each category and points will be allocated for each position and totalled up at the end to select the winners of each category.

Best Album

As it seems a bit confusing as to what constitutes an EP versus an album, the definition of an album for the purpose of the poll is that it must contain at least six tracks. Compilations are not included but if you'd like to nominate a compilation and there are enough nominations I could create a new category for them, likewise, I guess, with EPs.

Best Track 

Can be a single or album track

Best Artist

Male, female or group

Best Newcomer

Must be an artist who hasn't released material prior to 2021 but may include artists making their first solo appearance i.e. previously in a group..

There are a lot of albums to choose from so, to remind you of some the the best, here's a list of approx. 90 of the best released this year in no particular order other than chronological order of release/posting. Note you don't have to choose from this list as it's just a memory jogger, not only for albums but for all categories. There are also links to all albums to refresh your memory.

NB Each week until the close of the poll I will update the list with new album releases.

Tristan - What Could Possibly Go Wrong

Deborah Bond - compass:I

Will Downing - The Song Garden

VannJess - Homegrown

Tru Soul Davis - Soul Fiyah

Portrait - Afro Trees

Kim Tavar - My Story

Myles Sanko - Memories Of Love

Terry - #TheElvolutionOfMe

Dav Hall - SoulSuite

Alvin Garrett - The Lightness Of Love

Shaila Prospere - Under My Skin

Kindred The Soul Family - Auntie & Unc

Zo! & Tall Black Guy - Abstractions

Deirdre Gaddis - D-E-I-R-D-R-E Keep Pushin'

Davante Thornton - Luh And Circumstance

Ane' - Learning To Trust Myself Vol.2

Raquel Rodriguez - Sweet Ride

Roderick Harper - Back To Love

Mississippi Humin Boy - Crunch Time

S.E.L. - Loc'd in Consciousness

Keni Jackson - Keni Jackson

Wil Key - Globetrotter:B

Hassan Farrow - So In Love

V9 Collective - Message In The Music

Yuma Hara - Reality

Raheem DeVaughn - Love Sick

Children Of Zeus - Balance

Sam Wills - Breathe

Dimitris Dimopoulos - Take Me Out Tonight

Conya Doss - Through Rose Colored Glasses

Lin Rountree - Fluid

Doug Wonder - The Black Man Matters

Dawkins & Dawkins - Never Gets Old Love And Light Vol.1

D Mills - Prism

Nigel Hall - Spiritual

James Vickey - Songs That Made Me Feel

Justy - Pain With Benefits

Bridge City Revival - Introducing

Durand Jones & The Indications - Private Space

Leela James - See Me

GarciaWalker&Durrell - Praying For Rain

Tanqueray Hayward - Definition Of A Woman

Showship - School Soul Vol. 1

Carmichael Musiclover - Slow Motion

The Spinners - 'Round The Block and Back Again

Regi Myrix - BlakButtahVol.2

Victor Haynes - Can We Talk

JKabel - Collective Thoughts

Jazz Amadi - Late Bloomer

Wendy B - Here 2 Stay

Marshella Muzik - Moodz

Down To Earth - Still Ridin' High

Anthony Lyric - With You In Mind (NB this appears to have been withdrawn from Spotify!)

Golden Browne - Golden Browne

Anthony Hamilton - Love Is The New Black

Jay King - Soulful Bossanova

Mink Slide - Funk On Wheels

Kayla Williams - Love Letters

Cornell CC Carter - Next Life

MF Robots - Break The Wall

Rob Ruha - Preservation Of Society

Jessica Domingo - Butterfly Paradise

Em-Cee - Honey Coated Hip-Hop

Secret Night Gang - Secret Night Gang

BeMyFiasco - Where I Left You

D. Saunders - Let Me Sing To You

Teddy Bryant - In The Beginning

Tony Lindsay - Soul Soldier

Funkee Boy - Elevate

Siloam Pool - Simple Complexity

Tom Bailey - Goodbye To Yesterday

Erica Johnson - Life, Love & Inspiration

Derrick Givens - Once Again

MS1 Project - Remedy 4 The Mind Part 1

Judi Jackson - Grace

Dante' Roberson - Caveat

Will Downing - Sophisticated Soul

CaiNo - Awakened

Nightmares On Wax - Shout Out! To Freedom...

Nicole Henry - Time To Love Again

Doc City - Welcome to Doc City

krajenski. - Orbit

J'Cenae - Decency

Silk Sonic - An Evening with Silk Sonic

W3sst - Lessons Learned

Robert Brown - One God One Love

Ty Causey - U-Turn

Doc City - Welcome To Doc City

Ms. Kriss - Blacbuttahfly

SoulStrutter Top 30 - 21st Nov 2021

The SoulStrutter Top 30 of the most viewed posts in the last 30 days (i.e. blog readers choices).

Twelve new entries into the top 30 this week. Silk Sonic 'inevitably' tops the chart this week. I'm pleased that the quality of the J'Cenae album (last week's SoulStrutter Selection of the Week) has been recognised by entering the chart at #7. It's unfortunately highly unlikely to make any of the UK soul charts though as it's a connoisseurs album for the minority who appreciate deep soul music.

The highest climbers are Regi Myrix, JKabel, The Buttshakers, Nicole Henry, Doc City (another quality album that probably won't trouble any other chart) and Judi Jackson. I'm also pleased to see Dames Brown's jam enter the chart, one of the best funky dance tunes around for weeks if not months.

Last 30 Days

Pos	Prev	Artist - Title	Posted	Days
1	2	Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic LP	11/11	10
2	3	Melba Moore - So In Love	28/10	24
3	5	Will Downing - Sophisticated Soul LP	01/11	20
4	7	Teddy Douglas - Presents Baltimore Philadelphia International LP	25/10	27
5		Michelle Brooks-Thompson - Live It Up	16/11	5
6	20	Regi Myrix presents Ty Juan & Shawndella  - Its A Vibe (Nigel Lowis Mix)	11/11	10
7		J'Cenae - Decency LP	12/11	9
8		Blue Soul Ten Feat. Dennis Lorenzo  - This Is Worth It	07/11	14
9		Abi Farrell - Don't Follow Me	22/10	30
10	19	Doc City - Welcome to Doc City LP	05/11	16
11	11	Siloam Pool - Simple Complexity LP	29/10	23
12	14	Sugar Rainbow - Game Of Life  (DJ Sammy Noire Remix)	03/11	18
13	1	Candace Woodson - All I Need (Rob Hardt Mix)	15/10	37
14	26	The Buttshakers - Arcadia LP	03/11	18
15	29	JKabel - Keeper Of My Soul	06/11	15
16	24	Judi Jackson - Grace LP	01/11	20
17	16	Funkee Boy - Elevate LP	30/10	22
18	18	Tony Lindsay - Soul Soldier LP	23/10	29
19	30	Nicole Henry - Time To Love Again LP	02/11	19
20	27	Rahsaan Patterson [2021] Heroes & Gods 2.0 LP	03/11	18
21		Everis - What U Doing 2 Me	16/11	5
22		W3sst - Lessons Learned LP	14/11	7
23	23	Samuel Archer - Soul Music Vineyard LP	01/11	20
24	25	Temica Key [2021] - I Am Temica Key EP	02/11	19
25		Dante' Roberson - Caveat LP	01/11	20
26		Dames Brown Feat. Andrés & Amp Fiddler  - What Would You Do?	15/11	6
27		Joss Stone - Never Forget My Love	12/11	9
28		Debonnaire Music - THEN/NOW LP	06/11	15
29		Evil Needle Feat. QUIN - Liquid Light	26/10	26
30		Jay Diggs - JAMS LP	06/11	15

The Dirty Dozen - The Best Of 2021... Part 42 (Nov 2021 Wk 46) Spotify Playlist

My selection of the best releases this week (Nov 2021 Wk 46)

In no particular order other than tempo. 

Not so many album tracks this week only three Robert Brown. MALIYA and Thuy with another from an EP D Mills. The remainder are all singles.

Choosing this weeks SoulStrutter selection wasn't easy as I try to steer away from non-original material as there are several good ones in this weeks Covers etc, Dozen such as Tony Hightower, the new remix of Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", Teddy P etc. 

So I narrowed it down to three which are all completely different, the funky jam by Dames Brown, JKabel's gospel soul an another gospel song with jazz flavours by Robert Brown. . The album track "Universe" from Thuy is also really growing on me as is Zenesoul. After due consideration I've gone for Robert Brown's "Hold Your Head Up" but it really could have been any one of them.

Pt 41

Pt 40, Pt 39, Pt 38, Pt 37, Pt 36, Pt 35, Pt 34, Pt 33, Pt 32, Pt 31

Pt 30, Pt 29, Pt 28, Pt 27, Pt 26, Pt 25, Pt 24, Pt 23, Pt 22, Pt 21,

Pt 20, Pt 19, Pt 18, Pt 17, Pt 16, Pt 15, Pt 14, Pt 13, Pt 12, Pt 11, 

Pt 10, Pt 9,Pt 8, Pt 7, Pt 6, Pt 5, Pt 4, Pt 3, Pt 2, Pt 1

NB You must be logged on to Spotify to listen in full

The Dirty Dozen - The Best Of 2021... Covers, Reissues, Remixes & Samples Part 35 (Nov 2021 Wk 46)

My selection of this week's best cover versions, remixes, reissues, previously unreleased and new songs using samples or new releases with a retro feel (Nov 2021 Wk 46). (In no particular order).

Quite a lot to choose from this week with a couple of Motown remixes of Marvin Gaye and Undisputed Truth and also one from Teddy Pendergrass. I was tempted to include a few tracks in the main dozen but one is a cover (Tony Hightower), another a sample (Snoop Dogg etc.) and the other a remix although it was only an album track originally from Regi Myrix.

Reissue: Silver Platinum x2, Judy Freeman & Blackrock x2

Remixes: Marvin Gaye, Undisputed Truth, Regi Myrix, Teddy Pendergrass

Samples: Snoop Dogg & DJ Cassidy Feat. Mary J. Blige (Al Johnson)

Covers: Lance Ferguson (The Sunset Band), Tony Hightower (Creative Source/EWF) Shaina Shepherd (Lee Fields & the Expressions)

Pt 34, Pt 33, Pt 32, Pt 31

Pt 30, Pt 29, Pt 28, Pt 27, Pt 26, Pt 25, Pt 24, Pt 23, Pt 22, Pt 21

Pt 20, Pt 19, Pt 18, Pt 17, Pt 16, Pt 15, Pt 14, Pt 13, Pt 12, Pt 11,

Pt 10, Pt 9, Pt 8, Pt 7, Pt 6, Pt 5, Pt 4, Pt 3, Pt 2, Pt 1

Judy Freeman & Blackrock [2021] - Judy Freeman & Blackrock [RCA / Legacy] (Full Album)

Those of a certain age and background will remember Judy Freeman & Blackrock for their Northern Soul monster "Hold On" which later appeared on one of the very early NS compilation albums "Jumping At The Go Go" compiled by Wigan Casino's Richard Searling on RCA in 1976. It sounds like it would have been the sort of sound broken at Blackpool Mecca before getting spins elsewhere, but reading the sleeve notes it would appear that this was little known until it appeared on the compilation due to the scarcity of the 45. Searling's sleeve notes for this track reads:

"Black Rock were formed in 1969 and, even today, a big crossover hit eludes them. "Hold On" will, I imagine, be new to most 'Northern Soul' lovers, mainly because copies are extremely difficult to come by. The record therefore has not had much disco exposure, but I'm sure with it's inclusion on this compilation soul fans everywhere will at last be able to 'dig' what I consider to be a latent 'Northern Soul' smash."

Judy Freeman & Blackrock released just two singles both in 1971 and both on RCA. "Hold On" was the B side to their second single which had "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" as the A side. The first single "Don't Do It Anymore" c/w "All We Need Is A Miracle" has never sold on Discogs and there isn't even a label scan although there is one on 45Cat but only of a promo, so I'd imagine that it was never issued, but curiously there is also a same sided promo with the other side "All We Need Is A Miracle" with the same catalogue number so it looks like they couldn't decide which side to release as the top side. A search on Popsike turned up only one which sold for a snip for such a scarce record at $22 in April 2016. Presumably the remaining five tracks have lain in the vaults since then. So that's four of the nine sides on the album taken care of.

"Walk A Mile In My Shoes" was written and recorded earlier by Joe South (of "Games People Play" fame) in 1969 on Capitol.

"All We Need Is A Miracle" is a Motown / Jobete song which was written by Pam Sawyer and LeVerne Ware (aka Gloria Jones of "Tainted Love" and married to T Rex's Marc Bolan fame) and originally scheduled for recording by Glady's Knight & The Pips, David & Jimmy Ruffin and The Devastating Affair but Motown never used it until Glady's Knight & The Pips had left Motown for Buddah and it was eventually released on "A Little Knight Music" album on Soul in 1975. The same album on which "No One Could Love You More", another Ware/Sawyer composition which became a huge Northern Soul tune many years afterwards, appeared. The album is well worth seeking out as it also has a version of Edwin Starr's "Don't Tell Me I'm Crazy" (yet another Ware/Sawyer song) on it. Dee Edwards recorded "All We Need Is A Miracle" in 1972 on RCA.

I think it has been known for some time that a test pressing of the album has existed and that the album version of "Hold On" is a longer version i.e. 4:15 v 2:28.

I can't find any information about this album which was released 'unannounced' last Friday (12 Nov 2021).

The only information I can find on Judy Freeman is what is on Discogs which states she was born on 5 Feb 1940 in New York and left New York in 1969 to go to California. She sounds like a gospel singer so, unless she changed her name, it looks like these are her only recordings.

Aside from the obvious "Hold On" the outstanding track is the incredibly soulful "Don't Do It Anymore" which is soul as deep as you like! 

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul / Previously Unreleased
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	RCA / Legacy
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/11/2021
Value:	£6.99

Irini [2021] - Tribute [Self Released] (Full Album)

This is essentially a reissue of Irini's 1995 album "Don't Make Me Wish" excluding a few tracks. It has been re-titled "Tribute".

Irini Toufexis was born in Cyprus in 1971 and emigrated to London in 1974. She met Light Of The World's Everton McCalla whist studying music at Pimlico Institute in 1976. The following year she was discovered as a model and during a modelling session was offered a recording contract. However, after a while she found the contract too restrictive and broke free to release a couple of independent singles, the first being "24/7 Love", followed by several singles on a label set up with her sister Marina. An album "Don't Make A Wish" followed in 1995.

In 1996 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and moved back to Cyprus to be with family and sadly passed away exactly a year ago on 20 Nov. 2020 which is possibly what has prompted the reissue of the album on the first anniversary.

I have to say that most of the tracks still 'stand up' and if Em-Cee can have a UK soul chart #1 with an album containing songs that are almost 20 years old then why can't this one do well?

It is also worth nothing that "24/7" was remixed and 'housed up' in 2003 and uses samples from Phyllis Hyman's "You Know How To Love Me" (included below). Also, on the new album, it has been mis/re-titled "Love".

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / 90s
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	20/11/2021
Value:	£7.49

Mac Kay [2021] - Jazz EP [Self Released] (Full EP)

Mac Kay (Marek Stanisław Kozłowski is a producer from Poland. He released a five track EP "Jazz" on 19 Nov 2021. All five tracks have been previously released as singles and feature 'Guest Julka' (Julia Marta Ludwiczynska) and the pair of them wrote all tracks together. 

The standout track is "Selfish" which was released as a single last Dec. (2020).

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Details

Rating:	7.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/11/2021
Value:	£5.94