Down To Earth [2022] - You Keep Loving Me [Speegra]

Having had a UK Soul Chart #1 hit with their album "Still Ridin' High" in Autumn 2021, which is getting renewed airplay on the back of it's very recent vinyl release on Izipho Soul, the Down To Earth boys, Lol Williams and Stevie Paul, have been back in the studio to record their new album which should be out later this year.

The lead single "You Keep Loving Me"  from their forthcoming album (a demo was posted as a month ago) is due out this Friday (22 Apr 2022).

It's a mid-tempo modern soul stepper which should appeal to traditional and contemporary soul lovers alike and is a taste of things to come from their new album.

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

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Speegra
Cat No:	None
Date:	22/04/2022
Key/BPM:	8A/95
Value:	£1

Four Tops [1972] - Keeper Of The Castle [Dunhill #DSX 50129] (Full Album)

Maintaining the Motown connection with the last post from The Originals, except the same year (1972) the Four Tops left Motown and recorded their first non-Motown album for Dunhill "Keeper Of The Castle". 

Like the Ben E. King album I was just going to post the modern soul, album only spin, "When Tonight Meets Tomorrow" but as the full album is available on Spotify and contains some great tracks then the full album it is.

Two singles were released from the album, the title track "Keeper Of The Castle" with "Jubilee With Soul" and "Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got)" c/w "Peace Of Mind" both of which did well achieving top 10 status on Billboard hot 100.  There's also the original version of "Love Music" which was also recorded by Lloyd Price and Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77 the following year amongst several others.

It is available digitally but can be picked up for peanuts on vinyl.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	LP
Label:	Dunhill
Cat No:	DSX 50129
Date:	1972
Value:	£7.09

The Originals [1972] - I'm Someone Who Cares [Soul #S-35093F]

Taken from their album "Definitions" is this classic modern soul spin from The Originals "I'm Someone Who Cares" from 1972

I remember hearing this for the first time played by Sean Hampsey, more years ago that I care to remember, and my jaw dropped. A timeless tune from Motown's finest who were extensively used for (uncredited) backing vocals on so many Motown hits, a male equivalent of The Adantes if you will. The song was co-written and produced by Johnny Bristol and arranged by H.B. Barnum.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Soul
Cat No:	S-35093F
Date:	1972
Key/BPM:	9B/83
Value:	£10-£25 approx.

Ben E. King [1978] - Let Me Live In Your Life [Atlantic #SD 19200] (Full Album)

Ben E. King is probably best know and remembered as the lead singer with The Drifters in the 50s and for his 60s solo output and world-wide smash "Stand By Me". However, one of my favourite albums from him was the Lamont Dozier produced "Let Me Live In Your Life" released in 1978 on Atlantic.

The album spawned only two singles (four tracks) ("Spoiled" / "Fly Away To My Wonderland" and "Tippin'" / "I Saw The Light") both of which sunk without trace not even entering the R&B chart, although "Spoiled" was later picked up on by the UK modern soul scene. 

The best track on the album, for me, has always been the title track "Let Me Live In Your Life" which has remained an album only track and as such has been sadly neglected. I was going to post just that track but as the full album is available on Spotify then I may as well post the full album.

The album has been posthumously reissued on CD in the UK in 2016 (he died in April 2015 aged 76) but did get a CD release in Japan in 2013 and it is also now available digitally but it is cheap and easy to pick up on original vinyl.

UPDATE: Thanks to BlueSky for leaving a comment pointing out that "Let Me Live In Your Life" was recorded first by The Originals in 1975 on their "California Sunset" album.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital/LP
Label:	Atlantic
Cat No:	SD 19200
Date:	1978
Value:	£6.99 / £5-£10 approx.

Frankie Redmond [1975] - Yesterday I Believe I Lied [ABC #ABC-12109]

Well we've hit the midweek slump as regards to new releases so onwards with some quality oldies. 

As far as I can tell Frankie Redmond recorded only four singles. His first in 1960 which was released on two different labels Esco and then Imperial. He then released two on Lowry in the mid 60s, all written by Joe South, but it's his last, self-written, outing on ABC in 1975 "Yesterday I Believe I Lied" produced by Clarence Carter featured here.

A superb, soulful, mid-tempo, ballad which was the official B side to the funky "Fighting To Keep My Head Above Water" which also gained a UK issue. Prices are gradually creeping up into three figures now as I think this is also an in-demander on the lowrider scene.

I am not aware of this track ever being released on any compilation, so vinyl is the only way to acquire it (unless you know otherwise?).

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Crossover / Lowrider
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	ABC
Cat No:	ABC-12109
Date:	1975
Key/BPM:	?/73
Value:	£50-£100

Ike Perry / Kent Drake [2022] - Don't Turn Around / Mistaken [North Broad St Records #006BL]

A forthcoming single from Colin Law's North Broad St Records features an unreleased track by Ike Perry "Don't Turn Around" which was found on an unreleased acetate flipped with Kent Drake "Mistaken". 

"Mistaken" was co-written by Leaner (Lena) Thompson and Eva Dixon (who was related to Eugene Dixon aka Gene Chandler) and was destined for release on Wand but never made it. However, the song was recorded by The Impressions in 1979 as "Maybe I'm Mistaken" on a single and also on their album "Come To My Party".

Kent Drake's best and well know recording is this 1971 outing on Wand "Boss Thing Together" which was also written by Thompson and Dixon and produced by Gene Chandler and is one of only three listed recordings by him. His first was on Jubilee in 1961 followed by this one and his final one in 1975 on SMI.

Tommy Keith v Larry Saunders - On The Real Side

A track played by DJ Kool Keith on his Soulful Slow Jams show on Sunday alerted me to a compilation CD released in association with David Cole's "In The Basement" magazine by Castle Music/Outta Sight titled "Tears Full Of Soul" in 2007. It's a double CD consisting of 36 pretty obscure, many appear to be previously unreleased, tracks.

A particular track that piqued my interest is the original (?) / unreleased (?) version of Larry Saunders Northern / Modern Soul classic "On The Real Side" by the song's writer Tommy Keith. Tommy Keith was a member of the Sylvia Robinson's All Platinum label house band The Rimshots which may explain  how Larry Saunders got to record it as his version was on subsidiary label Turbo in 1974. Keith's version is taken at a much slower ballad pace than the well known version by Saunders.

Keith also wrote several other songs that have been popular on the UK rare soul scene such as De-Lites "Lover", Little Dooley (Silverspoon) "It's Got To Be Now Or Never", The Moments "Nine Times" and "Rain In My Backyard" (along with hits "Dolly My love" and "Jack In The Box") and First Class "Me And My Gemini".

VIA [2022] - FREE FALL [Go East Music] (Full Album)

VIA is a 26 year old Chinese artist who graduated from Berklee College of Music. She only has two singles listed on Spotify and "FREE FALL" would appear to be her debut album which was released on 8 Apr 2022.

A couple of tracks from the album ("Once More" and "Slide") have been played as breakers on Global Soul. It is quite a nice album throughout if you like the wispy, ethereal style neo soul, and I would concur that the two tracks above are probably the best two, but I also like "Jump In" which was released as a single on 4 Mar 2022.

I have it on good authority that the album seems to be getting sufficient airplay which makes it a likely candidate to be a new entry into next week's Global Soul Chart.

I'm afraid with a name like VIA I'm not able to find any information about her as there seem to be several other artists with the same name which are conflated on DSPs and the YouTube topic channel.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Go East Music
Cat No:	None
Date:	08/04/2022
Value:	£10.29

Emily Muli [2021] - Break [Self Released]

I came across this track which got buried in the festive period as it was released on Christmas Eve 2021. I think it's too good to pass by unnoticed so here it is. Its a single called "Break" by Tongan singer Emily Muri now resident in Auckland, NZ.

It's her third single since debuting in 2019 with "Rhythm & Truth". 

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	24/12/2021
Key/BPM:	11A/82
Value:	£1

Luther Vandross Birthday Remembrance Special by Gary Van Den Bussche

A two hour podcast featuring interview clips with, and the music of, the great Luther Vandross  who died 1 July 2005 aged 54 and would have been 71 today.

Last year I did a feature which included a couple of 90 minute mixes to celebrate what would have been his 70th birthday and 40th anniversary of his debut solo album "Never Too Much". 

The mixes are split into a Mellow Mix and a Dance Mix and include his lesser known recordings i.e. not the 'obvious'. Full track listing on THIS POST.