Soul Strutter: 04/20/23

Thursday, 20 April 2023

Kem [2023] - Anniversary - The Live Album [Motown] (Full Album)

In celebration of his 20th anniversary at Motown, Kem takes us on a journey through his back catalogue on his first ever live album "Anniversary - The Live Album" recorded at The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre in his hometown, Detroit, last Autumn (2022).

Within the twelve tracks, there is at least one track from each of his six Motown albums and his latest EP "The Full Circle" and includes his signature songs "Love Calls" (Kemistry) , "I Can’t Stop Lovin' You" (Album II) and "Share My Life" (Intimacy).

I'm not normally a big fan of live albums but this one is exceptional.

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Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Album / Live
Media:	Digital
Label:	Motown
Cat No:	None
Date:	07/04/2023
Price:	£10.29

Bobby Harden & The Soulful Saints [2023] - Bridge of Love [Dala Records]

Whilst we're in a retro mood and groove, here's the latest single from Bobby Harden not forgetting The Soulful Saints (released on 7 Apr '23) which is the title track of their forthcoming album "Bridge of Love" which is due out on the 12 May '23.

Oh Lord, how good is this? I loved their "Feels So Good" from Dec '21, but this one presses and caresses all the soul buttons. This is a soul masterpiece and most definitely a future classic. The song is co-written by Harden and Dala label owner Billy 'The Kid' Aukstik.

The last digital single "One Night Of The Week" is paired with "Raise Your Mind" for release on 7" vinyl on the same day as the album.

The album consists of ten tracks and will include five tracks already released i.e. the 2019 single "Runnin' (To Get to Your Love)", "Feels So Good" and "Wounded Hearts" which were released together on a vinyl 7", along with the last single "One Night Of The Week" and of course the title track "Bridge of Love". One of the five other songs is the vinyl flip "Raise Your Mind" along with four new songs which we won't divulge so as not to spoil the surprise when the album drops.

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Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Dala Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	07/04/2023
Key/BPM:	10B/70
Price:	£1

LaTasha Lee [2023] - I Don't Want You [Industry Music Group] AVAILABLE NOW

We posted the latest single from LaTasha Lee, "I Don't Want You", back on 16 Mar which we found on Spotify but were not able to find it anywhere to purchase. We also stated that she had signed to Industry Music Group whose releases are generally available on Bandcamp but it wasn't there at the time. Well, it has now appeared on Bandcamp with a release date of 17 Apr '23 and is available digitally and in two variants of vinyl, black and clear. There is also now a music video for it and it's sounding better than ever.

The song was originally recorded by girl group trio The Lovations on Washington D.C. label Cap City in 1970. It was the last of four singles they released for the label. The group consisted of Crystal and Penny Wilson and Sherry Henderson from Pittsburgh. They released just one more single on Pittsburgh's Segue label in 1971 and then seem to disappear.

LaTasha Lee is from Austin, TX, and has featured here numerous times but this is her first release for almost two years since "I Don't Know" (Jul '21). Her music always has a retro 60s/70s feel so it is not big surprise that IMG has snapped her up as her style fits in with their artist roster.

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Details

Rating:	8.7
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / Vinyl Black / Vinyl Clear
Label:	Industry Music Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	17/04/2023
Key/BPM:	9B/77
Price:	$1 / $15 / £25

William Bell [2023] - The Man In The Street - The Complete Yellow Stax Solo Singles (1968-1974) [Kent #CDTOP 515] (Full Album)

The second volume of William Bell's Stax discography consists of his singles between 1968-74 (which follows last year's compilation from 1961-68) was released digitally on 7 Apr '23.

It shouldn't need much further clarification except to say that the song alluded to in the album title, "The Man In The Street", in my view, is his best ever single and is a sleeping giant. It is a perfect example of 'crossover' soul and has been known for years in rare soul circles but surprisingly has never been elevated in status probably because it is cheap and easy to find. It was a B side to "Lovin' On Borrowed Time" which was a #22 R&B hit (#101 Hot 100) in 1973. Had it been a rare record, DJs/dealers/collectors would be frothing at the mouth over it! It just has everything I love about soul music ... a desert island disc pour moi ... fo sho!

The compilation opens with his biggest hit for Stax "I Forgeot To Be Your Lover" (#10 R&B / #45 Hot 100 1968) and most of the tracks will be of more interest to southern soul lovers, although his 1969 outing "Happy" had spins on the Northern Soul scene. The other standouts for this listener are a pair of B sides: "You've Got The Kind Of Love I Need" (1973) and "All I Need Is Your Love" (1974) along with his last Stax A side "Get It While It's Hot" (1974).

Bell left Stax for Mercury when Stax was in financial difficulty and ultimately went bust. Ironically his first single for Mercury, "Trying To Love Two", (1976) was his biggest hit, his only #1 R&B hit and #10 Hot 100.

To be frank, why would you pay £12.99 for digital when you can obtain the CD direct from Kent for £13.12 (plus postage) with extensive sleeve notes?

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Southern Soul
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Digital
Label:	Kent
Cat No:	CDTOP 515
Date:	07/04/2023
Price:	£12.99

Susanne Ørum [2023] - Get Real [Vocal Corner] (Full Album)

Susanne Ørum Marcussen's last, and only other, appearance on these pages was featuring on the single "Maybe You're The One (Rob Hardt Working Overtime Mix)" by Cool Million in Feb '23.

She follows that with her debut solo full album "Get Real" which saw release on 31 Mar '23. However, she won a Grammy as a member of a Danish girl trio Me-She & Her in 1994 who released just one album ("Best Times") and a handful of singles.

The lead single from the album is "You Tell Me" released the same day as a Radio Edit.

The tracks that seem to be garnering most attention are "Plan B", "Right Element" and "If It's Cool" but the ones I'm leaning towards are "Checkmate", "Heavenly Haze" and "I Can't Get You" and you may have your own choices such is the diversity of songs.

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Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Blue-Eyed
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Vocal Corner / Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	31/03/2023
Price:	£7.99