ukvibe

email with all your soulful findings.

We will be coming at you from all angles so be sure to scan the pages.

The most eagerly awaited long player for some considerable time has finally landed at your favourite soul music emporium, and from early reports the soul community have embraced it by the bucket load. This 17 tracker is the brainchild of Mick O’Donnell who has been filling the airwaves with this brand of soul music for many a year, the 209 Radio studios in sleepy Cambridgeshire, in the heart of the UK, has played host to the ‘Soul Discovery’ radio show locally and more recently, having gained an FM licence, worldwide. Mick’s more recent foray into Solar Radio has also helped to raise the profile of the music and his show.

So what’s all the fuss about?  Well first up is a genuine compilation of new, recent and decent soul music with one dusty, and what a dusty it is too, probably the most sought after 45 in the world, The Cobra Heart Band ‘Thinking of You’. You can read more about this simply stunning ballad elsewhere on my page.

Secondly all of the artists donated there music for free - they all simply wanted to be a part of this project, artists, some of whom are household names within the soul fraternity, others who felt they genuinely had something to offer. To be fair most of the tracks have been played at some time or other by Mick.

And thirdly, nearly all of the music on the album is released for the first time anywhere, with the odd remix too.

In the early days a number of big names indicated they would want to get involved, then suddenly made wild financial demands for any tracks they made available, in any event there were too many other artists who simply wanted to put the music first.

So we have 17 stonking examples of the music we all love, kicking off with great dancer “Trumping my Ace” by Doktu Rhute, better known to most of us as Roy Hightower, this driving horn laden monster in the making should be ripping up dance floors everywhere. I’v actually dropped this at several venues over the past four months and the response was phenomenal.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, along come The Controllers with there stunning ballad “Still in My Heart”. If this is the benchmark they have set for the new material then the next album could just be the album of the last decade. A wonderful lead with delicious harmonies takes us back to the halcyon days of the Temps, Ojays, Intruders, Moments, Independants etc, the list is endless.

Don’t worry Clarence, we know who you are even if the guy who proofed the liner notes doesn’t, Mr. Dobbins and Omar Cunningham’s smoocher should be dominating soul radio playlists now, sheer quality all the way with two impassioned vocalists going for it over a radio friendly backing.

Jason Little promises great things to come with a unique voice that gets into your head, his “Come Back” is a real joy and then some.

For some Nellie ‘Tiger’ Travis is the current queen of southern soul and why not, the voice is distinct, powerful full of passion, she’s able to tell a tale in the way that Shirley Brown, Mille Jackson, Dottie Moore etc can. I fell in love with her when her first album surfaced a few years ago, “Queen of the Blues” is a fabulous tribute song but its place on this album is rightly claimed.

Soul music’s friend, and all round good guy, Kashious has possibly THE track on the album, his voice is a beautiful tool which he uses to its best effect, this guy can do no wrong in my house.  ‘Now then my man, where’s your new album? The first album was a great listen, then you’ve softened us up with a track or two on other compilations and now this. We demand a new album now mate!’ - If you’ve not heard this man’s voice then you’re in for a real treat.

Now then, TJ Hooker was a new name to me and he’s got a great voice, sounds like he’s just stepped out of the church, he’s a Southern Soul man big time with a good song, what a great introduction to his work he has given us.

From the moment I first heard ‘Xception To The Rule’ on Mick’s show some months ago I was hooked on the harmonies and the swapping leads, it immediately took me back to the days of the Emotions, Jones Girls etc. Another group where we need an album from them.

I haven’t of course mentioned T.P.O.B, Steph Pickett, Marcel & The Truth, Maurice, Fathers Children, Andre Marius, Carl Marshall and Oak III, for no other reason that they are all household names to the soul fraternity thanks to the Soul Discovery Radio Show.

What I’m about to say now isn’t meant as criticism BUT a message to the artists, producers and label owners, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE substitute your synchs for real instruments, the sound of a real drum, real base, a Hammond and real horns is what we want to hear. A case in point is the new Charles Wilson album on Severn Records. A beautiful album from one of your own utilising real instruments, even strings. This album will be in the top three of just about everyone who has heard it and I have no doubt it will be revered in years to come.

Back to ‘Soul Discovery’, this is soul music, the way it should be, the way it used to be, how it’s meant to be, how it must be.

Brian out

This album came from nowhere and immediately went to the top of the Southern Soul charts world wide.  So what’s all the fuss about?  Well, this lady’s voice is nothing short of iconic, she sits perfectly with the likes of Denise Lasalle, Candie Staton, Betty Swann et all. YES she really is that good! 

I will have to concede that musically it is a little challenging, no real horns, synths sadly which ceate that horrible reedy sound, but hey the voice and lyrics make this album a total must have. You have to feel sorry for this lass, just prior to entering the studio her band walked out on her, wanting more money, they obviously think she’s a big star now. She first came to notice on the ‘Southern Soul Party’ vol 2 compilation earlier this year, this is one lady we all need to stand up and pay some homage too. The two tracks that stunned me first time round were “Can’t get you off my mind” an emotive and passion fuelled ballad, and “Run,n”, a stupendous downtempo dancer.

Another very recent release which has knocked Steph’s album into second place and its no real wonder why either, real instruments abound including real strings, as is the norm with this southern soul journeyman - his voice is very black and beautiful. There are some wondrous moments on here, take a listen to Luther Ingram’s “Take a chance on me”, he’s taken the accepted soul classic and turned into his own tune, this one will run for some time to come. Anyone who has heard Sam Dees’ “Troubled child” will know what a truly epic tune it is, well Mr. Wilson has had a go at it on this album and he’s pulled it off, have a listen for yourself - written some 30+ years ago but lyrically Soooooooooooooooo relevant for today. There aint a duff track on this album and it should be in your collection now. This guy has an album out on CDS Records as well, but don’t waste your money, synthesised rubbish and lyrically a very poor album. Rumour has it is that Charles didn’t tell CDS about this album, he wants to release real soul music, using real instruments (something CDS have difficulty with).

This album has been hogging the laser flicker in both the car and in the record room for a couple of weeks now, not for the faint hearted, this is raw, very black, funky soul. There are hints of James Brown all over this album however, Lee Fields as we all know, really is his own man. A true journeyman who has released great soul records for over 35 years now, mostly on small independent labels. This album was preceded by several funky soul 45’s which really did wet our appetites for this album. I had such high hopes for this album and I wasn’t disappointed, I have no doubt that this 11 tracker will go on to become an accepted classic. Too many great tracks to mention but I’m currently hammering the hell out of the strings and things dancer “My world is empty without you”, quality, real quality.

This is another top top quality album, ballads, mid-tempo and dancers are in here. Echoes of Frankie Beverley & Maze abound and it really is a joy throughout. Real instruments and the kind of production from back in the day, William Swann’s voice is a wonderful tool which he uses with consummate ease sounding like Frankie Beverley at times.  Vocally, lyrically and musically this album is everything that you could wish for.  Top marks to Ellis Phelps on the production, making this very special indeed.

Freely available from all good outlets.  What you waiting for? Go get it!