Tag Archives: Funk / Soul

Ronnie Foster – Two-Headed Freap

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

tight keys driven funky soul jazz rock

Moods

Groover

Thoughts

Real good keys playing, dude lays it down. Like the rest of the atmosphere though wish he would breakup the super tight and quick keys playing into something chiller at times (kind of happens on let's stay together but it's a little to direct, I appreciate his loose-r approach when it feels like he's just letting the scales fly).

Overall this works with the rest of the band laying down groovy soulful tight jams. Feels like a record that would translate well to fans of modern jam bands.

On repeat listens I really only like the first half as the similar and quite busy playing started to get fatiguing.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Ronnie-Foster-Two-Headed-Freap/release/7659623

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul08TkjnuEo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKWHH5j-iOc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWp6ngco92c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhhpMvmCTtw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_Y9MDo5Tc0

Spotify


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Ronnie Foster – Two-Headed Freap

Description: Album Review of Ronnie Foster – Two-Headed Freap


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Neneh Cherry – Broken Politics

by ·

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

alt pop with a production style that borrows from trip hop

Moods

Abstract introspection

Thoughts

This got a lot of play from me. I really enjoy the personalness of this album, feels like you're getting very close to neneh. Instrumentation seems to consist of a small band with piano and percussion (xylophone, maracas, marimba) featuring on a number of tracks. Trip hop, especially the ones that feature del naja, with dark electronics in certain places.

Tracks like synchronised devotion and poem daddy really contribute to the personal vibe with their slow poetic confessional delivery. She's at her best when she's really swinging for it with currents of trip hop like long and deep vein.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Neneh-Cherry-Broken-Politics/release/12672312

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6ivBXh1zGQ

Spotify


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Neneh Cherry – Broken Politics

Description: Album Review of Neneh Cherry – Broken Politics


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

The Internet – Hive Mind

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Chilled out r&b indie rock

Moods

Lights dim low

Thoughts

Enjoyable but nothing particularly ambitious or new. Easy funk.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/The-Internet-Hive-Mind/release/12269361

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB3gWkhLkxM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xyDg9Tco5s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIqvRzEIqIo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRbYJ66RpHk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIgkFRZV-4k

Spotify


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The Internet – Hive Mind

Description: Album Review of The Internet – Hive Mind


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

SOHN – Tremors

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

serious, dramatic, dark electro pop

Moods

sexy scandinavian

Thoughts

Enjoyable pop with some interesting ideas. I guess I like this, the album all kind of blends together through very similar and basic electro production. It's slick no doubt but a little dry and impersonal with vague lyrical themes. Reminds me of apparat.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/S-O-H-N-Tremors/release/5559093

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlLJcbK7Xiw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AslPYSm7jfg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0AX03wZH90

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9btsq496hkQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWpvoylTLO8

Spotify


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SOHN – Tremors

Description: Album Review of SOHN – Tremors


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Jim James – Eternally Even

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

Dark indie rock, folk

Moods

Chilly breath of death

Thoughts

First time I heard this I was driving upstate late on a Friday night in winter. The empty roads, cold dry winter landscape outside with closed shops providing the only break in landscape seemed a fitting scene for this soundtrack.

I like his style: ethereal, nocturnal and dusky natural singing voice doused in reverb. I found the straightforward pop songwriting a bit boring as an album however.

The ‘we ain't getting any younger’ refrain has stuck with me, something particularly effective about it.

I plan to revisit this and more of his catalog in the future.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Jim-James-Eternally-Even/release/9290528

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u67Tf0lbgzY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-5JUqv8LcY

Spotify


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Jim James – Eternally Even

Description: Album Review of Jim James – Eternally Even


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Abra – Princess

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Indie modern r&b

Moods

Promiscuous r&b

Thoughts

I like this kind of r&b. Free, easy sorta guilty pleasure. Production works well and she's created a persona that works even if it's trying to attention grabbing in it's straightforwardness

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Abra-Princess/release/8804120

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsNzPAOQEnE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I-POWtEJ8U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvVJx7dcoqo

Spotify


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Abra – Princess

Description: Album Review of Abra – Princess


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Wes Montgomery – A Day In The Life

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

Light guitar driven jazz

Moods

Wedding cocktail reception

Thoughts

A bunch of covers done in this kinda corny, guitar driven light jazz; overly dramatic string arrangements don't really help things much.

As much as I don't like this record I do include these tracks in mixes when entertaining. Easily recognizable melodies in this 'soft’ format serve well as background music.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Wes-Montgomery-A-Day-In-The-Life/release/10040768

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjHiSePn1ts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86oaCxW2daU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0KZk2Ojxn8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJyarNALJFc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vp4O3fOLy8

Spotify


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Wes Montgomery – A Day In The Life

Description: Album Review of Wes Montgomery – A Day In The Life


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Abra – Rose

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Modern r&b with sparse synth / drumpad production

Moods

Feels like wearing a starter jacket in 2017

Thoughts

I like the style but she's kind of lacking lyrical substance. Things open up with a Spacey / subduded band vibe on tracks like rose. I liked a bunch off this.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Abra-Rose/release/7145364

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-qcz47h9zo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhe7CckB05w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI1g4dnDtao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSZkeg4T2u4

Spotify


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Abra – Rose

Description: Album Review of Abra – Rose


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

George Jackson – In Memphis 1972-77

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Golden age r&b / soul

Moods

Letting loose with the radio on

Thoughts

George Jackson is dripping soul. His natural charismatic groove makes up for OK songwriting and lyrics. It's an exhaustive collection so works best as background mood-music rather than party singles.

The later tracks, starting with ‘you can't run away from love’, improve with some added grit.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/George-Jackson-In-Memphis-1972-77/release/4175930

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94f8Q0F0vEQ

Spotify


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George Jackson – In Memphis 1972-77

Description: Album Review of George Jackson – In Memphis 1972-77


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Kalabrese – Independent Dancer

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Groove based 'fun’ electro

Moods

A ode to the joy of being lost in life

Thoughts

Hard not to dig a kalabrese release, his tracks are all bursting with love of the craft. Above all else this album maintains a constant groove with lots of interesting production flourishes and bursts of instrumentation that keep these extended cuts engaging.

Lyrically he sings like a wanderlust euro, not the most articulate but he makes up for it in his genuineness. The addition of other vocalists is a welcome dimension. It's an album with moments of greatness but also suffers from an uneven side 2 that felt scattered.

Worth a listen for sure.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Kalabrese-Independent-Dancer/release/4420013

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnDgS8Hkni4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af01NV3mqjc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQNGYgQMEaE

Spotify


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Kalabrese – Independent Dancer

Description: Album Review of Kalabrese – Independent Dancer


Rating: 3 out of 5