Modern Musings………news and grooves from the Modern Side with Mark Randle

 

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July 2005

 (These reviews appear first in Soul Up North, available from Howard Earnshaw, 19 Rectory Drive, Kirkheaton 44 1484 535999 £2 per issue  email soulupnorthhfe@aol.com web www.soulupnorth.org - Big thanks to Howard and all at Soul Up North for letting me feature this)

 

Various                            Can I/I Got Yo’ Back/This Time I’m Gonna Be Sweeter/etc                  (US Da Man CD “The Longshot Sessions”)

 

“The Longshot Sessions - A Steppin’ Odyssey” it says on the tin.  And talking of tin, before you run off and put on that tin hat after the deluge of “steppin’” we’ve had since Robert Kelly Esq introduced us to the genre, let me tell you that this is a cut above a good proportion of what’s gone before.  The album isn’t particularly new, but it’s proved pretty elusive, mainly due to demand I think, so it’s took me until now to get to telling you about it.  Out of Chicago, this is jam packed with superior quality contemporary soul music with an acceptable urban edge.  Key cut for me, and big on the dance floor, is the Heaven & Earth track “Can I”.  A striding bass heavy groove with wicked lead and harmony background vocals, this cut is large!!  More dance floor friendly grooves come in the shape of “I Got Yo’ Back” and the haunting mid-tempo “Spin Me”, featuring Dick Fowler who comes over all Kenny Burke like.  Taking the tempo down, we have the wonderful “This Time I’m Gonna Be Sweeter” with lead vocals from Dean Williams.  Also appearing on a couple of cuts is Marzette Griffith……remember his album from a couple of years back?  All writing, arrangement and production on the album is from Dick Fowler and Keith Stewart, clearly a duo to keep an eye out for in the future.  This album is an absolute must-have, being choc full of winners!!  Acquire.

 

Rhonda McLemore                He’s Been So Good To Me/This Joy                                             (US S.I.C CD “Simply Rhonda”)            

 

Not sure on the full story with this one……………..not a new album apparently, but I must of missed it first time around.  The key cut here is the great dancer “He’s Been….”, this toon seems familiar to me, whether I heard it somewhere at time of release, or whether it’s a cover version, I know not.  Anyway, this is a striding mid-paced dancer of the highest order.  Inspirational but not too heavy on the message.  Unfortunately, this can’t be said for the rest of the album, being very accomplished, but not to the taste of most heathens on the UK soul scene!!  The other cut doing it for me however, is “This Joy” an early doors delight, which could be from any of Ben Tankards albums…….just listen to that intro and tell me I’m wrong!!  Two step heaven.  So, this is not a solid album unless you’re of a religious persuasion, but for very different reasons you can’t afford to miss these two cuts.

 

Kem                                Find Your Way/Without You/You Might Win                                   (US Motown CD “Album II”)

 

Detroit soul-man Kem comes back at us with his second release for Motown, after the critically acclaimed “Kemistry” from a couple of years ago.  The sonic production evident on this CD is a pre-requisite for a set like this, as we are talking serious artistic talent and quality material here.  Kem comes over all Michael Franks/Al Jarreau in the vocal department.  Now I know the tendency on the UK soul scene is to be looking for the big “dancer” on every set, and if so, you might feel disappointed here.  But, if you love your well-crafted ballads and mid-tempo’s like I do, you’re gonna love this.  My picks at the moment are the opener “Find My Way”, the very Michael Franks sounding, smouldering “Without You”, which wouldn’t of sounded out of place on Maxwells “Hang Suite”, and the rhodes chords of “You Might Win”.  These picks will all change tomorrow though, as it’s all good tackle.  One for the real soul connoisseurs……essential listening.

 

Marvin Gaye           Let’s Get It On (Remix)          (US Motown 12”)

 

I won’t waste too many column inches on this, because the only way you won’t know this is if you’ve been on Mars for some months!  Anyway, this is “Da Producers Mix”, and I just wanted to let you know that it’s now officially available on a bona-fide Motown 12”!!

 

Robert Strauss        Spinning Inside Your Love       (UK Freerange 12”)

 

DJ Spinna on the mix here, this is a cool (synth) bass heavy, retro sounding groover, with great vocals from an un-credited female who declares that she’s fell for her man big-time.  Not a great song lyrically, it has to be said, but this is as catchy as hell, with a quirky endearing feel that is difficult to put in words really.  A toon that will probably suite the UK modern scene though in terms of its duration, as the last half of the cut peters out and is not really “useable”.  The main body of the cut is the dog’s wotsits for the dance floor though.  Give it a listen!

 

Maxine Inniss                     Standing Strong                              (US Fuzion 12”)

 

My favourite soulful house track as I write this.  These records appear week in-week out, but now and again one pops up that really is instant and is the musical equivalent of being hit by a runaway train!!  One of my current favourite production teams are behind this baby, George Mena and Frankie Estevez, and these guys are hot.  Fuzion is a new label, and if this is the standard they intend to maintain then I’m looking forward to the rest of 2005.  This is laced with those trade mark George Mena key licks, particularly the piano work, with Maxine Inniss’ accomplished, slightly sassy vocal sitting nicely on top, proclaiming that despite what her ex may think, she is able to “Stand Strong” without him.  Blinding stuff, and sounding oh so good over a system.  Next to having a heaving dance floor, one of the best feelings a DJ can get is coming off from a spot and being hounded about toons featured in their set, causing the local record-monger on hand to sell out of copies!  That’s what happened when I played this, it did!!

 

Various                            Most cuts                                     (UK Street Soul CD “Street Soul Vol. 2”)

 

Well……….what a fine collection of material this is.  Compiled with love by southern UK based DJ, Bigger (Colin Bartlett), this is the second instalment in the Street Soul series.  What we have is a mix of the in demand previously unreleased (Kenny Thomas “Him”), and quality cuts from released albums from the likes of Maxine Braham (“No Pain No Gain”), Ola (“Soul Town”) and Sheila Ferguson (“Don’t Think About It”).  Of course, sales of this are likely to be driven by the fact that the monstrous “Him” sees it’s first commercial release here, but this is about much more than that cut.  Nu Life “24/7” gets us underway in fine style, a mid-tempo stepper with superb harmony BV’s, via the aforementioned “Him”, we reach the Richard Searling championed Fyza “The Key”, a real dreamy floater.  Further (previously unreleased?) quality follows from Devon Howard, Star69 and Ray Robinson until we reach a trio of cuts from recent albums, the highlight of which is Ola’s “Soul Town”, probably the standout cut from his “In Emergency, Brake Silence” set.  If you missed that album, then this is reason enough to grab this limited edition CD (500 pressed), before it’s too late.  The album also contains a new cut on Tashan, “Best Of Both Worlds”.  Not his best work, but decent enough.  He has set himself a tough benchmark over the years.  You need this, and as I say, don’t leave it too long before you contact the specialists like Simply Soul (0116 237 5461) for this one!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marcus Valentine                 The Feelin’/A Luv Song(Love Like Dis)                                          (US 21st Century Muzik CD “Valentines Day”)

 

Onto an artist that first came to our attention via Street Soul Vol. 1, with the dancer “Gone” (also included here), here we have Marcus Valentine’s debut set, on what looks like a US indie release, actually dated 2004.  Can’t tell you much more as the sleeve notes are sparse to say the least.  What I do know is that Marcus Valentine can sing, with the earthy roughness of a real soul man of the past.  This is highlighted to the full on the snare driven, guitar strummed dancer “The Feelin’”, which in the right hands could turn into a “Gone” for 2005.  Good stuff indeed.  Sounding deliberately old-skool in it’s construction, and being less than three minutes long, “A Luv Song (Love Like Dis)” will have appeal to real-soulsters who would not normally entertain such contemporary R&B based material.  Very swing yer pants 60’s styled, if you know what I mean.  The melodic ballad “Blossom Hill”, infused with strings and trumpet, would be my other pick of the album.  Nice and worth investigation, being the kind of thing that may not be available for too long.

 

Chuck Love            Spread The Love                  (US Salted 12”)

 

This has been around since just after I submitted the last bunch of reviews some three months ago,  So not new, but so good, and more importantly, I feel it’s so relevant to these pages, that I just have to bring it to your attention.  Essentially a semi-vocal cut, with nothing more than a repeated hook, and the kind of chanted repetitive intro that tends to turn me off, but once this record blows-up it’s got such a catchy 80’s styled boogie groove that it’s just irresistible.  The pace drops part way in, with an instrumental bridge before it kicks again with a wicked sax solo.  Don’t know what it is, but as I say, this seems so right for the UK scene……maybe it’s the energy and excitement……………dunno, but seek and enjoy.  Taken from the “Frozen In Minneapolis” EP.

 

Ron Hall & The Muthafunkaz feat Mark Evans                     The Way You Love Me                       (UK Hustle Music 12”)

 

This is the third release on new label to watch, Hustle Music, and has been much hyped as a pre-release amongst those in the know.  The thing is, as old soul boys, these up-tempo killers with blistering vocals will always crank your handle.  With a decent production to complete the recipe, records like this will never fail on the UK modern soul scene (think Ron Carroll “Back Together” and you get the idea).  There’s some debate as to whether this is the same Mark (Marc?) Evans that had an indie soul CD release last year.  Judging the voice, I think it is, but I’m really not sure.

 

Usher                              It Is What It Is                                                     (US LaFace CD “Rhythm City: Volume One: Caught Up”)

 

It seems de-rigueur in the US at present to issue packages that are based around DVD video.  For example, recent sets by Az Yet and Angie Fisher on Liaison records were dual-discs, with DVD on one side, and CD on the other.  Most confusing, and compounded by the fact that it’s sometimes the DVD that contains that killer cut, creating much difficulty for your average DJ, who has to resort to copying said track to CD to be able to include it in their sets.  What a pain!!  Anyway, back to Usher.  This is actually two discs, one DVD video and the other CD, with the emphasis being on the DVD actually (which I haven’t watched!).  The CD is made up of just three previously unreleased cuts, and the one you need to know about is the funky, shuffling “It Is What It Is”, which will be igniting UK dance floors in the coming months.  This really is a monster dancer, which acknowledges the influence of one Stevie Wonder Esq, especially on the bridge, with its brief harmonica run.  You need this…….one that could so easily have been missed.

 

OK……fast running out of time, so quick mentions for three recent 12” releases from Kenny Bobien, one being a Japanese released cover of Stevie’s “Isn’t She Lovely”, the others coming out of the US on Home and Spiritually Sound.  Other great 12’s of note from Julius Papp on NeoDisco, Lefunken feat Mina on Bingo Soul (another goodie “Breathe” also available on US Deepa Gooves), Dawn Tallman “You Are Why” on Slaag, the awesome George Mena and Frankie Estevez feat Tabia “Forever And A Day” on Jellybean Soul, Fudge feat Mani Hoffman on Stalwart and the hot off the press “You Remind Me” from Kenny Carvajal & Swaylo on the ever-reliable Phuture Sole.  Also, you might want to help those unfortunate enough to have been caught-up in the Tsunami, by purchasing a copy of the Bluey inspired Hope Collective “Give And Let Live”, available on Expansion in either its original format or a Louie Vega remix taking it squarely to the floor.  A real who’s who of vocalists from the world of soul, and very worthy of your support.  Also check for a quality indie CD offering from Martha Redbone, a storming crossover dancer “Break Out The Tears” from the unlikely looking Angel Rissoff and the killer “Fly Like A Bird” on the new Mariah Carey CD (yes, I said Mariah Carey) “The Emancipation Of Mimi”.

 

 

Right, that’s me……………..’til the next time

 

Mark      (June 2005)

 

 

Don’t forget, if you have material for review, contact me soulboy@randlem.freeserve.co.uk

 

 

 

 

                                                                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

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