Saturday, August 11, 2012

I Got The...


While You're Out Looking for Sugar


(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People


Sideway Shuffle


I Don't Want to Be With Nobody But You


Songs of the Day

I'm covering the first 5 songs today: "I Got The..." "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People," "While You're Out Looking for Sugar," "Sideway Shuffle," and "I Don't Want to Be With Nobody But You."  I must say, with the exception of "I Got The..." I'm a little disappointed with this batch of songs.  "I Got The..." is a great, funky starter.  I love the starting funk groove with the strings, and then midway it transitions into the beat from Eminem's "My Name Is," and I must say, it's pretty damn funky.  Everything after this just seems to be on the cornier side of soul.  Joss has so much more grit than I feel like she's showing here.  For Example, a line like "While you're out looking for sugar, somebody's gonna take your honey and be gone" sounds like it should be sexy and sultry, but the music and melody just make it sound kind of cheesy.  Really just OK points for these songs, but I do really like the opener.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Week 76: Joss Stone

Time for a female voice on the list, it's been a few weeks.  I'm definitely a Joss Stone fan, Introducing... is definitely one of my favorite soul albums, and if this is anything close to that caliber, I'm set to have a good week.  Joss has a great voice that I find very refreshing in today's music, and it'll be nice to revisit that, as it's been a few years.  Mmmm, soul.

This Weeks Album...


























time for some soul, eh?

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Final Grade: A

I don't find a single thing wrong with this album.  Honestly, the only part I'm not a fan of is the gong in between the majority of the songs, as I feel like it takes away from the flow of the album, but aside from that, I'm set.  James was and forever will be the Godfather of Soul, and this album only furthers the evidence as to why he earned that title.  Funky from start to finish, with some nice soulful slow songs in the middle.  Great horn lines, but that's to be expected.  Funky, funky stuff.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Stormy Monday


A Man Has to Go Back to the Crossroads


Sometime


I Can't Stand It "76"


Lost Someone


Don't Tell a Lie and I Won't Tell the Truth About You


Papa Don't Take No Mess


Songs of the Day

So, we're at the latter half of the album.  I like that James included some laid back tracks to this album with "Stormy Monday, " "A Man Has to Go Back to the Crossroads," and "Sometime," they're a nice switch from the heavy dance numbers in the first half of the album.  Really dig how subtle, but groovy "I Can't Stand It '76'" is - you can dance to it, or you can sit back and relax, which are both great options.  I don't know if you can help but dance towards the end with it's awesome pick up.  I think "Don't Tell a Lie About Me and I Won't Tell" is probably my favorite track of the day, maybe even of the album.  It was actually the first song I heard off the album that made me want to listen to the rest.  The groove actually seems a little ahead of its time.  The first time I heard it, I thought it was a remix of a James tune.  Way to go, James!  "Papa Don't Take No Mess" is the last song of the album, and the only song I knew before reviewing Hell, it's a classic track at 13:52 minutes long.  Solid all around.