The Pain of it all....

Tribute to Park 106 and place-or as it was on 18th November Park 106 and Pain

The man adds to the wit...

Jai Reed-You were there

Nice indie Gospel CD- this is rather nice....

How Long will you need Me !

Must have played this a thousand times this year- I blame that 60t's sounding sample..

Lone Catalysts from the Square Binizz CD

Bob Baldwin-New Urban Jazz

As it goes this sounds more like Kero One-which for the smooove scene-ain't no bad thing..
Nice CD too

Joe (1)- Family

It's been a bit of a year for Joe- a label change, a new CD and some very odd interviews where he slags off R Kelly-in a "lost my mind" way...

He cropped up early in the year with this made for the Roscoe Jenkins Soundtrack.

As always Joe tends to deliver....

Connor Reeves – Whatever Gets You Through

Odd one this- Quite popular in the early part of the year...See here amongst other places
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/ronnieherel/20080211.shtml

I doubt it's 2008 though (2007/6)-but I associate it with this year

It took me a few plays to get into it- but eventually I was won over by a few plays by Greg Clifford....

Superior Stuff for sure-its a bit dark-and it builds.... It's Soul Music

Gina Loring Feeling Good

Another Feb 2008 release which I left on the shelf till I read Stevie's review on B2B. He described it very well-quite positive-and he wrote "It's got a live drum sound"

Indeed it has....

Erykah..kah..kah.....

From her Amerykah CD released in Feb 2008-the first track to really grab me from it....

Day 26-The New Northern Soul

The X factor-I've watched it when Leona Lewis Won-but you know-who gives a shit?
Apparently in the US they have something called MOTB (match of the band?)...4 ?

I've no idea what I'm writing here-I like Soul Music-it's a personal thing...

This is great-huge fat pop-tastic Soul tune-in a 2008 style (or a 2006 One Chance Style).


One thing for sure 2008 has been a year when I've enjoyed music because of interacting by writing about it with other people-A few people at this place in particular:

http://back2basics.biz/index.php


As for this-you know I just don't get it? Nobody will include this in a best of list and yet it's just perfect Soul Music-It's dirge like-with huge 90t's keyboard bleeds-it's FAT. But apart from the peeps in the link above- It'll be passed over.

Out of respect to the greatest leak masters of recent years -This is there version with the "Black N Beatz Vibes Baby" spoiler... (love those peeps)

Canton... suggests another way....

I like lyrics-and I like Gospel so you know sometimes I listen and assume it's ironic (Like in say Pennies from Heaven). Sometimes though some words in Gospel are like the singers and the melodies-the best I ever hear.

"Fred Hammond-It's not what you say"-is the example I quote to the majority of people who step back and think I'm a nut job. Check it out and regardless of what you believe try and tell me that those words aren't a lesion to all of us.

Canton Jones Song Hater Day has something special also about the lyrics-understanding-giving-behaving decently-in search of getting through another day.

Timeless classic for me.....



....flesh make you wanna do things.....
Really ?-Shit thats me f*cked then

Musiq-who is he ?

Different strokes to different folks-so it appears. I always think of Womanopoly a song so clever lyric wise (least to me)-I just have to respect the guy...Mind I'm perhaps the only person that thinks that.

This track was on one of the Special Edition re releases this year-not the best to many- which I understand- but we all look to different strokes....

Stokley Williams, Mint and the Tigga

Just awesome !! That vocal floors me-it's perfect-Definite pick for my Karaoke song at the Office Xmas party- "..all of a sudden- ah- you turned around-nd-nd"-Wow talk about phrasing-the man is a genius! As for Phonte-he's ok-"...four in the morning getting crazy text messages..." (Note-I think he means sending them)

The CD is ESSENTIAL !!!

February the 14th 2008

2006 Demo from Brutha (who have had a lot of leaks this year but none as good as this) just seemed right for the day in question...

"-So I sign off quick and just go back to doing what I usually do-"

Substantial - Sacrifice -The wake up call

The Sacrifice CD is another Hip Hopeful quality CD with a Nujables connection.
I recall reading a post on EMS talking about what tracks people would have as ring tones. I laughed a lot when I read it because this particular track has been my phone alarm for quite a few months.......Won't tell that lot though-they would never get it...

(smiles)

Freddie Joachim-In WithTime-24/7

Really like this Hip Hope Jap CD and fast Freddie J is a talented bloke... The CD features a great version of the old chestnut "You Remind me"-but it's this smile along track featuring Aloe Blacc that deserves to be heard.....

Homeless-Charlie Wilson

In with the very best of the year IMHO (or top 10 material). Huge commercial cash in with the MTV series "Fatherhood" but regardless Charlie is special.

One of the happiest memories I'll have of listening to music in company this year-or any other for that matter.....



Rather hopeful quote from earlier in the year....(20/06/08)
see

http://www.rnbmusicblog.com/charlie-wilson-homeless/

Charlie Wilson has debuted a new song,earlier this week.The track is titled “Homeless” and is rumored to be on the singer’s upcoming album “Supa Sexxy”,that will be released on September 16 through Jive records.’Homeless’ is vintage Charlie and it could become a hit with some help from urban radio stations.

It was a hit but the CD never materialized

Tonex 3

Yet another track from Naked Truth-using King Heroin by James Brown-and sounding good.....

Tonex 2

From his Naked Truth Mix tape. I just love this - I don't know why?

"It don't just make sense to me"

Ralf Gum /Monique Bingham-Edit

Soulful House some call it ( like those who spend money on Traxsource and Juno)-to me it's Sushi (as in Kandy). The template is Disco (or will always be to me)-and I left Disco behind a long time ago. Course the post Disco up tempo stuff has had moments of brilliance. I could trot off a huge list but won't be condescending to you all.

I'm happier in my own music comfort zone-and I'm quite intimidated by the House peeps-who pour scorn on the likes of me (for good reason at times). Every now again though I take a decent bit of Sushi and try to get it down to under 4 minutes or get rid of 4 minutes of endless druming (turn it into a SONG)-for example this edit of a mix-of a mix-and so on...

Johnson and Johnson -Gods in the Building

This is the year of the 60T's revival-causing old men to post on EMS "I heard this on Radio 2-Thank god the youth of today acknowledge the real soul of the 1960t's...." Gravitas to the revival was added by Raphael Saadiq-but whole CD's were ruined by jumping on the band wagon. I've spent a lot of time since 1974 knocking Northern Soul-so NS types who know my views tend to dismiss me.Meanwhile some claim that in 2008 Soulful House is the NEW Northern Soul.

Growing up in the North West even though I didn't like Northern-doesn't mean I don't know what it is. So if you seek Northern in 2008 then this track by Hip Hop outfit Johnson and Johnson comes a lot closer (even if it takes a detractor to notice)....

Jean Grae-My Story

One of my very best of the year without a doubt. Perhaps the finest Gospel track of the year too-though it's not really Gospel-except.....

The Story told is about abortion from a pro-life point of view and at times it has haunting lyrics. The Chorus is chilling...

"When the rain falls down I know it's falling for me-and only for me-And when the pain comes around-no where else I rather would be-I know what I've done- Please Forgive me"

Which is real Gospel guilt...

Her reflections at the end of the song are moving

"But it's never over-even if we have a child-they could of had a brother or sister or both-I'm thinking about another life that almost got close-praying that in another time we could of changed posts-If I could reverse time I would-I don't know what I'd do?-honestly it's not good-I'm Sorry"

Jazmine 1

This should be the year of Jazmine. The Woman had a huge number of leaks tied together in home made compilations throughout the year. Some of these go back a few years but the quality is just astounding....



Not released on her 2008 CD !
Neither was this-which picked up a bit of play time in Modern Soul Events



As for this one Music Featuring Floetry (from 2006-?) which I hadn't heard before this year-is just lovely.(I've played it a LOT of times).... ALL I HEAR IS MUSIC!!

Bryan Owens Till Morning Breaks

From his EP THE COLE SESSIONS....

Little Brother Tracks 2

This is perhaps the most played (in Modern Soul circles) track involving LB.
Keelay and Zaire-alright with me. It's mostly because of that sample of course: This version looses the rather poor rap segment and in doing so it becomes a Modern Soul standard....

The Little Brother Tracks 1

For the last few years my best of list has included something by Little Brother-or an off shoot connection to them. Though widely acknowledged and rated in Hip Hop circles (and by people under lets say 40)-The Modern Soul World I inhabit has been very slow to catch on. In 2008 I've heard a lot of material new to me by them-including one home made collection by the California Agents Blog that is one of the very best of the year.
The legitimate release of the long overdue sophomore CD by Foreign Exchange is one of the few follow up releases that truly delivers-no best of list should exclude a track from it. My own take on LB is that they clever and often very witty. Phonte has a deliver style and vocabulary that I like and they are very melodic (given the musical genre)-they use good singers. LB also are quite commercial as in doing songs as well-and have this year reached a wider Modern Soul audience.

This track is from 2007-it came out on Jazzy J "Return" EP but I don't think it made the CD (??). It's just fantastic and I love it...

AZ Edit

From his 2008 CD this heavy handed edit was done by me in order to make this track acceptable for Radio Play in the SCR Soul Show (see my links). Huge thanks go to Cath Inchbold for her suggestion-(insistence!) that I do the edit. Her selections are always right-her taste is beyond reproach. I couldn't name anyone who has had a greater effect on what I listen to this year. This track is typical of her magnificent ear for music Urban with Soul.....

Almost Gone

From yet another home made compilation called Mary J-B sides and unreleased comes this mighty bit of musical genuis. I've no details on it and I don't want or need to know. It's a sad lament to Love and me-well I just love Mary J....She adds gravitas feeling and drama (and when it comes to drama-I'm not mellow- I'm melodramatic)

Ty and Kory

A few months ago on the Forum EMS -I read a post by Mattfox that was titled "The Sound Track of your Life". Even though he's German and therefore English is his second language his post had something special about it. He stated that somehow certain tracks fit into a persons life. He listed a few classics and you could tell that he'd associated moments in time with his soundtrack. His only problem was that they were all quite old causing one reply that said "Did you die in 1982?".

However that post was in part the inspiration behind this blog. I didn't post on his thread because where would I start ?-all music is a sound track to my life.

After a few replies Maxfox stated that a lot of his soundtrack was about love- well hell yes!

From 2008 two tracks about Love from the same mixtape by Ty and Kory that fit into my soundtrack....

The first is about when love is good. It's fantastic ! So witty and with a melody which is almost MGM musical....


The second is about when love is bad and insecurity is writ LARGE


They both tell it like it is.......

Soundtracks! I got them.....

Jay King-I have a way

Another huge recent fave...

see here

"she says I am the words to her song"

http://thejazznetwork.ning.com/profile/JayKing

Siji Here There and everywhere 2008

From his sophomore CD very recent and I just like it.....

Lovers-Billy Cook

Somehow these tracks fit- and this is such a great fit for me. I knew it the moment I first heard it-it still makes the tears flow because I just buy into it so much. A song about Lovers-so it's tragic-and it's bitter-but it's also hopeful even grateful. Because that's what I see- I read the vocal- and it has the emotion I seek... It's a two verse song with a change and just I love that...

"when everything is mixed together as one-I know that we are done"

But somehow underneath it is hope

"I hope that you'll find comfort and I'll pray you will find peace-but only time can tell where your heart will lead"

Yet it's still bitter-and when he sings-"with all my heart with all my bitty itty heart"-I thank God for Music.

Sobriety By Jessie Boykins III

Now this is one only I could Like...

Thanks go again to Greg Clifford for making me interested in hearing this rather special EP. I just associate with this track-it's a dream...a vague musical wash with enough about it to catch me. Could be the Dwele-Leon Ware type memories it invokes. It could be the title and the fact that Tinny's fuel my writing-or that feeling music gives me of love-lost/had/wasted-Just enough words to give me....just a feeling......

Q Tip- We fight the Love

A recent upload to my Imeem Account and a back story quite typical of the loneliness of the long distance Soul fan.

I read about this track on a Forum called back2basics-
see here: http://back2basics.biz/ (As the Blog Grows-I'll make sure all these links are readable!)
I have to thank member Greg Clifford for making sure I listened and I fell for it. So I uploaded it to embed in another Forum-and did a grand post about it. I didn't get a single reply-and my file didn't pick up more than 4 plays. But it's a long game-and eventually someone will nail this track-everyone will agree-and I will feel aggrieved. I've no right too feel anything other than assurance that I'm not the only one who feels this track-but it's just not that simple. Somehow a whole lot of personal issues surface-which I can't rationalize. Putting a track "out there"-especially to the people who would I like to think have some respect for my taste-takes a leap of faith. How far that leap is depends on a lot of variables-the prime one for me is my own investment(in terms of back story).

2008 has been a year where I have contemplated how feedback gives such huge encouragement to carry on-in what frankly is always a personal quest. Feedback is addictive-and I struggle with it. This is why if you read this Blog you'll get used to reading the words "only I like this". Whenever you do read them though-be assured that the track in question is VERY important to me....

This isn't one of those tracks because people are picking up on it......

Yeah it makes no sense to me either....

Montell Jordan Me and You

In order to get this blog under way-I'm busy embedding stuff from my Imeem Account. It's easy and quick to do and gives folks the chance to listen. This track I downloaded about 12 months ago a leak by Montell Jordan. I didn't tag the imeem track because (sigh) I wanted to keep it quiet-and I embedded this track in a couple of Forums-and amazingly enough got some reaction. Well over 12 months later it made the Montell Jordan Let it Rain CD-which was reassuring. The same didn't happen with the many Jazmine Sullivan leaked tracks- alas many of them didn't make her CD-see later.....

Nelson Wanna Be Yours

I've always liked this Black n Beatzs Vibzs leak from Nelson. So understated and gentle and rather haunting re visit of Carl Thomas "I wish I never met Her"

Hip Hope number 1 Scott Johnson.......

I like "hip hope"- musical tracks featuring the spoken word-where the emphasis is on something other than the negative...
This is from Scott Johnson and though it starts by being quite depressive-it's anything but....

Tonex post one

I'm a big fan of Gospel Star Ton3x. He's the most creative Gospel Artist out there-always courting controversy-and never quite coming to terms with himself. He turned his back on the majors took control of his own output and this year has released two mix tapes. On both there are moments of musical madness- seemingly he pushed the envelope just too far-(for acceptability). Somehow though I admire him even more because of this. Here he is taking the Carpenters and creating a masterpiece which deals with the old Gospel problem "If God is good why does he let bad things happen?"

God doesn't its us that do that....

From Jan 2008 Joseph Jnr

Downloaded a compilation called VA Streets Jan 2008-and on it was this fantastic track....

Just love it....

Lets get started

Hell this isn't even from 2008-though it's relevant. I was asked to Locate the new Raheim Devaughn CD some weeks before release-which I couldn't do. I searched though and found this mixtape and this track is edited from it. Never did any track fit the mood and precise feelings about the task in hand. Never did find out who the female singer is (Jill Scott)??.

"what you do is crazy baby-not like you belong in an Asylum!-Crazy babe !"

Intro one

I'm doing this for me-just for me-I don't expect a lot of readers or listeners...

This is my best Music I've Heard in 2008 -
I've done a few Lists like this in the past but never as a Blog

It's actually nonsense to have a best of list-(the best what-and for whom?)Top lists well that I can understand. Top selling singles for example are based on stats

Best of though is personal-which is why I no longer do a best of list.

Last year on a couple of forums I did try to do a list-but I found that I just can't JUST write a title -I love some of these songs-they remind me of things-events-places-relationships- the stuff that happened to me in 2008.

These factors are the back story-the whys and wherefores of why I heard that track, played it a lot of times and how it kinda helped me get through another year.

This blog gives me a chance to tell a bit of back story-I'm mindfull though of personal overshare-though I doubt anyone who does read it will understand any comments enough to take offence.

I'm not the only music fanatic-I'm one of many-my only difference is my willingness to indulge my love. But straight up-it's not important. People watch TV-talk to each other-I Mean even Games outsell CD sales (or so I've just read). Me I never play Games-Sure I've bought them-not for me of course-but yes I've spent plenty which adds to that sales figure. The notion that kids spend hours alone makes me feel uncomfortable-I mean how much meaning can you take from a Game.....

As much as you want really