MUSIC FROM MY LOFT

As some of you may or not know I have a cheery cynicism for some of todays so called mainstream R&B divas, who in my book are just R&B wannabees. However there's not many of todays bright and shiny young things that I could use the word soul to describe their singing. The only name, I can pick with any certainty would be Mary J Blige as she's the new Aretha (not that Aretha isn't making some great music check her last album). I suppose you could include Mariah but only when she starts to dress her age and not try and keep up with Amerie, Ciara and the rest. Yes, there is Whitney but as she's not going to rehab anytime soon, I doubt if she'll be in a recording studio within the next 10 years. So Mary J Blige is the undisputed Queen of R&B and I would crown her Queen of the new school of soul in an instant.



Now that leaves us with the fellahs, you know back in the day we had Stevie, Marvin, Curtis, Barry, Teddy P, all original soulmen of the 70's but what of today? Where do we find the soul in todays wall to wall MTV R&B/hiphop circus. Usher?; I don't think so, who else is there that has been around for more than 3-4 years, no one I can think of springs to mind. No there's a dearth of quality soul singers in the mainstream arena but wait a minute there are 35 million african-americans in america, so does it really matter if you don't go mainstream, hell no as many would take 10% of 35 million for album sales anyday of the week.

All is not lost, I have just been checking out the new Anthony Hamilton album 'Ain't Nobody Worryin' and Dweles' 'Some Kinda' and all I can say is damn, they are oh so different but if the world of soul has to rely on these two guys then I can sleep, peacefully in my bed at night as these guys are the real deal. In fact I will put my head on the block and say that Anthony Hamilton has produced the best male soul album since D'angelo gave us Brown Sugar, no I'll go one further it's better than that and say since Marin Gaye, gave us 'I Want You' or Stevie gave us 'Fulfillingness First Finale'. Anthony Hamilton must be some sort of 70's throwback or has he been frozen in time since 1977 and only awoke in 2002? All I know is that his new album is stuffed full of soulfull goodness, something to play any day of the week for any event, making love, weddings, births and even funerals. The killer track on the album is without a doubt 'Pass Me Over' and when I heard it, I felt a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat, it's a piece of music so powerfully sung and drenched with emotion that it can't help but touch your soul and there's not much music I can listen to that does that. Can someone please tell me how did he come up with the lovers rock track 'Everybody', which my good lady Ms B thought was a remix ala Alicia Keys but when I told her that it wasn't and that it was a straight album cut, she asked "was he Jamaican?". That I couldn't answer but it's the sweetest thing I ever heard on an american soul album ever. 'Sista Big Bones' is a slice of southern soul sounding like it was recorded in the Stax studios, quite raw sounding and I love the funky guitar riff in the background. Is this the kind of sound Donny Hathaway would be producing if he was still with us? 'Change The World' well that has Gamble and Huff stamped all over it what with the strings, which are subtle but quite effective, a nice slice of sophisticated soul, that Teddy P might have sung in the 70's when he was with Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, it's just awesome. 'Never Love Again' initially kinda grates as he sings falsetto but once he comes down a little it all comes togther into a sweet soulful ballad, that wouldn't have sounded out of place many a soul album from the 70's, did someone say Lee Garrett? 'Southern Stuff' is a new soul sound for a new generation, real instruments, real singing, the real deal, which definitely smacks the ass of any of those wannabees, I assume Usher has a copy on continous in his mansions, listen and weep boy, listen and weep. I could go on on and on but I won't as there's not a bad track on the album and all I can say is flash the cash and buy this album as it's a real gem of a soul album, which you will be playing in 10-15 years time. All hail Anthony Hamilton the new King of soul for a new generation.


Anthony Hamiltons' Website is here