New Song > Lianne La Havas > What You Don't Do

Another song has dropped from Lianne La Havas' upcoming second album Blood, which is out July 31. It's called 'What You Don't Do' and it's just as likeable and infectious as its predecessor 'Unstoppable', except this time it has a little bounce in its step. You can get this song automatically when pre-ordering Blood. Pre-order here.

New Single > Joss Stone > The Answer

I've always had a soft spot Joss Stone, even when people turned their back on her for 'that' American accent I kept on listening to her sultry smoky tones and soul vibes. It seems people are easily pissed off because she's more talented than the majority of drivel that finds its way onto the airwaves today. Her new single 'The Answer', lifted from her upcoming album Water For Your Soul combines her trademark soul with Brazilian baião, a welcome accompaniment to her expertly executed vocal flutters, cracks and roars.

The organic authenticity of Stone's last original album LP1 continues here, vocal tinkering nowhere to be heard and I don't think I detected one synth amongst the live sounding arrangement. The song takes a couple of plays to get into, but once you've soaked it up it's an infectious summer number with a gorgeous crescendo of fiddles and a gospel choir.

'The Answer' is out now and you can hear it here.

Water For Your Soul is out on 17 July.

New Single > Lianne La Havas > Unstoppable

The new single from London born singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/all round amazing music person Lianne La Havas is called Unstoppable and it is gorgeous. It's a step away from the folk-soul chants of her debut album Is Your Love Big Enough? but retains the same vocal smoothness that glittered throughout the opus. It's an instant charmer, gorgeous emotive vocal meandering atop a slow throbbing bass line and a seductive vintage soul arrangement. Unstoppable is the first single to be lifted from her upcoming sophomore album Blood which, if this is anything to go by, will be amazing. 

Unstoppable is available to savour here.

Blood will be released in the UK on 31 July.

5 / 5

Ella Henderson - Chapter One (Album Review)

The Xfactor was once a force to be reckoned with. It governed the charts in the run up to Christmas, with retro covers performed by hopefuls week on week appearing in the top 10 decades after their original release. In some ways the Xfactor did a great service to commercial pop music by increasing music sales in the Autumn/Winter period. Things haven't been so immense down Xfactor street in recent years though, with winner's sales figures nowhere near what they once were and no winner having quite the success of Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke. The format is weakening and its transparency is becoming all the more apparent with constant gimmicks and ridiculous contestants. Thankfully, it doesn't take a winner to release an incredible album. Alumni Rebecca Ferguson's Heaven is the perfect example, runner up to uber douche Matt Cardle (somehow now on his fourth album) it sold over 500,000 copies in the UK and quite rightly so. The shock exit of similarly likeable contestant Ella Henderson in week 6 was flabbergasting, a travesty at the time. It's clear that it was probably for the best because here she is a few years on with her debut album Chapter One and it's a damn doozy. 

Kelis - Jerk Ribs & Rumble

Kelis is one of the most underrated popstars around. She's moved through from hip-hop to r&b, from pop to dance and electronica. Now she's about to release her 6th studio album FOOD, and it's set to be a substantial helping of old school soul. The two promotional cuts, Jerk Ribs and Rumble are retro flavoured soul records that transport you back to an era where record players were the height of musical technology. 

Jerk Ribs is a wonderful uptempo track, with a soft soul bassline and an exhilarating chorus. Kelis' vocals have never sounded so affective, authentic and distinct. The lyrics are strong and the story is helped by Kelis' flawless delivery. When the muted brass backed chorus kicks in things bubble up to a whole new level of perfection. If this song was edible I'd be salivating by the end of the first chorus. Rumble is mid-tempo piano lead soul and like Jerk Ribs it sends you back in time and suddenly you're in a beautiful piano bar with a gin in one hand, cigarette in the other, foot tapping to the infectious beat. The cracks in Kelis' voice make this whole affair feel like a live performance. If these songs are anything to go by, Food is going to be the highlight of Kelis' career so far and potentially one of 2014's most accomplished albums.

Jerk Ribs - 5/5

Rumble - 4/5

Food is out on 21 April

Rated: Katy B - What Love Is Made Of

It's been a while since I posted... apologies if you thought I was dead or something. Hi - I'm back! So what better way to celebrate than with an amazing new track from funky dub step princess Katy B. Her new single is long overdue, following on from her incredible debut album On a Mission which included some bloody brilliant tracks (Title track, Broken Record, Lights On - to name a few). Hoping to bag herself her first number 1, she's releasing 'What Love is Made of'.

This is a smooth house track, with a gorgeously constructed chorus and soft beat production. Compared to some of the harder tracks from her debut, this is pretty tame. She gets lyrical about a man with her soulful, gentle vocals, whilst maintaining perfect control throughout. There are no gimmicks here, just great music from a great contemporary female British artiste. 

5/5

Rated: Suit & Tie

It's been 6 years since Justin Timberlake had an album out. Yes 6 years without the body popping, butt shaking, hip swaying, 'snake' swinging high pitched pursuits of the eternally attractive one. To be honest, I thought he'd given up since making a bag of cash from his first two albums and all that N*Sync homoerotica. 

Now JT is back with a slice of pop so smooth it could feature on a Gillette ad. He's roped in Jay Z for shits & giggles too, which makes the whole affair even more exciting. 'Shirt & Tie' has a retro funk soul sound, not unlike something you'd encounter on a 'Greatest Funk Ever' compilation. It's a step away from the pop/r'n'b Timbaland stylings of 2006 and a leap forward into a much more mature arena. If this is the worst cut from his upcoming album then it's bound to be the best album ever... right?

5/5

Ok on further listens I've realised I was over excited that JT was back and overrated. It's actually more of a 3/5 than a 5/5. Sorry for any distress caused.

Rated: Lulu James - Sweet Soul

If you haven't heard about Lulu James before, I'm sure you were going to soon enough, had I not just posted this. That was a mouthful. This North-East girl has one of the most intriguing voices I've heard this year, smooth, soulful and just damn gorgeous to behold. Check out her single 'Be Safe' below:

Rated Flashback - Back to Basics

If I had started this blog back in 2006 I would definitely have posted a review of this album. Following the sexually charged beauty of an album Stripped, Christina Aguilera showed how dynamic an artist she was by completely overhauling her image and sending herself back in time to write an album that was like nothing else in the charts at the time. Voice on point as per usual, production reaching epic proportions and some incredibly perfect pop moments, Back To Basics was the album that got me interested in soul music and now I've got a 6 year relationship with the genre. Thanks Chrissy.

Best Tracks: 'Makes Me Wanna Pray', 'Ain't No Other Man', 'Candyman', 'Slow Down Baby', 'Here to Stay', 'Mercy On Me', 'Hurt'

4/5

Rated Joss Stone - Soul Sessions Vol. 2

Joss Stone has taken tonnes of flack in her decade long career, mainly from her homeland. It's a shame that one silly accent mishap caused so much animosity, but I guess the music world is a shallow place and the public can't see the talent beyond the person. The truth is, Joss Stone is a remarkable singer with a voice that coils its way around you as you sip your red wine and puff on your Marlboro on the couch, squeezing ever so slightly with every note. This is the case with the sequel album to her huge debut, Soul Sessions Vol. 2, which has Stone reunite with the mastermind behind the original album, Steve Greenberg.

The evolution of Stone's voice is apparent on Labi Siffre cover 'I Got The...', the same song Eminem sampled on his debut 'My Name Is'. '(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People' opens with an enormous roar from Stone's pipes and as the uptempo soul number kicks in you can't help tap your hands off everything around you. The tempo is kept with 'While You're Out Looking For Sugar', which is about as uplifting as a song can get. 'Sideway Shuffle' is a sassy, sexy soul song that suits Stone's foxy tones perfectly. Covering Womack & Womack's classic 'Teardrop', Stone almost makes the song sound like it was written for her.

The beauty of Stone's voice is that it's timeless. She sounds classically current; like a vintage voice for the modern generation. This is apparent on all songs on the album; reworking Eddie Floyd's 'I Don't Want To Be With Nobody But You' and Barbara Acklin's 'Stoned Out Of My Mind' Stone brings belting soul/funk melodies into the 21st Century and makes them appealing enough to fit in with the current wave of synth overdosing. 

Soul Sessions Vol. 2 is a great album to win back those fans who turned their backs on Joss Stone when she revamped her image and sound on Introducing... many years ago. Fantastic vocals, great soul songs and plenty of charisma make this one of the singer's most exciting albums to date.

4/5


Update! Not going to lie, I did get a little over excited about this. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship (shopping, drinking and dancing that is - no monkey business)