ADRIANA EVANS - Walking With The Night (2010)

Brilliant work from Adriana Evans, quite possibly her greatest record so far, and that's saying a lot, given how much we've loved everything she's done!! There's a perfect, professional vibe to the whole set that's really amazing, Soul music like Soul music's supposed to be done, tight, yet never commercial, and peppered with these very slight, subtle 60s influences on some of the horn parts and other instrumentation, while still getting bumped along by some modern rhythms at the bottom. The depth to this record is astounding, and we're even more in love with Adriana's music than ever, and bet you'll be too, after hearing this wonderful album!!

Tracklisting:

1. Waiting
2. Suddenly
3. Midnight
4. Love Me On The One
5. Never Thought
6. Surrender
7. Astral Project
8. Let You Get Away
9. Sooner Or Later
10. Walking With The Night
11. Weatherman
12. El Sol
13. Set In Stone
14. Weatherman (Extended 12-Inch Version)

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LAURA VANE & THE VIPERTONES - Laura Vane & The Vipertones (2009)

Heavy, classic styled Funk & Soul from Laura Vane & The Vipertones, really killing it in a similar vein as some of our favorite female fronted, blue-eyed female fronted UK Funk, but it an even harder grooving, grittier and anthemic mode!! It's pretty heavy on the bottom end, thanks to some hard hitting drums and percussion, with a mod Soul touches and Motown indebted moments. Laura's vocals are gritty and sweet at the same time, with a genuine skill and depth, and the players are great, too. Definitely worth checking out for fans of Kylie Auldist, Lizzy Parks and Alice Russell!!

Tracklisting:

1. Roof Off
2. Steam
3. Am I Dreaming?
4. Man Of Your Word
5. Did It Anyway
6. No Words
7. You Give Me What I Want
8. Good Morning
9. The Squeeze
10. Mean Lover
11. So Much Love

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NAOMI SHELTON & THE GOSPEL QUEENS - What Have You Done, My Brother? (2009)

A Gospel album, but one with Deep Funk roots, the first full length album from Naomi Shelton, a vocalist we first came to love for her funky 45s on the Desco and Daptone labels!! The music's a great mix of Gospel vocals and some of the Heavy Soul sounds we've come to expect from Daptone, small combo instrumentation led by keyboardist Cliff Driver, recorded with a gritty edge that takes us back to the best Southern Soul sounds of the late 60s. Production is impeccable, a perfect setting for Naomi's great lead vocals, and some hip support from the Gospel Queens trio, and although contemporary, the album's like finding a batch of rare Soul Gospel singles in the back of some dusty record shop!!

Tracklisting:

1. What Is This
2. What More Can I Do?
3. I'll Take The Long Road
4. What Have You Done
5. I Need You To Hold My Hand
6. Trouble In My Way
7. Jordan River
8. He Knows My Heart
9. Am I Asking Too Much?
10. By Your Side
11. Lift My Burdens
12. Change Is Gonna Come

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THE ASTEROIDS GALAXY TOUR - Fruit (2009)

Groovy release from the Danish Alt-Rock/60s inspired Soul The Asteroids Galaxy Tour!! Formed less than a year ago, the group is moving at the speed of light. Led by Lars Iversen and Mette Lindberg, they created quite a buzz when they came to NY, heralded as one of the hottest new bands from across the pond!!

Tracklisting:

1. Lady Jesus
2. The Sun Ain't Shining No More
3. Push The Envelope
4. Satellite
5. Crazy
6. The Golden Age
7. Around The Bend
8. Sunshine Coolin'
9. Hero
10. Bad Fever
11. Inner City Blues (Bonus Track)

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KARL DENSON´S TINY UNIVERSE – Brothers Keeper (2009)

Karl Denson's come a long way here since his earlier Funk sides from years back, and for the record, his tiny universe gets expanded nicely by the addition of Meshell Ndegeocello on bass!! The groove here is rich and full, almost a late 60s funky Soul approach, but harder than we're used to hearing from Denson, with some especially nice drums at the bottom, which keep things quite raw, even when the songs are slightly sweetened up, and Meshell's basslines are definitely a great component of the set, as most tunes bump along with a groove that's strongly directed up from the bottom!!

Tracklisting:

1. Shake It Out
2. Where It Counts
3. Drums Of War
4. Brother's Keeper, Pt. 1
5. Brother's Keeper, Pt. 2
6. Mighty Rebel
7. Monica
8. Expressions
9. Empty Soul
10. Take It Down
11. Just Got Paid

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SOOPASOUL - Twin Stix (2009)

Funky work from Soopasoul, an artist who grabbed our ears with a few hip singles, and who sounds great here in the space of a full length album!! Most of the album's got a Deep Funk work, done in a style that's sometimes not as live as other combos out there these days, but which still has a very sharp edge, lots of riffing guitar, blasting horns, and tight drums, plus warm keyboards that cook up the tunes nicely, shifting the groove between 60´s Mod Soul and 70´s Funk. About half the tracks have vocals, mostly by Nikeya Booker, who's a great Soul singer, but also featuring Dionne Charles on one track, and Sitzka on another!!

Tracklisting:

1. My Place
2. Hot & Cold feat. Dionne Charles
3. Brand Nu
4. Lookin' For Freddie
5. Soopasoul Theme
6. Swing Down
7. Hustlin'
8. Ya Lookin' Tight
9. It's Just Begun
10. Twin Stix
11. Do Me Wrong
12. A Wild Mad Beat
13. Brand Nu (Lack Of Afro Remix)

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SWEET VANDALS - Lovelite (2009) (NEW LINK)

The lovelite's burning strong on this second set from The Sweet Vandals, an album that cooks even more than their debut!! The grooves are even tighter than before, still steeped in 60´s Soul influences, but with a heavier dose of Funk too, a mad-romping blend of hard drums, bad-stepping bass, and heavy Hammond, all topped by the searing Soul vocals of Mayka Edjole!! These guys hail from Spain, but have a Deep Funk groove that's plenty universal, and with an album this strong, you can bet we'll be hearing plenty from them on this side of the Atlantic in coming years!!

Tracklisting:

1. Thank You For You
2. Good Thing
3. Take Me Now
4. Let's Have Some Fun
5. I Hate To Hate You
6. Funky Children
7. Againstupidity
8. What About Love
9. Every Woman Is A Diva
10. Speak Music
11. Opposties

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