This Is Soul - Romantic Soul - Various Artists

Advantages: Soulful, genuine, funky, rare
Disadvantages: None

...Subtitled “funk classics from sassy soul sisters” this album’s sentiment may have it’s heart in the right place, but it fails to describe the full picture here. These women are sexually, emotionally and vocally aggressive, leaving their men in no doubt as to who wears the trousers in their respective relationships. Each track here oozes raw sexuality, whether the role of the singer is that of a bored housewife (“Crumbs Off the Table”) or as sexual predator (“Your Thing Ain’t No Good Without My Thing”). The titles alone are sheer class. Culled from the dusty vaults of Warner Bros’ legendary, bottomless soul archives this is an album of twelve virtually unknown tracks from between 1968 and 1974 performed by fourteen virtually unknown artists (honourable exception: Gladys... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Well compiled collection
Disadvantages: Not all best tracks included

...’s more exuberant raunchy style of soul is well represented by such classics as ‘Soul Man’ and ‘Hold On I’m Coming!’ but it’s nice to see the inclusion of some rather less well-known tracks such as ‘I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down’. When Soul met Funk just about describes Isaac Hayes’ musical innovation around this time. No compilation featuring this artist would be complete without ‘Theme from Shaft’ which more than any other soundtrack defined the feel and atmosphere of the film. The insistent baseline, the deep sexy voice and the backing chorus of street sassy girls perfectly define the Blaxploitation genre of which ‘Shaft’ was the most accomplished example. Less obvious but just as welcomed in the inclusion of the Hayes’ version of the Bacharac classic ‘Walk On By’ a song of such brilliance that it can survive indeed thrive re... Read review

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Advantages: Voice, Lyrics
Disadvantages: A bit inconcistant aftet the interlude

......Introduction... I first heard of India Arie when I saw her on Later With Jools Holland when she released this album in 2001. She was born India Arie Simpson on October 3, 1975 in Denver Colorado, her father Ralph Simpson was an NBA Player and her mother Joyce was a former singer herself. India started having an interest in music at an early age and she pretty soon started learning to play various instruments. Though She is most well known for playing the guitar. She was discovered by a motown executive in 1999 and two years later released her debut album Acoustic Soul. ...India's voice... She has a great voice that has a substantial range allowing her to sing some great tender moments and then errupt in a fantastic almost gospel like chant. One of the best singers in her genre and similar to Lauryn Hill's more tender... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful