Aloe Blacc caught our attention with this song and since then we’ve been waiting anxiously for his record Good Things to drop. The soul record was produced by Truth+Soul will be released worldwide next week, September 28 on Stonesthrow. If you’re a digger of folks like Bill Withers, and are jamming on the new John Legend/Roots collaboration then this record will put some slide in your ride. Dig it.
Download this jam: You Make Me Smile – Aloe Blacc
Here’s one for you crate diggers: From a small town outside of Dallas, The Majestics, with a no parking-on-the-dance-floor non-stop jam.
Download: Funky Chick – The Majestics
Just another reminder of how cool this dude is.
Here’s a classic from the DC based soul group, The Presidents. The song was produced by Van (The Hustle) McCoy and almost hit top 10 on the charts in 1970. Love the chorus right up front, and the Delfonics-styled falsettos.
Via Pigeons and Planes check out this new song from Lauryn Hill.
What do you think of the song?
Download: Repercussions – Lauryn Hill
Lauryn talks with NPR’s Zoe Chace
Lauryn classic:
Ever come across an adult sounding “rock” record that was almost too classically & traditionally smart for it’s own good? Is it possible for such a thing to exist anymore? Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, David Byrne, Nick Lowe (later era), Steely Dan, Ry Cooder; I can count some of these folks maybe on two hands whose records fit that bill. Well, this is the kind of feeling I get listening to It’ll Be Better by Francis and The Lights on Cantora Records. F&TL’s music is deep in blue-eyed soul in a Stevie Winwood/Scritti Politti kind of way. There’s definitely some touches of 80’s synth-pop on this album, but the beats rock and the melodies are superbly crafted, simplistic yet stylized. Francis is Francis Farewell Starlite, he who produced “Karaoke” by Drake from his new album, is a fan of Otis Redding and very likely the aforementioned Becker and Fagen. Xtra points for the album being less than 30 minutes long (all 8 songs are incredible) and I find it hard to believe that the guy is unsigned. And regardless of whether you’re an adult rocker, a hip-hopper, a pill-popper or and indie rocker you’ll dig this. Check out the tunes below and then buy this record.
Download:
For Days – Francis and The Lights
Get In The Car – Francis and The Lights
Darling, It’s Alright – Francis and The Lights
Our friends over at Vulture have alerted us to a hot new jam from Chromeo whose new album, Business Casual, drops on September 14th. Smooth as silk.
Don’t Turn The Lights On from Chromeo on Vimeo.
Download: Don’t Turn The Lights On – Chromeo via Vulture
I’m just about ready to add this guy’s voice to the list of those that can sing me the telephone book. Aloe Blacc redesigns the Velvet Underground song on his new Stones Throw 7-inch.
Download: Femme Fatale – Alec Blacc
In case you missed it, here is Blacc’s “I Need A Dollar” from HBO’s How To Make It In America
Download: Held The Hand – Mayer Hawthorne
via: Stones Throw
This past weekend, the radio station I work at in Philly WXPN hosted a music conference called Non-comm, a gathering of non-commercial/public radio (music) stations and industry folks. Three days of peace, love and music.
And amazing music there was: The National, Trombone Shorty, Alberta Cross, Retribution Gospel Choir, Gaslight Anthem, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Ike Reilly, Martin Sexton, Mayer Hawthorne, The Mynabirds, Cyndi Lauper, The Constellations, The Rescues, Robert Francis, Amy Correia, Minus The Bear, Bobby Long, The Secret Sisters, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Graham Parker, GIN, Nathaniel Rateliff and this (below) amazing performance from John Legend and The Roots. I told you that you shoulda been there.
@somevelvetblog 