Soul, Pop and R&B Roundup

As readers of this blog know, my musical tastes vary. Ultimately, I love great stuff—whether it's jazz, soul, rock, R&B, disco, you name it. Over the past few weeks I've come across a bunch of great soul, pop and R&B albums that you should know about—since you likely listen to music the way I do:

Ben L'Oncle Soul (Wrasse). French retro-soul sensation Ben L'Oncle Soul has three albums out—Ben L'Oncle Soul, Soul Wash, and Live Paris. Each is more addictive than the next, with rubbery grooves, funky horns and jazz-soul keyboards. Best of all, there's a Euro-wash over all of the material, pulling together reggae, Motown and other soul and jazz influences. I stumbled across these recordings a couple of weeks ago while messing around at YouTube. Most tracks have a familiar '60s and early '70s soul feel—but reinterpreted, much in the way Amy Winehouse turned R&B riffs inside out. You'll find Soul Wash here, Ben L'Oncle Soul here and Live Paris here. If you want just one, go for Ben L'Oncle Soul. Trust me, you're going to thank me for this one.

Here's Ben L'Oncle Soul singing Seven Nation Army...

 

DeBarge: The Complete Motown Albums (Hip-O Select). This singer-songwriting family quintet from Grand Rapids, Mich., recorded only four albums between 1981 and 1985. After Motown founder Berry Gordy tapped them to replace the Jackson 5, DeBarge had six Billboard Hot 100 hits, three reaching No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and two topping the R&B chart. Though today the group is a punchline for lightweight, big-hair '80s teen soul-pop, this is a bit unfair. Many of DeBarge's melodies hold up well and defy the dreaded bubble-gum label. Much of their songwriting was solid, as were the keyboard-heavy arrangements. This three-CD set features remastered uptempo shoulder-pad pounders (Can't Stop, Rhythm of the Night) and prom-night ballads (All This Love, Time Will Reveal, Share My World, Love Me in a Special Way). Disc three features rarities and remixes. If you're a closet DeBarge fan, this is your set. More information here. You'll find the set here. 

Here's El DeBarge singing All This Love, which he wrote...

 

Vivian Reed (Epic). I know very little about Vivian Reed, except that she recorded a terrific female soul album in 1968. As one YouTuber writes under an audio clip, "This album is criminally out of print." You're telling me! As you'll hear in a moment, Reed had a strong soulful voice with a terrific range and could easily navigate songs using a seductive timbre—and never losing control of the notes. On this album, there are soul tracks (Down Here on the Ground), pop-rock classics (You've Lost That Loving Feeling), Brit-rock (The Shape of Things to Come) and Broadway standards (Somewhere). Which makes one wonder whether this wasn't something of a demo showcase album. While Vivian Reed isn't available digitally, you will likely find it at download sites. I'm not sure if this Vivian Reed is the Vivian Reed of Broadway fame (the images seem different). But if so, I hope she emails me so we can learn more about this 1968 classic.

Here's Vivian Reed singing Yours Until Tomorrow...

 

The Orlons: The Wah-Watusi/South Street (Real Gone/ABKCO). The Orlons weren't around on the charts for long. Two years and that was it (though the group remained together performing for decades). But from 1962 to 1964, the vocal group—featuring three gals and a guy—put a dance spin on late '50s doo-wop. Signed to Philadelphia's Cameo-Parkway label, the Orlons had nine Hot 100 hits—three in the Top 10: The Wah-Watusi, Don't Hang Up and South Street. They also sang back up on Dee Dee Sharp's Mashed Potato Time and other artists' singles. A relisten to these two Orlons albums on one CD makes you realize they had substance and soul. Dig Dedicated to the One I Love, He's Gone, (Happy Birthday) Mr. Twenty-One and Pokey Lou. Reminders that before the Beatles' arrived in '64, teens were obsessed with the latest dance crazes, and groups hoped to land hits by introducing new ones. You'll find this set here.

Here are the Orlons singing The Wah-Watusi with go-go footage...

 

Comments

[Frank]

Hi Marc:
It is the Vivian Reed of Broadway fame. Go here

http://vivianreed.com/bio.html

and wait for the third set of photos. The b&w ones reveal instantly that it's the same artist.

Splendid record, including a superb rendition of "Harper Valley PTA". Thanks a bunch.

[jOhn p. cooper]

South Street - I remember and liked that back in the day on the AM dial in my Dad's '64 Dodge station wagon.

Hey - they covered "a Swing era favorite" - "Between 18th & 19th On Chestnut Street"

[Bighinx]

Great song title or lyric phrase, "I was messin' around at YouTube."