Tag: Soul

Elizabeth King – I Got A Love

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Rating: ★★★½☆

As previously mentioned on this site, I’ve been taking a deep dive into blues, R&B, gospel and just about all things early Southern soul music over the last few years. This involved a trek to Memphis and the incredible Stax museum paired with hours digging through the blues and soul section of every Record shop and market I frequent during my travels. It has become an obsession to soak up everything I can about the genre, peoples and communities who created this music. After all that time absorbing the music and culture, I was a bit shocked when Elizabeth King came up in a press email and I was unfamiliar with her brand of sacred soul music. Her career is drenched in the very essence of Southern gospel soul music and I am beyond pleased to share my thoughts on her new album I Got a Love today. Hit the jump for my full thoughts and review.

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Memphis Inspired Soul From Elizabeth King

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For those of you who listen to me talk music on the regular, you know I’ve been on a deep dive over the last few years into soul and R&B music with a major focus on Memphis and the surrounding musical hot beds in the South. To be straight and totally honest, Elizabeth King is not a name I was familiar with prior to today. Maybe her musical history has something to do with my unfamiliarity as her recording career lasted only from 1970-1973 as lead vocalist for Elizabeth King & the Gospel Souls who only had one true physical release (that I can find). After a brief recording career in the 70s, King retired from recording and performing live to pursue raising a family and singing in her local church. Nearly 50 years later, King and her powerful, gospel inspired voice has returned to making music and my inner soul enthusiast couldn’t be more excited.

After a compilation of older material in 2019, The D-Vine Spirituals, and a new album of material from 2021, Living in the Last Days, King isn’t planning to slow down in 2022. Another new album, entitled I Got Love, is due out on June 24th via Bible & Tire Recordings. In the meantime, check out this soulful new tune “I Got Love” featuring video of King being chauffeured around the magical city of Memphis. You’ll be happy you stuck around this long. Pre-orders of I Got Love are live now.

SXSW Interview: AHI

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The impending joy/doom of SXSW is right around the corner folks! As of today, we are only a month away from the music portion of the festival, and even closer to interactive and film. Not to worry, ATH once again has you covered as your guide to all the best musical acts you need to check out during the week. Today seems like a great day to begin our onslaught of coverage with an interview from Tornoto indie-soul artist AHI. Like we did last year, we will be asking multiple artists similar sets of questions so you can see a variety of perspectives on the festival. Hit the jump for full interview.

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Hear the Soul from Leon Bridges

1012600_643753272386398_1913935258904776815_nNo lie. I would have no idea about Leon Bridges if it weren’t for my friend at GvsB, who turned me onto the sweet sounds of the Ft. Worth songwriter.  Sure, it doesn’t fit into the modern spin of all things indie, but I’m grateful for that; it’s a refreshing sound that I’ve not heard in some time.  It’s a little bit Cody Chestnutt, but a whole lot more Stax.  At the moment, there’s nothing quite like this being spun out there, making the voice and music of Bridges all the more powerful.  Seriously, how can you not appreciate this?

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Download: Leon Bridges – What Can I Do [MP3]

Super Rad Jam from Royal Headache

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I’ve known this number was coming down the pipeline for a bit, and I just couldn’t wait much longer to share it with you!  Royal Headache is an Australian quartet destined to break out with their blend of joyous garage-soul fusion.  Royal Headache is fortunate to have their self-titled album picked up for US release by the always excellent folks over at What’s Your Rupture; they’ll have it ready for you on May 8th.  There’s this infectious energy in album track “Girls,” be it the steady pop streaming guitars or the playful crooning of Shogun on vocals.  We’ll all be fortunate to witness their invasion in June, after they stop by Austin to play several  Chaos in Tejas dates.  Get ready to fall in love with rock n’ soul.

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Download: Royal Headache – Girls

From the Closet – Wilson Pickett

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will1I’d like to take a minute this week to pay homage to one of the great soul voices of our time. Sure, you’ve heard this sweet voice several times in your life, but does it make Wilson Pickett any less powerful? Absolutely not! I’m throwing a tune your way, just as an example of the great voice that stems from American soul.  See that smile?

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