There’s just a touch of raunch and roll is in those R&B and soul pipes of UK’s Hannah Williams and The Tastemakers. It’s a full on attack in an unapologetic, maximum throttle and tuneful way. Hannah’s voice can be momentarily tender but it is only in preparation for the next howl. Here on I’m A Good Woman from the October 2012 long-player, A Hill Of Feathers, you get a little of both. Even on the ballads, such as…
Read MoreZelliack (a.k.a. Elliot Coleman and Zack Ordway) channel r&b and soul vibes in the same way that Tears For Fears did at their best. These super high ultra-tenors scrape the sky with soaring vocals while the music slips between jazz, soul, r&b and pop. Here on this fan-made video (kudos to Jared Witbeck) for Autumn In Analog from the bands February 2012 EP, Noir Tone, you get a feel for them at their best. The EP has some uneven spots, largely in the…
Read MoreSome of the most interesting music in any genre seems to be coming out of Australia these days. An example of that would be Saskwatch and the heavily R&B influenced I Get Lonely from the bands April 2013 released 7" and digital two-song single. Saskwatch is not just any Soul/R&B band. Here, fronted by the powerful vocal of Nkechi Anele, the nine piece band is full of guitars, horns, drum and keyboard fills and the happy energy that all of that generates….
Read MoreNeed some warmth for your cold Winter days? Maybe all you really need is CosmoSoul and Sunny Days. Pure soul, rhythm and blues and up-beat warmth. Sunny Days is from the bands 2011 long-player Sunrise. Lead vocalist, Alana Sinkey has a beautiful, warm, alto voice-perfect for these Soul gems. Her four band mates are no slouches either. You can find a lot of information CosmoSoul by visiting their web site-in Spanish but easily translated. (Yes, Yes, the social links are there too.) Sunrise, though,…
Read MoreThe soulful voice of Minneapolis artist Alison Scott, is a versatile instrument for masterful music making. It can be raucous or tender, but always there is a common thread of richness. Take The Trains, for instance, from Alison’s 2010 long-player, Chinese Whispers. Alison’s voice melts over you like butter on warm toast. Alison’s band is also top notch, filled with just the right textures, horn fills, keyboards, guitars, bass, but nothing over blown, just the perfect accompaniment to her voice. You can find more…
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