Neo Soul — All Formats  

We've loved Swing Out Sister for more than a few years – and over that time, the duo's only gotten better! It's records like this that keep us coming back again and again – a brilliant blend of soul currents and hook-heavy arrangements that feel like a blend of late 60s UK and the best of the contemporary global Neo Soul underground! Corinne Drewery's vocals grab us right away with their depth and upfront sense of personality – and the sweet keyboards of Andy Connell hold the whole thing together with the kind of jazzy undercurrents the group has had since their start. The set includes some sweet remakes of older tunes – and titles include "You On My Mind", "Incomplete Without You", "Notgonnachange", "Am I The Same Girl", "Breakout (fabulous party mix)", "Mama Didn't Raise No Fool", and "Now You're Not Here (Taj Calder inst)". Plus, this special package also features a bonus DVD – a full length concert, titled Tokyo Stories – as well as a special book with rare photos, an essay on the group, and a personal message too!

We've loved Swing Out Sister for more than a few years – and over that time, the duo's only gotten better! It's records like this that keep us coming back again and again – a brilliant blend of soul currents and hook-heavy arrangements that feel like a blend of late 60s UK and the best of the contemporary global Neo Soul underground! Corinne Drewery's vocals grab us right away with their depth and upfront sense of personality – and the sweet keyboards of Andy Connell hold the whole thing together with the kind of jazzy undercurrents the group has had since their start. The set includes some sweet remakes of older tunes – and titles include "You On My Mind", "Incomplete Without You", "Notgonnachange", "Am I The Same Girl", "Breakout (fabulous party mix)", "Mama Didn't Raise No Fool", and "Now You're Not Here (Taj Calder inst)".

A very different sound here than the first volume in the series – one that goes strongly for a later take on R&B influenced soul jazz! There's a strong groove here for the steppers on the Windy City scene – a blend of jazzy soul and smoother jazz that's set together nicely without the too-slick spots that always clutter up other collections – and which represents the few modern tracks that were able to penetrate the mostly-dusty steppers scene back in the day. Production and overall instrumentation is relatively electric, even in the percussion, but there's always a few nice acoustic touches to round things out on the best tracks. Titles include "Mama Dadu" and "L'Amour" by Vodu 155, "Piano Groove" by Piano Negro, "Can We Try Again" by Braxton Brothers, "Soul Manifesto" by Rodney Jones, "Tik Tok (inst)" by Lorenzo Smith, "Laid Back" by Jerald Daemyon, "Modern Life" by Tom Saviano, "Pacific Love" by David Patterson, "Cycles Of Re-Elevation" by Michael McEvoy, "Forever's A Long Long Time" by Orquestra Wax, "Groovin In The Midnight (inst)" by Maxi Priest, and "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" by Grant Green.

A surprisingly soulful side of the Knowles family – the lovely Solange, stepping out here in a sweet little single! "Losing You" is a damn catchy soul tune – moving with a hook-y groove, but at a slow and organic pace – with this core warmth that almost takes us back to Sade in the 80s! "Sleep In The Park" continues the slight retro vibe – but almost with a bit of Prince in the mix – gentle funk underneath Solange's sweet vocals – and again, a damny catchy hook!

One of the most interesting records in years from Macy Gray – and not just because she turns towards songs from other folks – and covers music from Radiohead, Teenage Fanclub, My Chemical Romance, The Eurhythmics, and others! Those song choices are great – a refreshing forum for Gray's well-known vocals – but along with them, there's also a sense of play to the record that comes across strongly, too – a feel that's maybe a bit more relaxed, and slightly whimsical – which breaks through some of the more monolithic modes that have held strong from Macy's stardom. Of course, given that the great Hal Willner had a hand in putting the record together, the playfulness of the record makes plenty of sense – and really allows for some great guest appearances from JB Smoove, Idris Elba, MC Lyte, and others. Titles include "Creep", "Here Comes The Rain Again", "La La La", "Smoke Two Joints", "I Try Is Cool & All But", "Wake Up", "Really", and "Lovelockdown/Buck".