Rose Royce - I’m In Love (And I Love The Feeling) c.1978
…contrary to what this song might imply, I am not currently in love (other than with this song).
Clyde McPhatter - That’s Enough For Me (c.1958)
“If there is one voice through which the glories of R&B ran their course in the 1950’s,” wrote Nick Tosches, “it may very well be Clyde McPhatter’s.” That’s high praise for a man born in Durham, NC who sang with the Dominoes (including their recording of “Sixty Minute Man”), was the first lead singer for the Drifters and then went onto a great solo career. Smokey Robinson said that when he was growing up, Clyde was “The Man”, and everyone knew it…here’s “The Man” in a somewhat rare recording from January of 1958, “That’s Enough For Me”.
JMSN - Something
Christian Berishaj (stage name JMSN - pronounced Jameson) wrote and produced his debut album Priscilla and also directed the videos accompanying the release.
(via @BlakeLewis)
Marv Johnson - That’s Where I Lost My Baby
…brother Chad’s favorite Marv Johnson tune #SoulfulSundays
The Sensations - Music, Music, Music (c.1962)
i’ll do anything for you, anything you want me to
all i wanna do is just love you and listen to the music, the pretty music
The Sensations - Let Me In (c.1962)
… #SoulfulSundays
A Philly vocal group who were originally known as the Cavaliers in 1954, the Sensations initially featured dual lead vocalists Yvonne Mills Baker and Tommy Wicks. They enjoyed two Top 40 R&B hits in that vein, the biggest being “Please Mr. Disc Jockey” for Atco in 1956. They changed their style and lineup in 1961, with Baker and bass vocalist Alphonso Howell from the original band being joined by Richard Curtain and Sam Armstrong. They scored their biggest hit with “Let Me In,” which reached number two on the R&B charts (number four pop) for Argo in 1962. - allmusic.com
Frank Ocean - Swim Good
… Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All member and R&B singer swims pretty good
Melanie Fiona - 4 AM
…the new single from Melanie Fiona’s forthcoming sophomore album reminds me a bit of fellow Canadian The Weeknd. Though I don’t believe it to be, I can imagine it as an answer to The Weeknd’s Wicked Games, told from the female perspective.
Buy it on iTunes HERE
And check out GRAMMY.com’s 5 Questions With…Melanie Fiona HERE
The Weeknd - High For This
I first heard The Weeknd’s House of Balloons mixtape back in April. Funny thing about music, like movies and most art forms, timing is important. I was almost put off by this record the first few times I listened and now I can’t get enough of it.
The Weeknd - Wicked Games
The Weeknd are Canadian duo Jeremy Rose (production) & Abel Tesfaye (vocals) serving up a darker strain of R&B. They’ve been almost over-hyped in the music blogosphere since the first in a trilogy of mixtapes dropped back in March.
DISCLAIMER: As a general rule, I find songs with lyrics that overuse profanity (fuckin’ and motherfuckin’ in this case) to be a turn off. For months that was the case with this song. But it kept popping up on music blogs I follow, and I kept tuning in. Once desensitized to the lyrics, I completely fell for the song. Dark and almost disturbing but very motherfuckin’ sexy.
