Southern Soul Deep Soul Soul Blues Retro-Soul Downhome Blues

... Horn-fueled, Hammond B-3, melodic Memphis soul heaven played by musicians not machines...They're all superb and this is the best Roy has ever sounded on the microphone! If Roy Roberts continues putting out music this good we're gonna have to crown him "King Of Soul/Blues".

..."Heart & Soul" is his same mix of midtempo Southern Soul & Blues, laced with horns, Cropper-esque guitar licks and raspy singing but it's as fresh and stirring as it was in the 60s...Rawls has made plenty good music throughout his career but as he himself says: "This is the real Johnny Rawls".

Leave it to one of the Godfathers of Southern Soul to strike back and show all these young guns how it's done...a perfect summer disc of sweet Soul & R & B..."New Lease On Life" a full course meal- running the gamut on what fuels "Soul" from subject to sound as Bell even connects to 60s roots

...The right songs. The right sound. The right performances. 13 tracks of modern Soul gold...Clayton is "gifted" with one of the most elastic, yearning tenors in the business today and he's at the peak of his powers...he reaches his full potential on "Gifted"

...Working with producers Stone & George "Chocolate" Perry plus some former TK artists Latimore (keyboards), Little Beaver (guitar) and Timmy Thomas (organ), McCrae recorded 15 brand spanking new versions of those classic TK Records smashes...McCrae's voice sounds even better today; deeper, richer.

... "His Hands" is her first secular disc (her awful 1999 club LP "Outside In" notwithstanding) in quite some time. 100% all organic Southern Soul (and a lil' Alt.Country flavoring) comprises "His Hands". Songs of pain and heartache...heart wrenchingly sung and elegantly played. Staton calls these "life songs"

... Warren can handle barrelhouse Blues, Soul/Blues & lighter "Southern Soul" equally well and "Pioneers & Legends" is his best outing to date...Having real pickers and players greatly improves this discs odds for mainstream Blues approval. True Blues lovers should flip over the smokin' 12-bar Blues "Early In The Morning" that recalls John Lee Hooker and early Buddy Guy.

...For all the fans and critics bemoaning Soul music's reliance on machines these days I present you with a pacifier. 100% organic, natural Deep Soul music (and original songs to boot!). We're talking Hammond organ, a horn section, rhythm section with a pulse and an authentic O.V. Wright-styled Soul shouter.

...heavy Soul Blues rollers with horn blasts and Bluesy guitar...that gritty Bobby Womack-like voice of Shannon's, deep in the throat, just a a hair from a growl! Preston Shannon once again gives you more bang for your buck on "Be With Me Tonight".

...Ms. Padgett has an absolutely fantastic voice. I'm talking in the same league as the Queen Denise LaSalle..."Never Coming Home" concentrates on the usual Southern Soul themes: Cheating, relationships, partying, female empowerment but that urban perspective born form experience lets you know there's no pretense...This is an essential purchase for anyone that loves modern Southern Soul Blues!

...Helmed by Haywood and Pete Peterson, the ten song set dazzles throughout...Certainly one of the best singers to debut in the last several years.

...Donnie Ray has arrived...11 cuts of pure cream. Right from the drum intro of track 1 ("Is It Your Place Or Is It Mine?") all the way through the closer the quality is relentless...more hooks in here than Bill Dance's tackle box

...What if you took Theodis Ealey and mixed his DNA with Lionel Richie? Well, he might come out the laboratory sounding like Charlie Brown...mixes his upbeat Soul with vintage 70s-styled slowies in Commodores vein...Charlie Brown is serious about his Blues...even when he's just throwing a "Grown Folks Party"...one of the most underrated discs of the year

... tough, sassy, sexually-aggressive gal persona of Koko Taylor to the extreme...good ole' Soul singing from Carr. She once again shows the character of her voice...Blues snobs will be happy to note that other than the requisite synth horns/strings there's less programming here than usual

...Chitlin' Circuit veteran David Brinston is back...with the excellent "Mississippi Boy". The disc plays to his strengths- classic Soul...sounds "bigger" than many of the big budgeted music out there now. Good ole' Soul sangin' music.

...Joy is a husky-voiced singer with an elastic range to her Soulful palette. This (generous) 14-track debut "A Woman Can Feel" covers all the bases in the Soul Blues/Southern Soul world but slightly better than most...a big welcome to Joy

...This Texan leans heavier into the Blues. He can play some mean guitar. Nevertheless, fans of "Southern Soul" will also find plenty to like here...On this generous 17-track (15 song) disc there's plenty of variety...All played by Waiters himself. Very enjoyable independent Blues from an underappreciated Texan who wears a cool-ass hat!

...superbly produced set of upbeat party Soul, slow jams and even a bonus Gospel triad...quality songs, real drums, plentiful bottom and even some real horns...A gorgeous, earnest vocal by the Lady

...The Southern Soul Blues realm has no shortage of tough talking disciples of the Queen Of Soul Blues, Denise LaSalle, but some just do it better than others. This now includes Wolfe, who's blessed with a fantastic, meaty voice just like her mentor...For a "First Time Out" this disc is a dynamite showcase that will shoot Wolfe to the upper echelon of female Soul Blues singers

...classy promotion and phat production...the runaway smash "Seventeen Days (Of Loving)"...head bobbin', toe-tappin' Southern Soul gems...Mitchell, delivers a pitch perfect vocal on this melodic slow jam imbued with the spirit of Motown. "The Road Of Love" is not two singles and out like much of the competition- this disc holds up all the way through.

..."I'm the king of party blues" sings Maurice on the slick "It Ain't My Hat, It Ain't My Shoes" that kicks off "Backstabbers"...he squeezes out those Albert King-esque tones... Davis has a cult following that's enabled him to release a half dozen records thus far but "backstabbers" may be the one that takes him to the next level.

... "Scat Cat...Here Kitty Kitty" is an above average gliding, understated Billy Bonds ballad buoyed by a brilliant lyric... his knack for composing strong melodies and lyrics places him high (or is it it low- I can never remember) on the totem pole of Soul Blues.

...While "I'm The Man You Need" is mostly Soul/R & B, Ealey hasn't abandoned the Blues... a blockbuster sequel to "Stand Up In It"

..."Time To Get Loose" delivers the Southern Soul or "Soul Blues" (as a song here states) that's made him a name along the Chitlin' Circuit. Upbeat dancers like "Party On The Weekend", stepper "Let's Dance", the aforementioned "Soul Blues", "Get Down And Party" and the title cut plus those emotive, romantic ballads as in "Superstar" and gorgeous "Crazy About Your Lovin'" deliver the goods

...The gal's got some Gladys Knight in her. Check out her Soul on "Every Days Is A Heartache". Niiiiiiice. She can handle the Mary J. Blige thang too as evidenced by the mainstream-leaning "Straighten Up And Fly Right"...The production is tense...A sterling debut from "The Songstress".

...an impressive collection of Soul, R & B, Funk & Blues. There's quite a range too from the horn-propelled Soul of "Breaking My Heart Again" to some funky R & B via "Catchin' Hell Tonight", followed by the Deep Soul "Shady Side Of Town". Gilbert gets his Rue Davis on by sounding like a completely different singer on each track!

...Being there aren't many Caucasians doing modern Southern Soul/Party Blues it's worth mentioning that Mitchhart does it extremely well..."I'm A Good Man" transverses several styles from Downhome Blues ("Got To Get The Feeling Back Again") to dance ("Bounce", "Dilly Do" with Sheba Potts-Wright) to R & B Pop with a reggae beat ("Homewrecker") to Jazzy Blues ("I Might Be Your Husband", "Voodoo Woman") to Southern Soul (Bobby 'Blue' Bland's "Members Only").

...Two albums in one year on Lee 'Shot' Williams...this was easily the better of the two...pound-for-pound this is still one of Shot's best albums.

...Carter scored a hit with the catchy "Are You Ready For The Blues?" and delivered a number of strong songs overall making this his best record in a heckuva long time.

...Another independent CD from this downhome Soul man continues his formula of Roy C-influenced Southern Soul. Laidback, earthy tunes about relationships and having a good time...decent booty bumpers and smooth Soul jams...Another plus is "Broken Hearted" uses mostly real instruments- most notably some sexy saxophone

*** in no particular order...

 To be eligible albums must have been released 12/2005 to 12/2006. OR albums released in 2005 that peaked in 2006.