Get 'em while you can!
Om artist Samantha James (not Jones) offers a free download of "Breathe You In" from Rise, due out 9/25. Check it out here and sample more tracks at the official Om preview site. And, via her Myspace page, SoulBounce favorite Ledisi is offering two remixes to "Alright"; one House, and one Go-Go.
We stay finding free music.
Samantha James [Myspace]
Ledisi [Myspace]
Disciples of neo-soul diva Alicia Keys can count on a whole new flavor when As I Am drops Nov. 13. "I just was really adamant about doing things that were not expected," the ivory-tickling wunderkind told the New York Times recently. For her third studio release, Keys is aiming to shake things up by offering a rock 'n' soul of sorts, adding shades of U2 and other rock mainstays to a mix she describes as "rebellious."
That can't be anything but a good look.
Alicia's certainly kept it moving over the last few years, as a live album and film roles in Smokin' Aces and The Nanny Diaries have all been welcome additions to her lengthy list of successes. And her newest single, "No One," is already creating a buzz: The groover is this week's Hot Shot Debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 71, with a major leap expected for next week.
Through it all, people can expect a new, more honest Alicia to put it down. "And I'm done with being a person that doesn't understand themselves because it's being detrimental to my health and my spirit and my mind," she told the New York Times. "Everybody's in trouble now because I will tell it like it is."
Don't say she didn't warn ya'll.
Alicia Keys: "No One"
A Neo-Soul Star as She Is: Nurturing Her Inner Rebel [NYT (sub req'd)]
Anyone that's been following the Gawker music blog's R&B countdown for the past several weeks must've been wondering, after all the classics listed, if they were going to top it off with anything that wasn't released before 1985. Answer is mostly no. Here's the final Top 10 without the commentary. Share your thoughts in the comments so we can all laugh about how most of us were pooping our pants or kickin' it in Momba's womb when these joints came out.
10. The Miracles: "Love Machine"Love how back in the day these were all pretty much classified as R&B. Somewhere along the line, Hip-Hop and Pop stuck its toe so deep into R&B that we had to re-classify and define sub-Soul genres, hence the inception of SoulBounce. If I think about this any longer than it took me to write this post, my head will hurt.
9. Earth, Wind and Fire: "Getaway"
8. Natalie Cole: "This Will Be"
7. Cameo: "Word Up"
6. Gap Band: "Early in the Morning"
5. Sly and the Family Stone: "If You Want Me to Stay"
4. Teena Marie: "Lover Girl"
3. Rufus and Chaka Khan: "Tell Me Something Good"
2. Marvin Gaye: "Let's Get it On"
1. Con Funk Shun: "Chase Me"
At long last, the story of the legendary DeBarge family is being told. Vibe magazine's October issue features "Broken Dreams," an outstanding look into the widely chronicled trials and tribulations of the Grand Rapids, Michigan-bred siblings.
Michael A. Gonzales captures the meteoric rise of Switch and DeBarge through a series of candid interviews with many of the individuals who lived it, including Bunny DeBarge, family matriarch Etterlene DeBarge and Swtich member Gregory Williams. The saga behind the glowing smiles and gold records is indeed a tragic one, as tales of drug addiction, a father's abuse and legal woes offer a vivid portrait of one of R&B's most underrated outfits beyond glorious hit singles like "Time Will Reveal" and "Rhythm of the Night."
Back during the course of the Embrya album, Maxwell recorded a remix to "Matrimony: Maybe You", entitled "Matrimony: Maybe You or Maybe Not", which sounds like a straight carry, far as we're concerned. Whoever said this guy doesn't have a little moxy? It was released as a B-side to the Fortunate import single, so we're not sure how much burn it got by anyone other than his diehard fans.
Nawh, the audio isn't tainted. That's precisely the way it was recorded. Dig. There's also another remix somewhere in our archives. Once we sift through all our old Kris Kross and House of Pain records we'll break you off.
Maxwell: "Matrimony: Maybe You or Maybe Not"
Everyone's been talking about the release of the B-Ball Zombie War compilation by Peanut Butter Wolf. Well, to be clear, the "everyone" in my world, since this is pretty much my kind of Hip-Hop. The album, due out on 10/2 features J Dilla, Madlib, Q-Tip, Talib Kweli, and a gang of others in Stonethrow's orbit.
Wait, did you say "fire"? I concur, dawgies.
B-Ball Zombie War tracklisting [Stonesthrow]
B-Ball Zombie War Podcast Preview [iTunes]
