New To Soul. Struggling To Find New Artists

[Guest BabyHuey]

I have started to get quite a few soul albums after a general transition from Nina Simone, James Brown and being an avid blues fan, if that makes sense. I am struggling to find anything new I like however, as most of it just sounds like generic soul music to me.

So far I have been enjoying:

• Darondo (Easily my favorite soul artist)
  
• Doris Duke (Joint top actually)
  
• Baby Huey
  
• David Ruffin (Listening to that unreleased '72 album)
  
• Ann Sexton
  
• Eli Paperboy Reed
  
• Marlena Shaw
  

And that is about it. I have sat and listened LastFM, ClassicSoulNetwork and RootDownFM but nothing is really striking me as worth listening to. Ive searched the soul blogs downloading this and that, went through Shaolin Soul Vol. 1 through to 4 and have hit a block. As I say it all sounds the same. I think the artists I like really have standout vocals. Also maybe I don't really like upbeat soul music so much.

Dont get me wrong, stuff like the Staple Singers etc are not bad, and I enjoy them in the background but, I just wouldnt add them to my music collection.

To cut the story short, can anyone reccommend some soul artists similar to those above, or can someone determine the type of soul I enjoy? Im really a bit of a newbie and I am struggling with the vast amount of stuff out there!

Thanks!

PS: Anyone know where I can get Darondo - Legs EP on digital download? I cannot find it anywhere.

Edited January 15, 2009 by BabyHuey

[boba]

I have started to get quite a few soul albums after a general transition from Nina Simone, James Brown and being an avid blues fan, if that makes sense. I am struggling to find anything new I like however, as most of it just sounds like generic soul music to me.

So far I have been enjoying:

• Darondo (Easily my favorite soul artist)
  
• Doris Duke (Joint top actually)
  
• Baby Huey
  
• David Ruffin (Listening to that unreleased '72 album)
  
• Ann Sexton
  
• Eli Paperboy Reed
  
• Marlena Shaw
  

And that is about it. I have sat and listened LastFM, ClassicSoulNetwork and RootDownFM but nothing is really striking me as worth listening to. Ive searched the soul blogs downloading this and that, went through Shaolin Soul Vol. 1 through to 4 and have hit a block. As I say it all sounds the same. I think the artists I like really have standout vocals. Also maybe I don't really like upbeat soul music so much.

Dont get me wrong, stuff like the Staple Singers etc are not bad, and I enjoy them in the background but, I just wouldnt add them to my music collection.

To cut the story short, can anyone reccommend some soul artists similar to those above, or can someone determine the type of soul I enjoy? Im really a bit of a newbie and I am struggling with the vast amount of stuff out there!

Thanks!

PS: Anyone know where I can get Darondo - Legs EP on digital download? I cannot find it anywhere.

it sounds like your tastes are not well formed enough for me to know exactly what to recommend, but it seems like maybe you prefer 'deep soul', you could look at the deep soul thread in the media section

[Jumpinjoan]

Have a look in the 'media section'. Bound to be something in there that tickles your fancy.

Also, work your way through 'refosoul'. If you don't find anything in there you like - I'd give up!!

[Guest Goldwax]

The artists you list all have very distinctive voices (although it could be argued that all singer's are distinctive of course) and the problem with suggesting others is that there is just too big a catalogue of names to mention. Your comment on tempo preference and love of blues would point to the deeper end of things so I'll list a few personnel faves who cover that genre and who's compilations are relatively easy to come by...........................

Tommy Tate

Bill Brandon

James Carr

Sam Dees

George Jackson

OV Wright

John Edwards

Joe Hicks

Mary Gresham

Any of the Kent or Soulscape comp CD's of Southern stuff could be a good starting point.

[Kris Holmes]

I have started to get quite a few soul albums after a general transition from Nina Simone, James Brown and being an avid blues fan, if that makes sense. I am struggling to find anything new I like however, as most of it just sounds like generic soul music to me.

So far I have been enjoying:

• Darondo (Easily my favorite soul artist)
  
• Doris Duke (Joint top actually)
  
• Baby Huey
  
• David Ruffin (Listening to that unreleased '72 album)
  
• Ann Sexton
  
• Eli Paperboy Reed
  
• Marlena Shaw
  

And that is about it. I have sat and listened LastFM, ClassicSoulNetwork and RootDownFM but nothing is really striking me as worth listening to. Ive searched the soul blogs downloading this and that, went through Shaolin Soul Vol. 1 through to 4 and have hit a block. As I say it all sounds the same. I think the artists I like really have standout vocals. Also maybe I don't really like upbeat soul music so much.

Dont get me wrong, stuff like the Staple Singers etc are not bad, and I enjoy them in the background but, I just wouldnt add them to my music collection.

To cut the story short, can anyone reccommend some soul artists similar to those above, or can someone determine the type of soul I enjoy? Im really a bit of a newbie and I am struggling with the vast amount of stuff out there!

Thanks!

PS: Anyone know where I can get Darondo - Legs EP on digital download? I cannot find it anywhere.

If you like Dorando you might want to grab some of the early Al Green stuff.

If you like Doris Duke check out Sharon Jones

If you like Baby Huey get some mid era Curtis Mayfield

If you like David Ruffin get more Temptations stuff

If you like Ann Sexton check out Ann Peebles, Candi Staton

Eli Paperboy Reed....... um...........

For Marlena Shaw you could try Etta James

etc etc

Some others worth copping at the moment:

Lee Moses

Marie Queenie Lyons

Syl Johnson on Twinight

Check out some of the reissues in the Eccentric Soul series by the Numero Group label.

As for slow stuff, you can't miss with people like James Carr & William Bell.. There is a newish Kent CD that covers the Deep Soul genre reasonably well.

Newer artists like Alice Russell & the Daptone Records roster are doing great things too.

Of course you probably have the greats on lock: Otis, Sam, Marvin, Solomon, Aretha, Gladys Knight etc (although I can't imagine calling Mavis Staples not bad as she is definitely one of the greatest female soul singers of all time & easily on a par with Aretha, Etta & Gladys)

If you want a great soul-tinged blues album my favorite is Magic Sam's "West Side Soul" on Delmark (the tape has not left my car for years & I also have it on CD & LP....) so coming at it from the blues (as I did) he is a great link.

Hope this helps.

[Kris Holmes]

As for the Darondo EP. It is 12" vinyl only. Definitely worth it for the 4 unreleased tracks.

[manus]

One of the best new CDs I've heard in some time is Dwight Chappell "Southern Roots" well worth buying as there's some great tracks on it.

Cheers Manus

[Sunnysoul]

Just stay away from that stuff they call ... "soulful house"

[Spacehopper]

big maybelle ?....

[Guest BabyHuey]

As for the Darondo EP. It is 12" vinyl only. Definitely worth it for the 4 unreleased tracks.

I have no means of playing vinyl and wouldnt want to for one EP. I found some websites selling it as digital download but they turned out to be russian scam sites.

Guess I will leave it for now.

As for all the reccomendations thanks guys! Will check each one out on LastFM etc.

Cheers all.

[pikeys dog]

If you like Ann Sexton and Doris Duke try the following:

Sandra Phillips - Too many people in one bed - Canyon

Millie Jackson - Caught Up - Spring

Millie Jackson - Still Caught Up - Spring

Millie Jackson - Free and In Love - Spring

Shirley Brown - Woman To Woman - Stax

Barbara Mason - Love's The Thing - Buddah

[Kris Holmes]

If you like Ann Sexton and Doris Duke try the following:

Sandra Phillips - Too many people in one bed - Canyon

Millie Jackson - Caught Up - Spring

Millie Jackson - Still Caught Up - Spring

Millie Jackson - Free and In Love - Spring

Shirley Brown - Woman To Woman - Stax

Barbara Mason - Love's The Thing - Buddah

Millie Jackson is a great reccomendation that totally slipped my mind. Shirley Brown only has a couple of good ones, I was talking with a friend the other day in agreeance about how that LP is underwhelming IMO, apart from the title track & a couple others