Great thread.
It's a really interesting fine line between the examples here, and the finest productions, with superb vocals and backing, great lyrics etc. I suspect we all know the latter when we hear them, and many of them are stand-out top 500 type tracks, but at the same time, surely we all adore the straight-up honesty of some absolutely brilliant recordings that veer towards the ones posted here?
I think the soul records we listen to have, at least mostly, the virtue of being the best the performers were able to provide, whereas I often despair at some of the current indie/pop singer/songwriters who may be appalling in both capacities yet reach the masses simply because they have the right 'look and feel'.
I often find myself listening to stuff in the car that I'm loving and can't help thinking that there's barely 10% of it which I'd feel comfortable having non-soulie friends hearing, as I know they'd just think it was rubbish, and wouldn't perceive the soulful quality and content. But that's part of the attraction too, sharing that sense of 'getting something' that passes a lot of other people by. Not elitism for the sake of it, just that feeling that you and a bunch of like minded people get the point.