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Soul

Preservation Hall Jazz Band – It Aint My Fault Feat. Yasiin Bey…

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will be releasing a live recording from their 50th Anniversary celebration concert which took place early this year at Carnegie Hall. In aticipation of its September 25th release, the band has let fly this special take on “It Ain’t My Fault” from the show featuring a unique collaboration with Yasiin Bey (a.k.a. Mos Def), Trombone Shorty and Allen Toussaint. Get jazzed below!

Preservation Hall Jazz Band – It Ain’t My Fault – Featuring Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def), Trombone Shorty, Allen Toussaint

Preservation Hall Jazz Band louisiana (Official)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
09-21-12

Royal Canoe – Summersweat

Give this a spin. Just when you think things couldn’t possibly get any hotter, a blistering heater of a sax solo blows your mind at around 3:20. That’s a real “Summersweat” for you, so hot that it only gets hotter. If you’re into Winnipeg collective Royal Canoe then be sure to pick up their new Purple and Gold release. We promise it’s well worth your next available 18 minutes. Also, if you’re located in SoCal, catch the band performing at The Satellite in Silverlake, Los Angeles this Saturday night (9/22).

Royal Canoe – Summersweat

Royal Canoe (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
09-20-12

Halona King – Overgrown Hearts

We’re not sure from where Halona King came from… but we’re glad it was somewhere. If you get weak in the knees like us when you hear soul music wrenched from contemporary soundscapes ala Adele, Alabama Shakes, Sade, Little Dragon, Cold War Kids, etc. then this deserves your attention (yeah we know that’s a crazy mix but trust us!). Halona King’s self-titled debut (we’re assuming) EP dropped as a free download this week. This couldn’t find the pocket any better.

Halona King – Overgrown Hearts

Halona King newyork (Bandcamp)

Rating 9

reviewed by
09-14-12

Jeremih – 773 Love (Cyril Hahn 4 AM Bootleg)

The irrepressible Cyril Hahn hooks up a sharp new “4 AM” edit of Jeremih’s newish cop to blog R&B “773 Love”. Hahn’s latest remix (which is sexy and 4 AM as hell) builds on the success of his BBC Radio 1 playlisted edit for DC’s “Say My Name”.

Jeremih – 773 Love (Cyril Hahn 4 AM Bootleg)

Cyril Hahn (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

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reviewed by
09-13-12

Freedom Fry – Summer in the City (MaRadio Star Remix)

Franco-American duo Freedom Fry just released a fresh 10-track remix EP for their blogoverse winner “Summer in the City”. Our pick from the set is the dubbed out island vibes of the MaRadio Star Edit which you should check out below.

Freedom Fry (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
09-13-12

Ciara – Sorry

Grown Ciara (girl is 26 now) comes with a grown record in “Sorry”. The new track, which is the lead single from The Big C’s upcoming One Woman Warrior LP, sees the R&B singer on some of that “I’m thinking about tomorrow and future”-type stuff. As the millennial crunk diva ages the path put forth on “Sorry” seems an appropriate one (Are we listening Mariah?) and hopefully her fans are ready for it.

Ciara – Sorry

Ciara (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
09-13-12

Miguel – Do You

We love Miguel. It’s definitely one of the better stories in music this year, that the L.A.-based R&B singer is starting to get notice that someone of his talent deserves. Mr. Jontel just dropped a preview of his preview; streams of the three tracks from his Kaleidoscope Dream Air Preview which is due Tuesday. This second preview EP (following his Water release back in July), offers up teasers for Miguel’s Kaleidoscope Dream LP which debuts October 2nd. Our pick from the EP is the – Sunday on the boat good-timer “Do You” which further highlights Miguel’s impressive growth as a writer/arranger and singer.

Miguel – Do You

Miguel (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

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reviewed by
09-07-12

Jesse Boykins III – Restless Dreamer (KING re.fix)

We LOVED R&B group KING’s “The Story” EP from last year (if you’re sleeping, get familiar ASAP). Here, standout track “Hey” gets fixed up with the also excellent Jesse Boykins track “Restless Dreamer”, the result is 3 AM lights-turned-down-low slice of that gorgeousness. Get some gorgeousness.

Jesse Boykins III – Restless Dreamer (KING re.fix)

Jesse Boykins III (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
09-07-12

Daley – Remember Me (Feat. Jessie J)

Mancunian soulboy Daley fires his debut single the Blue Boy-sampling (yes, that Blue Boy from the 90’s) “Remember Me”. As evidenced by his linking up with the inimitable Ms. Cornish (we certainly like her much better in this lane than “Do It Like Dude”), Our Man in Manchester seems primed and poised for a significant push. “Remember Me” sounds like late 90’s pop, specifically that transitional late 90’s period when R&B’s hold on the charts was giving way to TRL-driven pop. In fact (and we mean this in the most complimentary way), “Remember Me” could be a lost demo for “Backstreet’s Back” or “Larger Than Life” and we’d be none more the wiser. Listen.

Daley – Remember Me (Feat. Jessie J)

Daley (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
09-05-12

Tiombe Lockhart – Baby

The irrepressible Tiombe Lockhart delivers a sweet refashion of Jacob Miller’s classic reggae track “Baby I Love You So” over a King Tubby instrumental. If you’re cool, you know that you’ve just hit the reggae covers jackpot; and Ms. Lockhart does not disappoint. Tiombe’s “Augustus and Me” EP is available now.

Tiombe Lockhart – Baby

Tiombe Lockhart (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
08-29-12

Kendra Morris – I’m Real (Feat. Godforbid) (Jennifer Lopez)

J. Lo’s Mary Jane Girls-sampling “I’m Real”remix crushed the summer of 2001 (no. 2’s in the air if you were there too.) sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks. As part of a recent covers series, Waxpoetics connects NYC singer Kendra Morris and That Handsome Devil frontman Godforbid to “I’m Real” casting them in the roles of J. Lo and Millennial hip hop hot hand Ja Rule (Murda). The result is a buttery A+ great rework of a great song.

Kendra Morris – I’m Real (Feat. Godforbid) (Jennifer Lopez)

Kendra Morris (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

reviewed by
08-21-12

Metropolis – One 4 U

OK, b3sci Grown & Sexy Crew; we’ve got a new R&B jawn we think you’re really going like (we do!). Coming to us via Atlanta, vocal trio Metropolis dial up the spirit of classic soul (including numerous “Listen Baby”s) balanced with more modern nods to Hip Hop & R&B rhythms (that beat is bangin). The group’s lead single “One 4 U”, excerpted here from their upcoming Resurrection LP, is as smooth and silky as a summer Sunday afternoon and a sound that you should certainly get with.

Metropolis – One 4 U

Metropolis

Rating 8.0

reviewed by
08-21-12