In the flood of sensationalized pop-R&B and hip-hop albums this year, here are 10 of the best, truer soul CDs you’ve missed and NEED to buy.
What is true R&B and hip-hop? Lil’ Wayne’s “Tha Carter III” was okay, but it was strictly for the mainstream once “Lollipop” began to catapult its way to #1 in the Hot 100 Singles. After selling 1-million copies its first week and despite mostly great reviews, “Tha Carter III” was not the top of my personal best list this year in rap. T.I. and Young Jeezy’s new CDs also ruled the roost as well, while Usher, Mariah Carey, Fergie, and Beyonce continued dominating in R&B, but for those looking to burst their conventional pop bubble and exploring stronger modern soul recapturing Motown, old school blues and jazz, and the 70s soul sound, here are the 10 CDs you need to add to your collection.
1. Amy Winehouse FRANK (Universal Republic). This is the troubled British soulster’s official first album. Her 2003 debut never made it to U.S. soil until late last year and fell quickly. But it re-emerged into the Billboard 200 after Winehouse won five Grammys this year for her popular U.S. debut “Back to Black,” before it fell off the charts again. “Frank” and the Deluxe Edition capture the smooth sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Doris Day. Titled after the late great Sinatra, “Frank” is full of angst, heartache, and is thrillingly straightforward. From “(There Is) No Greater Love” and “F*** Me Pumps” to the Deluxe Edition’s gripping covers of “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “Teach Me,” this is an album that would have made Sinatra proud. U.S. SALES: 178,000
2. Raphael Saadiq THE WAY I SEE IT (Columbia). Like a lost Civil Rights-era record, super-producer Saadiq’s vision grabs the spry sounds of Motown. The classics: the fast-paced “100 Yard Dash,” the warm ear candy “Just One Kiss” with Joss Stone, and the heartrending “Sometimes.” This CD easily joins the ranks of high soul as The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and Teddy Pendergrass. U.S. SALES: 60,000
3. Robin Thicke SOMETHING ELSE (Star Trak/Interscope). The true definition of blue-eyed soul; sorry Elliott Yamin and Justin Timberlake, but you have nothing on Robin Thicke. Smoothly transitioning from the unevenness of his platinum-selling predecessor “The Evolution of Robin Thicke,” “Something Else” revisits much of the Marvin Gaye-era with amiable and coffee house-friendly ballads with sprightly Barry White-esque highlights “Sidestep” and “Magic.” U.S. SALES: 244,000
4. Q-Tip THE RENAISSANCE (Universal Motown). After a nine-year hiatus (blame it on label issues and the fact his follow-up to his 1999 debut “Amplified,” his sophomore effort “Kamaal the Abstract,” supposedly didn’t have any radio-friendly singles), Q-Tip returns with his brisk, clean effort bringing back the glory days of the early Roots and Outkast. This introspective, graceful, and poetic effort (highlights include “Gettin’ Up,” “Life Is Better,” and “Believe”) is what hip-hop is or should be all about. U.S. SALES: 100,000
5. Erykah Badu NEW AMERYKAH PART ONE (4TH WORLD WAR) (Universal Motown). No artist could revert to the Blaxploitation soul better than Badu (no surprise). A vigorous blend of disco, urban soul, and funk, “New Amerykah” explores everything from political issues such as war to police corruption to domestic violence to pacifism and love. Like the missing soundtrack or songs for films such as “Foxy Brown,” “Superfly,” or the original “Shaft,” Badu’s inspired effort is truly clever and groundbreaking (not that we ever expected anything less from her). Download “Amerykahn Promise,” “Soldier,” and “Master Teacher.” U.S. SALES: 375,000
6. Raheem DeVaughn LOVE BEHIND THE MELODY (Jive). A more modern-sounding soul CD, but still sets itself apart from the likes of Usher and J. Holiday. “Woman” and “Customer” were great, sure, but it’s the atmospheric 60s-inspired “Friday (Shut Down the Club),” the lively “Butterflies,” and the breathtaking “Four Letter Word” that makes this album truly shine. U.S. SALES: 275,000
7. Chrisette Michele I AM… (Def Jam). Okay, so it came out in 2007, but still, it’s an album that truly got better in time. It’s nothing truly innovative but still an enthusiastic and ambitious set downing the sexual and violent messages of mainstream R&B and hip-hop and singing what R&B and soul should truly be singing about…love and fidelity (check out “Golden,” “Let’s Rock,” and “Your Joy”). U.S. SALES: 525,000
8. Estelle SHINE (Atlantic). Her sophomore album lives up to its title in more ways than one. A wild and gamely mix of hip-hop, reggae, and soul, Estelle locks you in the moment “American Boy” (with Kanye West) and “Magnificent” (with Kardinal Offishall) dares to get stuck in your head. U.S. SALES: 154,000
9. Jaheim THE MAKINGS OF A MAN (Atlantic). Gaining a little traction late last year, but not enough (despite the hit singles “Never” and “I’ve Changed”) considering it is perhaps his best effort yet. Dumping the redundant “Ghetto” shtick for a more subtle and mature album title, thoughtful songs such as “Have You Ever,” “Lonely,” and “Just Don’t Have a Clue” prove he’s really come a long way from his middle-of-the-road, sample-heavy soul of his lackluster predecessors. U.S. SALES: 495,000
10. Al Green LAY IT DOWN (Blue Note). Remember Al Green in the 60s and 70s? Boy, wasn’t he great! Well, his newest effort of all-original music goes right back to his prime (with able help from Anthony Hamilton, Corinne Bailey Rae, and John Legend) and is what makes this entry such a masterpiece. Download “Lay It Down,” “Just For Me,” and “Take Your Time.” U.S. SALES: 175,000
U.S. sales are according to copies of CDs sold. While based on the numbers from the Nielsen Soundscan, some of the numbers are speculated future copies sold.
In the flood of sensationalized pop-R&B and hip-hop albums this year, here are 10 of the best, truer soul CDs you’ve missed and NEED to buy.