Soul is a state of mind...
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Artist:
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Album:My Favorite Letters
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Track:High Up On The Hook - (studio)
It's been days of sunshine and warm weather, and rather than enjoying it, what do I crave? Some mysterious gloom, a smoky, velvet-walled bar and a chanteuse at the keys. Most bloggers would suggest a little Amy Winehouse fix, but I am getting a little tired of her. Where could I find someone who wrote her own songs, had an incredible band and made interesting soul music that wasn't stuck in the big-bouffant '60's?Soul Sides to the rescue. Oliver Wang wrote an excellent primer on retro-soul and included Alice Russell in the mix. I was instantly captivated by a track off her 2005 album "My Favorite Letters" called High Up On the Hook. 
Originally a collaborator with Quantic, Russell has released 2 albums under her own name. The first, "Under the Munka Moon" was quickly followed by "Under the Munka Moon 2", a rarities compilation that included her superior cover of The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army". The best thing about Russell is the breadth of her collaborations: everything from an upcoming Massive Attack project to the reggae-tinged song Hurry On Now with TM Juke. This of course means that I get to search out even more of her music!I don't know what I like better, the volcano-inducing power of Russell's voice, or the mind-blowing array of musicians she has found to be her backing band. This music is the real thing, thick, funky, spread-it-like-peanut-butter soul. Want a taste? Click here for a live version of Seven Nation Army or here for Alice's Myspace page.
Originally a collaborator with Quantic, Russell has released 2 albums under her own name. The first, "Under the Munka Moon" was quickly followed by "Under the Munka Moon 2", a rarities compilation that included her superior cover of The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army". The best thing about Russell is the breadth of her collaborations: everything from an upcoming Massive Attack project to the reggae-tinged song Hurry On Now with TM Juke. This of course means that I get to search out even more of her music!I don't know what I like better, the volcano-inducing power of Russell's voice, or the mind-blowing array of musicians she has found to be her backing band. This music is the real thing, thick, funky, spread-it-like-peanut-butter soul. Want a taste? Click here for a live version of Seven Nation Army or here for Alice's Myspace page.
Comments (29)
"Don't You Worry Now" is a cool track. No doubt about it...
Alice has an awesome voice. Here's hoping that she will be around for years to come.