Apologies if it’s been done before but what do you reckon is the best soul album by a single artist or group, as opposed to a compilation 

Just listening to Archie Bell ‘Tighten up’ and thinking it would have a claim - Tighten up pt’s 1 & 2, When you left heartaches began, A Thousand Wonders’, plus other great stuff. William Bell ‘Bound to happen’ comes to mind as another contender, also Carla Thomas ‘Memphis Queen’

1 hour ago, Jessie Pinkman said:

Anita Baker "Rapture" ~ Soul perfection to my ears.

The Songstress ain't too shabby either.

The Songtress contains one of the greatest vocal performances ever. “No more tears” for which, according to Richard S, the final cut was done in just one take. Michael Powell, Otis Smith, Patrick Moten collaboration - pure magic. The short lived Beverly Glen label didn’t half put out some great albums 

Jimmy Lewis-Totally Involved

Hesitations-Born Free

Sam Dees-Show must go on

Dell's-Sweet as Funk can be

Ojays-Family reunion 

Greg Perry-One for the road

Millie Jackson-Lovingly yours

Originals-Portrait of

Bobby Womack-Communication

Bobby Womack-Home is where the heart is

Willie Hutch-Ode to my lady 

And that's without really thinking 😆 

Kev 

Going to be dead obvious here; 

Otis Redding - Otis blue

Marvin gaye- trouble man

( Only play this on rainy days)

Don’t think Randy brown “welcome to my room” has had a mention yet.  All his other lp’s are also great but it’s been a while since I’ve sat and listened to any lp all the way through 

 

Doris duke “I’m a loser”

 

Bobby Womack lp’s in general

23 hours ago, Peter99 said:

Hope I can have a second go.

A man who needs a big shout is super cool soulman George Jackson. He wrote so many good records for other artists, producer, director, writer - he had it all. Mr Cool, Mississippi drawl an all.  May he rest in peace.

George Jackson in Muscle Shoals is well worth a listen and a listing.

Peter

😉

 

George Jackson superb

2 hours ago, Kev Cane said:

Jimmy Lewis-Totally Involved

Hesitations-Born Free

Sam Dees-Show must go on

Dell's-Sweet as Funk can be

Ojays-Family reunion 

Greg Perry-One for the road

Millie Jackson-Lovingly yours

Originals-Portrait of

Bobby Womack-Communication

Bobby Womack-Home is where the heart is

Willie Hutch-Ode to my lady 

And that's without really thinking 😆 

Kev 

Greg Perry - One for the road had to be bought for - "Will she still meet the train in the rain." just love the title -  "Come on Down"  is the track though

Tommy Tate “hold on” is a very special LP

Detroit My home town. Previously unreleased Detroit soul inc. Deon Jackson, Stylists, JJ Barnes, Jimmy Gilford, Sharon McMahan, Popcorn Wylie, Perfections, Jimmy Delphs, Rose Battiste, Tony Hester, Bobby Sheppard and Jimmy Scruggs.

4 hours ago, Peter99 said:

Bobby Taylor album is class. Having given most of my last collection away I still have a sealed copy of this.

Peter

 

I liked it so much, I have both the US and UK releases. The UK was a real tough one to find.

Garland Green "Jealous kind of fella" there's so many wonderful tracks on this album.

Marvin Gaye MPG

Looked through the thread and no mention of the great Johnnie Taylor, two from me to correct that " Super Taylor" and " Eargasm " both of which still get plays from me.

I’ve been watching this thread for days, asking myself, given what’s been mentioned so far, what is really good, i.e., if you are having a beer, settling down, searching for something on a Friday night,  what do you go straight to, because you know you can drop the needle and sit back and enjoy, so here goes.

Both Manhattans Carnival LPs, For You and yours' & 'Dedicated to You'
Willie Hutch - Soul Portrait - already mentioned, but it’s so good you have to!
Ronnie McNeir - Ronnie McNeir, RCA & Tamla Motown releases of the same name.
Larry Saunders - Prophet of Soul plus his others
Leo's Sunship - We need each other
Millie Jackson - all of em! but especially 'Still Caught Up'
Both Mike James Kirkland Lp's inc Doin it Right
King Floyd - Heart of the matter, which ever label you have it on.
Betty Wright, all her Alston Lp's but esp 'I love the way You Love'
JJ Barnes - Steve Mancha - Rare Stamps
Gwen McCrae - Rockin Chair / CAT
Doris Duke - I’m a Loser / Canyon

Glen Anthony Henry - Relax and Love, massive Lp in 2008, upbeat thumpin tracks !
Jesse James - Let me show you / Soul Junction, brilliant LP throughout...
Windy City - Let Me ride / Chi City
Ecstasy Passion & Pain - Roulette - great throughout!

My favourite Lp, which defies all, what label have you got it on? Bull shit, because it don’t matter!

Terry Callier - Timepeace, 9 brilliant songs from the very missed Terry Callier 😞

That’s mi lot.

 

 

Really pleased to see how many people love Millie Jacksons albums .

Always thought she was vastly underrated. 

Pleased to be proved wrong.

3 hours ago, Tobytyke said:

Really pleased to see how many people love Millie Jacksons albums .

Always thought she was vastly underrated. 

Pleased to be proved wrong.

Surprised you thought she was underrated, the two Caught Up albums were massive sellers in the U.S. and I remember at the time Blues and Soul getting behind these albums and I was the first through the door for the first album on delivery to my local record shop.

Her albums prior to those were good too as were few after but sadly her material got a bit smutty and although most lps after had few tracks of note the rest were quite poor, but I will still remember the thrill of hearing those two albums in the Caught Up series and how they changed my outlook on soul music forever.

Vocally Millie is up there with the very best in my opinion.

Edited August 14, 2024Aug 14 by Shinehead

How about some love for the great Billy Stewart?  "I Do Love You" album; his "Summertime" album is also great.  

"The Temptations Sing Smokey"

11 hours ago, Shinehead said:

Surprised you thought she was underrated, the two Caught Up albums were massive sellers in the U.S. and I remember at the time Blues and Soul getting behind these albums and I was the first through the door for the first album on delivery to my local record shop.

Her albums prior to those were good too as were few after but sadly her material got a bit smutty and although most lps after had few tracks of note the rest were quite poor, but I will still remember the thrill of hearing those two albums in the Caught Up series and how they changed my outlook on soul music forever.

Vocally Millie is up there with the very best in my opinion.

Has Millie ever explained the change in direction? Was it a strategic choice to move away from emotional heartbreak to more risque material?

If she has been underrated, maybe her later career direction disguised her true talents for a lot of people, although there were always flashes of it, despite poor choices like "Back to the sh%t".

On 13/08/2024 at 19:58, Jaco said:

The Songtress contains one of the greatest vocal performances ever. “No more tears” for which, according to Richard S, the final cut was done in just one take. Michael Powell, Otis Smith, Patrick Moten collaboration - pure magic. The short lived Beverly Glen label didn’t half put out some great albums 

Totally agree, the releases by Bobby, Johnnie Taylor and Chapter 8 also outstanding. A shame that Otis Smith wasn't as above board as he should have been.

Re Anita, I rate her 1990 "Compositions" album very highly - one side was recorded live but the whole thing is just a masterpiece of musicianship and artistry. Her last collaboration with Michael Powell, unfortunately.

On 12/08/2024 at 22:36, Shinehead said:

Listening now to the Lou Courtney on Spotify, seems like a missed a winner 🙂

I do own the single though "Somebody New Is Lovin On You" but never really gave it a chance , too many records and not enough time to give some time to hit home.

 

Great album, produced by Jerry Ragovoy. Not long after he produced Dionne Warwick's "Then came you" LP, which is just a masterpiece to these ears. Norman Jay hammered "Move me no mountain" deservedly for many years, and there's a terrific version of "I can't wait to see my baby's face", but this is a track that doesn't get enough recognition:

2 hours ago, Mickey Finn said:

Dionne Warwick's "Then came you" LP, which is just a masterpiece to these ears. Norman Jay hammered "Move me no mountain" deservedly for many years, and there's a terrific version of "I can't wait to see my baby's face", but this is a track that doesn't get enough recognition:

Great to see some cheap lps getting some recognition this lp and the Anita Baker lps are well deserved mentions.

17 hours ago, Shinehead said:

Surprised you thought she was underrated, the two Caught Up albums were massive sellers in the U.S. and I remember at the time Blues and Soul getting behind these albums and I was the first through the door for the first album on delivery to my local record shop.

Her albums prior to those were good too as were few after but sadly her material got a bit smutty and although most lps after had few tracks of note the rest were quite poor, but I will still remember the thrill of hearing those two albums in the Caught Up series and how they changed my outlook on soul music forever.

Vocally Millie is up there with the very best in my opinion.

Agree Millie is up there with the very best.

But Vastly underrated. Hardly anyone outside the soul fraternity has even heard of 

Millie Jackson.  Diana Ross,Tina Turner,Gladys Knight, Aretha Frankin yes.

To me her albums are far better .

So to me talented enough to be a household name.......underrated by far.

1 hour ago, Tobytyke said:

Agree Millie is up there with the very best.

But Vastly underrated. Hardly anyone outside the soul fraternity has even heard of 

Millie Jackson.  Diana Ross,Tina Turner,Gladys Knight, Aretha Frankin yes.

To me her albums are far better .

So to me talented enough to be a household name.......underrated by far.

She was awesome there's no denying her talent. Even "in the know" all niter goers rarely got past "A House for Sale", great dance track that it was, is.

 

Peter

Edited August 15, 2024Aug 15 by Peter99

47 minutes ago, Tobytyke said:

Agree Millie is up there with the very best.

But Vastly underrated. Hardly anyone outside the soul fraternity has even heard of 

Millie Jackson.  Diana Ross,Tina Turner,Gladys Knight, Aretha Frankin yes.

To me her albums are far better .

So to me talented enough to be a household name.......underrated by far.

This is despite her recording a duet with Elton John, "Act of war", which made it to 32 in the UK singles chart in 1985. Once again, maybe not the best choice for her to be taken seriously more widely ... it was a fun pop record that took advantage of her theatrics vocally and in the video, which was the whole point (I vaguely remember Tina Turner being asked first, rather like Dusty Springfield was first choice before Kiki Dee got "Don't go breaking my heart". Tina would have probably got more airplay.)

The following year Millie released a decent LP on Jive Records, "An imitation of love". That was an effort to be serious as it had none of the smutty stuff, but she was maybe let down a little by the production which is very much of its time. Some very good tracks on the album though.

19 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

 

She did achieve Jamaica's first ever million selling single. 

Peter

Think that was Millie Small and "My Boy Lollipop",  Peter 

22 minutes ago, Shinehead said:

Think that was Millie Small and "My Boy Lollipop",  Peter 

Oooops.

 

 

13 hours ago, Robbk said:

"The Temptations Sing Smokey"

Their version of 'You Beat Me To The Punch' is exquisite.

Favourites off the top of my head!
 

Tommie Young - Do you still feel the same way - Soul Power

Marvelettes - Sophisticated soul - Tamla

Timothy Wilson - Same - H&L

Jj Barnes - Born again - Perception

Debbie Taylor - Comin down on you - Today

 

 

13 minutes ago, Tricky said:

Favourites off the top of my head!
 

Tommie Young - Do you still feel the same way - Soul Power

Marvelettes - Sophisticated soul - Tamla

Timothy Wilson - Same - H&L

Jj Barnes - Born again - Perception

Debbie Taylor - Comin down on you - Today

 

 

Good shout for Debbie Taylor. I may have missed it but I've not seen her name yet.

Peter

 

Ok,,,,,Temptin Temptations......Never Ending Impressions....Hot Buttered Soul,,,,, Special Occasion,,,,, The O'Jays In Philadelphia.

Great thread. Totally agree with Anita Baker's "Rapture" - a gamechanger for me. I've always been more of an LP kind of guy.

Other faves of mine are:

Leon Ware - Musical Massage

Marvin Gaye - Come Get To This

Stevie Wonder - Innervisions

Bobby Womack - The Poet

Luther Vandross - The Night I Fell In Love

Quincy Jones - The Dude

Michael Jackson - Off The Wall

Jill Scott - Beautifully Human

Trina Broussard - Same Girl

Adriana Evans - Adriana Evans

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2024Aug 30 by Daved

That's a strong line-up, only Trina Broussard is missing from my collection.

Some others in my top list include

Change - Miracles

Charles Jackson - Passionate Breezes

Walter Jackson - Good to see you

Bobby Womack - Someday we'll all be free & Roads of Life

Nancy Wilson - Lady with a song

Sister Sledge - We are family

George Benson - Give me the night

On 12/08/2024 at 09:02, Shinehead said:

"Caught Up" Millie Jackson 

Correct.

On 12/08/2024 at 11:17, Shinehead said:

 

Not a great fan of live albums but James Brown " Live At The Appolo " and a non soul album Bob Marley " Live At The Lyceum " are two that capture the vibe and feeling of the night on vinyl for me.

Add Bill Withers live at Carnegie Hall 

I don't think I've seen it what about Teddy Pendergrass's first solo LP.  

6 minutes ago, Soulman58 said:

I don't think I've seen it what about Teddy Pendergrass's first solo LP.  

Cracking album Steve.

I hope you're ok.

Peter

Memphis Queen  Carla Thomas 

Love and Beauty. Lamont Dozier

Up with best. Richard 

1 hour ago, Peter99 said:

Cracking album Steve.

I hope you're ok.

Peter

Hi Peter,

 

Not Steve here.

Regards

 

Neil

 

48 minutes ago, Soulman58 said:

Hi Peter,

 

Not Steve here.

Regards

 

Neil

 

Sorry Neil

I just saw Soulman not the 58!

Peter

Spotlighting The Man - Bobby Bland

The Soul Goes On - Jerry Butler 

Fire On Ice - Terry Callier

With a lot o' Soul -Temptations

Warm And Soulful - Garnet Mimms , and many others . That's why we love the music .

The Spellbinders The Magic Of The Spellbinders,this is packed with Van McCoy top drawer songs.

On 13/08/2024 at 18:48, Kev Cane said:

Jimmy Lewis-Totally Involved

Hesitations-Born Free

Sam Dees-Show must go on

Dell's-Sweet as Funk can be

Ojays-Family reunion 

Greg Perry-One for the road

Millie Jackson-Lovingly yours

Originals-Portrait of

Bobby Womack-Communication

Bobby Womack-Home is where the heart is

Willie Hutch-Ode to my lady 

And that's without really thinking 😆 

Kev 

Just found hesitations Born Free Car Boot £2

A few that haven't been mentioned as far as I can tell:

Rhetta Hughes - Relight My Fire

Lovelites - With Love From...

Tower Of Power - Back To Oakland

Freddie Hughes on Wand.

Every track is an absolute gem and I never tire of listening to it.

 

Odyssey - MoWest

Superfly curtis 

On 04/09/2024 at 17:04, Candiman said:

A few that haven't been mentioned as far as I can tell:

Rhetta Hughes - Relight My Fire

Lovelites - With Love From...

Tower Of Power - Back To Oakland

Lovelites were a fantastic group.

Peter