The Personification of SOUL
Sep 16 '02
The Bottom Line The albums that defined soul throughout the generations.
After my brilliant Top 20 Hip-Hop Albums, and my flawless Top 10 Rock Albums, I felt it was only neccessary to bless the music populace with yet another Stankwalrus 'Greatest Albums of All Time' List. This time, we're gonna slow things down, smooth things out and get a little soulful. First and foremost, I would like to point out that I do not consider R&B and Soul to be exactly the same thing: R&B is the more conventional love songs and slow jams, that while they can be very fulfilling are usually impersonal love songs sung by exceptional voices. Some examples of this would be; The Temptations, early Marvin Gaye, Boyz II Men, Jodeci, The O'Jays, Mariah Carey, The Dramatics, New Edition. Soul, on the other hand, is usually written and sung by the same individual, giving the music a depth and earthiness that can only be described as, well, soulful.It's a much more personal music that can be both introspective and uplifting. Some examples of this would be; Stevie Wonder, latter Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Donny Hathaway. With that in mind, my list will be more adhered toward the soul audience. Now that that's cleared up, here's Stankwalrus' Top 10 Soul Albums of All Time
10.Urban Hang Suite-Maxwell-this Brooklyn-bred crooner eased on to the scene in 1997 and, along with D'Angelo, ushered in a whole new rebirth of soul for the millenium. A beautiful understated yet dynamic recording, Maxwell's airy vocals mix well with the string and horn heavy production. A must-have for lovers.
9.Superfly(Orig. Motion Picture Sdtk)-Curtis Mayfield
I normally don't add soundtracks to my list, but in the case of 'Superfly', you have one artist's unique vision, intertwined with a cult movie classic, unlike soundtracks today, where you have a collection of hits by different artists. 'Superfly' epitomizes '70s Soul Funk. The thumping bassline of 'Freddy's Dead' and the riding high horns of the title track alone make this a must-have
8.Baduizm-Erykah BaduThe ever-changing, eccentric Mz Badu took the world by storm with this smoothly jazzy debut. Her voice is unlike anything else out there, and the sleepy vibe of this album is alluring and seductive. A thoroughly charming album.
7.Who Is Jill Scott?...-Jill Scott
What a breath of fresh air this was in 2000!A sultry, soul sista with a beautiful voice and sassy as hell. This album fluctuates between bombastic jazz and smooth piano driven and acoustic numbers. Jill's vocals are melded with some spoken word poetry to give the album a nice, live-at-the-coffee shop feel. Pick it up, today!
6.Everything Is Everything-Donny Hathaway
Beautifully reflective of early '70s life in the ghetto, Donny Hathaway was soul music's sad genius. The title track is gorgeouos, and the bass-line of 'In the Ghetto' is instantly recognizeable.The gospel, and blues influences are imminent in every line of this album.
5.Brown Sugar-D'Angelo
The man that revived soul! D'Angelo's sent flurries through the music world in mid-1996. As smooth as silk and cool as the other side of the pillow, D'Angelo uses an upright bass, keyboards, and horns to tell tales of ghetto love, betrayal, and upliftment. Not a bad song on the thing and one of the best of the last decade.
4.Still In Love With You-Al Green
Great rainy day love songs. "Love and Happiness" is a soul anthem and Al Green's voice never sounded better. He showcases his diversity with a cover of Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" and a haunting remake of Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times."The title track is also one of Green's best midtempo cuts
3.The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill-Lauryn Hill
Hip-hop and soul meet in this ultra-personal recording. Lauryn broke from the Fugees and created a montage of everything that was going on in her life at the time: childbirth, breakups, materialism around her, spiritual awakening. She sings beautifully and raps eloquently. She's second to none in the new age of hip-hop soul
2.Songs In the Key of Life-Stevie Wonder
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Each song is a life unto itself, yet tied together to the entire album to form a unique examination of one man's life journey. Stevie muses on his new baby girl, "Isn't She Lovely", life in the inner city, "Village Ghetto Land", new love, "Knocks Me Off My Feet", and pays tribute to his influences, "Sir Duke".This is an utterly breathtaking album that no greatest album list is complete without. Stevie is a genius.
1.What's Goin' On-Marvin Gaye
What every great soul artist aspires to be. The man pours his heart out in such a sincere and painful way, the listener almost ends up in tears before the album's end. Marvin laments the Vietnam War, the poverty in the city, the destruction of the environment-all with an honesty that is so forthright you feel as if you're listening to an old friend. The best that ever did it, 'What's Goin' On' is Gaye's finest moment and a must-have for any music fan.
If you don't have or have never heard these albums, don't hesitate to go out and get at least one or two. You won't be sorry you did.
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