Soul Music

One of the comeback stories of 2012 had to be SWV's return with a hot album with I Missed Us and a GRAMMY nomination to boot. Their momentum has continued in 2013 with the Sisters With Voices performing at concerts across the country for fans who still gladly support the group. Friday, May 24th will find the talented trio performing at the historic Howard Theatre in Washington, DC at what is guaranteed to be a hot show. No, seriously, I saw SWV perform last year and they tore it down so I'm sure it'll be more of the same on Friday night. Tickets are on sale now at the box office and also online at Ticketmaster, and the good people at Howard Theatre have also given us one pair of tickets to give away. Enter to win now!

It's been quite a while since we've heard from the Southern fried collective Goodie Mob. Thankfully the group seems to have kissed and made up since the departure of CeeLo Green (and the album mocking the rotund member, but I digress). The latest offering is "Special Education," which finds the collective rapping over a sonically futuristic backdrop with a heavy distorted bassline. It doesn't hurt that they recruited vocals from "Q.U.E.E.N." Janelle Monáe who adds the perfect compliment to the energy of the song. Even T-Mo, usually known for being the weakest link, sounds pretty damn dope in the song. Thankfully this taste from their upcoming album Age Against the Machine is a noble effort from Goodie Mob as we've seen previous hip-hop group reunion singles fall short. Remember that Fugees record from a few years ago? Exactly. Me neither. This song isn't exactly the strongest work that we've heard from the dirty South clan, but it's something that clearly explores the growth of these artists and a fearlessness to sound different. Now, if we can only convince Andre 3000 and Big Boi to follow suit.

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013, The Notorious B.I.G. would've celebrated his 41st birthday. There were many tributes to the fallen rapper across the Internet, but one that stood out for me was from singer and apparent hip-hop head Melanie Fiona. Instead of the doing the typical social network shout out, Melanie opted to recreate BIG's classic remix to "One More Chance" using nothing but her voice, GarageBand and hours of her time. The results are simply stunning. As Melanie sings through the opening verse and first hook backed by a chorus of only her, you begin to see just how talented the Toronto native really is. But of course, we already knew all that. My only wish is that Melanie would inject the personality and talent we all know she has (and which she exhibits here) into her future musical endeavors. Peep Melanie working her magic below.

How To Dress Well's Total Loss was one of my favorite releases of last year, but with its emotive lyrics, somber subject matter and fragile vocals, it wasn't exactly a party starter. The same cannot be said of "On Your Side," a new track from Canadian producer Jacques Greene, which features HTDW on vocals. The track still features his airy falsetto, but this time it's paired with a thumping, R&B-tinged house beat that lifts the vocal to a whole new level. The track is taken from Greene's On Your Side EP, which drops June 3rd. Consider this yet another addition to my summer playlist.

Where the hell has Remy Shand been? After a fairly solid debut with 2002's The Way I Feel, Remy pulled one of the greatest disappearing acts this side of Tim Dog. There's even a web community, Where's Remy Shand?, dedicated to sussing out the Winnipeg native's whereabouts. Well, the search for the reclusive singer can be called off, as Mr. Shand finally displayed signs of life by uploading a few videos to his YouTube page this week, giving us his first new material in over a decade. Thankfully, it seems that Remi hasn't lost his step. "Where Are We Going?," the only uploaded track that features vocals, is a smooth slice of throwback soul that finds Remy in fine form and still in possession of his trademark falsetto on the chorus. But wait, there's more! Remy also uploaded the funky, feel-good instrumental "Rollergirls" (for which he has put out a call for collaborators) as well as another instrumental titled "Mark Gonzales." Both are as smooth as you'd expect from Remy, with a '70's soul undercurrent running throughout. Could all this be the Remy comeback we've been waiting for? That remains to be seen, but this new music has got us mighty hopeful. Peep "Where Are We Going?" below and hit the bounce to check out "Rollergirls" and "Mark Gonzales."

We are still awaiting firm details of Andreya Triana's upcoming EP/album, but it looks like we won't have much longer to wait as the songstress has released the official first single from the project, "Song For A Friend." We already heard a live version of the track, but the studio rendition has a much fuller sound, complete with a gorgeous church organ and strings, and some truly beautiful BV work. However, it's Andreya's rich, smoky vocals that are the main draw here as she pours her heart and soul into the song, with spine-tingling results.

Aretha Franklin announced she would take the month of June off, postponing additional shows, as she continues to undergo medical treatment for an undisclosed illness. [SB] On May 31st The Roots will be honored at the dedication ceremony for a wall mural painting of the group at the West Communications Charter School in their hometown of Philadelphia. [MA]Lawyers for Chris Lighty's family blasted the NYPD, saying the police haven't taken the investigation into the late hip-hop producer's death seriously. [NYP] Just cut a check: Concert promoter AEG requested a payment of $300,000 just weeks after Michael Jackson died to pay Conrad Murray, the former physician convicted with contributing to the singer's death. [NYDN]

I know that many tune in for the judges (specifically the bromance between Adam Levine and Blake Shelton) or the vocal competition in general, but, for me, Judith Hill truly makes The Voice worth watching every week. She is that rare kind of talent that comes around once every so often and leads you to wonder why she isn't already a superstar. But if you ask me, she is well on her way as she transforms popular songs into works of art weekly. Last night was a perfect example when she took Michael Jackson's flirty number "The Way You Make Me Feel" and put her own stank on it. Strutting on stage rocking a dramatic up-do and jumpsuit with an '80's flair, she made an entrance that was simultaneously white hot and cucumber cool. She kicked it off with a jazzy slow burning intro to the song before kicking the R&B up a notch for the remainder of the performance. From her vocals to the way she worked the stage, there's no denying that this woman is a pro. It's no wonder the King of Pop chose her as one of his background singers for his This Is It concert series before his untimely death in 2009. Forever indebted to Jackson, Hill was overcome with emotion at the song's end and tried to keep it together amidst applause from the audience and accolades being heaped on by the judges. This was a fitting tribute to MJ and should ensure that we see Judith Hill on our television screens for another week.

That damn inner hoodrat. Every time I'm sitting down to sip my tea (with my pinky up, of course) and commune with high society, here it comes body rolling its way out and cracking my carefully crafted bourgie facade. This time, The-Dream is to blame. I managed to avoid most of The-Dream's promo for his latest album IV Play, what with song titles like "Dope B*tch" and "P*ssy" not making me immediately rush to press play. However, with the release of the album coming in a week, Radio Killa has me ensnared me in his chubby little web with the latest leak from his project. The body rollin' bass bump of "Turnt," which features none other than Beyoncé and hip hop's feature king 2 Chainz, is like a siren song to the ratchet yatch that lurks within. Like most things The-Dream, it's R&B at its most ignant (not a typo), made to appeal to all the freaks in the house. It's also probably the raunchiest we've ever heard Bey on wax (I'm sure Michelle Obama will probably clutch her pearls at Bey wanting someone to "beat it up 'til I black out"). Still, with a hot 16 from 2 Chainz and a beat made for strip club sound systems, my inner hoodrat is satiated (and not a moment too soon, as I was starting to become curious about Love & Hip Hop). Bump "Turnt" after the bounce and, if you're so inclined, preorder IV Play on iTunes now.

Even though we are enjoying somewhat of an R&B revival of late, their is one sub-genre that, for the most part, has been sorely overlooked: The slow jam. Once a staple of every act worth their R&B creds, those occupying the "nu-R&B" lane -- I'm thinking of artists such as inc., Shy Girls, How To Dress Well and Autre Ne Veut -- have mostly steered clear of songs with overtly romantic messages in favor of something a little more introverted, a little more edgy. Step forward vocalist/producer 8th Grader who his hoping that his self-titled debut EP, released today, will go someway to filling that void. Taking cues from the likes of Prince ("Diamonds, Silver & Gold") and Janet Jackson (his cover of "Let's Wait A While"), the San Franciscan delivers a short, but sweet collection of songs that will create the perfect backdrop for an evening with that special someone. Get in the mood after the bounce.