In this PopMatters exclusive, legendary Motown songwriter/producer Valerie Simpson and the musicians behind The Boss recall how Ashford & Simpson brought Diana Ross back to number one.
The third time's the charm for Maverick Sabre, who dextrously combines the past and present in a measured, soulful album, abound with ardour and fellow feeling.
In "Missed Connections", their first piece of music released in three years, Gainesville, Florida soul outfit the Savants of Soul use their knack for rhythm to detail a song about looking back and taking chances.
Florida garage soul outfit the Sh-Booms offer up a slice of the real via "Leon the Hustler" from debut album, The Blurred Odyssey. Fight the disenfranchisement.
Built on elements of blues, soul, and gospel, Shawn James' new album, The Dark & The Light, explores the ways in which the listener can translate trauma.
This week we have urgent post punk from Guru, murky alt-pop from JW Ridley, gorgeously life-affirming soul from Amahla, soaring electropop from Salt Ashes, and the welcome return of former Wild Beast frontman, Hayden Thorpe.
Rhino has remastered Curtis Mayfield's first four albums, a politically conscious, progressive-soul tetralogy that has stood the test not just of time but also changing tastes and fashions, and come out sounding stronger than ever.
Hozier needed Wasteland, Baby! to recapture the energy created by his previous releases then further light the artist's skill and vision of his craft. Wasteland, Baby! certainly delivers.
North Carolina's Reese McHenry is a force of nature with a whiskey-soaked, Southern-fried rock 'n' roll sound that will make you a convert on the first listen of "Detroit".
