Tag: soul

689. The Manhattans

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(October 2025) Episode 689 is THE MANHATTANS. An R&B outfit distinguished more by its longevity than by its creative contribution, IMO. Their career followed a common path from 60s doo wop-style R&B to 70s smooth soul, some funk and a bit of disco, then 80s synth soul, through to the current decade. To my ear, The Manhattans offer mostly basic and formulaic soul, although I found some enjoyable funky songs in their mid-70s peak. Their biggest hits were “Kiss and Say Goodbye” (1976) and “Shining Star” (1980).

Favorite album: That’s How Much I Love You

Favorite song: Nursery Rhymes

Compared to expectations: ↓

Recommendation: The four albums from 1972-76 are the best.

670. The Spinners

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(August 2025) Episode 670 is THE SPINNERS. They started out as an R&B vocal group in Detroit and, naturally, signed to the Motown label. But it wasn’t until the beginning of the 1970s, which they switched to Atlantic, that they found success with hits like “I’ll be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” and “The Rubberband Man.” It’s not bad but I put them in a lower tier; they lack the groove and funk of many contemporaries. The Spinners are identified with “Philadelphia soul,” marked by lush strong and horn arrangements, which is not my preferred soul/funk sound.

Favorite album: Spinners

Favorite song: The Rubberband Man

Compared to expectations: ↓

Recommendation: The albums from 1973-75 are their best work.

657: Etta James

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(June 2025) Episode 657 is ETTA JAMES. One of my favorite voices. Powerful but not overpowering. Gentle, but sometimes coarse and bluesy. She recorded across a range on genres: R&B, gospel, jazz, pop standards, blues, soul. Her best stuff was in the 1960s, starting with trad pop and moving to soul. Substance abuse and financial difficulties affected her career, although she did have some good funky numbers in the 1970s. A comeback in the late 80s finally earned her emerita status and many late-career albums, although they lacked in originality.

Favorite album: Tell Mama

Favorite song: I’d Rather Go Blind

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: Etta James Top Ten compiles her early silky songs; the 1965-68 trio of Queen of Soul, Call My Name and Tell Mama are her best.

654. Bill Withers

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Episode 654 is BILL WITHERS. Even if he recorded only “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me,” “Lovely Day” and “Just the Two of Us,” that would be sufficient to secure Bill Withers’ fame. But these came on several quality albums in the 1970s that applied his smooth yet textured baritone voice to a relaxed style of soul that contrasts to the chrome and flash of contemporaries. Also a great songwriter. He got a late start to his recording career, and (thankfully) declined to allow himself to be fully dragged into 80s synth R&B, so his nine albums (all but one in the 70s) stand as a consistent solid career set.

Favorite album: Still Bill

Favorite song: Ain’t No Sunshine

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: The first two albums (Just As I Am, Still Bill) are the best, but all are decent.

638. The Gap Band

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(March 2025) Episode 638 is THE GAP BAND. They reached their commercial peak in the early 80s with fun synth-bass funk hits like “You Dropped a Bomb on Me.” Their first two mid-70s albums on small labels were typical funk of that period (my preference). But their major label start in 1979 gave a run of albums that closely approximates the Earth, Wind & Fire formula of complex funk and ballads (that’s a good thing). By the mid-80s and 90s they adopted the synth-driven idiom of the time, which is not my kind of soul/funk. Even at their peak, though, they could be repetitious – “Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me),” “Early in the Morning,” “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” and “Party Train” are basically the same song.

Favorite album: The Gap Band (1977)

Favorite song: Knuckle Head Funkin’

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: A greatest hits will suffice (although be prepared for repetition), although I direct deeper divers to the first two small label albums

632. The Marvelettes

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(February 2025) Episode 632 is THE MARVELETTES, one of the earliest successful Motown acts. “Please Mr. Postman” is their most popular song and representative of their early 1960s pop-oriented girl group sound. Their second phase commenced in 1967 as they shrunk to a trio and adopted a more soulful sound per the trends within Motown. Not among the top girl groups for me, but they had some enjoyable songs.

Favorite album: The Marvelettes (pink album)

Favorite song: The Day You Take One (You Have To Take The Other)

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: A greatest hits will do. I prefer the four albums in their second phase (1967-70)

630. Bobby Womack

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Episode 630 is BOBBY WOMACK, a significant contributor to soul music as a songwriter, guitarist and solo artist. He got his start in a group called the VALENTINOS (also covered here) with his brothers, and then as guitarist for Sam Cooke and other famous artists before recording on his own in 1969. His early 70s albums are high quality soul and funk material, accentuated by his gritty voice. He had a revival in the 1980s but the tone of the soul music from that decade is not to my tastes.

Favorite album: Understanding

Favorite song: Everything’s Gonna Be Alright

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: Fly Me to the Moon (1969), Understanding (1972), Facts of Life (1973),

I Don’t Know What the World Is Coming To (1975)

591. Martha and the Vandellas

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(August 2024) Episode 591 is MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS. Given that I dig the 60s girl group sound and with my wider explorations of Motown, it is surprising I haven’t gotten to Marth Reeves and her colleagues (who rotated over their dozen recording years) before now. Their hits “Dancing in the Streets,” “Nowhere to Run” and “Heatwave” are imprinted in our culture. It’s good stuff. Although if I have to choose among the girl groups I prefer the New York-based ones (Shangri-Las, Crystals, etc.).  The group lasted through the early 70s, providing for an evolution of their sound into the more funky soul of the time (I love), a good example of which is “Easily Persuaded.”

Favorite album: Dance Party

Favorite song:  Nowhere to Run

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: A best-of will satisfy.

579. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

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(June 2024) Episode 579 is SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES. This episode covers the Miracles’ recordings with and after Smokey, and his solo efforts. The Miracles were the first Motown act to make it big, a legend in their own right. Plus, as Berry Gordy’s right-hand man with his own numerous hit songwriting and production credits, Robinson’s fame involves so much music we consider classic.  That said, the music recorded by Smokey and the Miracles tended toward safer pop, without the edge or social consciousness of peers, taking them down a notch among Motown artists for me. You know how I love falsetto, and Smokey is one of the best. But it’s 100% for him, and I find falsetto is used best in contrast with lower range singing, as with The Temptations or Marvin Gaye.

Favorite joint album: A Pocketful of Miracles

Favorite Smokey album: A Quiet Storm

Favorite Miracles album: Renaissance

Favorite joint song: I Second That Emotion

Favorite Smokey song: Cruisin’

Favorite Miracles song: Love Machine

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: A complication of their hits is essential for any 60s R&B collection. For a deeper dive try the mid-70s Miracles cuts (after Smokey).

556. Ohio Players

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(March 2024) Episode 556 is OHIO PLAYERS. I first encountered them through their erotic album covers, causing me to linger longer in the “O” section of the record store. But it wasn’t until later that I caught up to the music, although I knew “Love Rollercoaster” from its ubiquity. Their roots go back to the 1950s, but they hit their stride and fame with a series of albums in the mid-1970s of peak funk and sexy soul – music that very much complements those album covers. While I find better funk and more stirring soul elsewhere, the Ohio Players’ combo makes this iconic 1970s music. Comparatively, it’s close to what Earth Wind & Fire were doing at the time minus the mysticism and polyrhythms.

Favorite album: Fire

Favorite song: Fire

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: Any of their 1972-75 albums (from “Pleasure” to “Honey”) are a good immersion in sensual 70s funk.