Soul
Everybody’s Talkin’ About Bill Withers’ Just as I Am on The Opus Podcast
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-06T21:34:07+00:00“>May 6, 2021 | 5:34pm ET Consequence Podcast Network and Sony’s The Opus podcast is back for a soulful Season 14. Premiering on May 13th, host Jill Hopkins will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bill Withers’ landmark debut, Just as I Am, by exploring the album’s stories and legacy. While recording demo tapes on his own dime or performing at small clubs at night, Withers worked on assembly lines at companies like Ford and Douglas Aircraft. Even after he was finally signed to a label — Sussex Records, in 1970 — he kept his day job. That’s him at Weber Aircraft, lunch pail in hand, on the cover of Just as I Am. But after entering the studio with legendary pro...
Win Bill Withers’ Just as I Am on Vinyl, a Gibson Guitar, and a Sony Sound System
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-04T20:05:52+00:00“>May 4, 2021 | 4:05pm ET 50 years ago, the world of soul music was changed when an unassuming 33-year-old assembly line worker named Bill Withers released his debut album, Just as I Am. Now, a year after the legendary artist’s passing, The Opus podcast is revisiting that landmark LP on its upcoming season. Ahead of the new season’s debut on May 13th, we’re giving away a fully loaded Just as I Am prize pack that will have everybody talkin’. Of course, we’re including one (1) copy of Just as I Am on vinyl, but to sweeten things, we’re making it the Vinyl Me, Please exclusive galaxy red edition. So you can hear “Grandma’s Hands” and “Ain’t No Sunshine” in...
Luther Vandross Seized the Moment and Redefined R&B with Never Too Much: Classic Review
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-22T17:20:55+00:00“>April 22, 2021 | 1:20pm ET April 20th marked what would’ve been the 70th birthday of the late, great Luther Vandross. To celebrate his memory and musical legacy, we’re holding a giveaway for a one-of-a-kind prize pack, featuring Never Too Much and This Is Christmas on vinyl, plus a special plaque commemorating the icon’s gold and platinum singles. Visit here for more information and a chance to win. And in the meantime, enjoy Rashad Grove’s classic review of Vandross’ game-changing debut, Never Too Much, which will turn 40 later this summer. Nobody aware of his backstory would ever characterize the emerging stardom of Luther Vandross as an overnight success. Va...
Yola Announces New Album Stand For Myself, Shares “Diamond Studded Shoes”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-22T12:35:37+00:00“>April 22, 2021 | 8:35am ET Yola has announced a new album titled Stand For Myself, due out later this summer via Easy Eye Sound. As a preview, the Grammy-nominated artist has shared a fiery new single from it called “Diamond Studded Shoes”. Like the English singer-songwriter’s heralded 2019 album Walk Through Fire, her sophomore record was also produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Finding herself stranded in limbo after the pandemic killed her stadium tour plans, Yola hunkered down and began writing the songs that would become Stand For Myself, which she calls “a collection of stories of allyship, Black feminine strength through vulnerability, ...
Merry Clayton on Her First New Album in Over 25 Years
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-12T18:30:01+00:00“>April 12, 2021 | 2:30pm ET Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS Merry Clayton gets on the line with Kyle Meredith to talk about her first new album in over 25 years, Beautiful Scars. The legendary singer discusses why gospel music speaks so deeply to her after losing both of her legs in a car accident in 2014. Clayton takes us through some of her history of knowing Sam Cooke when she was young, hanging with Muhammad Ali while singing with Ray Charles, and backing up Carole King on Tapestry. We also get the story of how Coldplay’s Chris Martin came to write a song...
Prince’s Unreleased Album Welcome 2 America Gets Release Date, Title Track Revealed: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-08T15:26:26+00:00“>April 8, 2021 | 11:26am ET The Prince Estate has revealed that the late icon’s shelved 2010 album Welcome 2 America will be the next LP freed from Paisley Park’s vault. Arriving July 30th, Welcome 2 America features 11 Prince originals as well as a cover of Soul Asylum’s “Stand Up and B Strong”. The Purple One recorded the LP with the 2011-era New Power Generation, featuring bassist Tal Wilkenfeld; drummer Chris Coleman; keyboardist/co-producer Morris Hayes; and singers Shelby J, Liv Warfield, and Elisa Fiorillo. Jason Agel served as engineer for the sessions at Paisley Park Studios. The songs have never officially been released save for one-off radio...
Fugees Built New Classics Out of Old Staples
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS Consequence of Sound and Sony present The Opus, an exploration of legendary albums and their ongoing legacy. For Season 13, host Jill Hopkins (The Moth Chicago, Making Beyoncé podcast) will explore the Fugees’ second and final album, The Score. So much of hip-hop is built on the notion of creating something from something. Call it covering, call it borrowing, call it sampling, but don’t call it unoriginal. For decades, samples have helped musicians turn some of greatest hits into even greater hits. Fugees are no exception to this. In fact, they built upon this legacy, The samples and covers included on 1996’s The Score range from The Delphonics to Enya — and yet they’re seamlessly woven together to create a distinct, si...
serpentwithfeet Releases Sophomore Album DEACON: Stream
Our March Artist of the Month, serpentwithfeet has today unleashed his stellar sophomore album, DEACON. Stream the 11-track effort below via Apple Music and Spotify, and read our review here. Serving as the direct follow-up to 2020’s Apparition EP, DEACON marks serpentwithfeet’s first full-length since 2018’s soil. The R&B artist has taken a more pop-forward approach for this release, as demonstrated on early singles like “Fellowship”, “Same Size Shoe”, and “Heart Storm”. Regardless of the shift in sonics, however, serpent is still writing about many of the same vulnerable themes, particularly Black gay love. As he told Consequence of Sound in our recent AOTM interview, “I see myself writing about gay love and Black gay love specifically for a long time. That’s what I’ve been writing a...
Paul Stanley on Soul Station, His Favorite Singers, and Whether KISS Will Complete Their Farewell Tour
For several years, KISS singer-guitarist Paul Stanley has been moonlighting as the frontman for Soul Station — a musical collective that focuses on covers of vintage soul and R&B classics of the ‘60s and ‘70s (as well as some originals that sound as if they were cut from the same musical cloth). But it was not until this month that the band finally issued their debut album, Now and Then. And it turns out the wait was certainly worth it — Stanley’s voice is in fine form throughout, especially on covers of the Five Stairsteps’ “O-O-H Child” and Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together”, among others. The singer, who forgoes rhythm guitar when fronting Soul Station, spoke with Consequence of Sound shortly before the arrival of Now and Then, which you can pick up here. Not only did he discuss Soul ...
Earth, Wind & Fire and The Isley Brothers to Battle on Next Verzuz Episode
Earth, Wind & Fire (photo by Ben Kaye) and The Isley Brothers (photo courtesy of artist) One of the true success stories of the pandemic era, Verzuz was recently acquired by Triller after a short-term deal with Apple Music. Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s music “battle” series will return to the Verzuz TV website and the Triller app with an Easter Sunday meeting of true classics, as The Isley Brothers face off against Earth, Wind & Fire. The legendary R&B and soul bands will meet on April 4th, no doubt to bring some funk to the resurrection of Christ. Verzuz has featured some legacy battles before, like when Teddy Riley took on Babyface in Season 1, or Gladys Knight and Pattie LaBelle squared off during their Master Class live special back in September. However, never before have t...
Controversy over ex-minister threatening his aide with hammer in trending video
A video released by Sahara Reporters showing former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, interrogating his former Personal Assistant with a hammer in his right hand, has been trending on social media and generating reactions. In the video, Fani-Kayode can be seen visibly holding the hammer in his right hand until he discovered that he was recovered before hiding it with his body. The video was recorded by his estranged wife, Precious Chikwendu, who can be heard in the background saying the former Minister had a hammer in his hand. Meanwhile, Fani-Kayode has released a statement denying that he threatened his former PA with a hammer. The press release was signed by his Media Aide, Jubril Oladimeji Olaiya. The statement said: “The allegation that Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is a violent man th...
Senate faults PTF conversion to PSC, laments doctors strike
The Senate Committee on Health said on Thursday that the Presidency should have consulted the National Assembly before converting the the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to the Presidential Steering Committee. The panel also expressed surprise that the National Association of Resident Doctors embarked on strike despite the fact that their demands had been met by the Federal Government. Chairman of the Senate panel, Yahaya Oloriegbe, stated these during a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish a Federal Medical Centre in Mubi, Adamawa State. Oloriegbe said, “I was listening to the radio yesterday (Wednesday) and I heard that the PTF (on COVID-19) has been converted to a steering committee. “We were not consulted in terms of what will be the operational mechanism and so on. “I am ...