Category Archives: Best Of Lists

Flava In My Ear: Best Soul Albums Of 2013 (So Far!)

29 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by in Best Of Lists, Feeding The Music Jones

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top_albums_2013We’re halfway through a year that has gone by quicker than the speed of light. 2013 has been the worst with regards to my personal life and also as a citizen of these here good ole United States.

When I’ve been at my lowest point, sometimes the only thing left to do is get lost in the music. These are some of the albums that have been in constant rotation and thus earned a place on my Best of 2013 list. I’m curating the albums using my favorite social media tool, Pinterest, where I’ve just created a new home for the blog. If you’re a fan, be sure to follow me as I develop more boards daily.

I’m particularly excited about the discovery of Laura Mvula, yet another songstress from overseas that you should add to your playlists. You’ve already seen what she can do. Her debut album, Sing To The Moon, was released this Spring and I’ve seen nothing but praise for the striking musician’s (trained) vocals and live performance. This album touches my soul. I’m listening to it as I write this post. I’ve seen comparisons to Nina Simone and Lizz Wright and I concur with both. She’s something special. This album will bless you.

You already know how excited I was about another special British artist’s return and boy did he deliver! I took Omar’s album, The Man, on my birthday trip and made the mistake of listening to it at the spa. Not conducive to relaxation at all. When he brings his tour to the DC area, we are going to be working up a black sweat!

Check out these albums and add them to your collection. I wouldn’t steer you wrong! You may see some of your faves missing from the list. Feel free to share them in the comments. I still have a small backlog so you may see some updates to the list.

We have lots of great music to look forward to in the later half of 2013 as well. Are you on pins and needles like I am waiting to hear the new projects from Janelle Monae, Amel Larrieux, and Gregory Porter? Been a LONG time coming for the ladies!

Vivrant Thang’s Top Songs of 2012

30 Sunday Dec 2012

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I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season! Mine has been pretty cool. I spent time with love ones and did some GOOD eating. This time off work has been just what the doctor ordered. Praise HIM!

Life has come at me fast over the past couple of weeks, just when I was getting my groove back. I haven’t been able to bring you many of the holiday posts that I intended to. However, since I have been documenting my favorite songs of 2012 throughout the year, I just had to share them with you before the clock strikes midnight on January 1.

Last time I did this, in 2009, I brought you several different year-end listicles. This year I’m keeping it simple by sharing the songs that had me pressing rewind. Most of them were supposed to be on that ill-fated mix I was going to relaunch the site with.

Moving on.

There won’t be any explanation on why I like each tune because with listicles ya’ll know you don’t read it anyway! As a good friend told me, “Just give me the link!” Just know that if it’s there, I think it’s worth a listen. You’ll find a little jazz, a bit of hip hop, some electrosoul and a LOT of plain ole great music.

As you can see, I have found 2012 to be a stellar year musically. Most of these songs many of you won’t have heard before. When I peruse these listicles, that’s always my end goal. I want to see what music I should have had on repeat.

Without further ado, here are my favorite tunes from 2012. Note: Be sure to scroll down the player. Lots of music there I don’t want you to miss.

Here are some loose joints that Spotify isn’t up on yet for whatever reason. Click the link to listen to each track:

Aaradhna– My Boo (Remake) Yes, that “My Boo”
Allen Stone– Six Years
Austin Brown – Groove 92 ( Definitely checking for MJ’s nephew with this joint here)
The Botaniks + Bernhoft: Fond of Jane
Deborah Bond – Say It (Nicolay Remix)
Deborah Bond – Nothing Matters (Soulpersona Raregroove Remix)
DJ Spinna featuring Eric Roberson – Butterfly Girl (Casamena Remix)
Gwen Bunn– Death of Me
Jamie Lidell – What A Shame
Jesse Boykins III – Limit To Your Love (Feist/James Blake Cover)
Jessie Ware – Running
Joey Negro & The Sunburst Band – In The Thick of It
Little Dragon – Sunshine
Luke James – Heartbeat
Martin Luther McCoy – Sara Smile (DAMN good cover of one of my all time favorite songs)
Meshell Ndegeocello – Petite Mort (Miguel Migs Moody Downtown Remix)
Moses Sumney– Lost & Found (Acoustic Cover of the Lianne La Havas song included above. He does this justice)
Staycen x Koen – Never Too Late
tUnE-yArDs + Angelique Kidjo + Ahmir ‘?uestlove’ Thompson + Akua Naru– Lady
Tweet – Proceed

I also invite you to check out picks from some of my most respected music blogs and bloggers:

Chasing Soul
Soul Afrodisiac
L Michael Gibson
SoulBounce and here
Soul Tracks

Are any of your favorites on this lists? Any new favorites on this list? Be sure to support the artists you have enjoyed when they drop new music or visit your city on tour.

Have a safe and wonderful new year, real music lovers! Let’s get ready to set it off to the left and the right in 2013!

Stepping Into 2009: Top Five Inspirational Songs

31 Wednesday Dec 2008

Posted by in Best Of Lists

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2009

I have everyone has been enjoying the last days of 2008. I’ve been off from the 9-5 since December 22nd and have used the time somewhat wisely. I’ve spent the time reflecting on the year that has passed and preparing for what’s to come in 2009.

Overall, 2008 was a good year for me. Life is certainly better than it was in 2007. I did lose a couple of longterm frienships this year. But I don’t believe that everyone is meant to ride with you until the end of the road. I wholeheartedly subscribe to that whole reason, season , lifetime school of thought. While I have a far much easier time letting go that most people, I do take time to clearly identify the reasons that a particular person was in my life and why it’s time to let them float on.

I celebrated one year of blogging here back in September. Truthfully, I neve expected to make it to a year, which is the reason I started out on a free platform. I am amazed at the direction that this blog has taken and so very grateful for you, my dear readers, that come here to see what I have to say. Your comments both on and offline have really kept me going.  And it makes me want to go further.

Looking back at my 2007 blogging goals, I think I have tackled some of the most important ones.

  • Commit to a regular writing schedule
    Certainly more regular than I was when I started this blog. I actually get antsy if I haven’t written anything in a few days.
  • Continue strengthening my writing skills
    I think they’ve gotten better. I still got so far to go. For the most part though, I think ya’ll understand the words that are coming outta my mouth
  • Interact more with other bloggers in my niche
    My name is Vivrant Thang and I am a Twitter and Facebook addict. I do pledge to do more with Facebook and Linked In in 2009 though.
  • Attend Blogging While Brownand Blogher conferences
    Attended neither one. I blame that on my new job. I have my eye on a couple of conferences next year though. I also have my eye on new furniture and two vacations in 2009 as well. About that sugar daddy….
  • Move blog to it’s own domain with more of a “vivrant” design
    I’m glad that I didn’t proceed with this because I’m just now settling on a strategy for the direction I want to take this thing. It would have been a disaster to move ahead with a dot com without a plan. This will be done fist quarter of 2009.
  • Participate in more blog campaigns about important issues in the Black community
    I didn’t do anything this year outside of a few political posts and rants. I did capture my entire voting experience though, which is important to me.
  • Increase my readership and comments
    Done and done! I am thrilled with the developments and look forward to more in 2009.

There are some good things on the horizon for me in 2009. I’m in the process of starting a small business with a partner. I also have a column that should be debuting soon. I’ll announce it when it’s actually live. That last experience showed me to keep my trap shut until things come to fruition! I’m also working on a couple of other things that should increase readership here and on my You Tube channel.

You know with all good things must come a soundtrack. So I’ll finish out my best of  lists with my top five  inspirational songs of 2008. I hope that they move you into action the way in the same ways they have helped me.

Happy New Year my dear readers!

Jazmine Sullivan, “Fear” (read post about my fear)

Hil St Soul, “Life”

Reel People, “Anything You Want”

Eric Roberson, “Pave a New Road”
 John Legend, “If You’re Out There”

Top Ten Live Performances I’ve Attended In 2008

18 Thursday Dec 2008

Posted by in Best Of Lists

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It seems you all have enjoyed the first of my best of lists for 2008. We started out with the best songs and albums that you probably never heard to give you a break from some of these best of lists that are starting to look a bit like carbon copies of each other. This is definitely not a bad thing. Just proves that were a few albums that were indeed the creme de la creme – essential for any true music fan to have in their collections. I’ll be adding my two cents to that discussion very shortly.

Before we get there, since I am also a very amateur videographer and live for my  concert-going adventures,  I have to throw those into the countdown fray as well. By year’s end, I will have attended exactly thirty live performances by some of the best artists in the industry today. I’ve also supported up and coming underrated artists who are trying to make a name for themselves. For those just joining us, you can find video from all of these shows and more on my You Tube channel which has grown leaps and bounds this year.

In 2007,  I shared my top five shows. I look back at that post and smile because back then, I was averaging about one show a month. My how we’ve grown! So this year, there was absolutely no way I could limit it to five.

Reminisce with me for a minute.

(in no particular order)

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Maxwell, Landmark Theatre in Richmond, VA  11/08

My my my my.

Maxie, don’t do me dirty now. You turned on the oven now you better be cooking something over there! I look forward to round two in 2009. In which time I should also have an album that I can cradle close to my bosom and play until my ears bleed.

Read my review of the Maxwell show and watch live video I captured of the performance. The review and videos ended up on several Maxwell fan forums and websites including The Latest Maxwell News, all Maxwell, all the time. Such serious stanneration  dedication. Gotta love it!

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Jill Scott, The Roots, Chuck Brown and Estelle, Merriweather Post Pavilion Columbia , MD 8/08

Even if I wanted to forget about this summer superfest, Jill fans won’t let me. I get several comments a week on the videos I captured from this show. This was my second time seeing Jill in 2008. The first was at home in Philly and that show was then aired in a television special. Raheem Devaughn and Musiq were on that bill. I was iffy about going again since I had plunked down a nice piece of change and traveled a couple of hours at that. I had also seen The Roots several times this summer already. I am so very glad I went ahead and spent my grocery money on a ticket to this show. Those PB&J sammiches I had to eat for the rest of the month were SO worth it.

Read my brief review of the Jill Scott, Estelle, The Roots and Chuck Brown show  and watch live video of the performances on my You Tube channel.

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Foreign Exchange, Black Cat in Washington, DC 11/08

You already know. Phontigallo (the man of the year) in his good clothes getting his serious croon on. Yazarah styling on everybody in the baddest solid gold dress I’ve ever seen. Her and Muhsinah (the woman of the year) flowing so melodically over Nicolay’s  (the producer of the year, RECOGNIZE) beats. There’s nothing better than youuuuuuuu indeed.

Read my review of the Foreign Exchange concert and watch live video of the performance.

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Rock The Bells, Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD  7/08

I think I may still be high from this show – literally and figuratively. Rock the Bells was probably one of the best shows of this magnitude and with this caliber of line up that I’ve ever been to. As I rode home that night (and almost crashed my car cause I had a contact high), I put on the CD sampler because I just couldn’t get enough. Me and h.e.r got a thang going on and I can’t wait to get some more in 2009.

Read my Rock the Bells concert review and view live videos of the performances.

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Legends of Hip Hop, Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore MD, 8/2008

Although I had a few critiques about this show, it made the list because of the lineup. Strictly for the thirty and over crowd. Just as I like it. It’s not often that you’ll see Mc Lyte, Chubb Rock (!!!), Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Doug E Fresh, Rob Base, and Kool Moe Dee (!!!) on one stage. On a warm summer night by the water, I was throwing my hands up in the air and waving them like I just didn’t care. Real hip hop was definitely in the building.

Read my review of the Legends of Hip Hop Concert and watch the videos of the live performances.

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Raphael Saadiq, Black Cat in Washington DC, 9/08

This was the show where I probably should have just gone up on stage took the mic and sang because apparently I felt I knew Raphael’ssongs better than he did. At times, I’m all you hear on the videos! Not a good look but definitely a testament to my long standing love for him as part of the Tonys and as a solo artist. He has provided the blueprint for how the Motown sound should be done and his stage show was the perfect compliment.

Read my review of the Raphael Saadiq concert and watch live video of his performance.

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Amp Fiddler, Tortured Soul and Fertile Ground, 930 Club, Washington DC, 2/08

See that look on Christian of Tortured Soul’s face? It’s because of all that funk he created up in the 930 club back on that cold February night. I’ve seen many performances there but never have I seen the place turn into an all out party. I had to check to see if I was at a club. (I wasn’t or there wouldn’t have been any dancing. It’s DC). I left that show seriously considering following the tour bus up the road to NYC for their next gig. Turned out!

Read a very brief review of the Tortured Soul, Amp Fidder and Fertile Ground show and view my video of the performances on my You Tube channel.

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Q-Tip, 930 Club in Washington DC, 11/08

In which Vivrant Thang is still swooning over the fact that she met her muse and got to preview the hotness that is Renaissance. After seeing him with ATCQ this summer at Rock The Bells,  I couldn’t wait for him to get back to the area to give it to us live as only a true emcee can. I almost didn’t make it to this show and I would have hated myself the morning after if I hadn’t. There is nothing like the live versions of these songs.

Read about Vivrant Thang getting up with Q-Tip and watch live video of the performance.

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THE FIRST Annual Roots Picnic and Pre-Picnic Jam Session in Philly, 6/08

I was at the first annual Roots Picnic and I got the t-shirt to prove it. Heh. I think I am still scarred by how brutally hot it was out there that day. However, I hung in there because the energy and the performances were nothing short of amazing in spite of the heat. I’ll never forget how cool Binky Griptite of The Dap Kings looked out there in a suit. I don’t think I saw a bead of sweat roll down his face. I am so glad that The Roots will continue to put this on despite “retiring” from touring. I know that I will get a eclectic group of artists and make some new discoveries (like Santogold and Esperanza Spalding who both ended up on my best of 2008 lists).

Read my review of The Roots Picnic and watch live video of the performances.

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Can A Sista Rock A Mic?, Washington DC, 10/08

Look at that bad mamajama right there!

Yazarah performed on the third night of this multi-day festival showcasing the best in underrated female soul and hip hop artists. It was out of this year’s festival that my underrated female soul singers spotlights were born. I’ve profiled some of the performers including Jean Baylor, Tamara Wellons, and Liv Warfield. Stay tuned for more. I look forward to the talent this festival will bring to the area next year.

As you can see, it’s been a damn good year musically. Remember you can view live video from each of these performances over on the You Tube channel. Subscribe. There’s much more to come.

Have you been to any great shows this years? Share with me in the comments.

2008 Albums Of The Year You’ve Probably Never Heard

17 Wednesday Dec 2008

Posted by in Album Reviews, Best Of Lists

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So we’ve covered my favorite songs of the year that you’ve probably never heard. More great suggestions showed up in the comments. Keep them coming. It should go without saying that I highly recommend each of the albums from which those songs came.

The following list of albums were in constant rotation as well. However, I absolutely could not pick a favorite song from any of them. Every song had me grooving harder than the last. Each song had me feeling harder than the one before.

Green Tea is a local DC artist I’ve been following for a few years now.Her second release, Dosage II: Choices has completely blown me away. She is one to watch.

If you need to be convinced to check out Maiysha’s debut album, you may be swayed by the fact that she was nominated for a Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. Again for her debut album.

I’m going to stop calling myself a true soulful house fan because I was late getting Reel People’s latest release. But once I pressed play, I couldn’t stop. Expect this album to show up again.

Major props to the good folks over at Blak’s Lair for putting me on to The Rurals. My latest musical addiction, Marie Tweek (whose sound will surprise you), sang with this group. Once I heard that, I knew this album would be on constant repeat. Tweek would have been all over my lists as well if she had another solo album out this year. Check for her as well.

You already know how I feel about Tamara Wellons and Leigh Jones.

I have had Giovanca’s album in my collection for a while but after Fave (remember that podcaster I said you should be listening to? Get on that because he’s backkkk in a HUGE way) mentioned her on Twitter, I moved her to the top of the list – where she belonged.

I’m really excited about what’s ahead for Yazarah. Her appearance on the album you know is going to be all up and through my other top 10 lists (that would be Leave It All Behind for those of you a little late to the party)definitely has people checking for her again. This EP is called Prelude. If this is just the introduction, ya’ll ain’t ready for what’s up next.

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Green Tea, Dosage II: Choices
Listen | Myspace

Grammy nominated artist Maiysha, This Much Is True
Listen| Official | Follow her on Twitter

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Reel People, Seven Ways To Wonder
Listen| Official

The Rurals, Farming Grooves
Listen | Myspace

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Tamara Wellons, Life Is
Listen| Official

Leigh Jones, Music In My Soul
Listen | Official

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Giovanca, Subway Silence
Official | Myspace

Yazarah, Prelude(EP)
Myspace

Honorable Mention:

Grammy nominated artist Wayna, Higher Ground

Joey Negro and the Sunburst Band, Moving With The Shakers

Eric Rico, Higher Frequency

Feel free to share the criminally underrated albums that are in heavy rotation for you this year in the comments.