HAPPY JUNE, SOULTRACKERS! The weather is absolutely gorgeous here in Detroit and the music is just as hot as we enter the Summer of 2009.  SoulTrackers have been working overtime voting on their favorite albums of this decade, and we're down to the last couple days, so get your votes in now by clicking here! The vote is very, very close. Now back to the current. We have a bunch of great new reviews, as well as a FREE NEW SONG and advance listening rooms (see sidebar to the right). So kick back, grab your coffee and enjoy your monthly dose of Soul!
Chris
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Music Reviews  Ruben Studdard became "man of the world" five years ago when he won Season 2 of American Idol, but many of his fans have been waiting for him to release the album that will make his career take off. Well he's been teamed with hitmakers Jam and Lewis for his newest, Love Is, and the results are surprising. Come check out our review. 
Chrisette Michele won over a lot of soul fans with her debut album a couple years ago, so there was great anticipation for her newest, Epiphany. And our Melody Charles says Chrisette delivers big time.
 Kim Burrell - Gospel fans have been waiting forever to get their Kim Burrell fix, and the fabulously talented singer has finally returned with her first disc in nine years, No Ways Tired. Come see what our Peggy Oliver says about the new disc.
 Donnie McClurkin is a Gospel legend even at his young age. His shows have wowed audiences for years, and he brings that show to listeners around the world via his newest release, We Are All One: Live In Detroit, and it is another great addition to his discography 
Billy Ocean was about as big as an artist could be during the mid-80s. But by the early 90s, he had dropped out of sight. Happily he has returned with his first disc in years, with the pleasing release, Because I Love You. Come see what our Howard Dukes thought of it.
 The Chairmen of the Board have been pleasing audiences for four decades, and they've returned with their first new studio album in four years with Soul Tapestry, a fine album that has them both rockin' away and issuing some social messages. 
Mini-Reviews! Our Music Editor L. Michael Gipson speed dates with a number of new releases from Elliott Yamin, ChinahBlac, Joyo Valerde, Down to the Bone, K.D. Brosia and Eddie Sea. Click Hereto catch his quick take on these notable new discs.
Other New Releases
 Ciara - Fantasy Ride
Unified Tribe -On Purpose
James Day - Natural Things
Joe Lee McCoy - Natural
Tamika Nicole - The Art of Letting Go
Lakisha Jones - So Glad I'm Me
Marion Meadows - Secrets
 Also see the latest goings on in Soul Music in our our News Section including information on upcoming releases by Shu and Shae Fiol
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Where Are They Now? -- Peaches and Herb  In 1979 Peaches and Herb were officially the first couple of popular music. Their back to back hits "Shake Your Groove Thing" and "Reunited" continued a career that had begun more than a decade earlier and that, with some stops and starts, has continued to this day. They have a new album, Colors of Love, and so we decided to catch up with them and update SoulTrackers on the whereabouts of this classic duo. See our update on Peaches and Herb |
| SoulTracks Popularity Index - Maxwell
 Maxwell has been absent from the scene for too long, but his fans are getting ready for his return this Summer with a new album, BLACKsummers' night (CLICK HERE to hear an advance cut). Well,k they were so excited that they flocked to SoulTracks to read about it in advance, making Maxwell the most popular artist on our site last month. Click Here to see this month's Popularity Index, with our top 25 artists.
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Upcoming Recommended ShowsThere are some upcoming shows around the country that we're very excited about, and so, in addition to our SoulTracks/4DaSoul Concert page, we also have a new page with billboards from some particularly notable shows, including:
- The Soul Sista Summit, featuring Conya Doss, Sy Smith, Maya Azucena and Yahzarah (aka Purple St. James)
- New York's great HopeStock concert
CLICK HERE to see our Recommended Shows page
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CD of the Month!  Will Downing
The master of romantic soul is back! After two years and a full recovery from a debilitating illness, Will Downing is returning to the scene with Classique (CLICK HERE to read our review). We've been Will D fans for years and years, and so we're very happy to have Classique as our CD of the Month, with a special listening room so that you can year this excellent new disc. CLICK HERE to listen to it. |
Choice Track Free Download  Trizonna McClendon With one of the sweetest voices you'll ever hear, the diminutive Chicago singer Trizonna McClendon has won for herself a bunch of fans over the past 4 years. She's working on her sophomore album, but we have a special treat this month with sneak peek. The first single, "My Special," is this month's Choice Track FREE SONG DOWNLOAD. Come check it out. We know you'll love Trizonna! |
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Listening Rooms  Teena Marie We have another treat for SoulTrackers this month, with special listening rooms of some upcoming albums:
Teena Marie - Congo Square
Vanessa Williams - The Real Thing"
Al B. Sure - Honey I'm Home
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Top 10 Albums  K'Jon For the first time in the history of our charts, we have a back-to-back winner. On the strength of the rising smash "On the Ocean," new singer K'Jon has again topped our charts with his album Ballroom Xplosion, one of the surprise hit albums of early 2009. But close behind were new albums by Darien, Oleta Adams, Ali Woodson and Chrisette Michele. To see our entire top 10 chart, CLICK HERE. |
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