New Music Monday: Baby, you know I got soul

For my next trick, I will attempt to make New Music Monday a semi-regular occurrence. Perhaps bi-weekly, so I will not be under quite so much pressure to go through so many songs that I can come up with an opinion about someone I haven't heard before ever seven days (that's a little bit of pressure). Aiding me in this, on my left I have last.fm - for a geek about being organized, having so much information about who, what and when I've been listening to stuff is like pure heaven. On my right, I have blogger - I've just discovered the ability to post-date posts (and have them automatically published), which to me feels a little like having a time machine.

Now then. Some black folks are still mad about how Elvis Presley stole our music and made it big. I can't claim to know much about that, it was way before my time, and I've not taken the time to go back and study about that period of musical and cultural history. My appreciation for Elvis pretty much starts and stops with that remix of A Little Less Conversation; other than that, to me he just doesn't sound like someone to get excited about. I used to wonder if the reason he didn't move me was cause he's white. I mean, let's face it, there are simply some things that white folks just aren't good at, like clapping on two and four. Not that I like to perpetuate stereotypes, but this is something I've seen many a time with my own two eyes. This week I have found some white folks who clearly know what it's all about, so I'll have to lay to rest my previous theory about why Elvis ain't got no soul. Mental note: next time I see Mos Def I should ask him what he was singin' about.

Alice Russell: I can't now recall how it was I found out about this lady, but based on who she's worked with I imagine she must have found her way into my library in connection with the Quantic Soul Orchestra. I've been diggin' on those cats for a while now, and if I remember correctly I also had a solo track or to by Ms. Russell floating around. I believe I must have listened to it, but I guess I just wasn't yet in the right place to hear it. Listening to her makes me think of soul food (the slap-yo-momma kind), she's so full of life and power and emotion. She's also so incredibly vibrant she makes me think of classy sassy black ladies, or perhaps a diva who's been at this for years. Surprise! Turns out she's a white girl. Not only that, but she's from Britain. I knew they were famous for rock, but soul? Well then... shut my mouth. In light of these developments I would like to offer my profuse apologies to all the white people and specifically white girls who I ever spoke or thought ill of. In the future Iy'll even take it easy on teasing you about the clapping thing.

Alice Russell - Hurry On Now
And for further knowledge, check her out behind the scenes @ SXSW '09.

Leigh Jones: This is one currently in my brain's inbox for checking out in the immediate future, on the recommendation of one Peevee Wonder of Animate Objects. Actually, he suggested everyone google her. Me, I take that to mean I should last.fm and hypem her (I swear to Bob, if I ever hear anyone seriously use those terms as verbs I'm gonna go poke the interwebs in the eye with a big pointy stick).