1. Maxwell - Urban Hang Suite
2. D'Angelo - Brown Sugar
3. Rahsaan Patterson - Rahsaan Patterson
4. Musiq Soulchild - Aijuswanasing
5. Bilal - 1st Born Second
6. Erykah Badu - Baduizm
7. Donnie - The Colored Section
8. Jill Scott - Words and Sounds Vol. 1
9. India.Arie - Voyage to India
10. Donell Jones - Where I Wanna Be

StoneCrib said:

I really hate that term Neo-soul. What the hell does that mean?
It's just soul music.

Graycap23 said:

It means the New (Neo) generation of soul singers that are keeping the REAL R&B alive. I have no idea why artists in that genre get so bent out of shape about that phrase. If they only took time and thought about it instead of following the masses about disliking the term, they'd have a better understanding and appreciation about that term.

StoneCrib said:

It's weird but everytime I "hear" that term Neo-soul it bothers me. Probably because these young knuckleheads are always trying to change things with new names. Terms like "mashups".....its a damn remix. That simple.....sorry to jack the thread so back to your regularly scheduled program.

Not sure that I really understand what neo soul is, but I love D'Angelo's Voodoo and India's "Voyage" too. Both are beautiful cds.

Graycap23 said:

Naw, it's cool. I understand your concern on it, trust me. I've had to bring that definition out more times than not when speaking about Neo Soul.

kisscamille said:

Neo Soul is R&B on a more mature tip. Better lyrical content; insightful, more so Romance/Love & Socio-politically oriented; real musicians and real instruments; jazz-influenced vibe.

StoneCrib said:

Thanks! I guess that's why I like these two cd's so much.

StoneCrib said:

So, you're saying that the term is kind of like "Philly Soul" or "The Stax Sound," in that it describes an era or a particular sound of Soul and R&B? I can buy that.

In my mind, Neo-Soul means -- a style of rhythm and blues and/or soul music that emerged in the late 90's that remphasized the role of the musician-songwriter, and incorporated elements of hip-hop, rather than the New Jack stuff, which was vice versa. But it encompasses an array of different styles and sounds and a lot of artists that may not consider themselves neo-soul artists are classified as such (see below). Here are 10 of the best AT THIS POINT.


Maxwell: Urban Hang Suite
D'Angelo: Voodoo
Erykah Badu: Mama's Gun
Jill Scott: Beautifully Human
Jill Scott: Who Is Jill Scott?
Dwele: Subject
Amel Larrieux: infinite possibilities
Res: How I Do
Lewis Taylor: Lewis Taylor
Van Hunt: Van Hunt

Van Hunt's Down on the Jungle Floor is fast moving up that list.

Other artists, like Musiq and Angie Stone, are kind of on the new jack/neo-soul border because they rely on sampling so much.
[Edited 4/6/06 11:42am]

kisscamille said:

namepeace said:

Oh yeah! You're right on with that assessment as well. That's what makes Neo Soul so great is that it runs the gamut of definitions and can cross all kinds of music genres for the most part. In fact, I call groups like De La Soul, Tribe, and dudes like Mos Def, and Talib Kewli Neo Soul as well.

StoneCrib said:

you pretty much named them all

but i like the live version of baduism more.

I would like to add this one to the list:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Love that cd.

brownsugar said:

Damn, me too! I didn't list it because it wasn't an actual "album" per se but yeah, I listen to the Live CD more than Baduizm.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Damn you! I got that in my computer playing right now!

StoneCrib said:

Funny.....me too.

Graycap23 said:

Great minds, remember?!

StoneCrib said:

I was shopping for music and saw that cover and thought....I have to hear what's going on here. I bought it blind and loved the hell out of it. This album is so great

.
[Edited 4/6/06 11:55am]

StoneCrib said:

I would add both Conya Doss cd's to this list.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

isn't that freakiest album cover you've ever seen! If you stare long enough it gets creepy but if you glance at it you go "damn, she's unique as hell!"

Graycap23 said:

I have Conya's 1st one and I like it a lot.

StoneCrib said:

Yeah, I knew there was gonna be a hell of a story goin on

StoneCrib said:

The second one is even better.

StoneCrib said:

Scary actually.....damn. You been creeping thru my house?

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Ya know!? Have you gotten her live jazz cd called "Tunin' Up and Co-signin'" It's bangin'!

Graycap23 said:

Yeah, I really need to scoop that up.

Graycap23 said:

I should be asking you the same thing!

StoneCrib said:

You know I do!!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Should I have ever doubted you?