Okayplayer Reviews Upcoming Soulive Abum "UP HERE"



Soulive may be one of the greatest secrets in soul and funk music today, even though they've been recording and touring for the last ten years. They were signed to Blue Note, did a track with Black Thought and Talib Kweli, became independent again, found a home at Stax, incorporated a vocalist into the lineup, and yet these guys are still a mystery to the general populace. But you know, let them be a mystery and let them continue to record and play some of the best music you'll hear today. Making music often means taking hints from the past, and for Up Here the band gets all Northern Soul on us. The sound also feels like perhaps they're performing in quanset huts in New Orleans in order to get in touch with a junkanoo. If anything, it's definitely a celebration of sorts.

Up Here for the most part sounds like an album recorded in the late 60's or early 70's, or perhaps something you'd hear within the Daptone, Desco, or Soul Fire discographies. Put together a horn section, tight arrangements, and songs like "Up Right" and "The Swamp" begin to feel like long lost James Brown recordings from the vaults. Nigel Hall handles the vocals on this album, and if "Too Much" is any indication, he should become a star in his own right. He has the kind of attitude and swagger that may bring to mind Eddie Bo, Lee Fields, and Al Green, and the only time one can tell this is a modern recording is when the background vocals kick in, which sound too clean compared to the compressed sound that dominates the album.

If D'Angelo had cashed in on the Northern Soul vibe in recent years, his music would probably sound very much like what Soulive and Hall do here, especially with the hyper dance track "Tonight." What you also hear is how much stronger drummer Alan Evans, bassist Neal Evans, and guitarist Eric Krasno have become over the years. That's not to say they were ever weak, but as great as their Blue Note albums were, Up Here puts them to shame. Maybe it's the newness, maybe it's how they execute their songs, or maybe they're just that damn good. They can completely change their sound with each album, if not each song. This album is a mixed bag of sounds that is somehow cohesive, perhaps because of the bond Soulive shares as musicians, friends, and brothers. If this somehow became the last album they ever recorded, then they would leave behind one of the best musical statements they've ever made.

http://www.royalfamilyrec...-abum-here

Tour starts April 16

SOULIVE TOURDATES
Thursday April 16, 2009 - Blender Theater - New York, NY
Friday April 17, 2009 - Higher Ground - Burlington, VT
Saturday April 18, 2009 - Asylum - Portland, ME
Sunday April 19, 2009 - Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
Monday April 20, 2009 - The Wescott Theater - Syracuse, NY
Wednesday April 22, 2009 - Revolution Hall - Troy, NY
Thursday April 23, 2009 - Water Street Music Hall - Rochester, NY
Friday April 24, 2009 - Oberlin University - Oberlin, OH
Saturday April 25, 2009 - Magic Bag - Detroit, MI
Sunday April 26, 2009 - Double Door - Chicago, IL
Tuesday April 28, 2009 - The Loft - Atlanta, GA
Wednesday April 29, 2009 - Birmingham, AL - The Workplay Theater
Thursday April 30, 2009 - New Orleans, LA - Howlin' Wolf - Royal Family Ball
Friday May 1, 2009 - New Orleans, LA - Colton Theater
Saturday May 2, 2009 - Austin, TX - Antone's
Tuesday May 5, 2009 - Cervante's - Denver, CO
Wednesday May 6, 2009 - Fox Theater - Boulder, CO
Thursday May 7, 2009 - Knotty Pine - Victor, ID
Friday May 8, 2009 - University Theater, Missoula, MT
Saturday May 9, 2009 - Nuemo's - Seattle, WA
Sunday May 10, 2009 - Doug Fir, Portland, OR
Tuesday May 12, 2009 - Harlow's - Sacramento, CA
Wednesday May 13, 2009 - Crystal Ballroom - Tahoe, CA
Thursday May 14, 2009 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA
Friday May 15, 2009 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA
Saturday May 16, 2009 - The Key Club - Los Angeles, CA
Sunday May 17, 2009 - House of Blues - San Diego, CA
JULY 2-5th, 2009 - ROTHBURY Festival - Rothbury, MI

These guys are the sh*t. Straight up.

It's a shame that Stax is not promoting this album the way it should be promoted.

They're not playing here, but they play in Denver the day I leave there.

Jboogiee said:

That'd be keys & keyboard bass.

When I heard the unmastered versions of the tracks about 5 months ago, my initial thought was how much they had matured as writers.
Looking forward to hearing them next month.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

IAintTheOne said:

No Place Like Soul...



...was on the new STAX label (the album prior to this one)

Looks like UP HERE is the first album they're releasing on their own label (Royal Family Records).


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

theAudience said:

ahh I see didnt realize

MOST DEFINITELY GOIN' 2 THE SEATTLE SHOW!!!!!
EVANS BROTHERS B-LO N.Y.....CITY HONORS CENTAURS
STAND UP!!!!!

theAudience said:

Yes it is the 1st release from their new own label..just copped my copy from ITunes.

http://www.royalfamilyrecords.com/

IAintTheOne said:

No Place Like Soul their previous effort was cool...they toured a lot off of it...I caught them 3 times on that tour...don't know what was up with Stax & it's promotion.

The album was different.

Normally they'd do albums with mostly instrumentals and occasionally songs with lead vocals, but on "No Place Like Soul," it was the other way around.