New(ish) Soul(ish) Music Recommendations

April 15, 2016 12:32 PM

I'm in need of some new additions to my kitchen dancing playlists. Who should I be listening to?

What I'm looking for:

• Mid-to-up-tempo and danceable.
• Soul or soul-influenced rock/pop.
• From the past 15 years.
• Horns. Lots of horns.

Bonus points for:

• Female fronted groups.
• Bari sax.

Some examples of what's currently scratching this itch:

• Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats - I Need Never Get Old
• JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound - I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
• Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - Stranger to My Happiness

Thanks, hivemind!

posted by bassooner to Media & Arts (16 answers total)

Oh. You need Alabama Shakes in your life.
posted by papayaninja at 12:40 PM on April 15, 2016 [5 favorites]

Vintage Trouble.
posted by sanka at 12:55 PM on April 15, 2016

Probably more funk than soul, but Carles Bradley - Ain't it a Sin is good stuff, another guy from the Daptone crew. The rest of his new album, Changes, has more horns, but it's also slower.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:59 PM on April 15, 2016

Also probably not a perfect fit: Jack White with the Muppets - You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (first link: from The Muppets; second link: full studio version).
posted by filthy light thief at 1:03 PM on April 15, 2016

Best answer: Lake Street Dive.
posted by togdon at 1:04 PM on April 15, 2016 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Hey, first answer with my brand-new account. Signed up on the recommendation of my wife.

One of the best new soul guys is a French singer who calls himself Ben L'Oncle Soul. He does the best cover of 'Seven Nation Army' ever.

Also, horns. His band smokes.
posted by MrKellyBlah at 1:18 PM on April 15, 2016 [3 favorites]

St. Paul and the Broken Bones
posted by wemayfreeze at 2:23 PM on April 15, 2016 [3 favorites]

Also Alan Stone
posted by wemayfreeze at 2:25 PM on April 15, 2016

Best answer: One more: Grace Love & the True Loves
posted by wemayfreeze at 2:26 PM on April 15, 2016

Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment. (highlight is Sunday Candy)
posted by sleeping bear at 2:41 PM on April 15, 2016

A mixture of motown/soul, but check out JD McPherson--especially Let the Good Times Roll and North Side Gal
posted by shortyJBot at 2:48 PM on April 15, 2016

Best answer: I've got a great response to this one! There's this ten-piece band called The Suffers coming out of Houston, where I live, and they've really taken off recently. The music scene down here is surprisingly tight-knit, and I have to say it's been delightful to watch and support their growth over the past few years. They call themselves 'gulf coast soul,' and it's really groovy, proud, and passionate, easy to listen to, full of great loud/soft dynamics... totally struck me as my personal 'right answer' for your inquiry.

Check out their new record (a Spotify link for you there!) and a brief review of it here. Also, please feel free to check out this amazing KEXP performance just recently, if you'd prefer getting a feel for a band's character through their live shows.

I'd be surprised if you didn't love it! Big yeses to it being danceable; also to horns, baritone sax, and female-fronted vocals.
posted by a good beginning at 3:20 PM on April 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

Whole heartedly seconding Lake Street Dive.
Alice Russell she actually does my favourite Seven Nation Army cover.
Kinny
Kylie Auldist
Nikka Costa
posted by abhardcastle at 5:58 PM on April 15, 2016

The Suffers! Yay!
posted by missmary6 at 9:30 PM on April 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

Noora Noor
posted by eviemath at 4:47 PM on April 16, 2016

Response by poster: I marked a few best answers, but this was all pretty much right on the money. Thanks for all the great suggestions!
posted by bassooner at 3:47 PM on April 18, 2016