Category: Soul Music

Throwback: Happy Black History Month!/Happy 85th Birthday, Brian Holland!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Black History Month — and the legendary Brian Holland’s 85th birthday.

New Audio: Parlor Greens Return with Slow-Burning “Drop Top”

Organ trio Parlor Greens features a collection of grizzled veterans and incredibly accomplished musicians: 

The trio’s highly-anticipated sophomore album Emeralds is slated a March 27, 2026 release through Colemine Records. Their sophomore album reportedly sees the acclaimed trio upping the ante while capturing the band in top form: tour tight and more confident than ever in who they are and where they’re going. Though the results are stronger than ever, the overall mood of the recording sessions was much different. 

The first time the trio met in Colemine’s Loveland, OH-based Portage Lounge Studio, the meeting was marked by a certain sense of freshness: It was the first time they had all played together. Understandably, it was exciting and unknown territory. But the sessions were underlined by the heaviness each of the individual members were going through at the time. With each member dealing with personal tragedies in their individual lives, the sessions serves as a genuine moment of joy. Just three talented musicians, writing and playing music, now as friends, in a familiar environment. 

Emeralds will feature the previously released, album opening “Eat Your Greens,” a strutting and rollicking groover of a tune, and the album’s latest single “Drop Top.” “Drop Top” is anchored around a slow-burning, sultry Quiet Storm-like strut of a tune completed by Scone’s shimmering bass organ and James’ bluesy guitar melody. While arguably being one of the more mellow soul jazz compositions of their growing catalog together, “Drop Top” continues to showcase both their seemingly effortless simpatico and their unerring knack for pairing tight groove with improvisation and old-fashioned songcraft.

New Audio: Sunnan Shares Mind-Bending and Hypnotic “Sail (Lady in Waiting)”

Swedish outfit Sunnan can trace their origins through a series of unlikely encounters, including pandemic-era change, a barn with panoramic windows in Sunnanhed and a meeting with a Stockholm rave legend. In many ways the band embodies creative serendipity — and unsurprisingly, their origin story, which feels both inevitable and improbable, echoes through their work.

The band quickly built a reputation with the release of a series of standout singles including “My Love For You,” “Wild Horses,” and “The Sound (Make It Come Back),” their collaboration with Titiyo. 2024’s debut studio album Cinema was released to widespread praise across the Nordics and earned two Swedish Grammy nominations.

Last year’s Cinema Sound System helped propel the Swedish outfit onto the global stage with its three singles receiving heavy radio rotation on Nordic radio stations, received strong DSP support and organic crossover into North American and European markets. The band supported their debut and EP with 20 sold-out dates across the Nordics and the European Union.

Building upon a growing profile, the Swedish outfit’s highly-anticipated sophomore album Spaghetti Soul is slated for release this year. Spaghetti Soul reportedly will see the band further cementing their critically applauded cinematic sound while further expanding their sonic palette with the album’s material being bold fusion of Italian Spaghetti Western grandeur and classic soul, filtered through a modern lens.

Spaghetti Soul‘s latest single, “Sail (Lady In Waiting)” is a mind-bending blend of 60s-styled psych rock, Morricone-inspired soundscapes and blue-eyed/Northern soul that showcases a band that effortlessly pairs old fashion craftsmanship with vibey atmospherics, deft musicianship and incredibly catchy hooks. “Sail (Lady In Waiting)” captures what the band describes as “the manifestation of a new genre.”

“‘Sail’ is the bridge from Cinema Sound System to our sophomore album Spaghetti Soul,” the band explains. “Leaning into our cinematic roots and timeless soundtracks like ‘Hurricane’ and ‘All Along the Watchtower’, the song portrays the legend of a life well lived — beauty preserved in memory, and hope for one last ride.”