By it's very definition; soul music is 
a way, to bare one's soul. And possibly nothing makes a person want to bare that soul, than affairs of the heart. There are never enough words to truly and accurately reflect what you need to say. However, the right song can take care of pretty much any situation.
It's become a movie cliché. How many times have we seen a film in which the lead character is thinking about romance (good or bad), and as soon as that person gets in the car, a song perfectly encapsulating the last few hours events comes on the radio. The fact that this phenomenon actually happens to people in real life, pretty much means that it's a cliché for a reason. It's universal, we sympathize, and we've been there.
The latest in Hippo Records current wave of fabulous compilations, the "Heart Of Soul" series are a lot like that. Pick any spot to start the album, and prepare to reflect. Containing a dozen heartfelt tunes per disc from the biggest names in Soul, and relying on modern day artists, "Heart Of Soul's" has a ballad for just about any romantic mood. From Tony Toni Tone's "Anniversary" to Jodeci's "Forever My Body", there is a lot of ground covered. Still, the song that most caught the ear was "Crazy Love" - originally done in a folk country vein by Poco, here performed in a rhythmic style by Brian McKnight. I also found it interesting that some of these modern era songs have already become standards. In context, even over played ballads like Vanessa Williams "Save The Best For Last", comes across with honest sentiment, while a
track like "If You Asked Me To" by Patti Labelle, becomes a strong conviction.
"Heart And Soul Classics" on the other hand, takes the listener back to 
a time when the music was a little less polished, but no less heartfelt. On this set, you can hear how Jeffrey Osborne's "On The Wings Of Love" compares favorably with classic Johnny Mathis. You can hear how well produced Kool And The Gang's "Cherish" is. And you can reflect on how Billy Preston started his string of seventies releases on the "Let It Be" album by the Beatles, and ended the decade with the Wedding perennial "With You I'm Born Again".
The album starts off strong, with Marvin Gaye's timeless "Let's Get It On", but with gems from the likes of Quincy Jones, Barry White, The Commodores and more, it's a solid hour of timeless romantic music at your fingertips, no matter how you sequence it.
The only thing you have to add to these albums for a romantic evening is a significant other. Although a fireplace, a little wine and a candlelit dinner would be fine accessories…
"Heart Of Soul"BuyitNow!
"Heart Of Soul Classics"BuyitNow!
