My Soul (Leela James album)
{{Infobox album
| name = My Soul
| type = studio
| artist = Leela James
| cover = LeelaJames_MySoul_cover.png
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2010|5|25}}
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|R&B|neo soul}}
| length = 39:43
| label = Stax
| producer = {{hlist|Leela James (also exec.)|Malik Albert|Gerrard Baker|Carvin & Ivan|Kadis & Sean|Ray Murray|Chucky Thompson|Steve "Supe" White}}
| prev_title = Let's Do It Again
| prev_year = 2009
| next_title = Loving You More... In the Spirit of Etta James
| next_year = 2012
}}
My Soul is the third studio album by American soul singer-songwriter Leela James. It was released by Stax Records on May 25, 2010, in the United States, marking James' debut with the label. Her highest-charting effort to date, the album debuted and peaked at number 7 on Billboard{{'}}s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 chart.{{cite news|url=http://www.sfbg.com/blogs/gsf/2008/02/pollo_del_mar_explains_it_all.html |date=2010-06-14 |work=Billboard.com |accessdate=2010-06-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619094705/http://www.sfbg.com/blogs/gsf/2008/02/pollo_del_mar_explains_it_all.html |archivedate=June 19, 2009|title=Pollo Del Mar explains it all for you}}
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = About.com
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}Nero, Mark Edward (May 24, 2010). [http://randb.about.com/od/reviews/fr/LeelaJamesMySoul.htm/ Leela James – My Soul] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601062059/http://randb.about.com/od/reviews/fr/LeelaJamesMySoul.htm |date=2010-06-01 }}. About.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.
|rev2=All About Jazz|rev2Score=favorableBarteldes, Ernest (June 25, 2010). [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=36864 Leela James | My Soul]. All About Jazz. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.
|rev3=Allmusic |rev3Score={{Rating|4|5}}Kellman, Andy (June 2010). [http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-soul-r1716640/review My Soul - Leela James: Review]. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.
|rev4=Billboard |rev4Score=favorableMitchell (June 18, 2010). [http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1069128/leela-james-my-soul Leela James, "My Soul"]. Billboard. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.
|rev5=The Dallas Morning News |rev5Score=ATarradell, Mario (May 24, 2010). [http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/columnists/mario-tarradell/20100524-CD-review-Leela-James-is-5825.ece CD review: Leela James is passionate, powerful on her 3rd CD]. The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.
|rev6=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |rev6Score=favorableBanks, Geraud (June 8, 2010). [http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/95816974.html CD Reviews: AM Taxi, Leela James, Blame Sally, Raze, - JSOnline]. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.
|rev7=PopMatters |rev7Score=5/10Maine, David (July 8, 2010). [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/126663-leela-james-my-soul/ Leela James: My Soul]. PopMatters. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.}}
Allmusic editor Andy Kellman found that "My Soul is James' best yet in every way. It does not feature quite as many big-name collaborators or eye-popping elements as her debut, but the material is stronger, more balanced between vintage and contemporary sounds, and James sounds more comfortable in her voice. Just as important is that she is coming into her own as a songwriter; four of the songs were written entirely by her, and they are among the album’s most affecting moments."
Track listing
Credits adapted from the liner notes of My Soul.{{cite AV media notes|title=My Soul|others=Leela James |year=2010|publisher=Stax Records}}
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = I Ain't New to This
| writer1 = {{hlist|Leela James|Billy Earl Kennedy|Gus McKinney}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|Gerrard Baker}}
| length1 = 2:30
| title2 = So Cold
| writer2 = {{hlist|James}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|Kadis & Sean}}
| length2 = 3:43
| title3 = The Fact Is
| writer3 = {{hlist|James|Billy Brown|Al Goodman|Sylvia Robinson}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|Steven "Supe" White}}
| length3 = 4:08
| title4 = I Want It All
| writer4 = {{hlist|James}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|Ray Murray|Malik Albert}}
| length4 = 3:33
| title5 = Party All Night
| writer5 = {{hlist|James}}
| extra5 = {{hlist|Chucky Thompson}}
| length5 = 4:03
| title6 = Mr. Incredible – Ms. Unforgettable
| note6 = featuring Raheem DeVaughn
| writer6 = {{hlist|James|DeVaughn}}
| extra6 = {{hlist|Thompson}}
| length6 = 3:18
| title7 = Tell Me You Love Me
| writer7 = {{hlist|James|John D. Loudermilk|Andrea Martin|Gordon Williams}}
| extra7 = {{hlist|Baker}}
| length7 = 3:30
| title8 = Let It Roll
| writer8 = {{hlist|James}}
| extra8 = {{hlist|Thompson}}
| length8 = 2:44
| title9 = Supa Luva
| writer9 = {{hlist|Gerald Craig Glanville|Shelby Johnson }}
| extra9 = {{hlist|Butter}}
| length9 = 4:52
| title10 = If It's Wrong
| writer10 = {{hlist|James|Carvin "Ransum" Haggins}}
| extra10 = {{hlist|Carvin & Ivan}}
| length10 = 3:21
| title11 = It's Over
| writer11 = {{hlist|James|Sammy Friedman|William "Mickey" Stevenson}}
| extra11 = {{hlist|Carvin & Ivan}}
| length11 = 3:27
}}
- "I Ain't New To This" contains a sample of "Solitary Love Affair", performed by Millie Jackson.
- "The Fact Is" contains a sample of "Lovely Way She Loves", performed by The Moments
- "Tell Me You Love Me" contains a sample from "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye", performed by The Manhattans.
- "It's Over" contains a sample of "Can't Be Alone", performed by Hodges, James & Smith.
Personnel
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
- Anabel DeHaven – Make–Up, Stylist
- Kyonte Vincent – Engineer
- Al Manerson – Executive Producer
- Dwayne Moore – Bass
- Shelby Johnson – Composer, Vocals (Background)
- Milton Fletcher Jr. – Keyboards
- Michael Gassel – Package Design
- Sammy Friedman – Composer
- Gus McKinney – Composer
- Gerrard Baker – Producer
- Gerald Craig Glanville – Composer
- Carvin Haggins – Composer
- Carl "Chucky" Thompson – Producer
- Bud Wales – Sax (Tenor)
- Brenda Walkin – Sax (Tenor)
- Billy Earl Kennedy – Composer
- Barry Wilson – Sax (Baritone)
- Andrea Martin – Composer, Vocals (Background)
- Sylvia Robinson – Composer
- William "Mickey" Stevenson – Composer
- Gordon Williams – Composer, Engineer
- Paul Blakemore – Mastering
- Deborah Mannis–Gardner – Sample Clearance
{{col-2}}
- Billy Brown – Composer
- Mary Hogan – A&R
- Eric "Ebo" Butler – Engineer
- Tiffany Wilson – Vocals (Background)
- Ray Murray – Producer, Engineer
- Malik Albert – Producer, Engineer
- Ivan "Orthodox" Barias – Producer, Engineer
- Carvin "Ransum" Haggins – Producer, Engineer
- Seth Presant – Mixing
- Raheem DeVaughn – Composer, Vocals (Background), Vocals
- Steve "Supe" White – Producer, Engineer
- Johnnie "Smurf" Smith – Keyboards
- Leela James – Arranger, Composer, Vocals (Background), Additional Production, Executive Producer, Vocals
- George "Spanky" McCurdy – Drums
- Devin DeHaven – Photography
- Ben Wendel – Sax (Tenor)
- Kadis – Producer, Engineer
- Larissa Collins – Art Direction
- Mark Bowers – Bass, Guitar
- Al Goodman – Composer
- Chris Dunn – Executive Producer
- John D. Loudermilk – Composer
{{col-end}}
Charts
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
scope="col"| Chart (2010)
! scope="col"| Peak |
---|
{{album chart|Billboard200|37|artist=Leela James|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 1, 2017}} |
{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|7|artist=Leela James|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 1, 2017}} |
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Discogs release|type=album|445767|My Soul}}
{{Authority control}}