Self-released
http://www.soulmessengers.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/soulmessengersau
https://www.instagram.com/soulmessengersAU/
https://twitter.com/chichmusic
https://soulmessengersau.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/soulmessengersau/sets/vision-faith-1/s-IT48O
Soul revivalists, Soul Messengers, are back in 2017 with a new album Vision & Faith. Both of their studio albums, 2013's I'm Alive, and 2015's Dirty Soul garnered great reviews and nationwide radio play, with Dirty Soul reaching #12 on the Australian Blues and Roots chart and featuring as Sydney Jazz and Blues radio station Eastside Radio's album of the week. Soul Messengers are Rich Aljinovic (vocals, guitar), Simon Morel (guitar), Hadi Ansell (bass) and Dave Kirby (drums).
One thing that you really don’t hear much anymore is R&B/Funk tinged music ala the 70s, but you sure can on this release and it sounds amazing. The grooves are sexy and sinewy and get you up and shaking your ass and you can’t stop, not that you would want to. I remember listening to this music when I was a kid in the early 70s and it progressed into horrible music later on…remember disco kids? This shit is the real deal and I loved every second of it. This sounds like a forgotten classic that your older siblings, or mom and dad might have listened to back then and you just found it in their record collection. The vocals are rich and full of emotion, the guitar playing has the sound of the Stones in parts, especially on the opening of “Don’t Let Them Tell You,” an amazing song that grabs your heart and rips it out with the raw feelings and beautiful sound of the song. “Let’s Go To Bed” has a funky soul groove with terrific guitar playing with a throbbing bass-line. A fantastic start to the album, and one of many great songs on here. As you go through the album, you find more and more amazing sounds and grooves that make you want to buy some stack heels and flares and get down and get funky. “Whiplash” is another song that just grabs you and sounds like something that you heard before and love with the horns, the funky groove and the beautiful vocals.
I just can’t believe that I have never heard these guys before…wow, that’s really all I can say about this. This is one of the best albums that I have heard this year and will be forcing everyone I know to listen to this…you go and do the same with your friends and family…and strangers too.
-Rick Ecker
