Soulife

Anthony Hamilton

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 28, 2005)
• Original Release Date: June 28, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B00092ZMF2
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,584 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Masterful soul vocalist Anthony Hamilton has been compared to greats including Stevie Wonder, Bobby Womack, and Bill Withers. Following notoriety derived as D'Angelo's back-up singer and lead vocals on the Grammy-nominated Nappy Roots track "Po'Folks," Hamilton landed deservedly in the spotlight. His signature sound, fusing timeless '70s soul with current R&B sensibilities, shines on the stellar Soulife.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly Surprised., July 11, 2005

By	The Groove (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

"Soulife" is a considerable improvement over Anthony Hamilton's debut, "Comin' From Where I'm From," an album I kinda liked but didn't completely warm up to. As predicted, several hastily-written five star reviews have praised this album to high heaven. I guess, relative to the crap that's currently out there, "Soulife" could indeed be a five star record, but I'd hesitate to jump on the bandwagon and heap superlatives like some other people have. It's a GOOD--not great--record that capably does what it wants to do: give the listener a deep-fried platter of gritty soul with a nod to the old school. From track to track, Hamilton had me pleasantly surprised, but what may be the biggest surprise is that this CD is actually a grab-bag of material that was apparently recorded before his debut. Regardless, much of ths stuff here works. Some of the more memorable tunes here are "Last Night," the breakup tune "I Cry," "Day Dreamin'," and "Love and War," featuring Macy Gray. If I had to pick a bad tune off this album, I'd be at a loss. "Soulife" is a collection of tunes well sung and well written, and it makes me look forward to Hamilton's next CD.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unreleased Pleasure, July 1, 2005

By	C. Gray (Brooklyn, New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like many recording artists, Anthony Hamilton's career was in limbo for several years prior to the release of his 2003 debut album "Comin' from Where I'm From." He completed two arduous projects that went unreleased. Soulife is a compilation of those recordings. I'm amazed that this album has not created any fanfare or media buzz. This may be attributed to the category that this is not an actual follow-up to the first release. It is my understanding that the actual sophomore album will be provided in the later part of 2005. That being said, this is nothing short of a fabulous album. Hamilton is an incredibly gifted singer, with arguably the most soulful voice on the market these days. It's difficult for me to pick favorite songs on Soulife because they are all so well crafted. No two songs sound alike. They each stand out musically with their commonality being rooted in Hamilton's distinct vocal inflection that rides comfortably along the patterns of each arrangement. "I Cry" is a moving recollection of heartbreak that bounces along delicately with a soft xylophone affect. "Georgie Parker" is an equally moving tale that is somewhat of a predecessor in theme to "Charlene", which appears on the first album. "Day Dreaming" is an ode to love that is emblematic of Hamilton's delicate vocal composition. "Ball and Chain" is an interesting story that involves gaining spiritual prosperity by relocating to one's roots. "Last Night" is an exceptionally catchy tune with an old school chorus that reminds me of songs that marked periods in my life. All-in-all, this album will not be a disappointment for Anthony Hamilton fans, as well as anyone who appreciates mature well produced material.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong; in the middle there's a great album, October 15, 2005

By	Scott Woods (Columbus, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

A bunch of this material was around when Anthony Hamilton's first record came out, but didn't make it onto that record. Good news for us that somebody thought audiences might be interested enough to want to hear it.

What would have been even better is if someone had thought to take the few really great tracks (the rest are just good or solidly done) and put them on the first record, giving us a really great debut in the first place. Hamilton is an artist who deserves FAR greater recognition than he's received, and that kind of math would have done the job right. As it stands, fans are just hoping that the lukewarm response to this very strong record doesn't suggest to Hamilton that he should change his style.

Here's hoping he sticks to his guns and outlasts industry ignorance.