The Soul Sessions Vol. 2

The Soul Sessions Vol. 2
Studio album by Joss Stone
Released 20 July 2012 (2012-07-20)
Recorded
Genre
Length 47:51
Label
Producer
Joss Stone chronology
The Best of Joss Stone 2003–2009
(2011)		 The Soul Sessions Vol. 2
(2012)		 Water for Your Soul
(2015)
Singles from The Soul Sessions Vol. 2
  1. "While You're Out Looking for Sugar"
    Released: 15 June 2012
  2. "Pillow Talk"
    Released: 4 November 2012[1]
  3. "Teardrops"
    Released: 24 February 2013[2]

The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 is the sixth studio album by English singer and songwriter Joss Stone, released on 20 July 2012 by S-Curve Records and her own label, Stone'd Records. A follow-up to Stone's debut studio album, The Soul Sessions (2003), the album consists of 11 cover versions of soul songs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, in addition to a cover of Broken Bells' 2009 song "The High Road".

Upon its release, the album received mostly mixed reviews from music critics. The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 debuted at number six on the UK Albums Chart, while charting within the top 10 in the United States and select countries in continental Europe.

Background

The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 was recorded over two live recording sessions in New York City and Nashville.[3] The album is a joint release between Stone's own independent label Stone'd Records and S-Curve Records, the label that released her first two studio albums, The Soul Sessions (2003) and Mind Body & Soul.[4] Stone stated, "I really had fun revisiting The Soul Sessions' idea and I'm really pleased with the results. I've committed long term to my label Stone'd Records, but it felt right to team up with Steve Greenberg and S-Curve again for this release. I think there are some great songs on the album and I loved performing them with such brilliant musicians."[4]

Promotion

On 6 June 2012, Stone performed a concert at the London music venue Under the Bridge, which was streamed online via Perez Hilton's website in the United States and MSN for the rest of the world.[5] During the concert Stone, performed several new tracks from the album as well as previous material. Stone also performed for Billboard's Tastemakers series in June 2012.[6] Stone performed and was interviewed on the British television programme This Morning.[7] On 27 July 2012, she performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[8]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
American Songwriter[10]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[11]
Evening Standard[12]
The Guardian[13]
Mojo[14]
The Observer[15]
Rolling Stone[16]
Slant Magazine[17]
Uncut[18]

The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 received generally mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 60, based on 11 reviews.[19] Mojo magazine said it "sounds like a calculated genre exercise",[14] while Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly found the covers "passionately pointless" when compared to the originals.[11] Slant Magazine's Jonathan Keefe said the album sounds commonplace because of its attempt to recreate "a vintage R&B vibe rather than looking to classic styles as a source of inspiration for something more contemporary or creative".[17] Hermione Hoby of The Observer wrote that Stone's singing is "technically irreproachable throughout, [but] every track is attacked with all the timidity of a tsunami—enough to prompt the peevish complaint that force and feeling are not the same thing."[15] Jody Rosen, writing in Rolling Stone, was more critical and felt Stone's "musical instincts are off [...] she steamrolls nearly every song with her bombastic blues growl."[16]

In a more enthusiastic review for AllMusic, critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine believed "for the most part, The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 does feel right: it has the form and sound of classic soul while never acknowledging that R&B continued to develop past, say, 1972. For an audience that agrees with that thesis, this is fun."[9] The Guardian's Dave Simpson described the album as "a powerful, heartfelt and classy comeback", claiming that Stone has "certainly returned to her debut's soul covers format in more mature and superb voice."[13] Hal Horowitz of American Songwriter called the album "pretty terrific" as it "proves the UK singer is serious about her classic American R&B".[10] John Aizlewood of BBC Music viewed The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 as "Stone's most focused and rewarding album since Vol 1".[20]

The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 debuted at number six on the UK Albums Chart with 8,414 copies sold in its first week, Stone's first top-10 album in the United Kingdom since Mind Body & Soul (2004).[21] In the United States, the album debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 24,000 copies, becoming her fourth top-10 album on the chart.[22] In continental Europe, it reached the top five in the Netherlands and Switzerland, and the top 10 in Austria and Germany.[23]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Original artist Length
1. "I Got The..."  Labi SiffreLabi Siffre (1975) 4:59
2. "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People"  Eugene RecordThe Chi-Lites (1971) 3:44
3. "While You're Out Looking for Sugar"  
Honey Cone (1969) 3:28
4. "Sideway Shuffle"  Linda LewisLinda Lewis (1974) 3:38
5. "I Don't Want to Be with Nobody but You"  
Absent Friends (1990) 5:00
6. "Teardrops"  
Womack & Womack (1988) 5:55
7. "Stoned Out of My Mind"  
The Chi-Lites (1973) 3:12
8. "The Love We Had (Stays on My Mind)"  
The Dells (1971) 4:42
9. "The High Road"  
Broken Bells (2009) 4:40
10. "Pillow Talk"  
Sylvia (1973) 4:42
11. "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye"  John D. LoudermilkThe Casinos (1967) 3:51
Total length:
 47:51

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the deluxe edition of The Soul Sessions Vol. 2.[26]

  • Joss Stone – vocals (tracks 1–8, 10, 12–14); production (all tracks); finger snaps (track 1); backing vocals, lead vocals (tracks 9, 11, 15); glockenspiel, handclaps (track 15); executive producer
  • James Alexander – bass (track 3)
  • John Angier – string arrangement (tracks 1, 6, 11, 13)
  • Raymond Angry – B3 (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8–10, 12–14); clavinet (track 4); Wurlitzer electric piano (track 7); piano (track 9)
  • Steve Bryant – guitar (tracks 10, 11)
  • Rita Chepurchenko – concert mistress (tracks 1, 6, 11, 13)
  • Gary Chester – orchestra coordinator (tracks 1, 6, 11, 13)
  • Rod Cousins – art direction
  • Eric Darken – finger snaps (track 1); percussion (tracks 4, 15); tamborine (track 12); handclaps (track 15)
  • Jill Dell'Abate – project coordination
  • Chris Dunn – trombone (tracks 5, 12)
  • Hollie Farris – trumpet (tracks 4, 5, 12)
  • FILMharmonic Orchestra – strings (tracks 1, 6, 11, 13)
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Steve Greenberg – executive producer, production
  • Steve Greenwell – engineering, mixing, production
  • Jennifer Grossbach – A&R administration
  • Janeen Hovnanian – production assistant
  • Pete Iannacone – bass
  • Ernie Isley – guitar (tracks 1, 3–7, 9, 10, 13–15)
  • Marko Ivanović – conducting (tracks 1, 6, 11, 13)
  • Clayton Ivey – Wurlitzer electric piano (tracks 1, 4–6, 15); piano (tracks 2, 8, 12–14); B3 (track 7); Rhodes (track 10)
  • Pavel Karlík – string engineering (tracks 1, 6, 11, 13)
  • Nathan Kelly – string arrangement (track 1); co-orchestration, copyist (tracks 6, 11, 13)
  • Latimore – piano (tracks 3, 15); 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 (track 15)
  • Delbert McClinton – harmonica (track 2)
  • William McFarlane – guitar (tracks 2, 8, 12)
  • Mr.G.e.v.Zoeller – original painting
  • Brian Nelson – executive producer, project coordination
  • Petr Pycha – orchestra contractor (tracks 1, 6, 11, 13)
  • Lowell Reynolds – assistant engineering
  • Tony Royster, Jr. – drums
  • Daniel Slezinger – additional photography
  • Charles Allen Smith – additional photography
  • Ted Tuthill – assistant engineering
  • David Venni – photography
  • Jeff Watkins – saxophones (tracks 5, 12)
  • Betty Wright – backing vocals (tracks 9, 11, 15)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Argentine Albums Chart[27] 5
Australian Albums Chart[28] 42
Australian Jazz & Blues Albums Chart[29] 1
Austrian Albums Chart[30] 6
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[23] 25
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[31] 44
Canadian Albums Chart[32] 23
Dutch Albums Chart[33] 2
French Albums Chart[34] 82
German Albums Chart[35] 7
Italian Albums Chart[36] 62
Scottish Albums Chart[37] 24
South Korean International Albums Chart[38] 35
Swiss Albums Chart[39] 5
UK Albums Chart[40] 6
UK R&B Albums Chart[41] 3
US Billboard 200[42] 10
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[43] 3

Year-end charts

Chart (2012) Position
Australian Jazz & Blues Albums Chart[44] 17
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[45] 89

Release history

Region Date Format Edition Label Ref.
Ireland 20 July 2012
  • Standard
  • deluxe
 Warner Bros. [46][47][48][49]
Netherlands Warner [50][51][52][53]
United Kingdom Digital download Warner Bros. [54][55]
Germany 23 July 2012 Deluxe Warner [56]
United Kingdom CD
  • Standard
  • deluxe
 Warner Bros. [57][58]
Australia 27 July 2012 Warner [59][60]
Digital download Standard [61]
Canada 31 July 2012
Universal [62][63]
Digital download
  • Standard
  • deluxe
 [64][65]
United States
  • CD
  • digital download
[66][67][68][69]
LP Standard [70]
Germany 24 August 2012 CD
  • Standard
  • deluxe
 Warner [71][72]
Japan 19 September 2012 Japan standard [25]
Italy 2 October 2012 Standard [73]
16 October 2012 Deluxe [74]

References

  1. ↑ "Pillow Talk: Joss Stone: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  2. ↑ "Teardrops: Joss Stone: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  3. ↑ Lewis, Pete (July 2012). "Joss Stone: Soulsational Stone". Blues & Soul. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions Vol 2!". S-Curve Records. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  5. ↑ "Joss Stone live streamed gig". S-Curve Records. 6 June 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  6. ↑ "Tastemakers: Joss Stone". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Joss Stone on this morning interview ITV1". YouTube. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  8. ↑ "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – Friday, July 27, 2012". NBC. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  9. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 – Joss Stone". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  10. 1 2 Horowitz, Hal (23 July 2012). "Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions Vol.2". American Songwriter. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  11. 1 2 Anderson, Kyle (3 August 2012). "Albums". Entertainment Weekly (1218): 74.
  12. ↑ Clark, Pete (20 July 2012). "CDs of the week". Evening Standard. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  13. 1 2 Simpson, Dave (19 July 2012). "Album: The Soul Sessions Vol.2". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  14. 1 2 "Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions Vol. 2". Mojo: 90. September 2012.
  15. 1 2 Hoby, Hermione (22 July 2012). "Joss Stone: Soul Sessions Vol 2 – review". The Observer. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  16. 1 2 Rosen, Jody (31 July 2012). "The Soul Sessions Vol. 2". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  17. 1 2 Keefe, Jonathan (30 July 2012). "Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions Vol. 2". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  18. ↑ "Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions Vol. 2". Uncut (London): 86. September 2012.
  19. ↑ "Reviews for The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 by Joss Stone". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  20. ↑ Aizlewood, John (13 July 2012). "Review of Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2". BBC Music. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  21. ↑ Jones, Alan (30 July 2012). "Official Charts Analysis: Plan B album sells 37k to hit No.1". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 20 September 2012. (subscription required)
  22. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (8 August 2012). "Rick Ross Scores Fourth No. 1 Album With 'God Forgives, I Don't'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  23. 1 2 "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  24. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 [Deluxe Edition] – Joss Stone". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  25. 1 2 "The Soul Sessions Vol 2 / ソウル・セッションズ・VOL2" (in Japanese). Warner Music Japan. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  26. ↑ The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 (deluxe edition liner notes). Joss Stone. S-Curve Records. 2012. 0731521022.
  27. ↑ "Ranking Semanal Pop" (in Spanish). Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. 29 July 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012. Note: Reader must define search parameters as "Ranking Semanal Pop" and "29/07/2012".
  28. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  29. ↑ "ARIA Jazz & Blues Albums – Week Commencing 6th August 2012" (PDF). ARIA Charts. Pandora Archive. p. 22. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  30. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2" (in German). austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  31. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  32. ↑ "Joss Stone – Chart history: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  33. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  34. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2" (in French). lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  35. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  36. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2". italiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  37. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 29 July – 4 August 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  38. ↑ "2012년 31주차 Album Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  39. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions Vol 2". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  40. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 29 July – 4 August 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  41. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. 29 July – 4 August 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  42. ↑ "Joss Stone – Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  43. ↑ "Joss Stone – Chart history: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  44. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Jazz & Blues Albums 2012". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  45. ↑ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Year-End 2012". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  46. ↑ "The Soul Sessions – Volume 2 – Joss Stone (CD)". HMV Ireland. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  47. ↑ "Stone,joss – Soul Sessions Vol Ii[deluxe Edition]". Tower Records Ireland. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  48. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 by Joss Stone". iTunes Store (IE). Apple. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  49. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 (Deluxe Version) by Joss Stone". iTunes Store (IE). Apple. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  50. ↑ "The Soul Sessions Volume 2, Joss Stone" (in Dutch). bol.com. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  51. ↑ "The Soul Sessions Volume 2 (Deluxe Edition), Joss Stone" (in Dutch). bol.com. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  52. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 by Joss Stone". iTunes Store (NL). Apple. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  53. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 (Deluxe Version) by Joss Stone". iTunes Store (NL). Apple. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  54. ↑ "The Soul Sessions Vol II: Joss Stone: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  55. ↑ "The Soul Sessions Vol II (Deluxe): Joss Stone: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  56. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 (Deluxe Version) by Joss Stone". iTunes Store (DE). Apple. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  57. ↑ "Soul Sessions 2". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  58. ↑ "Soul Sessions 2". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  59. ↑ "Soul Sessions Volume 2, The". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  60. ↑ "Soul Sessions; V2: Deluxe Edition". Sanity. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  61. ↑ "Joss Stone". zdigital (AU). Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  62. ↑ "V2/Soul Sessions by Joss Stone". HMV Canada. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  63. ↑ "V2 Soul Sessions (Vinyl): Joss Stone". Amazon.ca. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  64. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 by Joss Stone". iTunes Store (CA). Apple. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  65. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 (Deluxe Edition) by Joss Stone". iTunes Store (CA). Apple. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  66. ↑ "Joss Stone: Soul Sessions 2". Amazon.com. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  67. ↑ "Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 [Deluxe Edition]". Amazon.com. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  68. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 by Joss Stone". iTunes Store (US). Apple. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  69. ↑ "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 (Deluxe Edition) by Joss Stone". iTunes Store (US). Apple. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  70. ↑ "Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2". Amazon.com. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  71. ↑ "The Soul Sessions Vol. 2" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  72. ↑ "The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 (Limited Deluxe Edition)" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  73. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions vol.2" (in Italian). Internet Bookshop Italia. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  74. ↑ "Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions vol.2 (Deluxe Edition)" (in Italian). Internet Bookshop Italia. Retrieved 20 September 2012.

External links

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