Reviews (page 7 of 12)
This is fine. Doesn't sound essential to me.
Solid Sam Cooke styles
This album was completely new to me. I didn't recognise any big hits, but that doesn't mean that there are none from this album. The whole album has a beautifully warm sound that only seems to come from good 60s recordings. But I was particularly impressed with the nice stereo effects that put different instruments on different sides as you listen. This album has been mixed and produced beautifully. The early songs sound very much like Elvis Presly (but that comes as no real surprise, given where most of his songs came from). The middle songs start to sound like Otis Redding and Sam Cooke in a really enjoyable way. Overall I really enjoyed this album and would come back to it possibly even over better more well known soul classics. (3.333)
Fantastic listen, incredible vocals. Downloaded the album for when I need to cook, clean or just want something good playing in the background.
Perfect for a night at home with friends, cooking and drinking red wine
Rock ‘N Soul. Aptly titled. Except really more R&B ‘N Soul. Very 60s feel. Burke has a great voice and the album is pleasant. Reminds me of an Otis Redding. Good record but not remarkable to me.
Songs are pleasant but not amazing
Solomon Burke had a lot of songs that hit the R&B charts, but none that were big hits on the regular pop chart. This album is mostly soul music, although the title specifies rock and soul. The last track (He’ll Have To Go) is a cover of the Jim Reeves song. Overall this is easy listening and a nice soul record. The sound quality is typical early 60s.
Rock 'n SOUL.... CRY to me... I see what's happening here. This was better than I thought it'd be for a guy I never heard of. Sounds more like 50s than 60s, which I like. Very mellow, but not too sleepy. Nearly a 4. Highlights: 'Cry to Me', 'You Can't Love Them All'
pretty good
Way better than I expected.
Bra. Overraska over å aldri ha hørt om han før. Litt kjedelig at alt e i samme gir, og at ingen låte skille sæ ut. Sterk 3’er!
Behagelig og sjelfull blues.
Seems like a classic
Smooth, velvet vocals drip into your ears and memories come flashing back of a diner in the fifties, riding in cadillacs, prom, hamburgers, shakes, and then I realise these are someone else's memories. It's more soul than rock to be honest but it's a great late night album. Have a slow dance with someone you love and watch out for that guy playing Johnny B Goode - I heard he's a time traveller. Best Tracks: Cry To Me; Can't Nobody Love You; You're Good For Me
Perfectly pleasant, smooth and easy. The title sums it up very well.
It's a good album that feels nostalgic to me. Reminds me of my grandpa. But I would only put it on in certain circumstances. Not a regular feature.
Fine, but I was mostly unmoved. 2.9/5
Vanhaa meininkiä, Rick James alkuaikojen tyylistä. Hyvää laulantaa
It was ok.
It was fine.
Liked it
1. Classique, excellent 2. Countrysiide ahhh, très bon 3. Blues des trippes, OUI ! 4. Un peu similaire au 3., bon. 5. Bon morceau sans plus 6. bon 7. bon morceau 60's classique 8. Très bon 9. ok 10. cool 11. mid mid mid 12. good bon album 60's soul/r&b Burke est très bon 3/5
Heard a lot of Sam Cooke, some beach music, some gospel influences. Easy to listen to but not especially memorable.
Classic voice and a generational banger in "Cry to Me." No real complaints just doesn't have the tracks to make it a classic for me.
Not for me
Burke's vocals are impressive and enjoyable. Among the 50's/60's music in this genre, this was something I enjoyed more than most.
Solid record, I enjoyed it
Smooth and chill.
I’m sure this was an amazing album for its time, but I always rate these based on how much I enjoy them and how much I’d want to listen to them again. This type of music is just not my thing. It’s good, just not something I’d personally listen to, but I’m still glad when I’m able to find stuff like this on this list. Usually, when I get something I don’t like, it’s atrocious, basically the same British or American rock or folk band over and over again. It’s nice to have a change of pace. This is actually relaxing and nice. This guy has an amazing voice. Even though it’s not my cup of tea, I had a nice time listening to this. It's warm and cozy. Great experience.
This is solidly grandpa-core. Not necessarily my grandpa, though probably. It's smooth, classic, croony kinda soft swingy jazz. It's the exact kind of 1960s music that makes me think of blurry black and white pictures of my dad as a baby, and the stale smell of toast that permeated my grandpa's bungalow. By no means bad! Good, in fact! That kinda music that feels like it has always existed -vaguely- in the past. It's old-timey music if you will. It might have huge cultural significance, but I am simply too young to know it and I will not -nor should I- apologise for youth.
A bit too monotonous, but that's a common problem with a lot of these earlier albums. Burke's voice is incredible, and the album helped found the beautiful genre of soul, so I can't justify less than a 3.
Ok, kind of on the slower side but some decent songs.
Nice album👌🏼 Songs I like: Cry to me,
Solomon Burke's 1964 release is a quintessential 60s rock album featuring a variety of soulful ballads. It is well-suited for background listening due to its pleasant and consistent musical arrangements. The record accurately captures the production standards of its era and provides a solid auditory experience. With its smooth flow and quality vocals, the album earns a 7/10 rating.
This guy's good at singing.
está bien, me parece que si es literal lo que uno se imagina con el cover y el nombre, pues bacano pero full no mi estilo, igual el cantante le mete y me precio un álbum bien
really enjoyed compared to other blues/soul albums
After cry to me it’s sort of went downhill; pleasant enough but not outstanding
Classy. It'll never be one of my favourites. It's just too old fashioned for me. It still a pleasurable listen though cos its got class.
Like previous albums, I feel like I lack the vocabulary to really break down what I am hearing with this one. I do know that I like it, with it's slow and soulful feel; like music made with real purpose and love. "Cry to Me" has signature swagger, which makes sense why it was chosen for a motion picture. Really enjoyed "You're good for me", there is something 'feel good' and empowering about it that I felt while listening.
Favorite Track: Cry to Me
Original R&B. The guy can sing, but I feel the song choices let him down. Slow. The music is fairly flat only there to showcase the voice which is good but lacks charisma
It's great and lovely music, but it didn't hit my soul.
Great early rock and soul album no skips
Vibey 60s music that speak to the soul, although all the songs kinda blended together after awhile.
Really nice listen for sure. I honestly liked every song, they just didn’t get their hooks in me enough got me to come running back for another listen. Best Track: You Can’t Love ‘Em All
No rock here, only soul, which is not my favourite genre. He has a nice voice, but aside from that nothing about this album grabs my attention.
Short and sweet
Like it
Didn't offend the senses
Classic voice! Man could sing the phonebook. I have never listened to one of his albums before but I saw him during a Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame performance once, when he was in his 70's, and he stole the show. It's hard not to appreciate smooth soul music like this. He could sing it with force or he could deliver it delicately. In reading up on him I learned he inspired the Rolling Stones and earned the title of "Bishop of Soul" for his spiritual gravitas. Standout tracks, "Cry To Me" (273M listens!), "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)" (but I prefer Van Morrison's version), "Can't Nobody Love You" (19M), and "You're Good For Me" (Sam Cooke?! Did the same guy write "Bring It On Home"?). "Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)" & "Hard, Ain't It Hard" were right out of Jimmy Cliff's playbook, that was an interesting listen. I'd give it a solid 3. Nothing outstanding, all enjoyable, no groundbreaking hits, but I can hear some influence.
He's got an amazing voice but as an album of covers it feels quite dated and bitty.
Pleasant listening. Nice voice. Extra star for influence.
Old timey-soul music isn't my favorite, but still decent album!
Didn’t finish but it was good
Favorite track(s): Cry to Me, Can't Nobody Love You, You're Good for Me
A record I would put on while making Sunday breakfast.
strong 3
Fav track- You Can’t Love ‘Em All Least fav track- Can’t Nobody Love You Fav lyric- “Don't you feel like crying, come on, come on, cry to me" Overall rating-7/10 Notes- very good and well put together album, got lost in it after my first listen
enjoyed listening to the album, feels like something i can comfortably play in the background of a family function. may even recommend it to my dad. there were no major stand out songs however.
Not for me. I found it boring.
Classic Rock goodness
Not my normal music taste, I liked some songs, only one or two added to my playlist though
Great, rich voice. I enjoyed it for the most part, but no real surprises in the arrangements or song choices.
This will definitely be an album I buy physically to play on relaxed nights in.
pretty good, like, a classic album of that time. I didn't think it was remarkable but i dont know much about that era.
Fajne do chillowania takie pozytywne ale nie do konca moj klimat
Nice 60s album. But not really more. Some great old songs and some boring.
This was a lovely album. He ahd such a soulful sound.
Sounds like a Sunday morning
Not something I’d really listen to but can appreciate it for what it is. Listened to it whilst doing some housework and kind of felt like I was in a movie 😂
Love the call out: Sam and Ray will tell you nice things, but I will love you more
Not sure how often I’ll come back to it; but I always enjoy these “foundations of rock n roll” artists. Solomon absolutely holds up and I liked every song.
I actually enjoyed it much more than I thought I would but some songs were pretty mid
Típico álbum de soul que me mola, pero tampoco nada espectacular.
Not my cup of tea, but i like the vibe
Decent vibe but nothing really stand-out
A great voice and some good songs.
my first soul album!! loved the opening track
Good stuff.
A solid collection of songs and a great voice but damn the backing singers are relentless. Give it a rest and let the man sing.
It was what the name of the record promised.
Wasn't a bad listen
It's crazy that it's 60 years old and feels like it's even older than that. But he has a good voice, the songs are fine, and I didn't hate it.
Cool album…didn’t really seem outstanding though.
If I could give this negative stars I would
This challenge is making me more appreciative of soul as a genre and I am happy to listen to more of it. Solomon's voice is very clear and beautiful to listen to. This album is another vibe and nice as background music. However it can feel one note at times.
3/5 One of the founding fathers of soul... This album was very good, but it became a bit like background music for me after a while. The songs sounded very similar, so I wish there was more variation. Other than that I was vibing and having a good time still, hence why I'm rating it this.
Good to start the week. "Cry to Me" is the best one by far.
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: None I haven't really formed an opinion on this album in any capacity. I listened during my nighttime routine and then I listened for a second time during work the following morning, and really, nothing popped out to me. I was not rocking and rolling, or grooving, but I wasn't pulling my hair out either. It came and went. It was fine.
157/1089 instantly recognisable opening track a really nice listen, not something i see myself going back to really but it was just good vibes, good voice, good music. an enjoyable half hour faves: Cry To Me, Goodbye Baby 55/100
I have never heard of him but I liked this! However, the standout track was ‘Cry To Me’ and I do wish the rest of the songs had that same raw, messy quality.
Honestly I always rate these kinds of albums too high, because they're just nice to listen to. Parts of this made me sleepy, but not in a bad way. It's like I was lulled. Probably a 3.5.
Some really good singles on here, but overall pretty bland.
A mixed bag, I actively hate rock n' roll ballads but on balance I'd give this one a ⭐⭐⭐ as there were some tolerable tracks
Nice background music :)
Dang, it's good, easy listening. I think I could vibe to this almost anytime. A perfect liminal space album.
I came for the rock but I stayed for the soul.
Great voice! His control and range are great too. Songs are nice and smooth, but overall lack variety. Do have to say, I prefer listening to this over Elvis.
Sounds nice, soothing but strong. Not crazy about any song but as an album it's simply a nice listen.
Old school classic love songs, love the screams Kinda Grease
5/10 Pretty good not my vibe
Burke's vocals are impressive and enjoyable. Among the 50's/60's music in this genre, this was something I enjoyed more than most.
Meh! This was better than the other oldies we have had, in my opinion. I liked that it was lively at points (like in You Can't Love 'Em All) instead of just the melancholic, yearning love songs.
I've never heard of this artist or album but I thought it was overall not bad.
Some good old fashioned motown! this was a nice easy listen
Eh. Basic 60’s sound. Some good tunes but nothing groundbreaking.
Better than most early rock'n'roll.
Much better than the rest of the selections for this week! Great singer
Nice voice but pretty bland everything else, I feel like I've heard everything on there a dozen times already
I thought I'd really enjoy this album based on how much i love Cry to Me, but the other reviews are correct, the other songs on this album are just a bit lacking. My two standouts were Cry to Me and Someone to Love Me, i don't think I'd listen to this album again.
good soul, 3.5
Mostly sounds like nostalgia for me. Won't You Give Him One More Chance is a solid track, as well as some others in here. 3/5
Cool, but not for me
I can appreciate it, but not really my style. Not one I would have on regular rotation. Recognized Cry to Me from somewhere and then realized it was from Dirty Dancing.
Generally alright. I could toss this on in the background. Enjoyable. Inoffensive. Isn't really gripping me. "You Can't Love'em All" is a banger though. Great track. Was the only one to really jump out at me, but in general I was whelmed by the album.
Can't nobody love you is great! It's hard to really judge an oldy rock n roll record for me, on a first listen and all, but it's quite good!
A couple songs that I recognized. Overall, a good solid soul record.
smash-hit-filled soul pop music from the 1960s. all of the songs featured are ballads about the ups, downs... trials and tribulations of romance. if there's one thing i can say about the album, is that burke knows how to sing loud and proud. you can imagine him gripping the mic and sweating as he sings. other than that performance level, the music really nothing special to me i'm afraid. sappy love songs that were pretty typical for this era, nothing really of note this time around.
Good stuff. Not something I’d listen to very often, but good music nonetheless.
Heavier on the soul than the rock, lovely stuff!
amazing, amazing, amazing - to look back at what passed for romantic and lovely lyrics in a bygone era. an album, seemingly, dedicated to the worst woman possible. both described as feeding our vocalist dirt and being disliked and distrusted by everybody else in the entire world. love wins somehow
Helt kurant blues som sikkert var nyskapende da det kom. Greit å høre på og er relativt kort, men kommer nok ikke til å sette på dette igjen.. 🤷
First one that I had never heard of before. I enjoyed it but wasn't blown away - suprising mix of influences from country, jazz, crooner, soul, rock and roll. I knew one or two of the songs from parody versions but not the originals.
Knows what it is, great vocals. Nice in the background
old school, slow, chill
It's a great album for those who enjoy soul, i do like it from time to time but it wouldn't be my 5-star genre. I do want to state that it is a top state of the art of its kind, the genre is not just for me. So if you like it, don't worry about people's 3s or 4s, you'll enjoy it
Fun sound and I appreciate their messages. Don’t love the singer’s style/voice.
- Love the richness of his voice in the lower registers, and when he hits the high notes, there’s great emotion, and I love the raspy effect. The mid registers aren’t as interesting, but they’re nice enough. - The melodies are sweet. - The guitar and keys provide nice counterpoint to the songs, and the horns are simple and easygoing in support of the melodies. I could use a bit more instrumental on the songs without guitar. - My gripes are: 1) I wish the subject matter was more varied - we get it… you love her and/or she’s just not that into you. Is this a 60s albums thing - being *all* about love? It’s pretty boring. The old traditional albums that I’ve listened to so far on this list (Sinatra, Fats Domino, this) have been one-dimensional like this. It can also feel patriarchal. 2) When the backing vocals are thin/shouty and lacking complexity, it can feel unbalanced with his rich vocals. 3) The second half of the album wasn’t as engaging as the first half.
Much like a lot of the older and legacy picks for this list, I don't really see what is so essential about this project despite it having a very well known track like Cry to Me. It is a pretty standard Soul project from this time with the string arrangements and very surface level writing that feels so overdone when looking back on this era of music, but hey I guess I can't complain too hard because this project is still "good" in my eyes. I didn't get a whole lot out of this project but I guess I enjoyed it during the entirety of its' runtime. I think it is a solid and safe Soul project but there are much better efforts in the same genre from the 60s I would rather have than this.
Was hoping for more rock, but a decent album.
It was fine for what it was. Nothing blew my mind but nothing was hard to listen to. Perfectly fine.
Great voice, easy listening
This was pretty good. Never heard Solomon Burke’s music before. It was nothing to blow my world apart, but it is well sung and well delivered. I’m not sure what I’d get from listening to it again, but I’ve got no complaints.
Some great original soul on here. Highlights: "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)" and "Can't Nobody Love Me"
Cool, mais correct, mais cool quand même. - Cyril, j’te fais une balise temporelle pour mieux te retrouver, je t’ai répondu en trois partie sur Virgin Suicide, Machine Head et Heaux Tales
I liked this album!! I'm not one for blues and soul if im being honest, but I can understand why its on this list-- it just doesn't age particularly well in my eyes. songs added to 1001 playlist: You're Good For Me
Very nice voice, a bit samey samey as an album and I zoomed out a few times. Chill, enjoyable, sentimental.
A pioneer of the soul genre, Solomon Burke's rich vocals drive his 1964 release 'Rock 'n Soul'. While he wasn't much of a songwriter, Burke's soulful delivery acts like both a warm blanket in the quieter parts and a vibrant ball of energy when he lets the passion loose. There's a great deal of dimension to his voice that justifies his reputation as the 'King of Rock 'n Soul'. He may not be as iconic as James Brown, Ray Charles, Otis Redding or Barry White, but Solomon Burke certainly has the talent to match them! Best songs: Cry to Me, Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye), Hard, Ain't It Hard
Great blend of blues, country, gospel, and soul.
Not blown away by the songs or any of the music. Good soul voice, no doubt. But voice alone not enough to put this anywhere near the 4 category.
Great vocals, I wasn't into the arrangements too much though.
Burke really is a great singer. He can go between smooth and gritty in a way not many others are capable of. I think the musicians are also brilliant. It’s hard for me to point out what is lacking. I think the simple answer is the songwriting. Whatever it is, it leaves me with a feeling that it could have been a five star record but it only delivers half of its potential. 3/5
Tässon kaveri joka runsaan levytyssaldon lisäks tykitteli myös perillisiä maailmaan tuimalla tahdilla. No sen voi varmaan laskee aina plussaks, mutta en tiiä vaikuttaako omaan arvosanaan. EHKÄ. No mut kuitenkin, on tää ihan jees mut ei kyl jaksa kuunnella kertaa enempi. Varmaan vähän liian vähän fallout radioo ja samalla liian vähän rokettirollia. Eli semmonen keskiviiva jossa on molemmat puolet haettu mukaan. Keskiviiva-arvosanalla siis mennään ja soppii eppäillä että tätä enää kuuntelisin.
A little aggressive in my ear, but overall I was okay with it.
🤷.
Not my taste, but OK.
Went down easy.
Best Track - "Can't Nobody Love You"
"Hey that's the song from dirty dancing!"
Interesting record. You can feel Burke's voice change from song to song. You can't love 'em all!
I enjoyed it
Veldig koselig musikk Beste sang: Can't nobody love you
No conocía este disco. Por alguna razón solo estoy familiarizado con "Don't Give Up on Me" ("alguna razón" = RYM), más cerca del final de la carrera de Solomon Burke que del comienzo. Y algunos hits. Y fue una sorpresa muy agradable. Por ahora le voy a poner tres estrellas, pero lo voy a escuchar mañana nuevamente. Para no mandarme cagadas. Y es que es un disco que parece que envejeció. Es solo soul y RnB. Pero al mismo tiempo es un disco de 1964. Medio que hizo al soul y al RnB (junto a Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Nina Simone y la mar en coche). Es un disco breve, de unos 35 minutos, quizás un poco repetitivo. Curiosamente los intentos por desviarse de la fórmula me parece que son los peores números (te miro a vos, Just Out of Reach, un intento de country). Igual hay pequeñas cositas en las canciones que muestran un origen más distinto: Cry to Me, por ejemplo, no difiere mucho del resto, pero tiene un poquito de twist en su origen. Las canciones del disco están arregladas con bronces y coros, que se suman a una banda chica (batería, guitarra, bajo), pero lo que destaca es, sobre todo, la excepcional voz de Burke. Los arreglos son muy bonitos, pero a veces parecen un poco excesivos. El disco no tiene ni una sola canción de Burke, ni tuvo que ver con la dirección musical, lo que un poco lo pone atrás de otros músicos de la época. Dicho eso, es un disco muy disfrutable. Casi todas las canciones son buenas o, en el peor de los casos, entretenidas. La canción que me gustó más, al menos por ahora es Won't You Give Him One More Chance, con su guitarrita loca y melodía requete pegadiza. El primer y último tema del disco son muy buenos, me da la impresión de que son los hits obvios del disco; If You Need Me y You're Good for me, son como los temas más "soul" (soul de los 60s) del disco. You Can't Love Me All también está buena. Me hace acordar a algo pero no puedo poner el dedo sobre que es. ¿Algo mexicano? Los vientos son medio mariachis ¿Algo pop de los 60s como los Hollies? Los coros tienen esa vibra. Siento que escuché algo así. Ahh. En cualquier caso, el tema está bueno. En fin, linda sorpresa, pero no creo que pueda tener más de tres estrellas. Al menos por ahora, con solo tres escuchas.
This is a high quality collection of songs with the rich voice of Solomon Burke and warm backing track. This style of soul/RNB doesn’t really resonate with me as much as later evolutions of the style however I understand the huge historical impact and influence of this album/artist. I love the emotion and singing on this album and of course cry to me is a classic. Unfortunately it’s not my style and not something I would listen to.
Pretty unique blues sound and voice - songs don't sound repetitive despite simple rythyms.
Love the way this album is mixed and my favorites were the tracks on side 1 of the album. I had never heard this artist before (I don’t think)
It's a bit of a mixed bag between songs that are impressive, where you can tell they were influential, and songs that feel like they're from the forgettable soundtrack of an old romance film. Pretty decent but maybe not fully for me.
Wide range of vibes off the album, not really my thing. Favorite song is probably can’t nobody love you
An album that reminds me a lot of Little Richard (You've Got Me), but that's because of the style of music and the singer's voice. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this album, even though I don't find the sequence of songs particularly interesting.
Sounds good.
A few good tracks. Some of it is a bit wet.
3.0 - Ok
An enjoyable album. I would listen to it again honestly. Favorite track: If You Need Me
3 out of 5 Some nice blues/jazz/soul oldies. Not too bad.
dont know it!
Not bad. I'm not super into this style of soul but it was enjoyable. Burke has an amazing gritty voice and the accompaniments are groovy. Favorite songs: You're Good for Me, Won't You Give Him a Chance, Beautiful Brown Eyes.
I can understand why people would like this but it’s just not my music taste, or i could be hangry right now i’m not sure
It was some old school classic rock and soul like the album name. I realize I can never sing like that. I don't have soul. But sounded good.
Soulful, my wife would love this album
He has a great charming voice, I just find it kinda monotonous and dated I guess. Tracks to Track: Cry To Me
I feel like this album falls victim to the same detriments that other soul albums of this era have, at least for me. Little Richard, James Brown, Sam Cooke and now Solomon Burke were all excellent performers whose albums I have been handed as part of this project. And in each of those cases, I have lamented that this purely audio experience cannot capture or represent both the impact each artist had on popular culture and music, nor can it demonstrate their insane performance skills. Burke has an ability to really reach, to wail and to pour all of his being into his voice. Simply hearing it is great, but to see the performance is to know it. And you don't get that here. Should I hold that against the album? Is it the album's fault (or Burke's) that this was released at a time when music videos and live performances couldn't be viewed on demand? No, I shouldn't. And I'll try not to. I could listen to Burke sing literally anything. He has such an infectious voice and soul about him. But beyond his voice, the backup singers are absolutely pouring out their souls into these tracks as well. And while they sound dated, the effect isn't lost. The band, too, is excellent. An album like this can't work without these elements. The one thing I would say that's a negative about all of this is that, after a while, the energy gets a little overwhelming. I wouldn't have minded a few breaks of slower songs in there to break up the energy. But that doesn't detract from it being a great album, because it is. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye), If You Need Me, Can't Nobody Love You, Someone to Love Me
Pretty classic soul album. no particular song blew me away, but overall had a good vibe that I enjoyed. 3/5.
I enjoyed this. Jazz always just hits.
I really like this era of music and the soul and authenticity it brings. I enjoyed listening to this and may come back to it. But it pales in comparison to some of the similar albums.
Bon album de soul/blues, pas de chose particulière à rajouter
C’est sympa mais je pense que je vais oublier ..
De retour dans le style habituel, c'est bien mais j'ai l'impression d'entendre le même album en boucle 3/5
Enjoyed it somewhat. Listened twice. Great performance but held back by production imo. Not as lively as his contemporaries. But what to do I know really
I have to say, I am not well-versed in the soul genre; I have no idea what makes a soul album good or bad. This was just alright to me. Mr. Burke has a good, powerful voice that delivers the lyrics with great feeling, but after a few songs, they really started to meld together. There was very little variety from song to song, both musically and thematically. I’ll give it a 3/5 because it was mostly enjoyable, but kind of bland.
This music always has a tinge of nostalgia. Gauzy memory flashbacks in holiday movies, etc.
At first, I really wasn't sure I was going to like it. It's a fine album, but I started skipping the songs about halfway through if they didn't get my interest after 30 seconds. I don't think I'd go out of my way to listen to any of the songs, but I wouldn't turn any of them off if they came on. Skipped: Can't Nobody Love You, Just Out of Reach, You're Good For Me, Someone to Love Me, Beautiful Brown Eyes Neutral: Goodbye Baby, Won't You Give Him (One More Chance), If You Need Me, Ain't It Hard, Liked: Cry to Me, You Can't Love Them All, He'll Have To Go Loved: N/A Album Favourite: He'll Have To Go
4estrelas
Solomon Burke’s smoky voice perfectly captures the spirit of “rock ’n soul,” but the album as a whole feels a bit repetitive. After four or five songs, I started to lose interest a little.
279/1089 - Samey but great voice. Definitely a good pick for the historical value of this album too.
I only knew Cry to Me. Enjoyed the rest of this. Great voice.
Why is it just now I'm hearing him now?
Great voice, with great feel. Really gave it the "soul" in the title. I did find the soul was more prevalent than the "rock" aspect, though it fits that descriptor when considering it in the Elvis-era of "rock" over something more modern. Some of the songs had more of it, too, especially on the later half. Regardless of the genre, his vocal efforts filled each song with passion and emotion that made it worth listening to. My main negative is that it was mostly boring outside of the vocals. The instrumentation wasn't all that interesting and really seemed to be there just to accompany the vocals (which, again, were great). That made it feel less engaging as it went, even though it was pretty short. Also gotta knock it down a bit since the artist didn't write the songs, which is my preference in these evaluations. Still, giving it a lot of credit for the performance and execution. It was a good listen. Overall: 3.5/5
Such a great voice. Nice listen.
Solomon Burke's incredible, soulful voice that shines throughout the album. While the lyrics and backing musicianship are excellent, some moments do feel a bit boring.
Classic soul. Not something I'd come across before but very enjoyable.
I was worried I might have a dud here but I actually quite enjoyed this. Very soulful, excellent voice, but perhaps a touch samey over the course of what is a very polite 35 minute run time. Cry To Me is a highlight and looking over reviews, it was featured in ‘Dirty Dancing’, which I have seen more than I care to admit thanks to having an older sister, although I didn’t specifically remember this song. It’s clearly influential, and whilst there is definitely a place for this, I’m not sure when I’d return here, although in the right mood, if someone put it on, I’d be happy enough to listen.
Solid Atlantic soul record with all the usual strengths and flaws like uneven songwriting and lyrics full of cliché. It's a fun listen, even if it doesn't surpass its peers in my book.
6/10… Soul
Some nice, soulful music. Nothing stood out as being particularly outstanding, but it's a decent listen overall.
very soulful, a great voice. An easy listening album. Not a lot of variety between songs. Feels like a Sunday morning vibe
This album is that old gospel/soul sound that I used to hear on R&B dusty radio on Sunday afternoons back in the 80's. That 60's soul sound from Atlantic records that was more earthy and gritty than the Motown sound that was blowing up.
Nice listen
As a massive IDLES fan I was familiar with Cry To Me although not the original artists version. Superb voice this guy and I’m embarrassed I’ve not heard of him before. Really good album with only a couple of songs that haven’t aged so well.
I always enjoy listening to the beginnings of rock and roll and this album was no exception. I won’t revisit it but I didn’t not enjoy it.
Pretty cool. Gave me Good Friday vibes
I enjoyed this very much. I had never heard of Solomon Burke, but not anymore.
Good, but a bit generic and boring soul. I like soul with a bit more grit than this.
Lovely voice, pretty standard songs for the genre, I did enjoy it a lot though. 3.4
6/10 Such a great voice, just the songs are not up there with it.
This was pleasant but I can’t say I will come back to this much, worth hearing for the history but not enough meat on the bone for me.
It’s historically important, and it’s fun/energetic, but it all blended together. Although I can recall the feeling and style of the music, a day after having listened, I can’t name a standout track.
A fun and pleasant romp, but of the other 60's albums I've listened to on this list, this one strikes me as the one with the least variety and least staying power. Still, decent.
Not a bad album, but it did just make me want to put on Sam Cooke.
Jazz/Gospel je dirais, plutot bien oour des moment calme ou juste un petit peu moins que calme
Quite good, its not as straightforwardly rock n' roll as that Little Richard album, which I think I like a lot more, its got elements of Soul stuff and also I feel like there's some Latin stuff in there a bit, notably with the acoustic guitars on some songs. The stacked backing vocals are also really good, and his singing is quite good as well and I feel like totally inspired people like Robert Plant. Not really too much else to say, I always feel like stuff from this era is a bit limited, but I guess this expands it a bit. He also has a few vocals styles so he's not always just yelling. Favourite songs: out of reach (of my two empty arms), won't you give him (one more chance), Beautiful brown eyes. Overall around 6/10
Enjoyable.
Trevligt
Sweet men kanske inte så spännande. Men nosar på högre betyg.
I remembered on listening that Cry to Me by IDLES is a cover
Burke is an undoubtedly talented and expressive performer capable of embodying the wide range of emotions, but unfortunately the songs on this record aren't much more than garden-variety mid-60s R&B.
Fun easy listen, his voice is amazing
Great horns. Good voice. Like it as a 60s album but not my thing overall
I appreciate this for the kind of music it is but this album is more “introspective scenes in The Sopranos” music than it is “classic R&B road trip” type music.
Decent Soul album, but it doesnt speak to me.
Great singing throughout, but it’s tough to fully connect with an album from this time period. Still an enjoyable listen today though.
Old enough it’s cool again. Enjoyable. Call and response backup singers were fun, as was the little doowop kinda vibe on some tracks.
Black Elvis ballads 3
Great singer. Great songs. 👍
This sounds like the 60's. Not necessarily bad, but definitely not my thing.
Just one excellent song among other just fine songs
Classic R&B and soul with some early rock and roll elements and great vocal performance. A little repetitive but overall a nice listen.
Powerful voice, great performances and brilliant songs. The background accompaniments are simple, but effective. It's no wonder he was copied so extensively.
Nice work Sandra
Nearly everything I know about Solomon Burke (which is admittedly very little) came from reading Nick Hornby's High Fidelity. (Weirdly the track listing/order on Apple Music does not match what is on the cover or on Wikipedia. But the Wikipedia page also lists only Burke (vocals) in the "Personnel" section and I definitely hear instruments being played, so who knows...) The lyrics to "He'll Have to Go" are kind of hilarious. "Hard Ain't It Hard" sent me down a Woody Guthrie rabbit hole. Good album.
First listen, beautiful voice. I like the epiphany that he can and will fuck all those women up there on the street. Took me multiple tries to finish 5/10
I was whelmed
This one was nice to throw on, mostly because I like getting more 60s rock, R&B, and soul albums in the mix. It’s got that warm, classic vibe that just feels easy to listen to, and the mix of styles kept things moving. The downside is nothing really jumped out. There weren’t any songs that made me stop what I was doing or want to go back and play them again. It worked best as background music while I was doing other stuff. Overall, Rock n’ Soul was fine. Not bad at all, just not super memorable either. It’s the kind of album you don’t mind having on, but you probably won’t be talking about it afterward.
Alright.
Listening to this will have you wishing you had a group of background singers to emphasize your mundane deeds. If the cake I'm baking needs 2 cups of sugar I need the singers to chime in after I add 1 cup with "he just needs 1, 1 more cup!"
3 out of 5. Not a bad voice, another album that would be good to cook to or something.
Pleasant, soothing, easy listening soul music.
Good soul album, just not great.
comme le nom l'indique
Maravilloso!
I didn't have strong feelings about this album. I liked all of the songs but none of them stood out to me. Solomon has a nice, soulful voice. Lyrics were pretty generic. 6/10
Decent album not likely to check it out again.
*1964. Rock and soul. *Sounds very 50s/early 60s. *Enjoyable enough, but won't revisit. RATING - 6/10
Very nice classic sound, very nice
I was expecting not to like this at all but pleasantly surprised. Nice, easy listen.
some good oldies here. 3/5
6/10
It's fine, it's nice for 50s rock n roll. It's classic, it's singles heavy, it is what it is
Really enjoyable. Good stuff that I've never heard before and that will go into rotation.
I thought I hadn’t heard of Solomon Burke until the first song Cry to me came on and I was like I know this. Unfortunately even though he has a great voice and there were some good other songs nothing quite hit the high of the opening track. The rest sounded a bit samey but on the whole an enjoyable listen.
3.5
Very similar in vibe to the Elvis we just did, this one is also pleasant enough, good voice but again nothing massively jumped out
Better than Coldplay
Nice sounding oldies, could be in fallout. More soul than rock
Pleasant 60s rock and soul from a guy who had a major impact on the way soul went. Happy to have listened, probably won't return.
Decent soul record
chill oldies vibes, similar to sam cooke
Objectivement bon mais un peu boring 🤷🏻♀️
Mjög fínt sólrokk.
Cool old sound
I'd heard of Soloman Burke but wasn't really aware of his work. Hes got a great voice and this was a nice, easy Saturday morning listen. Researching him online, it says he chose the title of this album as he was uncomfortable being associated with rhythm and blues, which he believed had "a stigma of profanity", because of his clean lifestyle and strong spiritual beliefs. Imagine my surprise on the catchy Hard, Ain't It Hard when I could of swore I heard him sing "that shit's hard" but according to the original lyrics it's actualky "that's sure hard". I'd give it a four if he had been a formative influence on gangsta rap but it's a very solid 3.
Okayes Album gibt einige Songs die ich mal gehört habe
I really enjoyed listening this album as soul had been a genre I was interested in, but never knew where to start. Solomon has a great voice and the tracks are very simple and melodic which will instantly hook you. The instrumentation might get repetitive at times or similar message, but over all these are great tracks and solid album to throw on and listen to. My top 3 songs are probably If You Need Me, Someone to Love Me, and You Can’t Love ‘Em All
3 08.15.2025
Maybe it’s because this album seemed to match my mood today, but I really enjoyed this one. He’s got the type of voice that I tend to like. I don’t even know what to say about it really, except that I loved the way it sounds. I was only familiar with the song Cry to Me, but then song after song was a win. The very last song He’ll Have to Go was probably my favorite overall.
3/5
It was as expected
Decent album. -3/5
A fine album for its time. Not a fan of the genre, but I appreciate it for what it is.
Fun stuff. Classic rock. Classic soul. Great voice
Great voice, and I love the old blues/soul sound. I can't fault it but somehow doubt I would listen to him again.
Very nice. Knew the name but didn’t know his was the King of Rock and Soul. Good tunes, will come back for more.
I don’t really have anything interesting to say about this kind of music. It’s all kind of the same to me. It hits me the same way that Leon bridges does - polished and pleasant but in the end, sort of empty.
Just discovered Burke a few weeks ago when a friend sent over his cover of A Change Is Gonna Come. Really soulful and long career This was huge at its time, but it doesn’t stand out too much from similar 60s stuff - otis Redding for example. 2.5 stars for me. Rounding up because its easy listening
A lot of fun and great vocals. Never overstayed it's welcome. Only a couple filler songs.
Good 60s vibes
Good voice and well executed, but hardly groundbreaking. There's a lot of other artists that do the same thing better.
Enjoyable little album.
Its not bad but definitely nothing special. Quite generic honestly. Favourite Song: Hard, Ain't It Hard
another solid r&b/soul album, just an enjoyable listen.
Sounded like generic 60s rock. Nothing stood out, and it sounded like a bunch of other stuff I've already listened to.
Good album, but no song I would specifically pick out and listen to
decent blues soul
Listening Notes: -Can't Nobody Love You: at this point, it started to feel that this was generic, if well done, soul music. Nothing very new or fresh. Of course like most soul music, the vocals are incredible. But I feel like everything here has been done before. Doesn't help that Burke directly references a few artists in this song who have said almost the same thing as him (But he's gonna say it better, he says) -In general by the end of the album I'm mostly just bored. This would be fine background music, but what has been accomplished here? -Out of reach feels like a combo of the worst of soul and the worst of Frank Sinatra. In general it took society longer to figure out slow slongs than it did to figure out fast ones... -On the other hand goodbye baby is much more defensible. Review: Frankly, maybe I'm not enough a soul fan, but I just don't really see what we've added from earlier soul records. I know with the benefit of being 60 years later that Mayfield and others will do crazy things with the genre, but this mostly feels like it's stalled in the wake of Redding or Cooke, but with less energy. It's absolutely fine soul, but the bar is high if you aren't going to do more with it.
This is #day359 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this was a pretty cool-sounding rock'n'soul, if you will. That's a classic record in the category of a 3 out of 5 to me. That is, I appreciate the historical value, and I don't mind listening to it, even though the music itself is quite outside of my wheelhouse. Love the bluesy undertones, though. Looking forward to #day360.
Great voice, of course. The production is so . . . old-fashioned, though. And not in an appealing way. For instance: songs that are spoken more than sung. Or: background singers that would make more sense these days in an amateurish radio ad. Etc. This is an album that looked backward (to the 50s) and not ahead to the R&B and rock revolutions that were already breaking.
pristojno, solidno, al nije moj đir
It was nice, really nice voice, I would put this album while I cook or a family reunion
#DÍA 12: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Yendo bastante atrás en el tiempo, a un momento del que he escuchado poca música, así que es genial poder empezar a explorarlo. Solomon Burke fue nombrado como el “rey del Rock ‘N Soul”, un término que deriva del matrimonio entre ambos estilos musicales (aunque aquí en AOTY se menciona como Rhythm and Blues, mejor conocido como R&B). Ha sido enriquecedor escuchar muchas ideas que serían tan influyentes en literalmente toda la música por venir, ya sea los Beatles, el R&B más contemporáneo o el Hip Hop, fijo que algún sample se ha hecho de este álbum. Es una lista completa de canciones de amor, sea de un corazón roto, amor imposible o un deseo incontrolable de amar. La voz de Solomon Burke es cálida y expresiva como poco, emociona con facilidad y puedo entender con facilidad por qué se le dio tal título en su día. Por otro lado instrumentalmente es bastante sólido, me gustaría buscar quién tocó la guitarra de este LP porque me ha parecido un estilo encantador. Eso sí, no es la experiencia de álbum más increíble que exista, aunque es normal dado el entendimiento que había por entonces del formato. En general ofrece temas sólidos del género, bien sentidas y que dan una imagen de época interesante. Favoritas: Cry to Me, Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye), If You Need Me, Can’t Nobody Love You, Won’t You Give Him (One More Chance) Menos favorita: Hard, Ain’t It Hard #DAY 12: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Going quite a ways back in time, to a moment from which I've heard little music, so it's great to start exploring it. Solomon Burke was named the "King of Rock 'N Soul," a term that comes from the marriage between both musical styles (although here on AOTY it’s mentioned as Rhythm and Blues, better known as R&B). It’s been enriching to hear so many ideas that would become incredibly influential in literally all music to come — whether it's the Beatles, more contemporary R&B, or Hip Hop — I’m sure some sample has been taken from this album. It’s a full list of love songs, whether about heartbreak, impossible love, or an uncontrollable desire to love. Solomon Burke’s voice is warm and deeply expressive — it stirs emotion with ease, and I can clearly understand why he was given such a title in his time. On the other hand, instrumentally it’s quite solid; I’d like to find out who played guitar on this LP because I find the style to be quite charming. That said, it’s not the most incredible album experience ever, which is understandable given the limited understanding of the album format at the time. Overall, it offers solid tracks of the genre, pretty heartfelt, and giving an interesting picture of the era. Favorites: Cry to Me, Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye), If You Need Me, Can’t Nobody Love You, Won’t You Give Him (One More Chance) Least favorite: Hard, Ain’t It Hard
coherent album, just no songs I'd put in my daily playlist.
Olz-tiney soul, quite good. 3.5 stars
3.5
Old King Solomon was a merry old soul… yeah, man! His personal life on quick glance is ‘massively’ more interesting than this album in fact. He ended up fathering 21 sprog which is a figure Elon Musk is still a third of the way to matching and on top of that he had 90 grand sprog. In the time leading up to his death from pulmonary embolism after being warned not to travel he weighed 350 pounds, looking like a cross between Ceelo Green and Jabba The Hutt and he insisted on performing on a throne which he had to be wheeled, forklifted or even air craned onto. In terms of this record specifically and its musical value, it’s a somewhat warm, amiable, silky sixties soul venture that gets just a little crusty and samey over its runtime. The key high points are Cry To Me because it’s a bit more classic and impassioned and is used in Dirty Dancing, Won’t You Give Him (One More Chance) because it’s janglier and parts of it sound like Sunny and also Jim Reeves cover He’ll Have To Go because Jim Reeves and He’ll Have To Go. Not a rock solid 4 overall. More of a shaky 3.5.
2.92
If You Need Me to tell you to listen to this album, then Goodbye Baby.
Have respect for him because he sung one of my favourite songs in the wire (fast train) but not hugely into this album. Didn’t move me Specific rating- 3.3 Fav song- cry to me Least fav- he’ll have to go
What an incredible voice! Which is why it's a shame that some of the songs on the album don't have him demonstrating how amazing his voice is. Favourite song: Cry to Me Least: Hard, Ain't It Hard
Se forja un sonido desde el sur. Solomon Burke es quien prendió la luz del nuevo género Rock ’N Soul en pleno auge de los derechos civiles en EE.UU. El nombre del álbum ya es un statement en sí mismo, y le da el lugar que merece en esta generación azarosa de discos. Ayudó a que Atlantic Records se convirtiera en una meca con santos de mi devoción: Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding o Sam Cooke. Su timbre de voz, los coros góspel y sus letras son un claro ejemplo de que es imposible escuchar este disco sin ser arrastrado a los años 60 —como elogio y como límite. Es un álbum que parece pausado en el tiempo, una cápsula perfecta para romantizar la nostalgia de una época no vivida. “If You Need Me” y “Cry to Me” muchos las reconocen por su aparición en Glee (o películas románticas), pero fueron piedras fundacionales del soul sureño en los años 60. Están lejos de ser simple relleno melódico. Es un gran disco si se lo toma por lo que es, sin exigirle más: un álbum de su época con una performance vocal exquisita, que va del discurso empoderado de iglesia al susurro cariñoso de una caricia. Siento que le dedicaría una canción de Solomon Burke a alguien que amo, para exigirle un dulce abrazo que contenga despues de volver a casa de estar romantizando la nostalgia por tanto tiempo que hasta hizo delicado el sonido de extrañar.
I like the space on this album. The songs are deceptively simple but each element is carefully crafted. It is a little one note though. Cheesy lyrics but that’s what this music is. Nice voice and harmonies too. Fav tracks - Cry to me - Just Out of Reach - Won’t You Give Him One More Chance - He’ll have to go