Reviews (page 9 of 13)
Good old soul music. Every now and then some other influence would present itself, like the horns in You Can’t Love ‘Em All, which made but a little more interesting. Good stuff, solid album.
The real problem is, despite being a foundation of Soul music, there isn’t really a lot to talk about. Burke’s got a decent voice, and the songs are all enjoyable, but there’s not really any individual track that stands out to me. Decent enough, and probably more influential than I’m giving it credit for, but nothing I’ll return to
Any fan of early soul and vocal R&B (Percy Sledge, Otis Redding, The Impressions, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, etc.) probably already knows Solomon Burke's music, and if you don't, you should. Ten times more interesting than Fats Domino and 100 times more authentic than Elvis just on the sheer range and expression of his voice.
176/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Quite chill
Kunnon vintage roknrollia, tosi hyvää leivontamusiikkia
This guy has a really solid voice that can be smooth or gritty. Otherwise, everything about this seems like pretty typical soul/R&B. It doesn’t stand out to me as notable or essential. It’s all pretty decent, musically competent, and a decent listen, but there’s nothing particularly special about it.
This was not a name I was familiar with, but after listening, it's pretty good. He's also a great singer. I think he's up there with Ben E King, Sam Cooke, and Wilson Pickett as a singer. Also Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye, but I don't think his songs quite compete there. 60' soul is not something I have a deep understanding and appreciation of, but I don't see why this guy is not up there with the other great soul singers of the era.
i i soul
Nice easy listen 3/5
Great album, real easy listening
Very good! 3.5/5
What a beautiful album! Loved his voice and the songs 5 ⭐️
Good music, not my style.
The lyricism on this album comes across really desperate to me. I know it's meant to be sweet but it gives off borderline stalker vibes. Anyways, in terms of the actual music, it's not bad. The singing well harmonized. I liked the band too. Overall, good not great.
molto laid back
I love the early Solomon Burke sides. His mix of deep soul, pop, blues and country is completely unique and this album is a perfect starting point for those looking to dive in.
Decent little album, quite catchy, feels a but latin for some reason.
Interesting record released post JFK, pre-Beatlemania. What that has to do with this I have no idea. Wasn’t familiar at all except the name slightly ringing a bell…Singer’s name or a comic book villain’s name? I don’t know, but I like this album.
Solomon Burke is a pretty cool name
Amazing voice! I listened to it in awe. The songs were fun but there was nothing that stood out to me in the instrumentals. But his voice man, just perfect.
“I’m coming to your party / And I won’t be able to stay / But I’m gonna kiss you one more time / Then I going away” Terrific soul. So much emotion in Burke’s singing, some great female backup singers too. There’s often pain in love and Burke reminds us of this in just about every song here.
mid-century soul is awesome
Nothing too important about this one. It’s fun, it’s soulful, but there are so many better albums than this in the genre, not sure why the author picked it. It has some good songs, buts it’s just an OK overall experiences.
I was familiar with Solomon Burke's name before but hadn't delved into this album until recently. To modern ears, the production might come across as a bit cutesy, and the mix between soul and rock could seem tame. However, considering its historical context, Rock 'N' Soul has a lot to offer. Burke’s commanding vocals shine throughout, with particular highlights being "Cry To Me" and "If You Need Me." These tracks exemplify Burke's ability to convey deep emotion and showcase the album's enduring appeal.
Never heard of this guy and so pleasantly surprised.
Soulful smooth and beautiful.
A pretty cool bluesy soul record, carried by Burke’s fantastic voice even when the writing wasn’t too exciting
Very tasty soul
Decent change up. It was nice to have a simple early 60s rock album. Still though there’s a lot more late 50s early 60s I’d rather listen to. Still enjoyed myself tho Rating: 2.9
Another album where I think it’s completely fine. The historical context was interesting to learn about. As a listening experience it was mostly good. But I don’t think I’ll ever consciously search for these songs ever again. But I’ll love it when they show up in a movie. 3/5
Funky start then mellows out a bit to some cull vibes
I like this, we need to make more music like this
I liked it, but it kinda makes me want to go listen to Janis Joplin.
Clearly I missed all the Soul units at the School of Rock. My bad, abviously. Quite the show. Apparently this is the guy is largely responsible for the Soul sound... and made 40 or 50 albums. Well, this is my "first date" with Solomon. I have no whimsical stories or oral histories to share. A comely voice - an album of hits, and prodiguous output. It will go on the 'listen again' pile. & right now its sounding good as a Friday afternoon beers and sunset music. The energy of a live show is right there alright. A solid 4 for now, but not the full gush just yet.
I had never heard this album before. In fact, in the 60’s, I doubt very much that I ever heard Burke on the radio. He never charted a single on the 2UE Top 40. Eventually I became familiar with Cry To Me - a classic indeed. It & Just Out Of Reach (Of MyTwo Empty Arms) were included on an Atlantic Records compilation, History Of Rhythm & Blues : The Beat Goes On 1961-62, which I picked up at Ashwoods. Ironic that Atlantic included Burke on this album, considering that ,according to Wiki at least, he hated being referred to as an r&b singer, for religious reasons. When I checked Volume 5 : 1962-1966 of the definitive Atlantic Rhythm & Blues history, one of 8 double albums released by Atlantic in 1985, neither of those tracks made the cut & the only track by Burke included there is If You Need Me, written by Wilson Pickett. No matter. The man had a unique voice, which you always recognise immediately as his voice. And when I finally did own a Solomon Burke album, his 2002 comeback album, Don’t Give Up On Me, that voice was still strong. Van Morrison, Yom Waits, Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe & Bob Dylan were among the songwriters who provided Burke with new songs for that album, which finally won him a Grammy. But Rock ‘N Soul is the real deal. Cry To Me & You Can’t Love ‘Em All both have that New York sound created by Leiber & Stoller & Phil Spector all over them (think Spanish Harlem). But his flirtation with country & western, exquisite on his version of He’ll Have To Go, while it may have been influenced by Ray Charles’s c&w crossover albums, sounds quite unique to me. A terrific record, which I’m thrilled to have finally heard.
I do not understand why Solomon Burke isn't as known and revered as Otis Redding or Wilson Pickett. He released a tonne of records on Atlantic that charted (in the US at least). He has a fantastic preacher's soul voice, and benefited from excellent production values. Jerry Wexler is clearly working from the Ray Charles playbook with his classy production on this album. Solomon Burke has, I think, always been around in the background. A cover of Everybody Needs Someone to Love features prominently in the Blue Brothers movie. Nick Hornby waxes lyrically about Got To Get You Off My Mind in High Fidelity (it's the song that is the meet-cute between Rob and Laura). I came across a random selection of his numerous singles on compilations, including a handful of tracks on the (excellent) Atlantic Rhythm & Blues series. but the track that really caught my ear is Home in your Heart, which appeared on a Mojo cover CD called Raw Soul. Since then, I've gone out of my way to pick up Solomon Burke singles when I see them. He was a terrific singles act for best part of 20 years. I know a few of the songs here (Cry To Me most notably) but hadn't heard the whole record before. Unusually for its vintage, this is a really strong album with really great production, six songs that charted as singles, and very little filler. I recognized a few of the songs, and enjoyed them all. You Can't Love 'Em All made me chuckle; I honestly believe that Solomon tried to love 'em all, despite the odds. I totally enjoyed this album all the way through, and can't understand why it isn't as famous or esteemed as Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul. In a perfect world, this would be a universally acclaimed five star classic. This really is a truly great early 60s soul album. But given the number of grade-A singles he released, a Best Of compilation is probably the real must-hear record for Solomon.
3.5
2.5 innocuous pop sould
Good blues, but not surprising
this is a beautiful record, showcasing the incredible vocals of solomon burke, a pioneering artist in the creation of the r&b/soul sound. i thought each track complimented each other nicely, allowing the album to flow smoothly, and giving an ambience to a room. being a bit of a philistine when it comes to this genre, i had not heard of solomon burke prior to listening to this album, but i am glad to have been enlightened to his art, and will definitely delve further into his back catalogue. for me, this album defines perfectly my reasons for participating in the 1001 albums generator, as it opens my eyes to so many artists i had yet to discover.
Solid older R&B album. I quite enjoyed this one. Really great voice.
decent but kind of forgettable
Oh yes! Brother Solomon Burke. The Bishop! The King of Soul! I loved this guy. He was overshadowed in his day by the likes of Ray Charles, Aretha and James Brown, but he sure had a God given voice and was a real character, on-stage and off. I'm throwing my first 5 stars, a royal flush!
Apt name for this album, some old-school rock with an R&B/soul feel to it. Enjoyed this one.
Fantastic album! Excellent quality singing and soul. I feel like discovering ppl like Solomon Burke is exactly why I’m doing this project. So solid. 3/5
4.0
I've never been a fan of Solomon Burke. This listen didn't change my mind either. I'm sure this is the bee's knees for some. And I can definitely hear his influence on vocalists that I do enjoy. But Solomon Burke still isn't for me.
great soul and rock album enjoy the guitar crazy to think there were 7 top 100 hits out of 12 songs
Sick. Cool performances.
soul, great album
Great. I liked it. Godd Soul or should i rather say rock n soul songs. sometimes i wished for more energy but not everyone is little richard... still great! 3.5/5.0
Great voice and good music. Just dropped off a bit through the album.
Pretty classic. Obviously impactful. Another tough one to rate. As an album, solid tracking but a bit redundant for my tastes.
I knew "Cry to Me," but I didn't know the name Solomon Burke. This is good comfort soul music in the vein of Sam Cooke. He even mentions Sam and Ray Charles in one of the Songs. I think it was "Can't Nobody Love You." I will listen to this again one day.
Pure rock and soul, baby. Putting tons of emotion into the music, you can feel it throughout.
Super album i bedste 60 stil til rock n roll
Very repetitive. The vocals are very impressive though. Maybe I just don't get this type of music. 2/5
I kind of like Cry to Me, Won’t You Give Him; I almost like Hard Ain’t It Hard
Enjoyable if not a bit repetitive. Fantastic vocals from Solomon and a good introduction to early soul music. The content also gets a bit repetitive, but it's still a good album.
This went right through me, totally average. Nice voice, nice songs, but done better by a lot of others.
Nice sound overall
While it may not have aged super gracefully, this record still seems to have a lot going for it. The voice is obviously incredible, and so are the instrumentals and harmonies. This is everything I want from an R&B record and it does it very well. Not to mention Solomon Burkes amazing influence on the world of soul. It’s insane how he isn’t talked about as much as the other greats.
Hyvää soulii! 3/5
Alkoi vahvemmin kuin päättyi, joten kolmoseen jää.
The first song was fun
Not really my style of rock or subject matter- lots about break ups or being cheated on. However, the songs are catchy enough and easy to listen to. Solomon and his background vocalists all sound great. I think the simplistic instrumentation style is definitely a product of the times, but is mostly effective. The vocals are really the highlight of the album though. Overall a solid Soul album, and I can see how it had a lot of influence over the early Soul and R&B genres
I'm a sucker for soul!
lovely soulful voice , but bit lacking in variety across a whole album .
Solid 2.5
Rock’n’Soul Easily one of the greatest soul voices, emotionally powerful with such lovely timbre, excellent control and superb range, from mellow and tender to rough and gritty. However this album suffers from the way albums were regarded in the early to mid sixties as a vehicle for singles plus any other stuff lying around. Consequently this is a bit all over the shop and doesn’t really feel like an album, although I can understand why it’s on the list, from a historical perspective and to acknowledge his skill as a singer. I’m not really that au fait with his full discography but it doesn’t feel like there is a definitive Solomon Burke album or period, in the way Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin had, but I know he did some great covers in the late 60s, and that Don’t Give Up On Me album from a few years back is well worth a listen if you don’t already know it. Not all of it, but much of the album does feel very rooted in its early 60s time period with songs dating back to 1961. You can hear the legacy of big band R’n’B in the arrangements and overall sound, particularly the slightly flat drum sound, the guitar and the saxophone heavy horns. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) is a good example of this, his voice is obviously great, but it really lacks punch. As a fan of Dirty Dancing I’ve always loved Cry to Me though, and it is a great song - it definitely stands out. For 1962 the piano motif feels ahead of its time, really giving the whole song a sense of dramatic tension. Won’t You Give Him One More Chance has slight Hawaiian vibes to me, and feels like a song from an Elvis movie or something. Great vocal of course but the song is pretty flimsy. If You Need Me’s bluesiness is a better vehicle for his voice, but it suffers from the production, overall sound and slightly anaemic sounding band. I like country vibes of Hard, Ain’t it Hard, which make sense as it's a Woody Guthrie song, and his vocal really is very lovely, but the backing vocals feel overly intrusive and the acoustic guitar in the left channel seems way too loud and high in the mix. Can’t Nobody Love You is good, another superb vocal, particularly when he lets loose from around 1.40 onwards. But again the production vaguely lets it down, although the horns are nicely restrained. He goes enjoyably full crooner on Just Out of my Reach (Of my Two Empty Arms), showing how versatile he is, and what a supercharged Dean Martin might sound like. You’re Good For Me follows a similar pattern, great great vocal but a largely uninspiring production and arrangement, although the guitar is pretty nice. The wonkiness of the recording of You Can’t Love Em All does jump out and the song itself is another of those slightly Elvis movie sounding songs, with mariachi horns this time. Someone to Love Me is great though, the guitar is very good and backing vocals, for the most part, are very sympathetic to his voice and sit nicely within the arrangement. The soulful in a bar at 3am sound is great, one of the few times on the album where the song and recording come up to meet the quality of his voice. Beautiful Brown Eyes continues that feel, although perhaps slightly less successfully than Someone to Love Me, the slightly flatulent sax being a bit distracting. I like He’ll Have To Go, the strings giving it a sense of harmonic range not that evident on the rest of the album, although the farty sax continues to make some more unwelcome contributions. I suppose it’s not really fair to judge this as a soul album against the classic soul sound of the mid 60s onwards, as that hadn’t been invented yet, and it’s tricky to judge it as an album in general, as these are all disparate recordings from a period of 3 or so years, never meant to be an album. Despite that you can’t help but yearn for a bit of the joyous playing of the Funk Brothers at Motown or the gritty southern soul sound of Booker T et al at Stax and for it to be a more considered collection of songs. I had a cursory listen to the two late 60s albums that are on Tidal and they do have more of that classic soul sound, which really suits his voice, but I think his popularity had waned a bit by then and it looks like he decided to go back to Gospel and God. Ultimately his voice is superb, and I don’t really mind what he sings as he sounds great, but musically this is way below someone of his quality - not because it’s poor, it’s just a reflection of the time it was recorded. I think a 3 is fair, musically and as an album it’s not re-listenable enough to be a 4, but he’s too good a singer for it to be a 2. 🪨🪨🪨 Playlist submission: Cry to Me
Great singer. Bishop. James Brown tried to but his title of King of Soul.
More rock and less soul and it might be alright.
This guy knows what's up in terms of soul. Great voice.
Beautiful music
The album title says it all. Just wonderful 60s rock and soul. One of my favorites so far.
My thought for how to sum up this album is "good for what ails you". I'm not sure how well I can articulate my feeling about that further but hopefully that makes sense to more people than just me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I think there is just something about the bluesy/rock style and his voice that just soothes my soul. He really seems to know how to use his voice very well, changing the sound up to suit each part of each song. THAT all said there are definitely enough songs on here that are "skippable" to me that it ends up being more of a 4 start than a 5 star for me. What is good is really incredible though. This will definitely be an album I reach for in the right mood.
Not too bad, but not really my thing
Pretty solid album, and one I wasn't familiar with before. It's certainly of it's time, but the quality of his voice brings this significantly above expectations. Would listen again.
great!
Fun album enjoyed 7/10
Very nice record - so warm sounding. I think it'd require many listens to really 'bed in', but I'm hitting it with a solid 4/5, because how could you not? Real golden era stuff. No particular favourite tracks.
pretty run of the mill 60s stuff nothing too impressive but its not my genre to criticise
Good stuff, old soul music with a bit of blues and gospel thrown in for good measure
New discovery for me! What a voice. I’m not sure of the timing, did he influence Elvis it was it the other way around? Or they just have similar influences. This album was too short, left me wanting more. Turns out he recorded for decades, so I know who I’ll be listening to today!
Solid soul album. There’s better stuff out there though.
Enjoyed this, and reminds me of a time when this kind of stuff was actually played on the radio. 3/5
Perfect album in preparing an evening dinner. Soooo romantic.
Fits this 60's era softer rock feel with a bit of jive thrown in.
Good collection of songs about love. Solomon Burke and his vocalists have great voices, and the music is a fun time. Very solid. Standouts: If You Need Me, Can’t Nobody Love You, Someone to Love Me, Won’t You Give Him (One More Chance), and You Can’t Love ‘Em All.
Very nice.
Nostalgia hitting hard
Riiight into the regular rotation. Also a reminder to always read the Wikipedia. Interesting that he had 21 kids and then one of his grandkids went on to write music for the soundtrack of the movie 21. Well not interesting, but two things.
What a voice.
Excellent, will Re listen
nice and chill, not bad
could i write poetry to this? n
Enjoyable 60s kind of pop without a clear breakthrough
5/5 Solomon's powerful voice penetrates simple love songs for a great set of tracks. The backing vocals are so on point and the instrumentals are full of life and soul on a remarkably consistent tracklist, which manages to continue feeling fresh as it progresses. Cry to Me 4/5 Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms) 5/5 Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) 5/5 If You Need Me 4/5 Can't Nobody Love You 4.5/5 Someone to Love Me 4/5 (LEAST FAV) You're Good for Me 5/5 Won't You Give Him (One More Chance) 4.5/5 Hard, Ain't It Hard 4.5/5 You Can't Love 'Em All 4.5/5 Beautiful Brown Eyes 5/5 He'll Have to Go 5/5 (FAV)
Good Album
There's nothing interesting about this album. Some songs were quite boring. I wouldn't call "Rock 'n Soul" bad though. "He'll Have to Go" is my favourite track. The lyrics of that song are quite good. 3 stars for "Rock 'n Soul".
Favorite: You’re Good for Me Early Philadelphia soul, appreciate that in context of ‘64 this was probably pretty rockin’ and soulful but pretty forgettable against the test of time.
An awesome listening experience. Great energy and definitely my favorite since Rio.
Lots of classics done in a unique style I've not experienced. Beautiful voice.
Cry to Me is one of my favorite soul songs ever, this was my favorite record so far
Really enjoyed this!
Good 60’s soul rock.
This was ok, but wouldn’t listen to again
Started out so strong but then you came back here due to absoluteboredom
This dude has a great voice and sound. Great rock and roll sound. The album though is very one dimensional with very little else to offer. I can see why its historically important but for me its very samey Favourite song: Cry to me Least favourite: nothing is bad but little stands out Album artwork: Standard cover
Ooo now here is a soulful voice for the ages! I first became familiar with Solomon Burke because of the Dirty Dancing soundtrack that I listened to endlessly in my pre-teen silly dilly dally girl days. And his emotive delivery of every note instantly captured my attention. I love his music, it is classic and classy, there's so much old world charm here. I adore him, this is a wonderful album for showcasing his artistry.
Old school vibes. Kinda cheesy. Dont love it.
What a great mix of rock and soul! Each song feels genuine, with a solid backing band that adds to the experience. It's an enjoyable listen for anyone who likes both genres, combining the energy and emotion in a way that's hard to beat.
I love the first song, otherwise it’s all the same.
Classic Blues. Old blues like this aren’t really my time, but it was a smooth listen.
-damn who broke this man’s heart i just wanna talk to them. i wanna fall in love again now… -The Spanish-sounding guitar toward the end of the album was an interesting feature and kept it from getting stagnant -Favorites are Can’t Nobody Love You and He’ll Have To Go
Good but not my type of music
Opening track "Cry to Me" 5 stars. Rock n' Soul. Bring it! Track 2 - sudden switch to Elvis impression doing a very dull country song. What's going on? It does pick up a bit after that (how could it not), but nothing comes close to the opening track. All a bit generic. Nice enough. And his voice is gorgeous. But overall, a bit meh.
This was a fine listen. Short songs, nice singing, kind of boring. First song almost had a John Fogerty sound to it and I got some Elvis vibes throughout as well. 5.5/10 (2.75/5)
I am very excited about this one I love Solomon’s voice. “Cry to Me” is so iconic I can’t imagine it not existing… imagine it’s 1964 and you hear this for the first time ever. Also I think “Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)” has a melody that sounds really familiar… I gotta figure that out. “Can’t nobody love you” is just one of my favorite songs ever. The instrumentation is “you can’t love me all” is awesome.. go horns go! This album is just great. The easiest 5/5.
I like rock music. I like soul music. However, this didn't really raise the bar at all for me. It was fine, but didn't grab my attention.
This is pretty cool!
Dug it!
Amazing vocalist but nothing particularly interesting about the music for me
When I was a teenager a lot of my eclectic style was being helped by my dad. He listened to rock, country, pop, jazz, and a healthy dose of folk/ singer songwriter stuff. He liked some of the stuff I listened to and I liked quite a bit of the stuff he did. One day an "oldy" came on the radio and the DJ made a deal of it. My dad said "I was around when this song came out. It sucked then, and it still sucks." The song in question was not a good song, I don't even remember what it was. Then my dad added something: "Just because a song is a 'classic' or an oldy or whatever, that does not make it automatically good." When I listened to this album, as a person who likes jazz and blues and this sort of genre, I had the feeling that it was... Ok. Nothing blew me away, I never paused and said "yeah, there it is." I am sure it is fine or whatever; but that is the problem. I won't remember it specifically and I don't want to need a companion booklet to understand why it is supposed to be great.
Solomon Burke has an incredible voice. The guitar work is sublime. The horns and backing singers provide the perfect punctuation. Overall I loved the arrangements and production.
I have to laugh at Just Out of Reach, because it sounded like the women's chorus was singing "just out of reach of my NPR." I don't really dig that style of backing vocals, so I was glad they only showed up on a couple tracks. This is a truly great album. It needs to be added to my rotation.
6/19/24. Some good, soulful blues for Juneteenth! Blues can be repetitive to me, but couldn't deny the vocals and slightly different arrangements in the songs. Will definitely revisit!
Nice early soul album. Added to my collection.
Really fun and funky - great easy listening!
Rather good.
It was just typical rock.
Smooth
Cry to Me bangertje Lekker hoor
No complaints really, not my typical style to listen to but recognisable songs which made it enjoyable
p69. 1964. 4 stars. One of the THE great soul voices on peak form, let down by some sub-par material. When it's good, it's brilliant.
2 1/2 Just sitä mitä paketissa luvataan
I liked it
Helt okay. Jeg behøver ikke at give min børneopsparing til Georg
This was a fun album with great vocals. Some of the subject matter was cringe but that is how it goes with old timey music.
The background singers! Also, wish I lost my virginity to this album.
Loved this entire album!
Decent. For all the soul and Motown that came out of the 1960s, I have heard so much better. None of it was bad, it just fell flat.
Wow - what a voice Some of the songs run out of steam a little but I could listen to him sing for years
Notable tracks: Cry to Me, Can't Nobody Love You
Easy
Gentle, Dirty Dancing soundtrack as song one - nice to know who wrote it!
okuu 7,5/10
Soul n rock
Good album.
Don't have much to say about it. Nice music from a bygone era
This was a very listenable album by someone I have come to learn is a soul legend. A mix of soul, blues and country (even what sounded like a mariachi-style brass arrangement in one of rhe later songs). A good example of an album.that rightly belongs in the list of "must listen" albums.
Surprised to see this was a mid 60s record. In terms of interesting sound, this was pretty far behind. Solomon has a cool and talented singing voice, but these songs are boring. The album drags almost from the very beginning. Disappointing.
Cry to Me !
Smooth but not my favorite genre.
I liked this a lot but I prefer Sam Cooke or Otis Redding.
If there were a college class, Soul 101, this would be essential listening.
Cry to Me is just an absolutely great song. I didn’t think some of the other songs were as engaging. I actually liked some of Solomon Burkes later albums better. But still, pretty good
I feel like it's important that I heard this and understood Burke's place in music history, but I don't see a compelling reason to come back to this.
feels more doo wop than either rock or soul, with a hint of Caribbean influence on a couple tunes. do love that there's a song basically about how he wants to fuck every woman but there's just too many.
This was a lot of fun! Somewhere between Elvis and Sam Cooke
This was a great listen. I always feel unqualified to judge music this old, but it had a lot of personality. 3.5 rounded up.
this was really fun! the country twist to some of the songs is such a good layer for otherwise great soul music
I really liked his voice, but unfortunately, I found the songs themselves to be kind of boring.
perfectly serviceable oldies that i am surprised i had not heard of. a squirrel listened with me and so that was cool i guess
Another album I expected to like more than I did. I think I have a hard time with the country-choir harmony backing vocals.
I get that it’s important to include albums like this in the book, because the Blues (especially Blues that influenced rock and soul) is an essential genre to cover in a book like this. I don’t hate it, but it also doesn’t pull me in. I find this style of blues very…bland, uncomplicated, and uncompelling. I just find a lot of the blues very basic, and to me, this sounds extremely dated, but rarely timeless. It’s not quite soulful enough to pull at my heartstrings, but not quite hard enough to rock. And god, does it drag! It felt like it was 90 minutes of the same song, and I was only half way through. Influential, sure, but not essential. If anything, revisiting it with modern ears makes it an even harder listen, unless you love this style of early ’60s music in general, which I don’t.
He's good a pretty good voice, but the songs didn't really stick out to me too much. I can see why he's overlooked.
Not an album I'd heard before, and it had many good songs. An enjoyable listen but maybe not excellent.
Nice listen. Don’t think it will stick to me.
Great vocals. Cry To Me Goodbye Baby (6/8) If You Need Me (Wilson Pickett) Can't Nobody Love You (lyrics reference Sam Cooke and Ray Charles) Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)
Absolutely loved this album. Never listened to it before but had it on repeat.
This album is outside of my usual listening habits but I enjoyed it. The guy has a big voice with a lot of range and the music has that distinctive 'oldies' sound which I'm a fan of. As an album however it started to grate on my ears halfway. That isn't to say it was unpleasant, I'd definitely relisten to some of the songs here in isolation, like 'Cry to Me', 'Goodbye Baby', and 'If you need me' being standouts.
This is another album on this journey where I had no prior knowledge of the artist, so this was a fun and ultimately quick exercise. Solomon Burke's 12 songs on this record are a terrific mix of 50's style doo-wop and some folky sounds as well. The opening tracks "Cry To Me" and "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) as well as "You're Good For Me" nail that quintessential jukebox soda fountain vibe, and have some incredible lead and backup vocals to boot. Then later in the record, Burke throws in some tracks that have more of a folksy "The Mamas & The Papas" sounds with "Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)" and "Hard, Ain't It Hard". Associating those two genres that are synonymous with the 50s and early 60s, Burke puts forth an excellent album here. Not usually one I'd go out of my way to listen to, but enjoyable nonetheless. 7/10
Like
It's pretty good but hard to see what distinguishes it from many other records of this genre
#227. A quality album that, as the title suggests, bridges the gap between rock and soul. A pretty good voice too that plays well with the style of music. 3/5: pretty good. Song added to playlist: Cry to Me I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
He has a really nice voice, and the background vocals really enhance his sound. He was super influential, and you can tell. Some of the lyrics were not great,(a product of their time I suppose) and I definitely enjoyed Won't You Give Him the most.
His voice is beautiful. It's a charming album, but it didn't suck me in. Rounding my 3.5 down to 3 stars. I love the songs and the feel of the album, but I don't wanna listen over and over again. Great as background music for a summertime date night.
Goodbye Baby If You Need Me Hard, Ain't It Hard Someone To Love Me
Sure, this album sounds groundbreaking for the soul music / rhythm'n blues genres, especially given the year it was released. Burke apparently didn't like the rhythm'n blues tag, oddly enough. But no matter what the particular tags are here, the lineage is crystal-clear. "Rock 'N Soul" indeed offers a template that Otis Redding or Marvin Gaye refined to quite sophisticated proportions a few years after. The thing is, I'm having trouble identifying what makes those songs so memorable. Unfair to call them "generic" when they paved the way for great things to come (maybe my ears are at fault today). But I would be hypocritical to say otherwise. At least for this micro-reviewing of this "historical" record. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums". 8/10 for more general purposes (5 for overall competency + 3 for historical reasons) Number of albums left to review: 190 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 350 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 203 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 258 (including this one)
It's fine... Kind of even liked it. But the arrangement is so old school I really don't see myself listening to it again.
Bland to the point of being a bit annoying. In the right mood I wouldn't mind this on in the background, but that day is not today.
What a great voice!
Solid
Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) 3.7 Cry to Me 3.5 Won't You Give Him (One More Chance) 3.2 If You Need Me 3.4 Hard, Ain't It Hard 3.3 Can't Nobody Love You 3.3 Just Out of Reach 3 You're Good for Me 3.4 You Can't Love Them All 3.4 Someone to Love Me 3.5 Beautiful Brown Eyes 3.4 He'll Have to Go 3.5 Score: 3.383333333
like it very much. strong voice and good songs. just your typical music ig.
Very interesting & soulful rock & roll/soul album, I'd never heard of Solomon before but I enjoyed this record, i generally find this sort of music boring after a couple of tracks but this one held my attention all the way through
Not bad at all. Lower 3 Sounds good. Missing a banger, but decent
Honestly, this is just a good classic soul album. It doesn't hold any significance to me, but it was a nice listen while making myself breakfast, and that’s what I wanted today.
This album contains a selection of love songs. The album itself is nice to have on while you relax or do something else as it's rather calm and soft.
Such a lovely voice and a great vibe. Wouldnt put this on to listen to regularly but def for a romantic eve
Pretty good soul music for it's time, high 2.
Good soulful sound and upbeat vibes. Back in the 60s I would have bought this but it doesn't hold up well by today's standards. I feel Burke helped set the tone for others to follow. 3/5
very boring but not exactly bad in any way. the most redeeming quality is its short length, if it was any longer it would drop to a 4/10 but with it being pretty short it just squeezes into being a 5/10
Decent chill old school soul. Nothing earth shattering, but I'm happy having listened to it.
Old timey
Motown feel
Good
Liked it! Liked the stuff that auto-played after (Jimmy Hughes, Garnet Mimms & the Enchanters, Little Willie John, James Hunter) a little more!
Ok now I understand why the Beatles were so popular
superb.
This was pretty good Ill go check out his other music
Classic. So good.
Again a great album by the great, late Solomon Burke!
Bueno, standard
Honestly a bit disappointed with this one. Not sure what I was expecting, but for an early Rock and Roll album it left me wanting. The first track sets you up for a greatness that the rest of the album didn’t rise to.
Funky but dated sound.
Such a lovely listen.
i have listened to this back to back all day. i love it.
He'll have to go :) sounds like Elvis
das ist gut
This was new to me and I very much loved it. Solomon's music will be fun to explore!
Definitely one everyone should be exposed to. Classic R & B.
I think this is a swing? Blues? Soul album? I don’t know but it was groovy nonetheless
Just sounds too old now. Seems good enough for a 2. Will I listen to again: 0%
Did not listen please ignore the rating.
classic soul album from 1964
Ik vind het chill om dit soort artiesten uit de 60s te bestuderen. Vaak haal ik alles en iedereen door elkaar, het lijkt ook soms iets te veel op elkaar. Dit album is daar geen uitzondering op. Desondanks is het echt een fijn luisterbaar album met een geweldige stem, laid-back instrumenten en heerlijke achtergrondkoortjes. Rating: 7/10 Highlights: Goodbye Baby, Baby Goodbye, Hard Ain’t it Hard, Cry to Me
Na het grandioze werk van Otis Redding en het wat minder grandioze werk van Ray Charles is dit het derde sleutelfiguur in de totstandkoming van moderne soul muziek. Het is al een stuk geavanceerder dan het ietwat oubollige album van Ray, en de variatie tussen blues riffs, folk gitaren, gospel en zelfs latino invloeden zorgt voor een hogere amusementswaarde. Ben wel een sucker voor krachtige achtergrondvocalen, die op dit album bij tijd en wijlen de show zelfs even stelen van de dominante stem van de tientonner Solomon. De eerste helft van het album bevat de betere individuele momenten, met de iconische opener 'Cry to Me' en de powerhouse 'Can't Nobody Love You'. Die tweede is wel echt het hoogtepunt van de plaat. De tweede helft heeft wat minder individuele souplesse, maar stelt wel de instrumentele variatie van het album ten toon, waar nummers als 'Hard, Ain't It Hard' bluegrass elementen bevatten, en 'You Can't Love 'Em All' zelfs even flirt met Mariachi-muziek. Het is over de gehele lengte echt minder spectaculair dan een ''Otis Blue'' van een jaar later, maar albums als deze doen het altijd wel goed bij mij. 7/10 Highlights: Cry to Me Can't Nobody Love You
Burke's stem is echt fantastisch en ik vind dit album wat minder afgezaagd dan veel soul-albums uit dezelfde jaren die toch veel van hetzelfde doen. Positief verrast dus door dit album en artiest wat toch altijd als verborgen parel verborgen is gebleven. Of iets ondergesneeuwd door de meer usual suspects uit de 50's/60's. De song Cry to Me kende ik natuurlijk al en ook een paar andere nummertjes had ik eerder wel eens opgeslagen, maar nooit bewust en (achteraf) met voldoende respect voor Solomon en dit album. Hoogtepunt van het album is Won't You Give Him (One More Chance). Het mist alleen een klein trommeltje en een ander ritme en dit is een lekkere reggae-track. Blijvertje. 7/10 Highlights Cry to Me Can't Nobody Love You Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)
Old black singers just wanted to fuck
I actually quite enjoyed this. Not too much to say other than it was a pleasant surprise and very listenable and avoids some of the samey vibes of so many similar albums from this era.
this was pleasant music. a bit samey across the album but solomon has a powerful and emotive voice. it's about a 3.5 for me. favorites: cry to me, can't nobody love you
This is such good classic soul. I had only heard a few of the songs before, but pretty much every song on the record is awesome. Listened to the first Elvis album yesterday, and it pales in comparison (literally). Would love to have a good vinyl pressing of this one too. Four stars.
"Rock 'N Soul" by Solomon Burke is a timeless masterpiece that effortlessly blends the gritty essence of rock with the soulful depths of rhythm and blues. From the moment the first track kicks in, Burke's commanding voice takes center stage, captivating listeners with its raw power and emotional resonance. Each song on the album is a testament to Burke's unparalleled talent as both a vocalist and a storyteller. Whether he's belting out heart-wrenching ballads or infusing upbeat rhythms with infectious energy, Burke's performance never fails to leave a lasting impression. Tracks like "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" and "Cry to Me" showcase his ability to evoke a wide range of emotions, while the driving force of the music keeps listeners hooked from start to finish. The production quality of "Rock 'N Soul" is also top-notch, with rich instrumentation and tight arrangements that complement Burke's vocals perfectly. The album's seamless fusion of rock and soul elements creates a sound that feels both classic and contemporary, ensuring its appeal to audiences of all generations. Overall, "Rock 'N Soul" is a must-listen for anyone who appreciates soulful music with a rock edge. Solomon Burke's unparalleled talent shines through in every note, making this album a true gem in the world of music.
Pure soul! Beautiful voice. 3/5
I don't feel that it completely inspired me. It was OK
Sounds like Elvis, but better
I'm not familiar with this artist, should be interesting. This is some interesting 60s rock, not too dissimilar from a lot of what else was out there during this time, but it's decent. It's not particularly memorable, but it was a good listen. 2/5
Really good.
Very good 4.1
Kinda forgettable, not bad not great. Sounds like my grandparents music
Not as different as I thought it was going to be, but not bad
A poor man's Otis Redding.
Lovely
good
Wasn’t looking forward to this but it was alright
Love me some soul
Nice. Favorite track: Cry To Me
such an incredible talent but the material - like so much in the 50s & early 60s, in all pop genres - is so constrained, almost ritualized, and safe
Ganz schön.
Dude can wail
Day89 - smooth, soulful. solomon burke could sing the phone book and make it sound cool
I had not recalled the artist's name but definitely knew Cry to Me. The whole album was aptly named and fun to listen to.
Excellent voice, enjoyable soul album, a bit monotonous
Feels like a typical soul-album of the era. Nice album but not something that really sticks.
Rating: 6/10 Good but not my thing.
Nice. Preferred the higher energy numbers, but it was a morning listen!
A pretty smooth listen, and recorded in pretty good quality for '64. That said, even for its time it seems it would have been a little dated in sound, with Beatlemania and the hippies right around the corner. Still, it's peak clean East Coast soul, and Burke probably deserves more recognition for that powerful voice.
Liked this - easy soul listening.
I had never heard of him before. Great listen
A little rock, soul, gospel and country, this guy has a style/vibe that makes me think of Sam Cooke. I'm also getting a little Tony Orlando. I enjoyed this. It's refreshing to get an album from an unknown artist that I'm able to listen to from beginning to end without feeling the need to fast-forward through it like a lot of the garbage that is served up here.
Really solid r&b that occasionally subverts your expectation and although I don't know this album well, seems to hold a large place in history. Excited to know more about it. Didn't blow me away but really enjoyed it, will need to listen more.
Inget speciellt har väl säkert stor betydelse och så men av att bara lyssna på det såhär så hör jag inget nytt för mina öron.
Yeah, it's fine.
actually kinda uncomfortable to listen to NNN
An enjoyable album
3.5
Just good rock'n'roll, just good soul. Might even be good doo-wop. I like the little bits with mallets towards the beginning. He'll be a nice addition to my collection.
It's fine. I'd put it on if I was sitting out on the patio and having a couple drinks, maybe. Don't think I'd add it to my regular music rotation, though.
I'm a sucker for this style of old soul. Reminds me of Sam Cook. And I love Sam Cook. Love this guy's singing style. I saw in his bio that inspired the Rolling Stones singer.
That's not my taste in musik. But ok
Fun album with a classic doowop vintage vibe. Great morning listen.
Soul is not something that I actively seek out, but I always enjoy it when it is on. There isn't much here that really pulled my ear, but I was vibing the whole way through. 35 minutes was about the right amount for this though. 3 / 5
Short and sweet. Good pipes. Good rhythm. A strong 3.
Weird that we have albums named Truth and Soul and Rock N' Soul on back to back days. Will never complain about a nice soul album coming up. The singing and easy instrumentals in the background are always a great change of pace to some of the weird ass albums that pop up some days.
A fun listen but nothing crazy note worthy. Classic rock n soul. Middle of the road 3. But holy shit I just read this dudes wiki - my man was a sex machine! He had 21 kids and a whopping 90 grandchildren! Imagine the family get togethers!
The songs, other than Cry To Me, are fine. Solomon songs the hell out of them, but can't quite elevate the material to anything special.
Really pleasant listen. It got a bit repetitive at times. Still, he has a wonderful voice and you can hear the influence he has on later artists.
Yaaayyyyy
This was great for what it was. A bit sparse for my taste though
Soul
I don't like a lot of soul music, but this was a great listen. The pace and tempo of the songs really live up to the "Rock" in the album title, and his voice is equal parts smooth and enough grit to be interesting. I'd definitely listen to this again.
"Rock 'N Soul" by Solomon Burke is a powerful and soulful album that showcases Burke's incredible vocal talents. Released in 1964, the album features a mix of rock and roll and soul tracks, including hits like "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" and "Cry to Me." Burke's voice is the standout feature of the album, with his deep, rich tone conveying a wide range of emotions. The arrangements are tight and energetic, with a lively rhythm section and soulful backing vocals. While some tracks may feel somewhat dated, overall, "Rock 'N Soul" is a classic example of 1960s soul music at its best. Fans of vintage soul and R&B will find much to enjoy in this album, which captures Burke at the height of his powers as a vocalist.
good, old and honest rock and soul, right
It is sad we don't hear more of Solomon Burke. He puts all the soul into Rock N' Soul with his powerful POWERFUL vocal performance. Shaping RnB and Soul music for years to come, with a classic old style rock and roll sound on this album
Good old fashioned soul for the lovelorn. I think I like my soul a bit grittier but it is what it is
This is super dated, very much feels like it is from the 60s. Compared to many other albums from the 60s this one doesn’t particularly stand out to me
Some great songs, some so so
That was a wonderful example of early Rock and Soul music. My girlfriend's going to love making out to it.
I love old people music. It never fails to make me FEEL something. So smooth, bluesy, and soulful - exquisite stuff!
Good record. I don't know if I would go out of my way to listen to this as it doesn't do that much for me.
His voice is wonderful. At times, this makes me a bit nostalgic for a time I have never known
Interesting... Solomon Burke has an incredible voice and killer vocal control. I was blown away by the way he can slip in and out of silky smooth and raspy vocals at will. But it's all in service of utterly generic soul music. I do understand that he's part of the defining the genre and respect his contributions there, but he just don't have that same magic you hear in Sam Cooke, Nina Simone, or Otis Redding. I think ultimately he sounds like he's singing ABOUT heartbreak instead of singing through it.
Nothing bad about this album but nothing particularly good. Great voice, just a little boring. I had this on over coffee on a Saturday morning and my wife remarked, "What the hell is this?"
frábær söngvari. ekki svo galið. 3,5.
Sock n roll.
sock n roul!
I think most music these days lack that raw emotion and I hate that for the new generation.
Chill classic spul
Amazing voice and some good tunes.
I was not familiar with this artist, but this seems to be an above average work for the genre and the time. Many of these early blues artists were so transformational and pivotal in terms of influencing British Invasion rock and American blues rock. Solid.
Early 60's soul singer I was surprised I had never heard of before, but his singing style reminded me some of Sam Cooke. Nice to listen to but it didn't seem particularly groundbreaking, but I've got less context on where he fits in with others of this era. My picks are Cry to Me and You're Good For Me.
Très belle voix, soul très classique (même s’il était dans les défricheurs) pour un album au final sans suffisamment de relief pour être mémorable. Je garde “Cry to me”. Un moment agréable mais pas de révélation comme j’ai pu en avoir précédemment dans cette liste.
Great soul album and a great voice (he sounds like John Fogerty at some points). The instruments and arrangements are what really pull this album together. To me, the thing that makes one soul album sound different from another is the band, and this band is great and has some really fun parts. The first half of this album is 5/5 second half isn't as strong and lowers it down to a 4 (but it is close to a 5).
Beautiful soul music with gorgeous arrangements and background vocals, and Burke’s performances are great (though not quite as raw and emotional as someone like Otis Redding). Really enjoyed this! 4.5 leaning 5.
A little too old school for me.
Plodding and dull throughout. He's got a decent voice but all the songs are like: 'I love my baby' 'baby come back' 'my baby ain't no good for me' 'baby I love you' Just couldn't be interested in it
The album is from before our time. Many songs sound similar with a bit too much Gospel background. A few songs were fillers. Glad to have listened, don’t need to hear it again. Doesn’t hold up to time. 1.8*s