Reviews (page 2 of 12)
What to say? It's amazing to have an excuse to listen to music from this era. It's so spacious, so warm, uplifting. Love the way this album blends country into soul and R&B. Says Wikipedia: "The album's integration of soul and country challenged racial barriers in popular music at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. In the process of recording the album, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to exercise complete artistic control over his own recording career."
muy cool
Bye Bye Love - 9/10. Jazzy and slick. Big fan. You Don't Know Me - 10/10. Goosebumps as soon as Mister Charles's voice kicked in. Half as Much - 10/10. Jazzy, slick, and smooth. Love the Big Band sound mixed in with the old-school Country/Western tunes. That saxophone solo alone gets this track a 10. I Love You so Much it Hurts - 8/10. Very good. Just a Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long Way) - 9/10. Nice Big Band arrangement, and Ray's vocals are outstanding. Born to Lose - 8/10. Very good. Worried Mind - 8/10. Very good. It Makes no Difference Now - 9/10. The horns cook, and Ray's voice is smooth. Great tune. You Win Again - 8/10. Great, bluesy tune. Backup vocals are rich and full, strings are well arranged. Careless Love - 9/10. Smooth and slick, just like the rest of the album so far. I Can't Stop Loving You - 11/10. One of the iconic Ray Charles songs (even though it's a cover, I know). This one goes to 11. Hey, Good Lookin' - 10/10. Somehow, Ray Charles covering Hank Williams doesn't feel like it would work, but it definitely does. This tune cooks. You Are My Sunshine - 9/10. This is a very interesting version of this standard. It's great, but it's unusual. No Letter Today - 9/10. A bluesy, Big Band swing beat under a pure, old-school Country song? I'll take more of this, please. Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You) - 9/10. Great. Don't Tell Me Your Troubles - 9/10. This one absolutely swings. Midnight - 9/10. Cool and outstanding. Oh Lonesome Me - 9/10. Outstanding tune with a swinging Big Band style. Take These Chains From My Heart - 9/10. Awesome arrangement and great vocals. Your Cheatin' Heart - 11/10. Once again, Ray Charles singing Hank Williams is a choice, and this is incredible. As good as the original. This one goes to 11. I'll Never Stand in Your Way - 8/10. Very good. Making Believe - 9/10. Great. Teardrops in My Heart - 8/10. Very good. Hang Your Head in Shame - 10/10. Nearly perfect. Overall Rating - 4.54/5 (9.08/10). I would not have thought Ray Charles covering old-school Country songs would be this good. Country with a Big Band Swing is crazy. Absolute killer album.
I like this one by Charles a bit better. In fact, this is probably the best thing I've heard from him so far. A pretty smooth jazz record.
Fantastic Top songs: Bye Bye Love, Just A Little Lovin, I Can’t Stop Loving You, You Are My Sunshine, Don’t Tell Me Your Troubles
eee absolutamente increioble me sorprendio la verdad, pense q el estilo me iba a aburrir un poco pero no. muy romantico y meloso puede der pero de todas formas es increible la viz de este tipo todo de laprimer a la ultima cancion
Had no idea there was a volume 2! Have owned 'volume 1' for years (it's not labeled volume 1 so I wouldn't have thought to go looking for a 2), but this was a great discovery. Loved it just as much as I love the original. While it's country by name, it's Ray through and through.
Sad and beautiful.
Amazing. Classic and beautiful work. Would actually be an easier 5 to give if it were shorter
An awful lot of the music I like is inconceivable without this. That said, I can do with less of the Jordanaires style backup singers.
- i do not know if this is technically big band jazz but i enjoyed it - bye bye love was stuck in my head all day - i just love jazz. i love some banger instrumentals and some backup singers and some beautiful vocals - there is a certain kind of wailing string opener that a lot of slower/sadder jazz pieces use and it enthralls me every single time bro - sometimes they sound like the pieces that would play in the background of old peanuts features/shows - only not a 5/5 because some of the slow songs blurred together for me. cut down the length of the album a little bit and it would've been so perfect - honorable mentions: hey good lookin', you are my sunshine - favorites: bye bye love, half as much, it makes no difference now (I LOVE SWUNG RHYTHMS!!!!!!), don't tell me your troubles - rating: 4.5/5
so fucking good makes you realize how everything else is trash on this list
This cured my scoliosis
makes me feel like everything’s gonna be alright
NO FUCKING SKIPS. 5/5
Maybe best breakup album of all time
absolutely!!!!
smooth ass album
ray charles again 5/5
It's about goddamned time this thing served me up a 5iver. I was beginning to think this was the 1001 albums of completely forgettable mediocrity. This man is brilliant. This album is amazing. 5 stars. Shout out to the Diet Pepsi commercials of my childhood
Fantastic.
Surprised how much I liked it. Not big on country but I like the way Ray does it.
It’s classic Ray Charles, what’s to complain about?
Ray Charles is great
ME ENCANTO
LOVE IT!
Love this :) (if you showed me any of these songs and told me it was in the soundtrack of the Fallout tv show I would believe you LOL, not a bad thing just makes me like it more)
Ray Charles – Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962) On Day 92, I found this project to be a decent and consistently great listen. It’s easy to see its historical influence and how it became such a landmark act. The first half, centered around big band and swing, gave me three standout tracks: "Bye Bye Love," "You Don't Know Me," and "Careless Love." The second, more "conscious" half of the LP really struck me at the perfect time. In the midnight quiet, tracks like "Take These Chains From My Heart" and "Your Cheatin' Heart" gelled perfectly with my lonesome mood. Ray’s vocal triumph and the immaculate production make this an incredibly cohesive body of work. A definitive 4.5/5.
INCREDIBLE!!!!!! CLASSIC!!!
8.5 loved it!!
This album just sounds like a good day.
Absolute masterpiece, 11/10
Another one I've never heard, but knew Ray Charles. And I think this album so far is near perfect. It has upbeat songs, ballads, soaring lyrics and melodies, swinging backing arrangements and soul. It's fun to catch the little bits of other songs Ray uses in his songs on this album.
Masterpiece
Absolutely fantastic
Of course I loved this - Ray Charles is awesome. Fun to hear “You Don’t Know me,” in particular, which made me picture the scene in Groundhog Day where it’s featured prominently. Anyway, the whole album was great, as expected.
Great album.
This was really great. To see how Ray Charles took these traditional country songs and managed to put together an entire album of soul & country songs without managing to lose the sound of either genre was fun. I listened to Volume 1 (since that is the album in the book) and then went back took a listen to Volume 2. There's not much of a difference in quality from one album to the other, so it's not like Ray Charles cherry-picked the songs he does the best. I can't really recommend any certain songs on here, as I would recommend this entire album. Fun listen and sets the standard for other soul & country artists who crossed over in the following 60 years.
Ray Charles patrí medzi mojich obľúbených hudobníkov, takže žiadnu nezávislú recenziu odo mňa nečakajte. Výborný album.
siempre genio Ray Charles
I mean come on
Country/western music through the lens of Jazz, Blues, and R&B. Given that these genres share musical it makes sense that a concept like this would work and Ray Charles executes it to perfection. Charles manages to put these songs through a different musical lense without having them lose their country/western core. I don't know many artists who could pull this off so effectively. 4.5/5 that I have no issue rounding up to a 5/5.
I loved his vocals this album definitely sounds like it is from the 60s but in the best way possible
Fue providencial que puse justo este disco para limpiar toda la casa.
My father was a huge county music fan so I heard the originals of most of these songs but these fully orchestrated versions are on another level.
Really enjoyed this. Good cozy listening
This is just great..Ray Charles is one those artists whose catalouge is so big I dont know where to start and this is a great entry.. i didnt realise how country this is also - so this for me is the real " Cowboy Carter", I Can't Stop Lovig You is gorgeous
lovely, added to my calm music
I love this album.
Jazzy, heartfelt, and fun. Just an overall good time with a nice balance of upbeat and melancholy that spans a nice gamut of love songs. Very easy listen
Talented artists can cover a song written within a genre they are not typically associated with and make us hear something new and different there. GENIUS artists, like Ray Charles, can take songs in just about any genre and make them something all their own. In a 1998 Fresh Air interview with Charles, host Terry Gross said this about as clearly as I can imagine it being said: "[W]hen I was young, some of your country songs were really big hits. You know, like "Born To Lose" and "You Don't Know Me" . . .. I didn't think of them as country songs. I thought of them as Ray Charles records." There are great songs here, written by great artists and with a history of great performances by other artists. But once you hear them on this album, it's virtually impossible to think of them as anything other than "Ray Charles songs."
Great album and very important at 5he time of its release marking one of the first crossover ps
Great American music. Ray Charles is the best!
няшно аренбишно зажигательно вот ю сеееей
Ray Charles out here proving that Country Music can be good if you just remove the country. LOL
oh HELL YEAH BROOOO
Absolutely incredible album. Easy 5 stars.
Amazing all around
"You don't know me" is a very special song, also, Ray Charles is always going to be top of any list.
Ray Charles is awesome. 5/5
Je n'avais jamais entendu Ray Charles auparavant (disons plutôt que j'en ai forcément entendu sans le savoir), donc j'étais plutôt content de profiter de cette occasion de le découvrir un peu. Et dis donc, quelle découverte ! En principe, je devrais dire que c'est dommage que ça ne soit pas du matériel original, mais en me renseignant sur l'album, je me rends compte que c'est au contraire ce qui fait sa force. Ray Charles a fait le choix d'interpréter à sa façon de country, largement associée aux blancs, à la sauce soul ce qui d'après Wikipédia est une décision lourde de sens, le tout en plein mouvement pour les droits civiques. Alors oui, dans ce contexte, on parle d'un album osé aux implications socio-politiques fortes. Et moi, ça me plaît. Mais cet album, c'est pas juste des choix artistiques osés, c'est aussi une interprétation en béton. Ray Charles a un charisme qui transforme ces chansons en ses propres titres. J'aurais jamais deviné que c'était un album de reprises si on me l'avait fait écouter hors contexte. Et il est accompagné d'une chorale qui souligne élégamment les titres de cet album, c'est excellent. C'est le 57e album que j'écoute et le premier à qui je mets 5 étoiles alors que je ne le connaissais pas avant qu'il arrive dans la liste.
Quite simply a perfect album. Want an album for a romantic moment? Here you go. Want a soundtrack to drown your sorrows to? This. Want to hear a gorgeous examination of the human experience? This album fits the bill. Can't recommend it enough.
I loved this. This is music guaranteed to put me in a good mood. It reminds me of growing up and the music I would listen to with my mom. 5/5
мед для ушей
If someone tried to make this record today it would be John Legend signing Morgan Wallen and Jellyroll songs.
Classic!
'Afraid and shy, I let my chance go by / A chance that you might love me too.' Tho there's so much more of this record that's essential not just for the learning of it but the pleasure of it, that line, as Ray sings it, is, for me, one of the great moments of the American arts. Perhaps it's that I'd never have thought to describe his voice as 'afraid' or 'shy,' tho it may be exactly that: the way he pulls and pushes, toils and invents, evinces the elements of fear and introversion. In other words, soul, even at its most upbeat and extroverted, is the cry of inwardness achieving innerness. Ray didn't just possess the power to reinvent country and western music as black art: he changed music. The liminality of the human voice now had its expression.
Loved how he used country songs and adds a soulful, jazzy, R&M twist to them
pretty great stuff here, some of it kind of sleepy but overall Ray Charles is amazing as usual
Solid songs. Fantastic arrangements. Probably not "modern" sounding even back when it was released, but this album is great. I'm reminded of an old joke/non-sequitur from growing up in the 70s/80s: "God is Love. Love is Blind. Ray Charles is blind. Ray Charles is God?" This album certainly makes a better case. Maybe not "the" God, but "A" God, to be sure. 5 stars.
A fine collection of songs sung smoothly and with great instrumentation with great backing vocals. Many Hank Willians songs and a few by Jimmie Davis.
fire
I will always give my people a 10/10
heartbreaking... painful, beautiful, whimsical...
This album fucks
Will be swaying to this
Lowkey Kind of a Sad Album from Mr. Ray Charles. The man's vocals are stellar, though.
What a great album to listen to while cooking NYE dinner!
Really liked the second part, I own the first album on vinyl, and never heard the other one.
Absolute banger. Love music like this. Have never listened to a Ray Charles album before (probably very few songs) and this was wonderful
So good.
9.3
Knew some of this music going in but was kind of mid on it. Got completely turned around. These reinterpretations take the songs (many of which are very good) to a whole other level. Absolutely fantastic Sunday morning music. (Have no idea why the book double-dips these two records; five stars is for the first one, which I think is a lot stronger and is the one most people think of when they think of this project)
Not something I usually listen to, but beautiful all the same.
baldezh
Eternally beautiful.
I hope ray got over the woman he was singing about. His voice is so soothing and he touches on heartbreak in a perfect way
Music genres are funny things and often used as gatekeeping barriers for reasons completely unrelated to the actual music. Not that long ago there was much clutching of pearls (and other, viler, reactions) in the Country music establishment when Beyoncé released her Cowboy Carter album. However, such genre crossing is nothing new as today’s 1962 album from the legendary Ray Charles demonstrates. He takes a fine selection of country classics and adds a soulful, jazzy, bluesy twist to them that works perfectly. It just goes to show that for all of their cultural differences C&W and the blues have common roots in the folk songs and traditions of the Mississippi delta and rural America. After all, songs like Your Cheatin’ Heart by Hank Williams speak to common human experiences of heartache as well finding joy in the simple pleasures of life. This really is an album to wallow in, and if it gets R&B fans to listen to more Country (and vice versa) then the world is all the better for it!
Nice hearing Rays voice in different songs
super
First of all, for me, “Modern Sounds...” is THE popular jazz album par excellence, laying the foundation for pretty much everything that came after it. This is due both to the great song selection and the high-quality performance and production, which easily meets today's standards even without most of the technology available today. Furthermore, this album is rightly considered a milestone in all the musical styles that Ray Charles incorporates during the recordings. Together with Ray Charles' power of integration and the associated social significance for the civil rights movement of the 1960s, “Modern Sounds...” is one of the few albums whose importance cannot be overestimated – legendary++ or 12/10.
Great songs + Great Singer = Great lp.
Fantastic classic. First time I’ve heard and will continue listening.
mostly romance, lots of smooth and controlled vocals and really nice instrument tones. Very enjoyable overall
It's pretty remarkable. The sound is fantastic, first of all. Ray Charles as a vocalist is a force of nature. For me, he has become a symbol and and an example- you know Richard Emanuel, he has a Ray quality in him. I think the country sound really suits him well. Especially when you consider the many styles captured here. He's shifting effortlessly between bangers and ballads, his soft and powerful moment are incredible at the same level. The beauty and perfection of his voice is outstanding, while being very emotional and human at the same time. Other elements are just as strong. The arrangements and playing is fantastic. Very lively. The chorus vocals are, at the right moment, simply divine. Bless you king Ray, you can make a non believer like me pray! I feel like a 5 today.
Maybe my favorite so far
Volume 1 Damn...I am a happy guy now. This is a killer. And I'm singing every song. 5 stars. Can't wait for Volume 2, coming up! Volume 2 As good if not better. My only "complaint": Neither volume was long enough. I could've enjoyed an hour or more. Truly a classic.
JESUSSSSS CHRISTTT?!?!?!
Amazing.
Great ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ray Charles is such a delight and relaxes the body from negativity. Having this album being 2 disks on Spotify, I had a wonderful morning.
Maravilhoso
a "fusion" album that covers traditional country songs with blues. Fantastic album to get you in the winter/holiday mood. Favorite track: I can't stop loving you other picks: you don't know me, worried mind, your cheating heart
Ray Charles's *Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music* is a landmark album that successfully reinterprets country standards through R&B, soul, and big band arrangements. While praised for its artistic vision and cultural impact, some critiques note its polished production can feel dated. Here is a quick overview of the album's essential details: | **Aspect** | **Details** | | :--- | :--- | | **Release Year** | 1962 | | **Label** | ABC-Paramount | | **Producer** | Sid Feller | | **Key Arrangers** | Gil Fuller, Gerald Wilson (big band), Marty Paich (strings) | | **Key Singles** | "I Can't Stop Loving You", "You Don't Know Me", "Born to Lose", "Careless Love" | ### 🎵 Music and Production The album's sound is defined by its sophisticated fusion of genres, moving away from Charles's earlier R&B work . - **Dual Arrangement Styles**: The album alternates between two main sounds. Some tracks feature lush, string-laden arrangements with a choir (e.g., "I Can't Stop Loving You"), while others are driven by a swinging, brass-heavy big band (e.g., "Bye Bye, Love") . - **Charles's Vocal Performance**: Charles's singing is the centerpiece. He delivers the lyrics with profound emotion, blending the melancholy of country with the raw, soulful intensity of gospel and R&B . He avoids imitation, making each song distinctly his own . - **Genre Fusion**: Instead of using traditional country instruments like pedal steel guitar, Charles and his team re-arranged the songs using pop, R&B, and jazz forms, proving the songs' versatility and emotional core . ### 📝 Lyrics and Themes The album's power comes from its focus on universal and deeply felt emotions. - **Heartbreak and Love**: The tracklist is dominated by ballads about loss, longing, and unrequited love. Songs like "You Don't Know Me" and "Born to Lose" are prime examples of this somber, melancholy mood . - **"The White Man's Blues"**: Charles often stated that he saw little difference between country and the blues, noting that both genres dealt with "earthy," honest, and down-to-earth emotions about life's struggles . This shared emotional ground is the album's foundational theme. ### 🌟 Influence and Legacy The album's impact extended far beyond the charts, affecting American culture and the music industry. - **Commercial and Critical Triumph**: The album was an immediate commercial success, selling 500,000 copies in its first three months and earning a gold certification . It brought Charles greater mainstream recognition and is frequently listed among the greatest albums of all time . - **Challenging Racial Barriers**: Released during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, the act of a Black artist mastering and popularizing "white" country music was a quietly revolutionary act that challenged the industry's racial divisions . Charles also promoted the album with integrated concerts in the South . - **Legacy in Music**: The album helped codify the Nashville/pop crossover sound and inspired countless artists to explore country music, effectively helping to establish a "Great American Songbook" from Music Row . It demonstrated that great songs could transcend genre . ### ⚖️ Pros and Cons A balanced view acknowledges both its groundbreaking achievements and its stylistic choices. | **Pros** | **Cons** | | :--- | :--- | | **Cultural Impact**: Broke down racial barriers in music and demonstrated genre universality . | **Dated Production**: Some modern listeners find the string arrangements and backing choirs overly lush or "stodgy," dating the sound to its era . | | **Artistic Vision**: A bold and cohesive concept executed with mastery and genuine appreciation for the source material . | **Lack of Raw Energy**: The polished, ballad-heavy approach lacks the raw, gritty energy and improvisational fire of Charles's earlier Atlantic R&B work . | | **Commercial Success**: Brought country songs to a massive pop and R&B audience, with multiple chart-topping singles . | **Repetitive Feel**: The focus on slow to mid-tempo ballads can create a somewhat samey listening experience, with less variety in pacing . | | **Vocal Performance**: Charles's soulful, emotionally resonant singing is widely considered the album's standout feature . | **Genre Purity**: From a country purist's perspective, the album removes the "twang" and specific instrumentation that defines the genre's traditional sound . | ### 💎 Final Verdict *Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music* is less a country album and more a masterful Ray Charles album that uses country music as its source material. Its greatest achievement lies in proving that the emotional core of music is universal, transcending the artificial boundaries of genre and race . While its production style may not appeal to all modern listeners, its historical importance, artistic confidence, and the sheer power of Charles's voice make it an essential and timeless listen.
Easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
pretty modern indeed
This is just brilliant. Ray is the master. Not a genre I am really into but the man just knows how to make great music and gets me in my soul
The arrangements on this album are so enjoyable.
I'm a simple man. I hear Ray Charles, I upvote.
Top notch. Love the style and song choices.
The one and only Ray Charles.
Si
Maró grazie
ma non mi salva le recensioniiiiiiiiwiiwiwiwi Comunque top album mi sono arricreata bellissime vibes ogni canzone era interessante a modo suo un 5 pieno x me
Ray Charles is one of my favorites, this was an instant 5 for me. He's got some serious pipes, sings like a beautiful bluesy angel. I mean c'mon, his last name is even my first name!
Just good listening to music. Not a bad song on it.
So good
Absolutely one of the best. Every track is memorable.
A few years ago, I would raid the thrift store/op shop record bins, hoping for an excellent vinyl. I struck lucky a few times with jazz records. The sort of album, I could toss on while making a cup of coffee on a morning, enjoying the morning sun and relaxing sound. I'd never got any Ray Charles, and when it said Country and Western (yes, that's right, both kinda!) I was a little unsure. The songs themselves don't sound at all in any country manner (except the odd string of notes). Hank Williams's 'Hey, Good looking!' has been given a big band revamp. And that's the highlight of this record, the backing band. It's strong, tasteful and very busy! Lovely cinematic style orchestration, jazzy horns and backing choir that sounds straight out of a 50s Disney movie. Charles can sing! Even the solemn numbers he still belts out with exceptional baritone. I suppose I never appreciated his pipes! This is the sort of album, I wish I picked up. I will get copy one day! And, usually 5 stars is for albums that I could proudly blast out of an aux chord in someone's car. But, hey, I don't care anymore! 5 stars!
An old classic I heard of bit never listened to. It was really nice!
This was already in my collection. The man is awesome!
Loved it
Amazing
Love Ray C
soul + country —> great stuff
Smooooooooth, baby.
super smooooth and nice, saved to listen again later. Love the vibe.
lounge music qui fait du bien
This album makes me wish I was in love and walking along a cobblestone path with my person. Omg I can't wait to cook an elaborate dinner while listening to this. I am just swaying at my desk imagining what life could be <3
I'm not really a fan of the big band or the choral accompaniment, but this album deserves a place in my Tidal library and merits five stars on the basis of Ray's voice alone.
good
this is music, my vibe, mi manada
Songs about love with a nice Big Band sound
These songs are fire and I don’t typically like this genre of music.
Not much to say here. Complete classic
Absolute masterpiece. If you're looking for Great American Album you could probably stop your search right here.
great fun
Heele goeie ochtend giets main chacater
he's at his best when he's rocking out joyfully. his softer, slower songs seem like wistful dirges, always accompanied by treacly strings and a disembodied choir who only seem to echo what he just sang.
Klinkt vanaf de eerste seconde like a million dollars. Big band, drums, achtergrond zang, oh weet je, doe ook maar een heel orkest. Toffe tracks met hele mooi arrangementen. Het enige dat ik kan zeggen is dat de titel en de grootsheid van de productie doet vermoeden dat het een soort beest is geworden dat niet helemaal Ray Charles is. Maar misschien ook een beetje record label / marketingafdeling. Het zijn ook covers natuurlijk. Maar toch 5 sterren.
Wow! Nooit echt in Ray Charles gedoken. Kende al veel hits maar dan gezongen door andere country artiesten door de jaren heen. Deze zijn onderdeel van de traditionals/classics en ik ken vooral uitvoeringen van: You Don’t Know Me, Born to Lose, It Makes No Difference Now (Willie Nelson), I Love You So Much It Hurts, Your Cheating Heart (Patsy Cline, Hank Williams), Hey Good Lookin’, Take These Chains From My Heart (Hank Williams) Niet zeker of we voor vol. 1 én 2 gaan, maar ook 2 is zeer de moeite waard. Nummers die ik niet kende als 'Teardrops In My Heart: Insane. Je hoort en voelt de pijn/sadness. Ik wist niet dat Ray Charles zo kwetsbaar kon klinken in z'n stem. Allemachtig ik smelt. Hetzelfde gaat o.a. op voor 'No Letter Today'. Random ander hoogtepunt: de If I Can Hmmmm's Like a Morning Dove in 'Careless Love' zijn echt enig. De productie, strijker/blazer arrangements klinken allemaal top notch. Uberhaupt zeer fan van de strijkers + koortje + glockenspiel combo. De zachtste drum brushes en contrabass, allemaal even warm en soothing. De meer uptempo songs zijn ook strak en snappy, al niet helemaal mijn ding. 'Hey Good Looking' vind ik toch minder dan de Hank Williams versie, al werkt hij wel prima ook zo swingy. Een beetje hetzelfde effect als Al Green's versie van 'For the Good Times' van Kris Kristofferson. Het werkt prima maar klinkt eigenlijk te funky. (alsof 'te funky' ooit iets negatiefs was) Maar 'I Love You So Much It Hurts' gaat toch wel bijna voorbij aan de Patsy Cline versie waar ik toch al een jaar of 20 zeer verknocht aan ben. Heel vet om deze country songs in een iets ander jasje te horen. Ik kende wel crossovers en dueten met Willie Nelson, (die heeft ook een uitmuntende versie van 'Georgia On My Mind') dus hij was nooit echt ver weg, maar toch vrijwel langs me heen gegaan. 'Georgia' is verreweg het meest bekend van Ray. Tevens niet geschreven door hem. Maar dat is wat deze man wist te doen met nummers van wie dan ook: bedrukken met de onlosmakelijke Ray Charles stempel. Oh ja hij is ook nog eens best aardig op de piano trouwens. "I think Ray Charles did as much as anybody when he did his country music album. Ray Charles broke down borders and showed the similarities between country music and R&B." - Willie Nelson Beste: Teardrops In My Heart, Teardrops In My Heart, Teardrops In My Heart, Teardrops In My Heart, Teardrops In My Heart, Teardrops In My Heart x100 <3 Minste: ? Albumhoes: Banger 5/5
Het begint al meteen weer goed met een lekker beginnummertje. Ook al is het 70 jaar oud, het kan mij nog steeds boeien, meer dan het album van little richard. De compositie van de bigband vibe spreekt me vooral erg aan met een grote verscheidenheid aan instrumenten. Af en toe wordt het iets te zoetsappig, maar het nummer erna kan mijn aandacht weer terugpakken. Ik heb zeker een paar nummers in mijn chill lijst en dinner playlist gegooid!
Stunning. Classic. Reimagined the genre. A black man at that time in America singing C&W. Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, et al thank you. As do I, sir!
It's just such a beautiful sound, isn't it? I have spent trying to and procrastinating on writing this review/babble, because... Well, this is one of **those** albums, where I feel such a deep connection to it that it can hardly be expressed in words. Like, there's so much I could say, but nothing would compare to just actually listening to this thing. Jus', these pretty and amazing as hell soul and big band interpretations of country and Western songs. They're all done up so incredibly that if the album wasn't called "MODERN SOUNDS IN COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC," you might not even know that that's what these songs were originally. They've been made uniquely Ray's, and, like, gawd, doin' this stuff with white people's music in 1962? Incredible. Honestly, I could throw out every other adjective in the thesaurus: astounding, astonishing, awe-inspiring... And I don't mean to overhype it **too** much; I hold a reverence for it, sure, but there's other stuff I'd put over it in my own top albums list... But I really just don't have the words to express what a pretty, soulful album this is. Ray's singing from the bottom of his soul, and it is something else to behold. What else can I even scrape up to say about this album? I guess the choir and strings can sound a little "Disney movie" sometimes — y'know, if you've ever heard a choir singing at the end of, like, PINOCCHIO or whatever... But that's hardly any reason to not consider this honestly one of the greatest albums ever made. It is just... That good, and I have nothing but love and respect for Ray, the composers and conductors, the players... Just, everyone involved with the making of this thing. So, please, if you've somehow stumbled across this review and haven't heard the album yet, what are you waiting for? Go put it on and let Ray sweep you away. Maybe these sounds ain't so modern anymore, but damn if they don't hold up. Goodness.
I’m at a 10. I feel like I’m floating. Just unbelievable, really. I’m too pressed for time to write anything that long, but I think if you take Ray Charles, some deeply reworked country songs, & an orchestra that perfectly compliments the natural charisma that he displays throughout this album, then you have the recipe for a masterpiece. Genuinely, I’m stunned to the point of speechlessness. I truly cannot believe this is from 1962, and I can’t believe how fucking crisp the 2024 remasters are on Spotify. This is our first Ray Charles album, and while I had a pretty damn healthy respect for the guy, I’ve never listened to one of his full albums like this. I’m aware of his hits, but they couldn’t have prepared me for this album. Far from it – Ray Charles feels like he’s singing these straight from his soul, and that’s the sort of mixture of total zen & true passion that you can only tap into a handful of times, in the most magical moments. Somehow, I think Ray Charles pulls it out on this album for almost all of the 12 tracks. Granted, that might just be because I fully closed my eyes and got absolutely lost in each track, but I think that’s the best way to listen to this album. The lyrics are a helpful enough guide, sure, but for this one, just let them go. Ray Charles will take the brain to places that feel like they’re a heartbeat away, if you allow him to take you there. I truly can’t explain what I felt while listening to this – the closest comparison I have is when we got “Lady Soul” by Aretha Franklin, and even then, this just felt different. It’s an easy, easy 10. Ray Charles might just be magic, man.
Use to not love the backing vocals (the Jordanairs I think?) in the past but they’ve grown. Masterpiece!
I like it a lot!!!
Ray Charles's interpretations of classic country and western songs as soul and big band tracks makes me as a musician think about the lines drawn between genres and how good songwriting is more universal than we realize. The album otherwise is incredibly enjoyable as well.
Just picked up a copy of this. It's been on my list for a long long long time. Unfortunately not the original mono pressing but one of the early stereo copies.Ray’s voice, paired with that orchestration and emotional weight, makes it feel like every track has gravity. You don't know me and I can't stop loving you have always been my favourites. I know historically this has always been an important album but it's nice to know that it is great as well. A must for any collection if you can still find one.
Great stuff, very cool he used those standards! Was maybe just having a great day but this is an easy 5, would re-listen at any time
I just love some mf jazz and à good sax if you know what I mean 😜
A classic.
Flawless
The fuckin balls on this guy. Need this album in the absolute worst way possible. Easy listening, phenomenal grooves. Felt like a bit of a crooner listening to this riding the subway home transported back to the 1960's. The only thing that took me out of the moment was the e-bike that kept bumping into my elbow.
Classics all around
Amazing complete album from start to finish. This is an absolute classic.
<3
perfect. absolutely loved this!!!!!
perfect album as far as im concerned
I enjoyed listening to this all day.
Classic. Part of the Great American Songbook. These songs are quintessential Ray Charles.
I’m a big Ray Charles fan. This was maybe the first real crossover album. Just fantastic.
Fantastic
It's Ray Charles. He's a five star artist in my book. This album is a classic and worth every listen.
Always a great time listening to Ray Charles. I don't have anything ill to say about this album. An entire album of big band covers of country songs is just what I needed today. I genuinely don't have too much to say about this. This album is a sure-fire way to get yourself laid if you had this record on vinyl and a nice bottle of Grenache. Also I can't deny the bias, as this shit reminds me a LOT of Fallout: New Vegas. Just a lovely listen all round.
11 - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (Ray Charles) ***** Not to glaze too hard but cover album or otherwise I feel like there is just a heavenly feeling to Ray’s music that has a relieving effect on the soul.
Some albums are 40 min long but feel like an eternity. This one is 1h+ long and felt way to short.
How can you have vocal cracks that are still in key?!! Idk how it’s done but Ray Charles seriously is one of the top 5 vocalists of all time. It’s not a perfect voice by any means but his range is impeccable. He hits the high notes with such ease and his low register just oozes of soul. If the whole background choir sound isn’t for you, I totally get it and wouldn’t argue against you but I think it just provides such a distinct flare for this time period in music. That in addition to the blaring horn sections. This is what I want out of brass, just some whaling saxophones and trumpets with some incredible jazz chords. And no Ray Charles album would be complete without talking about the Rayelettes, namely on you are my sunshine. That harmony at the very end with the c7 to f resolution just gives me goosebumps every time. I also love the arrangement of tracks on this album where it is simply a fast one then a slow one then a fast one, etc. It’s simple yet effective. I’m not positive on this but I do think this particular version is a reissue with more tracks on it which does hurt it a little bit, just because by the end some of the songs kind of start to run together but f that. “Genius” is thrown out a lot whenever talking about Ray Charles and it’s not hard to see why.
if this album did not exist we would have to invent it - my first 5 in my journey #musicsky #albumsky
I loved it! A lot of it was super catchy and upbeat, really easy to breeze through work with it in the background but that makes it harder to fully appreciate. I also dont think I've ever heard such a happy rendition of You Are My Sunshine. Funnily enough my favourite song from it was one of the more downtime ones, I love you so much it hurts.
Good
Favorite Track: You Don’t Know Me
Honestly, this album is just...wow. It's one of those records completely flip your expectations and leaves you with your jaw on the floor. Charles took classic country, swirled in his soulful genius, and BAM! You've got this incredible, genre-bending masterpiece The string arrangements are lush, his voice is pure emotion, and it just sounds amazing. It broke down walls and showed everyone what real musical magic sounds like.
#300 3.5.25
Perfect.
Great
The strings, the crooning, the backup vocals... an absolute soundscape that pulls me gently into its flow. Charles' phrasing is literally perfect and I'm taking notes.
Great range. Not sure if it was the edibles but one of my favorites
Ray Charles is forever pitch perfect. These arrangements turned a singular genre into timeless classics from the great American songbook.
Classic songs of my youth that still hold up.
Classic! Bold rhythms, excellent instrumentation, and masterful vocals.
Always wanted to listen to this and was surprised (pleasantly) by it. More orchestral than anticipated. Great album.
A national treasure. I prefer his more upbeat material, and the album title is a misnomer, but one cannot argue his talent or impact.
Just some beautiful crooning from Ray across the whole album.
Flawless
Ray Charles.
Great blend of pop songs, big band jazz, and rock n roll. Good energy and mix of fast and slow songs.
I listened to the 2009 version, which is a double album with 24 songs. These all are covers of country-western songs done in mellow Ray Charles style. I was too young to know the significance of this record, but apparently it was influential for black artists then.
Grateful to listen to this classic and timeless album!
Love it 5/5
Une somme en deux volumes, 24 titres, ça peut intimider. Ray Charles applique les recettes du swing, de la soul et du jazz aux vieux tubes country, et ça fonctionne à merveille avec sa voix, ces chœurs, son énergie et sa sensibilité. On reconnaît ces airs mais ils sont métamorphosés par ce traitement. Ces vieux cons de réac de la country ont dû détester, rendant ce disque encore plus sympathique. Depuis l’intro “Bye bye love”, “I can’t stop loving you” est absolument irrésistible, tout comme “Born to lose”, “Oh, Lonesome Me”, “Take these chains from my heart”, “I’ll never stand in your way”, “Teardrops in my heart”. Je ne savais pas que j’avais autant besoin d’un album de reprises soul de standards country par Ray Charles, mais content de le découvrir. Maintenant défi : lister et écouter les originaux. Lu dans un commentaires : "He took White music and made it Black, it's like reverse Elvis."
Genre and groundbreaking. Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Next
Truly enjoy this.
This is perfect!
kinda like old church hymns. relaxing and nostalgic kinda like when captain america finally got his dance kinda like jazz scenes from tom and jerry
So much fun. A great album.
When you consider the hysteria and backlash this year Beyonce had releasing a country and western album and then think of Ray Charles jumping genres in the early 60's- now, that takes big balls of steel! Listen to this, and consider that culture and genre jump in that very un-diverse world ......it's incredible. It sounds so natural and bloody good too, what a guy! Those balls of steel turned to golden for pulling this one off, one of the greatest, successful genre shifts of all time. for that reason alone it gets a big fat FIVE from me. The man himself once summed it up nicely by saying "Country & Blues aren't cousins they're blood brothers." Bravo Ray Charles!
obviously great. hit after hit! love his rendition of your cheating heart
Ray Charles!
There are simply artists and songs that are on another level - even a 5 doesn't seem enough to distinguish such works!
Top!
Perfect album.
Listened Before? N Timeless. Mr. Charles was an icon when I was born, and his music stands and speaks for itself all these years later. This was made in a time that didn't even resemble modern life, yet, the themes and music transfer so well - if you let them. There isn't any filler or a single bad song on this record... and it's a double album. Take note, modern artists and record companies, THIS is what true talent sounds like. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: I Can't Stop Loving You
Masterful perfect classic
Came to this
This is one of my all-time favorite albums—one of the greatest vocal performances by one of the greatest recording artists of all time. I've listened to it so much over the years that it doesn't really hit the way it used to, but still. I remember hearing Ray's version of "You Are My Sunshine" for the first time and feeling like a musical hole had been ripped open in my brain (in a good way). Every fucking note this guy sings here is just perfect. I don't love the choral stuff, but it works anyway—Ray is just that good. At this point, the ballads hold up the most for me, especially "You Don't Know Me" and "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)." The way his voice just overflows with emotion ... the guy was unbelievable!
Love it
Loved the vibe
Album excellent, le son est bien chaud et vintage, beaucoup de nuance et de dynamique dans le son, le mix est bon en entend tous les instruments et surtout les prises d'instruments respire on entend bien la room rien à dire c'est parfait.
Adding meaningful praise for a man whose nickname was The Genius is no easy task. On Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Ray Charles transforms country classics with such soulful conviction that the “country” label feels almost secondary. Charles’ piano playing is subtle yet masterful, grounding each track with blues-inflected left-hand bass and adding light syncopation and swing with his right hand. Instead of flashy solos, he offers precise riffs and brief flourishes that enhance the emotional weight of each song, complementing his soulful vocals. Charles redefines each genre by seamlessly blending country, blues, jazz, and R&B. His piano weaves bluesy bass lines, jazz-inspired swing, and gospel-rooted harmonies, while the lush orchestration borrows from big-band traditions, all while maintaining the simplicity of country melodies. The result is a sound uniquely his—soulful, expansive, and genre-defying. Compared to the originals, his versions are more immersive and emotionally charged, turning simple country storytelling into layered, soul-infused performances. Where the originals are crisp and direct, Charles’ interpretations are expansive and bold, blending genres and reimagining each song. This album exceeded my expectations, cementing Ray Charles as a master interpreter and boundary-breaker. Modern Sounds reaffirms his genius, proving he transcends genres making every song unmistakably his own. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? Sure. Would this release make my personal list? Every respectable list has to have some Ray Charles. This album is as good a point to start as any. Will I be listening to it again? Definitely.
Ray Charles is just too amazing. Simply great music all around no flaws. I dislike christmas themed albums but this one is special its top of the food chain for xmas albums.
ok
Again just ray being ray
Fantastic! Not really my cup of tea but perfectly executed. Not sure why Ray Charles doing country/western songs feels like a Christmas movie but it sure does. Definitely an album everyone should hear at least once.
Damn, this is just so smooth. Easiest 5 star I’ve given out yet. I could see some listeners being turned off by the choir as it’s certainly a sound of a time gone by that’s fallen out of fashion, but as a fan of classic country and western music, I’m desensitized to it at this point. The horns are to die for, especially on Half As Much. And that’s the best version of Your Cheating’ Heart I’ve ever heard. 5/5 Highlights: You Don’t Know Me Half As Much I Love You So Much It Hurts Worried Mind I Can’t Stop Loving You Your Cheatin’ Heart
chill and relaxing 5/5
What a fantastic album. 5/5
This album was amazing. It's our second Ray Charles album and I liked this one a lot more than "The Genius of Ray Charles". I'm not the biggest fan of the soulful crooning songs, but I love the big band swing tracks. This album had a much better mix of the two. "Bye Bye Love" is an amazing opener to the album. "Just A Little Lovin'" is a banger. My favorite song was "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles". It's impossible to not tap your foot. "Take These Chains From My Heart" was a slower song that I really liked. The album is a little long, and the crooning still gets a little too repetitive for me, but I'm still going to give this a 5. If it was 70% big swing and 30% slow tracks it would be a 10/10. 9/10
Really, really good. Jazzy and soulful. Loved the version of You are my Sunshine.
Absolute great album. Shitty that half the songs are not available on Spotify
Crazy, er isch soo guet. Ich ha vergesse gha wie geil er singt. Extrem spass fmacht zum lose
bye bye love i dere version isch so perfekt. ich ha scho lang e obsession mit dem album und spezifisch mit dem song. you dont love me au soo schöns arrangement und er cha siiiinge. ah stimmt half as much isch au do druff. de ha i au sooo viel glost mit so 17i (ich weirde teenie). i love you so much isch sooo schnulzig und s chörli tönt meega wie usde 40er johr in hollywood. just a little lovin isch wieder chli en uptempo swing dings und er slaaappt. D arrengements sind würklich nöd okay. Und wiener singt au nöd. Born to lose seeehr schön. ultra schmalzig aber zuu guet. worried mind genau gliich. huere schöni akkörd, text schmalzig ray bringt jedi emotion i jedem vibrato genaaau so übere wies mues sii aaaah it makes no difference now stimmt!! fuck jo stimmt holy shit. es fangt sooo langsam aah. aso es isch langsam. und minimalistischs arrangement und es baut aber scho uuf und überhaupt. uuusem nöd d blöser hits. so geil. de ray singe ghöre "i once was böind but now i see" bi careless love isch chli weird
Surprising title. Also surprising that I knew so many of the songs, but from cover versions!
The legend Ray Charles! No mistakes and nothing to talk about here. 5 stars!
Incredible smash hit that broke the conventions of the time. Ray Charles the crafter of Soul knocks it out with country music.
Genius
This is sublime. I don't love every song but it doesn't detract from the realiity that this is stellar on every level. I don't need to say more. Yet, I must shout out the the title. "Modern sounds in country and western music." Wow! to take a sublime jazz album and force it down the panicked throats of a bunch of rednecks, "threatening" to undermine their "genre"... the passive aggressiveness of this is almost as sublime as the music within it.
Loved this album! The jazzy remakes of classics of Hank Williams and Everly Brothers were quite impressive. The instruments and backup vocals were also spot on.
He never ceases to impress me. His style is very unique and executed very. His songwriting is also impressive he is a bard or poet writing ballads in the albums.
Bangers
She 1000 on my albums till I day
This confirms for me that with the exception of Johnny Cash and a small number of others, country music is best done by others. Though it is strange to call Ray Charles modern, his take on some old standards all sound brilliant, nostalgic, and modern all at the same time.
Great album, very smooth all the way around. I like old country songs so it was nice to hear Ray Charles sing a few in his voice.
A sublime walkthrough different emotions with the elegance of a slow ride at horseback, and the passion of a lover's kiss.
Gran disco. Principio de muchos estilos. Me encanto como lo canta.
Genius
The best durned versions of these songs that I ever heard, that’s for sure! A perfect balance of elegance and passion. I must say, I rarely go for that country twang, but this record just proves that a good song is a good song, especially when you have a master doing the interpretation.
9/10 At first I thought that this album is about an unrequited love and being rejected. And at some point it maybe a right thing to say. But in the middle of it I felt the other way around, that I couldn't manage to explain. Love is a hard thing to explain. And the love which is spoken there about is miserable, maybe unfair and difficult. I loved the story that goes through the lyrics. Simple language. Nevertheless it's strong and is right to place. The music reminded me of of some Disney movies soundtracks. Really nice and soulful album.
I loved this album, it reminds me of fallout new Vegas which is one of my favourite games
classic
Classic stuff, barely a miss here 5*
Pretty standard late-era swing crooning, but dang are the performances top-notch.
The GOAT
Großartige Sammlung von verbesserten Versionen der Originale. Seine Stimme ehrlicher als die zeitgenössischen weißen Dudes.
This is like a great 1940’s album but done in the 1960s. Really great so far.
shaking my ass one song sobbing uncontrollably the next
Hard to hate anything this man did.
Nice and smooth. Not sure I have anything to add as this is greatness
Vrolijk, emotioneel, mooie stem, mooie instrumenten, ga ik vaker luisteren
good
5/5. This is such a unique sound, it's hard to deny the influence and importance of this album. Ray's soulful tones through these country ballads and songs, adding big band saxophones and background vocals expands the power and simple vocals these songs contain. Just throwing these guitar and vocal songs into larger than life experiences is a masterclass in and of itself. Great song choices as well so just a bonus. Best Song: You Don't Know Me, Half As Much, Careless Love
Beautiful and big—expansive. Loved it, and felt as if, for some reason, I needed it today.
Normally this would be a 4 for me, but context matters. Appropriating these songs in 1962, re-arranging them (often for the better), and choosing songs with lines about chains and being a slave and having it harder than others suddenly becomes much more poignant. Don’t tell me he was blind to what he was doing.
This is how you can get me to enjoy Country and Western music.
Damn good album. Ray Charles is just phenomenal performer and the backing is just so classic. Very few misses on this, pretty much all great songs
Ray makes every song better.
One of the best albums of all time. This is one of the first CDs I ever remember listening to. My dad's favorite, and one of mine today. Really just amazing music, Ray Charles is great.
Great jazz, great themes, not so great artist if you’ve seen the biopic
The Genius. What else can be said?
What else is there to say? It's just legendary. Favorite track: Oh, Lonesome Me
Ive been wanting to listen to this album for a long time! Such amazing and beautiful soul and country! This album was one of gram parson’s biggest inspirations!
Ray Charles is royalty. I'd give anything from him five stars. But this album deserves them all (despite the occasional use of cheesy strings and mid-century white chorus). As an aside; Willie Nelson credits this album with making Country a commercially viable genre. With all of the ridiculous conversation over whether Beyonce's Cowboy Carter is Country, I never heard or read anyone cite to this album. To me it proved that that whole conversation was never about music.
This is the shizzle. Ray shows the hairs width difference between r and b and country. Jimmie Rogers, the Everly brothers and Hank Williams get their genius polished. Musical dna. 1500000
First impressions - I like a torch songs. Soothing and swoony. Then into fun big band. Back to serenading with strings. Oh he does the aching beauty well, and when he goes low the reediness of his voice disappears. Impressed by my first listen to Ray Charles, adding it to the pile of music from that generation which will be eternal.
I think Robert Christgau sums this album up best : "It transfigured pop, prefigured soul, and defined modern country & western music." Apparently I purchased the album sometime in the early 70’s at Ashwoods in Sydney for 85c. (I also have Volume Two, which was quickly recorded & released in the same year, after the huge success of this album. Apparently it cost me $2.00 at Cash Converters sometime in the 90’s.) As is shown in the 2004 biopic “Ray”, after over a decade of recording in the jazz & r&b genres, Charles had a big hankering to record with strings, & this was the album on which he achieved that aim, with amazing success. AllMusic's Stephen Cook writes that "Charles intones the sleepy-blue nuances of country crooners while still giving the songs a needed kick with his gospel outbursts." The fact is that over 60 years since these recordings were made, I sometimes find the strings & particularly the background singers when they sound particularly white, to be a little jarring. You Don’t Know Me is a good example of that, but what makes it work is the magical voice of Brother Ray. One of the great post-war vocalists. And once he started using strings & strayed from pure r&b, even my father started buying Ray Charles records. The other things behind the album’s greatness are the arrangements and the country songs chosen. Superb, whether you like those strings or not. I Can’t Stop Loving You (Don Gibson) & You Don’t Know Me (Eddy Arnold/Cindy Walker) are the standouts. I loved Ray before I’d ever heard of Hank Williams, who died when I was three. But ever since discovering him in the 70’s, he has been one of my favourite songwriters. And it’s just a treat to hear Charles’s voice interpret Hank’s lyrics on the two Hank tracks, You Win Again & Hey Good Lookin’, which also ends the album with a rousing big-band arrangement. The arrangements also reinvent The Everly Brothers’ hit Bye Bye Love (Bryant/Bryant) & the Curley Williams classic Half As Much. But let’s face it, Ray Charles could sing the telephone book & make it work.
I am having a really shitty week at work. Lots of stress and crazy deadlines. I'm tired and cranky, and this has been reflected in this week's review. But then there is this. This album (and its sequel, Vol. 2) are dead-set, must-own, classic records, and so enjoyable to listen to. Ray had a great ear for great songs, without fear or favour towards any genre. And then he sings the hell out of them, with absolutely terrific big band arrangements, strings and backing choir. everyone is at the peak of their powers. And despite Ray clearly aiming at a cross-over market (i.e. white people), he doesn't tone down the soul in his voice or playing. Don't get me wrong, I am also a big fan of his grittier RnB records, but I could listen to this all day. I've streamed it three times today already. I'm going to pull out my vinyl copies later and spin them too. Every home should have a copy of both volumes of this wonderful, wonderful album.
Absolutely loved it
While this isn’t a record I throw on every day, I’m not sure it’s possible to give it less than 5 stars. Hugely influential and probably the best example of Charles’ talents on record, it’s a fascinating listen from start to finish. There’s so much emotion in all the phrasing and delivery in Ray’s vocals and piano playing. His takes on these classic songs transform them into all new songs. I’m not sure I could listen to this and not have my mood elevated and my outlook brightened. This is music intended to lift up the soul and strengthen it even after it’s done. It should be required listening for everybody.
Awesome!
Nice. Love Ray Charles. 1962. Saw him twice in concert.
So beautiful. So artistic. Thanks, 1001 Albums Generator, for bringing this album to me.
Great album…first time listening to the entire album. I knew the hits but the rest was fresh. This is what all music should make one feel.
Incredible. Such a range of feelings. Smoooooth vocals
great
A timeless classic. Ray Charles has a fantastic voice and he effortlessly converts these country songs into beautiful swing and soul numbers. Fantastic all around! Note for Spotify Users: Volumes 1 & 2 are combined into one album on Spotify, but only Disc 1 was on the original album. Best Song: You Don't Know Me Weakest Song: I Can't Stop Loving You Album Score: 10/10
Timeless. Pure class. There's as much soul and rock & roll as countrypolitan. This sounds vibrant in any era, and I expect will continue to do so.
Obra fundamental de uno de los artistas esenciales del siglo XX. Sobre los hombros de Ray, James brown y Stevie Wonder (se les pueden sumar Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong Y Duke Ellington) se erigen una pléyade artistas del calibre de Prince, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Tina, Aretha, Marving Gaye, y un largo etcétera. Este disco tiene un valor excepcional, a ritmo de Big Band, con unos exquisitos arreglos que le sientan como un guante a la inconfundible voz de Ray. Se escucha de principio a fin y entra como la seda. Fino-filipino!! Que no incluya himnos como Hot the road Jack, Unchain my heart, What I´d say, Mess around, I got a woman, Hallelujah I Love Her So, Come Rain Or Come Shine, Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin, Let the Good Times Roll o Georgia on my mind y sin embargo sea su mejor disco dice mucho de la dimensión del mismo. Las canciones más recordadas son "Born to Lose", "Careless Love", "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "You Don't Know Me", aunque el Worried Mind de Buddy Guy merece la pena mucho. Publicó este mismo año otro volumen de canciones, con You are my sunshine como excepcional punta de lanza. Recordemos que estamos aun en la era Pre-Beatles (publican su primer single a finales de 1962) y otros artitas están aun muy lejos de sus mejores obras (Dylan, Beach Boys, Supremes, Stevie Wonder...) Otrso grandes discos de 1962 son los deHowlin' Wolf, Roy Orbison o Booker T.
An album I did not know existed and instantly made my “wanted on vinyl” list
Boy, country and western music has changed a lot over the years. This was very nice and easy to listen to, would make a good soundtrack to a lazy Saturday morning spend reading with a coffee.
There are good albums and there are historical albums. And then there’s this one, which is effortlessly both. Brother Ray probably did more for racial relations in the US with this album than any single person in the 1960s not named Martin or Malcolm.
Loved it
An artist with an incredible gift. Timeless music
Great album to cut your finger nails to.
10/10
damn this album came out 62..the year my dad was born! bye bye love is good. this is gonna be really good isnt it......hehe OKAY RE-LISTEN TO THIS!!!!!!!
Genius Ray Charles!!!
Hard to beat Ray's sound, especially from this era. I genuinely enjoyed this all the way through.
Not every track is a banger, but how on Earth did I not pay more attention to Ray Charles before this???? This was a great Monday morning listen as I was getting my act together to start my week. Some of it was a bit too "oldie" for me, but more often than not I found myself smiling or tapping my foot and just enjoying the listen. Go Ray!
Such a great album -- great songs, great arrangements, great voice. I'd listen to this anytime -- and certainly will again.
Pure voice. Horns and strings. Soul. Crystal clear recording. Space to breathe. Wonderful in every way.
This was wonderful
It shows you the versatility and Genius of Ray Charles.
God I am so sick I forgot how I feel about this album. 5/5 no misses and beautiful singing
Lovely. As always.
It's possibly my favorite thing in music when an artist covers a song in a new genre that is so well done, you feel like it was meant to sound that way all along. This double album does that magic trick 24 times in a row without breaking a sweat. As always, I like his ballads a little bit more, but there's not a bad song on this one. Masterpiece.
the Volume 1 is an easy 5-star decision, in the Volume 2 the sounds might start getting a tad repetitive but it does not really diminish the power of this work – it's worth 5 stars for its cultural significance alone the slower songs are so dreamy and the faster ones make me want to dance swing again
Ein Wunder: Country Hits für Big Band arrangiert! Danke Gerald Wilson, Gil Fuller.
Love the band! And Ray Charles is, like Johnny Cash, an iconic voice that helps to define American music over the last century. Simply LOVE this album. A bit mellow with orchestration but still brings a smile.
SO GOOD. Would listen to on repeat. Deserves its place in modern music history.