Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Didnt finish but very doowop era foxtrot music. Not my style but it was cool to see lines ive heard in rap songs

8.5/10

I liked it way more than I thought I would. Not my thing but undeniably good music.

Pretty nice collection from Ray.

Groundbreaking it may have been at the time, but it reads a bit schmaltzy now, when the strings and horns get heavy-handed (as on the otherwiste great "You Don't Know Me." But RC's delivery and phrasing – the sheer soulfulness of them – are excellent throughough and transcend the shortcomings (including iffy backing vocals on a few cuts). The formula works best with "Careless Love" and "Born to Lose" and "Someday," with their understated instrumentation and controlled tempos. "You Are My Sunshine" swings soulfully and has integrated, rather than ornamental, backing vocals) (noting that it might be a bonus cut). And as with other RC records, the singer seems a full notch better than some of the songs ("Hey Good Lookin'"); sure, these were hits and so, one supposes, what the peolpe wanted, but serving those fickle tastes isn't exactly a surefire path to the artistic pantheon. Bonus points in that one realizes now where one's father got one of the standard songs ("I Love You So Much") that he used to sing to us at bedtime, in the bath, etc.

“modern sounds in country and western music” has a weirdly nostalgic sound to it, despite me never hearing it before. the ornate backing vocalist and string section give this record an almost christmassy feel, one that warms the listener. charles’ voice is instantly soothing, and makes this album a very easy listen. i should like to here more of his work along this challenge, and hope to revisit this record.

The man had an amazing voice, and the big band music behind it makes it even better.

I was today years old when I learned Social Distortion did not write that song

if you're in the mood for it. it's a 5/5 imo

Pretty good and soulful.

Bye Bye Love 4 You Don't Know Me 3.8 Half as Much 3.7 I Love You So Much It Hurts 3.8 Just a Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long Way) 3.8 Born to Lose 3.6 Worried Mind 3.5 It Makes No Difference Now 3.7 You Win Again 3.4 Careless Love 3.5 I Can't Stop Loving You 3.7 Hey, Good Lookin' 3.6 Score: 3.675

Ray was in his bag here.

Finally something a little different this week. I am loving the vibe of this album - it reminds me of a sad Christmas, if that makes sense.

This is a fantastic album--to have the foresight to pull a scoffed at genre and open it up to jazz sensibilities is next level. This might be the swingingest country album ever.

goddamn i gotta get deeper into r&b 8/10

I skipped the second disc as only the first seems to be the original album. From what I can gather it is a historical significant album, but knowing none of that, it's a tight 39 minutes of reworking that holds up amazingly well. Ray's voice was impeccable as you'd expect, the song selection was nice and varied and the big band sounded great. Definitely will see a few tracks entering my weekend breakfast rotation.

Simply amazing.

Great album! Some soulful tunes in here

Really good

Muito bom!!!!

Für mich ist das ein sehr ungewöhnliches Album von Ray Charles. Viele ruhige Orchester Nummern, durchaus am Rande des Kitsches, aber sehr gut arrangiert und gesungen. Coverversionen sind gelungen.

Normally, I wouldn't like music like this because it's quite boring and repetitive, like all the music from those times. But with Ray Charles it's something different. He just captivates me somehow. I liked this a lot!

Kende dit album nog niet en eerlijk gezegd ken ik Ray Charles, buiten zijn hits, niet zo fantastisch goed. Maar damn, wijs album! Dikke 4 sterren hiervoor.

Wonderful music. This man just exudes music out of him.

Ray was a bit before my time, but I am lucky to have several kids who play orchestra. One is a trumpet player and one is piano. So I have come to appreciate jazz and R&B. My first impression looking at the cover was that I had missed something historically where Ray Charles invented country music. But digging in I can compare it to Postmodern Jukebox where popular hits are performed in a distinctive period style. If done well and with exceptional performers this concept works. Ray and his orchestra certainly fill the bill. After many decades that is where this album lands. As a period piece. A novelty. No matter how much raw energy and swing a genius like Ray Charles can muster to mix oil and water it will ultimately separate. Unlike Elvis who created something transformative that has stood the test of time this attempt to cast country in a an R&B mold produced a beautiful but ultimately dated result. An artifact. A curiosity. I enjoyed it though.

Enjoyable

Favourite tracks: bye bye love: you're cheating heart; born to lose; hey good looking

me gusta el genero musical y su voz es genial pero si escucho mucho me cansa

Great kusic

This album was great. While it’s hard to truly gauge these songs originally as “country and western” they do make a seamless tradition to R&B/Soul.

I’d never heard most of these songs and had no idea that they were originally country songs. The only one I was familiar with was the opening track, “Bye Bye Love” from the Everly Brothers version (and it never really would have occurred to me to consider it a country song). I tried to listen to the originals for comparison and couldn’t get through most of them. Country just isn’t my genre. With the exception of the opening track (of which I’d say Charles’ version is tied with the Everly Brothers for me), I vastly prefer the Ray Charles versions. His reimagining of the songs as blues/jazz/r&b songs greatly elevates them, at least in my opinion. It must have taken balls at the time, too, for a Black man to put out an album covering beloved country songs. There’s also something delightfully subversive about a Black man in the early 60s singing a country song with the lyric, Why don't you put your arms around me? And I'll be your slave 'Cause just a little lovin', baby Will go a long way I haven’t listened to much Ray Charles, but I really enjoyed this album. His voice is very smooth and soothing. The lush orchestration and choral accompaniments give this album a very old-Hollywood vibe — though it does get to be a bit much occasionally, it works well most of the time. It’s great to hear Charles break out the piano chops on songs like “Worried Mind” and “It Makes No Difference Now.” If there’s one downside to this album, I’d say it’s that some of the songs sound very similar, but that’s more the fault of the originals. 4/5

Day 37 - July 8th, 2024 Wonderful background music. 4/5

A bit long and one-note, but good.

Nice but long

bardzo przyjemne i uniwersalne

Of course his voice is amazing, of course the players on this record are all very skilled. Of course I enjoyed it. Really incredible. Enjoyed it the whole time. I would say though that its not music that I would listen at all times since it is indeed relaxing. Either way a great record. One of the things I enjoyed the most was the use of strings and the beautiful choir that would acompany the slower songs.

Very enjoyable. Ray’s sound is unique but his style brings a new life to these tunes.

Solid, some blues, not very country but good.

Enjoyed it! Didn't really feel like an Album, more like a series of great songs but I guess that's what an album is :') 4

Classic songs, bit of a bummer

4

Slow but good

Incredible vocals. Great big band chorus harmonies.

Warm gorgeous songs of love.

Wow this was great. I feel like we’ve been waiting for this one. Some classic renditions that overall reminded me of Sinatra and some old country singers. Not every song kept me but plenty stood out. This is a fantastic album.

Damn, actually a ton of hits on here. Ray Charles doing mostly (if not all) covers, including plenty of songs we know and love. Not sure how much this is really "country and western music," but it's 1962, who am I to judge? Regardless, great collection of great songs, Ray was the man. Favorite tracks: Bye Bye Love, Half as Much, Born to Lose, Worried Mind, Hey Good Lookin, Don't Tell Me Your Troubles, Oh Lonesome Me. Album art: Just a picture of Ray on a red background, with text describing the album. Again, 1962, so I'll give some grace, but it's certainly not memorable. 4/5

I don't usually listen to the 60s much but this album has surprised me by how calm and cozy it is. As the album is two albums in one, it is a lot of songs. I will give this a low 4/5 as the album does start to feel a bit long near the end.

Good but you knew that, didn’t you?

Ray Charles lowkey goated for this, I didn't know that any of these songs were originally country since they sound so good in the blues style. I really like from this genre of music since it this tends to be very melodious and of course the strings are always beautiful. It was all super pleasant, I could definitely love this more if I was in the mood and had more time to just relax and soak in the vibe for a while. Had many favourites including You Don't Know Me, I Love You So Much It Hurts, Born To Lose, You Win Again, I Can't Stop Loving You, Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You), Don't Tell Me Your Troubles, Take These Chains From My Heart, Your Cheatin' Heart, and Teardrops In My Heart, making this a 4 from me

The 1960s version of the Pop Goes Punk compilations. Ray Charles just being an absolute boss and reworking country songs into whatever genre he sees fit, making them catchy and characterful the whole time. Vols I and II have a combined running time of about 80 minutes but it honestly flew by. No songs in particular really stood out but the whole thing was smooth as hell

More songs in here that I knew than I expected. Possibly some due to samples. Like that some were short eg 2 minutes, whereas some songs can be too long. Classics.

This album was great all the way through. Finally an album with cultural significance that is also an incredible work of musical achievement, adapting these songs to a jazz/r and b style just brought them so much character. That being said, the style was very specific and I honestly would have liked to see more variety in the interpretations so for that it’s A teir

I do love listening to Ray Charles. It was a strong start to the album with Bye Bye Love and You Don't Know Me. Remained a strong album and a soothing listen.

I can’t help but wonder how many country music fans in the early 60s picked this up expecting something different. The rearrangement of old country standards must have put more than a few of them on edge. But this is a great work and a pleasure to listen to, although occasionally jarring to hear him refer to himself as a slave (albeit to love) and as having “once” been blind.

Some really good stuff on this one. I'd like most of the songs with the chorus better without the chorus. Some of the songs he chose to cover have some pretty corny lyrics, too, but those were probably typical of the time and genre. I'd probably like it better if it was a single album of just the stongest material. All told, still excellent.

Ray Charles is a legend and this double album has a ton of classics. Such a soothing voice

usual music preference towards metal, classical, electronic, and rap. 5. Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music: Listened to this while playing Elden Ring swinging around a greatsword. Ray Charles is great, I loved his bit in Blues Brothers. 8/10. I grew up with some of my parents Motown records and soul music scratches that same itch.

An enjoyable album of Ray Charles singing standards and classics

1. Liked Moss Garden as reminder of time in Japan. V Schneider my favorite. Surprised so much instrumental as I usually love Bowie’s sultry voice. Wanted to enjoy Neuköln for the German tie-in, but didn’t 😔 2. Not much of the piano I’m used to in conjunction with Ray Charles, but really impressed with his fine vocals and these country songs didn’t seem twangy to me. Enjoyed more than expected. Especially liked the first selection on volume 1, You Don’t Know Me.

It's just great music.

I feel like a lot of people can thank Ray Charles for getting a lot of sex over the last 60 odd years

I loved this! I haven’t ever listened to Ray Charles and did not expect this. Maybe his biggest hits that I would’ve heard are different? Like maybe the song selection here just worked for me? Not sure, but another very pleasant surprise.

This was a fun album to listen to and a very interesting album to read about. It basically consists of covers and reworks of country songs through a soul and R&B lens. What I find really impressive is that some of these songs even got radio play on country and western stations. Thanks to this album generator, I never would have listened to this album on my own, so I'm really excited to say that I enjoyed it and will definitely listen to it again in the future.

You Don't Know Me Born to Lose I Can't Stop Loving You

Country Soul, rhythm and blues, traditional pop. I'll say it straight up, did not like this album at all on first listen. I was very bored by it and could not wait for it to end. But I have it another shot the next day and turned a complete 180 on my opinion. It's sultry and beautiful, passionate and romantic. It's so smooth and powerful. Even the songs of longing and loneliness hit hard. Ray Charles has some pipes on him for sure. The more modern take on country classics was something I didn't like at first but I find the beauty in now. I don't know what happened but this album rules. Probably will revisit. 4/5

Pretty nice? I really didn't understand why this album was called this because I never thought that Ray Charles was country. That he was doing classic country songs in an R&B format makes so much more sense now.

Enjoyed this album! Love his voice and the vibes. A classic 4 ⭐️

unbelievably soothing and beautiful music that really encompasses the big band sound. Ranges from slow and emotional to high energy charleston type sounds.

Ray is a treasure and this album certainly shows why. He took old standards and gave the SOUL.

Objectively very good. The arrangements, performance, and recording quality is exceptional. I've discovered while doing this project, I tend to struggle to dig in and enjoy any form of vocal jazz or big band albums. So I recognize the importance and quality of this album but I have a hard time feeling drawn to it if that makes any sense.

Really enjoyed this, Ray is a bit of a genius and will listen to again, probably when the in laws are staying. Had a bit of everything and thank god it wasn't proper country music because that sucks.

Ray Charles has a great voice and these are gold standard American songs. Easy 4 stars.

A mix of good and great

Candle light, a good wine with you lover, possibly in a winter night....and Ray Charles music in the air.... That's how I feel about this album.... 4/5

smooth and finger waggin

I liked it but it was slightly disappointing because I was hoping more of the album would be jazzy big band like the first song. But other than that, fantastic album, his voice is incredible, it's obvious why he's one of the goats. Favorite Song: Bye Bye Love 8/10

Groovin! Love some oldies. Ray has a great voice, and I like the background chorus too. Y'all know I love some brass and strings. I feel like I'm in an old Disney movie. Top songs: You don't know me I love you so much it hurts Born to lose

I love me some Ray, though I do prefer his later stuff. This is still so good and such smooth riding.

Love this one - sad songs really were done best in this era. Smooth, easy listening, love the use of horns throughout.

Vinyl-worthy

great album with killer arrangements. It’s honestly a vibe. Just too much of the same vibe if you ask me.

Herrlich

Great arrangements. Ray is the Man.

Ray Charles has a marvellous voice and his command of the piano is on full display here. Whilst listening to the full two volumes in one sitting is perhaps a bit much, I have no doubt that one would thoroughly enjoy themselves sitting down and listening to these songs.

Great big band arrangements and inventive songwriting.

Some interesting adaptations

Great album.

cool

The charming voice of Ray Charles is basically half of the job done for the album. Add in some great music in the mix and we have an excellent record. Music heritage.

- Excellent! - Great for walking on my walking pad

Just good vibes here, great for a drive in the sun or late at night

Good background music

Una espectacular colección de canciones clásicas de country reinterpretadas con códigos de blues, jazz y R&B. La espectacular voz y carisma de Ray Charles transpira a través de cada una de las pistas de este LP doble, con una producción envidiable incluso para la época que pre-data incluso a The Beatles. Sumamente inspirador, relajando y recomendable.

Ray deciding to cover country western songs in 1962 is badass. Recently, we listened to Stardust by Willie Nelson where he did what he wanted by covering old standards (including Georgia on my Mind by Ray) instead of country as expected from him. Ray pulled off this move 16 years earlier - doing whatever he wanted to, pushing the boundaries and breaking down expectations. Love it. You don’t know me and You are my sunshine where my fav tracks.

What a legend and man is this just chock full of bangers featured in various movies. I think most of my Ray Charles listening comes from movie soundtracks. This was great.

I'd heard of Ray Charles, but never really actually listened to him. I understand why he was so popular and made a big impact on music in general.

Es muy buen disco, aunque no pude terminarlo.

Incredible stuff, but a little too much of it for me,

Great album, but loses a star for length.

I enjoyed. I’ll be listening to this more and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it more as I listen.

Soaring melodies and backing music that fit Ray’s vocals perfectly

Sounds good but a little corny at points.

I'm pretty sure I wrote a review for this already, but it looks like it didn't get submitted. I think this is the rating I gave, not sure though. It's skilled music even if it is a very long album. There's a lot of really great tracks, but one of them connects with me more than any other. Favorite track: "You Are My Sunshine" :)

Blind guy getting wanked off for the 1st time is a crazy cover picture.

pleasant

Kind of feels blasphemous to give Ray Charles something this low. His voice is timeless and his contributions are so much more than this album, which I enjoyed but didn't stick as much as I hoped it would. 3.5/5

Pretty cool album, some of it felt pretty Christmas-y. A lot of big band style swing. Would be fun to learn some of these songs

solid tunes feels like you could dance with someone’s marj to every song on this album that bloke knows how to play a saxophone banger

Þetta fannst mér skemmtileg plata jafnvel þótt hún væri tvöföld og þar af leiðandi frekar löng þá missti maður aldrei fílinginn eða þreyttist á að hlusta. Algjör negla sem fer pottþétt aftur á fóninn.

# Playlist track - You Are My Sunshine # Notes - Ray Charles is super brave to go on and declare what the "modern sounds" are. - I'm by no means a music historian, but it does look like he was right. I never heard this album before, but I kind of recognize it. - Super interesting piece of history! - Album is a bit repetitive after 24 tracks. Taking one star out.

8/10

I'm no music critic but I can see why this album made the list. I'll give my thoughts. Good: - This album sounds really good, especially considering it was made in the 1960s. It may just be my earbuds but it sounds like Ray is singing right in front of you. It's beautiful. - You can truly feel the emotion in Ray Charles singing. Throughout the entire album. - The orchestration is beautiful in every song. Bad: - It is a little repetitive. I really like this genre of music though so not that bad.

Ray‘s here to deliver the chill vibes.

Really rather good.

Although the compositions might not be as intriguing today, one must admit that it is quite incredible to release this in 1962. Truly groundbreaking with awesome vocals and piano from Ray Charles - as is expected.

An incredible selection of songs modernized by an incredible talent. The arrangements are beautiful and though it may not seem as revolutionary today, you can still easily get lost in the voice of Ray Charles.

#6 Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962) Country Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Traditional Pop Big Band, Swing, Countrypolitan Never listened to Ray Charles beforehand, damn. I can see why he's so influential. This album was before the likes of Pet Sounds and Rubber Soul so it does feel more like a collection of hits than a cohesive statement... but man do those hits HIT. It's like a bridge between the music of the 50s and 60s. Favourite Track: Hey, Good Lookin' Least Favourite Track: Half as Much

Post Modern Jukebox before Post Modern Jukebox; Scary Pockets before Scary Pockets. A ton of great old country songs redone marvelously in a big band setting. I love old country songs and this album gives us another way to enjoy these classic songs

Great classic tunes by Ray. A stuff you listen and dance with loved ones.

Another classic.

favourite: A02, A05, A10, A12, B02, B04, B09, B11, B12 least favourite: A04, B05 notable tracks: - A10: really like the more minimal instrumental, allows the vocals to shine here - B04: great sonic change from the rest of the album, backing vocals add a lot here half the songs on vol 1 sound the same, wish it was a bit shorter - that being said, they all sound great so not a huge issue vol 2 has a lot more variety and generally more interesting songs think the backing vocals are overused a lot, could have been just ray charles on most of these songs mayb 7/10

*(Notes are only for the first volume) Ray Charles has an undeniably recognizable voice, and this album is certainly proof of that. The orchestra and big band do a great job in complimenting his voice, and the covers of country songs work much better than expected for the most part. Admittedly I think it is rather front loaded as the back half of it has some of the weakest tracks, in particular It Makes No Difference Now and Careless Love. "Well you know I once was blind; but I'm so glad, so glad I see"

Rate Charles was something special!

Good album I think I’d listen to it a lot more if I grew up during the 50’s

Can't go wrong with Ray, even when he's covering country and Western songs.

I very much enjoyed this one. 4.5

Well, this was a lie. This album is neither modern, country, or western. Anyways, this is a very groundbreaking, albeit fairly middle-of-the-road in terms of quality, album. I'll start with my biggest complaint, one that has been repeated for various older albums at this point. It's kind of repetitive. Most songs feel the same, which is kind of to be expected. However, when the album is fairly short and the quality of the songs is as high as it is, it isn't as big of a deal as it is with other album. The sound is great. While it doesn't really feel like country, which may be good or bad depending on who you ask, you can still feel the emotions that come with the best, most honest country music. Ray Charles, of course, was a great singer. The instrumentation elevates his singing to create a very high quality album. The main reason why this album deserves to be on this list is more so about the cultural significance rather than the actual album itself. This thing, as stated earlier, was groundbreaking. It's kind of funny since a lot of popular music in the 50s was white men covering songs made by black men, while this album is the complete opposite of that. How neat! This album broke racial boundaries and is considered an important album for a good reason. So, with every thing in mind, I think this album deserves a light 4/5.

Swingin'!! 4

This isn't country and western at all. Big band sound but he does it so well. It makes me smile😊

This is a good one.

music great. sound quality medium.

# 166 : Noice! I just love songs and albums you can sing along too. How good is that! Country songs done a different bluesey way. Funky. BYE BYE LOVE

Timeless Also listen to this in Puerto Rico. Very enjoyable. Highlights: Half as Much Worries Mind You Win Again - such a classic I can’t stop loving you

Schöner Soulkitsch, mag ich ja

This was a nice listen, it felt very nostalgic. I personally wouldn't go out of my way to listen to this on the daily, but as a vinyl to play in the background I think I would really enjoy it.

An intriguing blend of country, blues and soul.

lots of classics

Es ist gute Musik, auf jeden Fall. Schade, dass RC Streicher braucht, um auf den Massengeschmack zu treffen. Seine reduzierteren (Blues-/Jazz-)Alben sind auch allererste Sahne. Daher hier einen Punkt Abzug.

Enjoyed this. Also, the Making Believe song - had no idea that the Social Distortion version was a cover. Really like that song.

The horns go crazy. Charles' vocals are amazing but pretty much every song gives off christmas and the horns and string instuments is constantly assosciated with the holiday season. great album though. November dinner party album.

la calidez y calidad

Magnificient voice

6 / 10 Sonido Big Band de la época, con Ray Charles fuera del Blues.

Enjoyed this a lot, country songs reworked as big-band and choral arrangements, amusing but well done and done with affection and interest in the material.

Very enjoyable, I love this era of music. It is so earnest and wholesome. This was exactly what I needed to get started on a Monday morning. It is exactly what I expect out of this style of music and it did not disappoint. 4 stars

Awww sweet and nostalgic. :)

Day17 - amazing what a great song interpreter can do with already great songs

ray charles is great, but i sort of swing back and forth on his music. his up-tempo r&b stuff is great and i love that, but the more slow, ballad style of songs he does sort of leaves me a little cold. not that it's bad, but just not my thing. this album is mostly the latter, not the former, so for me it was not the most exciting album, although the quality of the album was high. still an enjoyable listen for a monday morning.

Relaxing bops 🎵

I love Ray Charles. Great orchestration and performances.

Klassischer, sinfonischer Jazz. Gute Musik zum Kuscheln und vor dem Kamin liegen. Erinnert auch an Winterliche Weihnacht.

Glad to finally have listened to this album. Love all the band pieces and the wide range of styles it covers.

Based off the first track I thought this was going to be an album of classic country western songs done in Ray Charles' signature style of piano based blues. Bye bye love, was a great start to this album. I didn't recognize any of the other songs, but Ray's piano playing really makes this whole album. The whole thing just rocks. Inreally enjoyed this album

Good album. Songs blend into each other almost too much. Favorites: Worried Mine, You Win Again, I Can't Stop Loving You, Your Cheatin' Heart.

Smooth classics

Fantastic

Great way to feel like I'm in 1930s. nice a excited songs, very romantic

Classic. I like the pieces that leaned towards swing.

-mixes country and folk with R&B, pop, and jazz seamlessly. no point during the album in which i felt like it was "doing too much" -everything on this album feels effortless, Ray Charles's voice is hypnotic and layers beautifully on top of the backing vocals. however, the way the background vocals often echo Charles's can get annoying when listening to the album in full -while the album is cohesive in sound, most of the tracks are able to stand out from each other -the lyrics are incredibly personal, making the experience of listening intimate; which contrasts well with how loud and layered the instruments are on tracks like - Charles's vocals and the band are harmonious, and the string sections on tracks like You Don't Know Me and Your Cheatin' Heart have a charming back and forth with his voice -the album trails off a bit at the end -4/5

Great Music. Romantic Beautiful Sounds. Easy listen and with the right atmosphere its perfect! listened it while working and it was snowing so it made sense. 4 Stars cuz its not really a Studio Album but its definetely great fking Music!

Sensacional

Classic

now that i know other people can read this i will attempt to be less unhinged. i wanted to make an elaborate warm meal while listening to this. rom com credits music which admittedly i am hook line and sinker for. like the front half better than the back half. enjoyed myself, sue me

not something i’d normally listen to but i enjoyed

What amazes me is that what was viewed as such a stylistic, and genre, leap sounds so natural and honest…I suppose that’s a measure of his creative genius

Just sounded a little mid. More western than country music, kinda felt christmassy in some sense which I did enjoy.

Love Ray Charles but not a massive fan of country & western music. He does it justice and I like the orchestral spin on some of the country classics.

chill background music

smooth, relaxing, charming, happy. the only downside is that i would use this as background music, not for intentional listen - but really good for it.

Really good. Really really good.

Solid.

I'm not sure how often I may go back to this album, due to the length and that I'm not so into R&B. However, there were some great tracks on this double-disc that I was really into. I believe it was "It Makes No Difference Now" that really surprised me. I'm also not a big fan of Charles's voice, but I do have a lot of respect for what he did with this album, both musically and culturally, doing all these covers of white country singer's songs that would get a new audience interested in a black singer's music in 1962.

1960s vibe

Not my usual style of music but if you want to hear some really good music from the 50's this is absolutely a good choice.

Awesome version of You Are My Sunshine!

Pretty slow and sad. Not my thing, but that being said, Ray Charles was a truly unique talent

What a joy to the ears. What thought provoking messages. This album marks a moment in the history of music. Total joy.

This is the kind of challenge I was hoping for but also not prepared for with this project. How to rate an album that is quite clearly and objectively beautiful and essential, but so far outside my own wheelhouse that I’ve never heard it before and probably won’t put it into regular rotation. It feels daft to underrate it based on my own ignorance but pretentious to just slap on a 5. But I thoroughly enjoyed the listen, at times spine tingling and heart wrenching. Musically excellent and vocally delightful. While I may not put it into regular rotation, when it does next come up, I know I’ll be very happy to spend more time with it. ‘Midnight’ gave me goose bumps. 3/1001

Many classic songs which I knew only the cover versions from.

This was interesting.

Many standout songs and a wide variety of blues/jazz/"oldies". This is an enjoyable album.

J’ai pas eu le temps de le finir, mais c’est de la bonne zique

I love Ray Charles, album is ok

I have a lot of respect for Ray Charles for making this album. The racial implications at the time must have been substantial. That being said it’s a cover album and many of the originals are better versions.

Very good, obviously a little generic in terms of sound but still good

Absolute Perfect Way

very warm and full sounding. good stuff.

Great album.

Simply lovely

The well known musician the world over died in his house in California of complication resulting of liver cancer(failure) on 2004. One months' time from then, his final regend album, Genuis Loves Company was released.

Liked it. Sinatra christmasy 60s vibes. Nice old retro jazzy music. Ray is also amongst people that i probably should've known before. Bye bye love I've already heard in the Simon & Garfunkel album. For sure adding this album to my retro playlist. 7/10

I like it. Jazz.

I really like how those helpful ladies sing the song title to start each song so i know what song they're about to do. As a super busy person, this saves me a lot of time in my day to day life. Otherwise a pleasant collection of reworked country classics, Ray has a great voice and it was overall a nice listen.

uhm... Ray that doesnt sound very modern...

Just really beautiful. Might be outdated on todays tempo of songs but its still a beautiful one.

RETRO!

Great songs, great voice. Quietly slipped by in the background whilst I was working which is not a bad thing at all.

More like “TRADITIONAL Sounds in Country and Western Music” amirite

Unlike aftermath, I loved that this album had a consistent theme. I had to listen to it a few times to get a better idea of it. On Spotify volumes one and two are combined. I think this is a bad decision. After listening to them separately I understand why “vol 1” is on the list. I love hearing Rays interpretation of these old country songs. No one else could give these songs the big band treatment and make it work. I think my favourite songs are the sad ones (this makes sense, those are my favourite country songs too). Worried mind was a big highlight. Big band songs like “just a little loving, will go a long way” sound great too. Great sax solo. The reason I give it four stars is why I would give “vol 2” 2 stars. I think the term is overproduction, sometimes the band, the chorus, AND the strings, can overwhelm the song itself. (Caveat, live, I bet it’s amazing, but at home you only have two speakers).

I love that "modern sounds" is such a moving target. Ray Charles is being modern for the time, but that same sound is so vintage now after over 60 years since its release. The voice of Ray Charles has been so incorporated into pop ("what you say" is almost exclusively associated with him as a catch-phrase), he has remained as timeless as Sinatra.

I never listen to this type of music by myself but I quite enjoyed it!

Usually an album like this would not come across my radar but this was pretty good. Although most of the songs are quite slow, some of the soul songs were really good. Favorite Song(s): "Bye Bye Love", "Careless Love", "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles"

Now that’s music. The voice complements the instruments and the songs are real music. Jazz has soul. Not like today’s garbage where the voice is the whole song supported by a boring braindead note or chord. And going back to Billy Joel who we heard a week ago, one of my favorite songs from The Bridge album, is a duet with Ray called My Baby Grand.

Geggjuð plata

So good, really nice vibe. Can see the jazz backing and pop melodies over that that set the stage for artists like stevie wonder.

This was fun! I think country and western music has evolved since it was recorded. :)

I don’t have time to write a full review but I liked this a lot I felt like i was in a great old Hollywood movie! Beaut vibes

Good album

Honestly really really good, and a great listen

Earnest and lush

Can definitely appreciate it's importance, and the conceit of the album feels pretty audacious for '62, but the big band sound and choir ladies will keep me from revisiting. Still Ray's voice is great.

Didn't know any of Ray Charles' back catalog had this kind of music in it. A pleasant surprise.

First time listening to a Ray Charles album cover to cover and it was a great experience. A truly classic voice, I think I could listen to him sing anything for any amount of time. Layered on top of swinging arrangements makes for a fun listen. Song going on my "1001 Songs" Playlist: You Are My Sunshine Songs Going On My "1001 Albums Savelist" Playlist: Bye Bye Love, You Don't Know Me, You Are My Sunshine, Here We Go Again

Ray Charles is a master

Not my style although I’ve enjoyed Ray Charles in the past. You have to give it high marks for the musical precision and quality

Some classics that I have heard and some other more hidden gems on this

Bit too long. Not quite for me but real talent

Superb. Music that's played self-assuredly and maturely, taking inspiration from several genres and turning it into a timeless, uniquely Ray Charles sound. The backing vocals are generally strong, as is the simple, quiet drumming. And, of course, Ray's vocal is heavenly and full of heart and soul. The strings are a little overdone at times, giving the album a Christmas feel that's a little exhausting on top of all the holiday music I'm forced to listen to this December. However, every track on here is great as a standalone. Seventy-four minutes is a lot to handle, and while Ray's style is freaking awesome, the style doesn't vary much. But it's darn good music.

Beautiful.

4-

Great night for the bonfire

This album made me wanna bake. So, I poured myself a glass of greco di tufo and baked cantucci. They came out very ugly, but super tasty.

Listened while making dinner and it was the perfect soundtrack.

I gave this album a 4 only because 3.5 isn't an option and I'd rather round up than down if the album warrants it. I want to start this review by saying that Ray Charles is amazing and I understand that this album is changing country songs into 50's swing - but in the modern era it just feels like changing one dated sound into another dated sound, neither of which do it for me. The musicality in this album is beautiful, however, and Ray Charles is an absolute master performer at the piano and through his vocals. I just wish I liked this sound more. It took me a long time to get through this album because it was just so slow

All bops. Ray puts so much soul and emotion into every song. This is a two album collection of 24 tracks and you can feel it on all 24.

A collection of very smooth slow songs. Ray Charles' voice is just fantastic. Some of the songs are a bit too sweet to my taste, but overall it is excellent music.

Music of a simpler time by a master! The songs start to sound alike after a while, but this is great music to have on in the background while you work or clean house. Feel good music.

ray charles voice is one of the most beatiful sounds on nature and i love the way the songs on this album show that. You don't know me and i love you so much it hurts are the stand out tracks for me. honestly the only part thats kinda aged a bit are the backing vocals, but sometimes they still manage to get me somehow. i tend to no like that much the double albums, anyway this is a 4/5 for me.

Consistently great

Great fusion of genres and who has a silkier voice than Ray?

Ray Charles does country at the height of his popularity and it’s about as good as you’d expect. I don’t have much to say about this album except that it didn’t sound as country as I was expecting and was still mostly soul and blues to me. Regardless, I listened to both volumes and everything started to blend together after a while but teardrops in my heart and the first few songs were standouts for me.

Enjoyable album from Ray Charles. None of it is country music though

Classic.

Willie Nelson said this did more for country music than anything. Overly produced in a way, but appropriate in context. 3.9

Very nice record with a comforting vibe. No particular tracks stood out; the whole thing is just super nice.

Liked it. Unclear if I finished or not.

Too good

Finally I get a good album generated its been a week

Ray Charles is great and this album showcases that perfectly. Some of the songs drag a bit, but overall a solid album. But it's hard to dislike anything from Ray Charles.

HL: "Worried Mind", "I Can't Stop Loving You", "Bye Bye Love", "You Don't Know Me" I will have to meditate on why the lush, almost cloying arrangements tickle my eardrums in all the right ways. Of course Ray Charles could sing the label on a shampoo bottle and make it sound heavenly September 9, 2023 Will compliment this today with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume 2

I didn’t hate it

Love ray love Swing. Very pleasant.

4.5

I never listened to this album previously. In fact, I thought the title was either a joke, or ironic. Come to find out it's not! Sounds like it was made in the '40s, but actually this was the early '60s. Ray is a treasure. This was fantastic. Unique covers and great blend of traditional and R&B.

A good spin on these songs. Getting big band and R&B vibes infused with the country skeleton. Almost feels like an African-American twist on Sinatra.

No surprise at all, Ray Charles has an incredible voice! Very pleasant and easy to listen to, but this album dragged on a bit too long, and no individual songs really stood out.

Great album to listen to, my wife recognized several songs that others had covered over the years.

Solid, enjoyable, large collection of songs. If I’m being honest, there weren’t many that stood out from the crowd, but the crowd as a whole was pretty great.

Still don’t like the big band arrangements here, but Ray’s singing and piano are more powerful than The Genius… album. I didn’t like that one but this is great.

Vintage fall vibes

76/100

Very nice record. Suits my anemoia playlist very well. Great for working on the side or slow dancing in the kitchen.

I glossed over these tracks, and Ray sounds like a breath of fresh air, he is taking old hits and making them his own, giving a Ray Charles twist. I can see why he is listed as one of the greats. But I cannot possibly sit through an album of covers for 74 Minutes. I can never really appeal to these tracks as the artistic integrity is not present here, it is merely a variant of a copy, unoriginal and uninspired, you cannot cheat the way through notorious hits and get outstanding credit. Again, the songs sound fantastic, but they aren't his, and that does not really sit right with me and takes away from the experience. I think if this album was originated from his mind, it would undoubtedly be given a 5, but on the other hand the fact he takes country sounds and renovates them to something sonically different, is definitely deserving of respect, and a more respectable rating. On a purely technical song standpoint? This album is perfect. Favourites: Disc 1 (Entirety) / Disc 2 (Entirety)

Very good

Very good calm album. I was expecting something more like "Hey, Good looking" but it was still enjoyable album

Really good album. I have never heard it before. I love the elements of jazz.

Excellent, classic entry.

OK; not really something I’d listen to all the time… country and western music sure has come a long way, and not in a good way!

Awesome music. Great album.

Beautiful country-R&B blend of songs. Country songs revamped to fit more to the style of Charles. It’s done pretty good, beautifully arranged, although the more upbeat songs are less good. 7 out of 10

I actually enjoyed one of the bonus tracks (You Are My Sunshine) more than most of the album. I really like what's been done here but due to my own cultural background I'm not really familiar enough with the material covered for it to properly wow me. He is a genius though.

Soulful

GOOD

Ray Charles is one of the all time greats. Why pick his album of, admittedly fantastic, covers of country songs?

4.5/5

itsesääliesque konsepti. kantria ja jatsia ja kuuukaa pelkää mustaa mieeestä? en minä... Miellelläni kuuntelen!! enkä vapise... voisi vähän energiaa olla kun niin saatanan pitkää albumia tekelee välillä vois sitä kuuntelijaa herätellä,´. hyvin se laulaa vaikka sokea.....xd born to lose

This is definitely not Ray Charles's best album but because he is one of the greatest singers of all time it is still like a 9/10. He really isn't doing anything outstandingly different on this album but it is him doing it so it is great. I wouldn't necessarily call this album safe, which is a problem I sometimes have with albums, because it doesn't feel like he is actively picking easy, safe songs like The Killers album I heard a bit ago. In general, though I probably would pick between 5-10 of his other albums before I got to this one. Despite that, there is still not a bad song on the album but my favorites are "Half As Much", "Hey, Good Lookin'", "I Love You So Much It Hurts" and "I Can't Stop Loving You". Overall a 9/10 which to me means if you like music you should probably listen to this album.

fucking love old big band music

Ray Charles albums are always a good listen.

Loved it overall, but it was a little too samey for 5 stars.

A record somewhat similar to an album the list generated a month ago, Elvis is Back. Here, some popular songs get a Ray Charles version. I do not listen to it often but can appreciate it. It sounds fine and exactly what you expect.

Very enjoyable, but mostly as background music. I liked the more upbeat tracks better. Most of the album was a bit slower paced, so not my favorite. Had a lot of those really nice background vocals which reminded me of Disney music.

Love ray, no one like him. Dunno that we needed two disks

So fine. Ray's voice is so warm and comforting.

It's not legally allowed rate this album with less than 4 stars, even if it is not being so great as I expected and sounds a little bit old-fashioned for modern sensibilities. Ray Charles is not my favorite singer, but his importance cannot be forgotten.

Very good. He's such a legend.

Good stuff

Me ha gustado bastante.

There's enough amazing classics on here to warrant a 4 I reckon. Some filler, but mostly pretty brilliant. Ray has such a great vooice.

4.5

I enjoyed this a lot. I will have this playing in my apartment when I’m cleaning or if I just want a chill vibe. Go Ray, Go!

It's one of the most significant albums of the 1960's: while the civil rights movement was picking up steam, Ray Charles tore up the rulebook and recorded an album of white music (country standards). His audiences quickly diversified and garnered Charles more mainstream praise than ever before, which is either a testament to music's potential to break boundaries or a indictment of the narrow-minded white folks in the pop market. Still, Charles undoubtedly deserves the praise he gets here. The album begins by alternating big-band swing or shuffles with achingly tender ballads. "Bye Bye Love" = bombastic bounding fun. "You Don't Know Me" = swooning, blooming roses. "Just A Little Lovin" = swaggery sass. "I Love You So Much It Hurts" = among the best of all, a great fluffy pillow of sound. As much fun as the upbeat big-band tracks are, the ballads here really tie the package together. Awash with lush strings and choirs, they're beautifully recorded and arranged, delicately performed and exceptionally sung. Charles seems born to sing this material and does so wonderfully. Yes, it might seem a little cloying at times, particularly towards the home stretch. In 2023, this music has suffered a little from associations with classic Christmas soundtracks or Disney films. This isn't Charles' fault: those are merely the pop-culture touchstones of the 1950s and 60s that have endured the most into modern day. While I had my doubts on the first couple of listens, the one-two finale of the gorgeous "I Can't Stop Loving You", followed by the levity of "Hey, Good Lookin'" seals the deal. (Everything afterwards is from Vol. 2, still pleasant but not what we should be assessing here.) We now take music's diversification for granted, in a world where any genre is at our fingertips and styles as diverse as we like can nestle side by side in a playlist. It's difficult to actually appreciate how radical "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" must have been. But it isn't difficult to appreciate that it's consistently enjoyable, and supremely listenable.

track 5 is sound, can't remember anything else tbf

I like it. Great mix of country and pop music, although it could have been a little shorter.

I like the concept. Country tunes in a big studio orchestra style. Worried Mind is a good one. Hey Good Looking is also great.

Great songs, clever covers, just kinda started to drag on towards the end of Volume 2, though.

Ray breathed so much life and soul into these country ditties. He’s got the magic touch.

A ton of iconic pop here. Is it Country and Western music? I'll leave that to the musicologists, other than to say the one thing that slightly detracts for me is that a couple of the song selections don't really suit Charles' treatment all that well.

This is not my cup of tea and it sounded a lot like christmas music, but it's undeniably a very well put together crop of songs. The instrumentation is luscious and rich, with the string arrangements being the highlight here. The songs are also more varied and interesting than on the other album of him here "The Genius of Ray Charles". 7,3/10

I like did good for listening to when you are on a walk or in the bus in the morning gives you a safe lovely feeling and helps with anxiety, nice just to listen to when you are kinda tired too I quite liked it so I give it a 8\10

Charles infused RnB with Gospel and then went and infused Country with his RnB. Great stuff.

4.0 + What do I feel hearing a big band version of "You Are My Sunshine"? On one hand, the music - the orchestrations, the playing and the production - is impeccable. On the other hand, from a stylistic perspective, I think this record undersells Ray Charles's magic. He's like a single raisin in a big bowl of oatmeal, taking on a subdued presence within the arrangements - balancing his sweet, soulful voice and piano playing, against a pure white canvas of string swells and Christmas-carol-y background vocals. I want much more of him, and much less of the muzak-y elements. While I can appreciate the concept of forging bonds across musical traditions, the balance between black and white feels off.

This surprised me.

Echt wat een heerlijk album, hoe het je meevoert vanaf de jaren 50 langzaam naar de jaren 60. Ik zag mezelf al helemaal in zo’n geheime bar ergens in the middle of nowhere dansen met zo’n bezwete band en alles is rokerig met rood licht binnen. Favorieten zijn: it makes no difference now, I can’t stop loving you en don’t tell me your troubles De radio na het album was ook 10/10

Nice album for a rainy winter day before Christmas. Reminds me of good Christmas music without being Christmas music

classic

first listen timeless and nostalgic to me

Soothing and the perfect sound for the holiday season right now! Many recognizable songs on this one.

It's a beautiful album with incredible singing from Ray Charles. There's nothing much to say - I put it on in the back while walking through the city with Christmas illuminations and it was definitely working its magic. It just sounds too generic to me but this is probably due to its old age and being completely outside of my usual area of expertise. Still, a beautiful album with easy listening songs.

I’ll admit this didn’t look like something that I would find remotely interesting but it was amazing to be honest, it was really well produced for the early 60’s and the selection of tracks is brilliant (even if he wrote none of them which does knock off a point for me). So 4/5 very good!