Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Heerlie. Zowel voor actief als passief. Soul!

I was stoked to get this album. I love classic era Ray Charles. And this is great. Charles was on his game. However, if I’m being honest, I don’t really love the song selections. You Are My Sunshine is a little too hokey. Stylistically, the vocal harmonies are nice, but old fashioned such as I Can’t Stop Loving You. Not nearly as cool as his regular repertoire. I guess that was the idea but I’d much rather listen to The Genius of Ray Charles.

Heele goeie ochtend giets main chacater

Can't say anything bad about it!

I like Ray Charles, but I do not care for most of these two albums. It feels like this music was probably old even in 1962. I appreciate what they were doing here, but at times it sounds like it's one or two steps removed from the Lawrence Welk Show. Charles' phenomenal talent is the only thing that elevates this tired material.

I don't really get this. Did "Country and Western Music" used to mean big band pops? Cause no shade to Ray Charles, it's a lovely record, but there's No Way a cowboy would be singing any of this

Cool how he transcends genres here, not cool how long this is. I can’t possibly be expected to finish this whole thing.

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.

An important album, but for me it didn't do anything, and the covers feel like they didn't really add anything meaningful to the songs

Slow and sleepy

Just a covers album of contemporary standards. Background music at a party level but Ray Charles does have a great voice.

Really upset that this guy didn't mention trucks or light beers once. A pretty excellent album with a lot of classics covered with a completely different sound. If you like big band, old school R&B, this album will definitely be for you, but personally this wasn't my favorite, mostly because of the genre. Still pretty great to listen to, and I definitely enjoyed it.

Gaaf album om uiteindelijk een keer beluisterd te hebben. Het is zo'n album waar je vaak de verhalen van gehoord hebt en die op menig toplijstjes voorbij komt, maar waar ik uiteindelijk nooit de tijd voor had genomen om echt in te verdiepen. De titel van het album verraadt direct wat je kan verwachten van dit album, hetgeen wat moderner klinkende covers zijn van klassieke Amerikaanse country songs (ik geef eerlijk toe dat ik slechts bekend was Floyd Tillman & Hank Williams) en dat klinkt helemaal niet verkeerd. Ik moet eerlijk zeggen dat de wat rustigere nummers wat mij betreft wat vaker hadden mogen afgewisseld worden met nummers zoals 'Bye Bye Love', 'Just A Little Lovin' (mijn favoriet van het album) & Hey, Good Lookin', maar het was precies genoeg dat het me bleef boeien (het gaat hier dus over Vol. 1 en niet ook Vol. 2, het is geen dubbelalbum, ook al kwamen ze in het zelfde jaar uit en staan ze als dusdanig op streamingservices). 7+/10.

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

Wie stuurt een mailtje naar de maker met een verzoek om een PRtje te openen voor iets van authenticatie en een 10 punten schaal voor recensies? Het is weer moeilijk vandaag. Hoewel ik respecteer wat deze plaat heeft gedaan denk ik dat ik toch de voorkeur geef aan de Ray Charles die soul heeft uitgevonden boven de Ray Charles die country heeft heruitgevonden. De schok van een zwarte artiest, uit het zuiden weliswaar, die Tin Pan Alley uitspeelt en een zelfgenoemde country plaat uitbrengt is niet te onderschatten, en de impact zal ongetwijfeld enorm zijn geweest als ik contemporaine schrijvers mag geloven, maar het beklijft me puur op inhoud niet zo. Er zitten uiteraard wat bangers op, stem sterk, arrangementen prima, dat weet de lezer geheid ook, maar over de volle lengte van een dubbel CD drijf ik toch beetje weg. Kom uit op een 7 met weinig tijd om het opnieuw te luisteren. In een lijst van "Platen Die Je Moet Luisteren TM" maken we er dan maar een 3 van.

Ik heb veel Fallout NV gespeeld en heb best een zwak voor de soundtrack daarvan. Het contrast tussen de wereld en de muziek werkt heel goed. Hier heb je natuurlijk dat contrast niet, dus dan ontstaat de vraag of je behoefte hebt aan het muzikaal equivalent van een zachte warme deken op een frisse avond. Ik soms wel, en dat er af en toe wat meer swingy nummers met zo'n leuke lopende bas langs komen houdt het fris genoeg. 3/5. Geen echte opmerkingen over de nummers zelf. Niets was echt een uitblinker. Niets was schrijnend.

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!

Erg tof, diverse nummers met veel om naar te luisteren. Zijn stem is vet en de composities in hun geheel zijn vet. Ik vond dat het halverwege wel een beetje inkakte, maar dat kan ook mijn verrotte aandachtsspanne zijn

Kende deze niet. Luistert lekker weg met prachtige arrangementen en mooie harmonieen.

Ik kan de big band, swingende vibes en de stem van Ray Charles wel waarderen, maar uiteindelijk is een 2 delig album met iets te veel zoetsappigheid iets te veel van het goede voor mij, waardoor ik er na disk 1 wel even genoeg van had.

Allereerst: dubbel cd's zijn kut (in de regel) there I said it. Ik vind dat een album kort genoeg moet zijn om je aandacht erbij te kunnen houden in 1 sessie. Deze plaat vult me direct met een warm kerst achtig gevoel. Perfecte familie huiskamerplaat totdat... Die vuige sexy saxsolo van Half As Much in komt en alle vrouwen in de kamer weerloos van hun stoel glibberen. Ik ben op zich van liefdesliedjes of liefde als thema in de muziek, maar het mag van mij een flinke terug subtieler en minder zoetsappig. Moet zeggen dat het verfrissend is om een plaat te krijgen hier waarop de zanger daadwerkelijk kan zingen Tot slot, de dynamiek in CD 2 is hatelijk en tegelijkertijd hilarisch. Begint met vet blije bigband nummers. Op een gegeven moment was ik zo klaar met die blazende toeters dat ik overwoog het af te zetten. Lukte niet op de snelweg. Ergens op 1/3 van de CD maakte zijn chick het uit en kregen we een halfuur sad Ray te horen. De ballads waren aan het begin een verademing na die drukte. Het duurde en het duurde... Ik snap dat muziek een manier is om persoonlijke ervaringen te verwerken, maar soms kun je overwegen om een deel van het materiaal op de zolderkamer te laten ipv met de wereld te delen. Dit voelde als zo'n situatie. Leuke luisterervaring voor een keertje, nu is het klaar

Fun, not the most amazing. Some great covers though.

Great listen

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!

Lovely album of soul sung by one of the all-time greats and accompanied by excellent arrangements. The title is funny because I hear very little country music here. But a lot of these songs draw a connection between those country western strings and soul/R&B, as well as jazz. All these genres come from the same roots, so it's nice to hear an artist not adhere too closely to any one set of rules or expectations and just mix these styles all together. 4.5

Really beautiful album. These songs are so great on multiple levels- at a core melody/harmony level, and all the way up to the lush orchestrations that fill the space. Ray Charles has a distinct, highly emotive voice, and he connects to the music as well as a vocalist can. This album in particular feels both long and short; I think I can listen to it intently and dive into the technicalities of the instrumentalists, or of course Ray Charles' beautiful vocals, or I can sit back and groove and let the music take me around my day and still get just as much enjoyment. Nice 4/5.

W sumie takie se. Trochę za długie i jednakowe. Ale jedną piosenkę zapisałem do swojej playlisty.

Was fine. But they’re just reworked cover songs. Did I need this?

It's Ray!

Really not a fan of the strings or the background vocals. But Ray's voice is great.

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.

Ray Charles is a legend, but I only kind of enjoy this record of his. 3.5 bumped down to 3.

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.

This is a really weird album. Whereas most popular music is white folks playing music inspired by music from black culture, this one is the other way around. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Bye bye love is definitely a step up from the Everly Brothers (who didn't write the song, by the way). Songs like 'I love you so much it hurts' simply did not stand the test of times. These absurdly sweet choirs, you cannot listen to that anymore with 21st century ears. And there are plenty of those. That's not really fair of course. But it's not the most exiting music ever anyway.

What a voice. Too many strings for me but refreshing to hear so many country classics reimagined.

Disappointing extortionate white crap, such a shame they strangled his talent to put this out

Not so big on this - I understand reading about it that it has some historical significance, but I can't help feeling that Ray's voice is quite weak on the orchestral backing tracks and the strings / group vocals feel very outdated. Overall it doesn't make a mark, is at most pleasant.

I like Ray Charles, and I like the original versions of many of these songs, but something about this album rubbed me the wrong way. I think it was all of the angelic choral voices that just kind of seemed out of place. Reminded me of the Laurence Welk show. There's better Ray Charles albums out there, so I don't think I'd come back to this one.

I didn't pay enough attention to the title and was surprised by these songs that clearly didn't sound like country western. Despite that, it was enjoyable enough. Ray Charles voice is good, even if he sings in genres I don't care too much about. 3/5

I’m not a big love song album guy. Piano was amazing though.

Do I just love crooners? Very easy listen. Big double album but stayed fun.

4.5 Brother Ray brought a lot of his musical background to the table in the early years. However, finding the Soul in Country and Folk music was completely a surprise. Locking these well-written songs into big-band/Pop arrangements made it "crossover" ready. However, putting R&B and Country together was a giant leap for the Civil Rights movement.

Jazz pero ahora con fuerza en country y blues y más potable para el oído de los blancoides. Ray es un gigante que siempre se siente y vibra.

pene

Ok

Odd. But not interesting. And to hear him sing "I once was blind, but now I see"...

Mye bakgrunnsmusikk i denne boka

I have no idea what country and western have to do with any of this. Was perfectly fine but not groundbreaking

This was nice enough, though I really would have preferred listening to these country standards in country form as opposed to R&B form. I do like the big band though. Quite tasteful.

Definitely recognized a number of the C&W songs that were reworked by Ray Charles and definitely an improvement - but still just an OK album.

Classic songs by a classic singer - a few with a sweet band behind him

I used to think labels such as "post-rock" and "post-punk" were pretentious and uncreative. But if these sounds are modern, then the need for "post-modern" becomes self-evident. Or does it? What even is "modern" in the context of history? I went off topic. The music itself is fine. Ray Charles has better albums.

Oh no, I can't stand this old-timey music. Gotta push through. I hear the musicianship and all that, but it's so so boring. Only made it through disc 1 2/5

Pleasant though not always engaging. 7/10

Goat, but no replayability

Use to not love the backing vocals (the Jordanairs I think?) in the past but they’ve grown. Masterpiece!

I suppose I have quite often siloed Ray Charles into being purely a R&B artist e.g. What I'd say etc... And it feels a bit weird hearing him break out into new territory. Although with that all said, he has a great voice and songs are great, what's not to like? Found the string arrangements a bit much after a while.

A beautiful set of songs, his voice is so smooth. The big band strings and recording style is now quite old fashioned

I get it, and this albums importance, impact and legacy, but when I listen to Ray Charles, I want to hear him swing. The bookends are great and do just that, as do a couple of other songs on the album, ‘Half As Much’ and ‘Just A Little Lovin’ (Will Go A Long Way)’. The rest of the album is a bit of a snoozefest. There’s just too many slower songs/ballads here to hold my interest. They’re beautifully played, arranged and performed, but they just put me to sleep.

I like it a lot!!!

Ray's voice is great, and a solid mix of uptempo jazz and slower blues and soul

J - 1/5 Best Track - "I Can't Stop Loving You" F - DNL

Ray Charles is definitely a name one knows! The album is all right, sounds like the soundtrack from Lady and the Tramp. Just that most songs are incredibly slow and there is not much variation to it. So even though he's so well known and beloved, his music is boring.

I like the album concept and there were a couple really cool versions of well know songs. But not all of them were great.

A fun take on some country staples. Although I think I prefer the originals when all is said and done.

Very nostalgic. Very mellow. Would love to own this on vinyl

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.

Jazzowe evergreeny w Rayowej wersji. Niby nie jest to coś wielkiego, ale one same w sobie są hitami, a jeszcze z dodatkiem jego głosu i maślanego sznytu to już w ogóle. Piękne to, ma urok minionych lat, wpada w ucho i tupie nóżką, ale jednak najwyższe noty rezerwuję dla oryginalnych kompozycji, które trafiają prosto do mojej duszy. 8/10

5/10 Highlights: Bye bye love Just a little lovin' (will go a long way) It makes no difference now

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.

I just get so SO bored of jazz.

Nice album

Fine

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

That's not my taste in music, but pleasant music

Not sure where country and western came in, unless it was all covers of that genre. Alright music. Sounds very of the time and makes you dwell on it, but the album goes on longer than I cared for that particular style and feel

An inoffensive, charming listen of historical importance, but the impact of this album will most certainly have lessened over the years. “Famous soul singer takes on country and western classics” does not have the same impact now and it would have in 1962. Expectations radically shifted in the 60s. If an artist is not a songwriter it’s hard for them to maintain the same legendary space that they once held

Not for me.

I just love some mf jazz and à good sax if you know what I mean 😜

Das Album Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music von Ray Charles erschien 1962 und wurde unter anderem in den Capitol Studios in Hollywood und den United Recording Studios in Los Angeles aufgenommen. Ray Charles war ein US-amerikanischer Musiker, dessen Werk häufig zwischen Soul, Jazz, Blues und Pop angesiedelt ist. Dieses Album markiert jedoch eine bewusste Hinwendung zur Country-Musik. Zu den bekanntesten Liedern des Albums zählen „I Can't Stop Loving You“, das sich zu einem kommerziellen Erfolg entwickelte, sowie „You Don't Know Me“ und „Bye Bye Love“. Die Arrangements greifen auf Streicher, Chöre und Big-Band-Elemente zurück, was in Kombination mit Charles' Gesang einen deutlichen Bruch mit traditionellen Country-Interpretationen darstellt. Das Werk ist dem Genre Country zuzuordnen, trägt jedoch starke Einflüsse aus Soul und Pop. Ray Charles gelingt mit diesem Album eine stilistische Erweiterung seines Repertoires. Es zeigt, wie musikalische Grenzen unterlaufen werden können, ohne die jeweilige Tradition zu verleugnen.

classic (and heartbroken)

A historically important record, it's hard to hear the daring that was Ray Charles's 1962 Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music today. And while Bruno Latour might argue we've Never Been Modern, you can't lasso a feeling from the past and guarantee that the years between one modernity and the next won't erase the cultural signs that gave these song selections and arrangements their original oomph. In 2025, I don't need 24 songs — most of them covers of earlier material — no matter how cleverly they've been transformed, transfigured, or translated by Ray Charles to be entertained. And I think there's something to that feeling: it's a specific kind of disconnect. I want to be moved by music, and this record feels like it wants to be entertainment. What popular music was *for* in 1962 is not what music is for, for me, in 2025. For instance, this album includes one of the best versions of "You Are My Sunshine" I've ever heard. It's certainly more sophisticated in its arrangement than any grade- or nursery-school version. And yet, I'm not moved by the material at all. And, this is one of the highlight tracks. There are plenty of other minutes spent waiting for the next "modern sound" to come and go, so this 1 hour, 14 minute "entertainment" experience can finally wrap itself up. Perhaps that's wrong of me to expect more out of music driven by a business model that has always chosen entertainment over art. I'm listening to Ray Charles for his artistry and meaning, but the man is selling a good time.

This was a delightful listen and exactly what I expected

It was a good 2-disc album. Smooth listening for sure. Classic sound.

I liked it, but for me this is a relic of its time, and however seminal it may have been, it's just... not that fun to listen to any more.

Great!

Bluesy, relaxing

Loved it despite its length and some repetitiveness of song structures and arrangements. Ray is the ultimate cool daddy of popular music

Wanted to love this since it is undeniably groundbreaking and Ray Charles is an indisputable legend. Some lovely arrangements and beautiful vocals, especially on "Born to Lose" and "Worried Mind." Also love the rearrangements of some classic country tunes like "Your Cheatin' Heart." But this thing is so damn long, and to my ears it gets very samey, with the big band vocals growing reaally tiresome. Pleasant enough but probably an overrated record.

Really enjoyed the first volume, but with a second volume as well it just felt overly long. Was surprised how many songs i recognised, but obviously some of this was due to them being standards and in the case of what you hot cooking, just brought flashbacks to the horrible Findus advert from the 80s

Having spent over an hour of my day listening to this, I may as well have not bothered. Couldn’t tell you anything about it.

So far in this list, I haven't met a double (or triple!) album which wouldn't have benefitted from a good editor to whip it into a nice 45 minute album. This is no exception, as it drags a bit in the middle. That being said, what a voice! And I'm predisposed to love big band, brass numbers so parts of this were really up my alley. Bye Bye Love was particularly enjoyable in this style. I think this could have been higher, but the filler in the middle brings in down to 3/5

We love Ray Charles. One of the best pianists of all time

What a silky smooth voice. Just closed my eyes and listened to one of the greats.

It was good, just not my thing.

Better than the genius of Ray Charles but it’s just not good. Ray Charles is overrated.

The song choices were kinda whatever, but the he's got that voice like butter

Ray Charles is legendary and of course he should appear on this list. This album was pleasant to listen to and Charles brings his style these songs. Over the course of an hour I found the style and arrangements did not change much. Most memorable song is 'You Don't Know Me".

I like Ray Charles but the instruments and the women were a little much.

A classic.

I don’t know that Ray is much of an album artist. I guess this is the one with the most bangers all on one album. There’s nothing wrong with this, but most of these covers are not the definitive version so it’s just a reminder of what it could have been. It is iconic and genre bending though and I enjoy it a lot. 4/5

Honestly, I'm really impressed with this album. Unless you know these songs, the only way that you would really be able to tell that these are Country Western songs is by the lyrical content. Otherwise, they sound like what you'd expect from Ray Charles. Maybe he just got a little emotional in the writing room lol. It does get a little same-y for me, so I stopped listening really closely on the last 15 minutes of the album or so, but it's a great album. Favorite Song(s): Half as Much, I Love You So Much It Hurts, Teardrops in my Heart

Nothing to dislike but not too much that stood out as that good, 3 stars

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.

Masterpiece

Very mellow. Pretty cool. Ray singing old cowboy songs.

Boooooring

Better than Coldplay!

I didn’t enjoy this as much as The Genius of Ray Charles. A bit long for me and genres I don’t get as much from.

I enjoyed this overall, Ray Charles is so good!

Classic stuff easy to take for granted. You have to put yourself back in the year to fully appreciate how daring that might be.

Classics all around

Ray Charles has a great voice but it felt like the songs were getting way too repetitive. The only thing I liked listening to his voice but like three songs in and I already got bored. The lyrics are sweet but not something masterpiece worthy.

Very smooth and emotive. I love the string arragements.

unsurprisingly ray charles is a very good musician

Good, but nothing really grabbed me.

Nice music, great voice. Nrvertheless i wasnt too thrilled by most songs

No

Bye, bye love - It is catchy, and not hard to sing the chorus. 6.7/10 You dont know me - One of the better ones, reminds me of a christmas song. 8/10 Half as much - This should have a rapverse. 7.5/10 i love you so much it hurts - First now I understand the new Kali Uchis' album. 7/10 Just a little lovin' - I think this is better than the others. 8.5/10 Born to lose - this also remids me of a christmas song. 7/10 Worried mind - A little boring, but sweet. 5.7/10 It makes no difference now - A little more jazzy than the others. 7/10 You win again - Start was like jesus came to earth, the rest was the song he sang 9/10 Careless love - It is alright. 6/10 I can't stop loving you - This is his greatest so far. 9.5/10 Hey, good lookin' - Great song. 8/10 You are my sunshine - Thank god this was not the other famous song. 7/10 No letter today - It was kinda sad. 7.5/10 Someday - Poor guy. 7/10 Don't tell me your troubles - I love this, best song. 9.7/10 Midnight - A bit slow, but it's alright. 6/10 Oh, lonesome me - This was fun. 7.5/10 Take these chains from my heart - Deep. 7/10 Your cheatin' heart - Now I feel bad for him. 6.5/10 I'll never stand in your way - Bit slow, I like the backing vocals. 7/10 Making believe - Good song. 7/10 Teardrops in my heart - Sad. 6.8/10 Hang your head in shame - Forget everything I said, this was deep, sad and depressing.

Lovely stuff

Overall: 7/10 Ray Charles was incredibly charismatic and I love his voice. I think I wouldn't have enjoyed this even a few months ago but doing this list has changed my perspective a lot. I enjoy these slower tempo songs and Ray brings so much personality to songs that could have dragged and gotten boring. I could even see this one growing on me. Fav Song: It Makes No Difference Now Least Fav Song: Hey, Good Lookin'

Whenever I think of Ray Charles, I think of his cameo in Spy Hard, playing himself as a bus driver. Anyways, the music here is pretty good but I didn't really connect with it fully.

One song in and fuck yes. A little disappointed that it gets much softer after this, but it's still great.

Fun listen. Some sounds are dated. A lot of the songs sounded the same or had the same ideas so was quite repetitive. Highlights: Half as Much

I think the same folks that composed Disney movies in the 50's and 60's help Ray Charles compose all this what with the string flourishes and chorale backing. All it needs is a princess with forest animals flocking to her to complete it. Otherwise, makes me feel like I have more grey hair and need to drive around slowly in the left lane in my Cadillac while wearing high waisted slacks and complaining about young people and minorities.

Brother Ray could do no wrong! This is perfection. Love it!

His voice is so intimate.

I'm sure with more patience I'd have enjoyed it more, but it was a bit much.

This was pretty great. Considering I don't generally like country and western, brass or double albums this was stellar. I got slightly bored by the last 4 or so tracks, but it was a fun bop.

This music is irritating. Just not feeling it.

Slow mass compatible big band soul. Not the ray we expect!

Was a relaxing listen.

Favorite Track: Careless Love

Turns out the way to make country music good is change the style completely

Vert smooth - beautiful voice of course; love the arrangements in the big band / orchestra. A long selection of tracks, so starts to wash over slightly - unfair, but sounds generic; however, this is the original stuff, so gets a pass. 4*

Ray Charles, who doesn't know him? I didn't know the complete album "Modern sounds ...". I do know the background vocals and the style. Nice to hear once.

Like the songs, not with Ray Charles voice

Can never go wrong with this music. Great voice, great vibes. I don't know how to rate it though. 4 stars? 3? Somewhere in that range for now. -> 3 stars; Can't go wrong with this album, but there is little that sets it apart.

I celebrated when this finished.

Amazing complete album from start to finish. This is an absolute classic.

<3

It was alright. 1960s sound for sure. Soaring orchestral music. Lots of songs about love. Simple themes. Smooth voice. Not my music but sweet once I. A while.

Dated, without question, but also a bright and daring slash through the racial barriers of American music in the mid-20th century. Charles takes country music and dresses it up in the styles of jazz and R&B to make it his own. A fascinating intersection of American musical traditions, and a great album. Best song: I Can’t Stop Loving You

perfect. absolutely loved this!!!!!

Meh.

Classic.

Proof that Ray Charles was not only an amazing artist, but blazed trails for later artists.

A bit MOR at times but still a great listen.

Real boring

perfect album as far as im concerned

Something my nan would have liked. Not for me

I understand why it’s a classic but probably won’t revisit

Not his best but good

Nice - quite easy listening

I enjoyed listening to this all day.

Very pretty songs. Mostly slow beautiful ballads with a couple of upbeat, rock and roll type songs. Some of the best singing ever, especially on "Careless Love", with the "moaning" sound, incredible. One of the best.

Too trad for me.... sorry

Stylish, heartfelt, and comforting! Want to curl up with a blanket and gaze out of the window watching the rain while listening to this album! 🥲 Album rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Super smooth proto soul. Great voice and arrangements.

I enjoyed this! Great fun.

Nice bonfire album...

Did he seriously say he wasn't blind anymore

Classic. Part of the Great American Songbook. These songs are quintessential Ray Charles.

Well sung Ray Charles versions of country songs, though I prefer his other hits. The big band and strings arrangements don't suite some of these country songs which could use a little more grit. Standouts: 'Don't Tell Me Your Troubles', 'Teardrops in my Heart'

The title is a bit confusing, as it is an early R&B/pop/jazz/rock - literally anything but country. The Ray Charles versions of these songs are so popular, I didn't know that these were originally country songs. RC is a unique talent that makes every song he sings sound like it was written for him.

Classic songs.

GREAT listen. Seems like a real work of love. Awesome story that he had to work against the label to get this released also.

Great voice (of course) but typical of the period, it's a fairly average album.

The guys a genius for sure, trouble with music in this age is its slightly overproduced and too much orchestra (bit like now lols but with different sounds) think it could've been a bit rougther.

It may be culturally significant but I'm not so sure that I like this that much, it drags a bit

Oh, damn it. This keeps happening: I get all excited about some quality music and then it's not the good Ray Charles music: the soulful blues or the raw funky stuff. No, it's Ray's country and western pop project which sold loads in the sixties to my grandparents generation who didn't know any better. Yuck.

The backstory of why Ray Charles made this album is more interesting than the album itself, it's a covers album after all.

I don't particularly like it, but its definitely good to an extent. Fair play ray, 3 on me lad

01) Bye Bye Love - 10,0 02) You Don't Know Me - 10,0 03) Half As Much - 8,5 04) I Love You So Much It Hurts - 8,0 05) Just a Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long Way) - 8,5 06) Born To Lose - 8,5 07) Worried Mind - 9,0 08) It Makes No Difference Now - 8,0 09) You Win Again - 8,5 10) Careless Love - 8,5 11) I Can't Stop Loving You - 10,0 12) Hey, Good Lookin' - 8,0 TOTAL: 8,79 (88/100) Current ranking: 71/512 Are we just listening to volume 1 or also volume 2 which was released half a year later?

one of the great voices of all time!

It's Ray Charles, it's amazing

Some tight solos and good swing but the sound got a little monotonous after 5 songs

I’m a big Ray Charles fan. This was maybe the first real crossover album. Just fantastic.

Fantastic

I think this album is about as country as Taco Bell is authentic Mexican. There are notes of country in here, don’t get me wrong. It’s mostly in the background, though, by the instruments. But to be honest, it only serves to show how ballsy this album is. The decision to blend soul and country was absolutely insane at the time this album came out. Granted, it’s more big band than country. Actually, Ray completely takes these songs and makes them his own, which is kind of impressive. I will say, listening to both volumes at once is a bit exhausting. And I’m not a fan of the backing chorus. It’s a bit much. Honestly, this album is better in parts. Regardless, this is one of the only ways that I would find country music enjoyable. Favorite track: You Win Again Other hits: You Are My Sunshine, You Don’t Know Me, I Love You So Much It Hurts, It Makes No Difference Now

Not my favourite. Wouldn't listen to again. Quite old timey and the songs kinda sound the same to me.

It's Ray Charles. He's a five star artist in my book. This album is a classic and worth every listen.

great songs from the early sixties. Personally I'm a bigger fan of Ray's uptempo work.

I'm pretty sure Ray Charles's music could make a colonoscopy feel soothing.

Really nice interpretations here, reworking classic country twang into the jazz and R&B numbers. Ray Charles was a musical genius.

Sounds like old school american club music but more classic

Honestly really liked the energy on it but just couldn't get into the songs, maybe some other time I'll be in the mood for it a bit more

Another one where I can see it being an important album at the time, but it’s really not for me. And 24 tracks is too much of a bad thing.

Just like the other Ray Charles album on here, he's got a lovely voice but these songs aren't doing him any favours - it all sounds so bland, and while the bid band feel was good for the first few songs it became just interminable and a constant string of the same thing over and over.

Clearly iconic and foundational but not something I’d listen to on a whim

Na een nummer of 8; de general vibe lijkt duidelijk, blues met verschillende tintjes, bijna alle nummers klinken perfect als sentimentele muziekjes die je zou gebruiken bij een sepia-tinted scène in de 60s waar 2 lovers elkaar ontmoeten in een oud cafe waar binnen flink werd gesjwaamt, en in een timelapse verliefd raken op elkaar. Zal het sowieso verder afluisteren, fijne muziek maar ook ergens wel redelijk snel gewend. Lastig raten want kwalitatief goed maar voor mijn moderne oor ook snel redelijk monotoon. 7/10? Vrij zeker dat deze muziek zo essentieel is dat mn brein het al geaccepteerd heeft als blueprint. Geen idee of dat de rating hoger of lager maakt

Some really smooth renditions in here, though very little stuck given I'm more fond of the originals in the case of most tracks. That said, this was a fantastic chaser to that laborious Genesis album which stifled my progress in catching up on these albums. 7/10

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.

Objectively good music and a monumental achievement for a black musician at the time of its release. Despite this, it’s just a covers album. I couldn’t get too excited about this and I don’t believe any single track caught my attention other than to go yep I know that one.

Enjoyed this way more than other Ray Charles I've heard. Why this mf gotta go and make an album specifically about me. Why these old school R&B guys just be so Romantic and capture the way i feel on every song. I relate to most of the stuff on here in one way or another. Phenomenal, one of the most 9/10 albums ever and I feel impossibly torn between rounding up or down. And if i ain't sure a 5/5 don't feel right. 9/10

Ray Charles doing country music for an hour and a bit. He's a phenomenal musician with a very talented gallery of musicians behind him. We have yet to receive a soul album on here that wasn't a pleasure to listen to. I do feel that because they are covers that the 'soul' of the album doesn't resonate with me as much as the previous Charles album we reviewed. The instrumentals here more than make up for it, each instrument here is arranged wonderfully and sounds off just when it needs to.

Bit slow/repetitive. First track full of energy then it falls off a cliff. Kind of jazzy big-band in places, can see the progression from Sinatra yesterday. But still, I find it quite boring... expected more upbeat exciting stuff from Ray Charles Best track(s) - Bye Bye Love, Hey Good Lookin, Oh Lonesome Me.

it’s just volume 1 that’s the original release and the one in the book. so i am not listening to volume 2 and the bonus tracks on spotify. it’s really not my thing this. i love ray’s voice but i really don’t enjoy big band music much. i feel i need to be there live to properly enjoy it. it is very respectful and amazing the history and impact this album had. but enjoyment wise it’s still only a 3 for me.

Crazy how much he sounds like Jamie Foxx!

I know a small handful of Ray Charles songs, but I've never listened to an album of his. Reading about this album, I'm really interested to hear Ray Charles's interpretation of these songs. Let's fire up some Ray Charles on a Monday morning! Ah, this really wasn’t my cup of tea sadly. Ray Charles is a great singer, and this album sounds really good, but I found it to be boring. Other than “Bye Bye Love” and “Hey, Good Lookin’,” I’m not familiar with any other artists’ versions of these songs, so maybe if I had something to compare Ray’s versions to, I might have enjoyed this album more. The arrangements sound great, and the musicians who play along with Ray Charles are clearly talented, but I’m just not into the ‘big band’ sound of this album. Ray Charles is clearly talented, but there are other songs from his catalog that I would have much rather listened to.

soooooo good. 4.5

Didn't love this it was mopey

I admittedly only got halfway through this album; not because I didn't like it, but because it was rather long. I loved everything I heard. No notes.

Some nice renditions of some classic country western songs, sung by one of the great voices of our time. But this album is a net negative for both: it neither elevates the songs nor highlights the best of what Ray Charles can do. It was very one-note and way too restrained. Two stars.

Some albums are 40 min long but feel like an eternity. This one is 1h+ long and felt way to short.

His vocal performance is a strong 5. The album is beautiful too. At the end some songs gave me a feeling that it’d be a pity to not include them, but they just won’t contribute much to the album. But overall it’s still a very pleasant listen.

I definitely see the country aspects of this album though if it wasn’t titled as such I may not have. I wasn’t blown away but I think that’s also because I prefer a different type of album. 75 minutes or so of 3 minute songs in the same style is a lot and I’ve chastised other artists for doing the same. Maybe the anthology style has faded out with time but going back to it always feels tedious. I liked a lot of these songs in general but couldn’t give you a single standout. Still, you could do worse than to listen to 20+ songs that you’ve never heard by Ray Charles. I give this a 3 as it was not bad by any means, but just didn’t grip me either.

i think the front half of this album (disc 1) had me much higher on this album as a whole than the back half. don't get me wrong, i liked it... but the last 6 songs just kinda took the wind out of my sails for this one. It doesn't detract from Ray Charles at all in my mind, and would love to hear more - but this country album turned jazzy soul probably just isn't my cup of tea.

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.

I really vibed to this. I do like this kind of music in general. With that in mind, I do think this was executed well and I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.

Any reason to listen to Ray Charles is good enough for me. Really interesting to hear his style applied to some classic songs, in some cases making them better. Length is a little bit of a drawback, but otherwise, this was a very enjoyable album and exactly what I was hoping for.

This is how your supposed to do a cover album! Take existing songs a put a twist on them. You're not supposed to make them sound identical to the original (looking at you Weezer's version of Africa). You should only realize halfway through a song that you actually know it. That's what happens here a few times. The big band sound is great, and Ray is perfect. My only complaint is the length of the album. It begins to feel a little repetitive by the end of it.

Pretty easy listening, if a little boring at times. I did like it overall though. 3.5/5

I’m not convinced Stevie Wonder is actually blind. Ray Charles, however, this guy is absolutely blind. This album emits such a warm vibe. The soulful vocals and big band instrumentation bring such vibrancy to these country/western songs. Favorites were Half As Much, Just A Little Lovin’, Careless Love, and Hey Good Lookin’.

Remarkable set of songs that catapulted his legacy. Requires a few more listens to fully appreciate it, in a calm setting. Excellent execution.

Very pleasant music... but it's definitively "sunday-dinner-at-mom's" music. 3/5

I hope Ray won’t see this 2 stars I’m giving him 😬

Throughly enjoyed this one. Hard to believe these were country songs. Ray charles is so soulful in his singing, breathing fresh new life into the songs. Slightly long/repetitive over the two discs but a near 5.

1/1001 Great way to start off this journey. Amazing album. Ray’s vocals are strong, powerful, warm, and so uniquely Ray. His piano playing is also fantastic. The hybrid of blues, country, western, gospel, and early rock n roll all meld together perfectly. The album has so many great songs, but the arrangement is a bit off, going from a songs that makes you want to dance to a slower and lighter moods from track to track. The overall length becomes a bit tiresome towards the end. Better arrangement and cutting 2-3 song could make this album a 5.

I didn't realize these were all originally country songs until he started started playing Hank Williams. This album now-a-days feels really ho-hum.The chorus voices singing background every song made it feel like i was watching a 1950's Disney movie. Didn't really care for it at all.

Can't go wrong with some good old Ray Charles from time to time.

⠗⠁⠽ ⠊ ⠋⠺ ⠽⠕⠥⠗ ⠍⠥⠎⠊⠉ ⠓⠑⠁⠧⠽ ⠞⠺⠊⠝

Pleasant, unexciting. The background choir mostly a bit too sugary for my taste.

Good, but dated

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.

OH YEEEESSSSSSSSSSS Fave Songs: VOL 1 Bye Bye Love ❤️ Half As Much ❤️ Just A Little Lovin' ❤️ Worried Mind (god the piano bridge with the strings oofffff) It Makes No Difference Now Careless Love Hey, Good Lookin VOL 2 You Are My Sunshine Midnight ❤️ Oh, Lonesome Me ❤️ Take These Chains From My Heart ❤️

It's a good album but it's just covers. I would give it a 3.5 if I could.

I never thought there's a way for me to enjoy country songs as much as I did here. Ray literally put soul in these songs. Ray's voice sounds so good, the whole band does too. The overall production on this is great. Some of the songs do sound a bit dated, so do some of the choral vocals. That's the reason it's getting 4 out of 5. But all in all this is a great record and a very enjoyable listen.

Ray Charles fixed country music by making it not country. Seriously, what a baller of an album title.

Цей альбом це справжня класика, що тут ще скажеш. Одна із найвизначніших робіт, що має колосальний вплив на усю поп музику, що виходила потім. На ньому ми чуємо приємний R&B, Soul та Jazz, що представлений, здебільшого, у вигляді чутливих та меланхолійних балад про нерозділену любов. Голос Чарлза - звісно ж неперевершений, його експресивність та емоційність вражала тоді і не перестає вражати зараз. Проте окрім чудового вокалу, особливими тут є також самі аранжування. Альбом не просто так має слово «country» у своїй назві. В дитинстві, Рей ріс під цю музику, і ніколи не розумів сегрегацію блюзу та кантрі, як музики для чорних та для білих. Він завжди вважав, що жанри дуже схожі в тому, якою мовою вони спілкуються зі слухачем. Обидва жанри, на його думку, були максимально приземленими та щирими і показували речі такими як вони є, без зайвих прикрас. Тож для цього альбому, Рей вирішив записати саме кантрі пісні. І це в часи активної расової сегрегації. Його не підтримували в цьому не інші музиканти, ні лейбл, проте останні, все ж, погодилися піти на цей експеримент. Для створення цього альбому використовувалися вже існуючі кантрі пісні. Проте Чарльз вирішив зробити їх на свій лад, намагаючись показати, що у кантрі та блюзу більше спільного ніж здається. Аранжування тут зроблені просто шикарні, і кантрі треки, справді, зазвучали як щось абсолютно нове, проте у свій основі, лишалися тими самими піснями. В цьому, певно, майстерність Чарльза виражається найбільше. Адже тільки справжній геній може переграти пісні так, щоб вони залишили свій дух та «неповторність», і водночас звучали, по «блюзовому вишукано» - так як це бачив Рей. Загалом можна було б ще багато написати про те, «як гарно альбом скомпонований», але якось не має особливо сил та бажання розводити цю нудистику. Цей альбом визнаний, певно що всіма, як найкращий альбом Чарльза. І я із радістю з цим погоджуюсь. Дійсно шикарна робота.

-i sweaaaar ive heard some of these songs before. i probably have because this is a classic sound -interesting to see this classified as “country and Western” by Mr. Ray Charles, that is not what i would have thought to categorize it as -it started very very strong with Bye Bye Love, maybe not quiite as interesting by the end but i still thought it was good -Favorites are Bye Bye Love and Half As Much

6/10

Not entirely modern but I guess that's a risk if you let more than 60 years go by. This album is a worthy entry on this list, a landmark work as well as an absolute treat. Standouts: Bye Bye Love, I can't Stop Loving You, Hey Good Lookin', and You Are My Sunshine. Apparently I like my country to sound like a horny swing band. In any case, full props to Ray "The Genius" Charles for a fun romp.

Fantastic. Like sunshine on your bones. Would hit way harder if I had love in my life

excellent standard, not my jam, but definitely appreciate Ray's influence on the music.

Meh. Too slow for my tastes.

3.5

Three days in a row of albums in my collection. This is a semi recent acquisition, mainly got it for it's reputation alone. Though I really enjoy most of Ray Charles hits, the albums selected for this list tend to fall more in his big band or standards sound, wich is fine, but not the jumpin' R&B I really love from Uncle Ray. The four Gerald Wilson big band brass arranged selections are my personal favorites, but half of the album is the string and vocal arrangement of Marty Paich, which were a bit too syrupy for me (though worked on (I Can't Stop Loving You") (6.9) ★★★

Good vocals. Don't like the arrangements too much. 3.5 stars

The orchestra and choral arrangements are way over the top and overshadow the source material (which is a pretty great collection of songs). It ends up sounding like the music my grandma used to listen to when I was a kid. For example, "You Win Again" is a great Hank Williams song and it just sounds really corny here. I think the first few tracks are the best. 3 stars.

4.5

Some pleasant, easy-listening vocal cuts plus dim elements of bluesy piano like on Bye Bye Love and the swinging Hey Good Lookin’. A lot of soppy, souped-up, showbizzy arrangements though with some absolutely ghastly, fuddy-duddy, beans in my ears choir that almost violates the joint. A flat 3 stars.

not the kind of music i listen to often but i can appreciate it. beautiful mix of soul and country from front to back, and the versatility of Ray's voice is definitely showcased here. only thing i don't "like" is how long this album is. with 24 tracks in total, i don't think i'd listen to this in full often unless played in the background.

Good

Fun old-school rock, r&b, and soul. Interesting that it is called a country and western album. Considering where country music has gone, this sounds quite far from the modern sound of country. Wonderful arrangements and performances all around

Really enjoyed just about every song on this one!

This is a great album. I was sad when it ended.

I’ll Never Stand In Your Way if you want to listen to this one. However, Don’t Tell Me Your Troubles if you aren’t a fan.

It's a thing of its time. I can fully understand why he is considered to be influential in certain areas. And why in his day he was a big star. But by today's standards it was not relevant. It's a piece of history, and an important one at that. But only worth a 2

Flashbacks to sitting in the back of my dads Vauxhall Viva enduring this sort of thing crackling away on his Medium Wave radio wishing that the journey would end.

Just looking at the title, this was on a hiding to nothing. Then imagine my surprise after listening to it, discovering that this really wasn't Country and Western music, old or modern after all. What a blessing. However it was still of load of crap.

He had a great voice but this is very much of its time and really didn’t appeal to me. It gets 3 stars just got his voice

I admit I did not receive what I thought I would be given with this album. This was not covers of well known Country and Western songs, but rather a reimagining of Country and Westerns as performed through a Big Band prism. I don't often agree with Robert Christgau about anything, and even though it is painful to admit it, I think he got the rating of this album right. It is a banger through and through. In a weird dichotomy the album feels fresh without sacrificing the timelessness of the original song material. Love the string, choral, and big band arrangements. It is easy to go over the top with big band arrangements, but Ray Charles and collaborators managed to the toe the line but never leave the pocket. After a week of mediocre Brit rock shit, this was the palette cleanser I needed.

Good album, a bit long and a few tracks that weren't at the standard. I liked how retro it was and also how varied.

Favorite Track: You Don’t Know Me

Yeah I liked this. Great music to work with.

A voice as smooth as silk - a bit dated but still sounds great.

Bold to take songs from the likes of Hank Williams and transform them into an album where everything sounds the same

I liked this, it was nice to have something different

Pretty solid stuff, kinda sounded like a Christmas album but not in a bad way. Songs got a lil repetitive. 3.4/5 Fav song: oh lonesome me

Sounded like a Christmas album

This was disappointing. I was excited for some Ray Charles but it was a lot of covers without much behind them in my opinion.

Love Ray Charles Cool premise, some songs were great, others seemed dated Born to Lose was a highlight!

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.

Sounds very good and all, little too old timey for me tho Will I listen to again: 25%

Decent time to be had here. I've never really listened to Ray Charles and I'm glad I have. The sound to my ears is relatively standard for at least what I think this era sounded like. But it's solid. Some more bumping tracks and some slow sad ones. There really is alot here. I saved a few songs but only a small percentage of the bunch. But overall good

Pleasant tunes from one of the greats 👍

#300 3.5.25

A little long, but classic and comfortable. Like a cloud.

👍

Perfect.

It’s alright, better than I expected from the title. Did enjoy chunks of it in the background, despite it being largely forgettable. 2.5

Ray's a bit sad, some of those lines wouldn't be out of place on a my chemical romance song. The OG emo kid. He's got a good voice, a nice sort of classic sound, there's some nice big band sort of brass sections every now and then. You only need to hear a couple of songs to get the measure of the album though and though it wasn't bad it never really grabbed me. Couple of songs on a playlist would be alright, an albums worth is a bit tough. 2.5.

Quite long, overly maudlin, and not enough piano. Your Cheatin Heart and Make Believe are decent. I believe he aimed to modernise country and western, but it comes across dated now - which I never mind.

Not sure I've ever listened to Ray Charles before.... Not sure I will again. I thought I was miserable, but Christ Ray is on another level. Every song, or those that I can remember, are about unrequited love or being broken up with or similar. It's also very long and dated too... Not for me, but not terrible. 1.5 Chin up Ray lad, it might never happen

I think Ray Charles is great and he did a great job on this album. There is a fundamental problem though and that's that I find the original songs pretty dull and uninspiring, so however well done they are, this album can only scrape a four from me.

A true classic.

Pretty good.

I see why people love it, but for me I don't love this style of big band music.

There is something just so warm and welcoming when it comes to this sound. Of course the actual production does feel dated as that is pretty inevitable, however, it didn't take away from the listening experience for me at all. From the big band, to the backing vocals and of course with Ray Charles and his amazing voice as the cherry on top, you can't help but have a smile on your face or to sway your body depending on the song. With the amount of songs it did feel like it was dragging near the end but overall the switch between upbeat and slow was dynamic enough to keep me engaged. Beautiful and seamless blend of genres that deserves all the praise.

7/10

Charles’ poignant and soulful singing on this record is mindblowing. 4.5/5

Great

Great listen and something I’d probably go back to. I haven’t sat down to listen to Ray before despite hearing many of his songs over the years so this was a super nice experience. It’s also so crazy how you don’t realise each song is a rendition of a country one at first - just a testament to Ray’s artistry and talent!

Not my thing, don't hate it but don't love it. Appreciate the talent and skill though.

Heck yes. Nothing wrong with this.

Little bit too cheesy for me

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.

classic but not really my thing

Kind of repetitive and it will be difficult to listen 24 songs in two volumes. It could be overwhelming. Best songs: Half as much, I love you so much it hurts, it makes no difference now, Oh lonesome me. Mellow songs are repetitive. Same formula. Could be a background album.

I'm sure it's important, but it's also very boring. Almost turns into Disney music at times.

Good

I think this is the music that plays in heaven. This gets a little repetitive, especially in the middle - but it’s great music and I have no complaints. Best songs: You are my sunshine You don’t know me Careless love Worst songs: Just a little lovin

Actually enjoyed this! 4/5 for me

Beautiful album, mostly songs of heartbreak, enjoyed it

Platters > Ray Charles