Reviews (page 8 of 13)
Väldigt showtunes-aktigt, känns som filmmusik från mitten av 1900talet
Generational vocal talent.
Okay well already this music is a struggle for me to get to, but now with the weepy woe is me it was especially difficult to endure. I don’t really know what to say- I of course have heard a couple of his songs and realize how big of a deal he is but not my favourite.
Is this truly "country" music? If I had more bluesy vocals like this - and less (no) twang and/or pedal steel like Ray Charles delivers here - I'd be more-inclined to listen to more. I've always hated those creamy 40s/50s style background vocals and still do here - I suppose I understand what he was doing which was revolutionary, just that roughly half the album doesn't hold my interest as a listener 60+ years later - thankfully Ray's voice brings it back (even on the songs I don't care for). BUT the "boppers" are great - I particularly enjoyed the bonus track of "You Are My Sunshine" which takes that traditional standard and makes it wholly unique. Probably can file this as one in a bucket of albums on this list that were groundbreaking and historic at the time and you have to put into context to appreciate even more. Not that I didn't enjoy this (the slower maudlin songs are far too schmalzy for my liking and kill the flow a bit) since the uptempo tracks are worth the price. Excellent album, not sure how much it aligns with my tastes, but worthy of praise for what it was and I'd probably listen again. 7/10 3 stars.
objektiv cool aber ka wie oft i's hören werd
Great range. Not sure if it was the edibles but one of my favorites
Long
I like this, it’s amazing that he managed to get on Country Radio in The South in 1962. But I just don’t love the music. I expected more swing and soul but it sounds a lot like a crooner to me. A slightly disappointed 3.
Ray Charles is forever pitch perfect. These arrangements turned a singular genre into timeless classics from the great American songbook.
Hit em with the reverse Elvis. Ray is the GOAT
What a sound. And so much packed in.
Good enough album but too long
Don’t love r and b
Some interesting tunes but a lot is quite samey. Lyrics make me wonder about what he was going through at the time of recording
Ray is remarkably talented, but this era of music just isn't my cup of tea. I did enjoy hearing this rendition of "You Don't Know Me" which made me thing of "Groundhog Day"--one of my all time favorite movies.
It says on the cover that it's volume 1 and 2! So no, it's not too long. By all means listen to both volumes - the one included in the book plus the follow up released later that year following it's success - but don't then criticise two albums for being the length of two albums. Anyway yeah, very enjoyable, obviously.
Classic songs of my youth that still hold up.
Not my favourite of Ray's. Too far into Swing for me
This has no right to be this long.
Classic! Bold rhythms, excellent instrumentation, and masterful vocals.
If this was 1962 and the fusion of jazz/big band with other genre's was still new, it definitely would have hit better than it did. I thought the arrangements were well done, I enjoyed listening to new versions (to me) of old songs. All told though I don't think I'd put it back on, and at times I was tempted to DNF the album.
Too many love songs. This album makes me feel like a hopeless romantic. And honestly just made me sad. 2
really nice. maybe i’ll listen again when i feel like i need a break from music i love. even though i really like this, it felt super long. like when is this going to end?
I was a huge fan of the big band elements, i didnt like the slow and calm the mikents too much though so most of it wasn’t that great to me x
It's OK 3.2
Always wanted to listen to this and was surprised (pleasantly) by it. More orchestral than anticipated. Great album.
OK
****A wonderful, versatile album. Easy listening, great vocals and instrumental
I really liked the opening song, but most others were a little boring. I feel like this type of music works best when it's energetic. That’s why I enjoyed the first song a lot, but the rest not so much. I would've certainly rated this album higher if everything were like the first song. I actually want to find more of this sort of energetic big band R&B Fallout type beat music, but this wasn’t it.
Lyrics are very basic, but the piano playing and band are phenomenal.
That was fun to listen to. Put it on when I was making out with my girlfriend last night and then listen to it again at work today.
A national treasure. I prefer his more upbeat material, and the album title is a misnomer, but one cannot argue his talent or impact.
Pretty good.
Some bangers on here, could listen to ray all day. High 4.
Just some beautiful crooning from Ray across the whole album.
Such a warm and cozy album, perfect for Christmastime! While some songs were a bit too slow or “old fashioned” for me I still think this is a great album
Just not for me.
Fantastic album. Just goes to show you how closely related these genres are. Ray did it way before Beyonce.
Kedvenc/Favourite: Bye Bye Love Elképesztő tehetség és hozzáértés érződött minden dalon, érzelmes és könnyed volt, de egyértelműen magas színvonalon kivitelezve. Érdekes volt country dalokat ebben a formában hallani, nekem nagyon megtetszett a koncepció. Igazán ki tudtam kapcsolni, és csak a zenére koncentrálni, vissza fogok még térni ehhez az albumhoz, azt hiszem (bár ici-picit háttérzenés érzésem lett egy idő után). There was amazing talent and skill in every song, it was emotional and light, but clearly executed to a high standard. It was interesting to hear country songs in this way, I really liked the concept. I was able to really switch off and just concentrate on the music, I'll be returning to this album again I think (although I did get a tiny bit of a background music vibe after a while).
I give it a 4 for musicality and influencing. Sounds like Mancini meets C&W.
It’s a real fun album when it drives. It does have too many slow spots. A lot of the middle of the album is missing the energy of “I’ve Got a Woman”. But when it’s on, it’s on! I’d have no idea this was originally country music if it wasn’t in the album title.
Nicht mein vibe
- immense background vocals
Got a soft spot for Ray Charles. The music is from a bygone era, but still retains a lot of modern feeling, particularly in the faster tracks. Wouldn't really choose to listen to this, but I can appreciate it.
Nice 8/10
Reminded me of Fallout. Favourite songs: You are my sunshine, Hey good looking
This album is smooth and easy, but it’s got guts. It takes classic sounds and flips them into something fresh. It’s warm, confident, and timeless.
First listen. Pretty good.
I can see why people would like it. Didn't do so much for me.
A little over the top at times but I'd listen to this one again.
Silky smooth vocals, but sorely lacking in variety.
The sound is nice but kinda dated. It serves mostly as a teachable moment now. The source material, country, gives a very limited set of chords and progressions to work with and Charles does great work with it. But after two discs, they all start to blend together into one big country ballad blob. You are my sunshine is recognizable by the lyrics and thus stood out to me.
Great voice put to good use. Very good album.
Great listen.
Flawless
Solid 3.5. Ray Charles has a lot of way better stuff, this doesn't quite hit for me I guess.
This was ok.
I really enjoyed listening to this while cooking. Great vocals and very groovy.
нормуль, приятная музычка
Pretty enjoyable. Not really sure what kind of mood I'd need to be in to go back and listen to this though. Ray is one of the greats, and I appreciated his take and arrangements 3.75
Still need to listen fully! A bit conservative
I can’t hear Ray Charles sing without smiling. And this album is influential because it was such a departure from Charles’s usual genre. But the arrangements on this album — all sweeping strings & stilted choruses — are super dated and out of place. The same kind of arrangement works and sounds so natural on the Billie Holiday album in this collection— but here, it’s a painful distraction from a great performer. It’s a 3 on the strength of Ray Charles’s singing and playing and on execution of the concept—reinterpreting country/western songs in a very different style.
6/10 This was good, often very good, but a great example of less is more 2 albums worth of stuff that got pretty smart to me at points. The country stuff, with syrupy almost kitsch production was my least favourite. The uptempo stuff with brass and vibes was excellent. Best: You Are My Sunshine
So. Many. Love. Songs.
Ray Charles.
I only ever had the greatest hits of Ray Charles growing up buy some of my favorite tracks on that CD are apparently on this record (you don't know me, I can't stop loving you, take these chains from my heart). The whole record just feels like a new deeper cut version of that record. A really fun concept of taking country standards and doing them in his own style.
When it's good it's great but there are Ray Charles albums I like better.
Foundational record. Ray Charles was a legend.
It's a little slick for my taste, but it's a fantastic reimagining of the source material.
This is pretty great. It's bluesy, jazzy and soulful. Ray Charles' voice is sensational. I'm not a 60s country and western aficionado, so I don't recognise most of the standards here, and can't really speak to the album's social impact, but it's enjoyable music regardless.
The historical significance of this album cannot be understated. It certainly united people and did so much to help integrate American music, while affording Charles the ability to gain creative control of his art from this point forward... It feels like an artifact to me. It sounds like the Smithsonian smells, dated. Interesting to revisit every so often, but such an enormous relic.
Exactly what I was expecting but in a good way
Pretty good, great background music for a chill environment. I would probably not listen to this album when music is the main focus, as I found it quite long and repetitive for my personal music listening habits.
Good music
Correcto
Classic songs, Ray and his voice
4/5
Great blend of pop songs, big band jazz, and rock n roll. Good energy and mix of fast and slow songs.
Needs another listen but it seems incredible as I fell asleep.
The Good: An album title that tells it like it is! The Bad: that the modern sound is dated… The Ugly: That we are talking about C&W… Yeehaw… There isn’t much to say about an album for which much has been said already, except that I agree. The album is awesome. Ray Charles is the GOAT. The background singers are dated. It feels like you are listening to the soundtrack to a Disney movie. etc… Today was my maiden voyage listening to this album. I had seen the title here and there, but as I am not a C&W fan, and stupid, I never bothered to listen to it… and boy was I knocked on my socks. This album is awesome, and Ray Charles is the GOAT, and the background singers are dated, and it does feel like I you are listening to the soundtrack of a Disney movie, and it all makes sense… The only downside to this album is, you guessed it, a couple of songs too long… Soooooooooooooo close to 5*
I listened to the 2009 version, which is a double album with 24 songs. These all are covers of country-western songs done in mellow Ray Charles style. I was too young to know the significance of this record, but apparently it was influential for black artists then.
A lot more artists started in the 60s than I'd realised. Gosh. Despite the name, this sounds more "oldies" than "country" to me, so I liked it more than I expected.
i think there's a lot of positive things to say about this album. charles's voice is smooth as silk, and the background vocals help transport back to a much simpler time. a lot of the lyrics were the same, but overall it's a great listen.
Lotsa soul, but overdone/heavy-handed arrangements and some pretty dodgy material. Surely there are are better RC records for this list. One really wants to like this more than one does.
Parp
Nice, fun, drags a bit near the end
Not my cup of tea
Enjoyed this one. Great singing and arrangements, lots of fun. You don't really get a sense of the historical/racial significance while it plays, it goes down easily.
это тоже наш кротяра
Classic cocktail hour music.
If this is what country music sounded like maybe I would like it!
I didn't love this. Most of the songs were kind of gutless. I like the edgy vocals of Ray Charles but most of these were early 60s easy-listening style
Listenable
Grateful to listen to this classic and timeless album!
Love it 5/5
I was not familiar with Ray Charles (except for a few massive hits) and I was intrigued by the title. As it turns out, it is NOT a country album(or at least not a modern country album), which is a great turn. And the production on the album is spectacular. Like it basically sounds like an old school movie soundtrack cause the orchestra and instrumentation on this album is like butter on hot pancakes, it is silky smooth. Overall I wasn’t sure what to expect which I think helped the album, but ultimately it is truly a one in a million album even if it’s not chalk full of hit songs. Truly loved relaxing with this album and a nice joint.
After the movie “Ray” came out, I bought a “best of” Ray Charles CD, and have really enjoyed it over the years, although it has been quite a while since I have listened to it…well this album is better! Even though I would normally find the production, orchestration and backing vocals a bit over the top, I think it really works here. I will definitely listen to this one again. If I could, I would give it 4.5 stars.
Fav: You Don’t Know Me Least Fav: Hey, Good Lookin’ He made a really nice blues album, and that’s an achievement in itself
Thought this was boring. Low 3
7/10 - they all sound the same. Sometimes he is sad and sometimes he is happy but the music is the same
Pretty long and not too much variety, but consistently solid. Pretty enjoyable listen
Ha ha country and western, that’s funny Ray. You can certainly hear where some 60’s singers borrowed from him - looking at you Joe Cocker. This is great stuff by a legend.
фильм про него нормалный альбом скучный
My first thought upon getting this was - I didn't know Ray Charles did a country record. After listening it's clear that he didn't. He used the lyrics from country songs and did them in his own style, and I can respect that. This is a nice album, but not something I would seek out personally. Listening through the second time I came to the realization that a lot of these songs sound like they could be in an old Disney movie and now I can't hear them any other way.
It’s weird because it’s not what I’d call country now. Has much more of a big band jazz feel. It's nice, and Ray Charles is a great performer, but it's not really up my alley taste wise.
It's a strange mix of many genre sounds. Not sure hoe much I enjoy it, but it' well done musically.
Ray Charles has a great voice and the songs were pretty fun. Best song: Hey, Good Lookin'
Ahhh country. I love folk music, but typically when I say that, I’m referring to more traditional folk music. Celtic dirges and maritime shanties seem to be in my wheelhouse. I forget often that country is folk music in a way. The term “country” conjures up images of now Christian high school bullies who bought cowboy hats to star in musical truck commercials. There is a world beneath the shiny beer-soaked garbage peddled to the lowest common denominator. When country was pop in the 60’s, it was great. So with that preamble out of the way, let’s hear Ray take on this complicated titan of music. Uhhh. Ok? Oh Jesus. This song turned into that fucking dentures commercial. That’s completely insane. Firstly, that a dentures commercial from AT LEAST 15 years ago is ingrained in my head, and secondly, that it existed at all. Is there nothing money can’t taint? Alright. Let’s get out of the big band dentures fiasco and into a ballad. I really bugged up country for almost no country sounds to exist. Thanks Ray. Decent ballad. Nothing that will spur me to begin to pen letters homeward. Bah, this one is pretty cool. Very “of the time” and ZERO country to be found, but this is a good one. I hate this song so much it hurts. Oh hell yeah. Getting all upbeat. Snapping along on a piano with an undone bowtie. Horrific visual. Not for me. This ballad sounds like it’s quietly played in the main room of nursing homes between magic shows while three or four elderly residents lightly sleep. Did we hear this one? This is getting weak. Come on Ray. Pick it up. I feel like it’s either lame big band, or the same ballad. Oh look, big band AND the same ballad. ANOTHER ONE. Stop. Everybody say Love. Don’t steal RuPaul lines from 40 years in the past. This is where this gets complicated. I loved this song coming into this album. I still really enjoy the song, but surrounded by 10 songs that essentially sound the exact same, it loses its lustre. At least this one has some country? A little? Meh. Fine one. Not the worst. This album is a little bit like Meat Loaf putting that sick ass album cover on Bat out of Hell, only to release a bunch of plodding ballads with the consistency of the artist’s nom de plume. What about this was country? It’s overly smooth big band in many sections and half asleep ballads with 1962’s answer to AI generated lyrics. I think if I heard each song individually, I’d think “oh this is nice,” as I believed with “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” Nice is a good thing, but as an album experience, this is a complete snoozer. The same song on repeat for what felt like an eternity. That song isn’t bad but 11 times makes me feel similar to how the stampede brand of low IQ country makes me feel. Woozy and a strange hankering for a pair of Wranglers, an ice cold light beer and maybe some denture paste. 1.5-2 HIGHLIGHTS: Half as Much, I Can’t Stop Loving You
I couldn't recognise this as Country and Western music at all at first, but apparently it is, although it is very bluesy. This isn't my thing and I struggled to get through this double album. Rating: 2
Une somme en deux volumes, 24 titres, ça peut intimider. Ray Charles applique les recettes du swing, de la soul et du jazz aux vieux tubes country, et ça fonctionne à merveille avec sa voix, ces chœurs, son énergie et sa sensibilité. On reconnaît ces airs mais ils sont métamorphosés par ce traitement. Ces vieux cons de réac de la country ont dû détester, rendant ce disque encore plus sympathique. Depuis l’intro “Bye bye love”, “I can’t stop loving you” est absolument irrésistible, tout comme “Born to lose”, “Oh, Lonesome Me”, “Take these chains from my heart”, “I’ll never stand in your way”, “Teardrops in my heart”. Je ne savais pas que j’avais autant besoin d’un album de reprises soul de standards country par Ray Charles, mais content de le découvrir. Maintenant défi : lister et écouter les originaux. Lu dans un commentaires : "He took White music and made it Black, it's like reverse Elvis."
Not for me
4 stars
I understand that certain albums are on here because of the cultural importance but that doesn't mean I need to like it. This is my truth.
I do like Ray Charles, don’t know anyone who doesn’t!
A lot of good tunes
Nice stuff, a few surprisingly modern sounding songs here
Might as well be the same song on repeat. I have no time for this.
Musically okay, but I can't listen to these melancholy “love" songs anymore. A double CD full of them is borderline torture. I haven't quite understood the country and western aspect that the title refers to either. I guess because 90% of the music sounds like it could be playing in the background of very old western movies? I don't even want to tear the album apart, it was probably really important and revolutionary in its time, but it's like reading important ancient writings today. More interesting than enjoyable.
I know most of these sound better than the originals. The background vocals are creepy sometimes though. 4.4.
Genre and groundbreaking. Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
This is how I would like all the CnW you keep serving me, served please.
I would not call most of this country or western, which made it more enjoyable than I expected from the title. Love the jazz swing style of the songs.
Boring songs
Next
Truly enjoy this.
no letter today :( i have waited since dawn It's good stuff but genre-wise it's outside my wheelhouse. It'd help if I knew more of the songs it was reinventing... when it's covering ones I do know, like "Bye Bye Love" and "You Are My Sunshine," it's a pretty good time.
Smooth and elegant with rich vocals and dignified renditions of classic songs
Not my style of music but a great voice and an easy listen to have on
Not the kind of music I typically listen to, but I love the idea of taking traditional songs from one genre and completely re-do. Especially with Ray's amazing voice, most of these sound great, but I especially love the more up-tempo songs like 'Hey Good Lookin''
This is very nice. Probably not something I would want to listen to often but very well done
This is perfect!
Damn awesome execution of this idea. Ray Charles voice is timeless, and though some of the strings and background vocals are a bit overdone, the blues approach to country/western is very cool. 4⭐️
bye bye love- 6 you dont know me- 5 half as much- 6 i love you so much it hurts- 6 just a little loving will go a long way- 5 born to lose- 5 worried mind- 5 it makes no difference now- 5 you win again- 5 careless love- 5 i cant stop loving you- 5 hey good looking- 5
Sonic wallpaper I'm afraid: in one ear and out the other (albeit smooth and mellifluous while doing so).
This album was exactly what I thought it was. I feel like these songs have been around for an eternity. You hear them in every movie from the 70s and 80s. Good stuff but played out in basic in 2024.
You hear all these songs with Ray's voice giving them so much meaning, but it's all drowned out by the lush backing and those awful massed backing vocals, which reach heights of horror when that soprano hits the jarring notes up top.
kinda like old church hymns. relaxing and nostalgic kinda like when captain america finally got his dance kinda like jazz scenes from tom and jerry
It is nice
Many classics, well done.
Cute
Undoubtedly a great voice, love the warm production that makes me feel like I'm sitting by a fire at Christmas. Unfortunately the songs mostly sound the same to me and the style of music isn't really my thing.
Knew who Ray Charles was but didn’t understand his significance. Now I do. Great album but I feel disadvantaged because I don’t really know the original songs that he reworked. My only gripe is that it does seem to slow towards the end. Nonetheless would happily listen again.
Ray's influence, hits and longevity are etched in stone but I'm not sure an album of covers makes the Top 1001 list. I don't think this stretched rock & roll much other than making covers cool and spinning a standard or country song into more of an R&B sound. The sound similarities with the other album on this list are too much to ignore Interesting take on "Bye Bye Love", "Careless Love", & "You Are My Sunshine", the rest was pretty vanilla. It hasn't stood up well with the heavenly-choir backing vocal, the extended strings straight out of a Disney musical, and the the over-the-top horn section. There's nothing cutting edge on this, even for 1962, was it a huge hit? It's lost on me, what justifies this making a must-hear list like this? 2 stars cause the songs are good & his vocals are easy to listen to. I'd like to hear a modern cleaned up version with fewer horns & none of the corny white-people-in-heaven-back backing vocals.
I really like this album compared to the last one. It’s a lot more new aged for the time and it had a natural and flow. Literally, I think he was talking about finding a love and a new girl, but then back to the old love, but I couldn’t follow.
This was long and got repetitive towards the end.
Some of these renditions are fantastic, particularly because they’re so different than the “usual” versions (“You are my sunshine” being the obvious/well-known example, but also “Born to Lose” and “your cheatin’ heart” - both of which I loved). Cool idea and excellent execution, but the relevance is lost on me and I struggle to find when I’d listen to this? But man, Ray, dude’s so good.
I could listen to Ray read the phonebook. The band and recording sounds terrific. A lot of these are "standards" but done incredibly well and with Ray's own twist at the peak of his powers.
Bye Bye Love rocks. I read on the wiki this was groundbreaking because he blended country and soul at the height of the civil rights movement. That is cool, but it still sounds sleepy to my 2024 ears. This surely deserves 5 stars for the times and American history but it’ll be 3 stars for my records. If someone ever scrutinizes my 1001 ratings I’m going to have a tough time justifying how I gave this a lesser rating than OutKast. Curious about big band music, feels like it’d be sick to see in person. Either way, bravo Ray. I’m a fan.
Nice sound, with the distinctive piano playing holding it all together. Ray’s voice is huge and comforting. Can only go so high for an album of standards not re-invented in a particularly unique way, but still a thoroughly pleasant experience.
With a “studying history” focus, I see how Ray Charles is the man and worthy of a few entries on this list. I genuinely enjoyed a few tunes (You Are My Sunshine and You Dont Know Me were my favs). I did find it formulaic/repetitive at points with both lyrical themes (obvious) and musically. Reading on Ray Charles was far more interesting to me. He’s worshipped by a lot of my heroes in the 70s
Some great tracks on here and perfect background music but also a lot that I wouldn’t be able to pick out of a lineup. Accidentally listened to this on loop in my headphones while sleeping last night and didn’t wake up once. Feel guilty giving this less than Elvis (kind of the reverse transaction of this album) but that one feels like it explores more territory. Random plug for new Elvis doc on Netflix.
Consistently solid sound throughout the album. The second side seemed a lot more down than the first side and definitely got stale by the end. Overall, a great album.
So much fun. A great album.
I like a bit of Charlie Parker and Louis Armstrong so this fits in this vibe nicely. Nice listening, love the sound of the recordings from this period to. Gives them lots of warmth. Also all the song titles could be Taylor Swift song titles (just an observation).
I had to interrupt my classic FM Christmas listening for this but I was not disappointed. Nice sounds, lovely jazzy feel.
When you consider the hysteria and backlash this year Beyonce had releasing a country and western album and then think of Ray Charles jumping genres in the early 60's- now, that takes big balls of steel! Listen to this, and consider that culture and genre jump in that very un-diverse world ......it's incredible. It sounds so natural and bloody good too, what a guy! Those balls of steel turned to golden for pulling this one off, one of the greatest, successful genre shifts of all time. for that reason alone it gets a big fat FIVE from me. The man himself once summed it up nicely by saying "Country & Blues aren't cousins they're blood brothers." Bravo Ray Charles!
Cozy and warm inside lovely songs take pride on the radio and in my ears easy listening without fears So sweet and lovely waves Not music for raves Really a true genius walked among us
I was surprised how much I liked this.
I actually really like this! Surprised.
What is not to like - great tunes from a great singer
obviously great. hit after hit! love his rendition of your cheating heart
arrangements carry this, but jamie foxx sounds really old her e
Ray Charles!
2.5 rounded up
Man county music has changed and Ray is a legend
own
This one is all about the voice for me. Great early morning or late night listen.
A unique talent but not my thing so was a little bit of a slog to listen through for me.
Honestly a difficult listen. It wasn't offensive in any way, just quite far from my thing. Reminded me of something my Gran would probably enjoy. It was also very long, and felt it.
It was very good. Not surprisingly.
Love her voice. Great album
Quite enjoyed it.
There are simply artists and songs that are on another level - even a 5 doesn't seem enough to distinguish such works!
Love the sound of Ray's voice. Obviously these are some hits. 4/5
You can hear the smile on Ray Charles' face as he sings. This album is mislabelled, as I didn't hear much county here. It's basically Ray Charles with a big band and it's really good! I didn't like the strings and Ray Coniff-like backing singers. Other than that, it was very enjoyable. Liked Songs Added: It Makes No Difference Now You Are My Sunshine
Top!
I didn't mind listening to this - especially his Hank Williams covers. But historical interest, more than something I would go back to.
More enjoyable than I thought it would be but still not really something I would put on purposefully.
I’m trying to judge each album as standalone, but when the algorithm gives me two Ray albums in quick succession, it’s hard not to compare them. The Genius of Ray Charles, released three years before this, somehow feels more contemporary. That said, this is still a very good album, and I’m starting to suspect I might be a fan of Mr. Charles. His voice and delivery are as superb as ever. However, the backing choir on this record has a dated sound that didn’t work for me personally, which held it back slightly. Standout Track: I Can’t Stop Loving You Score: 4/5
Classic
Too long. Sorry. Good but too long
Perfect album.
It's kinda crazy how much you can change the arrangement of a song and keep it indentifiable, interesting and also extremely original sounding.
Listened Before? N Timeless. Mr. Charles was an icon when I was born, and his music stands and speaks for itself all these years later. This was made in a time that didn't even resemble modern life, yet, the themes and music transfer so well - if you let them. There isn't any filler or a single bad song on this record... and it's a double album. Take note, modern artists and record companies, THIS is what true talent sounds like. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: I Can't Stop Loving You
Для воспоминаний о временах в которых никогда не бывал
Masterful perfect classic
An interesting first Ray Charles album to get here. There is so much more than the typical rhythm and blues that many would come to expect. Plenty of crooning songs with country and western standards, (as referenced to by the album name of course), or just blue covers of said country songs. You almost forget that these are covers after all. It's a well-recorded production and a bit of a bold concept given the era that this was released in and the artist at the center of things.
3 stars since it was a big deal in its day.
Several classics here from a bygone era.
Came to this
Great album. I'd like to think Ray was like I'm going to take these white boys music, make it better and get paid. The only thing that kept this from five stars for me is that it was too long. I don't know why that is a thing with me. Some albums are as long as they need to be and others just a song or two too much. Either way I hope Ray got paid and he did arrange these songs exceptionally well.
Cool vibes. Felt a bit festive
Ray Charles playing country standards sounded like a horrible idea and I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong I was.
This is one of my all-time favorite albums—one of the greatest vocal performances by one of the greatest recording artists of all time. I've listened to it so much over the years that it doesn't really hit the way it used to, but still. I remember hearing Ray's version of "You Are My Sunshine" for the first time and feeling like a musical hole had been ripped open in my brain (in a good way). Every fucking note this guy sings here is just perfect. I don't love the choral stuff, but it works anyway—Ray is just that good. At this point, the ballads hold up the most for me, especially "You Don't Know Me" and "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)." The way his voice just overflows with emotion ... the guy was unbelievable!
Felt like a Xmas album
I did not use a private Spotify session for this double album. Not what I expected given the nod to Country and Western music, not bad, but it's not making any to any rotation.
Love it
Loved the vibe
Good. Well played, good voice. Decent songs. I don't think it's very relevant to current music anymore, but it doesn't have to be. Too many similar bonus tracks, as is often the case with reissues. Favorite song: hey good looking.
Album excellent, le son est bien chaud et vintage, beaucoup de nuance et de dynamique dans le son, le mix est bon en entend tous les instruments et surtout les prises d'instruments respire on entend bien la room rien à dire c'est parfait.
Great album. The peculiar atmosphere of the 60’ with that rich and elegant sound, the strings, the brass, the choirs, everything here is well written. Of course the songwriting is also stunning and very versatile. Thanks for the advice.
Over-arranged treacle - not my taste
This is great. Smooth. Classy. Jazzy. It's that kind of old-timey vibe that feels like Christmas. I think I will revisit, but perhaps just half of it, as it does feel over-long and I checked out more in the second half.
Adding meaningful praise for a man whose nickname was The Genius is no easy task. On Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Ray Charles transforms country classics with such soulful conviction that the “country” label feels almost secondary. Charles’ piano playing is subtle yet masterful, grounding each track with blues-inflected left-hand bass and adding light syncopation and swing with his right hand. Instead of flashy solos, he offers precise riffs and brief flourishes that enhance the emotional weight of each song, complementing his soulful vocals. Charles redefines each genre by seamlessly blending country, blues, jazz, and R&B. His piano weaves bluesy bass lines, jazz-inspired swing, and gospel-rooted harmonies, while the lush orchestration borrows from big-band traditions, all while maintaining the simplicity of country melodies. The result is a sound uniquely his—soulful, expansive, and genre-defying. Compared to the originals, his versions are more immersive and emotionally charged, turning simple country storytelling into layered, soul-infused performances. Where the originals are crisp and direct, Charles’ interpretations are expansive and bold, blending genres and reimagining each song. This album exceeded my expectations, cementing Ray Charles as a master interpreter and boundary-breaker. Modern Sounds reaffirms his genius, proving he transcends genres making every song unmistakably his own. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? Sure. Would this release make my personal list? Every respectable list has to have some Ray Charles. This album is as good a point to start as any. Will I be listening to it again? Definitely.
Ray Charles is just too amazing. Simply great music all around no flaws. I dislike christmas themed albums but this one is special its top of the food chain for xmas albums.
Really good
Strong start but winds up becoming uninspiring.
Ray Charles is another artist who I like in small doses and not really an entire album. It’s not bad. But I start checking my watch halfway through. 3.5/5
I feel there is better Ray Charles to come.
Too soft for my taste, but it's not bad
Can't really fault it. Absolutely beautiful songs, get you right in the feels.
Good but not for me.
Fan of Ray Charles but this album is kind of hit and miss. Some good songs on here but not his best
Not my favorite Ray Charles but album concept is very cool
Old sounds that feel like they come from the era of Christmas classics. Perfect for November
ok
Again just ray being ray
very satisfying, he has a beautiful voice
Superb R&B with a few misses but solid 4/5.
Not really my type of music, but surprisingly not too bad
meh
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music transformed into Love Songs to Slow Dance To. Too respectable and inoffensive to fully embrace at such a length, especially given the lack of variation. The backing choir on I can’t Stop Loving You sound incredible though.
Just because it is Mr. Ray Charles
What a timeless classic. Loved the background singers and Arrangements...not overdone and came in just at the right times. What a big production for 1962. Ray could sing the phone book and sell records!
Fantastic! Not really my cup of tea but perfectly executed. Not sure why Ray Charles doing country/western songs feels like a Christmas movie but it sure does. Definitely an album everyone should hear at least once.
Honestly, I have no idea why this album is called Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music since i did not hear a single influence from country music like the title would have implied but I'm not here to complain about the title, I'm just here to say that this album is a pretty good one. I found that the best parts of the album were the opening song and closing song since they had the fun jazz sound i like. The other songs went for more of a Frank Sinatra sort of sound which is fine but nothing i liked more than the really jazzy stuff. This album is a pretty solid one, just had a little too much of the stuff i liked less. Best Song: Bye Bye Love Worst Song: I Love You So Much It Hurts Side note: I find the first song kind of funny since the lyrical subject matter is so sad and serious yet the music is so jazzy and groovy
i really liked this…i guess i don’t know too much about ray charles cos i didn’t realize how much of a sad boy he is….almost all of these songs are about getting left at home alone by his gf! get up ray!
I don't have too many thoughts about this I guess. I listened to it while I was working and it made me productive. It was also really pretty :D
Great.
I have to rate this album as a measure of my enjoyment, and at the end of the day, it's not really music that has much pull for me. That said, upon reading more about this album, I have a hell of a lot of respect for it. Ray Charles covering a bunch of country songs, reaching deep into them and transforming them. Bringing other things to the surface. All this when the music industry, like American society as a whole, was segregated. Honestly, it's pretty incredible. My frame of reference is pretty small, not only to Ray Charles and his style of music, but to the songs he's covering here. Just to get a taste of the source, I went and looked up the original "Hey Good Lookin'" by Hank Williams to compare. Night and day. I do think it's the jazzier renditions I prefer. They sound more unique than the string-heavy arrangements, which seem to lend themselves to a lot of country songs more easily. And if I'm not mistaken, it seems that this kind of production would become more popular in country over the course of the decade. Perhaps it's a corny takeaway, but music does unite us all. I appreciate what this album represents.
Classic from beginning to end. Familiar songs given an unfamiliar feel. I prefer his more swinging selections, but great to hear this take on Country standards. One to play frequently.
It's tempting to give this five stars after the first few bars of Bye Bye Love. Ray Charles, a Phil and Don cover, WINNER! The rest of the two discs didn't disappoint. Ray's voice and choice of covers are the perfect match. The crossover between country, soul and good old rock 'n' roll somehow works. I was left toe tapping and GRINNING.
Damn, this is just so smooth. Easiest 5 star I’ve given out yet. I could see some listeners being turned off by the choir as it’s certainly a sound of a time gone by that’s fallen out of fashion, but as a fan of classic country and western music, I’m desensitized to it at this point. The horns are to die for, especially on Half As Much. And that’s the best version of Your Cheating’ Heart I’ve ever heard. 5/5 Highlights: You Don’t Know Me Half As Much I Love You So Much It Hurts Worried Mind I Can’t Stop Loving You Your Cheatin’ Heart
Album con un sonido grandioso, con toda una big band detras transformando viejos estándares del country en clave soul y unos grandiosos arreglos orquestales. Y el bueno de Ray lleno de sentimiento en canciones como "Born to Lose". Me gustó mas el volumen 1.
It was pleasant to listen to, but that is about it. I wont be buying the record or seeking it out again
Not so much sounds of country and western as songs from country and western performed by Ray Charles. But they're great, and Ready proves they're great songs without the jangly stringed instruments the title would suggest.
It gets a bit sappy at times with all the strings and the background choir, but it's influence is undeniable
Nice
While Ray Charles' talent is on full display on this album, showcasing his amazing vocals and overall musical ability, it still falls short of greatness due to being quite samey throughout. When you've heard the first few tracks on this album, you've sort of heard them all.
chill and relaxing 5/5
I love everything Ray Charles. This is such an easy listen start to finish.
Love Ray Charles and very much enjoyed this. My only complaint is that it doesnt really fit the album template, its just a collection of really good standards by a good singer and arranger.
This was better listen than I was expecting. It really doesn’t sound very country or western at all. However, all the songs start sounding like every other orchestra backed 40s/50s song and the run time is way too long.
It sounds much less country than expected.
3,5
Not his best
Essentially an album of cover songs?
It took me til track 12 to realise these tracks are Soul covers of Country and Western classics. Up until then the arrangements are great but the everything sounds the same. Bye Bye Love, Don't Tell Me Your Troubles and Oh, Lonesome Me are the stand out tracks as these are the only real upbeat songs where I'd think "That's Ray Charles!"
Ray Charles is Ray Charles. 6/10
What a fantastic album. 5/5
2- Stars (4/14)
Very solid cover album, was surprised by how many country songs sounded great with soul / r&b styling. Only complaint was that it was long, could have used some trimming. 8/10 Favorite songs were: 10. Careless Love 14. No Letter Today 19. Take These Chains From My Heart
I'm at something of a split on this album style-wise. I loved the gospel-y numbers like You are my Sunshine most of all. Then the more schmaltzy sentimental ones like Teardrops in my Heart. The more up-tempo, swinging big band songs like Bye Bye Love aren't my thing. On balance this was a really nice album, even if a chunk of it isn't my style. Album cover: (C) Pretty boilerplate for the time period.
This album was amazing. It's our second Ray Charles album and I liked this one a lot more than "The Genius of Ray Charles". I'm not the biggest fan of the soulful crooning songs, but I love the big band swing tracks. This album had a much better mix of the two. "Bye Bye Love" is an amazing opener to the album. "Just A Little Lovin'" is a banger. My favorite song was "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles". It's impossible to not tap your foot. "Take These Chains From My Heart" was a slower song that I really liked. The album is a little long, and the crooning still gets a little too repetitive for me, but I'm still going to give this a 5. If it was 70% big swing and 30% slow tracks it would be a 10/10. 9/10
Really great but too long. I love the sound and Ray Charles is so smooth here. Sure, it gets a bit samey towards the end, but it didn’t diminish the album for me
Really good vibe, nice to listen to in the background. Real soft headbangers type music, just bobbing the head feeling the vibe. Really nice songs. Amazing to listen to while smoking.
Ok
Hoy toca escuchar a Ray Charles, artista del que, como a tantos otros, ubico sólo por canciones sueltas. El disco arranca con sonidos que automáticamente me llevan a películas yankees como musicales o films de animación. ¿Créditos iniciales de películas, tal vez? Todas pistas pasionales, sentidas, divertidas, que demuestran lo sarpado que era éste tipo. Hasta la próxima semana.
Decided to listen to the Greatest Hits instead
Ray just doesn't do much for me unfortunately. Or maybe this style from him doesn't, if he has another style. Glad to have checked it out, but it's not for me.
The back up singers killed it for me. The vocalizations sound so... dated to me. I want this work to be more timeless, and ... gah. Having said that, one of the songs had a very interesting bit, and that was "I've Got A Tiger By The Tail". I thought the song itself, obviously a country classic, really changed with their singing. Even with that, I still enjoyed it a good deal, but you can tell this was done almost 60 (!!) years ago, Top tracks: "I've Got A Tiger By The Tail," "Light Out Of Darkness," "Blue Moon Of Kentucky"
I think for the most part, you wouldn't know these are country standards (Born to Lose shows its stripes). Ray takes them and makes them his own, in a swinging jazz-infused style. It's upbeat at times (e.g., Bye Bye Love, Hey Good Lookin) but mostly emotional and soaring (e.g., You Don't Know Me, I Love You So Much it Hurts, Worried Mind). I realize it's still not my style, but I enjoyed it. So apologies for not giving it a 5. I liked it but I didn't need to repeat it over and over. Might come back to it when I need this vibe but ready for other listening experiences now.
Really, really good. Jazzy and soulful. Loved the version of You are my Sunshine.
Of all the Ray Charles albums in this list, unsure why this and not others. It’s okay, more like a few country tunes with an old R&B feel. Not terrible but not great.
Absolute great album. Shitty that half the songs are not available on Spotify
Muy buen disco. El sello de Ray Charles va a estar siempre. Por ahí este es más melódico y slow y tiene demasiadas canciones.
Fallout B-Sides
Crazy, er isch soo guet. Ich ha vergesse gha wie geil er singt. Extrem spass fmacht zum lose
bye bye love i dere version isch so perfekt. ich ha scho lang e obsession mit dem album und spezifisch mit dem song. you dont love me au soo schöns arrangement und er cha siiiinge. ah stimmt half as much isch au do druff. de ha i au sooo viel glost mit so 17i (ich weirde teenie). i love you so much isch sooo schnulzig und s chörli tönt meega wie usde 40er johr in hollywood. just a little lovin isch wieder chli en uptempo swing dings und er slaaappt. D arrengements sind würklich nöd okay. Und wiener singt au nöd. Born to lose seeehr schön. ultra schmalzig aber zuu guet. worried mind genau gliich. huere schöni akkörd, text schmalzig ray bringt jedi emotion i jedem vibrato genaaau so übere wies mues sii aaaah it makes no difference now stimmt!! fuck jo stimmt holy shit. es fangt sooo langsam aah. aso es isch langsam. und minimalistischs arrangement und es baut aber scho uuf und überhaupt. uuusem nöd d blöser hits. so geil. de ray singe ghöre "i once was böind but now i see" bi careless love isch chli weird
bye bye love harde start han d version vode everly brothers lieber aber jo trz cute you don't know me ultraaa schön warm halbtax (half as much) I love you so much it hurts isch so melodramatisch aber ich LIIIEEBS hmm vlt bin ich z fest verliebt in elvis aber can't stop loving you ohni ihn het für mich weniger flair...trz ischs guet gmacht jaaa han jz geg de schluss abgschalte aber es isch uhuere schön und mega warm
Oof, cover versions of songs I don't particularly like. Competent but not my thing
I expect I will enjoy other Ray Charles albums more.
типичный кантри 4/10
Decent
4++
A lot of fun songs
Good album. Ray Charles has a voice that is easy to listen to and steals the whole show. The instrumentals were quite enjoyable as well. 'You Are My Sunshine' wins my fave slot.
Surprising title. Also surprising that I knew so many of the songs, but from cover versions!
Great album, joyous! That rich voice is everything. Loved it
What a voice.
Great stuff. Short album.
It was good! Not a ton to say, I liked it and how upbeat the songs were. I was shocked at how many songs were on the album and how short it was. But still, I ended up really only giving it one listen through.
Volume 1 really felt dry, but his voice makes it great. Volume 2 spiced it up
This album felt like it went on a long time but I really dug the music and really dug ray Charles. I also really enjoyed reading about the history of this album, which I think made me appreciate it more. I don't think I would listen to this album cover to cover again but I'd be happy listening to a small sample from this album for sure. And man, does this one make me want to play Fallout as well.
Ok Ray can belt out a tune but this jut isn’t the type of music I would choose to listen to and couldn’t really get into it. Definitely some skipping involved with his one.
Ray Charles is always amazing, however I have a preference for his livelier numbers
Ray Charles is something special, but cover versions don’t generally set the world alight and this is no exception. Pleasant.
3/5
The legend Ray Charles! No mistakes and nothing to talk about here. 5 stars!
Primer acercamiento a Ray Charles en formato LP. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962) es el decimo álbum de estudio del artista, el cual también es considerado su obra más importante. Este trabajo toma diferentes canciones de los géneros del country y el western y las reinterpreta bajo el formato de los covers, brindándoles una nueva composición y significado. Destaco principalmente esta facultad de maximizar el sonido. Así, tanto los arreglos orquestales como los coros y la voz de Charles hacen de esta experiencia una muy singular para la época. Además, este trabajo es sumamente accesible, lo cual le permite al oyente naturalmente cantar y bailar cada una de sus canciones. Este factor se refleja en sus letras, las cuales si bien flojas (en la medida que son bastante monotemáticas) son accesibles para todos. Por otra parte, considero que, si bien el sonido es lo más relevante, es también su factor más débil, en la medida que muchas de las canciones comparten un sonido similar en su composición. En conclusión, considero este un buen trabajo del artista. Destaco además su repercusión dentro del mundo musical y en la cultura afroamericana, al abrir fronteras que ningún otro artista había logrado en su momento FAVTRAXS: You Don't Know Me / I Love So Much It Hurts / Just A Little Lovin' (Will Go A Long Way) / Born to Lose / Hey, Good Lookin' LEASTFAV: It Makes No Difference Now
A unique flavor on mixing country songs with a dash of big band and jazz. Interesting but not my favorite. Would definitely like to see more of Ray Charles’ body of work
Great singer, great musicians, the same song sung the same the over different backing instrumentals for the whole album. 6/10
This was easy enough to listen to just on the longer side of things
Nice listening for the evening. Nothing ground breaking but pleasant
Cowboy Charles
I looked for the full ride of 24 tracks and was glad I did. This was like a time capsule that transported me to another time and place. Very well done and Ray is a very versatile and talented artist. A long way from Rays’s Music Exchange…
The link to listen originally brought me to a version with only 6 or so songs. After searching I was able to find that this was actually 2 separate albums recorded in 2 separate sessions, each totaling 12 songs for a total of 24 songs. Pretty incredible that the recording sessions for each were only 3 days apiece. And with an 18+ member orchestra too. Yes the orchestral and background singing is quite dated, and of that Lawrence Welk time period. But to hear the re-interpreting of these old C&W classics into a more jazz big band style is pretty cool, and never really tiresome…even with 24 songs. Timeless indeed. No doubt due to Ray’s voice which clearly drives the show here.
Seems like it’s as trendy as ever for artists to dip their toes into Country music. But Ray does it so seamlessly that you wouldn’t know it wasn’t what he was mostly known for. Beautiful album, will revisit.
Really enjoyed this album. Nice easy listen and had it on in the background a couple times over the weekend. Def sounds old but not outdated (if that makes sense).
Fun to have in the same week an album that aged horrendously (Digital Underground) and this album that aged liked a fine one. A pleasurable listen over the weekend, but doesn’t rise to the level of 5* IMO. Maybe my rating would be higher if I fully grasped the significance/influence if the album… 4/5