Reviews (page 4 of 8)
yes
Another great album i've discovered from this list. The production on this album was good considering it came out in '73, it's a bit bloated particularly near the end but overall I thought this album was great. 8.4/10
First time hearing anything from Shuggie Otis, I loved this album. Great dynamics and feelings to the songs.
This sone funky shit.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Inspiration information, Aut uh mi head, Strawberry letter 23
neat actually
Love the instrumentals
nice chill jazz/soul
smoooooth
Lovely cheesy funky shit.
I'd found out about this album earlier this year and enjoyed it... and enjoyed it again today! Couple of stand out tracks, but overall it was just a good vibe. 3.5
Realy good funk/soul album with some really interesting instrumental parts. I will definitely listen to that one again.
Funky, easy listen
I didn’t get to spend much time with this one. Skipped through some tracks. First impression “good not great”, but I reckon I’ll come back to listen again and find out. Might end up a 3.5, but by the criteria I’m using I need to give it a 4 for now.
Until last year , the only Shuggie material I was familiar with was a 1969 album he did with Al Kooper (very bluesy) that I’ve had for years, an album called Giants of Rhythm & Blues, a 70’s album featuring greats like Louis Jordan, Shuggie’s father Johnny Otis, Big Joe Turner, etc, on which Shuggie plays guitar, bass & some piano, and his guitar on Peaches En Regalia from Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats lp. I knew he’d written Strawberry Letter 23, but had never heard it until last year, when I acquired a copy of the cd reissue of Inspiration Information, which include 4 tracks not on the original album, of which this was one. It’s a very laid-back listen, very 70’s, jazzy at times, funky at others, quite a few instrumentals, on which he plays just about everything. A talent who shunned the bigtime to do it his way. Really enjoy this album.
Muy tranquilo, copado
I quite liked this album. It was mostly background listening to me - but background listening of the very best kind. The album is a very nice mix of soul & funk with a sprinkling of R&B & disco and some psychedelic shading to finish the picture. The original version of the album was a bit too short in my opinion, but it worked very well with the 2001 version extras.
Comfortable to listen to. Can see another visit in the future
Love Shuggie. Don't play this enough
Never heard of Shuggie Otis until today. From what I've read, his father had a band which Shuggie would start playing guitar for at age eleven. He had to disguise himself with a fake moustache and dark glasses so he would appear older and could play bar gigs with the band! So, obviously, a hell of a talented guy. I then learned that he played all of the instruments (except horns and some strings) and sang/wrote all of the songs himself. At 21! Crazy! Delving into this record, it is amazing! I don't quite know how to classify it though. Shuggie was obviously an innovator because there are touches of jazz/funk/R&B/psychedelic rock/blues throughout. Shuggie's voice sounds a lot like Jay Kay's from Jamiroquai, and by times, his music sounds similar as well, so I would bet that Shuggie was an influencer of Jay Kay's. Overall, this is a phenomenal record, and I am very happy to have discovered it! Will definately listen again. Favourite songs: Sparkle City, Inspiration Information, Aht Uh Mi Hed, Ice Cold Daydream, Strawberry Letter 23 Least favourite song: if forced to pick one, Freedom Flight (it was a psychedelic rock number that ran for 12 mins and change. There were wind chimes in the background for the whole song, and they just became a bit annoying after a while) 4/5
The ideal vibes for a peaceful, blue-sky Friday. Shuggie Otis manages to keep things moving steadily while still fostering a gentle chill.
This lagged at the end but I'm not mad at it
Jazz. R&B.
It’s not a new record to me, but Inspiration Information was just what I needed today to take my mind off the job I hate and the nightmarish commute I endured today. Took me right Aht Uh Mi Hed, as the man said…a Funky, dreamy, psychedelic, jazzed out odyssey to escape every day life with. That Prince and Stereolab are champions of Shuggie Otis should tell you all you need to know. He was so far ahead of his time on this record that it’s become timeless.
As if Sly took a more soulful and orchestral approach. Also reminds me of a more talented and less coke-induced Thundercat. It's groovy, cool, and relaxed with noteworthy psychedelic effects. Each track is diverse and memorable, and there were only a few parts I didn't care for. Especially enjoyed the instrumental finish. Favorites: Island Letter, Aht Uh Mi Hed, Happy House
What a sweet, smooth little funk/soul album! So chill, I could listen to this over and over. Might have been a 5 with a human drummer. https://www.reviler.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/shuggie-otis-dog.jpg
Good vibes
Like a fusion of Marvin Gaye and Sly Stone this guitar-based soul grooves along beautifully. Excellent.
Chilling and pleasant
Was good for the background
awesome!
Great funk
Oh my! Funky when he wants to be, soulful when he wants to be, highest highs and most excellent grooves. Shuggie Otis doesn't blow my socks off but there's nothin' in here I don't love.
Some really nice tracks and great overall vibe. It is too bad he is not more of a household name, but I am glad he is for me now.
Pretty good, I definitely prefer the vocals vs instrumentals but a funk/psych combo works well for me.
Never heard of this guy before but it was quite soulful and funky. Not as funky as I like, but still a great listen.
Pretty catchy stuff. Good bit of funky groove, mix of soul and jazz etc. Impressive to see he wrote and played basically everything on the abum. Kept it to the golden half-hour length as well. Kinda surprised I'd never heard of him before. In reality this is a 3, maybe 3.5 if possible, but I can't let it sit just one star above the garbage I had yesterday. 4/5.
Started promising, and had some good tracks scattered throughout, but just did hold my attention just a lot of the more improvisational bits.
Spotify has sent Strawberry Letter 23 my way a few times, and I wondered what’s so special about this guy’s cover of The Brothers Johnson song, it sounds a lot like the original? Duh! Anyway, this is really smooth funky stuff, with nice understated guitar playing - the sort of thing rare groove DJs would love. It reminds me a bit of Sly and the Family Stone. It’s cool that, like Todd R, he played all (or most in Shuggie’s case) of the instruments. The title track and Aht Uh Mi Hed are great songs and I wish he would have continued singing on side 2. David Byrne was very wise to add Strawberry Letter to his release and I’ll give it an extra point for that.
I’m so glad that this criminally underrated album made this list. It’s unfortunate that so many people have never heard of Shuggie Otis, a child prodigy that played with Frank Zappa when he was only a teen, and you know that Zappa only recruited the best musicians. He also played most of the instruments and wrote most of the songs on this album. Aht uh mi hed is one of my all time fav soul songs, and Inspiration Information and Strawberry Letter 23 are also great. I think it’s unfair that the Brothers Johnson’s interior cover of the latter gets more airplay and recognition than the original. This album is a real hidden gem.
Glad I got a chance to listen to Shuggie Otis. All I knew about him was he wrote a classic R&B hit and Prince always said he influenced his music. A very soulful album with a surprise troubadour cut near the end.
Good background R&B mood maker.
A really great, easy listen! Thoroughly enjoyed these last 2 hours which is a feat in music for sure.
Aht Uh Mi Head -> anscheinend Sample Inspiration für Riesenglied von KIZ Schönes jazziges Album. Kannte die Band bisher nicht.
Pretty smooth!
Solid. Vibin
Soul progresivo. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
4.0
Ahh Shuggie Otis. Love that psychedelic soul sound. Great album and a good listen. However Freedom Flight and even kooper sessions I think are much stronger than this album and more true to the roots of his sound. Hopefully Freedom Flight will appear on the list because that is the album you need to listen too.
I had never even heard of Shuggie Otis before… why?? I really liked this record, and will definitely listen again. aAnd with a double album as an introduction it felt like a deep dive. Soulful, funky, jazzy, and… country rock blues (Black Belt Sheriff)?!
If Jazz was groovy.
I knew nothing about this album, can not recall ever hearing the name Shuggie Otis...one would think I remember that name. Quite liked the title track Inspiration Information, Strawberry Letter 23 seemed vaguely familiar, Aht Uh Mi hed and Happy House were also ones that really snagged my attention.
Some really tasty guitar playing going on here, plus some groovy slooooow funk tracks. Never heard this dude before, but this album has piqued my interest enough to take a deep dive into his back catalogue.
Black and sexy. Sticky sexy. Put this on when you want to get in the mood for love. I can imagine this record is great for date nights. Seafood, candles, open a fine bottle of white wine, and play this record. She'll thank you in the morning. Or not, maybe you have erectile disfunction, maybe she hates Otis, maybe she's sleepy. Then sit down on your couch, finish the bottle alone, and close your eyes while you sink slowly into unconsciousness.
Sometimes I think of artists’ styles like a cocktail. Shuggie Otis, for example, is 2 parts Stevie Wonder-style soul, 1 part smooth jazz, 1 part funk rock and a dash of reggae, shaken and served over ice. The music goes down easy. The back half is particularly mellow and mostly instrumentals. I’m curious to hear more by him, especially more of the upbeat, soulful, funky songs. Apparently he wrote “Strawberry Letter 23” — for years I’ve loved the version by The Brothers Johnson but didn’t know it was a cover. (I first heard it on the Quentin Tarantino soundtrack for “Jackie Brown.”) His version (not on this album) is excellent too! Highlights: “Inspiration Information,” “Aht Uh Mi Hed,” “Rainy Day”
All (artist, album, all tracks) new to me, as is often the case with this wonderful project, and, dang, there's some good stuff here. Love the groove on most of the tracks, real smooth funky feel, some excellent guitar performances, and sweet harmonies, but not saccharine. Thankfully, there are plenty of interesting things going on melodically, harmonically, and rhythmically, so it kept my ears engaged nicely.
Wow. Never heard of him. Pop the Spotify in the car on the way to work and then a big warm bath of an album comes on. Soulful, Steeley Dan guitar licks. Orchestra. Chilled grooves. Experimental jams. Semi psychedelic funk. A voice from heaven. Brilliant stuff. 4
3.75
The opening and title track really grab your attention from the get go and then it's all super chill. Strawberry Letter 23 is great but Freedom Flight takes the cake for me.
Really enjoyed it. Listened to it while the sun set on my balcony in the city. 7,5/10 Fave: Island letter
Can't believe I had never heard this before. It sounds like walking through green fields on a summers day. Sometimes wistful, sometimes blissful, always tuneful.
very nice funky album
4/27/2022 Today's Album: "Inspiration Information" by Shuggie Otis - This is an album that I didn't think much of just from the cover, but there is some funky, groovy, soulful gold within this track list. All fantastically recorded and produced, the 13 tracks on this album have an incredible flow to them as passionate guitar solos and expressive vocal performances make each track shine. There's this great wavy sort of vibe to the project that give it this really mellow and psychedelic tone. The vocals from Shuggie are expressive and on pitch and performed with such great tone and personality. I really enjoy how the middle tracks of this album like Rainy Day and Pling offer an instrumental break from the rest of the sung tracks. The first 4 tracks of the album kick it off by showing off everything that is going to make this album shine for the next 30 minutes after. The last leg of the album wraps things up nicely, going from the great hit Strawberry Letter 23 to the mostly instrumental Sweet Thang, and then finally to the funky Ice Cold Daydream. The final track is a 13 minute sonic journey with this slow building experimental feel to it. There's this really hard to listen to bass in the mix on this song, however, that just sounds really crackly and bad. It doesn't ruin the track as it only hangs around for about a minute, but yeah that is probably the worst part of the project. The rest of the track is psychedelic, memorizing, meditative, and most of all a great thematic closer to this whole project. Overall, I like a ton of tracks of this album and I think as a whole work, it offers a lot both in terms of hits as well as instrumental experimentation. Listen to this one if you love funky psychedelic jams, singer songwriter talent, or just vibing out to a long instrumental track. It's a great vibe all the way down and there's a ton for music fans to chew on. Highlights: Inspiration Information, Island Letter, Sparkle City, Aht Uh Mi Hed, Rainy Day, Pling!, Not Available, Strawberry Letter 23, Sweet Thang, Ice Cold Daydream, Freedom Fight Score: 8/10 Amazing funky psychedelic bliss
I liked it a lot, but there were more instrumentals than I was expecting which I think I would have preferred less of.
Super chill. Nice vibe.
Soul progresivo. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Loved this
Hell yeah.
This is gonna be pretty good. Yup, it's really good actually, but not quite a five, it gets a bit boring at times. Didn't know "Strawberry Letter 23" was on this album too, but what a nice surprise. 4
I like shuggie… this is a bit more soulful that some of his r’n’b output. Still good!
I like this! It feels like a prototype of so much neo-funk to come.
Inspired music
9.5
Rainy Day et Pling! c'est les lofi beats to relax/study to des années 70.
Rather splendid jazz soul funk from '74, part instrumental and part lyrical. Lights down, silk sheets, champagne and candles.
Funky. Really enjoyed that.
great
Enjoyed it a lot....
Mellow
Didn't think I would like this one as much as I did. What a surprise! 4/5
I'm amazed this guy isn't more well known, this is a really interesting album
Really like this one.
Started off a bit slow-ish. Had a few good songs on it. I especially liked Strawberry Letter 23. The Freedom Flight song made me a bit dizzy for some reason. Giving it a 4* but I'm being quite generous.
Very chill album!
Enjoyed album - was like a modern soul album.
Really dug this. Fantastic album.
-Perfectly good soul funk type album, but nothing really mind blowing
Bangerzzzz
Very groovy, a nice suprise
Funked up!
cool funky sound. Jazzy, quiet. Very interesting
Really cool album. Interesting mix of styles - Progressive soul?
Funky, easy listen. Good for cracking on with work
Another really cool funk album I hadn't heard before this project. I love the folksier sound mixed in here and the use of drum machines.
I didn't want to like this, but it's catchy and smooth. This is good chill-out music.
Was ok.
Surprising. Not enthralled by the beginning but as the album deepened I was pulled in. Some almost Fourth World sounds on some of the instrumentals.
The album comes off really strong. Really liked the first half. Second half… the instrumentals were good, but I wanted to hear them more in a complete song. Still, this was a pleasant surprise, I really liked this guy.
well, this is fantastic. is it weird that it reminds me of Todd Rundgren?
Fantastic funk infused soul. Very groovy :)
Such a good epic. Will add to regular rotation. Love how he just grooves with an idea.
A bit of a gem! Eclectic funk and soul. Sounds a bit like Sly Stone, but less WAAHHHHHH, and more hhhMMMmmmmmMM! Some of the tracks are quite intricate, and the first track reminds me of Tame Impala. My latest summer groove.
synthy funk, some of it seemed a bit middle of the road now, but some I really loved.
Surprising good
It was a good funk album
kaef
Really enjoyed listening to this. It wasn’t all worthy of 4* but it was a high 3* consistently.
Pleasant, grooving low-key funk with some really high-class musicianship on display. It's not the most spectacular record I'll ever hear, but it creates an effective late-night ambience for the most part, bar the odd touch of seasick keyboard playing (I'm thinking here of 'XL-30'). Did anyone else think Otis' singing is not too dissimilar to that of Christopher Cross?
Great funk/psychedelic record. The drum machine give the music a slower more driving rhythm. The instrumentation is phenomenal down to the multiple guitar parts, bass, and horns. Shuggie Otis' voice is light and smooth, a perfect complement to his music
Getting major Stevie Wonder vibes. Super good, funky, lots of instrumentals.
Oh, what a SOLID album! And what solid SHOES! It goes dangerously close to last-brain-cell level easy listening, but it doesn't cross the line... I think. (also confused by why several songs are also on his 71 album??)
Yeah, this is more my speed! Funky, layered, original. Dude plays all the instruments and did the whole thing as a teenager!
Cool, funky, really enjoyed it.
AMAZING álbum! 4.5
Some great songs, some filler. But the filler is sort of killer? What a great, imaginative, florid guitar player.
I’ve never heard Shuggie Otis but I’ve definitely heard his influence. Chilled out sounds for a sunny day, funky bass lines and superb rhythm section that bring to mind both Bill Withers & The Band.
Sehr cool, einige Songs als bekannte Samples wiedererkannt
sounded like minecraft music and that is obviously a good thing
This was great, will definitely listen again. Only knew Strawberry Letter 23.
Vibey as hell and reminds me of Bill Withers at times.
Actually liked this a lot
I loved this one, it may not be nothing extraordinary but man it's smooth.
Production: 17/20 Songwriting: 15/20 Innovation: 15/20 Bangers: 15/20 Emotional response: 16/20 =78 What a fucking corker.
Miellyttävää taustamusiikkia ja kuulostaa taidokkaalta. Ei jäänyt mieleen mitään erityisiä hittibiisejä, mutta kokonaisuutena hyvä. Pyöristetään 3,5 tähteä tällä kertaa ylöspäin, kun pisteytys on viimeaikoina ollut muuten niin alavireistä.
Smooth, groovy with a bit of funk. Nice easy listening, will check out some of his other stuff.
Super cool vibe on this
Really good overall! I think it could’ve used a little more drive/emotional intensity especially in the vocals, I found some of the tracks boring. 8/10
7
very nice
Funny, I've never even heard of this. Really enjoying it. Jamiroquai totally ripped this off! Production is so crisp and bright. It doesn't sound like something that is 46 years old.
Pretty good, didn't listen super attentively thought. 7, but might have been a little better
Buenas vibras. No soy muy fan del blues, no porque me desagrade sino porque no me engancha lo suficiente, soy milenial y necesito chingos de gratificación instantánea diaria, como cuando escucho pop, por ejemplo; pero bueno... ese no era el punto. El disco me pareció muy reconfortante por lo bien producido que suena (o al menos esa es la idea que me formé porque me suena como que uh la la, todo está muy bien "pensado" y bien ajustado antes de sacarlo a la luz), siento que tiene una melancolía ligera y una introspección tranquila. Canciones favoritas: aht uh mi hed por el ritmito, Rainy Day por la guitarra melancólica y Strawberry Letter 23 me hace sentir muy bien además de su letra wholesome, jaja. Mood: en un lugar de introversión, descansando en un lugar muy cómodo, sin gente a mi alrededor y a una temperatura ideal en el ambiente.
This is incredible! Funky and highly engaging. I never would have found this on my own.
Perfect early morning material
4.3 + Just thumping with soul and mellow funk. An amazing album that’s equally at home bumping in the background as it is on a pair of cans.
Oh this the vibe. Shuggie has got me chillin out maxin, relaxin all cool. He was always a name I'd been familiar with but someone I'd never listened to. Huge fan of the synth loop, drum machine groove stuff on here. Perfect music to just chill to, possibly to relax and study to, know what I'm saying. Fantastic groove through out. This dude really knows how to find the pocket.
Good blues
buen disco
I thought I might like this more than I did. Some of the songs were just kinda background despite being pretty good R&B in other places. 7
8/10 ta gueno
Ahora sí que un álbum muy chill. Ni siquiera sé qué género es, pero hay un balance acertado entre lo instrumental y las vocales. Acertado porque varía, se complementan, al principio parece que las canciones van perdiendo la voz, pero después regresa y bueno, finalmente desaparecen en esa última canción larguita de pura instrumentación. Fue muy bonito escucharlo, desconocía a Shuggie Otis por completo y creo que "Inspiration Information" es un rolón. "Aht Uh Mi Head", "XL-30" y "Strawberry Letter 23" me gustaron especialmente por esas percusioncitas y la vibra más chill que siempre. Un álbum del cual me quedo con canciones, pero quizá no revisitaría entero. 8.5/10
Got a kick out of this one - a groovy album navigating various genres and standing out as an early predecessor to more modern R&B styles. Put it on good speakers and vibe out!
Oh yeah, this is lovely! Super chilled out soul, with a splash of psychedelia and folk. "Strawberry Letter 23" is an absolute tune, but it's not present on most versions of the album, so I'll go with "Island Letter" or "Pling!" as my top track - love those relaxing latin rhythms underpinning them!
This album was long! It had alot of great songs, but I don't see myself revisiting them.
Fuggie epic.
8.5
Incredible inventiveness, musically adept and powerful. I’m not sure it all quite hung together as a cohesive whole, though all the individual pieces were exquisite.
funky
I never listened to it before, but the mix of vocal and instrumentals is great. Nice introduction for me, but a favourite for her.
Some really good funk, here, and it led to me learning more about Shuggie Otis, which was cool.
Sparkle City is my jam. Funk is a genre I wish I listened to more of.
Likte det overraskende godt. Vanskelig å plassere helt, funk, rock, blues, alternativ. Hadde vært fin å ha i platesamlingen.
Funky shit, loved it
Funky. A couple of forgettable tracks, but really pleasant overall. Best track: Sparkle City
Groovy
A nice relaxing album. Surprisingly pleasant. 3.5
2/4 Our brother Shuggie had the right ideas! Standout Tracks: Aht Uh Mi Hed, XL-30, Wings Of Love
Some great funk going on here.
A pretty good vibe with some excellent stand out tracks, but the rest got a bit boring. I can't seem to find the version with the 2001 remaster bonus tracks anywhere but Spotify, but those are a pretty nice addition but I wish they were a replacement for some of the original tracks as it made the album a bit too long for me.
"Lazy genius" — that's Shuggie Otis. At twelve, he first hit the R&B charts; at fifteen, he was tipped to be the next Jimi Hendrix; at nineteen (!), he turned down (!!) The Rolling Stones' offer of a guitarist; at twenty, he released this album. And the album is good! It's a calm, pleasant funk, a precursor to acid funk, very similar to the music now being made by Jamiroquai and (at a slightly faster tempo) Parcels. Towards the end, this funk actually takes on a trip-hop feel. However, the album flopped, the label terminated its contract with the artist, and Shuggie looked on it and thought, "I'm fine as it is!" And for many years, he worked as a session musician. He only released his next album in 2018. In 2001, David Byrne's label reissued Inspiration Information, adding four tracks from the previous album. This version is now available for streaming.
Nice music while cooking. I liked it.
Pretty good
So not my jam...yawn.
Has merit
There are some points where it sounds like this album is going somewhere, then it doesn't. A flash of a groove, then it's gone. Turn up the funk, turn down the jazz and soul, and this could be really good.
Very pleasant vibes on this album. Totally dig it. Keeping it at a 3 but it doesn’t surprise me enough.
Psychedelic soul, 70's prince - played all instruments/produced
Clearly talented, but just didn’t vibe with it.
Different but quite enjoyable
Funky background music, it stands out a lot from similar albums on this list. It's consistently groovy, and it doesn't feel like that long. Sweet.
Wow, this is a beautiful, soulful album from an artist that I had never heard of. Definitely one of the good surprises from the list. The arrangements are funky, with interesting textures and rhythms. I really enjoyed this!
Parliament on prosaic. Funk soul jazz at a laid back pace .
a looooot of potential here
Nice, chilled out, but could offer more Fave track: Strawberry Letter 23
The vocal sections are surprisingly sparing for someone with such a great voice. 3.5/5
I didn't recognize the artist or album title, but I did recognize a few tunes, presumably from the classic rock station of my youth.
Correcto
Three-leaning-four
muy drogado
now I know where Jamiroquai got his sound.
Real smooth.
Not much to say on this one. Its fine old rnb or soul or something of that ilk. Just doesnt do too much for me. I enjoyed it well enough while on but just didnt get into it much. No saves and no care I guess. Good enough is all I got here
Good piece of music. Something id listen to again. Maybe as background music though. Its not strong enough to excite me, but it's good enough to own
Vibes music
Smooth soul/funk. The instrumentation is pretty decent Sparkle City sounds like it could have been a Prince track a decade later (with some extra punch). Aht Uh Mi Hed has a nice folksy psychedlia side too Happy House also has an eclectic energy, with semi-spoken on the funky background. Really reminding me of Prince. Then a few very laid back instrumentals.. Freedom City has a jazzy feel with the improv and freeform sections Yeah then it kind of peters out.. Best track - Sparkle City, Aht Uh Mi Hed, Not Available 3 stars - there are some 4 star moments here but it just loses momentum and focus
Haven't heard of him before so I didn't have any expectations. Pleasantly surprised! Some nice groovy tunes. Not spectacular but quite cool 3/5
Good album but not really a life changing one. Easy listening funk infused that gives it a 70 vibe but didnt age well the time line
3.5
Fav song: Freedom Flight
This was okay. Not something memorable for me personally.
pleasantville
It was iight, I quite liked Aht Uh Mi Hed but a lot of the rest of it all blended into one 3
Fine but unnotable
Decent
First listen
It's a good album. Never truly understood the hype.
"Lazy Sunday" experimental soul funk. Standouts are Sparkle City, Happy House, and Aht Uh Mi Hed. The drum machine, which was a new novelty back in 1974, contributes to the quirky sound on this one. A similar mid/slow tempo shared by the songs on this record contribute to its laid-back chill groove, making it a good album to have on in the background.
a nice 70's rock/blues album. Fun listen - brought me back to the times...
pretty nice
Yeah I remember this one.
🙂
Good listening. Didn't catch me enough for 4/5 though, but nearly.
IT was fun
It’s pleasant and listenable but it kind of washed over me without leaving a big impression
Wow, never heard of him but this was quite good! A bit slow towards the end but it’s absolutely something I’d listen to again, particularly if I was in the mood for something bouncy but chill. It started autoplaying another of his albums after. Liked it too.
Funky and fun. Jazzy and easy to bop along to. I had another jazzy/funky album yesterday (The Crusaders), but I preferred this one!
Enjoyed this very smooth and funky
Enjoyed listening to this.
A tale of two halves. First half is excellent, the title track especially. But the second half falls into this disjointed collection of instrumentals
tinha potencial mas perdeu a linha ali no meio do caminho, de fato apenas deus e o pessoal no estúdio saberiam nos falar como que os cara pegaram um negócio que tava fluindo e fizeram isso ai
oficialmente o album da metade do desafio hein começou bem, mas me perdeu um pouco na segunda metade. mas não eh ruim nao, eh bem bacana e tem potencial!
Meh
Cool album. It's not my favorite music style, but it was very easy to listen to.
Started of strong and then it lost me in the second half.
really nice, cute and chill album, liked it!
Nice, groovy, easy listening. Probably not something I'll return to, but I enjoyed it.
really expected to like this more than i did. it had a lot of potential to be a good funk album leaned way to heavily into the soul aspect for my taste
First track was extremely promising but the energy fell off after that despite some high points instrumentally.
Jeg liker dette på mange måter veldig godt, men ligger hele tiden bare og runker i bakgrunnen i stedet for å engasjere.
Ikke så mye inspirasjon eller informasjon. Syns tittelsporet lovet veldig bra, men så gikk det over i helt ålreit smørsang på de to neste låtene. "Aht Uh Mi Hed" likte jeg godt nok til å legge i en liste, mens resten av plata er bare litt testing av Yamaha stueorgel? Synd "Strawberry Letter 23" ikke er med på originalplata.
A beautiful album. This would be great for studying or learning\work tasks in the background. The lack of strident or heavy vocals lets my mind zone out and enjoy. Not incredibly engaging, but lovely. This would be great music to have on as the first music at a party when everyone is chatting and getting to know each other. That said, listening is not a WOW moment for me.
Cool and groovy, not super interesting.
Probably good music for making babies but I'm shooting blanks. Good background music but never really got me going. Some of it is muzak.
Strong opening that tapers out to a weak finish. It's no Freedom Flight, but there's a few songs worth your time.
Just about a three.
3.5
3.5
I really enjoyed the vocal tracks of side one. Kind of a funkified Withers. The instrumental side didn't do much for me. (7.3) ★★★½ The bonus tracks I liked more than the album, all of which came from his previous Lp, which leads me to wonder, why this album and not *Freedom Flight*
Kinda lukewarm on this. Not a style I really gravitate toward. 3 stars.
No Shuggie. I don’t like Shuggie noogies and I don’t like their Shuggie boogie music with their porch noogie boring background Shuggie beats. No Shuggie noogies on this list. … or that’s what I would be saying if I was Grumpy Boogie. Aht Uh Mi Hed is a good tune and Strawberry Letter 23 is very sweet and synthilicious even if it isn’t actually on the original album.
The more upbeat songs were great. I did enjoy it but I felt it could be better.
No private session used for Spotify. Wasn't sure what I was getting in to, but I was impressed by Shuggie's versatility. There were some quite enjoyable tracks on this, but again, it's the different styles and instruments that was the main pull.
Groovy and strong start. But then never goes anywhere. Mid since it did have some decent sounds on the front end.
This is good. Second half feels like instrumental filler but overall a good album.
Chill backgroung
2026.04.22.
I thought the album was very listenable.
the peril of not writing out notes while listening and then forgetting to rate for a while
Det var meget godt, gode lyde på guitar, synes også kompositionen var fin på det meste. Forstår mig ikke rigtig på genren, men det lyder godt, tror også det lyder bedre end det gennemsnitlige RnB/whatever genre det er. Tænker en 3.1-agtigt
I'm a sucker for anything with the CR78. I think that's what that drum machine was. This was just okay. I don't know anything about Shuggie Otis and I try not to look anything up beforehand to bias my listening. I listened in my car again this time on my drive to and from work so crappy car stereo may definitely have been at play. There was something notably different about this album that gave it almost a lower fidelity hypnagogic quality to the recording. I'm really reaching for notable things to say about it, I don't know if I will put it on again but maybe I'll read more into what was going on here. There might be a better album for me in his discography.
3.5/5
5/10
5/10 The first few tracks show real promise: the title track has aged beautifully with its slappy synths and groovy guitar licks, and Aht Uh Mi Hed is genuinely creative with its spooky church organs that dissolve right as the lyrics call for something new. Sparkle City is funky and cool but, like a few tracks here, it hovers without ever really going anywhere. The back half loses steam fast. XL-30 feels like it wandered in from a different album entirely, and tracks like Pling! and Not Available are forgettable background filler. The bonus tracks don't add much either, aside from Freedom Flight which builds beautifully from a delicate guitar intro into a sax-driven payoff. Best track: Aht Uh Mi Hed Will I revisit?: No
Funky and interesting at times, but also a bit boring at times Standout songs: Sparkle City Ice Cold Daydream
Solid 7 5
well, it's no catastrophe. just nothing i intend to listen on a regular basis...
Smooth and easy listening with a little bit of funk. Not bad, but gets boring after a while
Like it 3/5
Im not a big fan of R&B or Soul so I dont expect much. It sounds prety chill but nothing special honestly. I could have lived without hearing it. It sounds like hes trying to speedrun his album in the second half.. did he had not wnough time to make it ?
felt very inessential, albeit also very listenable
Some really good songs, but some are also so forgettable. And the best songs are not even part of the original version of the album.
Strawberry Letter 23 har jeg hørt til ukendelighed i en anden version, og den kom bag på mig at den er her fra. Tak til Pretty lights for at introducere så meget musik for mig, som jeg først fatter længe efter.
Psych-funk med en heftig slap-bass
Easy listening funk, soft funk, soul funk, I don't know. I liked it, but I prefer funk with a harder edge. Make my funk the P. Funk. Definitely not a bad album, but I don't think anything here will be making my funk rotation.
This album is conflicting. I think its okay but its missing something. It feels like a half polished prototype of an album to me. Im not sure if its the lack of vocals or the forgettable songs. Its not bad, it sounds nice but didnt impact me in any way. Its video game music to fill the void. I think its weirdly better than some other albums i have rated as 3/5 but i cant give it a 4. Maby i just dont like jazzy stuff.
Pretty pleasant
I was thinking Shaggy at first, rather than a guy who sounds a bit like Sly Stone. It was alright, but nothing here which got me too excited.
3.5/5
I had heard the name Shuggie Otis but otherwise knew nothing else about him before today. I like this. Funky. Pretty impressive that he did this largely on his own back when he did, given the technology available at the time.
I quite enjoyed this! Soul and funk are a great combination as it is, and Mr. Shuggie Otis does it well. I’m reminded of a contemporary, Sly and the Family Stone, but where Stone was more funky, Otis incorporates some smooth jazz.
Kind to the ears - just straight-up nice to listen to. Some locked-in grooves and some spaced-out keyboard pieces. Produced and mixed for maximum smoothness. It didn’t knock me over, but I enjoyed my time with it.
I wish there was .5 ratings on this site, giving this a 3 feels low but a 4 also feels high. This is the first artist/album that I'd never heard of prior to starting this list, and it was very enjoyable. Another case of something that isn't a favorite but I 100% see it growing on me.
One of the great names in music.
Highlights: Sparkle City (Reissue only: Strawberry Letter 23, Ice Cold Daydream) Lowlights: XL-30, Pling! This was fine, didn't really do a whole lot for me. A large chunk of the album being instrumentals also didn't help. I listened to the reissue apparently, which has bonus tracks and it really shows because they were infinitely better than the original album. Solid 3, average. Probably wouldn't listen to again.
I enjoyed this. Not something I would topically listen to and I don’t think it’s necessarily something I would go back to but I enjoyed listening. It was nice to have on in the background.
Was okay. Felt like a mix of elevator music and the music you'd hear in an M&S advert for their velvety triple chocolate steam puddings. I don't have that sweet a tooth.
I didn't write the following, it was the other me. However I'll leave it here for the annals of time. NB: He rated it 2, I am changing to 3; Wasn’t the biggest fan of this, the end made me feel like I was on hold with a company who didn’t know whether it wanted its customers to be sad, happy or just bored. Strawberry Letter 23 made me jump as I forgot I was listening to anything and he finally started to sing again, apologies to those who were behind me on the M5.
This was pleasant enough but never really got going. It gave the impression it was going to be a good album without ever actually being one.
Solid, worth a revisit
5/10 04.02.2026
2.5 stars It was good and I enjoyed it. I’d listen again. But I didn’t love it.
Nice, but not my thing.
This was the intersection of funk and easy listening. It was interesting to hear the "wa-wa" guitar and smooth bassline of the album's first half. I got some Al Jarreau vibes from the title track, albeit with a higher, more youthful voice. The music becomes dreamier and more atmospheric in later tracks. Strawberry Letter 23 sounds familiar, and Freedom Flight was like a soundtrack for this snow-covered day, with its tinkling chimes in the background throughout. Easy listening but nothing especially memorable.
Funk, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues with organs and synthesizers.
5/10 Very lucky it didn't get a 2 - that final 12mins track is just so tedious. I don't understand how you could think it is worthy of either recording or releasing. The most bored I've been on this journey for a long while However, it is saved by the rest of the album which is quite cool and funky, if not quite ever very engaging.
I really didn’t get wowed by this. There’s some stuff on here that’s interesting. The title track I really enjoyed, but after that it wasn’t nearly as great. Some of the later songs had little to them, in my opinion. Average album.
Rv
Very chill and funky. I think it needs some denser instrumentation.
Melodic songs, interesting lyrics, lots to like in this collection. Shuggie should have been a worldwide star but the lack of a killer track and the possibility that his best song strawberry letter was performed better elsewhere counts against him. Aht uh mi hed is also a work of art. Listenable
Chill, groovy, easy listening for the background. Nice elevator music, but nothing exciting. 6/10
Interesting, funky, not listened to Shuggie before - some good stuff on here
There was a looseness to this record I enjoyed at times and other times it bored me. 5/10
Muzyka do słuchania kiedy twoja rozmowa jest dla nas bardzo ważna jesteś [DZIEWIĄTĄ] osobą w kolejce nie rozłączaj się! Twoja rozmowa jest dla nas bardzo ważna
Like a beta tech demo of a better album, solid but missing the final spark.
Utwory z wokalem> cała reszta. Granica między eklektyzmem a brakiem spójności jest cienka i tu chyba została przekroczona. Chyba trzeba czasem być bardziej zachowawczym. 6/10
I liked the vibes given from the album and the first few songs, even the instrumentals. I just felt like there was something missing from the album.
The first half goes down as smoothly as saccharine sliding down my throat. Long on my „Need to check out” list, this generator finally did me the favor of listening to a Shuggie Otis record in full. And what can I say – there is some incredible stuff on Inspiration Information. The beat is super tight; and man, do the choruses hit hard. Which brings me to my main point of criticism. Aside from the closer, Not Available, the instrumentals that make up side two don’t do much for me (they sound a bit like filler material meant to make this a proper album length). I love the odd Happy House, but after that I couldn’t connect much with the songs anymore. But I mean, to have such a great side A alone is well worth your time. I will surely revisit this often. And wait, did Shuggie Otis play most of the instruments himself? I guess in this instance you can really tell that talent runs deep in the family.
My dad had a compilation LP that had some copy about Shuggie Otis being some kinda genius, perhaps akin to stevie wonder. Who know's but this album didn't deliver anything other than run of the mill sounding funk r and b, maybe innovative/influential for its time.
A few songs got my hopes up but overall I was floored by it.
Neat
Not bad!
A decent album although I’m not crazy about it it
Good find for me, had never heard of Shuggie and enjoyed the album, added a few of these songs to the rotation. The better tracks gave me Curtis Mayfield vibes. In the upper tier of my 3 star albums.
Little too slow for me, would be good for a dinner party
Average.
Um álbum honesto. Tem pitadas de experimentação alternando com músicas mais simples. As que puxam pro blues têm mais personalidade. As que vão pro lado pop deixam a desejar um pouco. É um daqueles álbuns que vale pra pegar as selecionadas. Melhor do álbum: "Sweet Thang". Pior do álbum: "XL-30".
Uma mistura interessante e complexa
Didn't find it super inspirational, but there were good tracks on there
01) Inspiration Information - 8,0 02) Island Letter - 7,5 03) Sparkle City - 7,5 04) Aht Uh Mi Hed - 8,0 05) Happy House - 7,0 06) Rainy Day - 7,0 07) XL-30 - 7,0 08) Pling! - 7,0 09) Not Available - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,39 (74/100) Current ranking: 362/789
3⭐️ lots of instrumental, I liked the first song but didn’t give it a proper proper listen (lots of other albums to catch up on!) songs I already knew: n/a fave new song(s): inspiration information