Reviews (page 7 of 14)
Why did they make her so quiet in the mixing? I swear this is the only time I've ever found production/mixing so poor to make a comment on it. Franklin's such a powerful singer but the damn audio engineer took all the power out of her. Past that the album's great, but it really needs a remaster.
This was awesome. This isn't the typical music that I like, but I'm glad I listened to it. I've heard her sing before but I don't think I really got it until just now. Obviously, I've heard "Respect" before but the whole album just hits different. It's not the music I'd listen to on a road trip, but it's the music I'd listen to while cooking dinner with the family. And I don't mean that background music is a bad thing, it can elevate a mood and set a tone which is awesome. I just listened to it while working and it made my monotonous task much more enjoyable. So much is made about her voice and it's certainly one of a kind, but the band/music here is just as good. The Swampers are just excellent on this album...what this album is, is a perfect blend of an amazing vocalist and amazing musicians. 5/5 for sure.
it's pretty
A wonderful album - I didn't realize I liked Aretha Franklin this much!
Already reviewed! Legendary album
While I can appreciate the songs and lyrics and meaning, and the album as a whole, I just am not largely a fan of this type of music. The album was good and worth listening too, but I probably won't find myself revisiting it, or many of the songs.
As weird as this sounds. She will always be ahead of her time. Favorite Track: Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
Truly one of the greatest to ever do it
🤏🏼🤷♂️
dura mi hermana
I'm mesmerized by her voice.
If you give this album anything lower than 4 stars, you’re just a troll. Franklin is using this record to cement her position in history as the greatest to ever do it.
One of the finest, if not the finest, albums in Aretha Franklin's extensive discography and one of the greatest, if not the greatest, soul records to emerge from the 1960s.
it’s not really my jam normally but i liked it
The mic is ON
She is a good singer, that's for sure. I've never really liked R&B stuff that much though
Harta del encasillamiento en Columbia Records, Aretha pega un portazo que escucha toda la comunidad. El segundo en abrir esa puerta —para asegurarse de que ninguna bisagra se haya salido como él lo va a hacer— es Jerry Wexler. En los FAME Studios de Muscle Shoals, plagados de sesiones reservadas por coros góspel y artistas del soul, la paleta sonora sedienta de rebeldía de Aretha ya se pintaba de otros colores. Pero como toda revolución, el álbum tenía que salir rápido y tenía que ser un golpe certero. En Columbia se equivocaron al intentar encerrar el poder de su voz kind of performance. Este álbum era un manifiesto. Puede que de ahí haya nacido su decisión de resignificar canciones ajenas y hacerlas propias: “yo también puedo decir eso, pero con sensibilidad, vulnerabilidad y otra carga emocional, estas canciones para mi suenan diferente, suenan más poderosas”. Wexler se adjudicó el mérito de haber roto las cadenas de Aretha, y ella respondió musicalmente sentada desde su piano: el hombre siempre tendrá las frases bonitas y el regocijo, pero ella se las apropiara con su poderosa voz para darles un verdadero significado. Ella se hace propia cantando. Aretha rompió sus propias cadenas, y con un piano, sus hermanas y los conflictos raciales de fondo, se refugió en las armonías góspel para sentir que lo que estaba haciendo era simplemente una armonía más. No era una diva pop. Era la Reina del Soul. A veces, sumar una sola voz más al coro es la revolución suficiente como para hacerse respetar. Cuando canta Aretha Frankllin el soul se conmueve y se organiza para seguir escuchandola.
Early albums like this can be difficult to rate. The way things worked were just so different then, right? Anyway, as a collection of songs, this is fine. But as a talent? As influence? R-E-S-P-E-C-T. You get it. Anyway, 5/5 as a milestone, but imma give it a three.
I usually have more respect than affection for this type of music, but I did enjoy this one. A nice blend of vocal power and more chilled backing tracks that goes down easily. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man was particularly easy on the ear. Nice to see a few more Aretha-penned tracks on here than on Lady Soul, among the usual reliance on covers (my respect for Sam Cooke’s talents continues to rise, incidentally). 3.5
great — and YOUNG vocals!
Just Soul
3.0 - Ok
Aretha me ha acompañado desde la infancia y ha sido un álbum muy escuchado en casa , siempre que la escucho es maravillosa. Una media hora muy amena
Really good
Beautiful album, some real bangers on here. Respect opens the album?!?! Omg what a power move
Listened to it at work so was hard to really connect with, but sounds like a really passionate album. I will have to re-listen w/ lyrics. Really liked Dr. Feelgood for now
Great listen.
Really soulful and beautiful blues/singing.
I feel bad for the audio engineer. His poor mics never stood a chance. Particularly the front end of the album is unpleasantly shouty. Aretha Franklin obviously has a great voice, but it's the only thing going on here. Everything else is as placid as could be. None of the instrumentation or melodies or lyrics impress except in Respect. One hit song, bad engineering but probably the best they could do at the time, and the album doesn't overstay its welcome. That's a high 2, low 3.
79/100.
Aretha Franklin's voice definitely carried this album. Easily the best part. The piano and brass were quite good, too, but nothing mind-blowing. Fave song: Drown In My Own Tears I thought this song was a fuckin masterpiece and have added it to my playlists immediately. That song alone bumped it up from a 3 to a 4 for me. Honorable Mentions: Save Me, and A Change Is Going To Come
Nog een easy vijf sterren. Misschien wel het beste Aretha-album.
I knew Respect was a bop, but this whole album is boppin'. Really enjoyed it.
Get it, Aretha!
only really liked “Respect”
Another good soul album
The Queen of Soul proves her worthiness. If you can overlook recording errors of the time period I think this is a clean five, but the backing instruments and vocals fall flat occasionally. Was Motley Crue doing an Aretha Franklin cover with Dr Feel Good???
Pleasant to listen to , easy on the ears except for some shrill recording segments of her voice, that woman has some serious pipes and range tho.
Typical Jazz band with pretty good vocals. Something you hear at like a restaurant. Nothing to write home about. Favourite Song: Save Me
Legend for a reason. Every song on this one is good
Highs: Soul Serenade, A Change is Gonna Come
There is nothing bad I could possibly say about this album. It’s perfect. Aretha will forever be the greatest female vocalist of all time. Automatic 5 stars.
This was really good, iconic even, but also really short. Today it'd be an ep. Do I take points off for being so short? Nah.
iconic
I don't know why I didn't like it at my first listen years ago (of course I DO respect Respect!!!). Maybe it's because I'm older and wiser now, but I really enjoyed the sultry soul sound
Meh, just some R and B Album.
Beautiful voice! 5/5
Un muy buen álbum. En lo personal me resulta genérico, sin elementos disruptivos. Esto no es algo necesariamente malo. A pesar de ser un álbum excelente con la gran voz de Aretha Franklin y varios temas muy reconocidos, simplemente considero que para mi gusto personal no hay mucho para resaltar. Este tipo de música soul es algo con lo que no conecto demasiado, a menos que tenga algún elemento instrumental, vocal o poético distintivo que le de más fuerza. Aún así, un muy buen álbum. Por otro lado, considero que las grabaciones en versión estéreo mejoran mucho y le dan más vida a la experiencia de escucha en comparación a la versión mono.
Peerfect
She's obviously a tremendous singer. Are these tremendous songs? Hoo boy, no.
Opens with an all time classic, Respect. Really good song. We've all heard it before, but we've heard it for a reason. And the album keeps rolling from there, grooving and moving along really smoothly. Lol, and I love the bossa nova of Don't let me lose this Dream. OOhh, and I love the call and response in Save Me, along with the chugging guitar. Lol, and does it really have two iterations of the exact same track Respect on the album... or is that just spotify? Ah, that's unique to the 1995 reissue, where they did a stereo recording.
a lot of the songs could have been longer ngl (this is a good thing btw). i hate to glaze “respect” since it is the most mainstream track BUT it’s popular for a reason. easily her catchiest and most vocally impressive track. aretha franklin is just a beast. 5/5.
Fricking classic
Effortless talent. one of a kind voice
okay
an absolute classic. an album that not only passes the test of time but laughs at it.
just one of those albums that speaks for itself. surprised by how much I loved the slower gospelly piano tracks highs: respect, soul serenade, a change is gonna come lows: nothing
MASTERPIECE GOD DAMN Now I understand. Aretha's vocals are incredible, they take you somewhere new. Definitely worth it. Top 3: 1) A Change is Gonna Come 2) Do Right Woman, Do Right Man 3) Respect
Great vocals but too boring to listen for me
A stunning record. The banger that is Respect aside, the rest of the album is track after track or heartfelt brilliance. One of the all time great jazz and soul singers, here I feel is Aretha at her best; everything you could want from an Aretha Franklin song can be found here. I much prefer her more soulful ballads than her uptempo numbers, and thankfully this album has them in spades.
One of the best soul records of all time
good but not really my taste, 2-3/5 prob
Good album, nothing stands out as my favorite tracks though. Smash hit "Respect" on this album though.
Surprised at how much I enjoyed this.. feels like the perfect Sunday night album to put on to kick back and wrap up your week with the feels.
La mejor voz en su mejor momento
Not my usual vibe but not bad. Best song: Do Right Woman, Do Right Man Notable(s): Respect
terrific, timeless voice, not much needed to say, a queen! 4.5/5
She kills it
Fave Songs: Respect, Drown In My Own Tears, Soul Serenade, Baby, Baby, Baby, Good Times, Do Right Woman, Do Right Man, A Change Is Gonna Come
The Queen
The Voice.
Man I love me some oldies
Soulful!
The Queen of Soul. I bow down to you. One of the all-time greats.
It’s Aretha. Really not much more needs to be said. Classic. It’s a 5 and that’s that.
приятная музыка, много бенгеров, но на любителя все-таки.
i’d listen to aretha sing anything, anytime, anywhere. just one of the greatest voices of all time
Excellent ! RESPECT, de loi sa chanson la plus connue, est certes très importante, mais le reste de l'album n'est pas de moindre qualité. Elle est la "Queen of Soul", et c'est un titre amplement mérité. Que dire de plus ?
Excellent voice, superb songs, in short an excellent album.
okayyy slay girlboss queen
YES QUEEN YOU’RE DOING GREAT SWEETIE
Aretha Franklin is the Queen/Bad Bitch of Soul. This is the album with Respect, the greatest cover song of all time, and a bunch of other excellent songs. Did I listen to this album carefully/with a critical ear? Not really, but I'm a big fan of this era of soul, a big fan of Aretha Franklin, and if I see this record, I will definitely pick it up.
Nothing really stood out honestly. Aside from the last song I suppose. Low 2/5.
Beautiful vocals, very heartfelt performance and yet, this album is exactly the type of music that sounds great at dinner but on itself makes me want to nod off.
Oddly enough the title track was my least favorite song on the album. Great album tho.
Great opening song, Aretha is truly the goat. Awesome tunes the whole way through! 8.9/10
Starts with a bang, sort of goes limp, comes back with the same song and falls down again. I'm definitely not the target audience for late 60's soul music, but I didn't hate it.
It was okay, didn’t hate it didn’t love it. Some good tunes.
what a voice
No i znowu… ona ma głos jak dzwon. Respect to jest taki hit. Reszta płyty dość powtarzalna, na jedną modłę, ale w sumie nie oznacza to spadku jakości. 7/10
Klassiker, lief entspannt im Hintergrund
Listening to this as an album for the first time and it’s everything you could want from one of her offerings. starts out with the ever recognisable RESPECT and doesn’t disappoint from there on. This album is a lesson in how every element of a record can exist to serve the voice. Aretha’s vocals aren’t just the centerpiece—they’re the driving force, and everything else bows to them. The lyrics give her the full range: from the assertiveness of “Respect” to the vulnerability in “I Never Loved a Man” to the quiet, simmering fire in “Dr. Feelgood.” It’s like every song was built to showcase what her voice can do.
Motown. Aretha Franklin. Most of the tracks great tunes. In the groove. Great album.
Early albums that are all cuts, no sides, no throughline, make it hard to get to know an artist. It's easy to grasp that Arethra Franklin is a great singer of songs. It is maybe possible to understand that she is a great interpreter of songs – when she's not making big mistakes: A Change Is Gonna Come. But it is difficult to get any further, when each song stands staunchly by itself. What sets apart Sam Cooke's Live at the Harlem Square among early 60s soul album is that a live album has narrative – they're all part of the same performance and the performance of each song relates to every other performance. Even if the songs don't relate thematically, they connect temporally – all played in the same place, played by the same musicians, rather than jammed together from one studio session here and another studio day there. The problem doesn't go away. The Britney Spears album we already reviewed was a collection of stand-alones jostling for prominence on a single record. Arethra Franklin isn't like that, of course. I know she's an artist, rather than a studio and executive confection, but I don't know what kind of artist from this collection of songs. She sounds like a queen – how could anyone treat her like the subject of the title track does? She sounds so dignified – how does she not command unspoken RESPECT? Who is she? I need a fuller picture. 2 The opening three tracks of this album are so good that the album could never have been anything but lopsided. If the rest is too classy in execution (and production - love the horn sounds on Dr Feelgood) to deserve the tag ‘procedural’ - it is still mostly forgettable. Then the cover version of A Change is Gonna Come is bizarre and ill-judged. The minor lyrical changes aren’t half as damaging as the musical sanitising of the harmony; goofy dominant sevenths helping take the bitter edge off the verses and turning tragedy into Sunday brunch. The outro is needless showboating. A rotten way to close a record. 2/5
...
really nice. not much to say - it's a classic record, and it has respect, soo..
Immaculate voice
Was not a fan of this album. It was too slow and did not go well with my style.
may no good fall upon any white person that rated this less than 4 stars
This is an album with songs everybody has heard. I think all should hear it fully through too.
What can be said about this. One of the all time great collection of songs by one of the greatest singers ever. Pure bliss.
Wow, what a voice!
Respect is elite. Save Me is pretty good. But the rest sounds like what would be played for the slow songs at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance
I like the mixing on this album, which feels weird to say. I can identify individual instruments and voices, which is the opposite of the Wall of Sound Phil Spector used for a lot of groups in this era. Favs: Good Times, I Never Loved a Man
R E S P E C T
Solid
Classic buy average
Lovely voice, great production. Solid stuff all round. Favorite tracks: nothing stood out really; great overall vibes.
feyki mikill söngur og góður. er hrifinn. 4.
This album is great. Stunning vocals. Great musicians. Great songs. Will be coming back to this.
I was bornnnn by the riverrrr . 4.5 star listen first listen so this might be one of my favorite albums once i listen to it more. Her voice and drum patterns so good and her lyrics phew puts wind in my sails. The love songs are real yearning chin up aretha 💜. The song baby baby baby aw man real music. Only problem i had i thought save me was a kinda flat to me and i kinda felt a lil of the same feeling for dr feelgood but everything else is really good. Best album i heard so far for sure. It was afriday album this me coming back on sunday night i been listening to the album all weekend I LOVE IT ! This album is gonna be on repeat forever💜 4.5 stars
What an awesome album. Long live the queen
Some performer, pleasant listen. Hard to rate in a way. 75/100 rounded up.
Fun!
Massive amounts of soul power. Great band, even better vocals. Respect? Love! Favourite tracks: Respect, Soul Serenade, Dr Feelgood
RESPECT. Great vibes! Fun instrumentals and vocal work. 'Respect' is easily the best bop here.
1. "Respect" - Iconic. 5* 2. "Drown in My Own Tears"- Great vocal performance. Bluesy song. 4* 3. "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" - 5* 4. "Soul Serenade" - 4* 5. "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream" - Jazzy. Of it's time. Has a Burt Bacharach feel. Nice vocal melodies. 3* 6. "Baby, Baby, Baby" - Again, the voice is great. Nice horns. Bluesy ballad. 3* The end of what was side one. A pleasant listen. 24/30 7. "Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)" - Slow blues. Ok. 3* 8. "Good Times" - Ahh, some boogie woogie. Slightly lifting the tempo. 4* 9. "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" - Now this is lovely. Superb. 5* 10. "Save Me" - Now, this is brilliant. 5* 11. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - A famous song. 5* End of side two - 22/25 Album score 46/55 Great voice (of course). Soul is not my preferred genre. There's blues here. Much of the Soul genre, does little for me. I like it when it has the R&B backdrop, and not R&B in the modern sense. Again, for someone who isn't a natural listener of this genre, this album started to repeat on itself with tracks 6 & 7. Individually, good to excellent songs, with excellent vocal performances. Side two is better and finishes with three brilliant performances. Would I listen again? No! Would I buy the album? - No.
Es una bomba. Lo unico “malo” que tiene es q salvo Respect se siente como una canción larga de 40 minutos. Escoges una cancion random y es increible pero lo escuchas todo entero y hay varias canciones demasiado parecidas
Un autre cas de très bon, mais pas pour moi, malheureusement. Quelle voix ! Et le contexte du big band lui va bien. C’est clair que Dan Akroyd a du goût.
60s music hits. I loved the covers in this album. And Respect is a banger
Classic for a reason
What am I supposed to write here? It’s Aretha. If I give this album any less than its deserved five stars she will arise from the netherworld and banish me to the land of wind and ghosts.
I am not a huge Aretha fan, but the first time I heard this album, I was so knocked out by it, I went straight out and got myself a copy. I don’t think I fully appreciated how talented she was until I heard this album. It is sublime, her voice is tremendous and it’s nice to hear her interpret other people’s songs. I love the ‘church’ phrasings in the way she sings, and she boots the arse out of soul music. Her voice on A Change is Gonna Come is perfect. This album puts all other soul albums to shame. Great great album, and a worthy addition to my collection. This should definitely be on the list because the entire album is faultless.
I think it’s still a really good album, I definitely enjoy the music, but it’s not something I go to all the time. If I hear it coming on or it’s in the background, I definitely appreciate it, Aretha‘s voice is timeless. Respect is an amazing song, I like the rest of the album, I could see her influence in so many current artists today.
I mean, it's the Queen.
I could probably listen to Aretha sing the phone book. This album is solid from beginning to end and feels like you could needle drop anywhere and slap it in a movie or TV show.
Listened to before: No Before this album I only knew the song respect. And while I knew it is considered a classic I never really enjoyed it. Not that I didn't like it, it just did not click with me. I could never say why that was. Guess what, for the album: It has the smae effect for me. Obviously Aretha Franklin is a fantastic singer, but somehow her music does not reach my feelings. Probably my fault, not hers. I enjoy some parts here, like the beginning of Drowning in my tears or the brass in Soul Serenade. But as a whole I get nothing out of this album. Things I can point out: The singing is a bit much for me, I like a more toned down approach. Also the recording could be more polished and clear. But still, it is probably just the style of music that is preventing me from liking this album. As sorry as I am: Rating 2.5
Not a big fan
Can't find a single bad thing to say about this album. 10/10
Listen to that voice
Soulful, filled with great vibes, good songs, great rythms and a groundbreaking impact. One of the best I've heard recently.
I do not love men, but damn, that is nice album
Not my cuppatea
Не пошло. Арета постоянно поёт криком, что невероятно раздражает. Наверное она просто не мой исполнитель или же не в том настроении слушал. 5,5 из 10.
Belting
Lots of screaming, the songs were boring
when you know the you couldnt get more than 3 interesting songs on the album so you just replay your singles again
imagine being the kind of singer where you can go sing an Otis Redding song and then that's your song now. Otis Redding. unbelievable five stars
I’ve got a real high baseline for how much I like a record like this, and figured this would be about at it, if not a bit higher. But whoa, Aretha Franklin rocks. She locks in with her drummer so good, amazing singer. Loved this.
The unmistakable voice of Aretha Franklin. This is very very good. It's amazing that, as powerful as her voice is, you can still put this on and relax while listening. Great album. Great artist.
Enjoyed this.
Great album
:/ Demasiado largo, se me ha hecho un poco pesado
RESPECT - Good vibes otherwise
Few have belted it with feeling the way Aretha did. Take out respect an an excellent cover of "A change is gonna come" and it is still a solid 3.5. Those take it to a five pretty easily
Aretha puts some stank on it.
Good
-Do you haver a soul? "That All depends" Gordon, Rob. High Fidelity. Sgor Venus.
Legendary
4.7 - She's just fucking great, and great band behind her
I'm not much into this, but I'll still give it a 3 out of Respect for Aretha 3/5
Mto bommm Esse álbum inteiro é uma trilha de música de um filme Amo esse estilo anos 60
Good soul album. Starts with Respect one of the best covers. Aretha’s voice was pretty incredible. Enjoyed it but wasn’t wowed.
Another great album from a strong female artist. Second in two days! Do right woman, do right man, respect and a change is gonna come stand out tracks.
So pleased AF has come up on the list. Makes such a change from the, sometimes, constant round of white male rock. Great voice; great songs. Favourites, Do Right Woman, Do Right Man, Save Me and Respect
Classic
Beautiful voice obv, but some of the songs are boring/redundant and drag. I would get bored, see how much longer a song was, and realize I was less than a minute into it.
Saying Aretha is incredible is like saying water is wet, but my first time through a full album of hers and I’m damn near speechless
Блюз, соул и немного джаза.
Отличная музыка, очень нравится эта исполнительница
A very beautiful voice! A few recognisable songs on this album. Respect is a classic! Very smooth, easy listening and relaxing 4 ⭐️
A little slow but man, Aretha can sing. I enjoyed listening to her voice.
Iconic but not entirely my vibe - bit too depressing soul music in parts. the hits stick out as the best tunes. Don’t love the album as a whole . Amazing voice.
Some obvious heavy hitters in there. Enjoyed the lesser know tracks on the album more than I expected to, but not an album i'd choose to listen to
Fine album
respect gets a respectful 5. the rest is mostly amazing, but goes on slightly too long. "Now" is a better album 4
Love this stuff
This is so soulful!!!
Listened on 5/12
Listening to the lyrics really puts this bad boy in context! This paaaain that i hold :)
Just a damn good soul record. Respect is obviously the big one, but Don't Let Me Lose This Dream, with its tropical vibe just hit. The second half of the record is not quite as strong IMO. Good Times and Save Me is a tad old school blues for my taste, and am not huge on the country-soul of Do Right Woman, Do Right Man, but its still great, and the soul aspect of all those elevates them enough for me.
The Queen of Soul. 'Nuff said.
loved this one!
Classic
3.0 in RYM.
4/5. You have to respect this album.
Got to listen to this album on vinyl which made it extra special. Fave song: Baby Baby Baby
3/5 pretty good
Elle a le droit de poser un classique comme ca au milieu de la salle ???
Her voice is as buff as a competing bodybuilder, and these songs are all flexes.
Queen of soul.
Seriously solid album. I've never heard a ton of Aretha beyond the few singles. This album starts off with the biggest of those. But there are a lot of good deep cuts here. Love Save Me especially. Love discovering Pete Rock samples by accident too, speaking of the latter track. 4/5
I once read that Aretha was the only singer who was able to move between church and secular music while being accepted by both, - not just because her father was a Reverend but because she was so talented.This album proves it, and benefits from the two worlds. An incredible mix of gospel with blues and soul, great arrangements, incredible guitar playing. The voice isn't bad either. Favourite tunes: Soul Serenade, Good Times, I Never Loved a Man, RESPEC...
Love Aretha Franklin💖
Amazing.
Brilliant soul music awesome voice on Aretha that you fall on love with.
A classic.
4.5.... RESPECT is an insane banger. I can only imagine hearing if for the first time. Damn. Also, Change is Going to Come is sooo good. But, the rest of the songs on the album didn't really match the vibe of those two and so album-wise it's missing a bit of glue.
Powerful
Rating: 5.5/10 For a soul album, this is honestly missing some soul. Franklin is a great vocalist and the instrumentation is pleasant to listen to but it's missing something overall. Still slightly enjoyable but disappointing.
My second Aretha generated and still as beautiful and brilliant as ever. Incomparable.
Sometimes it’s enough to just listen to the greatest singer ever sing a bunch of amazing songs.
Love this whole soul sound and this was no different. I loved my listening experience with this one, and Aretha’s voice is perfection in sound. This was great.
Heard it before. It's so nice to hear some good soothing music 3/5
Lei spacca sempre eh Ma non è una hit come altri album suoi che ho sentito
Great soul album and amazing vocals as one would expect. Respect has to be one of the greatest songs of all time, show me someone who dislikes that song
I feel like maybe my mood when listening to an album affects everything - or maybe this album is one I've heard too many times before and it just becomes background noises of the kind I would hear in a shop on high street or on american idol. So sorry to Aretha I just felt today when listening to it that it was all background noise.
Aretha Franklin's powerful singing really excels on this album. At times it feels like the album was written solely to accompany her voice, which just means some of the other instrumentation seems a bit lacking. I do like the brass, organ, and piano that appears throughout the album, it definitely adds depth to an otherwise sparse back track.
Her voice is undeniably powerful, easily one of the most iconic in music history, the album overall left me a bit underwhelmed. Favourite Songs: Respect, I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You), Don't Let Me Lose This Dream. Least Favourite Songs: Good Times, Save Me.
Har svårt att tänka mig att det gjordes så mycket som lät bättre än såhär 1967. Lyssnar sällan på soul men av nån anledning träffade detta helt rätt. Kan ha fått en musikalisk uppenbarelse.
Respekt!
c: baby, baby, baby h: respect
Unreal voice. Hard one to review. Give it a listen.
Some classic stuff. Without a doubt she is a great singer. Respect sets a high bar. A couple of tracks lost my interest. I like Sam Cookes A Change Is Gonna Come better. The later release added Stereo tracks also sound better.
It's Aretha! I can't get behind every track but I'm not hating any one of them.
At first I thought I would give this a 5, then I started listening to the songs. There are 3 songs that I don't care for, which means I cannot give this album a 5. There are also duplicate tracks on the album which is kinda weird.I realized they are the stereo versions of some songs which I can do without. My favorite song from this album is Don't let me lose this dream.
Respect I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Loved You) Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business) Do Right Woman, Do Right Man A Change Is Gonna Come
muinto bom
Aretha Franklins voice is extremely powerful and beautiful. I imagine coming back to this album in the future for some of the songs, but overall it isn’t my style. While listening to this album it felt like some songs flowed together for me (in the sense that they sounded very similarish to me). Although I am sure this would change if I listen to this album more carefully and repeatedly.
What an incredible album! can't believe only Respect is so well known.
Not a bad song on the whole thing
Respect is a legendary song, the rest of the album is great but kind of hits the same note over and over.
Like the voice, really nice to listen while working Fav-song - Don't Let Me Lose This Dream 3/5
I love Aretha's voice; so much power and just the right amount of smokiness.
Soulful vocals but quite shouty. The kind of music that I find just ok. Plus the best tracks are covers. Not bad.
Another album that I respect (hah!) more than I actually enjoy. Obviously masterfully made and soulfully performed, but it doesn't connect in the same way other soul/r&b albums on the list do.
Hellll yeah
Truly the Queen of Soul!!!
This one is fine. Just fine. I can understand why its iconic, but after hearing all the songs my entire life in commercials, the impact is softened.
Beautiful album. Lush horns. Amazing
Unqualified triumph. Every song.
Before: Detroit's very own! A motown legend and sweetheart. I've never listened to one of her albums front to back, but my Michigander soul needs it. <3 Standout tracks: Respect I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) A Change Is Gonna Come Weakest tracks: Good Times Standout lyrics: "Yes, I'm blue, but I won't be blue always. Sun is gonna shine in my back door someday." - I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) "Everyone but you adores me, but do you know pretty soon they bore me" - Soul Serenade During/after: R-E-S-P-E-C-T, FIND OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO ME. And she said what she said here. Such an iconic start to this album. Everyone knows this track and I would argue that it's one of the most recognizable songs of its time and of the genre. Drown in My Own Tears is so emo and soulful. I'm usually not a fan of the super melodramatic lyrics, but Aretha has pipes and great backing vocalists. The rhythm and tempo are also helpful in not making this song feel like a total drag. It's no Respect, but still great. I feel similarly to the next track, I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You). Interesting to see that this was the pick for the title track, but I suppose that it demonstrates that she wasn't dubbed "the queen of soul" for no reason. More powerful, belting vocals and a refreshing tone shift from the emotion and negativity of the last track to one that is empowering and optimistic. Soul serenade continues the epic horns and heartfelt lyrics. This song is a beautiful representation of yearning and unrequited love. There is a sleepiness to the percussion and trumpet that seems fitting with the theme and just sounds *good.* I don't love the transition into the more fast-paced, almost Latin sounding Don't Let Me Lose This Dream. It took some of the effect away for me, but the overall Latin sound of Don't Let Me Lose This Dream is really cool and the soulful Motown fusion is unique and ahead of its time. Dr. Feelgood makes me laugh because the way that lyrics portrayed and discussed sex like pre-1975(ish) is funny. I mean, she's real for that and I absolutely love that she got laid so well that she felt compelled to write a whole song about it. Period, Aretha. Good Times, however, is probably my least favorite track on this record so far. It sounds very 60's but in general just kind of schlocky and goofy. I can't put my finger on why, but I just didn't really like listening to it - maybe it was a combination of the plucky guitars and the lyrics, but it was not for me. This leads us to Do Right Woman, Do Right Woman, another disjointed transition. Transition aside, I really enjoyed this track. This one incorporated some very pervasive piano that added to the slow, soulful, passionate nature of the rest of the song. Save Me starts out with a really cool Elvis-y, western guitar that meshes really well with the soulful Motown sound in a neat way. This record came out peak Elvis, so I find myself wondering how much of an influence there was there. A Change Is Gonna Come is a perfect ending to this record. It's powerful, beautiful, and wraps up the mixed feelings and themes toward love and confidence that exist throughout. The instrumentals and vocals are damn near perfect. This album is influential, great, and iconic. Again, Aretha is Detroit's sweetheart so I have a very special place for her. A lot of the music I love today probably wouldn't exist (at least in the way it does currently) without her. However, it's just not generally something that I would have on rotation due to my personal taste. Jazz and soul don't tend to be my favorite genres - not that they're bad, just not the most pleasing to my ear. Since I try to rate albums based purely on my own enjoyment, I'm going to give this one a 3/5 (though I would give it a 3.5 if I could). If I were scoring this based instead on influence and technique, it would probably be higher. Unfortunately, I just don't see myself coming back to it, at no fault of the music itself. 3/5.
probably the best thing i've gotten so far
FAME, Dan Penn, Roger Hawkins, bama shit, memphis shit, all comes together. I don't quite like it as much as the lady soul one (mostly cause of the unhinged backings sometimes) but it is real good. Hilarious the RS review is quoted as saying the drums aren't hard enough when big roger hawkins drenched every beat in perfect grease, acknowledged at the time and forever RIP.
Super
I recognized a few songs on the album, since they get used in a lot of media. I feel bad rating it lower than Nina Simone's Wild is The Wind, but I feel I like they both sit on the fence between 3 and 4 stars.
brought tears to my eyes.
mad respect to aretha franklin and her modern day counterpart mercedes jones fav song: do right woman, do right man
Incredible album, beautifully rich voice
It’s annoying that Spotify doesn’t have the bonus tracks differentiated in any way, how hard is it to put -Bonus Track? Anyway, excellent album. Aretha is one is the greats.
Although it's not the type of music I listen to on a daily basis, it's still gold. Great voice.
great album, i was surprised at how jaunty it was
Great record.
Amazing strong voice, nice chores, music which makes my leg move without control. I found my two favorits here: - A change is gonna come - Respect Respect!
I’ll prob regret this. But meh
Good music but this kinda vibe just appears rarely to me 2,5/5 💜
this screams rainy (and rather sad) sunday afternoon, you cannot convince me otherwise 3,5/5 ⭐️
A huge surprise! I really vibed with this album, from the excellent opener Respect, to the majestic closer. A couple of songs were a little below average, but for the most part, this album is sublime soul with Aretha's awesome vocals in the forefront.
Tinseltown in the rain is a bop
Охуенно девка исполняет, лайк
4.5
Respect!
Masterful vocals, but this music is just not for me. Soulful and powerful. A change is gonna come slaps.
Cohesive, soulful and thematically bold. Aretha's voice and her chorus are beyond excellent and the instrumentation complements it perfectly. Starting with a song as powerful as Respect makes it fizzle out a bit after that song. Great closer.
What can I say, I think its really boring Instrumentals are bland and interchangeable, yeah the singing and vocal work is good but it's not enough to carry a whole album (imo)
I mean, it's brilliant
Enjoyable, but not attention catching. Good background music
Pretty good
I can see the appeal but not for me
A phenomenal soul album. It made my day, just vibing to this all morning long. Would not recommend to listen and run if you're trying to get a pr on your 5k, but absolutely would recommend if you are looking for an upbeat, happy vibe. 4 stars, hands down.
This album didn’t really draw me in and I was unimpressed by the lyrics at times. Tho I’ll say, the music was vibing. And there was a fun variety of love songs. I definitely see why this was so important for its time I just didn’t love it for my own taste.
I wish I liked this album more than I did. I know this album is great, I really do, but it just didn’t quite fully capture my attention.
Fantastic vibes. Always a good day to listen to the queen of soul
Such a great voice! Combined with punchy music makes for a great album!
I love you, Aretha Franklin! Her voice is wonderful. It's like walking on the clouds.
When reading reviews to get some inspiration for what to write here, I found out that this album consists of covers, which I then found out was a common thing to do around this time, this is one of the more impressive examples though. Aretha is obviously a name I’ve heard before, who hasn’t heard of her? She changed the soul genre for the better, without her I wouldn’t have one of my goats Lauryn Hill so I have to give her credit there. This album is full of powerful vocals and she does her own spin on all these different songs she chose to cover very nicely on smooth jazzy beats which never sound dull or boring, I can see why this album spiraled her into stardom. Favorite Tracks: A Change Is Gonna Come, Do Right Man, Do Right Woman, and Respect. Also, here’s a tip, if you use Apple Music like me and add this through her discography, be aware that for some reason the page links to the mono version, don’t accidentally listen to that instead of the main like I did.
Ooooooh this is so sweet and rich feel like my ears are buried in a big gooey cake. laid in a towel with my hair up and this is like the perfect music to be listening to. Good Times Absolute Banger if a little conspicuous among the gooey soul. This is flawless I'm actually emotional about how lovely it is. What a voice obviously but also the production is so so beautiful. Miss Aretha this was a long overdue meeting.
This lady can do no wrong. What a voice
Someone else said this album automatically gets at least a 4 because of Respect alone, and I wholeheartedly agree. I grew up to my parents listening to Motown, so I'm pretty familiar with this, but I hadn't heard some of the B-sides from this album. The music just wants to make me sing and dance along with it. Queen Aretha's vocals are amazing, and the backing tracks hop. Motown is one of those cultural things that was a product of it's time and the forces moving in the world then. I don't think it could be recreated with as much authenticity or power ever again. These artists moved the art of music in a way that we will likely never see again, and used their art and talents to draw attention to cultural norms and injustices that needed to change. They also left us with some of the best anthems and love songs ever created.
Some good tracks here but a few not so good. Between 3 and 4 on this one.
Respect
What a nice album to listen !! Respect !!
Lovely
Great listen. Loved it!
I feel like I can’t appreciate this enough for some reason. I’m gonna go with a 3 as I think I’d really enjoy playing in the background.
If the Queen of Soul can't move you, you're dead. Just the vocals alone on A Change is Gonna Come give me hope in these times. Put this on and let her carry you away.
Possibly the greatest vocalist ever. Respect is a highlight but even the deep cuts sound amazing
Fantastic all around.
You gotta have a ton of respect for Aretha Franklin. This album is a classic.
Obv respect is a classic and a hell of a leadoff song. I recognized a few others. Good album, wouldn’t be in my regular rotation
Not in the mood to write but she's great, I can't think of anything negative. Plus now I know that Respect is that one song that plays in TV things.
Soul, 1967 -> 3
2.7 2x catch up 4/7/25 - with RESPECT hard to rate lower even though not my interest
Good but sounds old
Aretha is untouched and unmatched. No one did it quite like her. Soulful power, while still feeling totally approachable. Like a strong and confident big sister. Love this.
Just ok. Never liked her voice.
Not my cup of tea but a good one.
Beautiful
Fine
This album is the sort of treasure that I know I will enjoy when I listen to it but for some reason it just doesn't seem to go in to regular rotation. Aretha's voice is just so amazing and this collection shows just how good she was. I am glad this was presented, it was a perfect Saturday morning mood lifter.
All hail the Queen!
Not bad at all but not full of bangers
Some good vibes I guess
I loved it. Beautiful.
Wow!!! First time actually giving Aretha a listen and she did not disappoint! I want to replay!
Aretha Franklin is obviously a talented, powerful, and soulful singer. Her version of Respect is phenomenal and iconic. Everything else on here is enjoyable and demonstrates her ability and range, but can’t live up to that first track. I leave the album remembering few specifics outside of Respect and her great singing. And some classic soul bass - prominent, rhythmic and melodic, and always serving the song. It’s all good, just not an album I need to revisit in full often.
I've never listened to this entire album but it has several of her greatest hits. "Respect" is one of the greatest songs ever by anyone! Then you move on to highly listened to tracks like "I Never Loved...", "A Change Is Gonna Come" (another all time great song, but I prefer the original), "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", "Drown In My Own Tears", & "Dr. Feelgood". I enjoyed "Good Times" & "Save Me" as much as any of the hits. It's packed with hit songs and she was at her peak in 1967. I did not enjoy "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream", it sounded like Irene Cara, shrilly. Coincidentally it was the least listened to song on the album (2M listens). Overall, very good from top to bottom and packed with some classics. 3.5 stars from me but I'll round up.
Não é mau, mas não é o meu estilo.
Aretha Franklin, Queen of soul - need I say more? This album was as perfect as she is, I was really struggling to not add every single song into my list of favourites
Fantastic, love the bluesy singing
QWAN
This was cool but didn’t hit me as much as her other record on here.
Good listening but didn't stick to anything
dediğim gibi reenkarnemde tok sesli bir siyahi kadın olmak isterdim
Something really soothing about listening to this album. When music had more soul and one woman singing alone could really wrap you up into the vibe.
Banger obviously
Classic.
There’s just nobody quite like Queen Aretha
The authentic soul sound in my opinion. Multi genre Inspiration. Rock, pop and hip hop can draw Inspiration from the sounds and tempo.
I LOVE Aretha's VOCALS!