There's No Place Like America Today

Is it wrong that I masturbated for the entirety of this record?

that was alright i suppose. didn't really have a standout track and the chances of me ever wanting to listen to this album again are incredibly slim. my opinion of curtis mayfield was higher than it is now i've listened to this album.

Goddamn did this thing suck holy. Each song sounds like one of those sex songs that Chef sings in South Park. Only reason it gets a two is cause it was short and it was groovy ish I guess?

What a delightful album. It was an absolute joy to discover this. It makes the 1001 project worthwhile. There's a downbeat soul feel throughout. No so much Move on Up, but take a look down instead. Things are happening, and not all of them are good. This is an introspective album from Curtis. Sadly not a lot has changed in America half a Century later. Add in the odd love song, plus THAT voice and you have the perfect album. This is a companion piece for What's Going On. Amazing. And short!

This is Mayfield's "What's Going On". It's subtle yet effective in all the right ways. Fans of "Superfly" and his earlier works should be ready to slow it down. We're just gonna soak this music in and look around. Reflect for a moment. Yeah.

Wild/sad that these themes are still so real in 2022. Solid listen.

Loved this funky and fun. I enjoy any kind of music like this tbh, sometimes it can get repetitive I guess but overall really enjoyed

A fantastic album here, I love listening to it. The music is warm and soulful, full of beautiful arrangements and Mayfield's incredibly evocative songwriting. Mayfield's vocals are flawless, as always. His ability to convey broader social concerns in such quiet, personal terms is a gift that no one else has truly been able to match. For those of you puzzling over a track like "Jesus," I would point out that this is Curtis Mayfield here. There is always a strong underpinning of faith in his work, and this is where soul music comes from. If you enjoy that, I highly recommend checking out his other work, including with the Impressions. Fave songs: Billy Jack, Blue Monday People, So in Love

The vocalist sounds like someone is standing on his windpipe or smashed in his balls with a 9-iron. The music just isn’t interesting. It’s not ear screeching awful, it’s just bland and boring like eating white rice at retirement home. 3/10

Billy Jack immediately has my attention with a bass tone that is just a hook machine. This is such a groovable record, So In Love is a laid back R&B track with a pocket so deep you could fall in it. How do these R&B singers get this damn high?! Great minor colors on Blue Monday People. Fabulous album.

Conoscevo Curtis Mayfield solo di nome, probabilmente citato come ispirazione da qualche artista. Cazzo che m'ero perso! Questo album è una bomba. Quasi tutti i pezzi mi hanno praticamente ipnotizzato dall'inizio alla fine per l'eleganza degli arrangiamenti, i testi e la composizione raffinata e disordinata al punto giusto. La voce di Mayfield fa impressione e spesso basta quasi da sola a reggere 4 minuti di pezzo. La cosa che mi ha colpito di più forse è quanto questo disco suoni moderno per essere un disco del '75. La produzione della voce sembra quasi pop contemporanea e anche a livello compositivo mi ricorda l'RnB moderna e artisti tipo The Weeknd o Labrinth. Per me è un 4.5 che non raggiunge il 5 solo per Jesus che è un po' debole rispetto agli altri e il fatto che ogni pezzo finisce in fade e te lo fa sembrare incompleto con le orecchie di oggi. Comunque grande scoperta da approfondire!

J'ai un peu surnoté cet album mais il est ici question de la survie de notre espèce

Three tracks in, and this album just oozes sex and anger, which is an enjoyable mix! The anger is masked behind the gorgeous arrangements, and is mixed with a hope that maybe we can do better in future. It's certainly lyrically ambitious. It's really good - but falls short of five stars for me. You know when something is so perfectly done you stop noticing it? Like good aircon or a comfy bed? This is the same - it's so musically tight it becomes hard to focus on the songs. A little bit more rawness and it'd be perfect. If that makes sense!?

Billy Jack is the easy standout here, but, overall, a highly enjoyable slab of soul and funk.

As if Prince did traditional soul music. Loved it.

Damn! This was a beauty!

Another fine album from Mr Mayfield. I am a real fan.

I should sample the drummer.

Music is good when it sounds good and this sounds good like good music

Soulful, spiritual. Feels very mature, laid back, but tightly controlled. I'm not particularly spiritual, so I could do without "Jesus", but it's still a great album overall. Favorite tracks: "Love to the People", "Hard Times"

Smooth vocals and light funk and soul underscore these tunes to show that there's something lurking in the depths of the US. Best Tracks: Billy Jack; When Seasons Change; So in Love

A warm, embracable album, quite odd from such a politicised disc. Indeed, the juztaposition between the bitterness of the lyrics and the smoothness of the music works rather well. I was not persuaded, however, by the song Jesus: is religion really the most reliable panacea? It didn't really work on What's Going On, and it doesn't really work on this. Also, perhaps a little too short? Curtis Mayfield already had a fistful of classic albums, so he could afford himself a little space to experiment and indulge. Still, a solid album by a true great.

The voice is wonderful. Gentle, rich, warm. Lyrically curious, with a meandering nature. The music is quite wonderful; the flow through the whole album makes it seem like an extended jam session, with the focus moving from instrument to instrument. Totally relaxed and yet tight and on the groove.

Hooked straight in due to that funky bass and guitar, then the vocals come in and daaamn what a combo. Another person I knew the name of but never listened to. I'm in a coffee shop and I can't sit still, such a vibe. Unfortunately none of the other songs hit that high for me, but they were still soulful as hell. Love to the People may be my 2nd fav. This Wiki anecdote is worth noting: "On August 13, 1990, Mayfield became paralyzed from the neck down after stage lighting equipment fell on him while he was being introduced at an outdoor concert at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York. Afterwards, though he was unable to play the guitar, he continued to compose and sing, which he found he could do by lying down and letting gravity pull down on his chest and lungs." Gotta admire that dedication.

Soulful and tight. Nice short album that has a lot to say in the most beautiful way.

that voiiiiiceeeee

Well, I tried. Several times. It's just not connecting. He is just not connecting. Lyrics appear and then slide off. I like the bass riffs and the arrangements but it's not feeling like my music. The vocals, sliding and tremulous, high and delicate with strength and substance, but still, not for me. Thanks. 2 stars.

Feels like a mid-70s What's Going On. Spending more time here.

Amazing album. I genuinely loved it. Chill, somber yet feel-good, slow album full of groove and soul and spirit. 5 stars easily.

possibly the only time i’ve felt sad while listening to funk, which is a really impressive achievement by mayfield

Absolutely loved this. Curtis Mayfield was a big listen at Uni, but this was all new to me.

An unbelievably sexy album, subtle, unparalleled, perfect.

Ik kende het album al, maar nu echt goed naar geluisterd. Heeeeel goed 10/10 would listen again

Absolutely loved it - great new discovery!

Groovy and funky and topical... was short enough I listened to it 4 times in a row and by then I was totally on board!

I could listen to this album end to end multiple times in a row. 9/10

Awesome record curtis was incredible

👍

So fucking smooth

this is my second curtis mayfield album on this list. the first, superfly, was a notable soundtrack. while i enjoyed superfly, his there's no place like america today was more elevated. there's a considerable amount of funk on this album, and damn mayfield makes it so easy to listen to. funk is the most dominant, but mayfield incorporates jazz and soul, too. mayfield alternated between romantic songs, including religious undertones (and overtones, considering there's a song straight up called "jesus"), yet he begins and ends his album speaking of society in the mid-seventies. as a result the album comes across as grounded. but what's most important is that in the final song, mayfield makes a point to say, "i'm not givin' up, this little pride." the light-hearted songs don't distract from the message, which is hammered home by the album cover. as a prince fan, i can say some of these songs sounded like they could be from prince--in lyrics, in vocal range, musically. i almost always say that prince did or could it better, but i cannot in good conscious say that here. 4.5, rounding up.

Great album

Bonitas raíces del soul

Fantastic. Funky, instrospective, sensitive, soulful. Beautiful songwriting and authenticity.

Jackson Pollock: Awesome start. Yeah Billy Jack rules, reminds me of a few modern day rnb fussions (anderson paak). I like this. Jesus sounds good but lyrical content can kinda fuck off, very repetitive. Blue Monday People. Okay this is surely a 5. Favs: Billy Jack No: Jesus Overall: Very unique vocals and cool instrumentation, its a low 5 but a 5.

Brilliant. Sort of heavy but also really beautiful. Loved every song and listened to in repeat the whole day. I just wish it had been longer!

I've listened to this album a lot of times before. But stuck on the record again today.

I'm so partial to this sound. Is it because I was predominantly a bass player? Maybe. Well, Probably. The groove, the soul, the smooth falsetto vocals... This is very akin to the New Orleans funk music that is in my bones. I could listen to Curtis Mayfield every day for a long time without an issue. I'm so in love with this sound.

Curtiiiiis

I didn't realize that bad ass soul music like this was still getting made this far into the 70s. Curtis Mayfield is a fucking national treasure.

Amazing album. Great mix of music, lyrics, commentary, and Mayfield's classic vocals.

Down tempo album that juxtaposes death, love, spirituality and hardship as a depiction of black urban American culture. No stinkers, and 2 absolute greatest cuts of all time with So In Love and his great version of Hard Times.

5 freaking stars!

I'll get one thing clear. I think Curtis Mayfield is one of the most talented, influential and all-round spectacular artists to have spent time on this blue spinning orb. This album is soulful and magnificent. Apart from Jesus. Despite Jesus, this is still a Curtis Mayfield album and it has to get five stars. If you've given it fewer, you need to give your head a shake.

Amazing!!!

Great album, quite short too so bonus points lol. Jokes aside, the funkiness of this record is perfect. I definitely like the livelier songs on this album but still overall definitely deserves a 5 Saved tracks: Billy Jack, Blue Monday People, Love to the People, Hard Times

pela primeira já foi 5, baita groovezao

Sublime funk soul jams

*Track 1) Billy Jack Track 2) When Seasons Change Track 3) So in Love Track 4) Jesus Track 5) Blue Monday People Track 6) Hard Times Track 7) Love to the People *Indicates Favorite Track

So damn good. Curtis was at the top of his game when he made this.

Not as good as Superfly, but it’s still super funky, still great social commentary, and, most of all, still Curtis. What more can you want?

Really great. Beautiful at times without losing its funky core. Curtis Mayfield has a knack for making cool music.

Klasse

Everything Curtis touched was gold. Definitely one of my favorite funk artists. This record in particular was much more mellow than some of his other efforts. It's honestly a nice change of pace for him, and doesn't overstay its welcome. The backing band is fantastic as well.

I love this album! It’s like a musics sushi roll of funk! That smooth sultry voice is the best spicy tuna you’re gonna find and the bass is the unagi of phat beats. Topping it off with the horns coming at you like little masago balls of joy. 12 stars!

Really enjoyed this, will pickup the vinyl

Love it

Incredible. No skipper

Funky. Soulful. Really easy to groove to.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO lets get funky :)

Stiam doar Move on up de la Curtis. Un album soul foarte placut și scurtuț la doar 35 de minute. Multe elemente psihedelice si de gospel. Linii de bass foarte funky iar vocea subtire si inalta de neconfundat a lui Curtis. O săritură in timp in anii 70 soul ai Americii

Bloody hell. Ok. So this is why I started this. Artists I've heard of and obviously know a couple of hits, but never really explored. My generation loved Prince, but this feels like his origins story. Singing style was obviously very influential. Song structure is very unique but will also be very familiar to Prince fans, soulful doesn't seem to do it justice. Beautifully elegant, smooth and engaging.

Simply legendary.

Loved it. Funky and soulful

Chicago soul, socially conscious, civil rights, blacksploitation

Smooth, dreamy, beautiful

Rating: 9.1 Best Track: So in Love

Definitely made me want to fuck someone. Even the song about Jesus, which also really hammered the notion of drinking wine tonight into my head. "Gateway to hell" album. 5/5 stars.

Una voz excelente acompañados de unos vientos muy bien armados.

good vibes, interesting horns and stuff w old timey vibe but different

This is why this book (and this project) exists. What a standout record that I'm really glad to have discovered. Curtis Mayfield brings the funk in a way that's just as fresh in 2023 as it probably was at the time of release - while being thought-provoking and interestingly, still relevant to today. Musically, it reminds me of Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love!, which is a sound that I'd always wish we had more of. Super glad I found what I'd been looking for. Standout tracks are Billy Jack, So In Love, and Jesus.

i LOVED this album. such nice instrumentals and killer consistency throughout. definitely going to become a staple in my normal listening

Great album. Blistering take on racism

Very good

The first R&B album I've listened. Cover is full of contrast, based on a 1937 monochrome photograph by Margaret Bourke-White, titled "At the Time of the Louisville Flood".

Jams

This is a fantastic album, the only downside is it being as short as it is. Absolutely love this album. The opening track, “Billy Jack”, is a slow burn intro to the album that sets the mood and that doesn’t let up even going to more thoughtful and sweet “So In Love” and certainly is bolstered by “Blue Monday People”, and the silver lining of “Love to the People” is where the mood seems to lighten somewhat.

Greaat album. "Jesus" and 'so in love with you". intro sounded like he wanted to get people into the LP. What does LP even stand for lol

So damn funky.

The grooviest social commentary

Would be good for a Sunday chill day. Project work

Great albulm with a good message and unique sound. So I’m love was my facvorite

awesome

Adorei, o álbum é uma delícia de se ouvir. Fiquei com vontade de ouvir mais... Melhores músicas: Billy Jack, When seasons change e Blue Monday People

It's Curtis Mayfield.

That's a concrete 5

Soul, funk, blues

So pivotal in music history!

big fan of Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions, but hadn't listened to this album before. hip and groovy as comes with the territory but the priority is on lyricism, emotion and ballads. religious themes and Mayfield's crisp falsetto emphasize pain, longing and desperation.

Loved it. Minimalist and clean and not a note or beat out of place. Perfect horns.

Amazing.