There's No Place Like America Today

Smooth and funky. It's very of its time and honestly should probably stay in it's time.

I love the overall sound of the album but none of the individual songs really stand out for me.

This is the first Curtis Mayfield album I’ve ever listened. I generally liked and thought it was a consistently good album with a couple of songs I liked more. Still, overall, it didn’t blow me away on a personal level, which doesn’t detract from the album itself - I’m not super familiar with the genre, so I don’t have a good knowledge basis for comparison.

Now This Guy Fucks. 6/10

Helt okay. Fine låter, men hadde man hørt en hadde man hørt alle. Ikke helt for meg.

Some really nice rhythms and bass lines here but the strong religious and R&B vibes ain't my favorite. Easy listen, though.

Super groovy

This album is a great piece about the struggles of poverty and the falsehoods of the 'American Dream'. It delivers a smooth, soulful sound but falls short in that the melody can feel monotonous at times. 'There is No Place Like America Today' is an album with an impactful message that is beautifully crafted, but is nothing that stands out to be anything iconic or super memorable in my opinion.

Another great album cover. I expected funky and was not disappointed.

Pretty fun but the falsetto singing got tiring near the end of the album

Some good

very chill. i like!

A little too slow for my liking

Smooth and cool. Very easy album to listen to.

Good stuff. Mayfield was the man.

Really enjoyed a little bit of groovy business on a wet Thursday afternoon! ‘Hard Times’ was the standout track for me. The tracks that were funkiest and had the most wah-wah action were the best. When I play it again (and I will) I’ll probably skip a few tracks in search of the magic.

schmoooooove the vocals get a bit old by the end Cool instrumentals though My first introduction to Curtis Mayfield was on the Bran Van track Astounded... also a great track!

If I listened to it more maybe 4 stars.

Certainly recognized the voice, though I've never heard of the album. Powerful album cover.

So in love is brilliant. It has a lot of potential but needs some more listens.

Starts off strong! Quickly slows down and doesn’t really pick back up? “Jesus” is a little on the nose but not unexpected. Has a Marvin type feel to it. Conscious soul. His version of Hard Times (original?) is a different take and makes times feel much harder than Baby Huey does

Really great vibes, but also forgettable

Not a style I particularly enjoy, but I didn't mind it.

Super high voice and slow songs kill the mood after a few songs

First track is great! Then mostly the same throughout the rest of the album. And too many references to Jesus.

Souligt och funkigt men också lite för smörigt

The first song really hooked me and felt very Reggae. It might be that that beat originally came from here but I just associate it with reggae. There were a couple good songs in here I could see listening to again. Would definitely pick up the vinyl if I saw it for a good price. Also *falsesetto* "Jesus"

Love Mayfield, not my favourite. 'Jesus' was a downer for me

Great writing. Not a style I really like but he can put together a complex song.

A good album that stays consistent and sounds good throughout. The cover art is cool too

Pretty quality but also kinda too much of the same at times

Great vibes

So in love = amazing track

Very funky, but also very slow.

Lyrically great. You can definitely understand the message that is being conveyed through the words and feel to each of these songs. The falsetto vocals get a bit too much. And honestly, it hinders my experience with it. As I loved the music and the words... But when they're sung in a way that doesn't land in my ears the right way, it's hard for me to fully appreciate the whole piece. Open to listening to more but probably wouldn't seek any further.

Rooted heavily in 70s funk, sounds and feels very much of the era. It definitely captures a mood and puts you in that place, solid album.

I've been really excited to listen to this album ever since I saw the cover. I've loved the socially conscious albums of the seventies that I've listened to so far, and after enjoying Winter in America, I thought this album would be right up there with it. Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy this album as much as I thought I would. The music and lyrics were good, but I think the slower tempo of the songs wasn't what I expected, and it threw me off. Thankfully though, I was able to listen to it a second time, and I appreciated it more on that second listen. The blend of funk and R&B was really unique and beautiful, and it complimented Mayfield's falsetto singing really well. The political messaging still didn't resonate very strongly with me, even on the second listen, but the album still had a unique and rich sound.

Curtis Mayfield isn't something I typically listen to, but it still sounded familiar in places. That speaks to the influence this album has.

Funky, sexy, interesting

Very, very slow and mellow... Very smooth but not for me. Might be ok for background date music 3/5

3.5/5 soul baby-lyrics ring true today even. Big fan but not a 4/5

Not my normal style of music but was a good listen.

- There's something interesting in the sparseness of this. But, it also has a tendency to drift. Kinda aimless.

Great

Nice bass, too slow for my taste

It was aight. May revisit someday. No track particularly blew me away, love the album art.

Not into it but the title and album art is satirical

Real funky, I enjoyed

A short but very good album. Love the vibes here. 3/5

Smooth, but I think I liked the instrumentals more than the vocals.

Groovy, but slow

I have heard of Curtis but never listened. I enjoyed the album but was not exactly my cup of tea.

Solid album. Not Curtis Mayfields' best work and personally it is barely top 5 for him because Superfly, Roots, Curtis and New World Order are all better. Still though it is Curtis Mayfield so it is good. It does have some songs I really like "Billy Jack", "So In Love", "Love to the People" and "When Seasons Change". I think my biggest problem with this album is the lack of variation between his vocals in the songs. All the songs feature relatively similar intonation and vocal tone which sort of makes some of the songs feel like copies of each other. Like all other Curtis albums the instrumentation throughout is immaculate and to me it really carries this album especially during some of the more dull tracks. Because of the instrumentation it is still like a 7.5 but his vocal performance on this album is like a 5.5-6 due to the monotony of it.

ok

Rating: 3.0

I do like a bit of Curtis Mayfield, although this album was a much softer chilled sound than the previous Superfly album. Would be happy to let this album play if it was already on.... but I would still be looking to select Superfly on the play queue.

Much slower than I expected. Great lyrics.

3,5

good funky riffs and vibes but with every song sounding a little the same and the average length of 6 mins its got a few good ones. billy jack and hard times stoood out to me

While I'm always down for some Curtis Mayfield, I hadn't heard this record in its entirety before today. It's good, though some songs blended together for me in the mid-to-back half.

Prima vibe, maar een beetje inwisselbaar, al die nummers.

Ik hou enorm van de Curtus-vibe. Heel fijn album!

OK. Not Curtis Mayfield's best work. Not sure why this is on the list. There are better selections.

Didn’t finish it, was fine.

It's a very funky, very 70s album. Not what I usually listen to, but nice enough to have playing in the background.

Brilliant in parts

No standout tracks in particular but I had a good time just basking in the lush sounds. It has the feeling of a protest album but not against anything in particular, just the 70s being a bit shit

Some songs are cool for a chill playlist, some skips

Today's album takes a hard look at the state of America for the African American population in the 70's (rampant racism, poverty, crime) and puts it on display. Sadly, many of the issues brought up on this record still ring true today. Even the album cover tells a story. African Americans standing in a poverty line, being overshadowed by a large billboard which depicts a happy white family. This album is much more stripped down than the Curtis Mayfield that I'm used to. It isn't the fast paced, danceable music that was featured on albums such as Superfly. This is much more reserved, and dark. It is very similar to Marvin Gaye's album What's Going On. This album starts with the song Billy Jack, which has some amazing bass grooves throughout. Overall, a very different, but very culturally important album today. It is super heavy, and hard to digest, so I don't see myself listening to it much in the future, however the message is super important, and I'm glad I listened to it today. Favourite songs: Billy Jack, Jesus, Love to the People Least favourite songs: So In Love 3/5

Good, but nothing up to standards of Hell Below on it

Very groovy, very nice. A little bit repetitive

Listened to There's No Place Like America Today on 8/17/2023. My Top Songs: Billy Jack and So In Love. Underrated Song: Love to the People Overall Album Rating: 3/5 Additional Notes: Curtis Mayfield's voice is amazing and the audio quality was incredible on this album. Great relaxed vibe throughout the album. Toward the end of the album songs can get a little repetitive in terms of pace and tune.

Sounds like it could have been the soundtrack to a 70's XXX film.

This lulled me with its indulgent murk of exquisite sounds, but by the end I’d forgotten what had come before: it’s a mood piece with few hooks, a lapidarist’s perfectly useless object.

It’s got Mayfield’s crisp funky grooves with his signature sultry falsetto, but this album is no Superfly. Strong start kind of goes off the rails with the Jesus song. Not really any standouts here

Good background music

Very chill and groovy. Not something I would purposely put on, but I can see how some would really appreciate this.

It's funky and cool, not a super engaging listen though.

Not my style but decent.

Only track I loved was Hard Times. Mayfield is a great lyricist and that's the highlight of his music The funky/soul is template background music.

Funky. It's alright

Curtis is dope maar dit viel wat tegen eigenlijk, beetje te smooth en niet genoeg groove

Eh I kinda forgettable but it went quite quickly and it was all good 3/5

Familiar with Curtis from his self-titled and Superfly, both great albums that i enjoyed more than this, though there isn't really anything wrong with this either. It's pleasant to listen to, some great grooves, but overall just kind of breezes past me after finishing. Probably worth another listen in the future, but overall just a solid album that i don't regret having to listen to at all. 'So in Love' especially was a good listen.

Nije loše, ali nekako mi ne sjeda koliko sam mislio.

This, on the other hand, is good cooking music.

pretty decent but doesnt stand out

Cooles Album-Cover.

I like the overall sound and message. The songs have a very similar rhythm, which gets repetitive.

Prefer Superfly, sorry but this was a pale imitation. A lot slower and groovier which is good for a while but this is a lot shallower too. However I still like the vibe and the lyrics are still tight and punchy.

6/10. Nice, but didn't exactly drive me wild. Cover art's a solid 10 though.

The ideal time for me to listen to this album is on a Sunday morning during the fall with the windows open while playing this on my vinyl record player.

it's decent enough, chill! but didn't blow me away

It's OK, some songs seem repetitive and bland. Will listen to again in future

Smooth grooves. I like Billy Jack, and So in Love. Jesus sounds like "cheeses" to me, so makes me smile.

This was just okay. It was a little slow for my tastes. I'd never listened to Curtis Mayfield before (other than on "Astounded" by Bran Van 3000) so it was good to do that today.

Much more mellow and soul driven than Superfly, a great listen. There's a lot of character and emotion pushed out through the album. So In Love is a Curtis Mayfield song it turns out. Love finding older originals to newer covers and comparing and contrasting through this project

Solid overall but lacking some dynamics in the arangements.

Alright

He defiantly has a great voice and next level falsetto, the funk is on point and would listen to again if the mood struck.

Funki. Would listen again

Fun! I knew about Mayfield but haven’t dug into it. Might consider raising this with more listens.

Nice, slow-tempo, funky stuff to chill to in the background.

- Love me a horn section - So in Love got me feeling some type of way

I liked this, and may give it another go sometime, but it didn't grab me. He's a fantastic singer, obviously, but there was a groove rather than songs that stood out.

3/5 Prince meets Barry White. This was an odd album for me. Musically it was pretty good, and easy to listen to, but there was something kinda annoying about it. I don't know. Meh.

I'm not sure where to start... I really don't like falsetto singing so this album was probably never going to be my new favourite jam. It was mercifully short but given it's reputation and the "importance" of what's being said, I didn't connect at all. Maybe because I am not a black American living through the 70s. I really hope there aren't many more contributions by this artist, not sure how much more I can listen to someone sounding like their balls are getting constricted the whole album.

Such a funky, easy to listen to album! While it was easy to listen to, Mayfield does not shy away from hard topics here, seemingly unafraid to use his music as a platform to comment on the social issues of the time. I really love the statement of the album art as well -- it is this demonstration of the juxtaposition between the "American Dream" and what Black people were facing at the time. It's a statement that is still relevant today. This album, and Curtis Mayfield in general, is a great inclusion in this project because he's an example of an artist that was really quite gifted in many ways (he wrote all the tracks on this album), but who went largely unrecognized by a wider audience (namely, white people). And yet, his music is still as relevant today. There's no time like the present.

Very funky but slightly repetitive

Funk. Ni fu ni fa.

Voz bonita. Un poco rollo. Diabetes, accidente que le deja inválido ...

I found the music lacking. While it was a solid R&B album, the songs didn't pull me in. Not really sure how to describe why, as I love funk and R&B. Might relisten in a month or two to see if my opinion changes.

Whoa, that bass line from the get go. Ok I see you. Curtis Mayfield has some other bangers, I think this album had some deeper meanings that I did not pay too much attention to, damn work.

kinda finding his feet but some crackers

I liked the rich, warm sound of the horns and strings, with the more staccato guitar/bass/drums. The whole album made sense in the context of the cover.

I thought this was cool, though not great. The grooves were there, but the songwriting didn't quite do it for me. But I look forward to hearing more from this guy.

The album was alright. The songs are consistent in tone and feel. I wouldn't say there is any one song that stood out over the others. I probably wouldn't pick this album to listen to again though. It is better than a 2 not really a 3, but I will round up.

I respect Curtis Mayfield as an artist but I'm not fond of the songs he does in falsetto. This album is interesting but I can't see myself listening to it over and over again.

Classic jams. Glad I listened. Will listen again.

Really like his voice and him the sound I dig.

A classic! It is obviously brilliant but it is never going to be my go to. Total respect for this album and glad to listen.

I can dig it.

Funky and soulful

A strong album, but not as classic as Curtis or Superfly. So in Love is a standout.

Very nice 70's vibe.

I would listen to this in outer space probably

I was really enjoying this album up until the point where I was forced to listen to a gospel song. It was one of the better religious songs I've heard, but still, there is no better way to kill my good than to start singing about Jesus. The rest of the album was phenomenal, not his best work as it did get a little repetitive, but still very enjoyable and I liked listening to it. 3/5

6/10 This is my first album I have listened to by Curtis Mayfield, with this almost being an introduction to the genre soul (apart from a couple of LOVE albums) I thought it was a good record with many pleasant instrumentals however from the Album cover I hoped for a bit more of a social commentary about the harsh reality of life as an Africa American at the time. Hints of this appeared in Hard Times but it didn’t appear to be a continuous theme throughout the album. This isn’t a huge problem but it was disappointing especially when considering that I did feel any song stood out as a stand alone BANGER. Favourite songs: Hard times When seasons change Love to the people Overall, the album was decent but I can’t imagine I will be revisiting it anytime soon unlike other soul albums like LOVE-forever changes

okay sound, reminded me a little of Prince

Really liked it, Funky

Pretty good overall, really love the funk, but I can only listen to so much of that high-pitched singing.

Three. Everything's a three unless I am especially moved (in either direction).

I agree, there's no place like America today. What an album cover. Love the bass guitar on the first track. Song is a bit of a downer though and hit me in one of those "damn im not in the right mood to completely enjoy this" experiences. Unfortunately the second track continued with a similar level of energy than the first. Track 3, "So in Love" was really great though. Lyrics are really incredible, I love the starting lines "So in love You do so many things with that smilin' face". No immediate rhyme necessary, and it's just this wonderful little introductory description of a noted element of the writer's love for someone else. I love it :) The album is only 35 minutes and it really went by quickly. I think I didn't really fully enjoy it as much as the average listener did though so it's a 3/5 for me.

Pretty chill. Didn’t enjoy Blue Monday People.

I feel like I say this a lot but there's just not a ton of artists on this list that I know. I didn't really know what to expect from this but I love the guitar in the first song a lot. I didn't really love the religious song but that's because I'm not religious. The vocals were really good though!

Take em to church, Curt

Just fine. Another fine release from Curtis. Lacks the appeal of Supafly, but I'll give it a 3 as well.

Hearing Prince in this. Dig it.

Really liked 'so in love'

Didn't show curtis talent

Slow paced and smooth soul with a touch of funk. Like many other albums it's not bad but not my taste.

As someone who enjoys Curtis Mayfield but haven’t heard much outside of some of his songs, this was kinda a surprise for me. To be honest I was disappointed that the album wasn’t as dramatic as I expected, but I understood why. This is a pretty intimate record, and I really liked the tenderness on here. There were moments I felt weren’t as moving as they could have been, but when it connects, it really connects. Faves: So in Love, Billy Jack, Jesus

Solid tbh

so funky baby yeah

Favorited “So in Love”.

I wish his voice had more variation, silky as It is

Vraiment sensible au message social. Même la chanson au thème plus religieux m'a rejointe par son parallèle avec la vie de la réalité de la population noire. Belle voix et beaux arrangements funk

While not as immediate and groundbreaking as his prior efforts were, the muse that Curtis Mayfield willfully followed in this album provided him to continue dishing out wallops as hard hitting and rattling today as it did back in the year of its release. From first glimpse to final listen, There's No Place Like America Today remains a indictment of the reality that allows itself to plague hopes and perceptions. It's not for everyone yet, like most bitter pills, it needs to be digested in order to understand. Favorites: Billy Jack, When Seasons Change, Jesus, Hard Times.

Drugi krazek od pana Mayfielda na liscie, a w jedgo dyskografii jest to siodma pozycja z 75, wydaje sie brzmiec o wiele mniej eksperymentalnie niz superfly, nie slychac tutaj cisnacych sie nna uszy sampli, ale nie sposob odmowic czarnego klimatu temu nagraniu, bo jak inaczej okreslic plyte o ktorej jedni pisza, ze w swiadomy sposob porusza problemy czarnej spolecznosci lat 70, a z drugiej strony ktos inny pisze, ze jest to idealna plyta do prokreacji, wiec zdania ekspertow discogowych sa podzielone, ale 35 minut zlecialy przyjemnie, na plejke dodam trak Jesus, bo wychodzi on nawet poza soluwe granie, a dotyka motywow gospelowych

Superbly was better

Some enjoyable funk

This is some really nice funky groovy stuff here. I like it. Smooth as can be.

This album is a thoughtful funk/soul exploration of American social issues particularly poverty and racial tension. It is a worthy entry into this particular brand of conscious funk but unlike other albums like Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Goin’ On,’ this album doesn’t stand out as much. That’s not to take away from this album; I found it incredibly insightful and the music had a great groove, but it didn’t resonate with me as much as other examples of this genre.

Not my style at all but I can appreciate its relevance.

Not something I would likely go back to in a hurry but poignant, social commentary is fascinating and his voice is amazing

Groovy, funky goodness...again the falsetto voice thing isn't my personal preference but this was still a great listen! It amazing how such beautiful music can be speaking to such ugly social issues

Ya'll got any of that chest voice? Instrumentally I like the feel of it but I was completely over the falsetto by about the 3rd song. The parts with out vocals were great, but the falsetto just becomes too much. I'm really torn on this rating because as much as the vocals annoyed me, I still really enjoyed the overall feel of the album.

Too much falsetto, music was good.

Anything soul/funk is usually perfect for me, but this didn't really do anything for me. Hearing the opener made me think I'd be in for a great political album, but it just kinda fell off. Little bit disappointed. Great vocals, which saves the album. No real stand-out songs.

funky but pretty one dimensional didn’t say much

Good stuff. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could.

I can appreciate it as very well done, but not to my taste.

Outside of his debut album I find Mayfield's albums fairly uneven. This one has some really great tracks like the opener and Hard Times but also some really weak ones.. So in Love was a hit but not a fan.

Good but a little slow for me. Didn't capture my attention like Super Fly.

This is nowhere near as good as Superfly for me. It's alright, and I do like the funky basslines. But mostly non-offputting, but forgettable.

Voz bonita. Un poco rollo. Diabetes, accidente que le deja inválido ...

Smooth groovin’ tough livin’ Hyvää soulii 3/5

Hemmetti kun eka biisi on kova! Sittenkin ihan hyvää funkkia, mutta ei niiin erityistä. 3,5/5.

En ehkä ihan valtavasti innostunut, olisin kaivannu vähän enemmän joko jatsailua tai menoa. 3/5

Curtis! You got it going on!

Musically, this is nice and smooth background music. Lyrically, this is obviously a very topical album, in keeping with its title and cover art. I've known the original photography for years, by the way, but I didn't know Curtis Mayfield had used it for one of his records. That's quite interesting... That being said, let's address the elephant in the room here: this is no *Superfly* soundtrack. Actually, it's probably two ot three notches under it in terms of sheer impact. And you know what? Even as soundtrack music for a blaxploitation b-movie, *Superfly* could still be pretty topical itself, yet never forgot to slap *hard* in terms of groove or sheer musicality. I understand the intention is obviously different here, and I can still respect it a lot. But if I want to go for smooth and not-so-smooth songs that are addressing topical issues, I'd rather go to Stevie Wonder first. With only ONE track from *Songs In the Key Of Life*, "Village Ghetto Land", or ONE track from *Innervisions*, "Living For The City", Stevie hits a nerve this whole record can't totally hit. At least for me. See also Marvin Gaye's *What's Going On* or Gil Scott-Heron's *Pieces Of A Man* for other musical masterpieces dissecting those "American" themes through laidback instrumentation and songwriting... Number of albums left to review: 748 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 124 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 62 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 67 (including this one)

Doesn't hit the highs of Superfly, but a decent listen nonetheless.

meh

It’s is an ok album.

Short, and sweet

This is a good album that I didn't quite like, as it isn't the style of music I generally listen to. However, I could entertain myself to some of the songs.

Подслушано! Занятно но не более.

Holy crap with the falsetto, dude. Just quit it. I feel as though I'm forced to give this album a 3 and I'm mad about it. The music is just SO good. But the vocals are just SO awful. Not BAD, per se. Just extremely unenjoyable to the point where I was angry at Curtis by the time the (thankfully very short) album was over. What's wrong with having a chorus in your songs? Or maybe just a hook? I'm so tired of these meandering, no-melody vocals from the 70s. But the music! It's cosmically fantastic. And the lyrics are also just so good. Which means that, even as bad as the vocals are, I can't give this lower than a 3-star review. Even though I want to because dammit with that falsetto.

Ganska jees men inte lika bra som Curtis & Superfly. Strong 3

Similar to Teddy, but slower and more same-y. Concept was interesting,

Never heard any Curtis Mayfield before and thought it was pretty good. Nothing in particular stood out but nothing was one I would skip, either

Perfectly listenable. Smooth, funky. But also not really that memorable.

Good groove, a little repetitive.

This album has a great sound, and the only reason I didn't give it a 4 is that it's sooo slooow. There isn't a single uptempo song on the whole record. The opener is at about 90 bpm, which is slow but tolerable for moderate rock, and based on that I expected that'd be about the average, some faster some slower - it turned out to be pretty easily the fastest track. Mayfield's voice is incredible, he projects such power at the top of his range. Although I do wish he would drop out of the falsetto a little more frequently - every time he does it on the record it's to amazing effect, often gives me the chills, but he only does it for a few brief moments. He's clearly the star, and his vocals just make this CD work. The sound is extremely consistent throughout - at times it often feels like a single long song. You've got a fat-and-lazy funk backbeat, heavy wah-wah guitar comping and providing a little color, very light bass, a little organ, a little chorus backing vocals, and the occasional horn. Plus Mayfield's falsetto, and he sticks to roughly the same register on every track. It's a formula that works, but I do kinda wish they'd mixed it up a little more. Overall though I enjoyed it a lot. I don't listen to a lot of soul music, but after this I might.

Strong 3. A good listen, love his sound, but a little too one-note for me. Did not hear any standouts like "Get On Up", but overall fun.

Enjoyed some of it but not enough

Every so often, I wonder why I didn't listen to albums like this in real time. To be fair, I was not of an age to actively choose anything beyond nursery rhymes in the mid-seventies. Still. There was an overlap between Mayfield's active period and my active music listening, and whilst I had head of him and knew a few of his bigger 'hits', I never sought out any of his work until after he died. (this may not be entirely true. Hip Hop sampling opened a magnificently endowed world to me, for which I'll always be greatful). Anyway. Short, dreamlike, with a sharp lyrical undercurrent. Great for Sunday afternoons and the like

Curtisiin voi aina luottaa. Jeesusta voisi toki olla vähemmän.

5/10 swimming in averageness

I love Superfly, but this album didn’t catch me.

I like it but I wish I knew more about the era to understand what makes this one of the greatest albums (compared to Mayfield's other work, or other albums in the same time period/genre). I was excited that the album seemed so short with only 7 songs, but they were long.

6.5/10

GOOD CHILL VIBES

Consistently good, but nothing too special, 3/5 Highlight- "Billy Jack"

Good album and excellent production. I like curtis here and there but an entire album is too much for me. Love the album art

Pretty enjoyable. I liked the smooth somberness of the songwriting and the slick production. Vocals are very emotional and so is the subject matter. Cool mix of styles, from R&B to reggae.

Great voice and an easy listen. Favorite: Love to the People

I very much enjoyed the last Curtis Mayfield the album generated, so I'm quite happy to dive on into this one. That said the album art is awfully grim. Yeah, this is quality funk, as expected, but more downbeat, perfect for an introspective mood. Solid throughout both lyrically and musically, and consistent in tone. Also quite spiritual, which is not really my personal jam. I acknowledge the beauty of the album but it's not the kind of thing I'll reach for all that often though I did let Spotify know I'd be happy to hear So in Love from time to time.

Fairly entertaining nothing truly stood out. One of those albums I’d have to desert to the get the most out of which I don’t have time for. But otherwise good listening.

Funky but a bit repetitive for my ears.

I don't think it's Curtis' greatest work; he very definitely has a style and sticks to it, but it's a perfectly decent listen.

I know this is one of those great, classic albums, but the truth is I don't love it as much as I'm supposed to. There are a lot of important things this album is trying to say--about Black history, about stories that deserve to be told--but I just didn't quite fuse with the style. Fave track: Billy Jack. wonderful vocals here but it's just not an album that resonates with me.

It's obviously cool, but you have to be on board with Curtis' vocals and I'm not really

Curtis Mayfield being Curtis Mayfield. This album has a great funk sound, but what purpose does a generic funk album have on a list of 'Must-Listen-To' Albums?

Lekker relaxed

Definitely a great album, and fantastic recording. However nothing about this justifies a 4 from me, though it is close.

Listened to on 5/9/22 3/5 Favorite song: so in love, Billy Jack Good mo-town vibes but some of it sounded like porno music and I think Curtis was a bit out of his range in a few songs

I'm at least 10% cooler for having heard this.

It was pretty good, if a bit repetitive. I wanted to like it more. Had some high points early on the record and then weaker on the back half.

Bass fader to 10. Wah pedal to max. Sit back and enjoy his soulful voice.

boy if he could see it now

I dug it. Need to give it another round where I’m able to listen to lyrics closer.

I’m scoring this an incomplete. It really defies an opinion on first listen. I was just sort of meh at first, but then i started to write this note and flipped through the beginning of So in Love and Love to the People. And then listened to the whole thing again. So I have to just say I have to score it with an asterisk and come back at some point. I don’t love his constant whiny falsetto, but everything else is so funky, peaceful, pessimistic… all at once? Really brilliant songwriting.

Fun easy to listen to R&B with a solid bassline. Nothing that I personally grasped onto but I still enjoyed it.

Приятный, но не слишком запоминающийся фанк/соул. 5 из 10

Pretty good r&b album. A fun listen.

14th April 2022 Listened in the morning before going to the beach, then for a wander around Newport which was very nice indeed. Really enjoyed this! Smooth as silk yet politically relevant today.

I was expecting something from this album that was not delivered. A bit underwhelming. He must have better albums that this, right?

Unreal instrumental, sax solo we’re sick, not fan of ballads stuck between 3 and 4 stars

Good album. Not my favorite from Mayfield.

Easy listening and perfect for the background.

Definition of a 3 Star album: Decent run time, enjoyable up beat music, not more, not less

Funk. Ni fu ni fa.

So much funk. Pretty good

Groovy. 2.7/5.

Slick, soulful RnB. Every song sounds the same.

What you know about Curtis nephew? Slowly stand up from your struggle music

A little slow for my taste

Curtis Mayfield was a mildly familiar name, but all of the music on the album was new to me. I enjoyed listening to the album, but none of the tracks stood out to me as something that I'll come back to.

Billy Jack and Blue Monday people were the stand outs here for me

listenable is all I can say

Decent R&B, but nothing that really stood out and screamed "I'm a great album!!" It was just kind of there. I'm not disappointed I listened to it, and I'm not ecstatic I listened to it.

This was nice and chill, but it really did just plod along and I have already forgotten most of it.

This was nice and smooth.

I'd only heard Mayfield's first three solo albums before and, while I didn't enjoy this one as much as those, it was a good listen. There weren't any stand out tracks for me but there were some great grooves and melodies, and this is one that I think will grow on me with revisits/deeper dives into the lyrics

Decent start, bad end

Groovy, 3

Some nice vibes, I will come back to it 6/10

Like the sound this album has, just not a big fan of his high voice. I wouldn’t return to this album very fast probably.

Billy jack intro de l'album excellent un des soulmen les plus influents et talentueux Le reste de l'album un peu chiant

Good album. A little on the slow side for me

Very different vibe for this next one, particularly after doing them back to back :D Feels very much like the sort of thing that I've quite enjoyed, but will almost certainly never listen to again... I don't know the R&B scene at all, but this is a lovely gentle intro to it, very relaxed in terms of the style of music (even if the first track is about someone getting shot!). Also, at 35 minutes it doesn't overstay it's welcome, only 7 songs too. Not normally a God fan but Jesus is class... Spotify listens suggest a big drop off after the first three songs, but that's not the case in terms of the quality. Tracks 2, 3, and 7 my faves.

The first track is promising. I like it. I'm excited about the rest of the album. The second track is a bit of a let down if I'm honest. Maybe I was too excited, and expected too much? The third track has started well. This is what I'm talking about. Yes. Soul brother. Fourth track starts promising. He needs to start singing rather than talking though, he's not William Shatner ffs. Here we go. I'm not sure tbh, am beginning to worry this album might not live up to my expectations. The fifth track is ok. A step back towards what I like. Sixth track is good, still a chance this could end well! The last track is decent as well. I mean, it's a decent album. I enjoyed it. Nice to have on in the background, or while you're spending time with your gf or whatever. Yeah, nice. But I mean, this is the 1001 albums you must hear before you die isn't it? I feel that there are loads of better albums in this genre that could have been chosen. It'd not bad, but I could have died without hearing it and not been worse off tbh.

Un disco sabrosón, con muy buenos metales y música en general muy agradable. Se siente mesurado, bien pensado y nunca apresurado. Nada malo, pero al no ser un entusiasta del género siento que le falta acción, algún punto álgido.

No es que sea malo, pero no terminé de emocionarme con este disco. A ratos suena como cosas actuales que me gustan (Black Pumas, échenles un ojo) pero nunca llega a reventar.

if stevie wonder and prince had a love child it would be this album

meh

Funk. R& B

Molto funk!

I've never heard this album before today. It's not something I'd reach for all the time, but I enjoyed discovering it. Favorite: When Seasons Change

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. Maybe it's just the mood I am in but overall this album fell flat. It felt like Curtis Mayfield by numbers rather than being an essential work

Solides Soul Album ohne wirklich Höhepunkte.

First half of the albums I was leading towards a 2, the second half is much better and Love to the People is fantastic.

I went straight to thinking about early Prince where he was much more of a classic soul crooner. It turns out he was extending the spirit of Curtis Mayfield. This record is remarkably well written/arranged/produced/performed. Just like Prince, or Prince just like Curtis, I can feel the desperate yet suppressed yearning of some intense hormones like red hot steel. This also sounds like exactly what gets copied/sampled perpetually in a lot of follow on musical styles. It sounds like a fundamentally solid original.

I find it hard to imagine disliking anything Mayfield did and this is no exception, but nothing in it grabbed me that strongly or really stood out for me.

Smooth and soulful, but the wispy voice and minimalist arrangements start to sound pretty similar after a while.

5/10

This was all right. I was eagerly expecting a pizza delivery from a mustached delivery man that I simply don't have cash to pay for do you accept any other forms of payment? while listening to this album.

Good guitar, mix of race/religion topics.

Smooth, slow, and soulful (as you would expect) doesn't sound like a particular exciting combination. Thankfully Curtis remembered to order some funk to liven it up. There are plenty of chilled vibes, in a good way.

Great musician, great voice but an unexciting collection of songs with no real stand outs to move or excite you.

Maybe I just wasn't feeling this genre today. But I do enjoy this type of music.

IMO not Mayfield's best work, but it's hard to beat 70s Soul/Funk. That album cover is the shit, however.

Al ver el título de este álbum no esperaba mucho, sin embargo lo subestime demasiado, tiene canciones que son buenas y otras que solo son canciones.

Heeft een paar goede nummers maar je moet er maar van houden

So much wah-wah pedal, this is some funky guitar. Really high-pitched voice, reminds me a bit of vocalist from The Heavy, but if he was really going as high as he could. Very soulful album, had it on the background but didn't really pull me in too much. I'd be willing to bet there are quite a few babies that were born because of this album.

Pretty good R&B album. None of the songs really separate themselves but the whole album flows nicely. The mellow funkiness with the horns and drums makes this a good smooth listen. 7.3/10

Voz bucólica. Toques blues.

That is soulful and electric! The starting and landing points are wonderful; The rest of the material is nice but musically low-key and vocally didactic. It would have been great to hear that grey area explored more deeply.

Solid but not outstanding

An OK album, but it features none of my favourite Curtis Mayfield tracks.

I've only heard of Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up before, never listened to any of his albums. Enjoyed the slow steady funky beats and bass.

3/5 nothing memorable

Nice.

Mr Superfly himself! Have not listened to anything else he had done and I'm glad we got some! Felt just like his Superfly soundtrack too which I liked. I have no qualms about this album but also nothing that really stood out to me. Great start to the week and so much better than a live album.

Zwaar relaxt soul-album! Heerlijk!! Laat je niet misleiden door de hoes, die me aan Mary Poppins doet denken. Mijn favorieten zijn toch weer up-tempo nummers: "Billy Jack" en "Love to the people". Daarmee heb je ook meteen het probleem van dit album. Het is mij iets te relaxt en het kan wel wat meer pit gebruiken. Laatste kritiekpuntje is dat de hoge stem op een gegeven moment ook kan gaan vervelen. ***

Very soulful, but honestly? Too short.

The list of all-time best falsetto performers has to include the likes of Smokey Robinson, Barry Gibb, Prince and Philip Bailey. And Curtis Mayfield throws his hat in the ring here in a big way. We probably don't appreciate Curtis Mayfield enough. He's a two time inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, fathered ten (!) children, and wrote "People Get Ready". This isn't his best album, and honestly it underwhelms. It's a bit too preachy for seductive purposes. There's a better representation of the Mayfield Magic yet to come on this list.

Interessante, mi ha colpito molto già dalla prima traccia. Solo che verso la fine ho iniziato ad accusare i toni soft della Soul music. Non riesco a dargli 4 per questo motivo, ma riconosco la bellezza di quest'album e la bravura di Curtis, che non conoscevo e che, leggendo la sua biografia, è stato proprio sfortunato... Poraccio!

Io sono un soul man e Curtis è un pilastro del genere però a volte in questo disco lo trovo troppo poco supportato dagli arrangiamenti tipici del genere, che lo rendono moderno ma allo tempo stesso i pezzi non mi emozionano come dovrebbero. Questo diviene evidente in un pezzo come Hard Times che è bello però non ha lo stesso impatto della versione di Baby Huey. Mi sembra veramente un coito interrotto a tratti. Voto 3.5 ma con punizione.

The first three songs are great... really enjoy the groove of Billy Jack, but somewhere around Jesus, it gets a bit more ordinary. An enjoyable listen, but falls a step down from classic.

Erg soulfull album. Niet direct mijn genre, maar ik vond het wel oké 3*

Mellow for a summers day but not outstanding. 3*

Enjoyed it. Was better in the evening than the day time.

Did you know? Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after lighting equipment fell on him during a live performance at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York, on August 13, 1990.

Good groovy soul - I think there's other Curtis albums I prefer though

I need more mayfield in my life.

3/5 It's nice. First listen. I enjoyed it but don't think it's anything special.

Robert Demery est fidèle a lui même en selectionnant un nouvel album completement anodin dans sa liste, la cohérence est respectée, bravo Robert pour ta liste de merde.

I think he has a lovely voice and I liked the vibes/range of themes

This type of music is always easy to listen to in the background, wouldn't say I love it but it's got a certain something

Funky! The only thing that brought it down for me is that almost the entire thing is sung in falsetto, or at least that's how it sounds to me. Still worthy of 3 stars.

Curtis Mayfield is one of those names I know just in passing so this was cool to listen to across a weekend, his style for me hovers somewhere between meh and middling

I was excited because I love funk, but something about this was too boring and too relaxed and the voice didn't do it for me

I just was not feeling this album at all. I know I’ve had another Curtis Mayfield album as part of this project, and I think that was enough. I couldn’t get behind his high-pitched and breathy singing. It was so distracting that I don’t even remember anything else about the album. Nothing about this is a critique of the themes, I just couldn’t stand the sound.

I was so disappointed by this. I expected better from Curtis Mayfield. The album cover alone is enough to give you a clue that the record is more whiny than it should be. Curtis got so caught up in making political and social comments that he forgot the point of music: to entertain.

Nice fat bass lines, groovy guitar. Not so into the gospel stuff but it sounded nice I guess. 5/10

Decent music, can't really do the voice. Guess I found Prince's inspiration

Quite layed back easy listening, but after a whole album I did get bored of the tone.

Not a fan of the sermon