Reviews (page 10 of 12)
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.
I don't know, I'm getting sick of this specific "sound". It all just sounds the same now, 700 albums in. Funk that does nothing particularly interesting or new to my knowledge.
An interesting and funky record, but not getting into Mayfield as much as I thought based on the pedigree. Fun listen.
I really enjoyed Superfly. This one did nothing for me by comparison
Album interesante pero muy lento para mi gusto, no lo escucharia nuevamente y no va con mi estilo.
Not my usual go to music. Could not get into it.
Pleasant, but nothing special. 5/10
Interesting vocals that I could get behind for a song or a verse but got tiring for an entire album.
There's some extremely important issues here. As a person, I couldn't be any more different from the artist. But the stories of community to fight against marginalisation still resonate strong. But outside of that, I'm not much of a fan. It's too slow, I almost fell asleep in the middle.
Sleepy.
ta fea la portada
I was just kinda bored
It alright ig, not really special in any way. Some songs are kinda moody, but most don't really pull you in. I think Mayfield has other more interesting works.
Not a fan of the old jazzy type music. It’s not bad, just not really doing it for me. 2.5
Didn’t click with me idk why
This was just ok. Nothing really special about it but it’s miles better than some of the crap on here.
I had forgotten I got another Curtis Mayfield album the other day, and then I forgot about this one over the course of the day. He’s fine, I guess? Apparently doesn’t do anything for me, though.
I was all on from the heavy funk of the opening track, “Billy Jack”. As it went on, I was somewhat less enthused by the falsetto vocals and general lightening of the music. It lost me totally by the time he put a song about Jesus on there. Not having that in this household.
Down Home, He Was An Alley Cat 1001 Albums Generator 285 (5/6/2026) Inoffensive, but boring and cheesy funk. Billy Jack is really good though. 2.5/5, rounded down to a 2. Favs: Billy Jack So In Love Blue Monday People Least Fav: Jesus
I listened tonit yesterday and I remember nothing about it
Soul w a bit of funk, utilizing some musical flourishes that were probably pioneering back in the day but have now become almost cliches of the genre. I can appreciate all this but in the end just was not compelled by any of it.
I tend to dislike soul and funk and this record has not changed my mind on that.
Sounds very 70s, which is a little complementary and a little negative. These aren't songs that stick with me. Probably going to go with 2 stars on this one.
Little bit boring. All of the songs sound the same to me.
The opening song is cool but the sound gets a bit cloying after a while. The Jesus song is peak cringe.
Emmm, weird, like idk what type of music it is. It wasn't bad but it was boring. That s why 2.
Lo mejor es que es corto
A bit slow for my tastes. I really love funk/groove but this was too molasses-like for me
Hokey lyrics and falsetto like nails on a chalkboard.
Todo bien con Curtis pero no me gustó tanto, demasiado falsete :(
i don't remeber a single song from this album.
4.5/10
funky
beautiful. i’d known of this album because it’s just so iconic, but there’s some deep cuts on there that really stood out like “turning tables”, “don’t you remember”, and “I found a boy”. obviously the popular stuff is very catchy and she has a beautiful voice so it’s just a pretty good album overall. I had a good time listening to it.
Meh
The album title is intriguing but I was underwhelmed by this collection of songs. Unremitting falsetto and lugubrious slow jams.
My review for 'Superfly' could pretty much be used here, too: this is serviceable but forgettable with its strongest selling point being that it's short. And just like last time: TOO MUCH FALSETTO. I generously gave 'Superfly' a 3, but this gets a 2 for being "Superfluous" to this list. It does nothing better than the former, and even the former wasn't all that great.
To be honest to grew a little bored with this half way through. Went back to Peter Gabriel for the entire weekend. So I can’t say much about this album, but I can at least stand with conviction on my 5 for our last album.
ok
Not my cup of tea
All I really knew by/about Curtis Mayfield was "Super Fly." I never knew that he was paralyzed in 1990 after stage lighting equipment fell on him while he was being introduced at an outdoor concert. This album was pleasant enough - I don't listen to a lot of soul. I still think if there is anything "essential" by Mayfield, it would be "Super Fly," but this was fine.
Altogether pleasant listening but nothing really stuck out as memorable.
Not the most essential of Curtis' albums, but in here he is as soulfull as ever. Overall, more of a fan of his Superfly era. 7/10 [SWAP]
After a couple of tracks his voice begins to annoy me. That breathless whispering angsty tone works for some parts of some songs but throughout most of the songs, nah. And the lyrics are pretty awful as well. 'Hard Times' is alright but 'Jesus' spare me the 'spiritual' advice.
Not my thing.
Not a fan of the high-pitch soul singing. Instrumentation was good.
soul
Not that bad doesnt make me want to kill myself just yet words from pops
glad this was short
Aye alright
Come now, there are plenty of places like 'America' today - North Korea, Nazi Germany, Israel, Hungary, Sudan, Russia, Iran, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Uganda, Turkey, China, Myanmar, The Vatican, Gilead, Panem, Oceania, The Sith Empire - all the classic dictatorships and religious black holes. What's funny is people kidding themselves that it has ever been any different. Mayfield, charitably, is being witty with the album title. He knows that there's a lot of shite going on. Sadly, he chooses to put his trust in a made up deity rather than actually put the responsibility on those who exist - his fellow man. What starts out as nice enough, chilled enough RnB/funk/fluff, becomes borderline unlistenable the longer it goes on. It's a short album, but it feels as long as a Sunday Church service while some twat behind a pulpit reads indoctrinated garbage from his book of nonsense.
Musically o.k. but the high vocals are not my favor.
It wasn't like I hated this or anything, but I'll probably never listen to it again. It's too lounge-y, and Curtis Mayfield's falsetto is just not appealing to my ear.
Standout Track: Love to the People A slow drive through Montrose or Midtown Houston on a hot Saturday afternoon.
It was okay
A message in the lyrics but the music, meh
Mega słabe, murzyn coś tam śpiewa
Curtis Mayfield - There's No Place Like America Today. 1975 Album Art: The juxtaposition of the imagery of the album cover is telling even before you listen to the album. Think it is a complimentary piece of art to ponder while you listen to songs on Mayfield's album. The Album: To us, this is a soul, rhythm & funk album with a deep religious vein running through it. While not religious we could appreciate that religious soul preached by Mayfield & enjoyed those almost southern style church beats going on, particularly in Blue Monday People & Jesus. Favorite(s): Blue Monday People So in Love
Musically, it was great. But not a memorable album.
A little boring. Didn't finish it.
Really funky and fun. Really happy to have had a reason to listen to it.
This was a pretty fine listen. Lots of groove, soulful voice, good tunes.
Opening with what I would call a slow paced disco vibe. Did not like that groove at all. Some parts were okay, a few were likeable, but not my thing. Best I can do is offer up a 2.
Too crashy
Undoubtedly Mayfield has a polished voice. Not one note out of place but these songs are strangely emotionless. A lot to admire but not a lot to love
not impressed. The last song was really good, but the rest of it just felt so..... repetitive. Boring. I was cleaning while listening to it and STILL I was bored out of my mind with it. Not for me.
I understand why this album is on here, but ultimately it’s not for me. Everything about it was aggressively “fine” and it all ran together.
I enjoyed superfly but this is way more boring
Nee, niet zo leuk. Te goddelijk. Te veel wooooo in z'n kopstem. Houd ik niet van
Favorite Track: Blue Monday People
V rámci rnb to musí byť ozaj skvostný album, ale mňa to nebavilo.
Mitt første møte med Curtis Mayfield. En politisk og sjelfull stemme på det tidlige 70-tall. Åpningslåta har en eksepsjonell groove. Dessverre lever ingen av de påfølgende sangene (kanskje foruten Hard Times) helt opp til dette nivået, til tross for at helhetsinntrykket er nogenlunde greit. Jeg lyttet til hans debutalbum Curtis (som ikke er en del av dette prosjektet) etter å ha lyttet gjennom dette, og ved sammenligning kommer dette ganske svakt ut. Det blir dessverre to stjerner. Top 3: Billy Jack, Hard Times, So In Love
This one might need more attention to appreciate. As backdrop to light work, a lot of the tracks sounded the same, and I wasn't able to really listen to the lyrics.
I enjoyed listening to this on my morning walk. A bit repetitive but pleasant enough. When it finished autoplay went to Stevie Wonder, Isaac Hayes and James Brown. All three were much more interesting to my ears. Rating 2 stars. Best track - hard times.
Activist things like this usually PMO
a little boring
it’s an interesting genre almost hip/hop and r & b but in a blues way. he sounds kinda like childish gambino. i liked a few songs but wouldn’t revisit most likely, overall 6/10
Really liked it at first, but that voice started rubbing me the wrong way as it went on. Kind of a shame. It seemed like I was actually going to enjoy this a lot more than I did.
He kinda cry sings. Has some good songs but to me the singing seems un genuine and a niche performance.
Curtis can do better than this
mid asf bro
The instrumentals were the highlight for me. The arrangements feel thoughtful and atmospheric. That said, the vocals are where I lose interest. Curtis Mayfield’s voice and delivery just aren’t my thing here; they were a bit grating. I wasn’t a fan.
Average with skip
it’s alright
One of the albums, I don't understand they are in. Somehow it seems to be an important soul album.
Couldn’t get on board with this, I liked the instrumental but struggled to enjoy the vocals.
Jag är lockad att ge en etta, för jag känner verkligen ingentiiiing av det här. Men det är inte aktivt dåligt, bara kompetent. Bara otroligt tråkigt att lyssna på
This album starts like a seventies porno, then moves into a more soulful groove. I found it sonically thin. His falsetto is thin and the band are mournfully compressed. I didn’t enjoy it. The only thing I really like about this album is the cover, which hits harder than the somber music itself.
eh
A standard Curtis Mayfield album that sounds like all of his other work from the time.
funk de los 70, muuuy tranquilo, black music, de fondo
Nah 2 stars
Album No. 0081 on my list. “There’s No Place Like America Today” is the second Curtis Mayfield album on my list. My first was “Superfly”, which I enjoyed much. That is somewhat less the case for this album. I just found the songs somewhat less interesting and a little repetitive to be honest. I did enjoy the groove however that is present in every song on this album. Curtis Mayfield is just really good at that. “So In Love”, and “Hard Times” will be added to my playlist. 2/5 stars.
Nochmal: Nettes Hintergrundgedudel, aber mehr auch nicht.
- I feel like there’s a lot of social commentary I’m missing here - So in love is so good!
I mean, it's not bad per se, but it's just so tiring. This is the black equivalent of all those similar-sounding white blues-y psych rock bands. Just do something different!
I'm told this is iconic album, and I can readily believe that it is for many people. For me, I can't get by Curtis Mayfield's voice, which always strikes me as annoying. No doubt my loss.
Meh
ok i guess....
Kinda boring tbh
Best Track - "So In Love"
predictable
Bit of funk. Mostly R&B.
Look - to give this album 2 stars seems harsh. But the songs all sounded the same. Nothing was that great/ the Blue Monday one was best. Perhaps the lyrics are poignant but I don’t really pay attention. Sorry, Curtis.
HORRIBLE.
unmemorable
Inte lika bra som annat jag hört från honom. Lite tråkigt
RnB Musik aus den 70ern. Ist ok zu hören, aber nicht meine Art von Musik. 2/5
Ok
This is a very relaxing album, contrary to the subject matter of most of the songs. Just not the type of music I'd want to relisten to. 2/5
Ok. ★★
Shit. Dagen efter er den glemt. Husker følelsen af at det var lidt tam, men den er ihvertfald forgetable.
Det er meget sjældent at Soul musik rammer mig. Dette album var ikke undtagelsen til reglen
2.4
I normally like R&B, but this was too sleepy for my tastes. Maybe good to put on in the background while the Mrs and I are enjoying some "mommy-daddy" time though...
Eg lige funk! åg eg lige Curtis! Men var ingenting som fenga og var mye halleluja og jesus, sjøl om eg ein disippel, har ekje heilt sansen for denslags musikk. Beste sang: So in love
Day 59 Really liked the first track but nothing else really held my attention 3/10 Highlight Billy Jack
4.43
A bit slow and "wah-wah" guitars for me, but some undeniably great tunes.
Two strikes against this album: the songs could each be 2-3 minutes shorter, and Curtis insists on using a whiney, annoying singing voice. The album's a 2.
60
I respect Mayfield, but this stuff is just not for me. I was able to put it on in the background, but that was about as much as I could handle.
A nice change of pace but probably not something I would listen to again