There's No Place Like America Today

Funky. Soulful. Really easy to groove to.

Would be good for a Sunday chill day. Project work

Very good

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

Amazing.

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.

Fantastic.

Soul, funk, blues

Amazing album, and new to me. Love Curtis’ voice throughout, and the backing carried it all along nicely. Not as uptempo as some of his other work, but no less engaging for that.

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

Absolutely loved it - great new discovery!

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

Bonitas raíces del soul

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.

Probablement le meilleur album funk/R&B que j'ai écouté à date. Pas un moment faible.

That's a concrete 5

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

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

Really enjoyed this, will pickup the vinyl

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".

Simply legendary.

Una voz excelente acompañados de unos vientos muy bien armados.

Jams

Interesting! Like a calmer funkier What’s Going On.

Me parece que va de menos a más. Muy buenas las últimas canciones.

Didn't necessarily need to talk about Jesus but did really enjoy this album. It's groovy, funky and chill.

Smooth pure joy. Only listened to the Curtis record a lot so far. Adding this one to rotation.

(Light 7/10) Very mellow, with a lot of subtleties in the instrumentation that don't immediately jump out at you. Unlike "Superfly" or even his debut, this album is more of a calm mood or a lazy afternoon rather than an overly energetic or powerfully euphoric listen. It was very pleasant and nice, but not something I would remember him for.

My verses heal like Curt Mayfield’s music (I’m yo pusha) Damn right, I treat your nose to hook ya Then only pull back to cook ya, partner

Listened to this while sleep deprived, high on caffeine and burdened with anxious thoughts. Loved it!

Enjoyed it, but not a huge amount to say about it other than that

Beast of an album with some classics and overall good vibe

like, a 3.9

Great album, terrific groove. Four stars

Funky! Love it

Vibes hard for the first half. Then had to show gf for the second half and she loved it too

Way less interesting that debut or superfly. But he's still Curtis Mayfield after all

Little did he know that the title of this album would age like wine

Same exact thoughts as the last Curtis mayfield album. Rounded that one down so I’ll round this one up

Classic Curtis right here. Great album cover.

Beautiful album, beautiful voice,

Hard to dislike Curtis Mayfield

Slow soulful and brilliant With Curtis I’m never sure if it’s soulful funk or funk full soul - probably the former due to the slow tempo Wah wah guitars , trumpets , socially conscious lyrics and a perfect falsetto voice

Song 1 lowk nicht so schlecht aber hat die Erwartungen nicht ganz erfüllt Zweiter musikalisch besser und schöne lyrics 3. Song sehr gut romantisch typa ding Jesus ist halt Jesus bin nicht gläubig halt aber immer noch ganz cool

Great album! It's got the classic Curtis Mayfield sound and is a wonderful work of his. One of the greatest albums in all of Soul music. Truly wonderful!

Hot buttered soul- smooth as a baby's bottom, simultaneously joyful and wistful and sad.

Damn this is cool. Funk soul chill.

I liked this, but it vanished in the blink of an eye. I'm a wee bit disturbed that the things that he sings about are still so relevant today.

I've heard a bit of Mayfield's work before, but this is the first time that I heard this album. It's a fairly slow paced album and uses that pacing to allow the songs to unfold and develop. I really like the arrangements and unsurprisingly Mayfield's voice. His origins were in gospel I believe and that is really evident here. Although, the theme of the album feels a bit closer to something like Gil Scott Heron's "Winter in America" having an elegiac tone a couple years before the bicentennial. It's a really beautiful album.

Might be a five but I didn’t get a solid listen in. But this is some heavy, funky, soulful shit and compels me to dig deeper into this era of Curtis.

I liked this more than the other curt i had. some of the lyrics were really nice. It's always cool to hear music that took inspiration from lego city undercover

Previous Familiarity: Zero - Not heard this album, or much of this artist. I have a complicated relationship with religion, and religious music, but the STYLE of this overcomes almost all of it. The biggest negative is that his falsetto really strains in the middle part - There's a couple tracks where it sounds like he's pushing his range a bit too hard, or his range has slipped over his career (this is his 7th album), but some songs like Billy Jack, or Love to the People where he's not pushing as hard, or is singing in a chorus and everything lines up to just shine like the sun. 'Jesus' is the parts of religious music that I love. It's soulful and great without being too preachy. The whole album has such a wonderful funk soul groove that it's so easy to get into, if only his falsetto didn't hurt after a while. Love to the People is the highlight of the album. What a capper. I could almost listen to that on repeat forever.

Short album, only 7 songs. Great tunes, bit gospely. 4.

Woah hard times!

Groooooovy. I enjoyed this a lot.

Whooa Nelly do those horns cut right through your soul. I have such a hard time with the Soul Falsetto and wish the smalltz-y ness of it wasnt there so i could actually focus on and appreaicte the lyrics. I've had some really challening albums recently, that need more than 1 listen and this one is no exception. Is it a 3? Is it a 4? For the cover alone it gets a 4.

Really enjoyed this - didn’t know much CM before this and I’m definitely a new fan!

Groovy!

That is some cover...nice album too.

This is my second Curtis Mayfield album, and I liked this one better than the first one. Really good album.

Very groovy and sexy and sad. Would 100% get down with someone with this album playing in the background.

Michael Kiwanuka avant la lettre

Curtis Mayfield, it's an album of his. It has like, more songs of his on it. The quality of this album mostly comes from the fact that Curtis Mayfield made anything he touched in the 70's great. This didn't really have many stand out songs but was just solid throughout. Perhaps I found it a little lacking in Funkyness, it was very much in the Philly Soul style of music.

I’m yo pusherman! God this is so good. The lane of music he lives in is one of my favorites, one where I spend a lot of time, one of the greatest eras to travel through and discover, and so heavily influential for a lot of music to come. I bet most of his peers regard him highly. I’m fairly familiar with him, and this album took me right to church. It’s pretty obviously a social commentary, I mean look at the album title, and it plays. A lot of music from this era was. It’s soulful storytelling over funk. Can’t get much better than that.

Soul with some groove. Kinda reminds me of What's Going On in theme. 3.8/5

Geweldig album! Lekker groovy sound.

Starts off with a funky song with sad lyrics? Falsetto vocals remind me of some of Prince’s songs. A true blend of soul and funk, Curtis knew what he was doing. Excellent production that was apparently influential in later years. Was this really 1975? Between Curtis and Sly Stone, they shaped the future of urban soul and (probably) inspired the evolution of hip hop. Only complaint is that it’s not long enough. And I usually don’t like longer records. 4 stars

The cover of this made me nostalgic for physical media...a visually striking/memorable album cover makes you want to listen, you see this cover and you go "wow what does that sound like?". And I am glad I did....this is just solid Curtis: Hypnotic grooves, extremely unique but somewhat limited vocals, great guitar playing, a little bit of abstract social commentary. I really liked "So In Love" and will be working on that one on the guitar, and "Jesus' is probably the best song on the album. Really solid soul from start-to-finish, which in sum is only like 40 minutes. Will definitely be going back to this one, its not a 5 star album to me the way others are (on the strength of the music alone) but its 5 stars in the sense that I am glad this list helped me discover it. I'll go 4.5

Excellent as it creates beautiful sound and commentates on social injustice (though I basically just got that from the cover and not lyrics)

Quite chill, liked the change of pace and warm vocals

My only contact with Mayfield outside of people get ready. he was right! love the spoke word on "Jesus" biting! tear that guitar

A buttery smooth voice with some gentle funky sounds and a social conscience. It didn't all land with me but overall it was a very enjoyable listen.

i like to imagine him speaking in a permanent falsetto

Liked it, short and sweet. Kind of eminded me of What's Going On, but obviously no where near as good. Great last track though.

Very groovy. 3.5/5

I don't like falsetto quite as much as Curtis Mayfield did. but that's ok.

Funky and fun!

i liek so in love😼

A decidedly more morose soul album than one would expect, given Mayfield's previous records, but still one I appreciated on my first listen. Opening track really sets the tone. The whole piece's groove has this atmospheric scarcity to it, with a lot of the instrumentals spread out more than usual. I dig it.

This was good. Politically charged, well sung, and succinct.

And sadly there still isn’t…

love this album cover. love curtis.

Never heard of them. Better then I thought

Second Curtis record! It’s pretty dang good! The potential for me to buy this LP to just put on when i have no better idea is through the roof.

The vibes are immaculate and my man is saying a lot on this. I even sorta dug the preachy Jesus song. 70's soul goodness.

3.5/5 very solid baby making music

Curtis Mayfield is one of thos artists whose voice, music and message are all instantly recognizable, so I knew what I could expect. My only flaw with the album is that it missed an upbeat track like Supafly or Move on Up. I felt like dancing and this album was more mellow. I suppose the record was more about the message. This album gets an extra star for the inconic cover art.

"blue monday people" i think they're called new order

Love it. Strong 4

Another Curtis Mayfield album that is new to me. The combination of funky guitars, his falsetto voice and social commentary is a joy to behold. Great album artwork too.

Old school funk. For sure Prince listened to this guy. 3.5 stars.

estuvo bueno

Easy listening snapshot of the cultural climate of the mid 70's. Curtis was a powerful songwriter and vocalist, would definitely throw this on again and chew on the lyrics further.

A great one. Some of his best hits and great deep tracks. Lots of percussion variety. Strings, horns. Lots of professional musicians got paid to be a part of this classic. All that said, the pitch of his voice can be a bit much for me by the end of the album.

Damn, I am actually kind of ashamed of the fact that THIS is my intro to Curtis Mayfield. I mean, c'mon, I've been listening to music/records actively for over a decade and I've never heard Superfly? That will change. This is a slow one for sure, very downtempo and drawn-out. Carries that same kind of sweet sadness that Carpenters records have.

Nice smooth music. Well played and sung. I preferred the variety of Superfly but this is a good album too.

Omslaget borgar för kvalitet. Det gör även låtarna.

Move on up är ju en favorit men jag hade fått för mig att jag inte var så förtjust i mayfield utöver det. Jag blev därför glatt överraskad när detta album visade sig vara så här bra! Jesus var lite väl religös, men basen var groovig och det är väl ändå viktigast! Stark fyra.

Man har ju inte direkt svårt för sån här musik. Ser var bland annat Tedeschi hämtat inspiration. Lite svag röst kanske, även fast den är silkesren.

Soulful 70s funk or maybe funky 70s soul. Either way, “yes please”.

Id never heard of this guy, had no idea what to expect. It was fantastic, I was very surprised to see it was a 70's album, expected much later.

there is indeed no place like america…..

Pas mal du tout !

Très nice, j'ai passé un bon moment !

Smooth like butter

Love the soul funky vibes, the sound can get repetitive during the duration of the album but good.

Los primeros compases del álbum ya te atrapan con su groove funky. Según adelantamos y llegamos a "So In Love" entendemos en quien se inspiró Prince para sus falsetes. Para cuando llegamos "Hard Times" y, sobre todo "Love To The People", recuperamos el funk pero las vibras no nos abandonan. Se acaba el disco y queremos volver a empezar. Curtis no ha pegado ni un grito, y parece que se ha ido contiendo todo el rato, pero lo que ha hecho es hipnotizarte susurrándote al oído.

Really Great. Quick and emotional.

I enjoyed these soulful, funky vibes. There weren't any tracks that stood out to me, but overall it was solid. (4)

I haven't heard much that's as heartfelt as this. The rhythms are slow, the guitar is meditative and pleading, and he's pleading from the depths of his soul.

Groovy

I can appreciate his impact on the industry. The album isn't something I'd go back to listen to again

8/10 Curtis Mayfield’s debut album and the Super Fly soundtrack are both records that I love, and his work with The Impressions is also pretty damn good, but I’ve never heard this record before, so it’s nice to be prompted towards it. The first thing to note is that for large parts, this album is super laid back and restrained. For much of the album, the foot forward grooves of his more famous works are thrown to one side in favour of the kind of sultry grooves that benefit massively from a listening environment in which you can lay back and let yourself sink into the nuance of the playing. But when you settle into the world of this record, there is so much to be gained from the experience. The playing is superb, with so much deftness and feel among the players that the free-flowing organic nature of the grooves just gently tugs you along for the ride. There are moments when things do step a little more forward, particularly the closer, but those moments are nice little punctuation marks to an altogether more relaxed whole. Curtis is also on restrained, almost reluctant form here, never dominating with his voice, but serving the gentle thrust of each track by getting involved only when he feels it necessary and allowing the rest of the band to carry him with them, just like they do the listener. I can understand why some may think this is a tiny bit too slow paced, and I feel like having some slight sequencing changes may have helped this to push and pull a little more, but I guess that just wasn’t what he was going for here, and the end result is still an incredibly engaging and enjoyable listen, despite the lack of standout hooks or any particular melodic focus. It’s a record that lives and dies on its vibe and feel, and luckily he and the band delivered that in spades. Billy Jack - Ooof, that big, fat, round bass tone is so buttery smooth. So much feel in the guitar playing too. This is a great example of how something that is, at its core, very simple, can have so much soul and power given to it by the deftness of touch of the players. It’s a slow, sultry, rolling tune and Curtis uses his voice sparingly enough to allow the groove to shine, while still having his own impact on the song. Really good stuff. When Seasons Change - There continues to be great restraint here, although it does perhaps withhold itself a little too much in places. The transition in the groove out of half time for a few bars that they do a couple of times is so deftly done and works brilliantly. The playing here is really fantastic again and there are little licks and bits of flair that just pop out now and again and give everything an extra bit of spice. Not quite as successful an execution as the opener, but still a solid groove. So In Love - This one feels more focused and structured as a song, rather than being a more freeform groove. Again, it’s a smooth slow jam that’s brilliantly executed. It’s more about feel and vibe than any particular melodic focus, but there are some nice bits of interplay between the parts, with the bass keeping things rolling and the horns adding excellent punctuation. Another excellent track. Jesus - Similarly to When Seasons Change, this takes that laid back vibe and slows it down even further. Not necessarily in tempo, but the intent and feel are so restrained. There are some really stunning bits and pieces in here that emerge out of nowhere and then sink back into the groove. The chorus is so funky and engaging. It meanders along, but with a clear aim, never sounding lost, but that it’s happy to get where it wants to go in its own time. At first, I though this was a bit too laid back for me, but the more I melted into it, the more it took hold of me. Blue Monday People - Back to something that’s a little tighter and more focused. The thrust of the groove is fantastic and again there’s still that effortless quality to the direction of travel. I couldn’t help but just groove with this. The call and response between lead and backing vocal is cool and there’s some subtle but feel enhancing bits of percussion that sweep up an extra bit of edge to the mix. More deft quality all around. Hard Times - The drum groove here is a bit fuller and more central to the track than some of the sparser songs on the record. Again, the feel and vibe of the underlying groove here is delightful and body-moving. The guitar playing is so good here too and focusing just on that you hear so many lovely bits of playing that just flicker in and out in an instant, never to be repeated, it’s very cool. And then Curtis just brings it together with more of his completely carefree delivery. Love To The People - We get a bit more percussion in the rhythm here that gives this a bit more of a forward push. I’m a big fan of the use of percussion in Curtis’ Super Fly soundtrack and this has a lot of that feel to it, with Henry Gibson performing percussion duties on both releases. This track feels the closest to the work of Super Fly and as a consequence feels a little more tightly controlled and purposeful in its direction. It’s nice to get a bit of a changeup in that regard, even though I’ve enjoyed the more laid back feel of the record. Again, superb playing all around and Curtis continues to do exactly the right amount with his voice, always leaving space for the instrumentation to do its thing. Excellent.

I listened to this album as I worked my way through a few training modules for work. Curtis Mayfield's beautiful falsetto voice immediately jumped out at me first and foremost, highlighting his very to-the-point lyrics with a gorgeous tonality. The way this album manages to balance societal issues with uplifting instrumentals is perfectly captured in the cover, with the glossy billboards of americana lording over its struggling people. The soaring horn sections, soulful string swells, and funky drum fills all blend together to serve as the perfect base for Mayfield's voice. This album manages to simultaneously shine a light on unfair circumstances while providing hope for the future, a dichotomy which is baked into every aspect of its sound. Highlights: Billy Jack, So In Love, Jesus, Love to the People

Awesome for its time

A nice groovy little album. Always loved Curtis Mayfield. Nothing really stands out, but the whole album went down smooth as can be. It's beautifully composed and the satirical bite of the album that underscores it makes it a very enjoyable experience.

Favourite Songs: Billy Jack

If you take away the vocals, you’d swear it’s an uplifting funk album; if you isolate the vocals, you’d swear it’s the saddest blues music ever made. That’s the magic of Curtis Mayfield. This doesn’t rank among the best of his music for me, but even at his most middling he’s so evocative. His voice sounds like he’s slowly wringing out a decade’s worth of pain and passion from his throat. Fitting given the subject matter. Also this is lowkey a GOATed album cover.

Great album

Loved this one, very funky!

Really nice soul, funk album with a nice falsetto.

So much has changed in America since ‘75. Primarily, we don’t have anyone making music like this today.

This was pretty good, not quite as good as Superfly, but there are some great tracks and production here. He really thinks 'big' in terms of his sound, padding out the music with big brass band. So in Love and Jesus are particular stand outs for me.

Muy buen instrumental,, perfecto para estar chill en casa.

groovy in a good way. how'd he sing the whole thing that high idk. impressive.

Tellement groovy

😃

Some good songs on here. Jesus was pretty terrible though

foi bom, muito tranquilo, muito favorável

Hard to not like Curtis.

j'adore, j'adore j'adore, mais c'est pour ça que je me suis inscrite sur ce site, pour ce genre de découverte c'est tellement génial. rien qu'à la pochette je savais que ça allait me plaire si je pouvais je mettrais un 4.5 mais je vais pas mettre 5 pour autant car il n'y a pas vraiment de chanson qui se démarque, c'est pas dérangeant mais tout de même

His best songs are not in this album

amazing

Blind album, know the artist by name. Glad I was finally given the opportunity through the project to check him out and I very much enjoyed this funky unique listen. 4.

Not only this is beautiful music, with tight instrumentation but it also has great socially conscious lyrics.

Mayfield has a gorgeous soulful voice and while the music may sound laid-back, the messages of the songs are anything but. Both subdued and funky, this album flew by and left me wanting more. We open with a funky guitar riff on the groovy 'Billy Jack' about struggling to navigate the current climate while being black. The song has a symphony of saxophones leading the song to a euphoric conclusion. 'Jesus' is the weakest song on here. Its not that I found the music offensive, as I enjoyed how the organ gave the song a gospel feel. I just didn't like how preachy the religious themes were. 'So In Love' is a sweet song about finding love within hard times. On the subject of 'Hard Times', that song is yet another smooth jam about the state of the world. With only seven songs on this 35 minute album, this is a very easy listen about not-so-easy times.

Love the grovey soul rifts, the bass and percussions are on point and it is great for losing track or time

Arguably more relevant today than when it was released fifty years ago

I had a great time listening to this today. 3 times through. Funky jazzy groovy.

peaceful

Nice surprise.

It's really a 3.5 but I rounded up.

Dit vond ik heeel chill. Denk ook dat Counting Crows hier inspiratie hebben opgedaan voor nummers als Good Time etc. Beste nummer: Billy Jack.

I had no idea he was paralyzed later in life. This was cool. Whisper singing to the max, but still fun. I can see a lot of artists after him emulating this, ahem Childish Gambino.

Except for the brilliant 'So in Love' I didn't really know this Mayfield record, but I am pretty into it: the excellent funky grooves, tight horn arrangements, stark political critiques, and Curtis's expressive falsetto. Dude was killing it in the 70s.

The music is fire, I just wish he did more world building. With a title & cover like these, I was expecting more outright symbolism. Maybe I missed it! It's definitely one I'll be returning to. The music is very lush and I love the little overtures before each song. Wanted to give it a 5 but I need more story for that. Highlights: When Seasons Change, Blue Monday People

I like it

A rock solid album by one of the greatest soul artists of all time, but I have it just behind Roots, Curtis, and Super Fly. Magnificent album cover, too.

Curtis Mayfield voice is like a knife cutting through room temp butter. Brother is smooooottttthhhhhhhh!

Smooth and short. Oh yeah.

The term Quite Storm taken from a Smokey Robinson song/album may have been adopted to refer to a background-y, unpolitical, slow-jam strain of soul music, but it might have been better assigned to what Curtis presents here. It’s possible that the contrast between the weight of the subject matter and the sweetness of the delivery has never before been so pronounced, even if that balance has always been a focus of Mayfield’s expertise. The music is not syrupy, rather it has a delicacy that could lull a baby to sleep, but as always there are serious socioeconomic matters to be addressed. The passion of the words does spill in to the vocal delivery which, while as equally graceful as the relentlessly smooth grooves, can’t help but overflow with pleading for the world to treat one another better. It’s still not as good as his first two solo efforts (which had they been included in the 1001 [why not?] would have been easy 5s for me) but this is another strong album from a towering figure of soul who deserves more attention. His universal messages are sadly more vital now than ever.

Smoothe like peanut butter

Slow, subtle, and soulful, but still pretty funky and groovy. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

It’s no Superfly but still quite good! Likes: Billy Jack, So In Love, Blue Monday People, Hard Times

Solid funk with a good message.

More points for being clearly highly influential and for the over lasting impact left. Standout: Billy Jack. Simply amazing.

Wow! This album was so moving. So In Love and Jesus really put this over the top for me

Some smooth funk and blues for your soul

Só porque não é album que eu vá ouvir outra vez

Bom álbum, tem mesmo soul

Good album by influential artist. Soul music that is gospel influenced. Some songs are pretty funky.

I've listened to Superfly before, and dang it, it's excellent. So I came in here with pretty high expectations. This is arguably every bit as good, although I'm going to give it a slightly lower rating. Before hearing Superfly, I had a run of absolutely terrible male hip-hop/soul records – something of an obsession from the almighty Dimery, apparently – and I was beginning to yearn for something, anything, in the genre that was actually listenable. (Marvin Gaye hadn't shown up on the list yet.) But then Mayfield comes down from the heavens to kiss the earth, bless our mortal realm with some of the most tasteful-sounding political commentary in the music world. And this record shows that he's nothing if not consistent. Every song on here is at least partially a banger. But my standards have gone up. Superfly might actually not be a 5-star record. This certainly isn't. The songs are a little too long, too jam-like, too monotonous. So In Love is the obvious standout. I can't tell if the vocals are self-harmonising or if there are multiple vocalists, but either way, it's heavenly when it happens. The harmonies are extremely straightforward (almost to the point of repetitiveness), but they're feelgood and backed with luscious big-band textures. There's an organ somewhere in the mix. It would be nice if it was clearer and more varied in this track and in others. If you want more interesting chords, try out Blue Monday People. The falsetto singing is positively goofy and makes for an engaging experience when combined with the playful chord choices. Lovely keyboard tone. It's hard to point out any clear standouts other than So In Love, though, because the textures don't vary much between tracks, the melodies tend to be (semi-)improvised rather than latch onto a clear hook, and in general the songs are lengthy – probably intended as background listening at a party or something. If that's what the guy was going for, then damn, he bliddy nailed it. 4/5 Key tracks: So In Love, Blue Monday People

Listening session: march 14th, while eating breakfast and getting ready in the morning Listened to before: no Thoughts: I’ve always liked soul music and this album is a relatively short but effective album with lots of soulful sounds and a great voice from Curtis Mayfield Favourite tracks: When Seasons Change, So in Love & Love to the People

Curtis Mayfield is fabulous and this album is very enjoyable. Might have been 5 stars but not all of the material here is great. A track about Jesus particularly dragged it down. Looking forward to more Curtis Mayfield though

Great album. The themes are heavy for a Monday morning. Ugh. Seems like nothing has changed in decades.

Chill vibes supreme. I listened to this one on a late night drive and it was meant to be.

Good easy listening soul, I liked this one even though it didn't do anything too crazy. Just very smooth.

Loveee

A very cool laid back funk soul album. Great songwriting and instrumentation.

never spent any proper time with Curtis Mayfield before today, grateful to have been given the opportunity! think i might not be the first person to have had this opinion, but what a fucking vocalist. so much vulnerability and tension in his voice, captured beautifully - you can really hear every bit of enunciation through the mix, and it really works. the political nature of this album has seen it compared to What's Going On, but Mayfield is so much less smooth a vocalist than Gaye (who I do love) - there's so much wonderfully audible effort. on the darker tracks, like my favorite When Seasons Change, it sounds like he's walking a tightrope, close to collapse or breakdown at all times and the band, man, jesus. should ask this record for a loan because it's got deep fucking pockets. the groove on Billy Jack is just immensely nasty, drum-tight but loping, elastic, alive. there are things here i like a bit less - plenty of others have mentioned Jesus as a lowlight and like, yeah, i can't disagree. i understand why, to Mayfield, it's of a piece with this record, but it doesn't hang as well together for a non-believer. the more down-the-line political tracks on the second half of the record also aren't quite as impressive as Billy Jack and Blue Monday People, which make the record's themes personal and visceral. still, though, just a fucking great piece of music, with a couple of new favorite songs in a genre i love but don't know nearly as well as i should. very happy to expand my education a bit and add a pretty stunning album to the collection

Sad soul was both what I needed today and what I definitely didn't. Specifically, Hard times. Christ Also, as an agnostic with a catholic background I have to say without any irony whatsoever that this chorus is excellent: "Talk about Jesus talk about Jesus He never had a hustlin' mind Doin' crime wastin' time Drinkin' that wine"

Damn

Excellent soul music with a politically aware message.

Just....smooth. Mayfield is a great writer and an even better singer. This is not his best work nor his most critically acclaimed, but it's still quite touching and leaves the listener thinking of racial injustice but also love...

Smokin.

Love how solid of a listen this is. Didn’t think I was in the mood for soul music today but that just goes to prove how much I fucking know.

Twas a vibe.

I’m excited about this one. I love me some Curtis Mayfield, and in looking at the song titles, I don’t really see any I recognize. Probably because I’ve only really listened to one Mayfield album in my life, and that's Super Fly, which was the soundtrack to the movie. Super Fly is a better album than the movie, but the movie is pretty badass. My favorite Blaxploitation movie is either Black Caesar or Hell Up in Harlem, which is the sequel to Black Caesar. Fred Williamson stars in both. James Brown did the soundtrack for Black Caesar, was supposed to do it for HUIH, but the movie studio rejected Brown’s music to go with Motown and Edwin Starr. Brown would later release what he had planned for the HUIH soundtrack as his album called The Big Payback. Which I’m certain is better than what Edwin Starr did on HUIH. But I’d have to listen. DIGRESSION! One other interesting digression: the cover of the album is based on a photograph titled "At the Time of the Louisville Flood." The photo shows a sign that says, World’s Highest Standard of Living and under it, There’s No Way Like the American Way. Under the sign is a line of people waiting for Red Cross relief during the 1937 Black Flood, in which 70% of Louisville, Kentucky, was underwater. Track 1 is Billy Jack, and this album is already the best thing I’ve heard in years. Just super funky to start. I love Mayfield's voice. One of the greatest falsetto’s in music. Oh, Lord, here are the horns. This song is so good. “Ah, can't be no fun, can't be no fun To be shot, shot with a handgun Body sprawled out, you without a doubt Running people out, there on the floor Ah-ah, bad bloody mess Shot all up in his chest, shot in the chest One-sided duel, gun and a fool What a way to go” Beyond being a musical genius, Mayfield was a poet of the streets. Such a great story and such a great jam. This is going to be one of those albums I don’t want to write about. I want to sit and bask in the funk. Track 2 is When Seasons Change and it’s a slow jam with that great Mayfield falsetto. Beyond having a great singing voice, Mayfield can play the guitar as well. Lots of nice guitar add-ins as the song goes on. And there’s the horns. The song is about how the world is cold and times are hard, but you have to look inside to find the strength to go on. “Praying to Jesus – make me a little stronger So I might live the life – a little bit longer So many changes – going in and out of my life How can anyone survive When everybody's been made a sacrifice." Great song, depressing, but great. Track 3 sounds a little more upbeat. It’s called So in Love. It was a single off the album, and I think I have heard it. Man, they have a nice church organ added into the mix in this song. It sounds so good. This music makes me happy, if you can’t tell. Track 4 goes to church, as it’s called Jesus. Mayfield treats this song less as a funk jam and more like a hymnal. You can feel his sincerity as he sings “Maybe the words I say is just another way to pray I don't know Don't think that I'm any saint 'cause I can't do nothin' for you I only asked of you just as I got to do myself Look into your inner self, only you know how to be free If you wanna grin, let it smile Feel a little happy, go on and dance a while Can nobody play down God's lovin' child 'Cause when the spirit hits you you got to move” Great, almost reverent guitar solo in the heart of this hymn. Mayfield was big on inner strength, and many find that strength with the help of Jesus. He’s not a saint he says, and we know, but he’s not pretending to be. Track 5 is Blue Monday People, and it’s amazing how many songs from 50 years ago can still resonate today. We’ve only got each other as a people. When we fight amongst ourselves, those with all the wealth only get wealthier. “Depression ain't just Quite what you promised Won't you mister be honest Acting like a child Sometimes we get wild Right when the loving is strong We don't want to get along Don't have to listen to me One day you may see We Blue Monday people” Just a powerful song. Again, this song isn't as funky as the other songs on this album. It's treated as a slow jam. Mayfield wants to make sure his message is heard. Track 6 is Hard Times and I know I’ve heard this. It was the B-side of the other single from the album, Love To the People. It feels like it was written today. Mayfield may have been a prophet, or more like we haven’t learned anything over the last 50 years. “Cold, cold eyes on me they stare People all around me and they're all in fear They don't seem to want me but they won't admit Thinkin' black on black Strange creature out here havin' fits From my body house, I'm afraid to come outside Although I'm filled with love I'm afraid they'll hurt my pride So I play the part I feel they want of me And I'll pull the shades so I won't see them seein' me” This song is so good. The whole album is great. Track 7, the last song, is called Love To the People, and it was the second single off the album. This song is probably the most uplifting song on the album. Mayfield is asking the world to come together and love each other. Brotherly love will thaw the coldness of what seems like an uncaring world. Wikipedia acts like this album is nothing special. There isn’t much information on it. I think it’s a great album of its time, with things to teach us still today. Curtis Mayfield was brilliant, and it’s just a shame his career was cut short in a way. After being paralyzed in an accident, he still made music, but couldn’t play guitar. But what we got from him is some of the best music ever recorded. Listen to this album, if for nothing else, than to just bliss out on the funk.

Nice I guess

Incredible album. Just the album cover alone is cause for you to really take in everything about this album, and it has the songs to back it up. Billy Jack, Jesus, Hard Times, and my personal favorite, Blue Monday People, are all incredible examples of the type of political, soulful mastery across this album. 9.3/10

Great album, I didn't know about it. Now I know where Prince got his licks from. haha

Is album art a bad reason to bump my rating up a star?

The album art drew me in. The songs that capture political turmoil in the 1970s (and still resonant today) kept me locked in.

Me gustó. 👍

Beautiful, sad music

Billy Jack - 4/5 When Seasons Change - 3/5 So in Love - 4/5 Jesus - 3/5 Blue Monday People - 4/5 Hard Times - 4/5 Love to the People - 5/5 Average: 3.75/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this doesn't come close to topping Superfly, but i suppose it's an alright album nonetheless. the last track was well done enough to score up a little more generously than usual

'So in Love' really quite beautiful - I'll be coming back to that one. 'Jesus' also good! - There's a care and slowness about this album that I'm enjoying so far

Jazzy, funky, fun. It isn’t something I would’ve thought I’d like but I was bopping along, and even singing along with one I listened to a couple times

Smooth, funky, kinda painful and sad. Relevant and up to date 50 yrs on. Just a good listen. 4 Star. Why do great listens like this fly by in less than 40 mins, when I have to slog through 2 hr albums of chore and boredom.

made me feel

Yes lawd

Favorites: Billy Jack, So In Love Least favorites: Jesus, Hard Times Rating (out of 10): 8/10

Groovy and fan. 7/10

I really enjoyed the higher pitched voice, made it special to me. As other people said, still crazy relevant

This is a pretty great album by an influential artist. The story of Curtis Mayfield's injuries though is just tragic. Now you know why Van Halen had the “no brown M&Ms” in their concert contracts.

CURTIS MAYFIELD! Wow I can literally hear the influences to modern singer this must be one of Gambinos biggest influences. I heard this one 5 times so in love is a beautiful song and I feel so in love

curtis does it different

Hate his high voice. Great music though!

Not a huge fan of da funk, but man, da bass on this one is massive and worth +1 star at least...

This album its keep up-to-date. America... Great lyrics and a good vibe like a sunday morning.

Curtis Mayfield's style is undeniable. His voice is rich and silky smooth. I had only listened to Superfly prior to this album, and I am at a loss as to how consistently good Mayfield is. I owe his discography a listen. Fantastic album!

8.5/10

Blown away, thought it would be some soft core elvis presley ripoff, no clue it would be funky gold

While I'm familiar with some of Mayfield's work (Superfly, Curtis Live!, Curtis) it's nice to go through another entry to the catalog.

Me encantó, ese jazz, ese blues, esa voz.

I saw Curtis Mayfield and the album name/artwork and knew we were in for a banger.

It took a real listen in the afternoon to realize this beautifully embellished gem is a strong political piece of work. It's thoughtfully crafted to make ears understand a message. The vocals are beautiful, understandable, and accessible. The entire project feels this way, and this is where I appreciate the artistry, because this is Curtis Mayfield in near complete control over an effort, bringing us something technically and emotionally solid. The biggest thing that happened with this listen was my appreciation for the artist. The album itself has such intense stories and messages that regular play won't be my thing. I bring it down a notch because of this, but I raise the same bar for its exquisite use of music to prove a message. At the same time this album is a nod to the soul connoisseurs so they have a trophy album that doesn't need to be flashy. This is not an album I'd previously heard, but I have a strong bond with the trumpets on Love to the People. I took myself an hour trying to figure out where I'd heard it before. In the end, I'd heard it sampled on one of my favorite Brock Berrigan efforts, Daily Routine, the track is called Cruise Control and it takes advantage of the funky trumpets feeling happy and alive. This album deserves to be heard, even if you don't end up liking it. 3.8/5

В целом мне ток вокал не нравится так прикол

I’m not crazy about the song Jesus, but that’s not to say it’s a bad song, I just don’t love Jesus. Every other song here was great!

First listen. First track, loved it. Not as big a fan as when things slowed down, but loves the guitars and bass and the mood. And I didn't realise Hard Times (which John Legend and the Roots covered) was well, a cover. It was great here too.

Very cool

Curtis Mayfield is fantastic, I have loved his Superfly album for years. He's funky and soulful.

Zapravo kul album, mekan je i ležeran, bukv može da se sluša bilo kad i bilo kakvoj prilici 4,5/5

za lagano nedeljno jutro ideal

General thoughts: On first listen, this felt like an easy-to-listen thing, but I couldn't really grasp much of what makes this album great. It was on subsequent listens that the soul got into me. The production values of this album are insane, Abbey Road-level kind of record fidelity. The battery sounds so crisp and clear, with funky basslines, and that guitarist can literally make a guitar weep omfg. The instrumentation and arrangements are insane, everything feels in place but free of movement at the same time. The soul roots + spices of Funk + falsetto singing feels soo modern, the ambiance is really similar, less pop but almost as urban. I've never heard plain soul like this before, and it was overwhelming at first; it's just so much raw emotion through every front. The almost cracking voice wasnt of my liking at first, but I started to get into it in subsequent listens. His lyrics -and maybe even his singing- are like hearing an American pastor talking lol. This may be a thing with Soul as a genre, but songs can feel absent of structure, slow, and with no clear payoff. Which isn't bad per se, and under a bad execution, it could be tiresome, but this is not the case. Actually, the songs I liked less are from the second half (5-7), which feel more like safe bets outside of the canon. I think it was a good decision to make the setlist short, cause there's little to no variation, not much exploration, just a giant soul blast. That, for me, is a requirement for an album to transcend; for a shorter songlist, I can keep a blind eye on this regard. Overall, the album experience is really enjoyable; it's clearly produced with a lot of love at the risk of sounding chessy. Musically, the album is very thigh, conceptually not so much, which is kind of a shame having such a powerful cover. Outstanding song(s): Jesus, So In Love Weakest song(s): Blue Monday people Cover: A genius rendition of the 1937 photograph "At the Time of the Louisville Flood". The message is clear, the contrast between the America projected to the world and the reality of the black community. Amazing usage of artistic resources. Real rating: 4.28

Ooh! Another R&B album. This is honestly a great album for today. Short, with some interesting musical ideas, but nothing too too out there. I also really like the album cover. The first track, Billy Jack, has a cool baseline. I also like this guys voice. It was a very easy song to listen to! I like this album so far as it’s slower paced, but not in a way that makes me check how long is left in the track. I liked when seasons change slightly less, but I can’t really pinpoint a reason why. On the other hand, I absolutely loved So in Love! The horns were spot on. I notoriously hate spoken word tracks, but I honesty loved the beginning of “Jesus”. Unfortunately it didn’t hold that intrigue for me. I’m not religious, so it’s hard for me to get into something with religious subject matter. I appreciate the artistry though. Blue Monday was a good track! I liked how this one picked it up a little bit but still kept the vibe of the album. Hard Times kept with the vibe. The closer, Love to the People brought in the guitar which I thought had a nice groove to it. This really summed the album up for me! Overall, a pretty good album! I’m really learning to appreciate the R&B albums through this list. 7/10, 4/5 ⭐️. I hope I get some more like this in the future. 25/1089

Another conscience laden soul album in the wake of ‘What’s going on’ - consistent, funky and stylish. It was a great period for a defining voice of that era.

Oof. But also yes. Had me at funky bass and horns.

Un solide Mayfield, plus retenu. Je vais ré-écouter certain.

The only flaw this album has is that it's too short! Great funky-ness

Very slow and soulful. This may not turn my ear on first listen, but this is the perfect vibe in this genre. Add on top some smart, insightful lyrics on race and self-worth and I'm bought in. Uses some cool elements to make a slow song groove, and doesn't feel repetitive at all. Teetering between 4 and 5. 4/5

Muy bueno

This is an album I enjoyed. Atmospherically great while still being lyrically interesting and keeps things interesting. I think you could play this in any situation and it would go down well. Something Matt Goss would wax lyrical about.

This was a feel good album for me , so in love & when seasons change are my two favorites of this album.

Perfectly appropriate soundtrack for the current American hellscape.

escutar esse álbum fumando um cigarro usando um casaco de pelo com certeza melhorou a experiência!! muito bom definitivamente vou escutar mais curtis mayfield

Nice album, chilled

It's got a great vibe, though being entirely unfamiliar with Curtis Mayfield outside of Move On Up and Pusherman it was a lot more chill than I expected.

Pretty good album. It took me a minute to get into it because it's not the kind of vibe I'm craving right now. I kinda want to hear loud, somewhat angry and sad stuff rn, and this is kind of the opposite of that. It's good at being that tho. My favorite was probably "So in Love", very vibey, very cute! I'm not sure I'll come back to this too often, but I am glad to have heard it. I'm pretty sure this is one of Hozier's influences, and, wow, I really hear that here. 4/5

One of the musically chillest soul/funk albums I've listened to. Lyrically it's filled with social commentary. It's a great listen, not a mindblowing one, but a great listen nontheless. A strong 4/5

Not as familiar with this album as I am with “Superfly”, which I dig. This album has the 70’s sound of love with a conscience. Gone too soon.

I liked it, felt funky

Bangers front-to-back. Great politically and religiously motivated themes. Billy Jack is such a great intro track

Incredible voice. Loved the originality.

Great for a Friday evening!

Wow, if this weren't true for today in America. What a great title track. Practically anything he does is 4+ stars.

visste ikke om denne??? bra album

So far I haven’t been disappointed by a good album cover and title. Not quite a 5 for me but there’s good stuff in here.

Conscious funk. I like it.

4.2

I am a fan of Van Hunt's music and I can see where he gets a lot of his sound from. There are times I feel like I could have been listening to Van Hunt's self-titled or some of his later work. I preferred Superfly to this one, because There's No Place Like America Today is sleepier and more downbeat than the Superfly soundtrack. I think I expected more funk than I heard on this one. A good album and worth a listen for those who want to hear another side of Curtis Mayfield. The music was very soulful and while there are only 7 songs, it does not feel like Mayfield has overstayed or understayed his welcome on any of the tracks. Enjoyed it but also tough for me to get too excited about. My favorite songs are: Billy Jack So In Love Jesus Hard Times

When to listen: feeling like funk. Very enjoyable listen

Nice Discovery!

So Groovy

I really enjoyed this. The funk groovy music, Curtis' soulful singing. The parts I loved were great, the parts I didn't care for were whatever.

A classic

super fun and i love the instrumentals!!

Great album. Suitable for reading, working, and drinking wine.

None of the songs I have heard before. Strong album however.

As soon as I heard the first note I melted because of how smooth the guitar and drums were. I fell in love with Blue Monday People, it’s very relatable and honest. This is an album I’ll be adding to my collection.

Undeniable voice/player in soul music.

Favourite Songs: Billy Jack

Excellent soul music!

This shit got a GROOVE, loved it

Super funky

One of the most soulful albums out there, best listened to on repeat

Curtis Mayfield is one of the greatest soul vocalists of his era, no question. The album cover alone sets the tone. Strong use of color and genuinely impressive illustration work. It feels intentional and confident, not decorative. The album itself is very good, though it does not reach the level of Curtis or Super Fly. A few tracks fall short, most notably “When Seasons Change,” which feels undercooked and lacks momentum or character. That said, the record delivers plenty of quality elsewhere. “So In Love,” “Blue Monday People,” “Billy Jack,” and especially “Love to the People” are smooth, relaxed soul cuts that play to Mayfield’s strengths. The more gospel-leaning material, like “Jesus,” will divide listeners. I get why some people bounce off it, but the vocal approach works for me. Gospel phrasing and harmonies always earn extra points in my book, and Mayfield handles that style with conviction. Overall, this is a strong album from an artist with an absurdly high bar. Not his best, but still well above average. 8.5/10.

gooey pond sludge funk first three tracks very very good short but impactful and meaningful art/lyrics very enjoyable

Awesome instrumentals, loved all the percussion in the background- fav tracks were probably When Seasons Change, Billy Jack, and Blue Monday People (also loved the vocals)

A really solid soul/funk album.

Loved the instrumentation, great messages. Mixed feelings of the vocals, sometimes great sometimes not my cup of tea.

Not Mayfields best album but still a great example of his funk-soul.

Funky

Looks like I've found my long-awaited 4-star album. It's been weeks since I had one. "TNPLAT" is an easy listen, with no duds. The bookends of the album are the best tracks. My only complaint is that the songs sound the same. 4 stars for "There's No Place Like America Today".

OOOOOOOOOOOO I LOVE FUNKY ASS ALBUMS THIS IS JUST 35MINS OF JUST VIBES. if i had 1001 albums just like this i wouldn't complain

Great album, will listen again.

not as good as Superfly but it's still Curtis and we love him

What a banger. Reminded me of some Grateful Dead but jazzed up.

like the production of all the songs. I think i am biased against the song "Jesus" Just cause of religious trauma lol of presenting the solution to the world's ills coming back to religion. But other than that i think all the other lyrics resonate with me about the hard times happening at that time, of feeling like some outside circumstance boxing you in to a hard life. Think ill give bonus points to the album cover, it's pretty good statement even despite the lyrics themselves not being particularly politically proufound themselves. Bass consistently good throughout and really funky and groovy throughout without the songs overstaying it's welcome. Think would give 4.5 stars if I can just because of my bias against the song "Jesus" but will round down to a 4. Reserve the 5 stars for like really standout albums i enjoy all the songs from or that my loved songs trounce any songs i am so so on.

A beautiful album

I don’t really understand playing music while having sex, but this feels like the stereotypical album to play during sex. I love Curtis Mayfield but I don’t really know why this album is on the list. It’s good but it’s not essential. I think his self titled album would’ve been a much better pick.

Funky and horny

Great album, really well recorded.

Did not expect the genre based on the album cover but was pleasantly surprised. Great vocals from the artist.

Good 70s funk

Pretty decent, some challenging and expertly portrayed themes throughout. Slow, moody and atmospheric when compared to Super Fly. I like the gentle grooves, the strings and the emotion which is amplified by his falsettos. It's thoughtful, soulful and silently devastating. A good listen.

the bass in this whole album is awesome. I don’t know why but it’s really hard to articulate why I like these songs, but they put me in a good mood 🙂‍↕️ some of the r&b on here was really nice too. Everything just feels so smooth and chill but also technically good which I appreciate. Fav songs: so in love, love to the people

A real treasure of a record, mixing Curtis’ smooth blend of soul and funk with a more introspective look at current events. He takes a new angle with each song, approaching politics, romance, gospel and brotherhood with equal care. This is a real lovely album with a lot to enjoy and only dips slightly at the end.

nice one, like it, very much Curtis Mayfield like.

Great album. Very similar to Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” - similar sound and social undertones to the lyrics.

Funkyliscious

Mayfield in this era just could not disappoint! Love to the people was a highlight for me, but the entire thing is just wonderfully soul and funky. Interesting lyrical content too

I really liked this album. Supercool 70s soul. This album defines the difference between generic soul music and music that’s totally hip. The band is impeccable, as are the song arrangements, and the production is completely crisp. The lyrics are rooted in their time as well, which I enjoyed. If I have one minor negative comment it’s that I prefer a soul voice in the mid-range but can occasionally reach falsetto, whereas Curtis’s voice lives in the high tenor/falsetto range the whole time. But that’s just a small thing.

Schön entspannt.

"Superfly" von ihm finde ich richtig stark, in "Curtis" habe ich bisher noch nicht hinein gefunden. Dieses Album feiere ich. Absurd gute Backing Band.

Didn’t have as much fun with it as Superfly, but an awesome laid-back record. (with some strong and sadly still relevant lyrics)

This was such a funky and fun listen. I can see myself revisiting for sure. I recognize the song Hard Times from other artists sampling it. Nice to listen to an older Chicago artist while downtown.

I enjoyed my time with Mr mayfield today. I thought the narrative/lyrical content of this thing was top notch. It was groovy on top of that so what complaints can I have really? For a multitude of reasons This made me reflect on to pimp a butterfly and I think there is some comparisons to be made with era and genre in mind as a the big divides. The only thing holding this back from a 5 is I don’t know that I’m at a place where I feel like I need to buy this.

Classic 1970s funk and soul. Full of strife and hope. You can hear the future of Vandross, D'Angelo, many others through it.

I really liked this album. A mix of soulfulness, sadness, spirituality, love, and much more. Loved the funkiness of the instrumentals and the vocal delivery by Curtis Mayfield. Favorite songs: So In Love, Blue Monday People, Love to the People

Love this. I'm really into the soul/funk right now and this is just the perfect archtype of that. Sound is great and lyrics are deep

Solide

Slower pace than what I usually prefer but once I accepted that I heard a fantastic record. No wonder people sample mayfield so much.

Soul!

Great album from a genre I don't listen to enough. Favorites are So in Love and Hard Times

This guy jams

Was genuinely struggling to like this much on the first listen, but it grew on me second time round, appreciate the political and social commentary, probably a 3.5 to ⭐⭐⭐⭐, the last two songs "Hard Times" and "Love to the People" stood out to me, and the cover art is great👍