There's No Place Like America Today

Funky. Psychedelic. Bass. Good vibes. SOUL. Tenor. Almost falsetto.

Очень качовый альбом, некоторые битки с оттяжкой - топ опять же, жалко, что не понимаю тексты, но за этот ранний r&b - большой лайк

muy lindo blues

Curtis Mayfield good and politically relevant

Another great from Curtis. So in Love is a banger

Really enjoyed this one, great musicians, great tunes and great vocals!

Good classic soul. There were a couple songs I didn't love but still very enjoyable overall. Favorite: Billy Jack Least Favorite: Jesus

This album hits you with a mellow groove. It’s simple but powerful, the kind of sound that gets under your skin. The songs are soulful, like Marvin Gaye’s *What’s Going On*, but there’s a rough edge here. The lyrics say a lot without needing to shout. Feels real and unpolished, giving space to feel what’s behind the words.

I wish I was as cool as Curtis Mayfield….

amazing album. loved it. 9/10

I didn't mind this, smooth yet still funky.

I've come to realize any Curtis Mayfield day is a good day.

Pretty groovy, but I can't ever strand his voice for more than a couple of tracks at a time....

Chill.

Beautiful soul tunes.

“Billy Jack” lays down a steady, funky beat, and the whole album is slow and lush—a good way to deliver social commentary without losing the groove.

Ton of talent

I needed this. I needed this album generator to tell me, “You know you like Curtis Mayfield, yet you’ve never listened to a second album by him. Why is that?” Thank you, Daddy Album Generator.

Hooooo that first song came in with the horns, immediate banger. It’s a 4.5 for me pretty easy, I was feeling this album. Great!

Beautiful voice and really nice sounding album

Super good funk and vibe

Great album. 1. Billy Jack 2. Hard Times 3. So in Love

soul music always hits; favs are billy jack and love to the people

My favorite of his albums to be sure....

I really enjoyed this album. Funky, fresh, low down jazz. Helped improve my mood today. Not as bombastic as the Superfly record, but this was still a treat. Standouts: Billy Jack, So in Love, Jesus, and Love to the People.

I really liked the opening track Billy Jack, and in general I love the music in each track. I find the singing/rambling style a bit more difficult to get into. I found that all the songs blurred into each other. Overall enjoyed it but wish there was a clearer stand-out moment. 3.5/4

7/10, its a good album but it didn't really grab me

Leon bridges could have put out a shitty version of this today. V topical

The not-so-subtle subtlety makes this one worth while. I don’t know if Mayfield is capable of sounding not sexy when composing his music. I didn’t want to be turned on, but god dammit I was. For real though, the instrumentation throughout this record is what REALLY does the teasing; giving you just enough to want more without ever reaching the peak you so desperately want it to.

The sounds of Superfly all sobered up, trading street funk fantasies for stark American truths.

A good soul record, with tons of great funk. The guitar, horns, bass, rhodes and collection of voices all ooze. Powerful lyricism on the brutal individual effects of racism. Perhaps doesn’t have the vast strength of Curtis, or others by Stevie & Marvin, but a solid complete album. Favs: So in Love, Blue Monday People, Love to the People 7/10

gewoon chillen

My absolute fav is Billy Jack. Jesus and Love to the People are also worht for listening. Soul-funk is not my fav genre but this is a vibrant album.

Not quite as iconic as Mayfield’s debut or Supefly, still one of his classics.

The album is great. I'd imagine it's the middle of the pack of the 1001 greatest albums- it belongs here, but it's not good enough to crack the top 100.

Soulful, introspective, and really powerful. I feel like the album would have benefitted from one additional song to round it out, but overall a really interesting listen. The bass lines in particular carried a lot of the songs and kept me engaged. Top tracks: Billy Jack, Hard Times, Love to the People

Very smooth, but the voice is a bit much after awhile.

Solid album. Standout songs: Jesus Love to the People

Funky

It would be wrong to call this Curtis Mayfield’s “What’s Going On” album as this stands out clearly from the rest with its (not often heard of) “downbeat soul”. Not all music can be sunshine and rainbows.

im sure this isnt the only curtis mayfield on this list so its cool that the first one i rolled was one that was actually new to me! id need to revisit his other stuff (its been years) but based on my memories id say this one feels less lavish and more precise...no big wall of sound arrangements, but every instrument placed in its own deliberately prominent place in the mix. ig that should give it a harder edge and maybe it does but its angelic as ever anyway,,while he gets a surprising amount of tonal variety out of his songs, the default aesthetic of curtis' voice is a kind of idealistic humanity-wide kindness pushing through the vile evils of an unjust world, of which his only rival is probably stevie. so lovely

It was good, well produced and a cool cover of Hard Times by Baby Huey but nothing that blew me away

Super fun, love this sound. Always enjoy an American-critique album.

Good this

For a certain mood. Favorite track: Love to the People

A reference for most of soul and black music singers.

Nice smooth listen. Short and sweet, would like to revisit.

Ljúfir tónar frá tónlistarmanni sem ég þekki nafnið á en hef ekkert hlustað á fyrr en núna og ég fílaði það sem ég heyrði. Þetta var alveg mjög gott stöff. Þessi plata fer aftur í spilun.

One of the best parts of working through this list is stumbling across albums I never would've picked on my own. Curtis Mayfield was a name I knew, but I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I’ve never been big into funk, but this album hits different. The grooves are smooth, the production is tight, and the lyrics actually say something. Curtis doesn't sugarcoat a thing—he gets straight to the heart of social issues, and a lot of what he’s singing about still hits hard today. He balances heavy themes with laid-back vibes in a way that makes it stick. Definitely one of the better surprises so far.

I really loved the smooth R&B and it spoke to the soul

I'm immediately interested in this. I only know Curtis Mayfield from Superfly, plus the first track is called BILLY JACK. Great movie hero. More chill than that, musically. "Depression ain't quite just what you promised." - I don't fully understand it, but I think I feel it. I put this album on immediate replay after a first listen. No ragrets.

Day219 - almost fifty years ago and still just as relevant and it’s very cool

Funk is such an entertaining genre, prove me wrong.

A surprising choice of a Curtis Mayfield album, but a welcome one. The silky smooth vocals combined with strong political themes is a great combination reminiscent of Marvin Gaye.

Sublime cover art. I could just sit and watch it the entire time listening to the record. Love it. Curtis Mayfield's smooth vocals and striking political message provides an excellent listen. Despite its short length it still comes across a bit one-sided - but it's definitely worth a listen.

Mayfield's so funky and cool! Liked songs added: - Billy Jack - Hard Times

While I enjoyed this less than Superfly, I still had a good time listening to this album. I would have liked it more if it had more variety, as hearing the same sounds and instruments was getting a bit old by the time I got to the last track. 3.5 - 4 stars, rounding it up because it's worth a re-listen

Good

So in love is a great song. The album’s kinda boring but everything sounded pretty good

Liked it, thought it sounded pretty good.

A solid 4.

Good. Whole lotta soul

First few songs got me hooked. Took a break after Jesus. Billy Jack is a tremendous opening track. Love the vocals and overall funkyness.

Solid soul album it was really fun, I don’t have a lot of experience with soul but in my ignorant opinion I feel like this was really good!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ lol

Funky

I get why it's called soul now....

I need a Curtis Mayfield documentary now. Influential, one of our great artists, but largely forgotten. Love him. He needs a terrible biopic starring Donald Glover. Bring the man to the people!

I actually liked this more than I expected

Funky shit

It's like the soundtrack to a very long Ladies Man sketch. Curtis' voice is like butter. Hooray for the trumpets and the lyrics about Jesus drinking wine.

Caught me off guard. Expected same music and ot was sharp, well recorded and no errors. Songs were long but didnt felt like it and had only 7. Now I feel like Ive missed out all this time on Curtis and didnt explore enough only being fed Barry, Sam and Marvin on my country’s airwaves. I feel robbed of this music in the soundtracknof my life

Sweetest voice you ever heard talking about bitter topics

I’m grooving & it’s so nice

Nice one. A classic.

Great soul and funk record. His falsetto was fitting to the music and lyrics, as all of the composition. Nice production. Too gospel-ish at some points for my own taste, but again, fitting. One can clearly see the influence Mayfield had on Prince.

Verry funky, bluesy R'n'B album

Very nice! I knew nothing about this album, and was pleasantly surprised sort of. I mean it was what I expected, but that’s a good thing. Love Curtis Mayfield’s voice, it reminds me of Prince. Would listen again for sure.

I love soul and funk music, especially 60s/70s era. This was very good, but Mr. Mayfield’s falsetto didn’t hit my ear right at times, so it couldn’t get up to a five.

Some of the tunes drag on for a bit too long, but come on… This is Curtid Mayfield! Beautifully orchestrated with simple measures, and a vocal that Prince just ripped off (Prince is still awesome though).

Great 70’s era funk.

I’ve really loved the Curtis Mayfield albums on this list. While not as epic as Superfly, this is still fantastic and lyrically masterful. My favorite songs are probably “Blue Monday People” and “Love to the People.” A very powerful album that deserves its place on this list.

solid album, great voice, really groovy and nice to listen to

7.5/10 Really nice stuff. Classic soul/funk with a social conscience Great tunes, wonderful falsetto delivery Best: Blue Monday People

Sultry, silky, smooth. Everything we know and love about Mr. Mayfield. The brass, guitars, drum breaks, the voice. Such funk! It is so easy to feel good while listening to this record.

A more lowkey soulful take from Curtis Mayfield. Regardless on an album with 7 songs he holds up as one of the greatest R&B artists to do it. Love how smooth and careful the trumpets are throughout this record. Carefully structured smooth songs to get lost in. Billy Jack serves as a great intro to this album and So in love is a great recovery song as I didn't enjoy \"when seasons change\" as much as the other tracks. Very short and concise LP but delivers it's messages and sounds pretty well for the most part. Like I said it's a much more lowkey album, so if you're expecting anything over the top than you should lower your expectations.

This album got me on a binge of 70's funk and soul, which is a genre I came to quite late. I love the sound here -- and I didn't realize just what an excellent guitarist (and overall composer) Mayfield was. Such good stuff here for vibing purposes. Unexpected bangers: Blue Monday People, Billy Jack

Incredibly different than my usual listens, but I really enjoyed it. Sounds like a precursor to Prince and some soul and gospel influences. The social justice elements seemed heartfelt and poignant.

Curtis creates an essential soul album by pulling from early funk, gospel and roots music. this album is full of sharp political commentary but still remains so hopeful! it’s fascinating to listen to, a lot of these tracks deal like a lot of very difficult topics like systemic racism, income inequality, systemic crime in inner cities yet it still has room for so much love. everything on this album is performed at the highest level, once again proving that Curtis Mayfield is one of the GOATS for a reason. 4/5

4.5 Surprisingly slow for what I knew of Curtis Mayfield but every bit as enjoyable as his more upbeat stuff. When Seasons Change, So in Love (my favorite), and Love to the People are getting saved.

Great for relaxing to.

Cool grooves and powerful messages, particularly on side one

3.6 stars rounded up. Classic funk. No standout tracks, but a whole album great playing whose tracks don't necessarily form a thematic whole.

Excellent. Understated, impactful funky soul with a message. Deserves all the acclaim. Possibly overdid the falsetto now and again (sorry!)

Was a joy to listen to this. Perfect

i enjoyed the slower pace in this one. started strong but by the end i sorta lost interest. still solid

It’s crazy that these themes are still so prevalent in America today. Loved how funky this album was!

Mega gost

Good vibes, vocals a little hard to understand but groovy af

Really nice soulful funk. I considered a 5 for a little while, because the instrumentals are so lovely but I’m afraid I’ve never really liked Curtis’ voice. Very glad I listened though and realised there’s more to this guy than Superfly.

Esse foi o único que eu realmente não tinha escutado até agora, e acho que foi o que mais gostei dos três.

I get why this wasn’t a big hit, a little too experimental for audiences. Rules though, a solid balance between funky and psychedelic. B

Really liked this. Dripping with funk, short and sweet!

I feel like Curtis Mayfield is one of those names I know as being associated with one of the Motown groups, but I couldn't tell you which one or any of the songs they did (that says more about me than him). I definitely understand the comparisons to Smokey Robinson, both in terms of the falsetto and the foray into socially conscious music (if you've never heard Smokey's "Gang Bangin'" do yourself a favor and go watch the trainwreck on YouTube immediately). This was a pretty good album. From what I can gather, it's not considered among his best by most fans, but since I don't really have much experience with his music I can't really compare it to anything. What I heard was well done and entertaining. And at only 7 songs, it's pretty short. It's got a mix of Blacksploitation funk, socially conscious soul, and r&b slow jam love songs. I could've done without the Jesus song in the middle, but that was the only real miss for me. So in Love and Hard Times were probably my favorite songs. 4/5

If you love Eric Clapton, you will love this

I loved it

This album is so excellent man...literally the only thing keeping it from hitting a 5 is Curtis Mayfield's singing voice. This review could be copied and pasted for all of the Curtis Mayfield albums in this book. Favorite track: Love to the People

The sort of music you can listen to all day without fatigue.

Great for its era. Parts still shine.

cool

Solid American album.

love Curtis Mayfield's style. Have only heard a couple of songs on here before but great album.

A lot of soul and a lot of groove.

What a voice! Another very short album, which meant I was able to listen to it a bunch of times - which was good, as I liked it more after a few runs through.

Funky, subtle and Definitely thought provoking. Another solid album from Curtis Mayfield. I found the beats to be funky, if not a bit similar sounding but nothing wrong with a sound that works. The subtle instruments work great with Curtis' softer voice. The message of the album is where this album shines as Mayfield sings about being black in America. My biggest issue is that I don't see myself coming back to this album very much, but I liked the music and would listen again.

Funky and tight. I liked it a lot.

Huge fan of early 70s Curtis.

Wat ben ik fan van deze man zeg, echt heel goed

heel leuk, kende het nog niet

Curtis Mayfield heeft meer muziek dan Move on up???? Nee ofc, heerlijk album Geweldige zanger

An archetype of the genre.

Lovely! 4.2

Loved the funk and soulful elements Mayfield brings to this album!

Classic soul music!

Funk AF!! great sound

6 / 10 Soul relajante de los 70. Perfecto para f*ll*r! 😂

Cool

Great easy listening album. Gonna put it in the 'make out with my gf that likes RAndB folder

Not my favourite Curtis Mayfield record but he’s still one of the best

This one was pretty slow, contrary to what I expected. But I quite liked it.

I mean, it's Curtis Mayfield. Is it my favorite Curtis Mayfield? No. Does it have to be? No.

Lovely stuff - itchy, hard edged funk-soul offset by Mayfield's gentle, almost hushed righteousness. Not quite in the same league as Super Fly - but what is? Curtis Mayfield was a rare talent.

Curtis Mayfield's solo work is among the best examples of 70's funk. Bass-driven orchestration with a deep, talented band backing up Mayfield's soulful falsetto. He was well known for his socially conscious lyrics - much of Mayfield work is commentary on the African-American condition is our world. Mayfield's critical and limited commercial success are responding to the beautiful songs and his expressive voice.

Yes. Love it. 4

Although this music isn't for me, it's pretty impossible to give it a low rating. It's pretty phenomenal. Vocals and the vibes are just perfect.

The heaviness of social injustice presented in a funk, soul, gospel masterpiece.

Super

Very fun

Really enjoyed this (except for the song Jesus, didn't really care for that one).

Struggled between 4 and 5 on this one. Incredible album and so glad I found it through this.

First song should have been in the middle: it set the rest of the album up for failure cause it was such a banger. The other songs were great, but the energy and attitude of the first track was never matched, leaving the rest of the album disappointing.

Another great Mayfield album.

Perhaps the most melancholic funk album I've heard. Still relevant today which is somewhat depressing. Music is rock solid.

Smooth and soulful. Quietly understated.

Wieder ein 70er Album was mir gefällt ...

Seventies-funk met een Blaxpoitation-vibe, gewoon goed veel wah-wah-gitaar, keyboardjes en bongo's. Ik heb wel een zwak voor dit soort muziek. Dus... vanwaar de maatschappijkritische hoes? Heb ik dan toch niet opgelet? Het blijft een raadsel Wel grappig om de originele foto uit 1937 op te zoeken, zoek de verschillen.

Hele relaxte soulvolle plaat. Rustige muziek. Ik vind de hoge geknepen stem van Curtis Mayfield wel lekkerder bij die Super Fly plaat passen. En het funky geluid komt daar ook meer door wat mij betreft. Dit is een soort slaapkamermuziek, maar dan met veel te serieuze teksten voor de slaapkamer. Wat dat betreft zou Curtis eigenlijk over vrouwen moeten zingen, dat zou veel geloofwaardiger over komen. De muziek houdt dit album voor mij fier overeind. Goede drums en bas, geknepen galmend gitaartje. Funky muziek hoor je sowieso veel te weinig. Een hele rielekste 4.

1975 funk/ soul. Awesome Album

This is a strong Soul/R&B/Funk album. I can hear the jazz influences here. It’s for albums like this that I undertook this listening project. I’m glad I listened to this.

Great album, great samples from this album, too.

Great r&b, very short Best songs Blue Monday people Hard Times

A ton of musicality - tasty guitar playing in general. Notable tracks include when seasons change, so in love, love to the people.

Mjög gott grúv. Flæðir sjúklega vel. Coverið á plötunni er legendary.

Proper laid back vibe, not necessarily many standout tracks but they flow very well. Quite short but no filler. Still on the coach by the way.

I had never heard of Curtis Mayfield before, but I really like this album! It sounded like Prince if Prince didn't sound awful.

Nice songs. Like his voice

Plus 5 more Stay!

funky and cool

Oldie but goodie.

Smooth, brilliant voice. Big fan!

Damn Curtis Mayfield had a SOUND. There are no major hits on this album. Never heard anything from it before. But, damn this is good. Standouts: Billy Jack, When Seasons Change, Jesus, So In Love, Rating: 3.75 / 5

Funky Soul!

I really enjoyed this album! Amazing sounds and vibes with this one! I recognized the name Curtis Mayfield but was otherwise clueless. Adding this album to my regular rotation and looking forward to more!

I'm not normally a fan of soul but this was top notch

Não é um álbum que eu ouviria todos os dias ou várias vezes, apesar de ter algumas músicas que tenha achado a vibe muito boa. Apesar disso, é ótimo.

This is great soul through and through. It gets a little boring from lack of variation but it doesn't drag it down all that much in the big picture. Everythign feels well crafted, particular, and intentional. Favorites were Billy Jack and Hard Times

Consistently good throughout with solid grooves. Favorite songs are Billy Jack, Jesus, and Love to the People.

💖 when seasons change 🗣️ 8️⃣

I did love it but there felt something missing that kept me from really getting into it

Funky groovy soulful - loved the production on this thing

Love Curtis Mayfield & his social awareness put to some amazing music.

Perhaps the hottest funk I've ever heard for a while.

Great soul,great voice and greatguitar fills. Im sad it lasts so shortly. Great musicianship.

Funky and soulful, not quite the classic that is Superfly but superb Curtis Mayfield Album nonetheless.

Two awesome songs. So In Love and Blue Monday People. I love all the horns!!

Hadn’t heard this. Really loved it and seemed to vividly capture the world of when it was written. will return to it again.

Quite soulful.

Beautiful little album, funky and fun in some places, and deep in others. The album cover is very striking. Going to give more of Mr. Mayfield's work a listen.

I'd like to learn more about who this was and read the lyrics. Funky jams

A soulful rollercoaster of emotions, from the tragic "Billy Jack" to the triumphantly hopeful "Love To The People" Strongest song: So In Love Weakest song: none

I chills out so quickly when listening to this album, absolutely love that feeling. Great discovery.

Makes me want to expand my listening of his work. This is good but I bet he has other albums that should be on this list.

I love me some Curtis Mayfield and this album proves why. Love the feel and vibe, and the social commentary is a welcome inclusion.

I was surprised at how much I liked this album. 1. Billy Jack - nice funky beat. I enjoyed it. 2. When Seasons Change - Intro church bells - kinda cool. 3. So In Love - One minute instrumental intro. Slow, but engaging. 4. Jesus - cool song, even if I'm not "the target audience" 5. Blue Monday People - really liked this one 6. Hard times - 7. Love to the People - nice closing to the album

גרוב של נשמה

Very surprising soul rnb vibe. Tight af

Really loved this one. I wouldn't say any of the songs are particularly hooky, but the instrumentals are all great and the vocal takes are AWESOME. So smooth. And getting in and out in under 35 minutes doesn't hurt either. Listened to this one 4 times today!

Super chill music, unless you listen closely to the lyrics. Unfortunately still applicable today.

Incroyablement smooth, sexy et groovy. “So in love”. Cette voix, c’est un peu Al Green ou Marvin Gaye mais en poussant le potar sexiness à 11. Mais comment peut-on chanter une chanson à la gloire de Jesus de cette façon? C’est moi ou il commence à faire chaud dans cette église.

It’s funky. It’s groovy. I dig it. Though R&B is not quite my taste, I respect the art and passion that Curtis and his team put into the project.

It brings the funk.

Really enjoyed this record, its funky and spare and yet lyrically it holds a punch. It addresses the issues of the time much like Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. I like that it is a statement of the times but not in an angry way and yet it is impactful. Favorite Songs: When Seasons Change, So in Love, Blue Monday People, Hard Times.

Loved soaking in this slower, mellower and perhaps subtler version of Curtis Mayfield. The arrangements are beautiful, which isn't unusual for a Mayfield album, and his bitter songwriting juxtaposes the smooth mood in the best way possible. The social commentary fit the time, and unsurprisingly, fits right in almost fifty years later in 2024. Also, the drums on this record are ripe for sampling. Fav tracks: Billy Jack, So In Love, When Seasons Chance, Hard Times

Perhaps Mayfield's answer to What's Going On. I'm not used to hearing Curtis Mayfield in such a mellow mood. This new-to-me side is revealing greater shades of his artistic range and character. The performances, arrangements, and production are all incredibly intimate and close feeling. It feels like he's confiding in you a lot of the time. The songs occasionally meander a bit, but maybe that's part of the point. The social message and confiding mood come together in a really compelling and surprising way. I love getting introduced to unsung records like this through this project! Favourite tracks: Blue Monday People, Hard Times, So In Love, When Seasons Change An aside: I've only heard the Baby Huey version of the Mayfield-penned Hard Times. It was cool to hear this mellower interpretation.

Never listened to this before. Billy Jack captured me right away and drew me into the mood. Had only known him for things like Superfly, Pusherman. More mellow and sweet groove with some important statements Great groove for a cold Saturday

Would work well with Busty

Started a little meh for me, but really enjoyed it over all. Think it is an album I would love more each time I listened.

This was exactly what I needed on a sick day at work. Some chilled out grooves and ridiculously high singing. I am a big fan of chill funk music. The album kept it short and I was left wanting more. 4.5 stars

When I listened to the album yesterday, I was a bit disappointed. Outside of the killer opening track, it was less funky and more slow soul. But I relistened to it this morning, and really payed attention to the lyrics, and by god it’s fantastic

It has great basslines and vocals, but it does feel a bit like a product of its time (production-wise). It is very groovy and laid back but with intense, sharp lyricism. Great horns arrangments (esp. on Billy Jack and So in Love). Obviously - there are touches of gospel throughout the record, too (i.e. Jesus - the spoken intro kind of sounds like a half-sung sermon or testimony), there are callbacks to the special place of gospel in Black American culture. My standout tracks are: So in Love, Hard Times.

Solid. Melancholy. Funk.

Curtis Mayfield always excelled at social commentary. From the mid-1960’s, his group The Impressions were very closely associated with the Civil Rights movement (songs like “Keep on Pushing” and “We’re a Winner” were fixtures at marches and protests, and then he wrote the timeless classic “People Get Ready”). Later, his solo career included such tracks as “We the People Who are Darker than Blue”, “Miss Black America” and of course the entire soundtrack for blaxploitation film “Super Fly”. By the time of his seventh album in 1975, the Watergate scandal had exposed a corrupt and selfish government and unemployment was rife. The masterful cover image of “There’s No Place Like America Today” lets listeners know exactly what they’re in for. Accordingly, this album is an introspective, somber recording - most of these tracks are soul ballads with a couple of more funky inflections - but it retains the lush arrangements I know from Mayfield’s other work. Strings and horns are bedded in comfortably alongside expansive ringing chords and chewy lead guitar, leaving plenty of headroom for that signature sweet falsetto vocal. Altogether, it perfectly represents a balance between sparse, bleak reality and a generous helping of hope. The slow-crawling opening, “Billy Jack”, gradually relates the story of a victim of gun violence over purposeful, minimal rhythm guitar (plenty of wah-wah!). “When Seasons Change” begins with a tolling bell, addressing the desperation in “scuffling times” above a subdued arrangement… until Mayfield encourages prayer to Jesus and horns swell up to buoy his words. And then comes “So In Love”, the lead single and biggest hit, a little at odds with the rest of the album. Outwardly positive, it sees Mayfield turning his attention to crafting a straight-ahead love song. And it’s absolutely beautiful: a guaranteed swooner. This delicate line between grim situations and gentle, irrepressible hope continues through the rest of the album: the gritty funk of “Hard Times” is a bridge between two anthems for the downtrodden in “Blue Monday People” and “We Are the People”. And then there’s what I’d call the album centrepiece, “Jesus”. Like many soul singers of his time, Mayfield learned his craft in gospel choirs: elements of gospel remained in his work throughout his career. “There’s No Place…” has gospel undertones all over it, but the clearest are in “Jesus”. After a spoken-word semi-sermon, the track blossoms into a simple hook with some wonderful embellishments: a blissful guitar solo, oceans of strings surging in towards the end, fantastic backing singers. If nothing else has made me a believer, this might. While “There’s No Place Like America Today” may not be on quite the same level as the other albums I’ve heard by Mayfield, it’s still often beautiful. Master of soul.

Réel

il a tout dit

Spoko, 4

Nije los fankic

Groovin. Not QUITE as funky or danceable as the mayfield i’m used too, but still a class act.

Groovy Baby! 3.5 Stars

A vibe made rocket league fun

I thought he sounded like Ronald Isley, but now I know who this is. A great laid-back sound of the time.

I really liked this! Perhaps it didn't feel particularly innovative or special, but it was nevertheless very good and my type of jam. Not much else to say actually! Weak 4

Skönt album!

4 stjerner

Me atrajo con la musica y me convinció con las letras

Dit is zulke mooie muziek weer. Het glijdt en het glibbert en de stem van Curtis is gewoon heel fijn. Ik kan me dan ook niet voorstellen dat er mensen zijn die niet van deze muziek houden? Maar goed, wederom een fantastisch jazzy soulish album. Move on up zal ook wel in de lijst staan, nu al zin daarin! Mijn grootste probleem met dit album? het is nogal kort...

First time listening to this. It’s uniquely “of a time” while still feeling current. 3.8

"There's No Place Like America" is the seventh album by American singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer Curtis Mayfield. Funk and R&B. The album was self-produced and recorded at Custom Studios in Chicago on the Custom label. Commercially, it hit #120 on the Billboard 200 and #13 on the Billboard R&B/hip hop chart. Bass strings, a wah-wah guitar and percussion begin the album's opener "Billy Jack." A slow groove as Curtis tells the story of small-time criminal Billy Jack who got murdered in his city. Horns add to drama. "When Seasons Change" highlight Curtis' wonderful tenor voice. Continuing the slow pace, he compares the season changes to his own life and the despair and changes within them. An overall gospel vibe in this song. The first single "So in Love" brightens things up with keys and horns. A simple love song. A great soulful feel. The wah-wah guitar is brought back in "Hard Times." Curtis is having hard times in his town but he does find a brother to hold him up. The album closes with a more uplifting song in "Love to the People." Horns are used again to bring up the positivity. A sax solo is the highlight. Curtis is not giving up. This is a slow-paced and souful album. Curtis' voice, both tenor and deeper bass, is the highlight. It's not quite as groundbreaking as or at the level of his debut or "Superfly," but the music does fit the stories and lyrics of songs of both despair and redemption. Listening to a Curtis Mayfield song is never a bad idea.

Quite short but very catchy! Loved it from the beginning to the end, even though I especially liked the first four songs. Would definitely listen to it again!

It's just a smidge above average. I liked it but wouldn't write home about it. 3.5/5

This was my jam. Isaac hayes sound plus marvin gaye songwriting made this a great listen that still holds up sonically and in what it was trying to say. There wasn't a standout track for me at least on the first listen but I have a feeling I'm going to listen to this quite a few more times. On second listen though, the fact that there weren’t many hits made it less enjoyable because I wish there was one song I could come back to rather than the whole album. Makes me wonder how many albums I’ve given 5s just because there was one awesome song and the rest was just alright.

1. Billy Jack - Love the congas & brass. Poor old Billy, eh? 2. When Seasons Change - Beautiful grief-soaked vocal. Crazy fx on guitar & keys! Didn't spoil the vibe, but parks it squarely in the 70s! Great line: " ... if you want a good life, best look into yourself..." 3. So in Love - The language (words like devotion, testify, faith) denotes Mayfield's Gospel roots, but applied to romantic love here rather than the guy in the next song. I like that he chooses to describe that intensity of feeling for his partner with the vocabulary of divinity. 4. Jesus - "Look into your inner self - only you know how to be free" It's rare to find such plain speaking about the inner devotional life in popular music. Mayfield doesn't shy away from it, neither does he shirk social commentary. Like so many in the Gospel tradition, it seems he needed the one to deal with the other. 5. Blue Monday People "But when cupboards are bare, our love we can share" another slow call for social solidarity. Could have been shagging music, were the lyrics not so interesting. 6. Hard Times. A lot of unsaid feeling about local racism in this one. "Hmmm...". Lovely wailing guitar (as on most of these tracks). 7. Love to the People. Really dig this one - reminds me of trip-hop vibes and sums up the album's message for me. Great sax solo. Dr. Cornel West is always bigging up Curtis Mayfield - his debut album, "Curtis" has "Move On Up" which is more popular (I think). Nice to hear this one. The line from track 5 "They know this money don't feed us" juxtaposes my sense of this album as food for the soul. Addressing the elephant in the room - I'm frankly amazed that I don't find his falsetto ridiculous - somehow the genuine feeling comes through it - it has a unique, intense quality - it's not what I'm used to, but I guess it's no more strange than other intensity-modified vocal styles like screamo, death-metal growling or punk shouting, only I can understand most of Mayfield's lyrics here.

I enjoyed this. I used it as work-background sound, and had a dehumidifier running, so didn't really give the lyrical content the attention it surely deserved. I wasn't familiar with this album, but will endeavour to re-listen to it. I achieved many annoying work-tasks which have been bugging me for a week or so, whilst listening to this, and am happy.

Beautifully soulful album with hard hitting messages within. If you liked this be sure to check out Curtis/LIVE! album as well.

Buttery-smooth funk stuff. The falsetto wore on me after a while, but this is s really good album.

Album 238 of 1001 Curtis Mayfield - There's No Place Like America Today Rating : 4 / 5 Nice album. Poignant. Certainly worth another listen.

A blind spot in my Curtis Mayfield listening. Funky and buttery smooth as ever.

Like the swing!

This album is great but I hope superflu gets a little love later on the list

Curtis Mayfield really deserves all the praise he gets. This dude is awesome. Does more with 7 tunes here than most can with 20.

chillig:) chli choche debii oder male, noice🙈

Tiene una voz que normalmente me molestaría mucho, pero por lo que sea... me gusta... Favoritas: When Seasons Change, So in Love, Jesus, Blue Monday People

Ain't no kind of soul like Curtis Mayfield soul. Just a great listen with funky music playing and great vibes on the entire album. Curtis Mayfield is a legend but I wouldn't say this is his best work and there are probably better albums by him and others in this space and genre. At the end of the day I still listen to this music and him in particular so It's pretty high up there for me. 8/10

Muzikaal heel nice, erg fan van de lead gitaar. Stem moet je een beetje van houden, maar vind ik wel leuk. So in Love en Hard Times zijn het leukst Would buy

Dit album heeft me erge winter/kerst vibes, top2000 sfeer, weetjewel, buiten sneeuw en binnen gezellig lampjes aan met een warme chocomelk, heel cozy. Vind “So in Love” een leuk nummer, erg ✨romantisch✨. Verder goede nummers! Maar soms beetje langzaam misschien voor mij, maar zoals ik dus al zei voor een winteravond op de achtergrond wel echt heerlijk. Curtis Mayfield heeft ook echt een bizar goede stem en love de instrumentals.

du chill comme il faut, de la bonne musique, du bonheur

"Billy Jack"

The funky soulful sorta music you'd hear at your grandma's house or your favorite coffee shop. It speaks volumes how the themes illustrated in the music and album cover remain so relevant today

Beautiful soul album

I don't think I've heard anything from this album before. Early 1970's is Curtis' prime, so I'm excited. The album was a solid listen. There wasn't a song that really stood out on this album. All of the horns sounded really good, you can tell D'Angelo was influenced by them.

Prachtig album, heerlijk soulful op de brakke zondag Maakt mijn dag goed

7/10 slay not usually my style but its good on a nice long walk

Deliciously funky with some cool groovy slap bass intertwined throughout

Ultra Gut, würde 4 Sterne geben

The Curtis Mayfield album was a solid first recommendation from this list. The opening song had a great baseline, and several songs were good representations of '70s funk. Great use of wah pedals on the guitars. I really enjoyed the album, and I think several songs could be mixed in to regular play, especially for parties.

Awesome album, very funky. Would play in cocktail bars, at the start of a party, during dinner with friends.

So many great Curtis Mayfield tunes but "Billy Jack" is my favourite. Any/everything else that follows is just smooth gravy. Overall I'm a little more preferential towards "Superfly" as this one brings it all down a bit more than I like for the long haul - would have liked a bit more funk/groove/slightly uptempo. It's a bit of nitpicking though, as it's a very nice album with Curtis' classic falsetto carrying through catchy melodic tunes, even if a bit too laid back. Best tracks: "Billy Jack" (put it on repeat) and "Love to the People" 7/10 4 stars.

Fantastic album. Would listen to again

Good album

Great album, not much upbeat

nice, chill. cool. idk what to say

Good listen! really enjoyable

Great album, very chill and relaxing

I really apperciate the vocals, that is probably the strongest part of the album. Curtis Mayfield can sing. The first half of the album did not captivate me as much as the mid to endpoint. I was about to give up on in until I heard So In Love, and that song alone pulled me back in. It gave me the strength to finish the album, and i am glad i did.

Enjoyed

Not my style but I could see myself cruising to this in the 70's.

quality funk. you can definitely hear his influence on modern day acts such as black pumas.

Heard before: some I just love Curtis Mayfield. That’s it really. And along with these sweet pure soul tracks is one of the best album covers so far. Reading up on the history, it’s a recreation of a photo from the 30s, even though it feels so 1975. Which begs the question : despite all the nominal progress, has anything really changed for the Black community in 40 years? These songs tell the stories of folks like the ones in line on the cover, difficult lives in the city with no prospect for change. But unlike some other songs and stories like this, it doesn’t feel hopeless. It’s a challenge, but Mayfield’s narrators are not giving up; they are looking for ways to keep the faith. Things that should change just won’t, so these people are looking for way to spread love and light nonetheless. Also, he’s one of my favorite singers, from his soulful tenor to his lilting falsetto. I really love this record; I just wish there were more than seven songs! Top tracks: Blue Monday People, Hard Times, So In Love

Smooth! My dad loves Curtis Mayfield but I've never gotten around to listening to him myself until today

Oooh yeah, du doux funk dans mes oreilles ça me met bien

Solid tracks and had a nice funky vibe. Felt poignant to today with its message about America

Listened in the yard on my koss headphones, sounds great

Initially I liked it. The first few tracks were very pleasing, and the funky R&B with social overtones in the lyrics were well done. As the album continued, I lost general interest. The vocals of Curtis Mayfield (although excellent) became repetitive to my ears. Glad I listened, but probably won't listen to the full album again. Granted I didn't give dedicated attention to the lyrics that I would upon a third or fourth listen through.

N2l

Considering this is a genre I would never set out to listen to I actually enjoyed this

Fuck me this is great. Unexpectedly so.

Beautiful album! I love this guy's music. While it's just a smidge beneath Superfly, still very good music! 8 out of 10

In just the right mood for that! Nice

4.5 stars. Really enjoyed this. Funky and catchy. High pitched voice sounds a little gospel/soul at times. Standout is "Jesus".

Mayfield was a master. This is smooth and funky and I will return to it.

Good. Wouldn't buy. Pusherman amazing.

Superfly!

Heel nice

Heerlijk! Funky!

8/10

I really wished I didn't hate Mayfield's singing voice so much, because the funky instruments & lyrics are absolutely phenomenal. Favorite track: Hard Times

The perfect length for an album.

Fanger tidsånden fra 70-tallet NYC. Cool!

Another moody and depressing soul album by Curtis Mayfield. Great p-funk inspired grooves between the bass lines, squeeling guitar, and consistent drum beats. His vocals are high-noted and pessimistic, putting a lot of emotion into the topics of race and religion. He's done better in Superfly, but he's strong here. It's straight soul. There aren't any catchy choruses, but I can groove to all of it. Very short, which I appreciate. With just 7 tracks, they all fly by, especially since they aren't too loud either. "When Seasons Change" sometimes strays away for seconds but goes back to the original formula. A lot of these tracks feel like jam improvisation with how consistent the tracks are around central themes but go off the grid to maintain interest. I can't say anything blew me away like his other albums, probably due to the lack of hooks. Only lame track is "Jesus", but it's not bad either. I hate soul tracks that try to be a sermon. Everything else was enjoyable. No crazy instrumental solos or hard-hitting moments, but it does what it does well.

Thoughtprovoking R&B Funk album "Billy Jack" (black man being gunned down) "Jesus" "Hard Times" "Love To The People"

I loved this album! Not sure if there was a song I didn’t like. Ended up listening three times.

Mi canción favorita es Billy Jack.

A very good album with some great funk and heartfelt singing. I particularly liked the first and last songs.

This one kept my attention. I like the funkiness and the coolness.

I really thought I was going to love this one but then it was a lot of falsetto singing about Jesus? Good but maybe not great.

Not his best album but damn good

3.5/5 nice jazz/funk for background

Beautiful album. Really enjoyed Jesus and So in Love. 4/5

I have so much fondness for Curtis Mayfield. He's truly underrated and not lauded nearly enough for his funky cool creative genius. He's the kind of artist I mention in passing that people shrug off in a "I don't know him" way that is so unfortunate to see because he's a treasure trove of emotive funk soul and OG R&B music with a deeper message. And that album cover! It perfectly conveys how artificial and ethically bankrupt the "American Dream" actually is and says so much about the disenfranchisement experienced by Black Americans. Whitey is thriving and doing so off the backs of hardworking immigrants and minorities struggling to eek out a base level existence, ah yes, that American Dream! What a wonder it is!

Curtis slows it down a little here to address societal issues that still exist almost fifty years later. Thanks for trying, Curtis. The music here is as lovely as ever. His voice is smooth as butter, the instrumentation soulful and funky. And his lyrics are as beautiful as they are poignant -- tales of coping with the world you find yourself. Sex and drugs, love and hate.

Psychedelic soul done to perfection. I don't even mind the falsetto singing. Favorite song: blue monday people

This is my first album and it's a nice start. It's not the most astonishing album I've ever listened to but it a solid album

Smooooooth, very smooth - I like this slowcore soul! I think more listens could possibly bump this to a five. Fave track - "Billy Jack" is a fantastic intro track, and I dug "Love to the People" as a closer, too!

A very good album yields depths with repeated listens.

Nao conhecia as musicas desse album mas Pursherman e Superfly sao excelentes.

A pleasant listen throughout, no standouts but doesn't get dull. Good job Curtis.

I must have a soft spot for anything vaguely Motown. Another great record.

Re@l S0lid Stuff

Evident reggae (and jazz?) influence (good). Instanteously excellent with first song 'Billy Jack'. This is about a black man being shot. First impressions: 4 stars.

Really starting to get into more Curtis mayfield and this album is a very good introduction. Not quite like the other songs I’ve heard such as Superfly and Pusherman, this album had more of a spiritual feel to it. Nether the less, I enjoyed it very much

Great vocals

Think I got pregnant listening to this