There's No Place Like America Today

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

entré emboladísima pensando que iba a ser algo completamente distinto y quedé FASCINADA. preciocísima música, 9/10

4.25

Smooth. don't mind this. 4 stars.

tropppppp smooth, j'aime ce style et je vais le faire jouer plus souvent que je peux y penser en backgroudn probablement. 4.25

cozy. sometimes I extra remember that i almost never really listen to the lyrics. I wonder what he's saying

Beautiful intersection of gospel, funk, and R&B. Curtis's soft voice is silky and soft as a cloud. I especially like the groovy tunes with the fat bass and guitar riffs. A tad too slow and Jesusy for a 5 though.

First song is great. The lyrics remind me of "I Can't Die" by PAO, a commentary on African American death in America. It sounds like the modern band Blank Pumas draws inspiration from Curtis Mayfield as well. A few songs in and it's been filled with emotion the entire time. I'm feeling it. After a while the constant falsetto started to get old, but it was at least done well.

Those first few moments of the album - I thought we were going to reggae land. This was a good listen, but i got tired of the nonstop high falsetto vocal. I needed a break and a grounding that never came. But the instrumentation was dope.

Smooth n groovin. Plus incisive lyrics, a little humour, a lotta character. Didn't feel a huge distinction between the tracks but that was almost a plus for the easy flow of it all. Will definitely be coming back. Fave track: So in Love

I think my mood depended on my listen of this. First listen through I was walking through the park on a sunny afternoon and really vibing with it. Next morning I re-listened in the car with some bad weather in some heavy traffic and found it a bit tedious at times. I was a fan of Mayfield before hearing of this but this particular record was new to me - there’s an undeniable groove you get hooked into, and he has pipes. A pretty to very good album here - Three and a half. Fave track: Jesus

dope

Mellifluous, smooth voice. Nice groove. Admirable political slant. Not digging the ‘Jesus’ track but a decent album overall. Great ending on ‘Love to the People’. We should all subscribe to that: Little bit of brotherhood Guarantee it can be good for the soul

The timing of this album title with today’s mass shooting.. Curtis Mayfield’s whole vibe always hits hard and smoothe.

Nice solid listen. Enjoyed my time with this smooth pretty album

This was a great album that sent me down a path of terrific songs.

4.5 - “Subtle” is not a word I’d often use to describe funk music but Mayfield pulls off that sound with his blend of signature falsetto and aching guitar voicing. I especially love the thee back-to-back tracks “When Seasons Change”, “So In Love” and “Jesus.”

So In Love is just straight up panty soup. One of the loveliest songs I had ever heard. Billy Jack and Jesus were also good songs IMO. I actually enjoyed this album more than Superfly. This album was closer to a 3.5 out of 5 for me but I rounded up just because of So In Love.

me ha gustado mucho ... algo había escuchado de Curtis , pero desde luego ahora ha tomado otra dimensión

honestly the beats and the lyrics are really good; but the tempo,something about it makes me kinda want to strive for more. I like the songs except for one which is the usual. I think I'll give it an 8/10

A voice that is strong and fragile at the same time - I've always loved Curtis, but hadn't come across this album before.

Some nice funk and soul. 8/10

Never listened to. Curtis Mayfield before but I quite enjoyed this. Good mix of funk and soul.

first listen fantastic funk

I’ve never heard funk that’s this laidback and relaxed. The music has some funky licks and beats but it’s closer to the soul of Marvin Gaye or Al Green then Curtis Mayfield’s own “Superfly.” The music is beautiful and puts a spotlight on Mayfield’s voice.

Very good! Smooth as. Really liked So in Love especially

Pleasant

Na blue monday people se baš osjeti utjecaj na lambchop iz nixon faze

Curtis

ritmo y melancolía soothing flow

not bad, pretty chill, I liked it

I'm a sucker for a good falsetto and the music is nice too.

Funky, soulful - a good nice dose of Curtis Mayfield without too much fanfare and straight to the point. A lot of record in this list should take a page out of this album’s book.

this album is a masterclass in funk minimalism; does so much with so little when it wants to and then switches it up and fills the mix. no matter what , it works. Best tracks: Jesus, so in love, love to the people

great sound. seems like it also could've been recorded much later. a sound that seemed to define the music industry.

Not,my style of music but I can see the reason it’s on this list.

Very cool soul!!

Curtis Mayfield may not be the flashiest singer out there, he may not be the most memorable, or the most awe-inspiring, or the most emotional. But what he brings to the table, is consistently great music. You know what you're getting with a CM record, it's gonna be groovy, it's gonna be chill, and it's gonna have an insightful and honest sociopolitical message, but it'll never be heavy-handed or sanctimonious. Curtis Mayfield is reliable. He's the Toyota Corolla of music. He's the Nokia phone of music. He's gravity personified. 4 rolls of duct tape out of 5

Everything from Curtis Mayfield I love and this album just makes me love him more. I was first introduced to him with Superfly (highly recommend listening) so this is just more of a reason for me to like him.

nice album

This album is beautiful.

Great album, beautiful crisp sounds.

m'ha sorpres gratamente. es freshhh i mola el rollo per ser del 75

Baby making music. I'm now pregnant.

Ok

Great record! I liked the social commentary and instrumentation. I didn't like the random song about jesus

Soulful, impassioned. 4.5

Sounds a lot like Al Green.

HL: “When Seasons Change”, “So In Love”, “Jesus” A serious but (I think) somewhat optimistic album which leans into gospel. I’m in a grey area where I don’t have much tolerance for evangelism but I love gospel music, so ultimately the spiritualism in Mayfield’s lyrics added to, rather than detracted from, the album’s calls for action. November 20, 2022

Cool stuff.

I didn’t realize I’m as much of a Curtis Mayfield fan as I am. That’s the best song about Jesus I ever heard.

Love that voice, the funky music and the overall vibe. Nice album.

Not something I’m familiar with but really liked it. Sounded more modern than I’d expect from 1975

Smooth with a capital S. Felt seducted with its velvet quality music, only to be told stories about discrimination, poverty and hard times. I didn't find a particular track I liked on its own, but its a good experience overall.

Very nice :)

Kinda love Curtis. He's so authentic and deeply groovy. This album was meditative in its soulfulness

Good soul album. First couple songs were hot.

Damn that was dope. Did not expect that (new to me).

Jesus!

Well executed soulful tunes with a well defined atmosphere. Just very solid

Bra!

I love some Curtis Mayfield. I didn't find this album to be as fun as Superfly, but then again I don't think that it was supposed to be fun. Overall another great album by Curtis Mayfield 4/5

curtis is a king

Curtis hefur eitthvað sem vermir sálina mína. Góð kósí-plata.

A lot of soul in this

When Seasons Change puts the blues into rhythm and blues! So In Love throws back to Stax in the mid-'60s. After an outstanding start it did tail off.

Super smooth and super cool. Not normally a style of music that I seek out but I really liked this. 4 stars.

Not bad but I prefer the funkier Superfly more

Easy listening and groovy

This mf groovy asf

While not as loud or a as bombastic as you would think an album like this would be given the subject matter, the anger is still prevalent. The recording is subline, masterfully recorded and mixed that allows every instrument and voice space to breathe.

I didn't know much about Curtis Mayfield other than People Get Ready.

Some good tunes on there - loved So in love - Love to the peiplet

Nice mix of funk, soul and blues. I think it might grow on me.

Review #1 of 1001 Grooves 5/5 Vocals 3/5 Lyrics 5/5 Motown, 1970s Mayfield sheds light on a persistent struggle for people of color and the working class in general. Content as relevant nearly 50 years later as when this album originally released in the 70s. Impeccable instrumental funk vibes, the vocal style isn't my favorite, but has some high points. Favorite song was Blue Monday People. The album grew on me as it progressed, overall enjoyable listen. 3.5/5 Album art is very evocative, elevates the album as a whole to a solid 4/5 for me. Looking forward to hearing more in the soul/funk genre.

Loved it!

Yeah really liked this. Just some chill funky times

18/08/2022 Curtis Mayfield – There’s No Place Like America Today This album is a great surprise. R&B, funk and soul are styles I don’t listen to too often, but I’m going to start doing it if I can listen to great albums like this one. What a vibe! Everything sounds super smooth, sentimental, and made from the heart. The album is also lyric heavy, so it is worth it to listen and read. A note: as I said, I’m not well versed in these styles, so the review is only based on what I have feel with the songs (not that I’m a professional with the rest, but at least I have something to compare them). Billy Jack – 4.5/5 Incredible way to start the album. Great vibes and feelings, contrasting in a way with lyrics about the (probably violent) assassination of a man. When Seasons Change – 4/5 Again, a song with great sentiment put into it. I maybe like it a little less than the previous one. So in Love – 3/5 This song musically transmit so perfectly being in love. But (if I’m not wrong) the singer is trying to apologize for an affair? I don’t know, I feel like it violates the meaning and feelings of the song a bit. Jesus – 3/5 The song sounds great, but I’m not really into religious preaching. Blue Monday People – 4.5/5 This song does lyrically what So in Love does not, in terms of loving someone. Additionally, talks about the working class and depression. Its music is great too. My favourite of the album. Hard Times – 4/5 Great song with a great message, without frills, very simple. Love to the People – 4/5 Great conclusion to the album too. Great music, great vibes, great lyrics, great message.

Not being familiar with that particular album, i expected something more "funky-psychadelic". Outstanding sonics and musicianship tho.

Sequência envolvente e muito satisfatória.

Billy Jack - Very funky opening riff. Melody reminds me of Pink Floyd for some reason.

Great to listen to such an influential artist who kept making music after his accident that left him paralyzed.

Best Song: Billy Jack. A real soulful introduction to the album, with this current of funk that is disappointingly less-prominent in the rest of the album. Worst Song: Jesus. I love me some gospel music, but the falsetto became a bit too much, and the guitar solo in the middle just felt like Eric Clapton was trying to butt himself into the track, uninvited. Overall: A lovely soul/funk/R&B album. I don't know if I'd heard Curtis Mayfield before, but he has a beautiful voice. I also appreciate that the album is short; at 37 minutes it doesn't overstay its welcome. Perfect for relaxed settings. Music to cook and eat to.

Gillar! Funkigt och souligt. Bandet är otroligt med sina tighta riffs. Curtis Mayfields sång är ljuvligt sexig, men i vissa låtar hamnar rösten faktiskt lite för mycket i fokus, och instrumenten hamnar tyvärr i skymundan. Gillar kanske därför de lite "hårdare" låtarna, med tyngre riffs och mindre skönsång, som 'Billy Jack' och 'Hard Times', medan t.ex. en låt som 'Jesus' är lättare att glömma. Bästa låt: Billy Jack

Great Soul vibes

I didn’t have time for a proper listen but what I heard was Heartfelt, passionate and soul baring. Billy Jack and So I love were great. First impression is 3 stars but I think when I listen to it more carefully I might find it to be as good as Superfly so I’ll bump the score up another point now.

This is great, I'd only ever heard his hits before this.

Prefs: Billy Jack, Jesus, Blue Monday People, Hard Times, Love To The People Moins pref: When Seasons Change

glad i listened!

Frábær plata.

You understand that you're getting old when soul music doesn't sound embarrassing anymore. Sweet! I'm in, deeply.

The world is a smooth and terrible place.

Beautiful soulful and funky record. Love the bass tones and the guitar. Great arrangements. Slower than his other stuff I've heard.

Worth a second listen …

Yup.

"Billy Jack" - tune, "When Seasons Change" - silky Honest great Sunday album, gives off such autumn energy, love.

A real discovery, a brilliant album and none of his big hits.

god its so smooth

the soul

-pretty nice groovy stuff, but nothing to go crazy over -i like the high-pitched backing vocals -not as strong as his "Pusherman" album

Curtis sure was one funky guy

I feel like Curtis Mayfield had THE definitive soul sound of the 70s. His aesthetic was infectious and caught on like wildfire. Listening to this, you can tell Marvin and Curtis were listening to/influencing each other. This one just got better and better with repeated listens.

Was totally unfamiliar with this album and really enjoyed it, despite it being quite short. I hadn't realized that Mayfield penned Baby Huey's "Hard Times" until I heard it on this album. Good listen worth another round.

Dig it. Funky stuff with a unique voice.

Very soothing and enjoyable listen.

I didn't get the meaning of all songs from this album, but it's one of that cases where a classical is easily recognizable.

Nice mix of wah-wah funky bass and horns, if a little slow. Standout tracks: Billy Jack Hard Times Love to the People

Some funky songs, some chilled out ballads. Short album. Bit God Squaddy on some songs

listened to some of it...vibes!

I really liked his voice and the songs are impossible to dislike. Very solid album overall!

Even when it got slow, was still very pleasant listening. Soul music, indeed.

Love Curtis Mayfield. Mellow album.

Sounds good, not the biggest fan, but nice for the background.

3.5

Very smooth

my initial impression is hippie vibes it has a slow melody, but works for what the genre is. it is an easy album to listen to, very calming the guitar riffs are really good, it reminds me of some old time blues

Very soulful - lots of similar sounding songs

I already had Superfly in this list, and this doesn’t quite hit the same heights, but still excellent. Adding to the rotation.

Skön, lite roliga melodier/instrument och politisk. Precis vad man tänker om 1975!

Funk and Jesus!

long album as his voice never leaves the same single tone but was good

I've never heard this album but Curtis Mayfield is awesome and this album is too.

Curtis Mayfield is a musical and poetic genius who is not afraid to push a few buttons.

I don't know where Mr. Mayfield got his information, but Jesus definitely did drink that wine, drink that wine, drink that wine. Anyway, this was smooth as hell. Best track: So in Love

So. Good.

It's the same case as with electronic music - it's impossible to make bad RnB/Funk album.

Heartwarming and deep May need a couple of more listens

Clean sound, tenor vocals. It’s not my style, but it’s very interesting soul album

Makes Monday sound like a Sunday.

Another fantastic album! Keeping the streak alive from last week. Curtis Mayfield is probably my all-time favorite R&B voice, his falsetto is pretty unusual but very affecting. I hadn't heard this album before, but I know "So In Love" very well, thanks to GTAV. The politics on here sneak up on you, it's very effective. And it's still just great music to listen to, some undeniable grooves and melodies. I hope we also get the Superfly soundtrack on here, but I won't hold my breath. Awesome album! Favorite tracks: So In Love, When Seasons Change, Billy Jack, Blue Monday People, Love to the People. Album art: Very telling. The contrast between the American Dream and American Reality. Really like this classic art style too, especially when used ironically. 4.5/5

Some solid conscious soul and funk. I think it falters a little around the middle of the album, but it starts and ends strong enough to make it to four stars for me.

Great lyricism

This funky as hell…. Ultra cool from the super fly!!!

So smooth and mellow. Liked it!

Wheeeewww that SOUL man

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Billy jack, So in love, Love to the people

I like this music but I dont know, the album as a whole was kind of boring. I really liked Billy Jack.

Wow! A dang good mellow album!

nice sound

Really soulful album. So in Love is the best song on the album. 7/10.

4/5 - Great but not memorable in my opinion; not my style perhaps?

some good chill vibes for this one

now that is a opener to an album not what I expected at all "Don't get me wrong, the man is gone But it's a wonder, he lived this long" "Ah! didn't care nothing about being black" the instruments here are outrageous wow this album is throwing me not what I was expecting really enjoying it JESUS! ... JESUS! ... JESUS! "Doin’ crime wastin’ time! Drinkin’ that wine Drinkin’ and drinkin’ and drinkin’ and drinkin’" "Although he be my brother he wants to hold me up" "News is bad on every TV show So I tune in my radio, talkin' 'bout"

Couple of songs on here that didn't really land on me the first time, like Hard Times, but as the album was only 35 mins I went back and relistened to them. I can't really fault any track, great album. And one of the best album covers I've seen.

Very cool. Soulful/funky with great instrumentals and unique falsetto vocals.

interesting title, this is going to be political isn't it lol. nice intro. really nice voice. oh second song's awesome too, this is going to be a 5 easily. 'if you want a good life, best look into yourself'. interesting lyrics, pretty straightforward messages but you could probably tune them out if you're not really paying attention, he sounds so calm all throughout. it's a good balance then i guess. also i love the song lengths, they feel fully realized, hate when songs that sound good end too soon or go on for too long and become diluted, here they're perfect. it was a very satisfying listen all in all. i guess the album could feel a little bit samey but it's just over half an hour long and the variety in song themes makes up for it. first three songs were my favorites but they're all pretty good. it ended it up not being quite a 5 cause 'jesus' did nothing for me but really good otherwise.

Loved it

Nothing like an afternoon grooving to the smooth sounds of Curtis Mayfield.

Really great! Would love on vinyl!

Thought it was a triple blind, but I actually did recognize one of the songs! The track which makes “jesus” something of a sexy figure was certainly a choice… Otherwise though, I quite liked it. The upbeat funk coupled with smooth vocals made for a high quality listen

Curtis Mayfield is so smooth on this record. The grooves, basslines & vocals would all melt in your mouth. What the album is lacking is a standout moment or any tracks that rise above the rest. As pleasant of a listen this is, I'm not sure there's much I'll remember in a week's time. What it has in soul, it lacks in wow factor.

3.43

I didn't really know much about Curtis Mayfield and I am not completely sold on his very falsetto voice. This was much slower and sparser than I expected but has some decent grooves and lyrical themes

Edelleen tän artistin kanssa vaivaa sama kun edellisen levyn kohalla, että jotenkin toi laulumeno ei iske. Sillai kun miettii Princen menoo, kun se saa pahimman kiimakohtauksen niin ääni menee samanlaiseks. Tässä se on sit kroonista. Mutta levy itessään on jo aika jees. Kivaa tunnelmointii hyvillä soittosaundeilla. Nostetaan siis pykälällä arviookin!

Ihan sinällään kovaa musisointia, mutta jotenkin omaan korvaan vähän junnaavaa ja tylsää. Plussaa levyn kestosta, ja siitä että eihän tämä nyt missään nimessä huono levy ollut. 2,75 joka sitten varmaan pyöristetään kolmoseen.

Billy Jack was great. But then the rest of the album was just okay.

The opening track is brilliant and I really thought we were on a winner here. Although musically this remains pretty strong thought the rest of the album, unfortunately it just didn't hit as hard. The high falsetto voice did become a bit draining as the album went on. 3*

It was fine. Smooth and funky, but I feel like I probably shouldn't have listened to it at work.

funky

Good but I was slight put-off by the inclusion of Jesus - which is problem in any scenario let alone a nice album.

***A good, easy listening album

Nice but really not my kind of thing

Of the two albums on the list, I prefer his Superfly album. This is a perfectly fine album, perhaps a bit too mellow for me. The cover art is exceptional. Hard Times and Love to the People are the highlights for me.

this was such a cool vibe, at least the first few songs, but they really needed to be trimmed down, went on for TOO long. groovy smoothie

I really liked the first song, and I was planning to give the album a 4/5 based on that. However, as the songs went on, I found myself not enjoying them quite as much as the first one. It was still a good album, but the following songs were a bit slower and less funky and didn't catch my ear quite as well. They were also a bit religious for my tastes. So for that reason I'm going with a 3/5. Really it'd be a 3.5/5 if I could give half-stars—which I desperately wish I could.

Not the best Curtis is still Curtis

Su buen funk de la mano de un grande. Me ha gustado mucho, aunque no sé por qué, pero tengo la sensación de que tiene otros discos aún mejores. Canciones favoritas: When Seasons Change, Hard Times

Um ótimo disco de soul music, com certeza um prato cheio pra quem gosta do gênero.

Review - best falsetto in the game? Very good album. That said, it's maybe a bit overlong in places. Very sincere almost to the point of awkwardness at places. And Hard Times was done better by Baby Huey. Score - 6.5/10 Need to listen? YES

Smooth, sexy & soulful, though a little too gospel in parts for me

Overall great soul album with a powerful message. Nothing too special for me

Second fiddle to ‘What’s Going On’

Fave: So in Love

6.9

There's No Place Like America Today hit hard. 1975, three years after Superfly, and it feels like the album Mayfield wanted to write as a person rather than the more commercial previous one. This isn't your feel-good soul record, and that feels right to me for the subject matter. It's subdued funk, stripped back and deliberate. Hard Times was my obvious highlight, and it takes a lot for me to have space for a religious song What makes it work is the restraint. Mayfield could have gone big, but he went deep and slow instead. IMO, that works. The cover is unsubtle in the same way as the general vibe. On looking, t’s a 1937 photo of Black flood victims. Some tracks drag slightly in the middle, but I enjoyed the album and admired the message and the lack of padding.Again, so real it doesn’t have to tell you that, and relatedly a fascinating slice of history that works as oral telling as much as musically.

Chef singing to Kathie Lee Gifford, man I should start watching South Park again. 3/5

This was nice slow and chill. But at the same time pretty unremarkable.

Nice and bitesized. A bit zealous but a pleasant listen - didn't pull up many trees

ik voelde de soul niet in deze soul

Not my usual genre, soul with a little funk, but pleasant to listen to, and the themes still hit hard today. 3/5

pleasant soul/funk, no bangers

Curtis Mayfield’s voice on this one is a total love or hate thing, it’s definitely not the flashy, cinematic soul of Superfly... It’s way more stripped back and mellow. You’ve got these tight, moody basslines and a super laid back vibe that makes for a really powerful, socially conscious listen if you’re in the right headspace. Tracks like "Hard Times" and "So In Love" are just pure class. That said, it’s a slow burn, and if you’re looking for high-energy funk, you’re not gonna find it here. The tempos stay pretty low-key throughout, and things like "Jesus" are definitely a bit niche. You really have to be in the mood to just sit with it, otherwise it can feel a bit like it’s just drifting along.

All'inizio dell'ascolto pensavo che avrei dato 4 stelle. Ne dò 3 perché è un disco che non si evolve nè esplora, ma rimane fermo e statico. Sia gli arrangiamenti sia voce rimangono gli stessi durante tutto l'album. Gli arrangiamenti sono molto particolari, essenziali e poco ambiziosi. Per quanto riguarda la voce, mi sarebbe piaciuto sentire oltre il falsetto tirato, quasi sospirato, che prevale nel disco, anche delle parti di voce piena e calda che non ho trovato (la voce piena si trova solo in 'Hard Times' ma con scarso successo). La mia preferita è 'When Seasons Change'.

Sexy

Solid old-school r&b

laid-back groove that's not quite as appealing as his Superfly album

Critical and necessary. My favorite song from this album is: ˝So in love˝ My rating for this album is: 2:90

dark

Fun! “So in Love” and “Love to the People” are solid 70s soul-funk, of course. There are some clichés, too, I’m afraid (e.g., “Jesus”).