Reviews (page 7 of 13)
Somewhat out of my wheelhouse, but kind of feel like I should listen to R&B / soul / funk more often? Reminds me of the kind of music I'd listen to growing up on oldies. Standouts: - This cover art. - So in Love - such a smooth vibe - Jesus - kind of want to look closer at the lyrics - Hard Times - Love to the People
6.5/10 fun music. Some good lyrics in there
Quand en 1975 l’ex-leader des Impressions et génie de la soul de Chicago décide de balancer son album, on ne pouvait que s’attendre à ce que la foudre frappe à nouveau. Sorti trois piges après le raz-de-marée cinématographique et sonique Superfly, There’s No Place Like America Today est arrivé avec toutes les attentes. Pourtant, disons les choses clairement : quand Superfly a le barreau, cela donne There's No Place. Une sorte de réponse décalée au monumental What's Going On de Marvin Gaye, un disque qui, sous ses faux airs de manifeste politique et de constat social au vitriol, transpire surtout le sexe et la luxure. On se croirait presque face aux obsessions charnelles du Big Chief de South Park, les yeux exorbités et le slip en surchauffe, prêt à tout transformer en sérénade de fond de caleçon. Mais sur la longueur, la sauce prend-elle vraiment ? Pas totalement. Ce septième effort solo de Mayfield est un objet étrange, bancal par moments, qui m'a laissé sur ma faim et qui ne décroche chez moi qu’un très sage 3 sur 5, la moyenne syndicale pour un artiste dont on attend systématiquement l'extase. La pochette, pourtant, annonce la couleur d'un cynisme absolu. En reprenant la photo historique de Margaret Bourke-White montrant des réfugiés afro-américains attendant de la nourriture sous une affiche publicitaire ironique (« There's No Way Like the American Way »), Curtis Mayfield semble vouloir planter un poignard dans le dos de l'Oncle Sam. On s'attend à un disque de révolte, un pavé dans la mare des illusions post-Watergate et de la récession économique du milieu des années 70. Mais dès qu'on appuie sur la touche PLAY, le constat politique se fait vite déborder par une tout autre énergie, bien plus charnelle et perverse. L'engagement politique est là, certes, mais il est comme filtré à travers des draps de satin froissés et des lumières tamisées qui invitent moins à la révolution populaire qu'à des galipettes illégitimes. Curtis ne hurle pas sa rage sur les barricades : il susurre ses doutes à l'oreille, un verre de bourbon dans une main et la main baladeuse de l'autre. C'est cette tension permanente entre le sermon moraliste et la tentation de la chair qui domine tout l'album, le transformant en un drôle de champ de bataille où la sueur du désir prend systématiquement le pas sur les slogans politiques. Sur le plan strictement musical, l'album ne fait pas dans l'esbroufe orchestrale ni dans les cuivres flamboyants d'antan. Ici, Curtis dépouille son propos, ralentit le tempo jusqu'à l'extrême et privilégie une approche minimaliste, presque fantomatique. C’est du funk au ralenti, de la soul qui s'étire en longueur avec des lignes de basse lourdes, répétitives, et une guitare wah-wah qui pleure plus qu'elle ne tranche. Ce refus délibéré du tube immédiat ou de l'hymne fédérateur donne au disque une atmosphère poisseuse, mais qui finit par tourner un peu en rond. Les morceaux s'enchaînent dans une torpeur étrange où le falsetto légendaire de Curtis, d'ordinaire si vibrant et porteur d'espoir, semble ici flotter au-dessus d'une messe noire hédoniste. Tout est lent, étouffé, confinant parfois à une paresse rythmique qui empêche l'album de véritablement décoller. En poussant cette logique de la retenue jusqu’à l’excès, Curtis Mayfield finit par enfermer l’auditeur dans un huis clos sonore. Et là où d'autres galettes du bonhomme savaient faire cohabiter l'urgence de la rue et la souplesse d'un groove imparable, nous sommes ici englué dans un sirop narcotique un poil indigeste. On cherche en vain l'étincelle qui viendrait embraser cette mécanique trop huilée, ce moment de bascule où le discours social cesserait de faire banquette pour véritablement mordre. Au lieu de ça, on a l'impression d'assister à un long monologue chuchoté au fond d'un club enfumé où les clients pensent davantage à finir la nuit accompagnés qu'à refaire le monde. Cette nonchalance permanente, si elle installe une ambiance moite incontestable, finit par user la patience : à force de refuser l'explosion et de brider les montées de sève, Curtis désamorce lui-même la charge subversive qu'il prétendait injecter dans ses pistes. Le problème quand on s'appelle Curtis Mayfield et qu'on a déjà gravé des sommets de la musique noire américaine dans le marbre, c'est que la complaisance ne pardonne pas. Face à la perfection narrative d'un Superfly ou à la grâce aérienne de ses grandes envolées chez les Impressions, cette cuvée 1975 fait pâle figure et sonne un peu comme une redite en demi-teinte. L'album reste néanmoins une curiosité fascinante pour quiconque s'intéresse aux errances sonores du maître, mais il lui manque ce petit quelque chose qui transforme un simple disque d'ambiance en véritable déflagration intemporelle. À l’arrivée, ce There's No Place Like America Today n'est évidemment pas une bouse infâme — le talent de compositeur et d'arrangeur de Curtis Mayfield empêche tout naufrage intégral —, mais il n'a tout simplement pas réussi à me faire monter au rideau. Trop engourdi par ses propres fantasmes, trop tiraillé entre la gravité de son sujet et ses pulsions lubriques de soulman en rut, le disque flotte dans un entre-deux qui frustre autant qu'il intrigue. On est très loin de la clarté incisive de Roots ou du souffle visionnaire de ses premiers chefs-d'œuvre solo. Au final, c’est un disque qui s'écoute d'une oreille distraite un soir de déprime ou lors d'un rencard qui s'éternise sans jamais conclure.
Pretty Funky
I ultimately find this kind of soul a bit too slow and repetitive, though I respect the talent.
Laid back, soulful, and cohesive. A lot of sound that go "wah." the singer using a lot of falsetto is an interesting characteristic. A little too lethargic for my tastes, but I dig it. Some interesting contemplative lyrics as well.
This is a perfectly fine bit of R&B that is nice enough to listen to, but also generally just isn't entirely my thing. Did I think it was good? Sure. Is this something I'd listen to again? Not likely. Not my genre of choice. Also, damn what a fucking album cover.
Very, too easy listening.
Not bad. needs more listens for me. 3/5
Et album å vandre i byen til, men antagelig passer et mørklagt Detroit bedre enn norske forstader. Curtis og kompani har valgt seg ett tempo og endrer ikke noe på det. Blottet for pop-frierier og godt lent bakover på foregående album fra herremannen. Dette når aldri ekstatiske høyder, og jeg vet ikke hvor dype tanker jeg kan klare å få til med tekstlinjer som can’t be no fun / shot with a hand gun Alt etter dagsformen svirrer dette mellom tre og fire, men den institusjonaliserte rasismen gir det en treer i dag.
Solid soul album.
First listen; 3.5; This is an album I want to come back and give more listens to. I really enjoy the sound and production of the music, and the vocals are really enjoyable with the music. It feels light and airy enough while still being punchy, smooth, and interspersed with fun riffs and runs. Feels like there's a lot of happiness under the surface of the songs that's restrained but then allowed to bubble up. Favorite Track: When Season Change
3.9/5
Billy jack So in love Hard times Skip track Jesus
6.5
Billy jack - 3/5 When seasons change - 2/5 So in love - 4/5 Jesus - 2/5 Blue monday people - 3/5 Hard times - 3/5 Love to the people - 4/5
It was soulful, groovy and deep. I appreciate his guitar skills and blending of jazz and motown into a somewhat different sound all together. It did all feel a little one note and no major highs or lows, just sort of middle.
This was great music to vibe to. I think I’d need multiple listens to connect on a deeper level, but I liked the groovy sounds.
Ihan mukavaa, perus 70-luvun sieluilua.
Kunnollista sialukasta menoa. Ei ehkä itelle uppoa pidemmän päälle, mutta toimii aikansa. Perushyvää soitantaa ja laulantaa, niinku voi odottaa.
not my thing but great for what it is!
This album flew by and I must confess I never really heard a break between songs. Very typical of the other Mayfield albums I've heard. I'll go back to this one for sure.
Funky cool but all the same
Funk…todavía lo entiendo bien pero fluyó
A nice funky album. Pretty good way to start a Monday.
Liked it. Funky
Pretty good, chill
Socially conscious soul - a classic combo but not particularly standout
3/5
Pretty good, soulful and funky and I don't normally listen to this kind of music. Great vocals and great band performances. Solid 3/5.
Timely after just watching Bend it like Beckham! I didn’t realize he was Move On Up! Iconic. His career is incredible wowowow. I don’t usually love a higher voice but this is hitting.
Lettbeint digg funk/soul
An easy album to listen to from beginning to end. It's quiet, but you can feel it.
3 Half of it sounds like what people would be having sex to 50 years ago, and the other half is about Jesus
Fun and enjoyable enough but not particularly memorable. Great album cover though
3.5
6 - so in love is quite good, rest is ok
150726 10:38 3.5
Groovy soul music nice enough
Hele soepele funky plaat van Curtis. Vind de vibe minder sterk als Move On Up, maar dat is dan ook wel één van mijn favo platen. Heb Curtis in die zin wel hoog zitten. There's No Place Likes America heeft is smooth en een goede muzikale ondersteuning van de hoge kopstem waar hij veel in zingt. Hij klinkt dan bijna als een blaasinstrument. Hij blaast mij er niet mee omver, maar lekker is het wel. 7/10 Highlights Blue Monday People
Okay album - may listen again 3 stars
Meek instrumentals and Mayfield sings at too high of a register. 2.5 stars.
Not the best Mayfield, but still really good
This was ok, I enjoyed the overall style, but each song was a bit too long. Also, it just sounds like vintage sex music.
so in love w dis album ...
Nice to have something that isn't rock but I do feel like he hasn't reached his full potential yet, especially when it comes to the vocals
Good R&B. Very iconic vocals from Curtis Mayfield. Good album like too, short and sweet
Ime mi je znano, mogla bi vsaj kak komad poznat? Wiki mi ne pomaga pri tem. Mogoč pa dejansko ne poznam nič. "So In Love" je prou fajn. Ma cel album so far je fajn. "Blue Monday People", "Hard Times", "Love to the People" so mi bli tud vsi fajni, bl se mi pa zdi, da noben komad ni posebej izstopal, na žalost.
I think this is pleasant enough but it does kind of fade into the background after awhile. I'm not crazy about the vocals throughout this record. Sometimes Mayfield's falsetto sounds appropriate for the mood of the song, but he doesn't have much vocal strength in that register and it can often sound faltering and flat as he struggles to hold the notes. It can even get a bit grating, like on "Jesus" where he just keeps hammering this particular note over and over until it kind of gave me a headache (but I was already on edge from being unexpectedly transported to church against my will). That's also the point in the record when I got bored and checked out, although Hard Times almost brought me back on board. I think, unfortunately, the vocals distracts me from the great musicianship going on behind it. The brass section in "So in Love" sounds especially good, and I like the saxophone in Love to the People.
Slow for sure, but I like the funky soul and gospel vibes. Plus its sad, angry, and horny and thats fun too.
Good
Would not buy
Classic sound but the best part is the album cover
Love Curtis but this album was weaker.
Curtis Mayfield’s distinctive voice is outstanding as usual. Really strong message that resonates across time in America. Will there ever be a time when black artists DONT need to keep telling us about what’s going on? Aretha Franklin, Gil Scott-Heron, Stevie, Public Enemy and every hip-hop and rap act that came after (except Eminem, named after a type of candy), UB40, Solange … it just never stops. That being said, interesting music that didn’t really stick with me. Classic soul, well done but not very memorable for me.
I really liked two tracks from this record (Billy Jack, Love to the People) but the other tracks are completely forgetable. 3.5/5
That title...!! more true now than at the time of this album. Not in a positive way though right? Loved the funky opening track and the album closed with a couple of great songs. I got irritated with high pitched voice through the middle of the album though. Therefore only a 3
Pretty good but kinda unremarkable
I enjoyed this. I hear a lot of Prince.
5.5/10 - Kind of a neutral soul/funk album. Nothing really stood out here.
I feel pretty indifferent about this album. It's fine. Light 6/10
Fue una buena escucha (Mucho mejor que lo anterior), pero no sé si para 4 estrellas, queda cerca
3/5. Not one of my personal favorite Curtis Mayfield albums. His singing is still great and the production is smooth but most of the songs on this one have just never stuck with me as much as those found on an album like “Move on Up.” That being said I do at least love the closer “love to the people”.
202. nice
Smooth as peanut butter soul album. A little slow for my taste, but otherwise no complaints
It was just good. Fav tracks: Love to the People, Hard Times, So In Love
This reminds me of tv shows in mid 70s. Funky falsetto didnt pay attention to lyrics. It was good but not great for my first listen. Actually surprised it was released in 75 - I would have guessed earlier.
I had this playing while cleaning my pool and now the whole neighborhood is pregnant, including the men. Never heard a sexy song about Jesus before but what do you know.
Funky
Nice old school music that was enjoyable back ground noise while working, the guy had a nice voice, the A’ing So In Love was my favourite
Not bad, kinda weird
Have I listened to this album before No How familiar am I with this album Unfamiliar How do I feel about this artist? I do not know him Pre-Listen Thoughts: I’m not a big soul fan so we’ll see about this one Favorite track(s): Billy Jack Post-Listen Thoughts: Still not my genre, but a solid album
I love Superfly but haven't really delved into Curtis Mayfield's catalog. This is pretty good funk/soul but I have to admit none of the songs really stand out. It's a bit to mellow for my taste even though I did enjoy it.
I appreciate the talent behind the falsetto, but it didn't make the listening experience better - almost brought it down to a two
I need to check how many of his albums are on this list, because... WHY? This is very middle of the road for him, I mean, it's not bad, but there are better albums (and singles) from Curtis. I'd never listened to this album of his before, but my dad loved the artist. It's... nothing special, nothing great, but a good (not great) example of the genre and his talents. I can listen to it on a technical level, and love what is done in songwriting, recording, and production, but for just casual listening, I'm not fully on board. "Billy Jack" 6:10 Funky, fun, but slow. This isn't exactly my normal jam as an entree, but more a side dish. "When Seasons Change" 5:28 Love the bells to open.another nice slow funky track, but by this point his falsetto is starting to grate on me a little. "So in Love" 5:15 The only single on the album, it's the strongest of the album so far, but very much more of the same, but more upbeat than the previous two. "Jesus" 6:13 Hey a bit of very slow Gospel! A change of pace without feeling out of place on the album. "Blue Monday People" 4:50 Well, a step up from the last track, back up in tempo while still feeling Gospel... At this point I'm grooving, but not enjoying. This album so far is what I would have as background music, not active listening music. "Hard Times" 3:45 Well, this sounds like it was written for Blacksploitation movies (which he did a lot of music for), it's the B-Side for So In Love, so it's more famous, and so far the second strongest track on the album. "Love to the People" 4:07 B Side to a non-album single, and... well... at least it's short. I'm kinda over the album by now. I simply lost interest. I can appreciate the technical sides, the writing, the recording, the mixing, but the results just... not my thing. Favorite Song: So in Love Least Favorite Song: Jesus Album Rating: 65/100 Familiarity Rating: 5/100 Would I listen again?: Nah. I'd let some of his stuff filter in, but I really didn't fully enjoy this.
Oh, hello, political album. So, I’m coming into this completely cold. My normal music sources don’t play soul/funk music, so I’m not familiar with this genre in general. I wish I was. I should be. Hopefully that’s going to change by the end of this thing. I am completely the wrong person to be talking about a lot of the themes here, though. I live in a region that has been predominantly White for as long as I can remember. There were *no* Black kids in my high school, in a town that didn’t crack 5000 population until around the time I was starting college. My entire exposure to non-White/Caucasian/whatever-epithet-you-prefer culture comes through media, and even then, largely through osmosis. Now, all that said, I can at least try to come at this in something resembling empathy. This is probably not the best album to be the first funk album I’ve ever listened to, but there’s still a lot to enjoy here. I love the instrumentation across the board here, and the way that the tracks give the music a lot of time to build up before Curtis Mayfield’s falsetto comes in and establishes the statements that his songs want to make. I came into this with a very different idea of what I was going to encounter than what I got. The A-side opens by giving us a track about senseless urban violence, a brief eulogy that stays away from going anywhere near being a dirge, lyrics even calling out that it’s all too common an event, that it’s hard to truly mourn when it’s been so clear that it was coming. So, like… I know that the Conscious Hip-Hop genre is a thing, but I was not expecting that kind of content in a 1970s funk album. The center of the album, the rest of the A-side and the start of the B-side knows exactly what it wants to say after that. Look after your own, your neighborhood is a community, find strength in togetherness, in shared faith, in the knowledge that everyone is suffering together. But all too soon, it comes back to the darker thesis statement. The stereotypes about Black people are that they’re violent toward each other, that they’re someone to fear, and that’s not right. Practice what the Good Lord preaches, let love defeat fear, and stop destroying community where it should be propping you up. Poverty is everyone’s problem, and climbing on your neighbors’ backs to try to get out instead of working with them to lift everyone is only going to drag everyone down. This is not the album I expected. This is not the album I wanted right now. But all the same, this is an album I’m glad to have heard. I don’t know that it’s an album I would return to, though. I can appreciate the artistry, and the messages, but that’s not a place I often want to go in my listening. 10/10 for artistry – this is an album that knows what it needs to say what it’s trying to say, and has precisely that, no more, no less. 10/10 for messaging, as well. However, I have to rate based on enjoyment and likelihood of returning to this album or my numbers are going to be skewed in a way that doesn’t help to sketch out my musical tastes, so unfortunately I think the most I can give this is a 6/10. Not the score I want to be giving the album, but as a gauge of enjoyment on anything besides a purely intellectual level, it’s probably the most honest
Groovy, sabroso, religioso aguantes Jesús de Nazaret. La voz puede cansa. Es un 3.5
A bit disappointed with this one, seeing how much I've liked other stuff from him. The album isn't bad but the big hitters didn't really do anything for me. Not sure why it's on here.
3.5
Enjoyable
Low key. Unremarkable
Soul/Funk Favorite Tracks: Billy Jack, So In Love, Hard Times Least Favorite Track: Jesus In a way, this album has the slow-soul/funk album where it’s a bunch of protest songs about current events back in the day, such as Billy Jack with gun control (and in fact, it’s actually clear as day with the album cover). While the lyrics and the vocals of Curtis is good, I can’t help but to feel bored about the entirety of the album, and it doesn’t help that the instrumental felt a bit out of place for me. While it’ll be in my music collection and be in my usual rotation, I don’t think that I truly have the urge on wanting to listen to them over some of the other collection that I have; mainly just to use it for when it’s on shuffle. 6/10
In today's world of constant chaos in the news, it's nice to listen to Mayfield's mostly wholesome record about love, Jesus and good will toward man. He recognizes that hardships exist and must be overcome, but also doesn't ever seem too overly stressed about them, which is a great change of pace. I do wish he had a little bit more vocal range in some of these songs, as his higher pitch can be a little bit grating, but what his voice can do within its range is impressive all on its own.
Billy Jack, temón. Después el resto, groovero pero muy pum pa abajo o muy católico
chill. soul. cool.
Enjoyed it well enough.
Its fine, nothing special. Homogeneous album. No standout tracks. All performed well, interesting subject matter, just nothing catchy or memorable. Not a huge fan of his constant falsetto on this album, he sounds like a guy who can kind of sing falsetto and insists on doing it all the time and nobody tells him it's not that good. He sings a lot better on his other albums.
*Love the horn sections and funk style
Solid set of Curtis Mayfield-ass music, if you're into that kinda thing, which I am. That said no real stand out tracks in particular.
Completely fine but I will probably never think about this ever again
Sublime
Twas fine. Some standouts, but mostly just went along. Cool cover tho. Highlights-Billy Jack and Blue Monday People.
70s funk is strong in this one, lot of soul in there
I think I was hoping for more funk than this one delivered. Just another R&B that was just ok for me.
Decent enough, can't say I'm the biggest fan of his voice or how much Jesus is in there but on the whole I enjoyed it
Somewhat sensual, somewhat funky, lots of falsetto
Good background music
soul with gospel
Real cool and smooth R& B from the one who des it best! Nice listen. So much a 70's back flash
Very soulful and I like the splash of gospel.
#948. He's a good singer and all that, and the bass lines are pretty good too, but this genre of music is not at all interesting to me. It's kind of a chore to get through. 3/5: fine
Esta bueno, muy chill, pero la verdad no me encantó nada de lo que escuché.
Da mogu preći preko glasa mislim da mi ne bi bilo toliko loše ali nikako ni da se naviknem. Inače je ok album, sviđa mi se cover, inače čim vidim riječ amerika instant mrzim ali ovo je kvalitetno pokazano.
A wee bit religious. I do quite enjoy the sound, but the lyrics aren't quite my speed.
First listen
A 5.5/10. I didn’t really connect with this one. I can respect the message, the soul, and the smoothness in the sound, but for me it feels a bit too light. It feels like it’s building toward something bigger, but never fully explodes. There’s quality here, no doubt, but it didn’t grab me emotionally or musically.
Hard for me to connect with this era/genre but it’s obviously well done. I guess all of these are “the best of all time”, right? Glad I listened to but won’t in the future.
Bit of a perplexing one. I kept expecting it to click into a higher gear, and it just never did. I liked everything on here, but it seemed like it was missing something. Reviews call it 'restrained' - I think it might have been a little too restrained. Not my favourite Mayfield album, by a fair margin.
You are spot on Curtis. Sadly not blown away
This was OK but if I'm in the mood I'd just go back to Superfly
05/11 Was okay
Mixed opininios, esperaba que sea algo más revolucionario pero no dejan de ser todos muy GOD BLESS AMERICA
This album didn’t particularly stir anything in me. I went in excited to finally have a soul/ funk album but it didn’t have the energy I was expecting. Probably wouldn’t listen to again, but it gets credit for some groove.
I liked it but it didn't have anything that blew me away
Groovy
For me this was just okay but I could see where someone else would like it quite a bit better.
Muy bueno. Me gustaron las vibes
Its not my style of music but its prety chill so 👍 Apparently Curtis Mayfield has way better albums that are not on this book (exept for superfly). So why was this one choosen ?
Billy jack - 4 When seasons change - 3 So in love - 3 Jesus - 2 Blue monday people - 3 Hard times - 4 Love to the people - 4
So smooth it slid in one ear and out the other
Slow and funky would be my words to describe this album. I enjoyed the grooved deeply engraved in each track. This was well done, but not stand out to me. 3.5, rounding down to a 3 because I am not sure I would come back to it. Favorite Tracks: Billy Jack So in Love
Nothing really interesting on this album. Some quite good tracks, So In Love but also some not very good, Jesus! The music was pretty groovy, but Mayfields voice I found to be a bit fatiguing.
Was enjoyable enough, but didn’t love it either. It’s a basic three star record, for me.
Perfekt söndagsmusik
This has a great start but I felt burnt out at the end. 6/10
Blues sympa sans plus
This is very funky, and Curtis remains one of the smoothest motherfuckers humanity has ever produced, but I'll be real, there's only so much earnest Jesusing I can take.
Незнаю, музика сама по собі гарна, але це не те, що я люблю. Було нудно, 2,5
While I can appreciate its subtle groove and atmosphere, I found it difficult to fully engage with the album, as it tended to fade into the background.
OK backing to my morning routine.
A great sounding record. The genre isn’t always my favorite but I can see how others would enjoy this greatly.
Obama
3,5 Deberían poner intervalos para las notas
Not bad. Not my style. Can see how this was a huge influence on Prince and others.
Tested the times. From the 70’s to today , put out classic funk music. Good songs. Unique voice.
Had a couple of very pleasant listens to this yesterday. I always admire the minimalist, slow funky stuff. Being harsh and going with three because it didn't really grab me, although there were a couple of stand out tracks. It's probably better than I'm rating it but hey ho can't give everything four stars.
Sweet.
Highlights: Billy Jack, So In Love 3.3
I really enjoy Curtis Mayfield. He does suffer a bit from not being Marvin Gaye. But still, it's good stuff.
an okay album Rating:3/5 GEMV (21.04.2026)
Good grooves. Excellent horn section. Great bass. Falsetto not our jam. Lack of strong melody.
A nice, sort of funky feel to this album. I don't have a lot of thoughts on it but the listening experience was enjoyable.
3.7
Some real funky grooves; hadn’t heard this album of his. Good stuff!
Got dat mm-funk.
Smooth experience, good music for evenings with your significant other. I chuckled when I imagined the artist in the recording booth waving to his own singing.
Undeniably smooth and sexy but I lost interest after a few songs. This genre of music doesn't do much for me and the constant falsetto got boring, fast. Positives are it's nice and short, and easy enough to get through. 2.5/5.
Rather middling but funky. Suggestive but also political - great mix!
à part la première musique j'ai rien retenu
Muy lindo, no es mi estilo pero suena excelente
Une pure pochette de prof d’anglais
Soft and funky, not for me. I especially don't like Jesus, too worship music for me, almost a sung sermon. The whole album is super cool, though.
Loved the story telling
not bad, kind of inconsistent
Jesus is the standout for me on this album. I like Mayfield but this is not one of his better albums.
I enjoyed the themes of the songs, felt a bit repetitive but great soul
I like Curtis Mayfield but I don't like this album all that much, I think it's not terrible it's just not for me. It's a little slow and drags on just a bit much. Idk. Eh
It’s good, I haven’t listened to really any Mayfield. I get the sense I would like his other stuff much more, but this isn’t bad. My two favs here are Billy Jack and the groove on Hard Times. I think I got the wrong idea from the first track because the rest of the album was just a down tempo bummer for me afterwards. I get enough societal dread in my day to day, I’m not sure I need it in my music listening as well.
1. starts off with a great bass & guitar tone 2. nice 3. bit slow... 4. again, a bit slow 6. got more energy at least 7. all in all, very funky, but it could have a little more vairance between the tracks, if not in the tracks themselves (very plain dynamic, chords etc...) 3/5
2,5
If you love his sound, you'll love this. Classic Curtis!
Pretty smooth, nice, album.
Very excited for this one! I'm not terribly familiar with Mayfield's work at all, but I'm aware of his influence and happy to have the opportunity to dive in. Starts off with some really funky bass and guitars. His voice is phenomenal. Very cool too think about how this style has influenced modern R&B. It's also interesting how the social commentary here still feels relevant. The falsetto is really amazing on When Seasons Change. There's less musical variation on here than I would have expected. It seems some of his other work is more funky/upbeat. Definitely an album that I would revisit as whole more so than I would individual songs, but I think Billy Jack is the one I'll put on my 1001 Albums Project playlist. Very happy I discovered this!
beautiful music! not my usual genre but well made
This is a good week for soul and funk albums. Although I will admit that I have a strong preference for the latter and this skews towards the former. The first side last song here are incredible though. And everything in between is solid. There's No Place Like America Today taps into something spiritual, political, and humanistic. The themes are still relatable, and even the album's name is as loaded and powerful as it was when it came out. Even if I can't relate precisely to the experiences on here, I think Curtis Mayfield very powerfully invokes the universal. Even if I don't see myself coming back to a ton of these songs, there is a power and a bespoke grace here. Curtis Mayfield handles his subjecat matter very elegantly. I am ultimately very glad I heard this.
This was ok. It was a bit slower than I tend to personally like. I saw one of the top global reviews of this say the music sounds like something Chef from South Park would sing to and I laughed harder than I should have.
Not his best but enjoyable. There's no Move On Up, unfortunately.
Great lyricism, good voice, let down by a lack of musical ideas.
Sabrosito
Pues no me he guardado ninguna por ahora, pero me ha parecido muy interesante y disfrutable. Repetiré.
I enjoyed this but I didn't find it super remarkable.
I liked the vibes
Smooth album and a good listen, but nothing that stands out.
Nice listen. The funky bass is great. I couldn't really pick out any favourite moments, nothing really stood out after listening once. I suppose it can get a bit repetitive at times. But it's really pleasant, I might listen to this again sometime.
No lo escuche
6/10
Ok album. Not really my thing. Nice playing of the band but not that into falsetto singing
Some nice funky baselines and soothing falsetto
I appreciate the craft, and soul music as a whole, but it just doesn’t do much for me, the odd track aside. At times the music feels like a 70s stakeout movie but it’s probably what I enjoy most about this album. It might have helped if a couple of his more famous songs were on this album.
Isch en vibe
Classic soul with the right amount of funk along for the ride. Favorite track: Hard Times
I enjoyed this, but I didn't pick out a particularly memorable part to bring me back to it again, maybe with So in Love. That said I think other entries in the genre or even from Curtis Mayfield could fair better. His voice is beautiful and the music is meaningful at times and easy to listen to.
Pretty good record and great album art. Favourite Track(s): So In Love, Billy Jack Least Favourite Track(s): Jesus
Понравилось ревью про шефа из южного парка
Ok, good singer, soul, but not really something I listen to.
It was alright. The album just gives off sex.
Very musically talented, however I was hoping there would be a bit more social commentary here given the album's title and cover. This isn't my usual style of music, but can see it on in the background when there is company over. 3.5
Since this was a weekend option, I listened to it more than once. The first time, I didn't love it. Didn't hate it, just sounded like a motown record from the 70s. The second time, I spent a little more time and attention on it, knowing what I was getting, and I liked it more. This is a patient album, but maybe I'm not patient enough because a lot of these songs go on too long. But, the more you just let it happen, the better it is. Unfortunately, it's still just good. Nothing to hate here, but nothing to love, either. Good album, not a great one.
Helt kurant.
Not something I would choose to listen myself, but it went really good on a peaceful Saturday afternoon.
I enjoyed this, but it didn’t strike me as a particularly outstanding album within the sphere of soul or funk. The vocals were strong and the lyrics profound, but with the exception of only a few tracks, I found the music itself to be pretty standard.
Any Curtis is good Curtis. This doesn’t maybe have as many highs as some of his other LPs but it was a pleasurable listen. I completely forgot he wrote Hard Times, which I originally heard done by Huey Baby. Anyway, lovely stuff.
6/10
fell asleep in train while gf was being cutesy sleeping
Soul, funk.
Good one, especially for a Friday. Not my favorite Curtis Mayfield, but very good.
lowkey not bad but it starts sounding the same
Enjoyable and short, yes and yes
Short and sweet. Brilliant album for cooking on a Sunday. Good album cover.
Soul music
The man's absolutely right - it can't be no fun to be shot with a hand gun. Love the keyboard sounds, love the groove, but don't love a whole album of his voice. Sorry.
fave song - so in love least fave- jesus overall rating- 6/10
Indeed there isn't Curtis, indeed there isn't.
Nice sounding album. I liked the beginning of So In Love a lot. Lyrics seemed to be a is of political and love songs. High 3.
I hadn’t heard of Curtis before I thought the album sounded alright nothing special but nice to listen to
Started off really promising with "Billy Jack". Just too many slower songs sung at a falsetto... it just didn't hold my attention very well.
Doin' crime. Wastin' time. Drinkin' wine. Talkin' bout Jesus baby.
I thought this album was fine, but nothing really stood out to me. The music was good, and he has a great voice, but I just can't see wanting to come back to this record. I wanted it to be better, but it just wasn’t it for me.
Love to the People is a groove!
Not very interested in the Soul genre, still a solid album though.
I'm not totally sold on the idea of political porno music
This is not my genre but I can appreciate it (and the album itself feels extra prescient right now)
Great album artwork. This sounds a lot like Awaken, My Love! (i.e., Redbone) by Childish Gambino, and neither are exactly my thing, but I appreciate what they've got going on. Hard Times was a really enjoyable song lyrically, it expressed similar sentiments you hear on Good Kid Maad City but with a different tone.
très bon 4+/5
Been about 20 years since I listened to much Curtis Mayfield, there was always a sharp line for me of love vs hate his different tracks.. ‘Billy Jack’ was my favorite but many others here I didn’t like very much. Really enjoy the groove. Overall 2.5/5, gets the bump from lacking half-stars
6/10 uno menos.
7/10 no es para nada mi onda pero banque me gusta para ambientar
Thissssss kind of passed me by im sorry to say. I love Curtis Mayfield, maybe I just love the hits, I’m sorry! 3.0/5.0 Best Song: Hard Times
It’s enjoyable, but it’s nothing special to me, the songs are all pretty similar, it’s not the best Curtis mayfield album by a long stretch.
Funky background music, really helped me lock into my uni work
Enjoyable to listen to. Not necessarily my favorite album but I liked it.
5/10
Fine, but not really my thing
Man is a legend
Tbc
Cool and funky, mellow soul from the People Get Ready guy. Not too shabby a start to a Sunday morning.
Ok album, nist special. Ima Marvin Gaye normie music vibe. 6/10 Najbolja pisma: So in love
Groovy, but not sure how much I really enjoyed it.
Vähän Prince-esque mut tylsempi ja enemmän gospel. Groove on mukava mut ei jaksa kuunnella.
3.5
I like more upbeat Curtis Mayfield, but this was something I've never heard. It's interesting and sad that issues he discussed in 1975 remain the same in 2026.
interesting but didn’t hook me
I thought it was a pleasant listen, strongest tracks to me being Billy Jacks, So in Love and Love to the People. I just thought it was missing an out and out classic track to raise it up. I've got it at a 3 right now, but there's the potential for a 4 in future.
So In Love the highlight and a strong finish but doesn’t reach Superfly levels.
Funky and fun and sexy. What it lacks is something with a bit more of a hook that would keep drawing me back to it. As it stands it’s somewhat forgettable.
Curtis fucking Mayfield. Despite some of the darker depictions of America at times in this album, this shit is MY feel good music. Billy Jack is such a captivating opener. I wouldn’t say this is near being his best album, but it was a fun ride. I enjoy the concept of the album and this stuff still hits today.
Pas mon vibe, Curtis...
3 out of 5. Very relevant album to today's America. Otherwise short and sweet.
Soul food.
3/5 - very groovy but too slow and samey for me. The vocals started to grate on me about half way through
I liked it
It's really strange that there are only two curtis mayfield albums on this list and neither of them are Curtis. This one is still pretty damn good but is not quite as seismic as his initial run. This one is a little sadder and slower than much of what came before. Favorite Tracks: Billy Jack, When Seasons Change, Hard Times
Soul is definitely not my cup of tea but I can recognize this is good and well executed. I'm torn between giving it 3 or 4 stars because I do believe it deserves 4 stars; problem is I was saving 4 stars for "things I'd keep a physical copy of" (even if it's something I think it deserves 3 stars but I like the genre / artist anyway) So.... it's tricky
Little morning soul. Short album, no complaints there. No real standouts.
3.2 2x great sound. catch up 2/9
Anhörbar! Aber doch eher zum Nebenbeihören im Homeoffice.
This vibe is chill AF. 😎
Curtis is so overlooked todaY
Amazing pull for February 2026 in America. I listened to most of this album walking around downtown, and it was a perfect urban walking experience. No one can blend gritty political lyrics with slinky, sexy, ice cold funk like Curtis Mayfield. Previously I was only really familiar with his album Roots, which is phenomenal, and this one got close to the highs of that album, but didn't quite take it over the top for me. I think it's missing one big anthem and it would be an all-timer. All love for Curtis, this is gonna be a 3.5/5 from me.
groovy spotify said "you might like this: sad soul" 3 stars
Ilus ja mõtestatud soul. Aga siin ei ole ühtegi sellist meeldejäävat lugu, millepärast ma seda albumit hakkaks uuesti kuulama. Üldiselt mõnus kogemus, 3.4/5
Strong 3
This is socially conscious, silky, sexy, smooth Funky R&B with some danger to it. This isn't fun, experimental weirdness that you get with P. Funk & what not. Horns are nice & so is the organ.The Blues influence is very present. i hate my brain. All I'm picturing is The Cryin' Man from Sliders singing these while sobbing. Especially on Jesus. It's unfair that my brain went there because this is pretty good. Cryin' Man is a slight parody of the cliche gimmicks that sometimes Funk & R&B artists used to have. I think its the high pitched voice that Mayfield uses often is what's doing it. Billy Jack & Hard Times are the standouts. Album cover is nice composition of what America thinks of itself & the Reality of America. 3
Really can't decide about this one. One moment I really like it, and the next I don't!
Curtis Mayfield has a lovely voice, the instrumentation is minimal but pleasant, sometimes it feels like he's trying a bit hard, but overall it works nicely. His guitar work is funky and the rhythm section keep the songs on track. His lyrics are strong and he addresses a lot of issues, which I like. I think my issue is that none of the songs felt like they were incredible. Nothing made me sit up and go "wow" which I half expected with albums in this list that I enjoy. This one was just good, not spectacular.
Have to be in the mood for this
Sublime. Such a good time listening to Curtis Mayfield. I think I’d still put Superfly above this but it’s a 3.5 from me, rounding down tho
Jazzy , chill , I like it :3
C'est correct. Ça sonne pas rien qu'à moitié par exemple.
I enjoyed this. I listened on my walk to work and it was a great easy listen musically. The lyrics are heavy and I really like that juxtaposition. I liked blue Monday people the most I think. I do think a lot of Curtis mayfield’s music can sound quite similar, but their story telling is of a high quality, so it feels justified. I would give this a 3.5 if I could.
- Billy Jack er et masterpiece - Hans vokal er virkelig smuk - Godt budskab, selvom det er noget over albummet der ikke er vildt sammenhængende for mig? Men det er ikke fordi det er en dårlig ting - Blæserne er on point - Kendte ikke til ham før jeg hørte albummet, men skal da til at høre mere
funky & soulful! really nice and easy to listen to. probably 3 stars for me since i don't know if i will go back and seek it out, but it was good
Interesting, the 70's was an amazing era
Good 3. This is super nice.
Fun but a tad boring. High 3
Slow and airy for a thirty minute album. Nothing really grabbed me and forced me to take notice. Glad I listened through it, but don't think I'd find a reason to put it back on.
A really great album instrumentally, I just love slow funky tunes. The vocals turn out to be a little too much after a couple of tracks though.
Classic slow lovemakin' funk, with wah-wahs and clavinets...but Mayfield's high falsetto vocals just don't quite click for me. He's clearly passionate about his vocals, but the high range doesn't work for me. I can hear how it influenced Prince, though I never liked his falsetto work much either. Killer band, great grooves, but the vocals bring it down a notch for me.
I couldn’t find my way into this.
Just a bit bland, the whole album is a similar shade and whilst it's not offensive to listen to, it's just a bit middle of the road
This was fine as background music.
Enjoyable R&B/soul record.
Very soulful
what a vibe
I'll never get over how jarring it is to hear a protest album in 2026, only to realize it came out 51 years ago. A lot of Mayfield's songs hold true today. This album is really a keystone of the genre, one that still influences artists today. My favorite song was "Billy Jack."
This is a pretty cool album
it was great listening to other music genres but the songs weren't really apealling for me
3,1 - Hört sich locker leicht weg, es bleibt aber auch nichts wirklich hänge. Die Texte sind sehr kritisch, mit etwas mehr Schwung wäre es ein tolles Album. Highlights: Billy Jack, So in Love
Funky and mellow grooves, falsetto singing, all very reflective of the year I was born. Lots of socially relevant lyrics to the times. One very Jesus forward song, which I dig.
Not bad. You know, aside from all that Jesus bullshit.
I love his voice but there’s not enough variety for me. Only something I would listen to in the background.
Pure funk.
Lovely funky soul
Alors je ne m’attendais pas à un album de soul/funk ! C’était bien cool, mais je connais pas assez bien le genre pour bien commenter.
Was this written for a 70s porno? Not for me but it grew on me slightly.
This was such a welcome sound after several days of hard rock and metal. It starts off so confidently with Billy Jack, When Seasons Change, and the best track, So In Love. Things get derailed with a 6-minute song about Jesus that really doesn’t go anywhere. The band never does anything that interesting for the rest of the record and I ended up a little disappointed. I’d probably return to tracks 1 and 3 again, but the rest didn’t leave me feeling like this was a great album. It did make me interested to hear more music I like in the same vein, so that’s a win overall.
Cool
Ok
This dude’s bass sounds like when you shake a piece of laminated paper and I love it. I actually just discovered Mayfield not that long ago but hadn’t listened to this album yet. I feel like the energy dropped as it went on, but the first half was excellent and the second was really good as well. I’m putting it at a 3 for now but want to relisten soon.
The concept of the album is powerful and Curtis communicates it effectively. The music is a bit stripped down and serves to set the mood. For me, Curtis’ voice is decent but the falsetto tone is a tad redundant at times. 3.1/5.0
Yeah fine, nice album for in the back while doing stuff. Nothing too special though.
My rating 3.3
Not bad, pretty chill.
Funky and smooth album, but it’s pretty one note all throughout. A bit uninteresting for most of its runtime.
Funk so funky you could eat it with a spoon. A beautiful voice so charged with feeling. But the lyrics. From the man who wrote "People Get Ready" and "Move on Up" we get things like: Can't be no fun To be shot with a hand gun Or When cupboards are bare Our love we can share Truth is not the whole question What is the answer you hide? Or Every time we kiss It's such a pleasant taste Or this pearler Our love is your confession That we're in love. It's just not very good. 4 for the music 1 for the songs
When underrated artists are discussed, Mayfield should be mentioned. I’m not sure whether he was an influence on Prince, who I think was one of the few musical geniuses of my lifetime, but I hear it. Mayfield’s sound is distinctively cool; his music is socially conscious and still relevant today. This might not be Superfly, but it’s still great.
I liked this and can't believe I hadn't heard it before as its a genre I enjoy. Added to listen again list.
Pretty decent album, very funky at times and chill and smooth at other times, a good blend. I liked this one. Standout Songs: Billy Jack So in Love Love to the People
I loved how smooth and jazzy this one was, with a gospel twist. Favourite track: Love to the People
Not my general jam, but it's Curtis Mayfield, so it was still damn good, not super familiar with the dude so it was nice to hear more. That cover and title are also amazing.