There's No Place Like America Today

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

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.

Maximum soul, minimum funk.

Bum chicka wow wow

I really liked the instrumentals and the way they sang in the songs Less of a fan of the religious songs by that's just me Favs were 1 2 3

I haven’t got much to say except that I liked it and it’s a very chill album to listen to when you’re in a jazzy mood and just chilling with your book and what not. 5/10

I was expecting "Pusher Man". This is quite the change of pace. "So in Love" deserves more spins

Three stars, enjoyable and the music is pretty solid. I’d listen here and there if it came on, the progressive messaging a the time was interesting

Cool vibe.

Soulful and rich, this album isn't Mayfield’s best but it's a good listen. Top tracks: "When Seasons Change," "Blue Monday People," "Billy Jack"

--Billy Jack...capital f Funky --When Seasons Change...preachy --So in Love...easy listening cheese. classy, expensive cheese --Jesus...not my bag lyrically but it's pleasant --Blue Monday People...I can't help but feel like this is similar to but a still a step back from Superfly --Hard Times...okay, this is a return to form. funk with some grime --Love to the People...strong finish. I feel like this record is a 3.5. Superfly is a 4.5. I usually round down

His seventh album. Soul / Funk. Some nice lyrics combined with an introspective tone and soft funk vibes. A nice album.

Not bad, but not as good as Super Fly. Music was great, but Mayfield's falsetto kind of gets tiresome after a while

I liked "Billy Jack" and "Love to the People". The other tracks I found a bit boring, but not bad. The vocal style got a bit old as the album went on, I would have loved some variety in there. 3/5.

Good music, unnecessarily wimpy soul voice

Przyjemny, spokojny album ale nie taki który bym słuchała cały czas

Chill and soulful but never really gets out of 1st gear.

There’s no doubt that Curtis Mayfield has a good voice, and the quality of production is also very nice. I don’t connect to many of the songs, though. So in love is the standout song for me.

It was OK but I can definitely see why it was on the list

god i love curtis so much. not my favorite project of his, but he’s a revolutionary. he tells it like it is and sounds like he’s holding nothing back. sexy but bleak!! great stuff

3.5. Quite enoyable but ultimately fairly forgetable, songs kind of blended into each other. Billy Jack probably the highlight

I mean it's funky

While I am thrilled to see that Curtis Mayfield is on this list I can't believe either his eponymous debut album Curtis or even SuperFly isn't the go to choice here. This album is a solid 3 where the two previously mentioned are 4-5 starts easily.

This is such a smooth album, every song is so good. I'm looking into buying this on vinyl and will be ripping it to disc so I can listen to the album regularly. None of the songs stood out in particular to me, but certainly none of them were boring.

I only had a chance to listen to it twice but I really liked it. Although I still think it’s a bit monotonous, luckily not too long. Will get back to it to give it a more in depth listen

I don’t know. I got too far into my own head about it. 3 I didn’t know any Curtis Mayfield albums going into this but my expectations weren’t high. We have come across a number of the big names of 70s soul and funk courtesy of the Generator - Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Sly and the Family Stone, War, Marvin Gaye - and it’s all been acceptable stuff. Always musical enough to command respect, never interesting enough to me to earn any particular admiration. Curtis Mayfield’s album was a real surprise then because I was bowled over by some of this, particularly So in Love and Jesus. Those are both song titles that promise very little beyond the generic but I was, from first listen, mesmerised by both. There is a musical discipline to the arrangement of the songs on this album that stands it apart from much of the other material we had encountered so far in this genre; more considered composition and less of decent musicians funking around at will. The horns and strings are used relatively sparsely and the lines well judged and powerful in effect when they appear. But the main distinction of There’s No Place Like America Today is the top lines. Mayfield is blessed with a beautiful, characterful singing voice. Equal credit should go to his melodies I think. There are some striking choices in there; an instinct for harsher blues orientated lines that pop nicely off the sweetness of the other music. I liked this a lot. 3.5/5

2/3. He obviously has a great voice, and the instrumentation on this is so groovy. Love the really clear and pronounced rhythm sections, the funky synths, and Billy Jack really stood out to me. Other songs will probably grow on me, but there are two or three songs that kinda just dragged on for me.

All in all, an enjoyable time was had here. I wasn't sold on the vocals to begin with, which very much sit in a higher register and have an airy, breathy quality to them on occasion, but I was able to come around to them quite quickly. The instrumentation here is compelling enough - funky, groovy playing interlaced with tinges of soul. It's very much a "vibe" of a sound. The album probably does peak early throughout its first half, but the drop off in the second isn't a seismic one. This was on the precipice of getting four stars - but perhaps just not quite memorable enough to justify a purchase.

The only Curtis Mayfield I’ve listened to before was his self titled, so this should be interesting! The album cover is phenomenal. I actually remember having to write a little essay about it in fourth grade English class. Sadly, I don’t have time to write an in-depth review, but I will say: -Awesome production -Impressive vocals and instrumentals -The opening was really good and fitting -No songs really stuck out to me but as a whole the album felt cohesive -I’m torn between a 3 and a 4. I think it’s a three but I also don’t think I really listened as closely as I normally do. I’ll go with a 3, however, because I think that the fact I zoned out while listening is a testament to the fact that it wasn’t mind blowing. I’ll say 3.5 here though and I’m willing to change my mind with another listen. -I do love the lyrics. They’re very passionate and I liked how he threw in a religious song. -The closer was also really good. -Overall, nothing absolutely blew me away, but it was good and I enjoyed it.

Compared to Superfly, his more reserved voice while highlighting his musical ability is just less enjoyable listening experience. While the funk elements are still neat, the toned down elements suck some of the life out what could have been another great album. However, this style does suit him but not to my ears.

It’s good, it’s stylish, it’s got good composition. But it’s quite a run of the mill soul album for me. Nothing about it is surprising nor really elevates it; it is what it is. Much preferred superfly that felt like it had some bite to it, even if hid behind some tongue in cheek-ness.

Recording is very clean which I like and its punchy base sound. I dont think the backing music is particularly exceptional though. Its rolling but repetative. OK it has a unmistakeable funk / soul vibe and the pairing with the vocals / wind instruments is pretty optimal sound but its a bit slow on the transition for me. It does allow the little details to shine in songs like "When Seasons Change" its very deliberate and slow with neat micro sparkles. Ultimately not my taste. I would not turn it off but certainly middle of the road for me.

The album sounds excellent musically and production-wise. I really like the cool, slow, soul. It's super easy to listen to and I was really enjoying it, despite the sometimes over-the-top falsetto. I say "was" because the track "Jesus" was such a shitter that it nearly put me off the whole album. As it is, I think its nice illustrative album of a point in time but not one for my general listening. One track was very cool but a whole album became a bit grating.

Great record. This is a 3,7

I like the music, but the vocals were not strong enough. 3 stars or C+.

Not the best Curtis album, but still really great. Instrumentation is second to none.

(72/100)

I liked it, not peak Mayfield

Finde die Songs alle einen Ticken zu lang um die Spannung pro Song aufrecht zu erhalten, dafür passiert zu wenig. Aber grundsolide 3.

funky smooth tunes

So in Love. When Seasons Change. Blue People Monday. All solid tracks. Nothing really jumped out at me.

Vocals remind me of Prince.

Pretty decent album. Funky stuff

This was OK, easy to listen to. Nothing to write home about.

I suspect that all Curtis Mayfield is good Curtis Mayfield. So far, that's been the case, and this is no exception. He was definitely going for something bigger here than what I think he achieved, but an enjoyable listen. Regardless, and better than most things you would come across on this list or anywhere else.

I love the album artwork here, it's really provocative and is the highlight of the album for me. The music is good, Curtis just has a really delicate voice that doesn't always do it. The song jesus is incredibly annoying and preachy. All around good though. 3/5

aronou, me gusta ese bro pero no las onda de este en especial

Not a soul expert by any stretch, but I really enjoyed this. Multiple listens, great grooves and heartfelt vocal performances. 3.5

It was alright

very good

Solid enough album. Had some good grooves, but that's about it. Mayfield is rightly regarded fairly high, which I totally get, but this album just kinda felt good, not great, and not fantastic. It's a good 3/5, not a meh 3/5.

“So in Love” makes all of my Best Of All Time songs lists whenever I make one. It doesn’t really play any different in context and I wonder how much of this album was a bit of a grab bag for him? The rest of No Place, like a lot of Curtis, feels contemporary in its lyrical focus (although removed just enough to make it universal), didactic even. He employs both recent and older soul music sounds - either a master at work or again, filling out an album with material he had been working on for a minute. As on other records, he uses a bare bones, confessional vocal technique and that kinda gets to the challenge I have with a lot of Curtis records: sometimes I go to soul to chill out, sometimes for uplift, sometimes as the soundtrack to my day, and I don’t need someone in my ear preaching things so plainly. So it goes...

Not the best of Curtis Mayfield. There were a few highlights like "so in love" but overall not the best from his catalog

Now this is what I was hoping for from this project - an album I’d never heard (and would be unlikely to listen to unprompted) from an iconic artist! Sadly, I don’t much care for it. It’s much sloooower than I was expecting, and um….mushier? And his voice, though excellent I’m sure, is a hard sell for me.All in all, it’s well done but not my bag. Man.

122/1089 This album was so soulful. very much a joy to listen through. I think proper appreciation would come with some more listens but for now it was good. faves: Love to the People, Blue Monday People, Hard Times 64/100

Short and sweet.

Good

Mellow

Chill album for a relaxing drive into work.

Solid 3, quality music even if it's not totally unique. At this point in the project anything with a modicum of depth gets at least 2.

Decent album. It's not a genre I listen to very often, but this was good.

I liked this one more than I expected. Kinda bluesy.

An enjoyable listen but not particularly remarkable either 3*

Liked a few of the tracks, Billy Jack was definitely the stand out

Fine, a bit funky but still a bit slow for me.

Does this guy only sing in falsetto or is that his real voice? Either way he’s an incredible vocalist. The songs are vibes and I like the minimalist percussion (is that an intelligent thing to say? Me sais pas).

i mean why

Pretty fun. Great players

Lovely production and great song writing but lacked any killer tracks

I don’t think I need to hear this again. I’m sure it’s ok, but it definitely wasn’t my normal jam nor what I wanted to hear tonight.

Best Song: Hard Times I disliked this about as much as Curtis Mayfield disliked birth control. The dude had 10 kids. This just isn't my type of music. 3/5.

I haven’t explored Mayfield as much as I should have. Pretty good album for the most part.

Some good songs on here, all new to me. Only 1 I didn't really care for.

I’m really bad at listening to Soul, but you can hear that this one is a gem in it’s genre. Sounds really good on vinyl probably.

not my thing. ok though

Tykkäsin, voisi tulla lisää Kurtisia. 3,25/5.

Good soul album

Curtis Mayfield is one of those big name artists I haven't found time to get to. I don't normally seek out soul music, and have been slacking in the funk department, so this is a good time to learn more about the Gentle Genius. There's great musical instrumentation on this album, coupled with Mayfield's famous soul-inflected voice filled with raspy cries for a better life, whether for America's soul and/or for a better tomorrow. Some songs here I don't really vibe with, but I can feel Curtis's messaging in tact. An important album for sure (equally important artist) although it's not my cup of tea, I don't regret hearing it like a few albums I've heard so far. tl;dr: it's neat.

solid 70's funk.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Billy Jack With the exception of a 6 minute song about Jesus, this album was okay. Pretty soul-y and easy to listen to. Short and sweet, which is nice. Definitely not as good as Superfly.

Another example of a name I recognized but apparently had no idea what he sounded like, because I was pleasantly surprised by this smooth, sexy, funky soul music.

super funky and laid back

Not his best album but still pretty solid. But too much jesus for me though.

Pretty solid album. I'll say 2.5 - round up.

Cool baby

Swing!

Curtis version of What’s Going On. But more cutting.

3.5/5

Solid little album from Curtis. The production is woozy and psychedelic, but the vocal performances feel a bit... shy? It's solid and smooth, but what keeps me from loving it is that I know he can do much better.

Kult album! Særlig første låt

Well, 50 years on and what a fitting title! This album is wah wah, is funk, is tenderness. If I slip into a Flight of the Concords perspective, it can get a bit funny, the falsetto. But it’s got so much heart and groove. High pitched voice became a bit much throughout and felt tense listening at times. But overall good message, feel and groove. Probably won’t listen again

Laid back easy listening but nothing really grabbed my attention. Meh

Люблю Чай кертис

Prettty good

Soft, warm, soulful.

čista trojka

I've said it before, but I'm not really into soul. With that disclaimer out of the way, I did enjoy this album. Curtis's voice is quite unique, almost falsetto, yet breaking into quiet screaming at times. That, on top of music that verges on funk and blues at times, makes for some enjoyable listening. Especially liked the song "When Seasons Change".

I don’t listen to Curtis Mayfield enough

"When seasons change and we begin to pass September A lot of scars that kind of scare you to remember" That's right folks, the NHL is back.

I liked it but it didn’t grab me.

It was good but nothing stood out too much on first listen

A good Soul album from a great artist.

Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood today. I love Curtis Mayfield. Political and social commentary with a heavy dose of funk - right up my alley. The first track, "Billy Jack", started things strong, but then things got mellow and seemed to stay that way. I don't mean this as any sort of slight on Curtis, but it was just a bit too much of the mellow for me.

It was funky ... it was cool ... but I will probably never listen to again.

I liked his voice, pretty nice music

Great start, but not consistently great

Solid middle, particularly Blue Monday People.

Good motown album. I was listening while in the jazz and Motown heartland of Detroit so it felt fitting. Interesting addition to the rotation - to be honest not my vibe entirel. But I respect it So in love the best song on the album. the baseball style organ being played with the brass was very nice sound

Ear Therapy… hate Jesus though

I appreciate the music but it's not my cup of tea. CM's voice is a little too high for me. That's it. A solid 3 and maybe should be a 4 or even a five. If the sound engineers turned up the musicians in the background more, it could have been better for me.

Not my favourite Curtis Mayfield for sure.

Well…

Interesting, tight album with a terrific voice.

Album was definitely funkalicious, what a tragic backstory

Not bad. I prefer his earlier works but I had a good time with this one.

Rv

insane cover

Soulful and soothing. Good stuff

Funk. Pure funk with a distinctive voice.

I liked the music on this one more than the vocals. The high singing (falsetto?) was too persistent for me. I get that it's a signature part of his style, but I prefer when he doesn't overdo it. The songs themselves were pretty good, though not particularly memorable. It's a solid, pleasant listen. Just not sure it's anything more than that. Overall: 2.7/5

This is a pretty solid and cohesive recording. I enjoy this version of Hard Times but it doesn't quite hit as good as when Baby Huey did it. This is one that could go between 3 and 4 stars for me personally. I don't have any real nits about it but I will have to put it on a few more times.

2.8.

Cool bass. Interesting lyrics. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

It's not Superfly but it is Curtis Mayfield in free form stream of consciousness mode and worth the listen.

Very enjoyable listen. I have never listened to Mayfield before. His voice was great and the production was awesome. Guitar and drum sounds were a joy to listen to.

Funky and classic Curtis Mayfield but no real standout hit to be found here. The album’s message is still relevant — which is depressing more than impressive. It’s short and to the point — and a nice listen — but I just don’t see myself returning quickly.

nice enough

I had high expectations because I loved Superfly so much, but I didn’t like this as much. The pacing, that was just awesome in Superfly, seemed off here, I guess? I’m not sure. Cool album cover tho.

Groovy, funny, sensual. 3 or 4

Мені подобається більш фанкі супровід Мейфілда і його голосу він теж пасує більше, як на мене. Приємний альбом, є очевидний хіт у вигляді So in Love.

Кьортіс Мейфілд це американська легенда. Я люблю таке інколи послухати, соул, мотаун оце все. Стильна музика, звісно ж з політичним контекстом. Не можу сказати що прям фанат саме цього альбому. Але знов-таки, це те що я люблю включати вранці на вихідних. Поставив би 3.5, але оскільки не можна, то все ж 3 буде.

Undoubtedly a classic

Definitely some beautiful music. Having come from a Christian cult, I have an intrinsic problem with gospel lyrics, but I can still appreciate the genre with respect to its contribution to modern music. I need to spend some more time with Mayfield to form a more nuanced opinion.

This is the sort of music I normally like a lot and Superfly, the only Curtis Mayfield song that I can recall hearing before this album is great. There's No Place Like America Today, just does nothing for me though. It's too mellow to be funky and too funky to be mellow, it sits in a halfway house position that doesn't really work.

There was a lot of good music on here, but it was ultimately kind of boring. Didn't rise to the level of great, but still a solid album to listen to once.

mi e piaciuto devo dire, anche abbastanza, però a tratti un po’ lento Voto: 3.75

Ho avuto un po' di vibes stile prince ma non so se ho delirato, in generale interessante ma non mi ha colpita particolarmente

Some pleasant songs

Hella funky, really great listen

Whispery vocals aren't my favorite. Pretty chill and groovy though. Almost a 4 star but not quite.

You can tell its quality produced, no denying his talent and musicianship. I just didnt like the sound much.

Ya nice

Spookily the second Curtis Mayfield to be listed within 6 albums! Prefer this to 'Superfly', this is a more mellow listen and the tracks flow better. I might even listen again - "So In Love" the obvious stand out but also liked "Blue Monday People"

This is not the album I would have selected for the former lead singer of the Impressions. Curtis is a talented singer and this is a nice album, just not his best.

i've been meaning to listen to more of mayfield's discography, i like curtis and superfly, this one didn't do much for me although i do like that first track and great lyrics as always

Interesting, not really my kind of music

Uneven Mayfield funk. Just ok for me.

Solid but I dunno if it’s all time

There's no place like America today, indeed...

Fine to play in the background.

Hes a great singer but not the style for me. decent album 3.2

Decent

Short and sweet, although I didn’t really glean the satirical undertone Inexpected from the cover. Maybe I should actually pay attention to the lyrics next time?

74/100

Listened while driving in traffic, and it never picked up like it needed to be memorable.

A good Funky album for my ears that I did appreciate listing

Finished listening to this album and it is what it is. Not really my genre of music but definitely captures what the late 60’s and early 70’s was all about.

It’s fine. It’s funky and soul-ful. But it doesn’t stand out to me. Enjoyable but not noteworthy.

Meh, pretty mid.

Pretty cool soul stuff. Doesn't particularly interest me too much, way better soul and funk out there even by Curtis but still solid

It’s grand. Unremarkable.

Quite nice, rambled far too much in Jesus with all due respect

Totally not my style or album. Still 3 stars as putting personal opinion away, it’s a pretty well produced album.

Not bad

hårde tekster ift til lyden. Skriver i øjenhøjde med arbejderklassen. Jeg kunne rigtig godt lide superfly og naturligvis kan jeg også lide dette. De groovy beats, den funky lyd og RnB og soul lyden er super chill og til det rette humør er det virkelig godt. Føler stadig det er som om man er på en quest eller sådan noget. ellers er det sådan mega memorable så det ligger nok mellem 3 og 4. Jeg er mest tilbøjelig til at sige 3,5 og give det en 3'er, da jeg ikke synes det skinner ligeså meget igennem som superfly.

Need to listen to again. Liked the opener a lot, didn't seem to do that much afterwards but I wasn't paying full attention. Kind of soul funk I guess.

Música para tomar un vino un viernes previo a que arranques tus vacaciones

Groovy. No hit songs, but groovy.

Nothing special to add. Fine. Not annoying. Not particularly noteworthy but also not bad.

Very sensitive and soulful music with amazing vocals. What a talent mayfield was. Like the production and instrumentation. Misses the absolute banger hits tho like he had on curtis.

Solid funk

This was kinda disappointing honestly. I was expecting more funkiness but it didn’t deliver. And his voice got a bit wearing at times. Nothing particularly memorable here

Enjoyed the instrumentals but the falsetto was a little grating

definitely 70's soul but nothing stands out about it

Oh man this record sounds so good. Every instrument cuts through so clean. Drums sound so tight. Mayfields voice and lyrics hit deep! Also the perfect album for a BBQ or a backyard kick it session.

Love Curtis Mayfield. This album is okay, has some good moments.

my top two favorites were When Seasons Change and So in Love! i love the lowkey & chill jazz vibe going on and i would play this as background music to baking or cleaning my room.

Snelle inhaal review #17: Had wel verwacht dat hier een hitje op zou staan, maar dat was niet echt zo, eerste drie nummers waren wel goed, daarna zakte het wat weg.

Aangename rustige soul om naar te luisteren. Dit korte album met slechts 7 nummers is het sterkste in de eerste helft.

Nice groove. I think I may be starting to like 70s soul a little. Billy Jack was a great start, but the rest faded into the background.

Smooth

Chill

The music here is great, but this is my first proper exposure to Mayfield and I didn't really care for his near-constant falsetto. Sorry!

On a good day, Curtis Mayfield is untouchable. Superfly and Pusherman are two of the greatest soul/funk songs ever written, but if I'm honest this fell a bit flat to me. So In Love is beautiful, but there was nothing else that met that high standard. A 3, just because nothing was awful. Just a bit empty.

It was a lot of the same thing but pretty good.

It all kinda blended together aside from the weird funk song about Jesus. Didn't enjoy this as much, luckily it was short and sweet. 2.5

A lot about this sounds excellent but it just doesn't grab me

Good

Very black sounding.

Funky and soulful

Had never heard this before. Minimalist soul. Low volume soul. I really love how you can hear the whole band. "So in Love" is really really good. Overall, it's a nice album, but it's not capturing me in the way I'd expect for an album I "need" to hear. 3/5.

Funky funky album

Album was a vibe, a sexy one

I love Jesus as much as the next refugee of James Dobson-influenced parenting, but I'm having trouble being convinced that Mayfield is really finding any solace in the Word. Honestly, I think he's having trouble convincing himself also - which in some ways makes him more credible (doubts are a part of the whole faith thing after all). Mostly my man just sounds exhausted from being a Black man in America, and I can't blame him.

The album's delightful. I especially enjoy the tracks that fully utilize the horn section. Interplay between keyboards and bass are also gorgeous. Would be a 3.5 for me, but seeing as I'll likely never return to it, 3 stars on the 1001 album scale.

From the first note of this album with a big funk guitar sound this was clearly very 70s rather than timeless. Curtis's voice is smooth and I enjoyed most of the tracks but given the title, cover art and the fact this was released right around the time of the Fall of Saigon, it's surprisingly light on the overtly political commentary I was expecting.

Enjoyable, likable, alright. Sexy funky music. Nothing crazy

Kinda funk

Very funky soulful record, no real standouts however but quite nice to listen to

This was….okay

Thought this was decent.

Decent, jazzy. Learning that Janice really likes soul and jazz

pretty cool! didn’t like the song jesus at all but every other song was really nice. beautiful voice and the saxophone was awesome everytime it came on