There's No Place Like America Today

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

Não é tão bom quanto os três primeiros discos dele, que gosto bastante, mas achei um bom disco pra relaxar no final de um dia

I could see some people not liking this, but I thought this was a fun selection. Curtis Mayfield has a cool voice and this album is best when the funk is present. Billy Jack was a great opener, loved the groove throughout this track. I was less of a fan of When Seasons Change, just a sleepy song that didn’t do much for me. You could make the same argument about So In Love - that it was a bit sleepy - but I liked this one so much better. It was just a much fuller song, sung with more emotion. An excellent track. Next up was Jesus, decent song with interesting lyrics, but again there wasn’t much to this song. So I liked others better. Blue Monday People was another ok track, but not great. Hard Times was much better, again because of the funk within. Love To The People was a good closer, elevated by the guitar and horn work in the song. Definitely not a complete album, but it had a series of highlights and was a good listen.

3 for cultural relevance but overall quite bland.

it's fine. not his best. i can only handle so much jesus talk

Groovy, but subtle. Really enjoyed listening to this through a couple of times. Not really any stand-out songs, but the album works really well as a whole. 7/10

Souly, funky, partly gospel music. Smooth.

Groooovy.

*** 1/2 Not bad, a small discovery to me

When I first started this project, I thought soul would be one of the rougher genres for me to get through. However, that assumption has been pretty wrong for the most part. Many of the soul albums I got have been silky smooth and are usually a treat to listen to. This album, however, was kind of more what I was expecting from soul music before I started. It not bad by any means, and I appreciate the balance between sex and social themes. But all the songs last a minute longer than they should and they all sound the same. This album may be 35 minutes, but it felt longer. Also, I’m not really a fan of Curtis’ falsetto. It’s just a bit too high for me, personally. Favorite track: Billy Jack Other hits: Jesus, Hard Times

Should've been "Curtis!" (1970). Favorite track: Love to the people

This wasn’t a bad album, but some of the songs felt like they dragged on for too long. Stylistically, there are a couple of music styles I found pretty creative. I’d probably listen to some of those few songs in the background.

Favorite: So In Love

Great easy listening motown music, up there with the likes of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Really enjoyed "So in Love"

A good R&B album Was not expecting his voice to be so high pitched

Decent album, not my typical thing but I liked it.

Bedroom typa music that makes you think and reflect on society

This was an interesting r/b album never really really listened to Curtis Mayfield before but it was a pretty good nothing really floored me but it was decent!

I might let this one look to see if it grows on me more. I dig it, I just don’t know it. Curtis Mayfield has some really iconic songs so I know for sure I like what he’s about, and I have faith that if I listen more I’ll like it even more. Could almost be a 4 but a solid 3 for now.

I started listening to this on a Thursday and didn’t finish until the following Monday. It’s not because I thought it was bad, it just wasn’t the vibe I was going for this past weekend. Still pretty good, though.

3,75

Interesting album, not really my vibe, but not bad.

This was a great listen. A lot of the themes still feel relevant today. Mayfield's voice is incredible, too!

Not my groove, but I enjoyed it.

3.45 - This was an okay listen. The songs just blurred together. I was hoping for some sort of climax in this album but it fell short.

Great instrumental performance, but the song structures are kind of meandering and his vocals are annoying. 2.5/5.0: Mixed

this album was a slog to get through which is saying something considering the relatively short runtime

1970s big time

3.5 Stars

It was good, there wasn’t a lot of variation though

Cornald Meiveld ken ik van dat album dat bij die superfoute film hoort en daar gooide hij toen geen hoge ogen mee wat mij betreft. Maar het vizier staat weer gewoon helemaal open. In één ding had hij alvast gelijk: There's No Place Like America Today. Verdikkeme zeg, wat een shitshow. Het tempo ligt bijzonder laag, zeker vergeleken bij dat Superfly album, als ik het me goed herinner. Te laag als je het mij vraagt; er is zo'n punt waarbij een laag tempo van relaxed naar een klein beetje vervelend gaat en dit album neigt naar dat laatste voor mij. Al gaat het tempo in de tweede helft nog wel richting een aanvaardbare 80 bpm. Dan gaat het hoofdje ook net iets meer mee knikken en wordt het toch nog wel aardig. Sinds ik Siamese Dream heb gehad is het aanpoten voor me. Ik zit ook bij dit album een beetje tussen de 2 en 3 in. Ik begon op een duidelijke 2, maar het album groeit wel een klein beetje naar me toe gedurende het afspelen. De tweede helft is superieur, met het toch wel lekkere 'Hard Times'. En uiteindelijk duurt het allemaal ook maar 35 minuten. Vooruit dan, 3 sterren! Ik geef wel de garantie dat ik dit album halverwege deze middag alweer vergeten ben. Zulke nummers blijven niet plakken.

Good, not my usual taste.

The album title hits hard at the moment but I enjoyed this

Track 1 great! Solid 3.5 stars. No skips

Nothing jumped out at me, but the general sound made for good background music and the album was short

I love Curtis Mayfield but this isn't even his best album. The album cover absolutely slaps though. I enjoyed it, didn't love it.

My soul funk expansion continues , it wasn’t a genre I’d listen to much before despite respect Curtis does the usual great job of setting a funky jazzy tone , the lyrics didn’t grab me on first listens

Groovy but didnt really catch my attention too much. I liked it as working background music!

One often gets the impression that musical artists from the 70s did not give a shit about the final take. Mayfield’s music is cool, but his falsetto singing is too pitchy to be very pleasant. Contrast his style with the false perfection of an Usher or R. Kelly. Maybe my comparisons are unfair, but I’d put Prince in the top spot for the controlled chaos of his voice.

Easy listening, nice 70s tunes.

7/10. Album #366. :) I know that this is an excellent album, however, I wouldn't necessarily say that it is for me.

All time great album cover. Album sadly is just alright. Couple of stand outs, but mostly just funk that goes to the background

5/10

Good!

The way the horns play off the guitars and organ are my favourite part of the album, most prominent on So In love He has a good voice but it does feel kind of samey and one note at a point. He sings in a similar high pitch so much that it makes the songs blend together a little bit Nice, just would've liked a little more variation (and more horns) 3.5 Highlights: So In Love, Hard Times

Really funky sound, incredible voice, little religious for me, but appreciate the music

not bad. very mellow, chill album. first time hearing Curtis Mayfield

нормалек.

I thought this was alright. I really like it when it's a little more energetic, especially the horns sections, but when it slows down it loses me a bit. Favorite songs are So in Love and Love to the People.

I understand the appeal but it’s not for me.

Not a bad listen, a little underwhelming, his vocals are great as usual

Good tunes and lyrics but not my style unfortunately:) thx!.

a fairly resigned, at times tired sounding, record, perfect for the 70s malaise and bitter loss. even the song about Jesus feels like it's trying to reassure itself rather than evangelize, like looking to Christ during the worst time of your life. even "Hard Times", a dramatic and hard hitting soul number, turns into languid and exhausted funk, sapped of its energy and left to sit and stew. this isn't a bad thing (although i do think a lot of this record feels a bit TOO inactive), it's just a far cry from the Curtis i came to know on "Move On Up" and "Freddie's Dead". what happened, man? are you alright? do you need to sit down?

Drippin'

Another funky, groovy album from Superfly Curtis Mayfield. This one is super mellow. I don't hear any"hits", per se, but as usual, Mayfield brings the mindful lyrics, soulful grooves, and smooth vocals. The final track was my favorite. Not his best album, so I'll give this a 3.

Right off the bat I love the album's title and artwork--I appreciate the concept and it promises me for what is to come: some funky-azz groves and cool vocals delivering a soulful message. I kind of wish he had mixed someone in with all the falsetto vocals. But in any case, the album was really short, so it did it's thing and left before it got too repetitive.

Instrumente und Produktion sind spannend, Vocals bisschen nervig

Not Superfly. Respect Curtis. RIP

I really liked Billy Jack, but the rest of the songs kinda build up to not explode, sexy voice

Some flickers of interesting stuff, and solid musically. Glad I've heard it, but probably not one I'll go back to

Chill soul/funk album from the 70s. No songs stood out but it was a good listen, though I preferred his other album more which was included on this list so far (it was the Super Fly soundtrack album).

Good, funky, a little samey but doesn't overstay its welcome

beautiful album, i think he has a wonderful voice and such a joyful way with music that can really calm someone

The Good: We’re traveling to Oz! The Bad: Oh, wait, this isn’t Kansas… The Ugly: The state of America today? Did you see what I did there? I made this political, when this shouldn’t be political… I know of Curtis Mayfield, and I’ve heard his staple hits as I’ve been listening to popular music since for ever, yet I was totally unaware of this album. It listens easy, made the 34 minutes go by without a hitch, but not once was there something which made me sit up straight and really pay attention… maybe that’s just me, or maybe I am becoming insensitive to music due to this 1001 list? Shooting this one straight down the middle… 3*

Cool album. I never quote acclimate to Mayfield's voice and that sort of a nice thing. When in in the mood for it there is no substitute. Guy has character in every note.

I loved this, but I wouldn't buy it on CD but Curtis' voice is so awesome. He's one of the greatest.

I remember liking this, but today I can't remember anything else about it. I really like the cover art.

It is really good but perhaps a bit too consistently downbeat for me to truly love it.

Bueno

I said the same for his other album - sounds like a 70's porno soundtrack 3 ⭐️

Didn't notice they were black people in the car until I heard the voices Ballad-style

It was fine.

Better than expected

3.5

3.5

3.5

I like soul/funk, but I thought this was just ok. *Superfly* I get being on this list. This one, unless they taking the social message of the album, truly isn't really all that groundbreaking or exemplary. "Billy Jack", "Hard Times" and "Love to the People" were the standout tracks, but all together, they don't match the the immediacy of *Superfly*. The rest is quite frankly kind of faceless. (6.8) ★★★

3.5

Didnae have big expectations going into this despite Move On Up and Superfly being cool cromulent soul classics… this was indeed cromulently cool although not quite a clear-cut classic. Funky, soulful, serene, splendiferous with a gritty socially conscious political edge and an inkling of reggae as well. Curtis’s falsetto is one of the pinchiest out there, so pinchy that it would make Prince wince. No one stellar favourite song but a very strong album listen. Highest of 3.5s.

That voice is so identifiable. The overall tone I got from this is muted distress, slow and ambling. Placing Mayfield's 'Hard Times' track besides RUN DMC's 'Hard Times" track nine years later was like night and day. Mayfield sings about what's happening in the present tense 'life sucks', while DMC raps about future expectations and a healthy positive vibe ... "hard times are coming, to your town, don't let them get you down..." Though it's slow and melancholic, I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would.

It was good, but didn't have the kind of catchy hooks that he had on Pusherman

Do I just not like ‘70s soul music? I wouldn’t say this is a bad album, but very little of it stands out to me. Mayfield is a great musician, extremely talented, and I can pleasantly nod along by almost every track here (minus the gospel-soul track “Jesus” for personal reasons), but nothing here has any real oomph. I was really expecting a gut-punch– if not lyrically, then at least sonically– but I can’t really find one anywhere on this record. There’s no stand-out single, no transcendent chorus or hook, no brilliant guitar playing or frequently sampled breakbeat. It’s all standard fair for highly talented soul music, but it feels like a Coke Zero, empty calories. Like Mayfield was phoning it in. The best thing about this album is its cover art. THAT conveys so much complex emotion and suggests an idea and concept that I really wanted to hear. And yet, for what little of that concept made it into the actual recording sessions documented here, it is extremely subtle, to the point where I don’t know if I could even say it’s a theme here. Honestly, this feels like a second-tier album in Mayfield’s discography. Like, if you adore his actual classics, then you should give There’s No Place Like America Today a try. I’ve always been more apathetic about Mayfield anyway, so my apathy here doesn’t surprise me. I just still feel a bit let down by this record and how little of it actually felt nourishing.

The album has a cool, and even modern groove, but it gets old pretty quickly. Fun for a track or two, then it just starts to drag, but to be fair, this genre has never really been my thing.

Not a fan of chill soul like this, but this is one of the better implementations that I've heard. Good vocals and pleasant melodic instrumentation. Definitely a bit too quiet and smooth for my taste, but that's just the genre. There isn't really anything to write home about, but a nice listen nonetheless. 7/10

This was an interesting listen. Pretty funky with some nice beats and the vocals were great! Got a little preachy for me at times but I enjoyed the overall message of the record

R&B. Laid back funky feel. Started out really good but kinda lost me as it went on.

Funny, I had "Superfly" just three days ago. Gave that a generous five, loved the album. I also like this one but it's more monotonous - it flows well but doesn't have the punchy drive Superfly has. In fact I got a little bit bored of it. Could be a 4 but because I rounded Superfly up, I'll be a bit harsh here. A 3.49.

A great soul album … but hoping for better from Curtis elsewhere in this list.

It's pretty good, but I’ve heard better Mayfield albums. It is not bad, though. I mostly listen to music while working out. I wish I could give this three and a half stars, but the ratings don’t let me.

A slower, more reflective piece of work. A fairly poignant listen in 2025, but wasn't something i think I'd be throwing for tons of repeat listens.

Tosi chilliä ja sielukasta funkkia. Hidastempoista ja viettelevää. Parhaat: Billy Jack, So In Love, Love To The People

Not many tracks but still enjoyable regardless

Solid.

Curtis Mayfield brings us those traditional soul vocals along with classic 70s funk instrumentals. I found myself grooving throughout the album, but it was hard to pick out any particular song as a stand-out.

Aretha Franklin's Lady Soul was my album yesterday, and if you paired Aretha's voice with the sharp instrumentals on this album, I would've rated it much higher. Even without being a fan of soul, I enjoyed this album. Mayfield's falsetto wore on me a bit by the end, and that's really my only complaint. If I enjoyed the genre more, this would be a 4.

Good soul but you really need to be in the right mood. Probably not his best album

Feels like one of those albums that walked so others could run. Don't love it but was probably quite influential. 6/10

I don't understand music in which the melody evokes a certain emotion and lyrics evoke a completely different emotion. After a point I stopped listening to the lyrics and just enjoyed the melody! Very chill and palatable, though all songs sound the same 🥲 This is the kind of music I am very happy to listen to if it comes my way, but I will not go out of my way to listen to! Album rating: ⭐⭐⭐

The falsetto threw me off a bit at first, but once I got used to that it turned out to be an ok album.

Good. I like this kind of motown soul, but this album is not an especially interesting example imo. Maybe I was too distracted while listening? Def not bad though.