There's No Place Like America Today

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.

I enjoyed it for the first half a lot but his voice gets a bit grating after that. Guitars are cool

Is it normal to have an erection lasting the entire duration of this album?

Mid

Not bad. I had gotten "Superfly" a few weeks ago, so Curtis Mayfield is still somewhat fresh for me. I wouldn't quite put this on the level of "Superfly", as things are much slower and subtle here, thus not as memorable. It's good for an easy listen and some introspection, though.

Favorite Track: Billy Jack

I liked it - I feel like I would enjoy this more on repeated listens.

It’s Curtis Mayfield so obviously it’s not bad. But I prefer his stuff that’s more on the funk side of the spectrum as opposed to the soul side of the spectrum.

Groove!!!

Good listen

Slow and funkalicious.

Tasty start. Groove undeniable. Unique voice, I can smell the cigar smoke and hear billiard balls clashing. Motown was singular and Curtis Mayfield has groove and soul in stride. Unsure I can add these to playlists, but I am happy overall :D GOES FULL JAZZ MODE ON "Love to the People", easily my favorite.

Loved the bass in this album. Mayfield's commentary about the times they're living through juxtaposed with some cool songs about living and loving despite it all is neat. My favorite song was Billy Jack, it's the type of song I'd hear in my high school art class from my favorite teacher where I'd promptly take it with me through life.

although I do love me some Curtis Mayfield, I wonder why this album is on the list - bc it was so political at the time? His track So in Love is so in lovely also Hard Times so good - a Very sweet and sultry way to say we've had enought

This was so enjoyable. Great slow grooves and expressive soulful songs. Would rate higher, but every song being sung falsetto gets a little monotonous.

I like this album. Especially Jesus. It takes its time, and is uplifting even while fighting the same fight.

Curtis Mayfield...the name sounds familiar. Ooh this is some funky bluesy jazz stuff. it was aight. 3 stars

Nice. Smooth and soulful.

8/10

Easy listening. A blend of funk/r&b, very smooth. Usual themes: inequality, race, crime. Track quality is remarkably consistent, so no favorite tracks. It's not exactly my type but, again, a very easy listen.

Enjoyed, but kind of not memorable? Alabama shakes vibes

I know CM but I've never listened to this entire album. Love the intro track "Billy Jack" (great cover by Lenny Kravitz on the Tribute cd), funky and fun story telling. At only 7 songs it's a short album even with some longer tracks it's only 35 mins. The falsetto gets to be a bit much at times but the overall package is a good one. Heavy on slow grooves. He had hits with "So In Love" & "Billy Jack" but I was diggin' "Hard Times" & "Love To the People". I can't say I'd add this to my Top 1001 but it has merit and was an enjoyable listen. Too much of the same I thought.

2.5

3.0

7/10 Fave track: Love to the people

Favourite: Love to the People

could listen to all day. fav = jesus

Average, funky, smooth

unten maille hänen kanssaan… joten kolmosta… eikun katsotaan miten oul….. jaha… kolmosta..

This is very hard

Funkalicious. I dig it but Curtis has other lps I’d rather listen to

Very smooth album. I enjoyed the vibe while listening though only giving it a 3 as there were no real stand out tracks in my opinion.

Groovy

Ain't that the truth, Curtis. Strange timing to listen to this on the grimmest day for my country's relationship with the U.S. in decades.

This is a pretty album, but it felt a little unremarkable to me. Like a musical version of decent chicken pasta served at a wedding.

Good soul album, but didn't really connect with me. 5/10

Otro jueves y otro álbum desconocido de un artista que me suena de nombre. Se siente entre sexy y colgado. Tal vez indaguemos más en él, tal vez, no. Hasta mañana.

3 estrelas. importante mas gisto mais de superfly

Yeah I dig this. Groovy.

Das Album war perfekt, um bei der Fahrt zur Arbeit im Hintergrund zu laufen, aber nicht unbedingt für den bewussten Genuss. There’s No Place Like America Today klingt angenehm, smooth und durchgehend kompetent gespielt, doch genau das wird zu einem Problen: Die Songs verschwimmen zu sehr ineinander. Curtis Mayfields hoher Singsang trägt zur Atmosphäre bei, kann aber auf Dauer auch anstrengend werden. Das Album strahlt eine beständige Wohlfühlstimmung aus, die zwar schön ist, aber irgendwann eher ermüdend als fesselnd wirkt. Highlights: Billy Jack ist ein cooler Opener, und So in Love ist ein wunderschöner Liebessong – doch insgesamt bleibt das Album für mich eher eine stilvolle, aber etwas monotone Klangtapete.

Pretty cool vibes but can be a little samey.

Bien

Decent Soul Album but I can’t stand this dudes voice Favorites- So In Love, Jesus Least Favorites- Billy Jack

Really enjoyed it, too much Jesus for me but still ok

Too slow and somber. I don't mind angry or agitated, this was just too despondent for me

Overall pretty solid, even if it’s not inherently my thing. 3.5/5

His voice is great, musically I enjoyed the bass, drum/percussion. Horn parts were killing it and coming in at perfect times. It just didn't have that same feel as Superfly. I think the opening track has a bit of the Superfly feel, but a lot of it is just a little slow for my liking. I think I'd enjoy this more if we didn't just listen to Superfly.

Good, but not great. I loved the funk, but the soul leaned a little bit too gospely/Jesusy for my tastes. Super Fly was better. Side complaint: how we gonna get 2 Curtis Mayfield albums before we get even one Metal album 😕

I'd say average album, not bad but not really that good either. If you want to listen to some real 70s soul/funk in the background, say outside cooking with friends or sharing a beer, then this would be the perfect album. 2.5 but rounding up to 3

Sonically while very good, funk/r&b always sounds dated, but lyrically There’s No Place Like America Today is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago, sadly. Every song still hits home, from gun violences, to the system being build to fuck us all. The system needs us, but is trying to deceive us 7.1/10

I appreciate the message, but it's not for me.

Okay, couldn't really get into it

Aangenaam om een keer te luisteren, fijne stem. Maar beklijft niet en zal het nooit meer opzetten.

Highly listenable funky soul with great lyrics and vocals. Didn’t mind this at all. Not my usual cup of tea but I quite enjoyed it for the day and wouldn’t mind coming across it again in future.

Nice!

Siendo de Curtis Mayfield, la mejor palabra para definir este álbum es sexy. Muy ligero y entretenido, y me gusta el contexto social del álbum y sus letras. Muy bueno, solo le daría un pelín más de velocidad.

Curtis Mayfield is one of those names synonymous with soul music. I’m sure he and Stevie spent nights backstage planning to make the world a better place - and, in the end, they probably had a role to play in doing just that. I’m not sure I like his voice on these songs and the playing seems workmanlike. His vibe is not as joyous as on his other albums and I think that’s what gets me here. I appreciate him, but this is a one-and-done album listening experience for me.

I LOVE Curtis Mayfield, especially his first three albums. Sometimes much energy, social commentary, and joy fills his songs. I actually had never heard this album and was surprised at how it sounded more downtrodden and a little more cynical. Still full of beautiful songs but I found myself wanting to turn it off so I could put his first album on.

Quite vibey

It was ok

I enjoyed the music but and lyrics but I am not a fan of his singing octave.

I recognize and appreciate the cultural relevance of this album. That said the album is a bit of a slog to get through as it’s not a very cohesive album. The first few tracks are memorable anthems. The rest of the album is sadly forgettable.

It was okay but that about sums up it, okay, some really nice tracks but VERY sleepy album just not something that’s very fantastic

Easy listen, nothing too mind blowing or diverse sounding but still very enjoyable

Not really what I expected but pretty good.

Better than some of his other offerings. This is more Marvin Gaye than Shaft. A bit samey though.

Vibey, Curtis has a beautiful voice. Album art is fantastic too. It's not necessarily my type of music but I appreciate it. Admittedly my only other experience with Mayfield is him being sampled by Kanye, but this was pleasant 3.5 stars

Short but sweet. I really like Curtis and I liked this too but not as much as his more upbeat music. This is definitely not like Move On Up or Superfly, it's more mellow and introspective and somber. Wish I liked it more but didn't leave a big impression on me.

Pre-listening thoughts: I have like vaguely heard of Curtis Mayfield but I still have no clue what to expect here Post/during listening thoughts: this is good. I don’t have a lot to say about it. It all kind of mushed together and maybe that’s cause im tired but who knows. 5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nope Fav tracks: So in Love Least fav tracks: Jesus

Without a doubt, a beautiful voice and some powerful messages. Hard times, having heard the Roots cover was good to hear the original! I didn't actually know it was Curtis Mayfield. Strong album but no super stand out tracks. About a 2.5, but will give a 3

A few bangers, vocals got annoying by the end of it

Stabilt rakt igenom utan att ha några spår som riktigt sticker ut. Inte lika bra som Superfly, men en stabil trea.

Some beautiful stuff on here. Superfly was pretty amazing in its context, but I like this Curtis more. He's sweet. Although I might prefer him in a playlist. A half hour of that falsetto starts to get to me somehow, like makes me kinda tense up.

Probably not something I’ll listen to again but definitely didn’t leave me disappointed. Nice and relaxing and a pretty good listen for the morning. Nothing that I hated about it but also nothing really stood out about it.

Good album. Like the funk influence mixed with Mayfield’s voice. 3/5 Might listen again

The music is clean, funky, and grooooovin'. The lyrics were relevant then and much more today. I feel like Mayfield's voice can become too much after a while. A shame, since everything else is there.

Solid funky soul album. Tight drums, groovy bass lines, funky falsettos. A certain vibe for sure

A delightful brisk album from a legend.

fire!

Its fine. It's Curtis Mayfield. Good but not the album I would put on if I'm craving Curtis Mayfield (Curtis would be it).

I have to imagine this was quite a departure for Curtis. I was not very entertained myself. But, I don't like it when established artists try to do something new. So for that I'll give it a 3 star rating.

Smooth and soulful 3.5

feel like i’ve listened to so much music inspired by mayfield that actually listeneing to him sounds a little dull unfortunately….one of the stranger problems of music. still smooth though

I liked the overall vibe of the album, but the falsetto got old after a song or two. Otherwise this would have been a 4.

The problem was the falsetto. The style wasn’t my favorite but it was executed well and was decent

I just don’t like his voice. It’s too high for me. The songs themselves are solid no problems there it’s really just his voice. Really not a fan of that.