Reviews (page 9 of 12)
Pretty good. I haven't listened to Curtis except for superfly. This was a similar vibe.
Feels like a mournful ode to a country gripped by the turbulent and violent change brought on by the civil rights movement. The lyrics remain relevant as ever in this world of MAGA lunacy; definitely merits multiple listens. It’s far from perfect though, as the whole album instrumentally kind of just melded together. I personally would have appreciated another big hook or two to really grab me.
Very smooth, but nothing outstanding.
There are kinds of people…. It’s the point of the record.
Not sure what to make of this one. My overriding feeling is that this isn’t really my bag, too slow and smooth, and that Prince (or the chap formerly know as) must have really really really liked this album. However, I don’t know how to explain it, but it was just really classy sounding, and as albums go it flowed really well. I have respect even though I didn’t like it as such. Must be a 3 then….
Favorite Track: So in Love
Interesting record. Not my favorite, but good.
Don't know if I just wasn't in the right headspace for this album. I KNOW it's cool as hell, I KNOW it's funky and soulful, I KNOW it has a good and relevant message, but none of the tracks really clicked for me or gave me anything special. The vocals and instrumentals are tight, it sounds good, it just wasn't very memorable.
Er zijn andere albums van Curtis Mayfield die hier op zouden moeten staan (misschien komen die nog). Degelijk album wel, maar om dit nu hier op te zetten... 3.0
Old school, but not so interesting to me. The beginning two seconds of Billy Jack were alright
Enjoyed the first half of this a lot, sort of lost it’s way a little around Jesus, but picked up at the end. His vocals are insane, and most of the topics are powerful too. It’s less ‘in your face’ than Superfly, but still a great pop/funk record made better by his delivery. A strong 3.5
Quite liked it, very 70s soul, sounded like a film soundtrack to me but I think that's because other similar albums were. Curtis has a very good voice for this sort of music, cohesive sound, didn't outstay it's welcome. Saying all that, it's not a genre I'd seek out really. 3.5. but more a 3.
Preferred this to the previous soundtrack album we had. The opening track was the best, super funky. I completely understand why people might think this is a great album, but just not my thing. 3
Pretty good. Superfly better tho
Not bad
A nice album to relax to.
It’s good, but not blow your mind good.
That falsetto.
Such a groovy album. Curtis Mayfield has an amazing voice. The first 30 seconds of the album hit so hard but I never quite got that again the rest of the album. I don't have much to say about this album other than it was pretty decent but it didn't blow my socks off.
Only seven songs on this album, overall sounds good. I might be tempted to give it 3.5 stars if that were allowed.
Curtis Mayfield has a distinctive voice. His lyrics and singing of them seemed sincere and from his life experiences. Appreciated hearing this album.
A funky album about crime and urban decay in America. You need not look further for the album's themes than its sleeve. I can appreciate its messages, and I can appreciate the music to an extent, but it's not really for me. Fav tracks: Hard Times, Love to the People
It's just not my thing at all, but the lyrics are great and I respect the artist's ideals. Fav tracks: Jesus, Blue Monday People
Very soulful, but not my favorite Curtis Mayfield album.
Majestic first song, but the rest of the album feels more dull.
Smooth funk, meaningful music, not a lot of variety but solid
Can’t go wrong with Curtis.
A mix of really nice grooves and skippable tracks. I like the Superfly soundtrack more.
Not my thing.
Not for me but appreciate the artist
pleasant though consistent, i imagine superfly pops a bit more
My man can sing....the album wasn't particularly moving.
Not quite my cup of tea, but I did enjoy it. Can definitely hear his influence on artists like Prince and Lenny Kravitz. I’d rather listen to Prince and Lenny Kravitz.
Pretty fun. Nice and funky for a friday
Good, not my preferred style
17/11/24 I didn't vibe with this one as much as the others, couldn't fully get into it.
First time with this one. It is funky and soulful, overall a very good listen. I will listen to this again and check out Curtis' other releases. My favorite track is "So in Love".
Loved the first and last tracks - good to listen to more of his stuff.
Wish more of it was like Billy Jack but still very smooth ! Talks about black community struggles.
Not bad; sound was good and smooth.
Definitely a classic soul-type sound.
It had potential, but was much too slow for me
Groovy and good, lots of religion.
Just ok. Smooth voice and music, but not my style.
Fun and funky. Not sure it's his best however.
Enjoyed it, cool sound, but it didn’t click for me.
This wasn't a bad album per se, but it didn't do much for me. I know Curtis Mayfield is supposed to be a soul master, but this album felt flat. If this is his best, then my opinion of his music is diminished a bit. While there wasn't a bad song, there also weren't any stand out tracks. To me, that makes this a fine album to give a listen, maybe even for some to love, but it doesn't make it one of the 1001 albums I should hear before I die.
No expectations of this. Rather enjoyed it. 3/5
It was okay. I liked the funkier parts. But overall it quickly turned into background music for me.
feels pretty apt to be reviewing this the day before the u.s. election….There’s No Place Like America Tomorrow
Nice nice.
Ok
First half is incredible, but “Jesus” and onward is pretty bland, even if the production remains very solid throughout.
I like Curtis Mayfield. I think he has some great songs (Pusherman, Superfly). This album was fine, but it didn't really grab me. Nothing stood out especially, but it sounded pleasant as background.
Álbum didn’t really stand out to me until the 3rd song So In Love, followed by another standout for me Hard Times.
Curtis is majorly important. This is good. But I’d have gone earlier.
I did not use a private spotify session. Curtis brought the funk and falsetto, didn't really get into as much as I thought I would.
This guy reminds me a bit of Prince without the great guitar riffs.
The closing track was probably my favourite, overall I really enjoyed this album.
Great voice.
Funky soul, his voice is a bit too high pitch for my liking. Stand-out: Love To The People
better without the jesus song
smooth
Maybe a slightly disappointing listen given what I had previously heard of Mayfield, but overall pretty average for this list. 3/5
Just don't care.
Not one I'm crazy about, but a decent record all the same. Favorite song: So In Love
Cool funky soul music. Good for back ground feel good music.
MID BUT UNIQUE
3.5/5
This passed by pleasantly without engaging me. Im sleep deprived so its probably me, not the album.
This was fine. Not bad! Enjoyable. I was going to rate it about a 4 but after the album finished Live Wire by the Meters came on and showed me music which really is a 4. So this gets a 3.
definition of decent album
think i need to listen to more soul
Smooth and silky, chilled out funky soul music. This is actually throughly enjoyable! Powerful lyrics fuelled by the racial injustice he and many other African Americans faced, and continue to face this day. Kind of sad that the lyrics still resonate today.
Blues enjoyed but noy sure I’d listen again Favourite: so in Love 3 stars
Ok, but a little too plain for my tastes.
Haven't ever heard this album. This is a good listen. The music is solid (the horn arrangements in particular are great) and the songwriting is above average. I'm not a huge fan of Mayfield's voice. It works on some songs but not on others. "We Blue Monday people Just trying in a strain"
Not as good as I expected.
Old school r&b soul like
Smooth soft funky
Decent, but not as solid as What’s Going On or some of Mayfield’s other albums that aren’t as social issue focused
The Jesus song was a little much. I liked it overall. Better than some other 70s soul that would just be full of 70s cheese that reeks.
Pretty good but definitely not superfly
Not bad, not my thing
Meh... I barely remember after only one day
A pleasant but unremarkable soul album.
Good album, enjoyed it
Coming hot on the heels of Nick Drake's Pink Moon, I couldn't help but be affected by the contrast between the two albums. Pink Moon was utterly underwhelming instrumentally and vocally. It never roared. But because everything was sedated, it came across as intentional and understated rather than underpowered. Unfortunately, There's No Place Like America Today comes off the opposite - the music is powerful and funky and propulsive, but the vocal is weak like the skin of a balloon, and it just meant the singing never felt up to the challenge of the songs. Basically the same effect as making Chris Martin the lead singer of a rock band, or worse, an EDM band. Oh, hello Coldplay, I didn't see you there. Anyway, the songs were quite good, but the vocal really lets them down, so it's hard to give this more than 3 out of 5 stars.
could i write poetry to this? n
Good and funky, but not exceptionally good and funky.
Pretty decent album, flows nicely. Doesn't stand out as such, though.
Very funky
Нейтральная приятная музыка
Definitely didn’t hate this! I liked the smooth guitar sound and to a point, the vocals were also enjoyable if not a tad falsetto at times.
This is among my favorite sounds from the 20th century. Brilliantly recorded. Top-notch musicianship. But the lack of melody and uninspired lyrics consign it to being just great background music
Good
This album was decent
I’ve heard of Curtis Mayfield before as an influential soul artist, having heard the title track to the Superfly soundtrack before. Not only is this album emblematic of that style, but it’s a slow burner as he kept the tempo slow and the space breathable for the instruments. Curtis carried a nice sultry delivery to complement his lyrics involving racial prejudice and economic disparity. The only exception is “So in Love” which was a nice funky jam. What does hold me back from outright loving this album is the slower tempo does drag the momentum by the end, and there could have been a little more variance in the songwriting. It’s not bad but songs tend to blend together in places, even for a short runtime. For what’s it worth, There’s No Place is a solid in-and-out adventure for the kind of conscious soul music Curtis was pushing at the time.
if you could go anywhere where would you go
Billy Jack is a helluva strong start to an album but things immediately fell off and don't quite reach that high level again. Overall okay album
It was alright I suppose - I prefer his more uptempo stuff and some of the stuff he produced for other artists
Pretty good listen, but not as good as Superfly.
So many phasers, wahs, tremolo, vibrato. Surprised we didn’t modulate into a different dimension
While not necessarily bad, it does feel very repetitive, like one long song repetitive. I didn’t hate it, found it enjoyable actually, I just doubt that it’s something I’ll be returning to on purpose
Voice got a little old but the horns thrown in here and there made it interesting. Liked “When Seasons Change “ the best.
Incredibly smooth blend of soul and funk. Music for when you want something a bit more lowkey and digestible than Stevie Wonder.
Pretty groovy
its not my favorite genre but its a great example of it and I found myself bopping along also coming right after antony and the johnsons, it was nice to have someone who can FUCKING SING to listen to
I find myself wondering what Curtis Mayfield sounds like when he's not using a falsetto. The album cover is amazing.
It is another Curtis Mayfield record that is definitely worth listening to. For me, "Billy Jack" is THE song of America Today. Another true classic that Curtis produces here. All the ingredients are present again. It's wonderful how this man can put songs together. "Jack" is subtle, there is reggae in that beautiful drum/percussion work. And of course, marinated under a thick layer of soul and funk. And as usual, Curtis also knows how to write a text that is more than excellent. It is violent as hell but sung oh so relaxed. Unfortunately, it's a shame that Curtis is unable to maintain this level throughout the album. the rest can't match the first song. Not that it's getting boring, because with "Hard Times" and "Love to the People" the album picks itself up again near the end. Lyrically this is also a typical Mayfield album, so lots of social issues impressively explained on small scale. A good album, but not great, unfortunately
rly liked this!! 7/10
I recognized the artist name from the Touch the Sky sample. Some good moments but not my thing.
Not my scene. What I listened to was good, I get why people like it. But it's just a little too croon-y for me.
An album title that is as relevant now, as it was in 1976. MAGA have a hard on for a civil war and the union will dissolve in 2025. Mark my words. This was a decent album, I guess if this is here then Superfly must be too. 3.5/5
Favorite track: Billy Jack other picks: When seasons change, So in love
Got into the car in a bad mood, got out in a good one.
3.4 Good groove throughout. No real standouts but not stinkers either. I think additional listens would yield a higher score. Album cover is pretty cool
3☆/5 07.15.2024
Ehh. No. Curtis Mayfield yes, but the music on here is like the teacher from The Peanuts, both in Wah-Wah and Blah-Blah: a problem I have with quite a bit of Soul, it looks like, is how it's just this bed of music for a singer to meanderingly phrase over. And... that doesn't do much for me. Again: eh. Thankfully, by the time "Blue Monday People" was over, Mayfield and band seem to have been equally bored and picked up the groove, somewhat.
So I have to be honest, ‘70s soul and funk have never really been my style of music, and when I was younger, I couldn’t stand it. I’m definitely more appreciative of it these days, but finding tracks that I truly enjoy enough to go back to is still rare. Moving forward to this album, overall, I would give most of the tracks a 3. However, I definitely want to point out the first track, “Billy Jack.” I loved it, and that was the standout track for me.
-Maybe a bit slow for my liking but I do like the lyrics and instrumentation! Generally very reminiscent of Marvin Gaye but I suppose that’s just the style -Favorites are Billy Jack and Love To The People
Funky guitar and bass right from the first notes - here we go! 'Jesus' gets a little too gospely for me without really hitting what makes gospel cool sometimes. A pretty chill and enjoyable listen. Standouts Billy Jack Love to the People 3/5
Chill funky
Maybe too young for some tracks, but still beautiful and incredible
Knew most of the album. Frankly, a very pleasant listen.
Too funky for me
I'm a big fan of CM but, this is not an essential album. Some good grooves for sure.
I like some of his other songs This is ok but doesn't make me jiggy like superfly or move on up does.
This is easily the best album artwork I've had in 400+ albums so far. The album itself is fine - it holds its' own, isn't too long and doesn't falter. No single song jumps out at me, but as an easy-listening experience it's dead good.
Easy to listen to but nothing really stood out.
The sound is similar to Superfly but none of the songs hooked me.
Not bad, just largely not memorable.
I wish this one hit as hard as Super Fly but it just doesn't.
Meget behageligt men lidt forglemmelige sange:) ville nok give det 3,5/5 hvis man kunne
Det kan jeg godt lide. Hyggeligt og chill. Solid 3/5 😇
no track rating for this 2.5/5
An okay album, but nothing really grabbed me.
Enjoyable mellow vibes.
Solid album
3.5 - some of these songs are perfect, others are boring. Said perfect (5/5) tracks are: - Billy Jack - Hard Times - Love to the People
Pleasant chill album. Reminds me of Schvitz album by Vulfpeck a bit
So I have to be honest, ‘70s soul and funk have never really been my style of music, and when I was younger, I couldn’t stand it. I’m definitely more appreciative of it these days, but finding tracks that I truly enjoy enough to go back to is still rare. Moving forward to this album, overall, I would give most of the tracks a 3. However, I definitely want to point out the first track, “Billy Jack.” I loved it, and that was the standout track for me.
Not bad, but nothing really sticks out.
Funky and chill. But most importantly, SHORT!
Good
Seems interesting
I don’t know that I’d listen to it again—too much falsetto for me—but it did have a pretty good groove.
Really smooth, groovy, and funky soul music. Solid all around, but no highlight. 3.5/5
Smooth, funky and sexy, is the best way to describe Mayfield's album. Nothing spectacular or something I have to hear, but the more I heard, the more I want to listen. Good solid record!
Cool Chicago Soul and Funk record - though admittedly it doesn't stand out for me as much as some of Curtis Mayfield's earlier works like 'Curtis' or certain songs of 'Superfly'. All the instrumentals here are spacey and vibrant - be that the horns, the saxophone on 'Love to the People', or that defiant bass on the opener 'Billy Jack'. There's also a decent cover of Baby Huey's 'Hard Times', one of my favorite Chicago soul songs (though it is missing some of the oomph of the original). Obviously, I have nothing bad to say about Curtis' singing - his falsetto-styled singing works beautifully over these instrumentals. Lyrically, again, it didn't stick out as much as some of the songs earlier in his career. With all that said, this is still a solid, tight little soul album that goes by relatively fast. Delightful stuff.
Love Curtis’ sound. Not much variation in terms of the songs, but still a solid release
Overall an easy listen but nothing stuck out that much to me. Great in the background, but probably not something I'm going to think to put on again.
It took me a while to think about this album. It was not bad or anything even close really. It is quite good actually. Of course it is "supposed to be" although in this case that does not hurt my thinking about it. I think maybe what it is is that while a couple of songs were indeed outstanding, I kind of felt like "yeah, this is Ok." I was never bored but I didn't feel the need for any volume raising or double takes. (with a shout out to the opening song).
Take me back to this era please I love funk and soul
Silkyyy smooth
"There's No Place Like America Today" is a solo album by Curtis Mayfield, an original member of the Impressions. This slow and funky old R&B album is pretty cool and unique.
Somehow pulls off being smooth and funky at the same time. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: So in Love Date listened: 28/05/24
3 - The album cover is a clever one. I really wanted to give this a 3.5 or something, but after the first song, I just wasn't very hooked on anything. I mean, I remember vaguely liking quite a few of the tracks, but I can't really justify a higher rating to myself.
Not a bad listening experience at all, just not really appealing.
falsetto laulana uuu uuu da baby ... jos luulit että 70 luvulla niin mieti jos tietäisi että 202 luvulla... mieti pikku hetki tätä.......... terroristit, pelinne on ohi sillä nyt sinun on vastattava AMERIKKA (Vittu joo!) joten nuole peppuani ja ime palloani AMERIKKA (Vittu joo! mitä aiot tehdä, kun tulemme hakemaan sinua nyt? suomea voisi kutsua pikku-ameriikaksi nykyään, niin paljon isoja kihoja näkee kadulla elvistelemässä. ennen aikaan ei päivänvalossa pysynyt henki pielessä heillä.. oltais tapettu siitä vaan NOIN... mutta ajat on erilaiset nykyään, Yhdysvaltain vaikutus pop-kulttuuriin on levinnyt jokaiseen kulmaan arkielämästä. Siksi iskelmä paras genre, ei koskaan kopioitu amerikkalaisia..... billy jack
Funky but too much falsetto for me
Some Funky guitar and cool vocals, fun times
Meh 3
This was good. I liked this about as much as the other Curtis Mayfield record we heard on the list. It's not something I would choose often I don't think, but definitely digging it while it's playing.
I wasn't feeling this one nearly as much as Superfly. It was ok, but also not all that memorable. 2.5/5
Thoughts before listening: I really enjoyed the Superfly soundtrack that I got on here a couple weeks ago, so I'm sure this will be good as well. I'm expecting 70s funk and r&b perhaps with more of a political undertone to the lyrics. Review: Yeah this is fine though definitely not as fun of a listen as Superfly. This album gets into a little more of a slow jam and introspective territory. Favorite songs are "Jesus" and "Billy Jack". 3-stars
6.5/10
Meh, not massively interesting.
I like the funky parts. His vocal style can get a bit tiring after a while though.
Good funky soul
A couple of highlights but this one was flat for me. Mayfield is good but this one was slow without much action. The first track and Hard Times were the high points.
This didn't blow me away - i guess I needed to listen to the lyrics more closely.
Darker than "Move on Up" (the only track of his I could previously name) but still get the sense that I would have had great success in removing the beige slacks of my neighbour's attractive wife if this had been given a spin at my 1975 dinner party
Easy listening but I didn’t know any.
Maybe I’m just off this week - this is an enjoyable, well-crafted album with a pleasant, warm sound, but I had a hard time feeling too enthused about it. Perfectly fine, though not likely to seek it out again.
Whoa, so good! Funky jazzy awesomeness, which still feels fresh almost 50 years later. Curtis Mayfield is a genius.
The most 70s album of all time
I almost like Love to the People
Lindo disco tipo soul-funky con muchos vientos, mucho ritmo. Agradable.
It’s not bad but Superfly is better. For this slower tempo stuff I’d prefer Marvin, The Isleys or Al Green
Ahhh, that sweet, sweet falsetto. Carries a great deal of the enjoyment of this record. Maybe a tad underwhelming compared to Mayfield's most classic records and hits, but this is patient music that weaves and slowly unfurls. "Billy Jack" has a funk-lite angle to it, "So In Love" is sweet and soulful, the gospel overtones of "Jesus" and "Blue Monday People" surprisingly don't irritate me too much, and the spiritual and political undercurrent remains poignant years later, especially in regards to "Love to the People." Honestly though I wish this cut loose just a little bit more. These songs are nice and the vibe is silky smooth, but this needs some sort of edge to really connect and that's missing from this record.
Buen disco. Música para intimar.
Not bad. Not great.
Classic Curtis Mayfield sound.
A poet, a mastered falsetto.
Yeah you would have to be a Curtis Mayfield fan to appreciate all the songs on this album to most the only real hit he had that I really remember was Superfly so maybe a two for me
Super groovy!!
Great funk and soul vibes that are smooth and enjoyable but I honestly found some tracks to be a little boring and not as noteworthy. Nothing on this album that really "hits."
There are some very classic songs on this album, of course, but I am not a fan of Mayfield's voice. I also personally think the live nature of the album hurts it, as I obviously can hear the energy, but I don't particularly like the sound, the intros and outros, and all the banter and crowd noise.
This album has a lot of SOUL with the solid dose of funk, which I appreciate. I found most of the sound to be creative and pleasant to listen to, but overall this is not my favorite Curtis Mayfield album.
A nice little morning listen
Album Nr. 78 Ich hätte dem Album gern eine bessere Wertung gegeben. Aber dafür wären mehr Titel a la "Billy Jack" nötig gewesen.
A solid 3.5 stars for this list, Mayfield's smooth falsetto provides an exquisite contrast over the rolling, funky bass lines.
How did Curtis Mayfield sing only in falsetto? That shit ain’t easy. And, why do so many great soul artists meet such unfortunate fates?
This album immediately hits home with the initial track - a really interesting take on a soul/funk artist doing socially aware lyrics. I can see the influence on the soul revivalists with the stripped back instrumentation and falsetto vocals. By the end of the album it was getting a little monotonous and repetitive. It's a shame that the lyrics also fell away, losing their punchiness by the end as well.
Very soulful and easy listening. Decent enough album.
So this is the second Curtis Mayfield album that we've been able to listen to. Found this one better than the first, sounded soulful and real. Felt like the first one was a starsky and hutch soundtrack. I can see that people in the '70s probably put this on to make love between Barry White and Marvin Gaye. 3.4
так а вот это интересно приятная смесь соула и джаза, идеальная музыка для прогулки вечерком по индустриальному городу и погружения в свои мысли Ни каких музыкальных изысков исключительно классика, каких то прям сильных впечатлений альбом не вызвал но и отторжения то же . Настроение на пластинке плавает от меланхоличного заряда, как бы воспроизводящего мироощущение американца середины 70-х, к более традиционной для соула чувственности. Вообщем то опыт прослушивания интересный, хоть и впрямь сильных впечатлений не осталось.
The king of the wah-wah pedal and the master of the ultimate falsetto, Curtis Mayfield delivers a set of slow-burning funk soul. The bass makes this work - spare and efficient, hitting a few clustered notes to keep the deep groove going and creating a vast opening for the other instruments to gather in and build up the harmonies and rhythms. It's the classic CM combo of a a very laid back and gentle album musically with deep themes. The lyrics alternate between romance and sociology, delving into violence, inequality, and the endurance of hard times in post-Civil Rights America - drawing the two strands together in the end, uplifting loving brotherhood as the way of making it through. So in Love is the only really stand out track though. The entire album is WAY slowed down and relaxed without much variety, like turning on a tap for 35 minutes of pure Mayfield,
This was a good album. There were some songs I liked on there, but I hadn't heard (That I can remember) any of them. I like the mix of soul and funk that Curtis does on this album.
3- Stars (7/15)
love the album cover but the music is just meh
I like Curtis Mayfield a lot but had never listened to this album and I’m really glad I did. His sound is so incredible and fits his voice so well. I really enjoyed this album.
Son 7ème album. Le festival de la guitare qui fait ''pwoinnnnpwoinnnn''. Très soul. Toujours une belle critique sociale. Ça me rejoint peu, mais agréable au son.
Smooth, funky sound to this album with wonderful vocals from an artist I have not really listened to much.
Very 70’s message soul. I think it is okay…but don’t love it.
Pretty good. Fun and interesting music
good background
This was an enjoyable listen. I think it's a little out of my wheelhouse so it was a fun trip. Curtis is great on vocals and the instruments are on *point*. I didn't listen to the lyrics much, so I'm evaluating this off the sound alone. I think I'd like to revisit this album when I can commit more time and attention to it.
Was this the first instance of money being referred to as long?
R&B pop met een ziel. Curtis zingt met een verhoogde stem en zet alles wat hees in. Het zou prima op de hedendaagse radio passen. Tijdloos. De begeleidende muziek heeft kwaliteit, maar hij weet het op de achtergrond te houden. Het is iemand die weet wat hij doet en levert een sterke plaat. Wel in een genre waar ik zelf minder mee heb. Soul mag van mij iets rauwer. Maar dat is smaak. Ik overwoog 3,5/4 sterren. Maar dat is te hoog voor een plaat die ik zelf geen tweede keer opzet. Het wordt een 3 met een flinke plus.
solid album
Nice songs. Very laidback. Good bass and drums.
So groovy and funky, a good listen Top tracks: So in Love
This starts strong and gets really mellow fast. Almost a sleepy album to listen to. That was probably really good. I feel like I missed something.
I like this album art. The instrumentals are so good. The vocal style choice and the emotion it conveys feel a little repetitive after a few tracks.
The good songs are really good, but most of the album is just OK. "So in love" was the read standout to me. I'll be returning to that often, but not as often to the full album.
Great listen, uplifting funk that tackles tough subjects.
A lovely sounding album that probably suffers in comparison to yesterday's generational masterpiece. The two are thematically really similar, but Curtis probably allows too much soulfulness to dull the righteous anger that his social commentary deserves. It's all a little too nice I think, although that doesn't stop it being a lovely listen.
Not something I’d listen to everyday, but it definitely has that chill, soulful feel with a message in every song. Listen again: maybe Purchase for my collection: if I found it in a yard sale or something Favourite Song:
Herrlich groovig.
Very different from what I think of Curtis typically but these are some really good songs I love this.4 this could probably pass as a 5 but I’m gonna say 4
I liked SuperFly a lot more.
Meira gott grúv.
I like Curtis a lot. Billy Jack is classic , I think this album really gets going on the last 2 tracks Hard Times and Love to the People . His voice can be a bit monotonous always in falsetto , but the lyrics and musicianship always keep the bar high
Very funky. I've never been a fan of the falsetto, but Curtis makes it work--kind of a proto Prince feel. I could do without the Jesus song
Cool
A couple of good tracks but none of the sparkling brilliance of "Freddy's Dead".
Mayfield has a smooth style that is really disrupted by his falsetto.
Groovy, sexy, and like anything from the time better enjoyed with cocaine.
3/5
Sounds like seven remixes of Superfly but I'm OK with that.
A couple truly great tracks. Short and sweet. Not a lot of tonal variety. Man Hard Times is great though
A nice find
slow
A nice jam- the Jesus funk was interesting.
Love Curtis’ voice and song writing, but none of the tracks on the album rank up there with his best in my opinion
Pretty groovy. I like it. 3.5
6/10
It was decent. Definitely not the right Album to listen to after a bad day on your way home .
All the falsetto loses my attention. Otherwise good.
Smooooooth souuuuuuul. But a little toooooo smooooooth for me.
Funky! Not my favorite Curtis.
Un buen rollo aunque no me encanta, mi favo Jesus, 3 alto
Nice R&B - Sounds like it was recorded in the seventies :-)
Groovy
Pretty enjoyable, but nothing really stood out too much to me.
More of a vibe than anything
Voz bonita. Un poco rollo. Diabetes, accidente que le deja inválido ...
g r o o v y.
Swanky, funky. I enjoy it but it's not one I'd pick up again.
Summary: No track by track reactions today... this album just lulled me into a stupor. That isn't a bad thing. I just rode the vibe and it was pretty consistent throughout. I feel like this similar to Prince's style but more to my liking. Quick album. I could see myself putting it on very very infrequently as something chill.
This is a tough one for me. I can’t deny that I really enjoy the music on each track but not hung really stands out to me either. I could have this album on repeat a couple times before getting stale but I don’t know if the lyrics would ever stick for me.
I want to really like it, but I don't. The music is fantastic, the voice isn't. 3.1.
i'm not sure if there are any other curtis mayfield albums on this list but i wouldn't have put this on as the only one. a good album nonetheless but with none of the ear worms i usually associate with him. favourite song was 'so in love'
so in love is good.
Soul
Fun little album. Just groovin out y’know? It’s stuff like this that I was looking forward to finding in this project. It’s just a nice gem. Not sure it’ll be something I put on often, but I’ll definitely check out Curtis Mayfield.
I really wanted to love Curtis Mayfield. The music is fantastic, the lyrics still timely today. The only problem is his voice. The high pitched voice is annoying after a couple of songs. Still a great musician though.
Pretty groovy
Funky but very slow; not really my jam
Curtis Mayfield is a fine musician. His songs remind me of a light Jazz album I was given a few years ago, a compilation of several artists called "Jazz for a Rainy Day." I'm not a big fan of this type of music, but sometimes it fits just right.
Funky and easy to digest. Strong start and ending tracks, but it gets a little repetitive in the middle.
I liked this. Nice and funky but a relatively lightweight sound. I enjoyed his voice, very agile and nice in the higher registers. I’m in a 3 star rut! This is 3 stars like a bunch of the previous ones..
Best song is first track. Good listen but wouldn’t get me to listen to more. 3 stars isn’t a reflection of the talent/genre, just my interest
Pretty cool, but I don’t know enough jazz and blues for a proper impression.
Just a Album to hear it by the way
Great album. Great sound. Need to listen again to understand the lyrics. But perfect background music for a rainy day.
Cool, laid back, but at the end of the day, not that engaging for me personally.
Good chill out music, elegant songs, didn't find them catchy
I was only familiar with one song from this album. Fine album but no real standouts. Pretty mid throughout. Seems like an odd choice from his discography to include in this list.
Curtis is always a bit of a mixed bag to me
First time actually listening to a full soul album. It was enjoyable, but not a must-listen to me. I am going to rate this a 3 to keep as a baseline for other soul albums I get.
01) Billy Jack - 7,5 02) When Seasons Change - 7,0 03) So in Love - 7,5 04) Jesus - 7,0 05) Blue Monday People - 7,5 06) Hard Times - 7,5 07) Love to the People - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,36 (74/100) There's nothing really wrong with this album, nice music, nice production, nice voice, nice songs but the final result is kind of... boring.
Great instrumentals but not my favorite Mayfield lyrics and vocals, personally 3.5
Gotta love Curtis Mayfield
Smooth Soul
Billy Jack- 3.8/5 When Seasons Change- 3.2/5 So in Love- 3.7/5 Jesus- 2.9/5 Blue Monday People- 3.5/5 Hard Times- 3.1/5 Love to the People- 3.7/5 Total- 3.4/5
Gute Arrangments, funky, mag aber die Fistelstimme nicht.
I double dog dig the vibes! There better be another Curtis Mayfield album coming down the line though - I’ve had him pick me up and spin me all around, but I had my feet tapping on the ground all the way through this one.
I've somehow avoided listening to any Curtis Mayfield since I started recording my stats on Last.FM 11 years ago; it was much to my delight to discover him today. Billy Jack was a pleasantly funky way to start my Monday. The sweetness of So In Love made its way onto my playlist. Although not a genre I'd listen to every day, I give this a strong 3/5 and would be happy for another Mayfield record to appear in the list.
Not his best work but an enjoyable album.
Ehhhhhhh
That wikipedia is bare bones. Never heard of this artist before. Nice wah wah funky sounds in Billy Jack. Overall enjoyable sound, but not breaking into favorite album territory, 3*. Need to dive more into funk and soul though. This led to Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, which was a great discovery.
great album, but I don't know how much I will revisit it.
It was an ok album. I only really knew of "Move on up" before. I really love "Hard Times" when sung by Baby Huey, this just didn't have the same edge. I just prefer a bit more rhythm and blues to my funk. Still, some of the songs feels like being dipped in honey ("So in Love" takes the cake in this regard). A weak 3 from me.
Pure 1970s sex music.
Moins stylé que Move on Up mais quand meme cool
Did not know this singer, a really nice discovery!
Fun mix of jazz, blues, and r&b. Unfortunately felt like the second half of the album didn't keep up with the first half. Favorite songs - Billy Jack, So in Love.
"So In Love" is the only Mayfield song I really know and it's one of the better on the album. Some of the others can be a bit sleepy. Can hear flavors of D'Angelo in places. Overall pretty good. Cover based on an actual photograph. 3.7
I've never heard of this album before, never heard the title, or seen the cover, so I was really excited to listen to something new-to-me... I liked it! Having listened to it once I couldn't really tell you any of the songs on it off the top of my head so I think this is going to be one to come back to. But this is more the sort of thing I was hoping to hear from doing this 1001 albums thing.
Like the warm contentment of being inside on a rainy day
Good stuff but not really in my wheelhouse.
Honestly a bit disappointed by this one, I like Curtis Mayfield and there were some great grooves but a lot of it felt the same and didn't really excite my funky soul if you know what I mean.
I thought it was ok
Love it!
Haven't had a Funk LP here in a while so I enjoyed this one. Listened too lightly to take in all the lyrical subtext, but the instrumentals were good enough to keep me cruising through the entire (surprisingly short) album. This one didn't reinvent the wheel or blow me away in any respect, but sometimes you just need a good groove and the sense of where to take it to make a good album.
very jazzy, soul-r&b mix, a bop-your-head record while chilling with your friends, sounds like the exact shade of yellow-gold-green an old lamp shade has, an early autumn record, fun guitar solos
music wise well done but not my vibe