Reviews (page 4 of 8)
It's fine. Just others have done similar previously and since, much better.
favorite: Just My Imagination I really like this album but I feel like each song has something I don't like about it. Such as in the song Just My Imagination he refers to the person in the song as "little girl" (ew). And If You Think You're Lonely Now sounds really good and would be a good break-up song but it's so passive-aggressive. And in Secrets which I also really like he's got the line "Just like some good old Kentucky Fried Chicken and all of it was good enough to be finger lickin'", I just hate that line and it takes me out of the smoothness of the song.
Meh
Bobby Womack's voice here is a classic soul voice. Very nice. I found the arrangements a bit busy and little overdone at times. It's a nice album, and one I quite enjoyed (I played it twice), but I'm not sure I would really class this as a 'great album'. From the Wikipedia page, it looks as though this was something of a return to form for Bobby Womack. Perhaps some of his earlier albums would be worth checking out.
Just ok
3.0 - Ok
Very very very cheesy. Lots of slap bass
good mood
Putting the 'ack' in Womack since 1944.
Day627 - a really good album but only half as interesting as the singer himself. the story of him with sam cooke’s wife and daughter is wild.
There were some funny lines and it was a fun album to dance to. Not super my thing, but I was not bad.
Bobby Womack has never had a real job in his entire life.
Bobby MF Womack. Amazing soul/funk singer probably most popular in the 70s. I know him from “across 110th street,” which is one of my all time favorite soul jams. I have to say this album surprised me quite a bit. I was expecting some early 80s cheese, but was delighted by a great dance track (Lay Your Lovin’ On Me), and several amazing slow jamz/ballads. In fact, I’d say this album is driven by ballads and baby makers. Would listen again.
This album is fine. Not a huge R & B fan, but it’s still better than KISS’s 1998 so-bad-it-caused-suicides studio sham “Psycho Circus”. I don’t know Bobby’s story, but I bet he fucked. A lot.
The funk never fails. I've heard some Bobby Womack before, and this one seems a bit less funky than what I've heard. It also suffers at times from the early 80s production. But the songs are strong, and Bobby is always great.
I don't want to stand up ... I think I am going to sit down for this one. There were times I wanted to get out of the chair and dance, but it didn't really move me all that much. Especially the second half just fell flat. Didn't hate it, it was just ok!
Good ol 80’s soul music. I love this kind of stuff. Good variety, not really experimental. 9/10
This was pretty solid.
Standouts So Many Sides of You If You Think You're Lonely Now
Amazing funk. Whenever I got up to do something while listening to the album, I had to suppress the urge to dance. The groove is irresistible. Bobby Womack has an incredible voice, if I hadn’t read the reviews beforehand, I likely wouldn’t have noticed some of the bad lyrics because of his great delivery. 4/5
Definitely an album with a much stronger B side. While the A side is certainly fine, I don't feel like there's anything noteworthy until the album takes a slower and more heartfelt turn. Once the bass kicks in and the songs can breathe more, the album becomes much more engaging. Top tracks: Stand Up, If You Think You're Lonely Now, Where Do We Go From Here
Easy soulful listening. Started strong but a bit forgettable for me overall. Tracks to Track: So Many Sides of You
This era of soul (late 70s/early 80s) just isn't for me.
The grooves on some of these tracks are so fun & upbeat, with interesting bass lines and strong funk vibes. Secrets & Stand Up are standout bangers with an amazing vibe. The slower tracks don’t quite hit the same for me but overall it’s a great groovy soul album.
started off strong but got bored at the end
Great R&B album. Gorgeous backup vocals and smooth instrumentals.
Great album. The most I’ve listened to Bobby Womack for years has been Across 110th St, and I always thought that was an amazing song, so I’m really happy I’ve finally listened to him in an extended fashion. I think it’s really cool how he was able to naturally adapt his music for the times of the 80s past the 60s and 70s, without it coming across kitschy, like how Herbie Hancock adapted his music for the 70s past the 60s. And you can also hear Sly Stone’s influence on Womack just as much as you can hear Womack’s influence on someone like Luther Vandross. Yeah but Secrets, Just My Imagination, and Stand Up are especially so good, and If You Think You’re Lonely Now is the perfect R&B equivalent of 80s pop rock power ballad schmooze (I genuinely mean that in the best way).
Soul intensifies, love sublime
It's all perfectly pleasant, but I can't help but think there are other Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Smoky Robinson, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder albums that could've made the list ahead of it.
Not bad, I enjoyed listening.
point1.
Almost too smooth.
It's a great listen from start to finish, so I have no choice but to give it 5 stars
3/10
Excellent album!
Liked it, but i don't think its anything too special.
I was just thinking we needed more soul in here. Best part are the closing couple of songs.
Bass lines are real
This was great would listen again
Exceptional album. Very well done.
Meh.
How is this so damn funky
2,6
I didn’t expect to enjoy this one—Bobby Womack isn’t someone I’d normally go out of my way to listen to, and I probably won’t revisit the album. But The Poet surprised me. There’s some genuinely great playing throughout, with rich instrumentation and grooves that really carry the songs. While a few of the backing vocals veer into cheesy territory, they don’t overshadow the overall vibe. It’s a smooth, soulful record that managed to win me over despite my reservations.
Fine. Just didn't hold my attention
Just didn't grab me at all
Middle of the road funk/soul with a couple memorable songs
The voice is great and tunes not bad - but smothered in too much 80's schmaltz for me.
The Poet His voice is superb, the production is very 80s, which I think would be ok if there were perhaps a few more, better songs that were worthy of his vocals and charisma, but as it is, that sound just ends up being a bit too distracting, the bass on Lay Your Love on Me, the synth wobbling away on Secrets, the bass again on Where Do We Go From Here. So Many Sides of You was surely inspired by Master Blaster (Jammin’), but it’s nowhere as good and ends up feeling rather cheesy. And even when the song is arguably the best on the album, e.g. Just My Imagination, a great, melancholic song, with nice country slide, the bass feels a bit much and slightly detracts from the overall. The most overtly 80s funk track, Stand, conversely works really well though, as it feels like a song written for that sound rather than one embellished by the production. And although I’m not as keen on the melody of Games, its relatively pared back instrumentation sounds nice in comparison, as it does on the slightly stronger ballad, If You Think You’re Lonely Now. Tricky one to rate, perhaps harshly I think it falls to a high 2, there just aren’t quite enough good songs to push past the production, despite his excellent voice, and, sadly, I don’t think I will come back to it. 🧀🧀 Playlist submission: Just My Imagination
He has a heck of a voice, and what's more his glasses are perfect for pool playing in bright environments. That's a plus. 'If You Think You're Lonely Now' feels a classic in the Motown style, like later 70s Diana Ross. 'Just My Imagination' is a marvelous velvety ballad; it's a bit of a cheek naming after a soul classic, but it stands on its own. The soul n funk combo often works to great effect, with a bass that slaps more than your Mum's ass-cheeks Some of it has the whiff of 80s Sunday soul, so-called cos Mother used to play such music on a Sunday whilst ironing ('Where Do We Go From Here's the worst offender, and it's a shame this protracted and banal outlier closes the album). An album that skirts with the idea of being excellent. One has to make a margin call with these ones, and I think there's enough quality to let is slip into the fours.
Womack was a great talent, but this just sounds lame as hell to me. 2/5
Smooth classic R&B. Really enjoyed this album. Till now my only knowledge of Womack was the song "Across 110th street" which I liked, but this really opened him up to me. I will be looking for more.
Really smooth album, enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Hmm, I like it: solid mid-70s R&B. But there's no standout song, it's more of a vibe.
I enjoyed it while I was listening to it but I don't remember any of it an hour later
Better than expected. And how about that line ... "let's go to Mars where children play and live on candy bars"
80s cheese, served up with a lot of coke. "Stand Up" and "If You Think You're Lonely Now" still hold up.
It’s unusual to hear a decent soul album from the 80s. There are some missteps, like the countrified cover of Just My Imagination, and in general it can’t stand up to the classics of the 60s and 70s. But it’s not a bad listen and I think I’ll be exploring Womack’s earlier stuff
I love Bobby Womack and I do really like this album but my favorite by him is Communication. This one’s funkier but Communication has that classic R&B sound that I love. That being said there’s some technical wizardry by all the musicians through out the entire album. Bobby Womack kills the guitar and vocals as always while James Gadson consistently stays in the pocket on the drums, but the stand out instrument for most of the album is the bass, handled by Nathan East. I also really enjoy Dorothy Ashby’s harp addition, if you haven’t listened to the album Afro-Harping by her do yourself a favor and check it out! I’d give this one a 4.
I love Bobby Womack! This album is a first listen for me. I can tell it was recorded in the 80's. It's a funky album, and whoever is playing bass is killing it. Stand Up has a Rick James vibe to it. Lay Your Lovin' On Me got me moist. If You Think You're Lonely Now is a classic, and I actually have heard that one. Didn't know it was from this album. It's my favorite on here. 4.
Funky stuff from Mr. Womack. Absolutely killer hook on So Many Sides of You.
This was a quick album. It seemed a little slow jammy but then if you listened to the lyrics it was a lot about shady girls and breakups. This guy was a little vindictive (when the skeletons are chasing you around the room). The lyrics were simple and plain with a lot of repetition, that is kind of cliche. Not awful but others are better.
R&B isn't my thing so it's got to be something really special to win me over. R&B music tends to sound really formulaic and the lyrics are all very cliche. That's not to say it can't be done well... like Al Green, Barry White, or even Billie Ocean maybe? But Bobby falls short of those greats. This album is called the Poet so I was really hoping the songs would live up to that. It's hard to get next to you when you have so many sides, baby. Fried Chicken? Back rubs? okay Bobby, you're not a poet. Although I've definitely heard worse 2's, this was sooo cliche and unoriginal I'm not really sure why it's on this project. Couldn't wait for it to be over.
This was fun and funky that made me bippity bop, but it also had a cheese factor that made it hard to take very seriously.
As cool as this album is, it's almost unbearably 80s R&B/Blues/Soul. I can't really put my finger on it but there was something about the production of this kind of music in the early to mid 80s that is just unmistakable. Maybe it's the long fade outs on every song? Cheesy synths? The over-tight sound of the drums? All of those things? I don't know. It was a fun record to listen to but any longer and I would have struggled. 2.5/5
Fun blues
Energetic soul album that had me grooving right away. Bobby has a nice voice and is stringing together many fun disco or soul tunes here. Lay your lovin on me, if you think youre lonely now and stand up are the standouts for me. Like but not love this lp.
I appreciate the craft here, he has a brilliant voice no doubt but it’s just not my thing really. I enjoyed it to a point but I probably tuned out after 4-5 songs so I won’t be returning voluntarily. I was debating whether to award this 2 stars but that seemed a bit harsh.
62/1001 Bobby Womack - The Poet Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ His voice is incredible, the arrangements and general vibe are smooth soul, with some funk elements. The lyrics can be questionable at times. I did enjoy it, but I don't think I'd be reaching for it at random...
Meh. Nothing jumped out at me.
Kinda repetitive
Apparently my general disdain for 80's music extends to soul as well. This sounded kind of cheesy, dated and bland. So was this was the best of 13 albums he released by this point? I hope not.
# Album Name: The Poet # Artist: Bobby Womack # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: wow, this aged badly. so cheesy. musically, theres some talent. but it just aint my kinda sound # Top Tunes: not sure # Would I listen to it again? no
Nice smooth, funky bass. Nothing terribly attention grabbing, though. It feels a bit dated, solidly in that late 70s early 80s disco era. Good background music, but that's about it.
This is good. I enjoyed the whole album. Again, as with a lot of the albums on this list, it's great for a listen or 2, but maybe not all the time. Maybe if the list was trimmed down to some essentials, you wouldn't end up with a lot of albums like this. 3.05 / 5 stars
Like it as background music.
Excellent soul album!
Nah, hell with it. This is perfect. This shits for real yearners. Fuck ME this is good shit. Come on
Some of the most peaceful funky soul albums I've heard. He also should incorporate some goregrind and technical death metal elements into his music.
Funky fine
So Many Sides Of You - 9/10 Lay Your lovin on me - 7/10 Secrets - 7.5/10 Just My Imagination - 7/10 Stand Up - 10/10 Games - 7/10 If you think youre lonely now - 7/10 Where do we go from here - 8/10 78/100
Funky, groovy, classy, really nice album!
This dudes history vis a vis poor Sam Cooke and his wife is fucking wild. The album is cool kinda pioneering 80s soul. Some vocal affectations I associate with rick james, not sure who came first.
Loved this. Never heard of him before but really enjoyed the upbeat funkiness.
Pas si pire, mais pas vraiment mémorable
Did not age well
Fun! This was very enjoyable to listen to. 'Where Do We Go from Here' was my fave.
Banger! Whirling music fron to back 4/5
A bit generic until Stand Up. That one has a groove.
Really good album. A 3,5.
Funky Stuff
lovely!!!! vibing.
have limited knowledge of soul music so it was good to expand that. started this album in the baggage drop-off queue at manchester airport, finished it 3 weeks later. was pleased with the consistent use of the gospel choir - allowed womack to improvise adlibs over which sounded great. very funky bass guitar had a huge significance in a lot of tracks. the use of the harp was beautiful in some parts but overused in others. simplistic lyrics makes the title ironic. 'game' had a stunning instrumental.
Funky post-disco style. And of course, plenty of soul. Womack's vocal is pretty great, full of emotion and complemented by the solid backing vocals. Despite having barely missed the height of disco, The Poet actually pulls the genre off better than most actual disco albums. It's less dated, for sure. In general, the shorter tracks here are slightly stronger – with the exception of Secrets, which (according to my rules) prevents the album from getting 5 stars. So Many Sides Of You has a slightly cliché melody/chorus but the instrumentation is more than enough to compensate. Great punchy track to open the album. If You Think You're Lonely Now is excellent, featuring a lot of back-and-forth between Womack and other instruments, plus something similar to scatting that he does surprisingly effectively. Also a shoutout to Stand Up for its percussion and fast tempo. It's impossible not to tap your foot to this one. I have no idea what's going on in Secrets lyrically. "When you hold me close, and do all the things / You do to me, oh wee, baby / Just like some good ol' Kentucky fried chicken" "She takes me for a younger bonus revelation / But the first time in my life I'm getting off on her conversation / Just like the apple pies my mama made from scratch". ...I don't know where to begin. But whatever it is, it's distracting enough to render the whole song a miss. I'm also not a big fan of choruses delivered entirely by backing vocalists, which was (oddly) a big early-80s trend. Steely Dan's Gaucho record would've been a contender for the best album of the year 1980 if it hadn't done this. 4/5 Key tracks: So Many Sides Of You, If You Think You're Lonely Now
Not bad but not for me
Временами приятно, временами тягомотно. 6 из 10.
1. So Many Sides Of You - 10 Bobby Womack's vocals are incredible on this track. The bass is amazing and the drums brilliant lead the track from one line to the next. The background vocals help define this track as a classic soul track. Absolute perfection this track. 2. Lay Your Lovin' On Me - 9 Sax solo is amazing as are the vocals. Really great track with some amazing bass on it as well. Brilliant piece of music. 3. Secrets - 5 Lyrically it's just not as strong. I don't need a significant portion of the song, any song really, to be dedicated to Kentucky Fried Chicken or apple pie. 4. Just My Imagination - 6 Solid love song. Bass sounds great and the lyrics are solid. It's not anything that will blow you away but it's a decent track. 5. Stand Up - 7 Instrumentally this song is a lot more fun than the previous track but lyrically it's a lot weaker, at least in the verses. Choruses are fun at times but it's not enough to really say the entire track is an enjoyable experience. Instead it's just a okay, middle of the road track. 6. Games - 7 Solid track. Pretty simple lyrics but still sung brilliantly and the instrumentally it's a very enjoyable song. The piano is a lovely accompanying instrument and the drums are paired to well with the vocals on this track. 7. If You Think You're Lonely Now - 6 Really weak opening lyrics. It's not a bad song but there's much much better on the album already. 8. Where Do We Go From Here - 7 Decent song to end the album on. Enjoyable albeit a bit repetitive at times it's a lot slower a track than the highest rated ones on the album so far. Solid sound overall. Average Rating: 7.13 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 3.56 Rounded Up: 4 Stars
Pretty good soul album.
78/1001. To quote Hitchhiker's Guide to tje Galaxy: mostly harmless.
Tylsää!
Tällähän on ihan hienojaki lauluja mu ei osunu tähän
Vähän liian hattaraa meikäläisen makuun. ⭐️⭐️
Hyvää settiä!
Nice feel good music, very upbeat! I dont know that it super pulled me in ir felt super revolutionary to me but it was def a pleasant listen. Groovy. 3.4
Pretty basic.
This isn't for me. Its alright. It feels kind of strange but I think that it probably didn't at the time?
Side A: COCAINE!!!! Five stars. Side B: cocaine wearing off :( Three stars. Cocaine helps boost a lot of normal people into a zone that my ADHD appreciates, it seems.
A little forgettable for me
The Poet is a nice listen and a 3 ⭐ album. It's a great sounding album, from a mix and production perspective. Bobby Womack had a good voice, not being too smooth, with just a bit of grit to it. The guitar and bass are stand-outs. Some of the guitar fills are quite tasty. Ultimately, there wasn't any tracks on this album that grabbed my attention, got my foot tapping, my head nodding and stirred the soul; nothing to make me want to listen again or explore further. Would I listen to this album again? No. Would I buy this album? No. 1 "So Many Sides of You"- 3 ⭐ 2 "Lay Your Lovin' on Me"- 3 ⭐ 3 "Secrets"- 3 ⭐ 4 "Just My Imagination"- 3 ⭐ 5 "Stand Up"- 3 ⭐ 6 "Games"- 3 ⭐ 7 "If You Think You're Lonely Now"- The best track on the album.- 3 ⭐ 8 "Where Do We Go from Here"- 3 ⭐ Total - 24 Average - 3.00
Dosta kul album, baš mi je pasao! Pogotovo što dosta stvari prvi put čujem. Baš fino 👌🏻 4/5, 7.5/10
Really enjoyed this one
This album is just plain fun. Nothing too complex about the music or lyrics; just a go with the tunes and "groove:".. little cheesy, lots of fun. The "standing room only" had me dancing~ Bobby Womack's voice is great to listen too. RIP Bobby~
Not sure he’s demonstrating his poetry skills here, but Bobby is a legend
Das Album The Poet wurde in den Kendun Recorders in Burbank, Kalifornien, aufgenommen. Bobby Womack war ein US-amerikanischer Sänger, Gitarrist und Songwriter, der mit diesem Werk seinen Stil zwischen Soul, Funk und R&B weiterentwickelte. Das Album erschien in einer Zeit, in der traditionelle Soulmusik kommerziell unter Druck stand, und zeigt dennoch eine klare persönliche Handschrift. Songs wie „If You Think You’re Lonely Now“ und „So Many Sides of You“ gelten als markante Stücke im Repertoire Womacks und fanden auch später noch Beachtung in verschiedenen musikalischen Kontexten. Die Stücke sind durch ihre betont ruhige, dialogartige Gesangsführung und ihre einfache, aber direkte Instrumentierung geprägt. Stilistisch ist The Poet dem klassischen Soul zuzuordnen, mit Einflüssen aus Gospel und Blues. Die Arrangements sind zurückhaltend, oft gitarrengetragen, wobei Womacks Stimme im Vordergrund bleibt. Die Produktion ist klar, aber nicht übermäßig poliert. Das Album vermittelt den Eindruck eines persönlichen Statements inmitten einer sich wandelnden Musiklandschaft. Es wirkt geschlossen und reflektiert, ohne sich vordergründig an Trends anzupassen.
Mjukt, snyggt och svängigt.
2.8 That little guitar lick in Just My Imagination might be the worst line (and unnecessary) I have ever heard. Not familiar with Bobby Womak or its album but it really felt like an 80's soul album, which is precisely what it is. If you think your lonely know is a baby banger,
Smoooooooooooth.
Album 838 of 1089 Bobby Womack -The Poet (1981) Rating : 3 / 5 I really enjoyed this one. It felt like a little blast from the past—smooth, soulful, and the kind of sound you just don’t hear much in new music anymore. Solid arrangements, tasteful musicianship, and Womack’s vocals stayed steady and strong throughout. It didn’t blow me away, but at no point did I find myself checking the time or hoping it would wrap up. Just some smooth, well-crafted tunes. “Just My Imagination” even made it onto my “like” list. A good, easy listen.
Smooth and easy and super funky. Stunning vocals and rhythms. While this didn’t have a standout song for me, everything was such an easy listen.
Didn't have much time, was completely prepared to write it off as lift music... But turns out it's the height of smooth soulful cool 😅
Great, but just didn’t pull me in.
I don't know. Cheesey but good fun
This one was good but it sort of sunk into the couch cushions and had trouble getting up again.
Yes
Bobby Womack's "The Poet" came after a self-imposed hiatus following the loss of his son and battle with drug addiction. He may not have been ready to attempt a comeback or a big hit. "If You Think You're Lonely Now" was a crowd pleaser and well received critically, but this wasn't a showstopper.
Sexy time music
god nok soul funk. Synes ikke rigtig det var noget specielt selvom jeg godt kan lide Bobby womack. Måske ramte jeg bare ikke dagen, er i en periode hvor musikken gerne må være lidt hårdere
Nothing special here
Boring RnB. 2/5
adri: 9, wow, que ritmazo mar: 8, vaya ritmazo
Akkurat passe bra selskap mens æ leste noen kapittel i en bok, men dagen derpå huske æ ikke så mye av det, anna enn at æ likte det helt greit.
Such a classic, smooth, sound. Turn the lights down, grab your best girl and a couple of glasses of wine, and make the evening memorable.
Before the likes of Luther Vandross and Prince, we had Bobby Womack and other trailblazers. I've listened to Bobby Womack in the past, but I can't really say that this is his most interesting release. It's a fine if not too notable listen, there are nice songs on here but nothing that's hugely consequential.
Extremely groovy music. I dug it enough to listen to it passively for a while, but it didn't really strike me as something I will return to.
Deep grooves and soulful sounds
I love the vibe, summer, chill, positive!
Basically a doo-wop crooner. Had heard Bobby's name before, but probably would not have been able to describe his music. Good stuff!
норм, качает.
80s soul in the house! It’s a party and definitely has some disco vibes. But it maintains a sense funk and soul that sends it. STANDING ROOM ONLY!
Fine Soul music from one of Cleveland's illustrious sons. Special note should be given for the outstanding bass lines of session musician Nathan East. Ranking with Tony Levin and Carol Kaye as one of the most recorded bassists in history, his work anchors the music.
For Jimmy
Great playing, but does not really feel like it brings anything new or outstanding sounding.
Great
A fun album with a little bit on funk.
It was fine. Nothing spectacular.
Nice and enjoyable. Didn't know. 3*
I hadn’t listened to much Bobby Womack before. I was pleasantly surprised. This is a solid album.
Some smooth and gentle R&B. Nice to listen to.
Kinda funky kinda corny.
2,2/5
..
Nice.
It was fine.
autsch, wieder einmal schnulzig ohne ende - kann dem echt nichts abgewinnen.
Ist halt nicht so meines..
I liked some of the songs
3.5- good funky soul
This was a fine album.
Technically good but practically boring.
Interesting...I enjoy this old school soul funk sound. 3.5/5
kinda liked it
Oh the bass licks Very relaxed, a great vibe but also a tad forgettable
Let me get this straight... this guy married his bandmates wife 2 months after said mate died... and then proceeded to fuck his new stepdaughter? So the wife shot him and then remarries his little brother? I thought my family was dysfunctional - 2/5 stars for the lore alone.
Very smooth sound, cool lyrics. Love it.
groovy, good songs
Groovy and jazzy experience
Just like some good ol Kentucky Fried Chicken
Rhythm & Blues
A definite 80s turn on Soul and R&B from our Bobby. Sure, the funk is there, but there's a fair amount of squelchy keyboard and it kind of gets in the way rather. Stand out track for me was If You Think You're Lonely Now, much more classic Womack. Overall a reasonable listen but I doubt I'll return to it anytime soon.
Cool cover. The music is good but I must admit it kind of washed over me, rather than drawing me right in.
Nice when it's laid back, but way more fun when he kicks up the tempo and cuts loose
This was great. Expected it be funky, have a bit of soul and good vibes. Delivered on all fronts.
Really enjoyable. Mostly funky. Not usually my thing but a high 3.5 so 4.
Straight middle of the road. Fun but not special
It's not like it's bad, but I can't tell you anything I liked about it. It vaguely reminded me of things I like. I listened to it twice to try to figure out how I felt and I still don't know. I don't expect I'll listen to it again ...Oh there was one track with a really nice snare drum/clap sound...
Nice album, I love soul and he has a great voice but I didn't feel any one song stood out.
Alright, not my thing
Excellent opener which set the scene for a great album. So Many Sides Of You was all kinds of funky and foot-tapping, followed by an equally-as-soulful second track, Lay Your Lovin' On Me. I can see how If You Think You’re Lonely Now was the biggest hit from this release. Soul music can lead me to cringe sometimes but I didn’t get this feeling from The Poet. This is the epitome of cool. I've never knowingly listened to Bobby Womack before. I'm genuinely pleased with this discovery.
This was out of my wheelhouse, I've heard of Bobby Womack but hadn't listened to him before. Giving this a 2 but this made me curious to go check out some of his older stuff.
Solid 3. Nothing amazing, nothing unpleasant
It was fine.
I enjoyed this; his voice is soothing, and it was easy to listen to. Favourite song was ‘If You Think You're Lonely Now’
Loved this man.
Pleasant r&b
I enjoyed this album listen! This album is heavily influenced by blues, funk, soul and other music genres that I typically find myself to enjoy. Overall, I would listen to this again depending on my mood and recommend it to others!
So Many Sides Of You and Just My Imagination are the highlights. The rest suffers a bit from, you know, the 80s. I'd have gone with George Benson's Breezin' from just a few years earlier.
Schmaltzy soul
Smooth 80's soul. Some nice yachty florishes but it's not really hitting any hooks. Bland and inoffensive. Surely there's better soul albums out there than this? Best Tracks: So Many Sides of You; Just My Imagination; If You Think You're Lonely Now
Not bad, just not my thing.
im so fucking mad today cause i messed up my music final exam by playing "smells like teen spirit" gradually faster and out of sync with the backing track while also played the solo all wrong. i don't need any fucking r&b to sooth it, i'd rather like some leonard cohen cause it will make me depressed. and this is so fucking cheesy!!! 3/5
Cuando en Los Simpson, Barry White dijo "vengan a mi cubículo, es seguro y es sensual", probablemente uno de los álbumes que se hubiera escuchado en ese apasionante momento habría sido alguno de Bobby Womack. Mucho soul, mucha intensidad erótica y un muy buen disco. Y me gustó mucho, pero de Womack tenía el antecedente de Across 110th street, que es una de mis canciones favoritas de la vida. Y esperaba algo a ese nivel, y pues aunque The Poet me pareció sensual y romántico, no llega a esas alturas. Aún así, seguiré escuchando a Womack.
Great songwriter, turmoil in his personal life adds more depth to the material, not always in a good way. The songs are clear slices of everyone’s life, but as a full statement there is too much.
I was jamming.
Feel harsh and it is a high 2. Wouldn't mind hearing again but I won't seek out. Cheesy 80s soul isn't me
Somewhere in between classic soul and neo soul and it probably needs to be forgotten. This era just doesn’t do it for me.
Soul, RnB, 1981 -> 3
Lots of recognizable songs on this one
Again. Neither the best of the genre nor of Mr Womack’s catalogue. And in this case, I think the gaps are pretty glaring. On the whole I’ve enjoyed this project - it bludgeoned me into accepting Elvis Costello as a legitimate artist, for instance - but some of the selections are, well, peculiar.
High 3 Pretty fun album from a genre I usually find repetitive
Wasn't bad, just not my genre
Sensual, soulful, perfect for a quiet slow morning...or a sexy evening with some wine.
Funky Odlican bass Kao Marvin Geye
It was ok, not a fan of Lovey Dovey music ( a mix of Barry White and Marvin Gaye IMHO ).
Very slow nondescript Soul. The guitar playing is jazzy, clean, melodic, subtly interesting. The keyboards are good, though veering only slightly into synth cheese here and there.
Reminded me of a poor man’s George Benson without the awesome guitar work
Funky, soulful and alot of fun.
Which one?
Probably not his most essential listen if you asked someone who knows his catalogue. I know this guy kinda already from the couple of songs on plastic beach, which were good, but obviously felt way out of place (especially stylo). So its good to hear him in his 'natural habitat' or whatever, although I think this is a bit more pop than the more soul stuff he was know for in the early 70s. The disco and pop influences are quite cool though. There are such a range of influences, there are some synth-pop ones (like stand up), and some bits which feel a lot like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. Downsides are that some songs, especially the three at the end kind of just taper and go nowhere, and feel like boring ballads. Favourite songs: so many sides of you, secrets, just my imagination, stand up. Overall around 7/10
Not bad music but no bangers - makes it a 1 by default. Reminder as to rubric: 1 - no bangers or truly painful to listen to as an album but maybe 1 banger 2 - 1-3 bangers but the rest of the album is so bad I don't want to listen to it again 3 - Anywhere from 1 to half of the album's worth of bangers and the rest of the album is alright. 4 - High density of bangers necessary - can have one skip. 5 - Not necessarily all bangers but works high density of bangers and works as a cohesive album. No skips. While Bobby Womack here has no skips - there are no bangers. It feels wrong because the music isn't incompetent or anything but there's just no bangers here.
Bobby is always fun, this is a fun groovy album, but it's not particularly remarkable for me. It's very much a middle of the road. I think I treat my rating system not as a rating as an album in and of itself but as a response to it being on the 1001 albums list, and therefor it gets a 2*. Not because it isn't good but i'm just very apathetic towards it and it stirs no strong emotion good or bad.
An experience like no other towards poetry.
Beautiful voice, beautiful lyrics. Soul is as always, an amazing genre full of beautiful artists.
legal
It's ok I guess, maybe good dinner background music 3.15
Didn't think I would like this so much
oh we FUNKIN
A pretty smooth & chill listen. The songs aren't outstanding but they'd do in a pinch.
Great stuff — great soulful voice with gospel quality. The instrumentation can sound like the smooth and upbeat jazz from Nintendo (and I’m not sure if that’s even a bad thing)
Maybe on another day this would have caught my attention more. But today it kind of just faded into the background. Definitely wasn’t unenjoyable, just not too memorable. 2.5/5
I really love this style of singing. I came into this with no knowledge of "The Poet" and only limited experience with Bobby Womack. This is a very solid album with tremendous basslines and a superb bass player. 4/5
Undeniably funky, just not my thing unfortunately
So Many Sides of You- one thing we lose with all the streaming services- the ability to listen to an album all the way through, and see how someone sets up the order of the songs- this is an upbeat, driving love song Lay Your Lovin' On Me Secrets- this guy made a Kentucky Fried Chicken reference without irony Just My Imagination- not a cover of The Temptations' classic, but it stands beside it- this was the first time I heard the song, but was so impressed. Stand Up Games If You Think You're Lonely Where Do We Go From Here
I like the general vibe of this album. The songs are catchy, and, while I am not a huge lover of R&B or jazz, I thought this was quite good. Womack's voice is pleasant and smooth. I didn't really view this album as poetry, as the name of the album had me thinking, but there are some nice love songs. The guitar is the first thing my ear goes to in a song (other than vocals of course), and Womack's playing is fantastic across the board. Good album.
Yes I understand he was a significant soul pioneer in the vein of Curtis Mayfield and Issac Hayes but he pales in comparison. Compare Across 74th Street to Shaft or Superfly, two far superior soundtracks.
So fun! So cool! Favourites were Secrets and Stand Up but every track was great and I listened through a couple times. I wasn’t going to give it a five but then I was like actually what’s not to like, what would be my specific criticism to bring it down? And couldn’t think of one so went with it.
There are parts of this that I really enjoyed, but the production is so dated that it's hard to love it as a whole. The funkier parts are top-notch, some of the ballads are a little much.
Reading the description and other reviews, I was prepared to hate this. But it wasn’t what I feared. Not my usual jam, but a good listen.
Alright
Snagged another classic 2 days in a row, I’ll consider that lucky with this challenge. The perfect soundtrack to my morning walk with my dog. Bobby Womack is one of the best, and this album showcases that perfectly.
Not a funk fan, but this was pretty decent.
A classic song writing, that not sure he makes the jump for a classic song writer/singer.
Funk soul brotha
I was in a foul mood when I put this on and it kind of helped to be honest.
oh yeah? only then ill be lonely? get off my back
Gear: Fostex TH610 Artwork: 🎸😎🆒 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: ✍️📜🤔 Rating: 🪩🪩(🪩)/5
Bassist going crazy, this was a great listen, the different sounds, the consistent funk. I haven't heard of the artist before but they definitely got my attention here.
A little too yacht rock for me, but for a morning vibe, it was fine.
you can be funky, cool and smooth but also pretty cornball (hell yeah KFC). He probably had a lot of fun making this and so did I listening to it. One of my favorite lines from If You Think You're Lonely Now, "And the skeletons in your closet, chasing you all around the room." Come on, thats a funny moment in a sexy song
Some fun tunes on here and Bobby Womack has a great voice/scream but this album has no business being on this list. How is this required listening? Also shoutout to KFC baybee!
The ballads are not for me but Stand Up had me grooving. 2.5
Eh...
Decent soul. If You Think You’re Lonely Now was the only one that really jumped out. The rest wasn’t bad but didn’t do much for me. Just shy of a 4.
Good soul/R&B with a little bit of funk thrown in. Better than average but not great. Would give it 3.5 if possible, but I'll round up.
I'd never heard this before and it was nice. Bobby Womack is a bad person, but one with a great voice and is a charismatic singer. Some of the production sounds dated but it fuses 70s and 80s R&B well I think.
An excellent soul album. Not a ton of range, but I'd gladly return any time.
Enjoyable soul/r&b. Not overproduced, but a clean recording that preserves the rawness of the vocals.
Not a great dude, it seems, but which musicians were in this era? I enjoyed it. I don't know enough about soul to really rate it or know how influential it was, but I like the fusion of soul, funk and blues here and it's all very well performed and produced. No especially catchy or memorable individual songs for me.
Not for me.
I don’t hate it but I don’t love it. An album I need to hear before I die? No.
This was also great painting music
Great sound and voice.
Awful
Soulful
Una voz y calidad enormes para el bgran B. Womack, autor del primer éxito de los Stones (It´s all over now) y de uno de los mejores de Wilson Pickett (I´m in love), colaborador de Gorillaz, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Janis Joplin y Sly and the Family Stone, pero sobre todo de la mejor canción en una pelílca de Tarantino: Across 110th Street. Este The Poet (tendría continuación en el siguiente disco The Poet II) es su album más exitoso y con razón: La apertura de So many sides of you (a lomos de Master Blaster de Stevie Wonder) ya marca el camino a seguir. Lay your lovin´ on me es una delicia, con la voz despegando a un nivel del que ya no baja. Secrets, que fue el sencillo de presentación y sobre todo Stand Up suben el ritmo. La tríada final es, con mucho, lo mejor: If You Think You're Lonely Now como puntal del disco y Where Do We Go From Here como otro de sus éxitos. Just my imagination es una de mis favoritas junto con Games, una obra de arte.
Bobby Womack!! Such an iconic voice, I enjoyed every minute of this record. And the stellar guitar work was icing on the cake!
Soul and funk, overwrought vocals. Not unpleasant but not memorable.
Really nice chillout.
Far too 'easy listening' for me.
Very well-produced!
80/100. The Poet by Bobby Womack is a smooth and soulful album that carries a classic '80s vibe. The music feels sweet, warm, and heartfelt, with excellent instrumentation and Womack’s rich, emotive voice bringing everything together. The standout track for me was "Games".
Really smooth and easy to listen to when it’s on. Like, it would be great to make dinner to. But it’s hard to really remember it after it’s finished. I still think everyone should listen to it. One of those weird 3-star must-listens (#111).
Solid, right down the middle but probably won't revisit
A qualidade disso aqui é absurda, outro nível.
This was some solid tunes for interstate driving.
fine soul, not too 80's. it was background jams for me.
Really found this dull. Represents a time and place but not special as far as I can tell.
Tough one. Has virtually all the elements of music I'd like, but its about 5cm off center, and that apparently spoils the whole thing. Took something with sould and transformed it to cheese. Soul cheese.
Not a album I’d listen to from start to finish.
I was driving throughout this album and it didn't disturb me!!
I like it. It’s groovy and funky and great background music to jam out to. 2.5⭐️
This is definitely well-made music with production that was top tier for its time. If you’re someone who enjoys 80s soul, you’ll probably get a lot out of this. Personally though, it didn’t do much for me. It felt pretty cliché, and the sound hasn’t aged all that well. There’s a certain slickness to it that comes off as a bit dated and cheesy today.
Just okay.
Decent. 3/5
Vibrant and energetic throughout. Fun listen! Stand-out: So Many Sides of You
Poised just on the cusp of all those great 70s soul sounds being sanitised out by 80s production values.
Lots of soul and funk
It was pretty good. 80’s soul music isn’t really my thing but I enjoyed it. As with so many of the suggestions I feel a whole album is a bit much.
Tight!
I love this! It may be a bit cheesy at times, but the musicianship, production, and vocals are genuinely excellent. Very happy to have discovered this one!
Chillig
this hit so well
Enjoyable, short-and-sweet album that kept me hooked the whole way. Firmly a 3, but didn't quite have enough to bring it up to a 4.
Getting some serious Miles Davis "Get Up with It" vibes from Womack's glasses on this cover. Just My Imagination is a weird fusion of styles that plays like a southern funk ballad. I'm oddly into it; especially the weird progression of the slide guitar with the chorus. I've definitely heard the guitar lick from If You Think You're Lonely Now in some recent rap sampling. Song stands out for its single quality for sure. I'll say this was a nice short and sweet entry in the list. Not something that really got me going, but there was some solid guitar in here and just some smooth songs. Solid 3 out of 5 territory.
Another high 3. I really enjoy this genre of music, but comparing to other soul music it is just solid/average. Great voice and groove, but nothing truly stood out to me about this album.
Album started out so hot with the first song, had to instantly give it a relisten once I was finished. If it stayed like this it was going to be a slam dunk 5. Definitely cooled down into more typical soul R&B type, which was still very enjoyable just not my favorite type. The ending few songs has some really nice guitar solos which ripped. This was bordering on a 4/5 but don't think it quite made it to a 5
This honestly just didn't do much for me. Had it's moments but that was few and far in between. Honestly was just waiting for it to be over at some point. High 2
5/10 This was well put together but fundamentally boring. What is a totally fine 80s soul album doing on this list? It felt pretty inessential to me. I liked the bits where he was channeling Stevie Winder, and the other bits less so Best: Stand Up
Nice soulful album
i can't say i've listened to a lot of bobby womack's stuff but i am familiar with some of his 70s output. this album is obviously a little bit different from 'across 110th street' but it's interesting to see how his music has evolved. it's pretty nice to listen to, very smooth, but honestly very middle of the road. the opening track, 'so many sides of you' sounds like a knock-off of stevie wonder's 'master blaster.' the rest of the album feels a bit run of the mill. this sort of 80s smooth r&b is not really my thing, but i can see why people liked it.
Artiste inconnu. J'aime beaucoup les lignes de basse sur cet album, et les (trop rares) chorus de sax. Et la harpe amène une originalité bienvenue. Par contre certains sons de synthé ont mal vieilli (Stand Up et son synthé basse), et les morceaux plus lent finissent par être ennuyeux (If You Think You're Lonely Now). Je ne pense pas l'écouter une seconde fois. =>2/5
Maybe it's just me, but this doesn't really seem that great? It is good, and I'm vibing along, but it doesn't really feel special in any way. Again, I like it, and it's good, but it's missing something to make it really special/good. Favorite Song(s): Stand Up, If You Think You're Lonely Now
3 только за затянутость песен, а в целом рнб фанк о любви - неплохо
Bobby Womack is a legend, this album deserves more love!
Groovy
This guy has about a half dozen better contributions to music than this cringefeast
Pure, coked-up 80s babymaking music. Aww yis.
Love him, very much part of the musical fabric of the 70s-80s. Womack and Womack songwriting was it!!
This is good not amazing 80’s soul. Still way more enjoyable than much of what followed. Had never heard of Bobby Womack until now so for that I’m thankful for this project. However don’t believe this is an album I HAVE to listen to.
This has a groove with a solid voice that sometimes sounds like a preacher...for lovers.
A triple threat - guitarist, singer, songwriter - Womack reintroduces himself with a soulfully funky early 80s turn. It's not just what he does but how he does it - I believe what the man says - the come ons and laments alike. There are no real low points but the first side truly slaps - both literally (there will be some slap bass) and figuratively as the kids say (at least as I understand it). 3.5.