Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Listened Before? N I've never heard of this guy or heard his music. He's very good here on this particular album. Soul is definitely not my cup of tea, so that's going to hurt the rating here but I recognize quality when I hear it. I did not add the big hit from this album because I don't agree with it's whiny, aggressive message. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Lay Your Lovin' On Me
Soulful and some groovy to it. Loved this
Fav tracks: So Many Sides Of You, Secrets, If You Think You're Lonely Now
Groovy and enjoyable
A decent album that I would want to listen to again. Nothing stood out immediately after the first play through.
Very good listen. The background vocalists are really impressive on this and help it carry weight. Important to note that 3 songs are not available on Spotify so I can't give it a full 5 stars but great listen for sure!
Music for sex. As a non-sex haver I have no reason to like this
first half was really nice and funky, latter half fell off a bit
I feel like Bobby Womack made this album with the intention of getting people laid. Considered rating this a 2, but cannot possibly put it down there with Violent Femmes. 3 it is.
Bobby. As much as he is the face of this, I think the bass and synth players steal the show here. Also, was that a harp?
Strong vocals and groovy basslines kept my toes tapping all the way through. Stand up was a favorite on my first listen through. The album loses steam towards the end and lost me a bit in the last 2 songs.
Fun album, I was hoping I would recognize more songs. Overall, it was good.
I liked Bobby’s energy and his delivery in some songs, like If You Think You’re Lonely Now. Melodrama I find very funny sometimes and I respect. I can’t help but think there was a fair amount of cocaine involved with the making of this record. Thank you Mr. Womack for gifting us with your art
Would have given it 2.5 stars if I could have. A poor man’s Al Green.
This was exactly what I was expecting, but in a very good way. A great variety of tracks and slap-and-pop bass is just the best. They ain’t playing no Games with the crispness of those funky riffs. I’d 1000% play this at a chill party or when needing a little pick-me-up (instead of my usual, bumping cocaine). It’s a very versatile album. Oh Bobby, there’s just So Many Sides of You. But Bobby “The Poet” Womack has some Secrets…his lyrics are pretty pedestrian. For an album named The Poet, I was expecting some deeper lyrical abilities and turns of phrases. It’s like an album named The Virtuoso having simple three-chord progressions on guitar all the way through. If You Think You’re Lonely Now, arguably the biggest hit on the record, made me laugh out loud multiple times as it seemed like he rolled into the studio after having a minor disagreement with his wife of 13 years and just started narrating everything they just argued about. This stream of consciousness reaches an outstanding point when he urges his wife to think about what it’ll be like when he’s not there to rub her back. This seemingly mundane lovers quarrel somehow becomes the focal point of this album, a notion that makes me laugh even more. Is it Just My Imagination, or does Bobby have primo pipes? There’s no denying the vocal abilities on this album. So where do we go from here? It deserves more than a 3 but not quite a 4, from me.
The Poet is a pretty fun album, starts off strong, really dig the first two tracks but it kind of trails off for me after that. Not a huge fan of Just My Imagination although I kinda love the slide guitar in it. I feel like the last 2/3s of the album could use one or two more upbeat songs to keep things interesting. Womack's voice is amazing but what an all-star lineup in the backing band; Nathan East just crushing it on bass and David T Walker laying down tasty licks all over the place - these guys are easily my favourite part about this album. Kinda love the bongos, especially in Lay Your Lovin on Me
What a start to the album, just a great opening lick. Lots of soulful funk going on here, with awesome bass, keyboards and guitar all over the place. Those three instruments take a backing position to the vocals, which are always front and center, but oh man focus in on any of them for an absolute treat, especially the guitar which you can honestly miss altogether on some tracks but it is just groovin back there in the mix. Lay Your Lovin On Me could be an Anderson Paak song, I'm sure he got some inspiration from this album for some of his sounds. The album's most popular track seems to be If You Think You're Lonely Now, which I don't understand because that's got to be the most tedious song on there. I had to skip that track a couple times at the office because it felt like it was literally extending my afternoon. Overall decent stuff. Pro tip: read the Personal Life section on wikipedia for some weird.
The album was fine I guess.
Pretty alright 2.5
Before today I'd never heard of Bobby Womack, but I've seen people compare him to Sam Cooke (it also turns out he was backing guitarist for Sam's band for a while). I also read that the likes of Sly Stone and Janis Joplin drew a lot of influence from his work, so I knew I was in for a good funk/soul/R&B record. Bobby is indeed kind of like Sam Cooke, but not as polished. Sam's lyrics have a flow to them, whereas I found Bobby's delivery choppy, and his lyrics simplistic and a bit repetitive. This is not necessarily a bad thing, because Bobby is still a great artist. The musical accompaniment he had was excellent, and the bass grooves achieved on this record were flawless. I wish there wasn't 20 second fade outs to the songs, it just needlessly stretched out the track length a bit too much. Overall, not a bad album. If it was on, I wouldn't switch it off, but I wouldn't find myself actively seeking it out either. Sam Cooke is still the GOAT. Favourite songs: Stand Up, Secrets, Lay Your Lovin' On Me, If You Think You're Lonely Now Least favourite songs: Games 3/5
Secrets, secrets, we all got secrets. Except for Bobby Womack. He is not holding anything back in this funk drenched album. He will do anything to anything and has created the soundtrack to prove it. In true Ghengis Khan tradition, I expect most of us to find out we are related to people sired by Bobby Womack in 1981.
Banger
This is pretty top-drawer though backgroundy stuff (mainly because of the day I was having. Nothing was going to be foreground music that day.)
Too hip. The reference to Kentucky Fried Chicken in 'Secrets' (a straight banger) made me hoot. "Let's go to Mars, where children play..."
Didn't get to listen to the whole thing, but liked what I heard. Extra star for those glasses.
Fine, I've heard better R&B. Its still R&B so it sounds good.
Felt like Jamiroquai if it was funk
Not my go-to kinda soul but slick and efficient and that’s ok
Great voice, 3.6
3.5, enjoyed this one.
I’m being generous here
3.5
I like one song, but it’s not really the vibe I’m looking for.
Great voice. Decent songs/arrangements. Not my personal favorite, but still well done.
fairly brave of Bobby Womack to name his album “The Poet”, as i’m not sure i can hear in his collection of love songs the kind of passion and dynamic lyricism befitting for its title. the songs are well composed, don’t get me wrong, and Womack has that throaty, cigarette-singed voice an r&b crooner should possess. but the songs are downright cheesy and often times surface level, especially in comparison with his contemporaries, who were lassoing the sun for their lover and professing their emotions in a pool of their own blood (you don’t coexist in the same space as Barry White, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, or Luther Vandross and then expect to pass off The Poet as anything holding any true potency). i will say, however, that Womack’s brand of lightly funky r&b is quite pleasant to listen to; and the song “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” feels like the only song with any real personality. not much i feel i’ll be returning to here — put on the Richie, please and thank you.
Really solid and enjoyable album... the only reason I decided on 4 stars is due to the fact that I'd probably never choose to listen to this again on my own accord. But for real, really great funky stuff.
What a great idea to put together some of the best genres of the '70s-'80s. These are mostly love songs but they're never mushy, instead they're filled with funk, soul, and a little bit of cheese for good measure. Now I always want to hear Bobby Womack on the radio, singing to me, "if you think you're lonely now..." - wait a minute this is too deep, but I like it!
Normaal ben ik niet zo van de Soul en R'nB maar dit album verrast me positief. Het kleine disco uitstapje "Secrets" (waarvoor ik helemaal naar Youtube moest!) was een prima en "Just My Imagination" doet ook onverwachte, maar wel geslaagde dingen. De laatste 3 nummers zijn wel weer van die typische, semi-eindeloze nummers die zo'n artiest, inmiddels vergane glorie en zwaar obees, op North Sea Jazz dan badend van het zweet zo'n 20-25 minuten lang, enorm onder de indruk van zichzelf, staat te rekken met schreeuwerige adlibs waarbij je als leek af en toe twijfelt of die laatste uithaal een vorm van bevlogen zingen was of gewoon een rochel die uit de weg geruimd moest worden. Met achtergrondmuzikanten die elkaar iets te tevreden glimlachend aankijken en een enorm intelligent publiek wat probeert te acteren dat dit écht genieten is mits je slim en vooral ook ontwikkeld genoeg bent om het te begrijpen.
Cut the funk, stay creamy soulful and I‘ll stay for longer 2.3
Vocal marcante de soul, só que não percebi a guitarra e nem reconheci o hit.
Couldn't get into it, but also couldn't fault it anywhere. May try again eventually, but not today.
This was aight. Not really my jam but I liked his voice especially liked Stand Up.
Solid record. There's a hilarious track about Kentucky Fried Chicken. What more could you want??
I’m gonna dedicate this album to all the lovers tonight, and I think that might be the whole world…
pretty good
First half was very good. Second half drew on
2/8- Fun r&b with great, uplifting backing vocals to complement a soulful front man
This was alright, not really my genre.
A soulful, mellow offering that is easy on the ear, but perhaps not Bobby Womack's most memorable work
Not my cup of tea, it all sounds the same, not particularly moving
I don’t normally enjoy this kind of music, but Bobby just hits different for some reason
Meh
Couple heaters.
I haven't listened to a lot of Bobby Womack, but his sound and vocals are unmistakable. I liked a lot of songs on this album with their mix of disco, funk, soul, and more than a little reggae. "Lay Your Lovin' On Me" is a smooth and swinging love song with piano and a driving disco groove, a stirring background vocals. 'Stand Up' starts with a funky organ backing and fun hand claps. It really makes you want to get up and dance! Then comes the 'covers'. I put 'covers' in quotes because I had no idea that Bobby Womack wrote 'If You Think You're Lonely Now'. It's a perfect example of a great R&B love song. He's probably one of the better vocalists that I've heard so far with a great gruff sound and powerful at a big range. I have no doubt I'll listen to this one again. Favorite Track: If You Think You're Lonely Now
So smooth you'll wish you were in your satin bathrobe
James Brown but without all the yelling.
Nice background soul music, but also a forgotten one of the genre
A cool sounding smooth soul album that will hurt absolutely nobody, but that will also be forgotten in... Oh, well, it's already forgotten. Who was I listening to?
Proved soul wasn’t dead with the advent of the 80s, it just needed to adapt. “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” (yes, the sane song Mariah Carey references in “We Belong Together”) is a stone classic.
Swingin' soul RnB with real 80s vibes. Not bad.
LOL at the cover art for The Poet II 80s sucked. Dude had some good albums. Albums that had funk and soul! Why pick this? Oh right, this list creator is an imbecile.
Not really my jam but it had a couple bangers so it can have a 3
At 39 minutes and 59 seconds, this album is a smidge under 40 minutes. Although I understand why many people love his music, for myself, this was the best thing about this album. Actually I'm lying, I skipped the last couple of tracks.
3.75
Wanted to have more listens of this one, but I'm not getting time to come back to it. Recall it being pretty good overall. Found myself bobbing along at points. I read up on Bobby's biography while listening...dude had a rough, drama-filled life. Surely it impacted his music. I'd like to come back to this. 1 = bad 2 = average 3 = good 4 = great 5 = outstanding
Smooth vocals and relaxing instruments with great backing vocals complimenting his passionate style.
Enjoyable Soul & R&B album that had a little blues edge
A pleasant enough voice with questionable lyrics and quite bland music. I couldn’t help thinking, who is this album for? And when would one listen to it? The thought provoking “if you think you’re lonely now” just made me think “I’d rather be lonely than be with this misogynistic bar steward”
Funky but overproduced for my taste.
Je n'arrive pas à savoir si j'apprécie funker ou non
je n'y ai pas beaucoup prêté attention .....
Reading about Womack's years of supporting other artists before finally getting some success in his own right is hear wrenching. He worked with a lot of the greats and I can hear and believe how they influenced him but also the other way around. There's a lot of variety in this album which is like a library of funk/soul/R&B, wonderful. I think I like Stand Up the most, but the whole album makes me want to dance. I'm not sure about the title The Poet, the lyrics don't seem particularly poetic to me nor does the instrumentation but maybe I'm missing something. Otherwise that's a bit off/arrogant maybe haha.
This was good! I enjoyed it. Along the lines of Barry White, which appeals to me greatly. Obvs not as good. Enjoyed the mention of likening some aspect of a relationship to fried chicken, something about it being a mystery. Funny!
Nice and boppy, Got me movin' and groovin'
Estuvo ok.
Some tracks really landed, others went on too long and didn't offer much. Not surprsing given the breadth of his career.
You knew it was going to be good by the suit and glasses.
my favorite album yet! know I will be returning to this. story about Bobby Womack and Sam Cooke is soo crazy listened to it again and again
Hmm do i like soul?
Quite enjoyed the more funky / energetic Stand Up, but the rest of this early Eighties soul set just wasn't for me. All a bit too polished for my taste. At least this was 'normal' album length at 39 minutes, unlike some of the recent double album endurance tests of late.
I was expecting great things from The Poet after hearing from several different sources raving about it. Sure, it was soulful, but it wasn't the masterpiece I was led to believe. There's too much reliance on the technology of the time. The songs would have worked better on the raw power of a live band.
Totally not my thing! I'm learning that R&B is really one of my least-understood/appreciated genres, but I never want to be unfair to good musicians just because I don't get a genre. The musicianship here is good, but the production is schmaltzy beyond belief. It's almost a stereotype of early 80s easy-listening, borderline muzak style production. That said, it is, in fact, easy to listen to and I rather like Bobby's soulful voice. 3/5
This is basically a solid 3 album with a couple of top notch tracks. Expertly produced, smooth and soulful sound, and Womack is in excellent voice. Fave Songs: So Many Sides of You, If You Think You're Lonely Now, Stand Up, Games, Just My Imagination
Meni sulavasti ohi ilman kummempia tuntemuksia.
Hieno soul-levy. Helposti tämäkin huomaamatta pyörähti muutaman kerran
Estilo blues, tranquilo y reposado. Buen timbre de voz. Falta comprobar algún que otro tema más, pero se escucha bien. Y está muy bien producido
Great vocals and I love the energy but the length of the songs is way too long. Also, half the album is unavailable on Spotify.
Quite jazzy and enjoyable!
I start out really liking this album, but it ends on a bit of a boring/sad note. Not really sure how "If you think you're lonely now" became the hit! 4 stars for the first 5 songs.
Had its moments, but this slickly produced soul style isn’t really my bag. Plus, it reminds me a lot of the eighties which was full of rip offs of this sound.
Never a Big fan, but then again, this is ok groovy stuff.
Such a good mood
Jazzy 80’s sound.
No suena mal pero no me ha entusiasmando
Slick 80s Soul. Yeah its good, but doesn't do anything for me at all. It's not Across 110th Street.
this slaps although does get samey / does not stand out a great deal vs other similar albums of the time n genre. Best tracks: secrets, lay your lovin on me, where do we go from here
It was a very nice album. Great singing with nice music as well. I'm not sure I'll ever listen to it again, but it was good. No songs stuck out as really good, but none as bad either
All I know is that if I compared my woman to a KFC then serious questions would be asked..
Fine, but nothing exceptional to my ears.
Very nice blend of soul, disco, r&b and a little bit of blues. I enjoyed it very much as background music - although not quite enough that I'd actively and regularly listen to it.
This is a lovely record, even not being so recognizable to me. I liked it, and I'll probably go back to listen to it again, but it's not remarkable.
пожалуй проверю ещё потом
OK, pleasant but really not my thing
Ehh... some great stuff but at the same time just wasn't feeling it. 3.5/5
Soul y R&B. Ni fu ni fa.
Soul, R&B.
Solid if unspectacular; an album that feels like a warm hug and a mug of cocoa.
Heard of his name before, but don’t really know anything about him. This was very meh in my opinion. Not really my genre, though, so not sure. I have not been liking the 80s albums. Some of the reviews mention disco and dance music, and I did not hear that at all. If I had, maybe I would have liked it more.
I mean how can I criticize a soul singer that I saw at Glastonbury in a tent called "Le Pussy Parlor Nouveau" after The Pharcyde.
Knowing nothing about this, I was slightly apprehensive about the title. Poetry is garbage, and there was a fear in my mind that this might be - the horror - folk rock. Thankfully it isn't. What it is is is soul. I mean, it's uncomplicated, soully and ultimately forgettable, but it's not exactly bad.
New one for me. Smooth funky vibes that seems pretty ageless. Great production untarnished by the 80s. Can't really say much negative about it 'cept its not something I would normally choose to play. 3.5
Killer.
Was nice n easy on the ears Fav song: just my imagination
Only half the album is on Spotify, but I liked what I could listen to. All new to me.
This is the kind of music my family call “ooh ooh baby” music. It’s never done anything for me. Only song I liked was ’Just my imagination’, but I prefer the original Temptations version. It’s not ugly, horrible or offensive music. It is, however, interminably uninteresting.
Just what I needed to get in that smooth mellow Motown sound. Definitely brought back the afternoon chill.
This shit is so tight
Bobby finally got wise and sampled some of that great coke Teddy Pendergrass always kept around.
Nice album!
Great lovely funky listen
Es un sonido muy dulce al que te adentras escuchando este álbum. Estamos hablando del decimotercero de la carrera de Bobby Womack, y es una verdadera joya del soul y el r&b. Con toques disco, un groove que te mantendrá enganchado en todo momento, los instrumentos interpretado de forma magistral y la increíble interpretación vocal, que te dejará boquiabierto. Es alucinante la forma en la cual este artista te seduce desde la primera vez, como si fuese la décima escucha que le haces. Puede ser por lo atractivo que resulta este género, pero también le adjudico una cuota muy grande al artista, que sin duda entrega un producto de altísima calidad para el disfrute de todos. Este trabajo te deja fascinado y sin dudas que con ganas de seguir con la música de Bobby, así como a su vez, con ganas de volver constantemente a este álbum.
R&B HUONOMPAA MUSTAA MUSIIKKIA!! Loppui kivasti, 2 tähteä sillä
Really nothing too grab onto in this one.
tap tap tappin my shoes
Some solid soul. Not my favourite soul on the list, but its up there
Funky, soulful, velvet smooth singing, and oh, that bass guitar sound.
Some good tunes others not so much
Not bad - decent groove
bien, quizás yo hoy no estaba justo en el humor para esta musiquita en particular, pero bastante bien
Has some funky bass lines, mostly good
‘Just My Imagination’ had a harp. And seemed to be ripped off from The Temptations. ‘If You Think You’re Lonely Now’ was good. Nothing great, nothing horrible. I prefer my smooth jazz/R &B to be sung by George Benson. The last few albums make me feel like the mean judge on American Idol (Simon Cowell). I wish I knew what his catchphrase was, if he had one.
This was a hard one to rate. I LOVED the bass on this album (drums too), loved the verses, loved the up-tempo R&B attack. I've got a "best of (soul years)" collection from Bobby Womack, not one of these songs are on it, and none of them pack the punch these songs do. His singing is killer. Strangely, from a songwriting perspective, I thought every chorus on the record (with an exception or two) was overshadowed by the verse. The verses flowed and rolled and were just fantastic and then the chorus came in and the energy dipped. So, this was an easy 4, but that hampers it, as does the song order. Why stack the three slow numbers at the end like that? All three songs are just fine (though I'd have preferred one more rollicking track replace one of them), but the album comes to a screeching halt before it's over. So, at its best, this was bangin'. But it's far from perfect. Hell, I enjoyed it a lot. 4 stars.
I enjoyed this OK. Lots of soul/R&B ground covered in 40 minutes, though nothing left much of a lasting impression. I was glad to learn about this guy, though. Dude played with everybody.
Before listening I wanted to give a 5 just for those glasses and the suit. Spotify blocked the first 3 songs on the album so I jumped into this on track 4, Just My Imagination. I can appreciate this R&B vibe and would enjoy it as party background music. But truth be told, I appreciate his look more than his music. Still going straight down the middle with Bobby
Funky
J'ai bien apprécié mon écoute, sans plus. C'est très bien fait, mais moins dans mes goûts.
It's pretty lame, but it adapts to the turn of the 80s with a fine production and lush instrumentation and back vocals. Doesn't innovate, and I can clearly hear his Philly soul inspirations. Favorites: So Many Sides of You, Games, Stand Up
The best Bobby Womack album from the 80s? In any case, an excellent album with quite a reputation, just like part II. Just short of 5 stars for me - as it is hard not to compare it with his classic albums from the early 70s.
Acceptable background music at best.
Not bad but nothing remarkable either.
Asså det här var ju asnice. Krispigt.
Okej vi fattar du e sexig
Very listenable slice of late-period soul, without quite nailing the memorable tune bit.
I did like the music a good deal, but the lyrics were... sophomoric, at best. I can imagine liking them more when I was younger. But I just kept thinking of Mr. RANDY WATSON from "Coming To America." Bobby Womack at least had talent. But calling the album "The Poet..." has a BIT of overconfidence to it, you know? But I mean I guess that how you were back then. Good, but the lack of depth at the lyrics kinda nags at me.
What, where's Wikipedia to give me an easily accessible read about this album? I can't be bothered to do my own research. :) I dug this a fair bit. The first track So Many Sides of You had a Stevie Wonder kind of opening (sounds like Master Blaster), which I love because I love Stevie. Hope it wasn't a ripoff. There is some definite early 80's cheese here - Lay Your Lovin' On Me is a bit over-produced and the lyrics in Secrets are just atrocious at times (KFC? Really?). I get why If You Think You're Lonely Now was the big single - so much deeper and more soulful than the others. But the album is mostly a good funky ride, and that's worth something. Stand Up is another great example. I know, it's got some cheese too but damn that beat. I loved it (reminded me of another great funky cheese You Dropped a Bomb on Me by the Gap Band). A nice surprise and more to add to my list of soft 80's r&b favorites.
This is the first time I have heard any Bobby Womack song, or even heard about him, as a matter of fact. What surprises me, is that usually albums on this list are debut albums, or records released rather early in the career, with the rule of thumb - after initial success, the band starts to "sell out" a bit. It's not innovative anymore, group is riding the wave of the past. In case of "The Poet", which is thirteen album in Bobby's career, this rule is definitely broken. Our today's album is a rather simple and ordinary soul and r'n'b release. Some of the songs are catchy, but they don't hook you for long, falling quickly into the background. The only hit from "The Poet" is a song named "If You Think You're Lonely Now". Apparently this track was the main reason which decided about placing this album on the list. However, in my opinion, the song is completely uncharacteristic, doesn't stand out in the genre, or even on this record. It is just an average release, doesn't matter from which angle I will look at it. Not the greatest listening experience.
Some of the songs weren't available on spotify. What I listened to was pleasant but not that memorable to me.
Bit slow and not so keen on his voice.
One likes how he lets it all hang out, but man does this feel like an ‘80s special, with the poppy bass-ing, the quite practiced representin’/testifyin’ vocal gestures (up and down and across the verses, the beat and melodies) the back-up singers, the tinny keys, etc. One might expect a bit more poetry given the title. The lyrics about apple pie and fried chicken don’t quite qualify. Still there’s loads of soul here, especially in “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” and “Where Do We Go From Here,” the two closing cuts; apparently BW likes saving the best two songs for last. One wishes one liked it a bit more.
Listened to sometime last week 4/5 Favorite song: just my imagination Spotify only had half the album which is sad but I really loved the jazz vibes and emotive lyrics
Some disco-y Motown that’s fine to have on in the background
A nice r&b album that has some groovy hits and classic soul ballads. The guitars and vocals are both really Good on this album. I found Womacks singing to be very good as far as r and b singers go. I would listen to this album again as Womack is one of the better r and b artists. 7.2/10
Musically really interesting in places and Bobby’s voice is just amazing.
a few good songs...70s funk
Was alright
Bobby Womack is best known to me as the guest vocalist on Gorillaz’ Stylo, Cloud of Unknowing and Bobby in Phoenix, and he’s always been one of my favourite feature artists for that band, so I’m excited to finally hear an album of his. • While Soul isn’t a genre I typically listen to, I can definitely respect the skill and talent being showcased on the album • The songs sound large, helped largely by the choir backing vocals • No songs really stood out as better or worse than the others, so it’s tough to pick a favourite Favourite song: Games
Pretty funky but not long enough
Yeah, funky 80s disco soul. Would have liked more funky disco and less ballads, only half the album so Spotify but I think I’ve got the idea.
Nice soul stuff. Is that a Zemaitis he’s holding on the cover? Very cool.
So, so cool. Those lush backing vocals are a perfect platform to launch Bobby's crooning voice. It's fabulous.
Not bad, I liked parts of it a lot. Overall a bit bland though, not sure if I'll come back to the whole thing.
If you hadn’t heard the songs or heard of Bobby Womack, and read the lyrics out of that context, you’d wonder if it was a joke.
Liked this album. Music was pretty cool!
Didn't know what to expect with this one — I grooved along all the while, but I won't remember any of it.
Blues r and b. Kinda 80s sounding.
Feels like someone with immense musical talent recording conservatively to achieve commercial success. I don't really think there's a single song here I'd want to relisten to.
Only got in 3 songs. Soulful. 09/21/2022. A day I’d want to forget.
R&B meets Gospel with this soulful voice.
Very talented
Upbeat jazzy songs. Voice sometimes goes rough but it’s done well. Really good album with variation between songs, some fast and some slow
Pretty good.
Great voice. The Kentucky Fried Chicken line in Secrets. 😂
B+
Bluesy
Mellow, para trabajar, para conducir, de fondo
Boom chicca waah
Smoooooooth.
me re gustó, un album con una banda de energía y divertido AL FIN!!! me encantó mucho cómo empezó el álbum ah. 8 / 10
3/4, litt uengasjerende helhetlig/instrumentalt, men fet vokal
Åpningssporet oooser av sex. bassisten herjer. Notorisk sound gjennom hele plata, men varierer for lite, det blir for kjedelig i lengden. Denne musikken er hva Donny Benet drømmer om, og får til ganske bra.
Cozy and vibrant. From funky danceable to smooth romantic. Great album.
Ok
vähän meni toisesta korvasta sisään ja toisesta ulos eka biisi oli hyvä, samoin If you think you're lonely now yllätti
Joo, lauluääni, satunnaiset riffit ja rytmit toimivat. Mutta melkein jokaisessa biisissä on jokin imelän jazzahtava elementti (keskeinen melodia, sointuvaihdos tai instrumentti) joka pilaa kokonaisuuden. Muita paremmat palat: Just My Imagination, kierrätetystä kertsistä huolimatta, ja If You Think You're Lonely Now, jonka kuuntelisin mielelläni uudelleen.
Not a fan
Jazzy, bluesy fun
👍
Enjoyable and full of heart. Could not find the full album on Spotify, YouTube link here: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lPdfiWy1WS-WR8Fwg3GAGWZKKYB3tngiU&feature=share
First off, what a really cool album cover, amazing. And thankfully, the quality of the music is equally top notch. Soulful lead vocals, gospel influenced backing vocals, lovely smooth production, tasteful arrangements. It's hard to pick stand out tracks as every one is a winner thanks to the funky backing, it never drags. A joyous, wonderful record from start to finish.
A solid enjoyable listen plenty of funk and soul elements. Didn't take to the heights though.
This one's just not working for me.
Pretty f-ing dire. Not good enough to be soul. Not funky enough to be funk. No standout singles. The kind of music some bloke you're stuck with on a ferry boat for 2 days into.
For some reason on Spotify (in the UK at least), the 1981 release has some unavailable tracks, but the are available on the 2021 re-release: https://open.spotify.com/album/3b4FRQBIqULkm6vudUXkcS
Favourite track(s): If You Think You're Lonely Now Love the choir in the background. And it is just very listenable to me in general. However, the vocals tend to get tedious on repeated listenings, some songs blend into one another and some instrumentals are kinda weird here and there.
It's a fine album. But it's not for me.
Naw, man. Just not my thing. There was a bit of funk in there, but straight-up 80s R&B (without any hip-hop) has never intrigued me. Also, Womack seemed a little too-R Kelly in his lifestyle to be anything worth praising.
Decent. Naming it “the poet “ is bit pretentious
groovy
This album is OK but doesnt have a great theme. Its got a couple of good tracks, but I dont think I would recommend it to anyone who wasnt already into Bobby Womack. 3/5
It was okay
Listen again
May be good for others, but not my cup of tea
2.5
Enjoyable album to wrap up the week. Nothing really stood out but this was a good listen while I was getting work done.
Nice little blues/R&B project here. Where BB King was more guitar than voice, this guy's more voice than guitar. But still a pretty solid project, I enjoyed a few grooves on here. Favorite tracks: Lay Your Lovin' On Me, Secrets, If You Think You're Lonely Now. Album art: Pretty simple shot, but I like this one. I've seen it before I think, and from a distance I assumed it was a much older man. He's got that old blues sitting style I guess. 3.5/5
I might have gone with Understanding instead of this album, but this here's a tight, solid work, the grooves are fantastic, without a single weak track.
WOW!!! THIS ALBUM US ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. i’m blown away by the entire aura.
Disappointed that there's only 5 of the 8 songs on Spotify available to play. I listened to it several times. I enjoyed this a lot.
Fun! Probably not something I'll listen to a lot, but good
While I'd heard of Womack before, this was the first time I'd actually listened to one of his albums. "The Poet" was apparently his thirteenth album, and I gotta admit, it feels like he was getting a little long in the tooth at this point in his career. He's leaning hard on the force of his personality in this album, and his propensity for directly addressing the listener leaves him sounding like a lounge act at times. Not sure how many people other than Barry White can get away with that without sounding a little silly. "Stand Up" was funky AF, though, and "If You Think You're Lonely Now" is a classic, although I have to admit that I prefer K-Ci's cover. Regardless, those songs get him two stars, and I'll give him one more for being an R&B OG.
What a fun musical journey. Great for late night listening for sure. There's some fantastic guitar in here.
80s smooth jazz / R&B / soul is not in my wheelhouse and I couldn't name you one Bobby Womack song, nor do I have any recollection of the song that made this album a hit. Which is kind of the weak point of this type of list. Anybody can easily name off 100 albums that are a must listen to. Music aficionados might be able to pull off 500. But 1,001 is going to have some holes in that leaves people scratching their head. Like this album Sonically and production-wise it's an okay album, but again, this music isn't my thing so I really can't judge it. 3/5.
Very busy energy which Womack matches with fidgety vocals. More disco here than you might suspect. Blues, too. Basically, he'll take rhythm from any place he can get it. But poesy? An overstretch.
What a fun little album. Bobby really knows how to have a party and he doesn't overstay his welcome at all. Womack has an unusally charming voice that he uses to great effect and he really sounds like he's enjoying himself. He's supported by a strong cast of backing musicians as well, I particularly enjoyed the groovy bass lines and the great backing vocals as is so often a staple of the genre. I will say It does feel like an album you put on when you're in the mood to dance but I don't feel it has the memorability to make it a truely great album. Standout tracks: So Many Sides Of You, If You Think You're Lonely Now 3.5
An 80s and 70s sandwich. Wasn't as poetic as I'd hoped.
What a voice. Slap bass, funky beats, disco guitar, soppy strings. Nice.
Gave the complete album a couple of listen throughs and didn't really click for me. Not opposed to the funk/R'n'B genre but majority of songs just weren't doing it. Highlights tho for me were the opening track and Just My Imagination.. those did get stuck in my head.
What a fantastic voice and great songwriter.
Didn't think I was going to dig this but Bobby's got a great voice and I love the mix of synths and other sounds on here. A couple songs are a little samey but overall an enjoyable listen.
It wasn’t something I would have picked up on my own, but I really enjoyed it. It felt like an AOTM selection.
Really enjoyed this but not enough for 4*
Enjoyed that. Loving the slap bass... Just a three I think but a high one.
Good but not great. Just a album passing by
This album really hits the sweet spot of late 70s/early 80s muzak that I just completely hate. There's something about the tone on the bass especially that I just can't stand. It's not bad overall but there's nothing about it that I really like either 3/5
Not really my taste, and would probably only give this a 2.5 if I could, but I can't in good faith give it a 2, despite the fact I'll never probably listen to it again.
It was fine, not totally my style
S'écoute vraiment bien, du bon groove. Certainement à revisiter.
Ágætis sálarplata. Mjög disturbing maður að ýmsu leyti.
Real nice :)
Excellent release from Bobby Womack and a great return to form. From what I read he had a slump before this album, and this brought him back into the spotlight. He sounds amazing on this and the longer tracks breeze by you.
A little funk, a little soul, and way too much 80's canned-overproduction. An extra star for what could have been.
Was a bit curious when I tried to open this on Spotify, the first three songs are unplayable in my region for some reason. I do think this is a shame because each of them are great songs (in particular Secrets) and would like to have them saved on a playlist. The remaining tracks available range from great, corny, and a bit tame. The favourites of these are If You Think You're Lonely Now (which is great despite its corniness) and Stand Up. On a side note, this is one of those instances where it's not great to look at the artist's Wikipedia page, as Bobby Womack's personal life is a massive yikes to say the least. Although the one upside of doing so was I found out he featured on Stylo by Gorillaz.
Yeah
Funky, soulful, very solid
Banger
OK this album appears today and my first question is "Who on earth is Bobby Womack?" quickly followed by "Why are a third of his songs not available on Spotify?" He sure doesn't look like Neil Young. So I start to listen and, wow, this guy is good. His music moves and he has a deep powerful voice that I could listen to all night. I still have no clue who Bobby Womack is but I now know how good he is.
Bobby Womack has written some good songs through his career, and while I wasn't expecting another "Across 110th Street", I was hoping for something better than this. This is over produced 80s soul and pretty late in the game for the guy who penned the first Rolling Stones hit.
I really like Womack's early soul offerings such as Across 110th Street (what a great song to kick off Tarantino's Jackie Brown). He's a prolific songwriter with a great raspy voice, but this 80s shiny suit pop soul doesn't do anything for me unfortunately.
BUENO
It was okay
This is the only album that I've rated but not listened to in it's entirety. Bobby Womack had a fantastic voice, but the music to accompany it on this album is atrocious (at least the first five tracks). Not recommended for a Monday morning listen!
too smooth
В какой-то момент мне показалось, что это Бобби Уомак - Крис Риа в мире соул-музыки. Альбом классный, добротный и приятный.
Leuk, soulfull maar niet onmiddellijk mijn smaak
Shame on me that I haven't listened Bobby Womack before! A delicious album plenty of nice songs. Great suggestion .
Easy listening and inoffensive. Bobby has a great voice but no masterpiece.
Short and very very sweet
So much craic. "Girl, you know how to make my cookie crumble, my cookie crumble When you hold me close and do all the things you do to me Ooh-wee, baby Just like some good old Kentucky Fried Chicken And all of it was good enough to be finger lickin′" that is all
Pretty good! I listened through twice. It was hard to stay focused on, but the singles were quite good. The other songs were pretty forgettable. I think overall I wouldn't revisit this again, but I enjoyed it enough. 3.49/5
Some fine soul, the bass playing is sick. Not wow'ed by this and it gets a little too cheesy at times for me but very enjoyable.
Sometimes I wonder if I overrate certain rock records and underrate other genres, primarily soul and R&B. Because I hear good stuff here but it doesn’t really sound essential to me. I do think it’s an interesting footnote in R&B history, as this came out right when disco became passé, but no one really knew what would be the new sound. A lot of it tends to run together for me, but I have fun anyway. C
Huge fan of his 70s releases. This starts strongly, but slowly slides into 80s R&B.
Enjoyable. Early 80s soul. Will deffo listen to again.
Soul
Enjoyable. A lot of clichés production wise but not bad
Very soulful R&B with some fun guitar work. Not perfect, but worth a listen.
Might have been lovely if I took to the genre, but I don’t.
[Not Heard Before] (+) So Many Sides of You
Smooth music from an artists who seems to know what they are doing. If You Think You're Lonely Now certiainly has a hook.
Not my favourite Soul album, but there's enough good stuff here to keep me interested.
nej bare nej
80’er soul, poppet, sprød guitar, rnb-vibes, opmuntrende
A bit silly.. But a couple songs made me wanna get up and dance.
A nice sound (great voice) but not my jam.
Eh this is way too cheesy for me.
Nice soul. But just ok. The bassist is too showy and distracting for most of the album and only they and Bobby have much soul. “Games” is really good. If this is on this list but I don’t see any Tower of Power anytime soonish, I’m going to send a strongly worded letter to the editor. {prior rated}
Ok this is the best shit I've ever heard.
Proves Womack is one of the giants of R&B. One of my favorite albums!
Soul y R&B. Ni fu ni fa.
I half-listened to this, and liked the parts that I actually got through
Really not what I needed to see today. Slick, well produced and inoffensive but totally devoid of originality, guts or a cutting edge. I could play this late at night with a bourbon and incense smoking in the corner but Barry White did it so much better. He's not in the top 1001 so this is getting 1*
meh
I really enjoyed this album. Bobby Womack’s voice is so versatile and can be as smooth or gritty as he needs. I was also very impressed with how fluidly he goes between and mixes genres. I was surprised to hear slide guitars in one song. His mix of soul, funk, gospel, blues, jazz, and even country is energetic and incredibly well done.
I didn't connect with this one much, I think this just isn't my genre of music.
Just okay. The souls genre doesn’t sit well with me
I mean this dude is just an absolute legend. Have hardly ever heard a bad song and this song is just full of jams. 'Imagination' and 'If you think you're lonely now' are incredible.
Correct mais pas incroyable
This isn't the kind of music I would typically listen to, but it is beautiful.
Run a hot bath, add your favourite oil, spark up some candles, turn out the lights and let this album just wash over you. Soulful, funky R&B will soothe away your stresses. Not perfect, but pretty damned close.
Struck me as a straightforward soul album, nothing hit me that strongly, but it was all well done, especially considering it was the work of a person who was well into the throes of being Sly Stone’s cocaine buddy.
Pretty darn good.
Great album easy to listen to music. Bobby Womack great soul artist!!
Love Bobby, smooth, soulful, mmmmm
Bom.
Smooth and silky, with Bobby’s fantastic soulful voice throughout. Joyous.
Fine, but not as good as I was hoping. Nothing special.
Enjoyable soul album. Maybe not something I'd come back to a ton but I'd never complain if it was on. Feels kinda dated.
Sam Cooke's guitarist made a phenomenal record if Stevie Wonder didn’t exist. He does. Nevertheless, a beautiful ballad soul crossover. (6/10) FT: If You Think You're Lonely Now, Where Do We Go from Her
Nothing very exciting for me here. A couple high points, but it felt like second tier 70s soul adjacent music.
Pretty good. Wasn't sure what to expect. No huge highs, but some very good stuff. Nothing g too bad either although "Games" was a bit too long. I'd probably consider listening to this one again or perhaps another of his albums.
Funk, soul, disco : la totale. Malgré quelques redondances, l’album est un délice notamment grâce à la finesse des musiciens et de la production en studio. La basse (Nathan East?) ressort en particulier, un plancher solide pour la voix puissante de Womack. Ça donne envie d’essayer la cocaïne.
An enjoyable mix of uptempo soul and smooth R&B. Some tracks get a bit repetitive towards the end of their lengthy runtimes, but a healthy dose of slap bass sitting forward in the mix means even these moments feel infectiously groovy.
Really solid opening three songs but not as interested in the slower second half.
Good r&b with some funky bass lines
Great album
Fat. Cuts. All. Day.
Fine, but pretty cheesy and not really my thing.
Gutes Soul Album mit coolen Bassläufen, jedoch ohne wirklichen Highlights. Etwas zwischen 3 und 4.
Bueno
A good R&B album, but I wouldn't consider it to be groundbreaking. Womack sings really well and I read in the 1001 album book that it marked the final years of the popularity of the genre. Quite good for listening while doing something else