Lady Soul

it's aretha bitch

A classic and nothing else needs to be said

Not something I'd usually seek out on my own but absolutely loved this album. Some really funky tracks in alongside the more soulful stuff I was more familiar with.

Aretha’s energy is absolutely infectious on this album. Something that surprised me on this is the instrumentals. Some really great horns, piano, bass, drums, strings, etc. It sounds a little dated, as far as recording goes. I wonder what it sounds like on vinyl. Man, this is so good

Chain of fools - excellent Money won’t change you - very good People get ready - excellent Niki hoeky - good (You make me feel like) a natural woman - amazing Sweet sweet baby - very good Good to me as I am to you - good Come back baby - excellent Groovin - very good Ain’t no way - excellent 9.5/10

Finally! An objectively fantastic album! From start to finish, an auditory pleasure!

R&B was never the same after Aretha. Classic songs on this album still important today.

Beautiful voice, timeless rhythm and production

I have always focused on Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald neglecting Aretha because she had a Soul sound and I focused on the jazz sounds that the formers brought. BUT THIS IS INCREDIBLE one of the best Soul albums I have ever heard, and these are beautiful just mixed and sounding songs. AINT NO WAY IS ONE OF THE BEST SONGS I HAVE EVER HEARD GENUINELY. There is not a second a moment of filler anywhere on this album. The highs of Come Back Baby and the grooves of Sweet sweet baby. This is a template for what all the best music should be. I get actual goosebumps listening to this album over and over. Even slow songs like People Get Ready still feel beautiful and the drums feel like a train waiting in the station it is absolutely beautiful. I can hear all the music that has stemmed just from the lyrical and sonic genius of this. Money won't change me BUT THIS ALBUM HAS 5/5 one of my favorites so far.

Amazing as always. Aretha Franklin had one of the most powerful voices in popular music. Lady Soul contains two of her greatest hits, but is enjoyable and explosive throughout. Her level of vocal control is remarkable and she never over or under sings. The musical backing is well arranged and highlights her voice well.

The OG Diva - and I mean that in the post positive sense of the term. Aretha is the shit. All "divas" since her (for better or worse - Tina, Whitney, Mariah, Adele, Beyonce, Lizzo) are emulating her - or trying. There may not be a better female (or male?) vocalist. But - let's also talk about the songs as a whole. I was really impressed with the arrangement of almost every track. These can be very simple, straight-forward songs - but they didn't settle for that. The horns, the strings, the little "kicks" and syncopations and chord structures - very well done. And - though I know it wasn't written for me - there may not be a prettier song than Natural Woman. I'm leaning 4 on this, but The Queen is getting a 5 out of respect (that's , r-e-s-p-e-c-t).

All I know are the singles. My first voyage into the deep cuts of Aretha World. Man, what a delight. Interesting to be reviewing this right after reviewing Pearl. Because the two have a lot of commonality and I'm sure Pearl never would have existed without the influence of Franklin (and this record's release just two years prior). The ladies are going "five stars" two reviews in a row. Only because there isn't an option for 6 stars.

Amazing, packed with soul and hits. These are lady singing songs that are fun to belt in the shower and around the house.

Brilliant

What a great album. Great musicianship, a great voice, and great vibes throughout. Loved it.

The best thus far.

I went into listening to this album not knowing exactly what to expect. Obviously I'm familiar with Aretha's most popular songs, but I am not at all familiar with her extended discography. So, I was a little worried that there'd be some songs I vibed with and others not so much, but boy was I absolutely proven wrong and I'm so glad I was. There's not much for me to say beyond I loved every single song on this album. Like, every single one. I didn't know Chain of Fools by name, but recognized it immediately as soon as it started, and it started things off on a high note(I highly recommend the unedited bonus version that follows Ain't No Way) with everything that followed keeping that momentum. Aretha has an incredible voice that gives these songs appropriate power and feeling. To the point of giving me chills at times. Straight from my listening notes: "I am a sucker for a good pouring of the heart and I just love this. You deserve someone who makes you feel like A Natural Woman, Aretha. Yes." "YOU TELL 'EM ARETHA. THEY BETTER BE AS GOOD TO YOU AS YOU ARE TO THEM. Fuckin' love this one." "You're gonna catch me Groovin' with my baby on a sunday afternoon to this track for sure." I had more notes for each song, but you get the idea. I was on board the entire time. Not only will I re-visit, I think this entire album is going into my liked songs on Spotify and I eagerly await hearing them again. No doubt in my mind in giving this a 5.

5 One of the only - or quite possibly - the only album on the list thus far to have given me goosebumps. Her voice, her energy, her star power - Rolling Stone has now twice named the woman the greatest singer of all-time, and it’s hard to argue with that after listening to this. The album is a constantly swinging pendulum of fun and beautiful, and Aretha manages to knock it out of the park each and every time. Chain of Fools and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman are classics, but the song that really moved me here was People Get Ready, a rendition of a song by The Impressions that was being used as the unofficial anthem of the Civil Rights Movement. Listening to perhaps the greatest singer of all-time spread a message of unity, pride, and power so beautifully during one of the most important chapters in US history… goosebumps. Just goosebumps, man. While that was my favorite moment of my listening, truthfully, every song here is a highlight. I loved everything I heard and could probably go on about each, but the last thing I’ll touch on here is the closer, Ain’t No Way. One thing that’s stuck out to me about a lot of these older albums is a lack of finality, like you’re given a sudden ending once your collection of music runs out, but man, the song just seems to effectively sum up everything that makes the album and woman so iconic - the kind of closer that makes you take a step back once you realize it’s all over and go “Wow”. Unfortunately, you don’t quite get that if you’re listening on Spotify, as the application bundles four bonus tracks at the end, but in the fairest of exchanges, you get more Aretha, and even though they’re four tracks you’ve already heard, the extended version of Chain of Fools may very well be better than the original. Great listen from front to back. As someone who’s never claimed to be the biggest fan of soul music, I’m not sure how someone couldn’t like this - at that point I think you just hate music. I really didn’t set out to give this album a 5 when I started listening, but to give it anything lower would feel like a disservice. Iconic all around.

Another extraordinary recording by Lady Soul, a magnificent showcase for her stunning, soulful, expressive voice. Unmatched as a vocalist, blessed with a warm, comforting tone, this is an album to sink into and enjoy not just the singing but the exemplary backing band (a special nod to Tommy Cogbill whose bass work is incredible). Chain of Fools and You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman are recordings for the ages. Rest in Peace, Miss Franklin, we miss you.

This is a powerful album, crammed to the brim with classic originals and covers. Each track shows Aretha's ability to connect the listener to the emotion and the meaning buried deep down in the soul of every song. The tracks 'Good to Me as I Am to You' and 'Ain't No Way' are so incredibly good.

Every song is a winner and Aretha smacks it out of the park, her vocals elevating already strong material even higher. I can’t find enough superlatives to describe just how good this album is. It’s close to, (if not) the perfect R&B/soul album.

Kind of hard to hate Aretha, right? The more I listened, the more I realized I couldn't really find any flaws in it. Smooth soul and gospel backing a one-of-a-kind voice. Favorite tracks: "Money Won't Change You", "Since You've Been Gone", "Ain't No Way"

Before going into this I knew Aretha Franklin had a good voice but damn. This was great - loved every track, great mixture of blues and amazing vocals.

Wow! This is amazing. Not a style of music I'd usually seek out, but I really enjoyed it and may well revisit. Incredibly, powerful, melodic, rhythmic and soulful. Not a weak track on the album. It's difficult to imagine how R&B music (or any music for that matter) could be better than this. Objectively and subjectively this can't be anything other than a 5.

Yeah, this is again in my favorite eras and genres of music, so I am a big fan of this. Also, I was surprised to see that this was her 12th studio album! I didn’t realize she had recorded so many by this time!

La grandeza artística que tienen algunas personas a veces es abrumadora y eso sucede con Aretha, vi que esté ya es un disco recopilatorio pero está tan bien mezclado que no tiene un pero; soul, funk, R&B, Gospel y su maravillosa voz son una mezcla perfecta

Where would we all be without a Urethra? Franklin owhere. Great pipes. Ha ha, I'm pissing myself!

One of the most powerful voices in music. Just turn off the lights, stare at a wall and understand what music is all about

I'm familiar with a few Aretha Franklin songs, but this will be my first time listening to one of her albums from start to finish. Soul has been one of my favorite genres so far on this project, so I have high hopes that I'll enjoy this album. Overall, I found this album to be pretty middle of the road. Aretha Franklin is undoubtedly one of the best vocalists in music history, and she showcases a wide range of vocal abilities on this album. She harmonizes, she croons, and she can wails at the top of her lungs, all with a level of control that few singers can duplicate. On top of that, this album has some simple but well executed musical arrangements. The bass line on "Niki Hoeky" is fantastic, and "Money Won't Change You" and "Come Back Baby" have some fantastic horns. But rarely did the vocals and music combine to create something new and interesting. It's not that this album is bad, but I just wasn't wowed by it. Of course, the shining exception to this is "Natural Woman." Aretha delicately sings the verse before delivering the powerful chorus. Her intensity picks up perfectly over the course of the song, as she lets her emotion steer the song. The orchestral arrangements compliment her perfectly, and even though the strings and horns are beautiful, they never once steal the spotlight from Aretha's singing. As much as I love the Carole King version of this song, Aretha's version is something else entirely, worthy of all the praise it gets. Even though this album wasn't really my jam, I know it represents a watershed moment for Aretha Franklin, and it's a massive influence on soul music. Aretha opened the door for so many black women to be able to shine on their own, and her influence as a vocalist still reaches into popular music today.

This is the album that has two of the four Aretha Franklin songs that you know (Chain of Fools & Natural Woman). I was expecting to really love the album. But when it was over (it's only half an hour), I was a little disappointed. I didn't think it was bad. Aretha is in fine form. And I know Jerry Wexler is a legend of a producer. But I didn't hear anything in the song arrangements or the playing that I felt rose to the same level as the Stax or Motown recordings of the same period. The songs written for Aretha/the album (Chain of Fools, Natural Woman, Since You've Been Gone, and Ain't No Way) all sound vital. The covers (Money Won't Change You, People Get Ready, Come Back Baby, and Groovin') all sound like filler. This is a rare occasion when I wish there were half-stars. I don't think the album warrants a 4-star rating. But 3-stars feels a bit low. I wish there had been more of the fresh new songs, and less of the filler covers. The singles are great. The album is mid.

Fake orgasm vocals

Can’t go wrong with Aretha.

I never heard the rest of this album other than the really popular songs. Although I probably won’t listen to this a lot, I understand the talent of Aretha Franklin.

soul lady! the real deal

Beautiful, soulful, groovy, everything you could want from an artist like Aretha. Her voice can scream through the noise like no other, and the rest of the band deserves their credit as well for producing powerful rhythms to drive her through the record. You couldn’t get more timeless than this.

Breathtaking Best Song: Good to Me as I am to You Rating: 9/10 Stars: 5 Stars

amo a voz dela!!!!!!!

Excellent album from the Queen of Soul. I got to see her perform at the Opening Ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games and she put on a great show

This is the kind of record that you don’t have to be in the mood for, because it just always fits the mood. Just amazing stuff from one of the legends of the genre. Best Track: (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

Superb! I'm groovin in my seat 🤩 What a vocal range and much love ❤️ to the backup singers. Band keeps it tight and just right. Freaking love this album!

***** Classic Aretha album, classic Artetha songs. Hey, it's Aretha, so it is alway right. What a voice. Great album

Classic! I listened to this more than once as I never realized how great she was.

Outstanding. No bad tracks on the album. 26 year old Aretha sounds amazing. Chains of fools kicks off the album perfectly, Aretha is powerful yet restrained, almost too easy for her. Love this song. People get ready, grooving, and natural woman other standout.

So much of this is canon, I find it easy to miss how much brilliance and labour went into the making.

A short and sweet, very well produced album, with one of the greatest voices ever. What is here not to love? It absolutely deserves a 5.

The Queen of Soul!!!

There is no way I will give it below 5 stars. 🤩

A perfect album I think. Captures the essence of the Muscle Shoals sound and Aretha Franklin gets to showcase every aspect of what makes her so incredible. Special mention to the Franklin sisters who give a masterful performance on backing vocals. Ain’t No Way is probably top 5 love songs of all time and needs more, well, love

Love it

If there is a album with a more famed and established list of songwriters I would like to put it head to head with this one and watch the world explode. James Brown and Curtis Mayfield alone puts this album in a separate category, but you also have The Vegases and Jerry Wexler. And of course not to mention the combination of Carole King and Gerry Goffin who are one of the best songwriting combinations of all time. And I won't even begin to list out the legendary list of artists that played on this album, as I already know this review is going to be substantially long. But damn, is that just as impressive if not more impressive. "Chain of Fools" is a fantastic opening track followed by a couple of solid fillers. Then you have the one and only "(You Make Me Feels Like) A Natural Woman" the fact that this is just the end of the A-Side is possibly the one disappointment of this album. It rightfully belongs as the culmination of a fantastic album (as Carole did on her fellow 5 star album Tapestry). "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" is a great open to the B-Side. But the groove of "Good to Me as I Am to You" speaks to me in a special way. What a work of art on the bass! "Groovin'" is exactly what it claims to be. "Ain't No Way" is the only song that I can understand putting at the end over "A Natural Woman". The only way to end an album other than a song that powerful is with a song this heartfelt and powerful in a completely different way. All in all this is an album that you could apply every positive adjective you could ever think of to and it would be accurate. A masterpiece of an album! Anybody that gives it lower than a 4 star rating should be declared incompetent. That being said it should absolutely be a 5 star album!

Everyone deserves the privilege of hearing Aretha Franklin’s vocals at least once in their life. And this album (her twelfth, unbelievably) sees her on spellbinding form. There’s music for the head and music for the soul, and sometimes you can be so immersed in the groove or struck by such depth of feeling before even realising what you’ve been listening to. At its best, “Lady Soul” is one of those albums. Here are 28 words to summarise my thought process listening to its rapid 28 minutes: “I think Aretha’s quite overra- wha? whaaa? How does she do that?! Wow. She’s going… it went higher! Christ. All that GRIT! And she’s ROCKING! She’s a storm! She’s an icon! Holy shit.” The album is a lot more upbeat than I expected, though two of its strongest cuts are showstopping ballads (“People Get Ready” and, of course, “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman”). Across the board, Aretha, the band and the backing vocalists (Sweet Inspirations, who last blew me away in “Dusty in Memphis) give performances overflowing with passion and power. There’s four-to-the-floor rock, brassy Motown, lush soul ballads and smoky blues. On first listen, I was ready to nitpick and say it wasn’t flawless (the meandering blues of “Good To Me As I Am To You” lost me a bit). But sometimes, I should stop trying to dissect everything and write ten paragraphs per album, and just let myself be swept away. “Lady Soul” is one of those albums, and they don’t come around very often. What a thrill to spend half an hour with talent like this.

This is a glorious album and is well deserving of a Five Star rating. Aretha near the peak of her powers. Her voice throughout is strong and powerful, yet she can ease back when required, as in a controlled rendering of Curtis Mayfield's 'People Get Ready'. There is a surprise hint of tape hiss, and as a result it brings a bit more warmth and heart to the performances.

You got a problem with Aretha? Yeah? Then you have a problem with me. Don't mess with the Queen of Soul.

Nove. Os miúdos estão deitados. A sala já não tem desenhos espalhados, uma casa no campo, figuras de pauzinhos sem mãos dadas, pétalas do tamanho do sol. Ele já dorme, ou acorda, ou luta de olho semiaberto contra um loop de televendas que ninguém vai comprar. Os copos vão para a gaveta, os talheres para o alumínio, iluminado o frigorífico que me acolhe as marmitas, cada vez mais curtas. Amanhã começa-se cedo, em casas que não a minha. O sol já não me desperta há muito. A noite acolhe-me com alento, no barulho incessante dos camiões do lixo e o bruto arrancar do padeiro que não põe mudanças desde '97. Amanhã, como sempre, o mundo começa cedo. Abro a rolha, pop!, gulp gulp gulp da garrafa, não acorda ninguém. Um copo para o caminho. Um dia havemos de chegar. MotA: Chain of Fools (extended cut) "For five long years, I thought you were my man / But I found out, love, I'm just a link in your chain"

Dato inútil: este disco lo conocí gracias a Selma Bouvier. Ok, vamos a lo importante. Existe el Soul.... y existe Aretha Franklin. Está en otro nivel propio y es de esas contadísimas cantantes que de verdad sí se ganaron a pulso esos títulos como "Reina del Soul" o ser nombradas una diva. Nadie puede cantar como ella, la potencia, la emoción, la cadencia. A Natural Woman es de esas canciones icónicas que de manera perfecta reflejan como fotografía musical perfecta toda una época y género. En realidad creo que no puedo ni tengo que decir mucho más... es un disco que dudo haya alguien que no pueda apreciar su calidad. Voz espectacular. Una banda de estudio maravillosa con un punto de funk perdido en detalles, una cantidad perfecta de metales sin exagerarlos. Coristas de fondo excelentes, también en su perfecta medida sin opacar pero con suficiente presencia. La música puro soul puro, algunas rápidas, algunas lentas, algunas modernas algunas que se les siente el fondo de su origen en gospel. No hay pero para este disco.

What can I say? Incredible this was an actual album and not a best-of. What a time to be alive

Lovely album, lovely voice, enjoyed it quite a lot. The songs varied a bit too so it didn’t really get boring and there were plenty of familiar songs. Would listen again

Nr. 173/1001 Chain of Fools 3/5 Money Won't Change You 4/5 People Get Ready 4/5 Niki Hoeki 3/5 A Natural Woman 5/5 Since You've Been Gone 4/5 Good to Me As I Am to You 3/5 Come Back Baby 4/5 Groovin' 4/5 Aint No Way 4/5 Average: 3,8 Probably the finest voice in popular music.

J'ai bien aimé cet album mais j'en veux à cette dame d'avoir popularisé les expressions "Où est le respect ?" et "C'est le cousin à qui encore ??"

gude

Probably not an intergalactic paedo

a massage for your inner ear

Not my cup of tea but fantastic vocals

A gorgeous voice from such an immense talent. The style just isn't for me, but that doesn't away from being able to objectively see what made Aretha so great

All my other 5s so far were albums I knew I loved and would be getting a 5 the second they popped up. This is different because I really don’t have much experience with classic soul. But by the end of my third listen all I could think was - this truly cannot be improved upon. That’s a 5 in my book. Great stuff.

This lady is from another dimension; what a wonderful and powerful voice; what an energy; I have all the R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Aretha, I believe she still is delighting all the heaven souls 🥰👍

Maravilhoso

Really tremendous album. That last song, Cissy Houston soars.

There will never be another queen of soul. Her voice is so effortless powerful and distinctive. This album is full of her signature songs and catapulted her to the top. RIP.

the goddess of soul

This is the real goods. It’s just so good, so, so very good.

Omfg yes. Classic tracks sung with soul

This is the quintessential soul album that is great despite being before the era of and not in the theme of the “album.” Her singles are so strong that they are unbeatable and put together this is an amazing show of a true talent at the height of her power. Intoxicating, sensual and heartbreaking in a perfect spin.

10/10 I’d been an admirer of Aretha Franklin’s work for a long time before listening to this album, and there were a ew standout tracks on here that I was already familiar with, but this album as a whole was a fresh one to me. It kind of goes without saying that Aretha has one of the most controlled, nuanced and distinctive voices in the history of recorded music, and you will find reference to her vocal talents all over my track by track breakdown. But that would all be for nothing, if the songs and music didn’t at least come close to providing a worthy backdrop to her abilities. And thankfully, here they step up to the plate in an almost majestic way. The band stride confidently along the line of giving exactly the amount of space for Aretha to do her thing, while still allowing themselves to step into prominence when she provides them the space. They consistently deliver a locked in yet smooth and fluid groove with all of the dynamic range and control that's needed to bring a living, breathing pulse to the music. The song choices are fantastic, with a really considered range between slow jams and higher tempo grooves that tickle towards edges of funk. There's also a nice mix of covers, songs written for Aretha and self penned tracks, which all adds up to a superb blend of quality. And that all ends with the unexpectedly spectacular final song that just blew my socks off, written by Aretha’s little sister Carolyn. There were a few moments that were perhaps slightly weaker than others but, frankly, the highs did enough to balance out any slight dips. So it’s safe to say they nailed all of the ‘non Aretha’s voice’ parts too. But final word should go to that very thing. Aretha owns every song she sings. She has so much effortless quality and delivers the required emotion out of a melody every time. From soft, sultry moments to soaring, driven highs, via vocal trills and vibrato that just seem tossed away like they’re second nature, she’s an absolute joy to listen to time and time again. The Queen of Soul indeed. Chain Of Fools - Such a groove to kick off the album. The alternating and then unified backing vocals are quality and Aretha eases herself into things so smoothly before giving a little taste of her vocal gymnastics here and there. There’s so much feel to the band here and it’s super tight, full of movement and has so much soul. Money Won't Change You - Her vocal delivery is exquisite but feels so effortless. She can chuck in a lovely bit of grit when she wants to and she can flick her way up and down scales and runs with reckless abandon, never losing the thread of the groove or melody. There’s a really great pulse to this that gets handed off between the different parts, but they also all come together at points to really drive home the rhythm. Super solid again. People Get Ready - A nice change of pace now. This one has some absolutely fabulous moments, the piano and guitar in particular add some quality nuance in places, and there are some really lovely chord changes. It’s slightly more of a meandering track, but Aretha just keeps delivering to give it undeniable quality and heart. Niki Hoeky - This has got a great rolling rhythm and the little horn stabs and swells give it that little extra dose of feel. It really makes you move. The bass work is so deep in the pocket you can barely reach it and it just strolls around brilliantly giving a pulsing tonal heartbeat. Some of the high notes she hits are stunning and there are more little runs and trills that just blow you away but are never overdone. Love the little breaks for the guitar too. Quality. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - Carole King’s songwriting just gets deep into my bones. This is just a spectacular song. The harmonies in the chorus are stunning, the slow lilt to the rhythm in the verses oozes groove, and the subtle brass parts just add a gorgeous warmth to the song. And then you get Aretha just delivering a vocal masterclass of vocal and emotional control in her performance. It’s got bags of dynamic range, it ebbs and flows and it’s got an absolutely killer hook. Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) - Back to another solid groove. Aretha is smashing it again. It’s super tight and well put together, and the horn parts are great, in particular. It’s perhaps a bit less hooky and focused than some of the other tracks, and relies a little too much on repetition of the ascending scale motif, but it’s still a solid, tail shaker of a track. Good To Me As I Am To You - What a great, jazzy intro. The piano and guitar playing against one another is top notch. It’s a slow groove and Aretha just delivers again and again. She really knows how to push and pull her vocal intensity. A lot of the players get their little moments in here too, and it’s a great all-rounder that really delivers a great range of dynamic and passion. Come Back Baby - The bass line here is brilliant. It just strolls all over the place and gives everything another solid pulse. The call and response of Aretha and the backing vocals is great too and this is just a a super solid uptempo bounce of a track. It’s kind of hard not to be uplifted by a song like this. It’s not the most deep and meaningful of songs, but it’s and absolute beast of a good-time jam. Groovin' - Damn right they’re groovin’. This is smooth. It’s got that laid back soul feel to it that has enough zip to give it drive, but is relaxed enough that you can just chill while you bob your head. The little offbeat climbs from the band and backing vocalists during the verses are just slow soul perfection. Aretha gives a more restrained performance, for the most part, and here trills and vibrato at that low intensity just go to further prove her vocal control credentials. What a great track. Ain't No Way - Good god, this is excellent. It’s another slow jam, written by Aretha’s sister Carolyn, who is credited with backing vocals. If that’s her doing the high vibrato into a descending run, vocal talent must run in the family, because that is spectacular. This track is just a groove that does exactly what it needs to, which is provide a superbly written backbone to let Aretha just do her thing over the top. It’s chill inducing stuff and, again, she knows how to push and pull that dynamic. She’s got exceptional range, not only pitch wise, but the intensity and firmness of her delivery is so flexible, and she knows how to drag every bit of feeling out of a song. What a way to end the album.

I mean its Aretha right? I had always heard of her and respect and all that but I never sat down to listen to a whole record by her. And damn im glad this site brought me here. Its just all around great. She has a powerful voice and she has good taste. She works with good people to bring in great musicians to make the best backing for her. Its all just wonderful and good and pure and worthwhile. Just listen cause its damn near perfect

“Lady Soul” is another outstanding album by Aretha, about which there isn't really much to say. Everyone probably knows “Chain of Fools” (which, more than 50 years after its release, is in itself a sign of quality), and writing any more good things about Aretha's voice doesn't seem particularly useful to me. That leaves a brief comparison with her album “I Never Loved a Man...”, released a year earlier, which is absolutely comparable in quality and which I already had the pleasure of reviewing: Here, too, the strongest song is right at the beginning (was that common practice back then?), Aretha's style no longer seems quite as groundbreaking, and this time the album title is short enough to write out in full. That's it!

Lots of classic pop soul stuff on this record, but some amazing gems. "Ain't No Way" is one of my favorite songs of this genre.

What an absolute gem of an album. Blasting right off with Chain of Fools and just keeping the vibe high the entire album. I didn't expect to give this a perfect score but I can't imagine enjoying an entire album much more. I will definitely listen again and glad I got this. 4.5/5

5 stars

The Queen for a very clear fucking reason

# Album Name: Lady Soul # Artist: Aretha Franklin # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: What a banger. Great voice. Great tunes. Amazing album. # Top Tunes: Whole damn thing # Would I listen to it again? yes

Aretha Franklin, one of the most powerful female vocalists in history. Her voice is soothing, relaxed and absolutely powerful. Nobody else sounds like her. The songs here aren’t always the most adventurous or groundbreaking, but she refined Southern Soul to the point where even a plain tune turns into a masterpiece the moment she opens her mouth. Highlights on this album are "Chain Of Fools", "Nicky Hoeky", "A Natural Woman" and "Ain't No Way" (my personal favorite) which gives me goosebumps every single time. She will forever be missed. One of the greatest of all time. 9/10.

Overall Rating - 4.70/5 (9.40/10). Albums like this are why Aretha Franklin earned the title "The Queen of Soul."

good classics and the ones i hadnt listened to were fun

All class. Day two album. Stereo turned up. Tail end of the thanksgiving blizzard. Holed up alone in Houghton. 4.75/5

Incredibly enjoyable all the way through.

Exceptional album! Damn, she was the Queen, prove me wrong! We have songs here that are legends, and the rest of the album holds it together. Relevant today, treasures for tomorrow. God Bless Aretha Franklin!

Fun, powerful, and vividly soulful. One of the best offerings by one of the best vocalists of all time. A perfect album to sit back and listen to, or to get up and dance to. Spellbinding vocals and smooth jazzy backing music make this such an enjoyable listen. Top tracks: Chain of Fools, Niki Hoeky, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

Tuvo que haber un soul para que después hubiese música disco, la heredera natural del ritmo de la Motown. Pero es que Aretha es mucho más que soul. Ella es la contestación de las mujeres ante la hegemonía masculina. Aretha es el respeto, la fuerza y la naturalidad de quien se siente poderosa. A Aretha no se le tose. "Chain Of Fools" y "You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman)" ya han pasado a la posteridad.

Aretha Franklin was a legend, even in her own time. It's deserved. This album features all of The Queen of Soul's talent, plus a Carole King composition, The Swampers and Eric Clapton, just to name a few things. 5/5, put it on as soon as you're doing reading this.

Hit after hit from the Queen of Soul herself.

You can't argue with this album (well, you could, but you'd be wrong). It's just one great song after another. Favorite track: (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

She is the Queen. Flawless.

Absolutely outstanding album,

This hits different. Nobody compares to the Queen of Soul.

Amazing album from the queen

Just some damn good soul music by the Queen of Soul, and that's really the only way to put it. No notes for Aretha.....the best to ever do it. I really need to get this album on vinyl (cue the pic of the copy Alex already owns).

The Queen of soul

So good