Lady Soul

Amazing!

Powerful

Pretty sick album. Fantastic vocals. Super fun to listen to and sing along too. Best songs are 'Chain of Fools', 'People Get Ready', 'A Natural Woman', 'Sweet Sweet Baby', 'Groovin'" and 'Ain't No Way'. I mean pretty much every track is a banger. I've pretty criminally overlooked Aretha Franklin throughout my life so this is a good reminder of her talent. Recommend. 4/5

Aretha. Enough said.

This is the second album by Aretha Franklin that I've gotten in this album generator. This particular album is her 12th studio album, and was made 2 years after the first album of her's that I listened to (I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You). This album definately feels more polished, and complete. The backing band are more lively, and add a funky/bluesy feel to the music. Aretha's vocals, as always, blow the roof off of the place, and the addition of Cissy Houston (Whitney Houston's mother) and her group the Sweet Inspirations, along with Aretha's sisters Carolyn and Erma Franklin as background vocals just added that little bit of contrast to elevate the whole album that much further. There isn't a bad song on the album. Things of note that stood out: 1) People Get Ready has a fantastic gospel feel to it, 2) Eric Clapton was brought in as the guitarist on the song Good to Me As I Am to You, and his bluesy rock style was awesome, 3) Chain of Fools is a phenomenal song. Every time I hear the lyrics: "You told me to leave you alone, my father said "come on home" , my doctor said "take it easy", oh, but your loving is much too strong, I'm added to your, chain, chain, chain... " my mind goes back to the movie School of Rock when Tomika is convincing Dewey that she can sing. Amusingly enough, I referenced School of Rock with my first Aretha Franklin album as well. Favourite songs: Chain of Fools, People Get Ready, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone, Good To Me As I Am To You, Groovin', Niki Hoeky, Money Won't Change You Least favourite song: if forced to pick one, Ain't No Way. Still phenomenal, just not as much as the other songs on the album. Easy 5/5

Amazing.

Solid

Aretha Franklin is a legend for a reason. This album was amazing with excellent music accompanying her vocals

This lady got soul. Best Tracks: Chain of Fools; (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman; (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone

This is a great album. Tough to compete with Aretha Franklin. Chain of Fools is amazing, and You Make Me Feel is a classic. Groovin and Come Back Baby are surprisingly good.

This was a wonderful album with plenty of wonderful soulful tunes. I wouldn't usually go seeking out soul music like this, but I found myself enjoying it a lot! Favourite: Chain of Fools

Queen of Soul ❤️

HL: “You Make Me Feel”, “Chain”, “Ain’t No Way” Easy listen, was surprised by the haunting final track “Ain’t No Way” as well as the rockin’ “Good to Me”. Also a fan of Aretha’s interpretation of “People Get Ready” October 15, 2022

incredible

Lovely voice and an all around good time. 4.

Queen.

Wow so many of her classic songs are on this record. Deeply satisfying listening experience from beginning to end. It’s the perfect album.

Amazing. Aretha is the best and everything she did with the muscle schoals boys is incredible. Every song is a classic. On the bonus version of chain of fools the baritone guitar is so badass

Jeez she makes singing seem easy. Best vocal performance (and also one of my all time favorite ballads) is Ain’t No Way. What I wouldn’t give to hang out with her for a day.

Ah, Aretha... What a voice! Showing the Aretha-lite wannabes how to do it: great songs sung with intelligence and righteous power. Nothing forced, nothing faked.

Absolutely outstanding vocals and will probably grow on me as I get more familiar with the genre.

Lady Soul indeed.

If I were to give this 4 stars, it would be because this is a powerful creation from a powerful woman, not because I like the music that much. Musically speaking, I don't mind the album but it's clearly not my cup of coffee. Obviously, Natural Woman and Chain of Fools are standouts.

Amazing album from an amazing artist in her prime.

One of the most iconic voices of all time.Strong. Powerful. Commanding. You never have to ask, "is that Aretha?"

Enjoyed the warm and passion in Aretha's voice set over a wide set of enjoyable tracks. Natural Woman is definitely the highlight, but overall a really strong offering.

Classic soul!

Awesome. Timeless.

Aretha's a fantastic singer, but I'm not a big fan of her music.

What can I say, Aretha Franklin was a generational talent, well deserving of the title "Queen of Soul." This album plays like a greatest hits album with "Chain of Fools'" "A Natural Woman," "Since You've Been Gone," "Ain't No Way," among others. I always loved Aretha's powerful voice, her vocal control, lyrical phrasing, and range. Incredible!

It was okay

Canzoni molto famose, voce molto bella. Bello, bello, bello

Nice

This isn't even really my type of music and I have to respect it. Really great stuff.

Yes.

What a force

Very solid soul album. Franklin's vocals are fantastic The instruments could be lowered to not clip

Wow, thank you for this. I don't think I've ever listened to a whole Aretha album all the way through before. I got chills during "Good to Me as I am to You." What an amazing talent.

Aretha Franklin is an absolute queen. The songs of this album are all still classics even decades after their creation, and some of their messages even hold on today. Still, the soul genre as a whole is not something I like to consume everyday.

God damn, what a voice. Recognized more songs than I thought I would. She is certainly the queen of soul and this album showcases that perfectly.

Soul is not really my thing but this was pleasant, some good tracks, strong vocals

Fantastic voice, awesome control. Lovely guitar. Really enjoyed listening

What's not to love about Aretha. One of the grearest

Come on! It is Aretha Franklin! ‘Nuff said.

- beim zweiten Mal bestimmt besser - aber gute Musik für den Hintergrund, wenn man bissl was erledigen will L. -entspannt, ein oder zwei songs hatte ich glaube ich schonmal gehört

Wow! What a voice, and with interesting lyrics and music too.

Simply great! What a soul in the music!

A superb album, combining Aretha's majestic vocals with great musicianship and memorable tunes. Natural Woman is the stand-out track, ably supported by Chain of Fools, People Get Ready, Since You've Been Gone and Groovin.

hmmmmmmmm 3/5

good arethaaa

WOWEE LOVE 8/10

Aretha at her best! Lady Soul is one of her best. Good to Me as I Am to You is one of the least recognized masterpieces of Franklin.

i know i'm 3/5 right now, but i suspect after another listen or two this is gonna be a four

Loved it! So many great tunes and instrumentation

Almost nothing beats a night alone listening to an album like this while just chilling out. I love soul music and there are a ton of soul classics on here from chain of fools to natural woman and all the rest are just as banging. You know an album is usually a 5 when the spotify radio that comes on afterward is also awesome

she truly is the queen of soul. unmatched vocals and unmatched talent. personal fave is money won’t change you

I like Never Loved A Man more than this one, but Aretha Franklin all-time excellent

3.5

pure r&b

Iconic. Amazing Listen.

What. A. Voice.

I could have listened to this album on repeat all day. Favorite track: Niki Hoeky

Dece

Favourite song: Ain’t No Way

Damn, my first record using this site. I'm ashamed I didnt know all these songs are on one album...

Lady soul indeed. Aretha te amo.

An eye opening, soul levitating experience

Groovy, funky, very easy listening and upbeat, I like it

Соул есть соул :) Несильно альбом запомнился, хотя пара треков понравилась.

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

Magnificently sung, regally arranged, bursting with joy and power. All hail the First Lady of Soul.

There's so much emotion, passion, power and soul in Aretha's vocals. There isn't a bad song on this album - it's filled with timeless classics, and a surprising amount of variation in the instrumentation, too. I really want to give this 5 stars, but I'm going to settle on a 4 for the sole reason that - as much as I enjoy this style of music while listening to it, and Aretha Franklin is no doubt the epitome of this genre - it never occurs to me to give it a listen on a more regular basis. I can't quite put my finger on why that is - clearly a problem with me and not the music itself. Standout tracks: "Chain of Fools", "People Get Ready", "(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman", "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone", "Good to Me as I Am to You", "Groovin'", "Ain't No Way"

THIS is what I would consider a top tier soul album. Everything on this album is well put together, Aretha's voice has so much emotion and power. This album has highs and lows, each instrumental fitting the vocals incredibly well. I love basically everything about this album and I see myself listening to a bunch of these tracks very frequently. 8/10

Love her voice and the stuff I've heard from her in movies, on the radio, etc but I don't think I've ever sat down and listened to an Aretha album straight through. This is some fantastic soul. She deserves her status 100%.

deveras legal

One of the greatest albums of all time? Possibly. This isn't even her greatest hits. Listen to a couple of songs you might not know that have staggering depths to the levels of soul then relish in Natural Woman (one of the most spine tingling tunes ever). Utterly 5* and I'd be happy if I never heard Chain of Fools again.

i love the sound of this album! very groovy 60s bops. my faves were (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone and Good to Me as I Am to You

Southern blues Soul, true R&B with big band style brass. Incredible voice and a good variety of songs/styles. Impressed with the diversity of styles as each song was very different from the last. The instrumental parts were great throughout but i particularly liked them in Since you've been gone.

This one has a bigger sound than I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, thanks to the addition of horns and strings, but I think it's really similar in terms of quality. The songs are great and Arethas's voice is phenomenal, what more could you ask for?

Very good soul album. Not my favorite from Aretha, but her voice and style is still amazing in this record as well!

Amazing voice, such a classic album. Queen of the soul :)

Music of Aretha Franklin is always surprising and I understand better the legacy around her now that I've listened to 2 full albums. Sound, instruments and musical arrangements from this era are always so nice. Really liked it.

The first album of 160 or so that after listening I went 'I need to buy this album.'

Great album

Great album, voices, backing vocals, melodies, arrangements. She's Aretha Franklin, what more can I say? 10/10 Favorite tracks: People Get Ready, Groovin'

Pretty good, overall gotta say I like it despite not being a fan of soul music

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!

Some bangers

Glorious voice... but you knew that

There are some smash hits that stand through time. Chain of Fools opening an album can't be beat.

Great songs, not for every mood though

Amazing music. Aretha's voice really shined, but I love the background singers and musicians as well.

Classic. Super talented singer.

Slayyyyy

Queen of soul. Yes.

Flawless album. Iconic voice. Obvious 5 stars.

5/10 songs went to my liked songs on Spotify and I couldn't really decide between 2 songs for my playlist so a good album for sure.

It's impossible not to be moved by her music, Soul music yeah you bet ass it is. Chain of fools.. her voice, that bass line damn nothing comes close to that these days. Good stuff.

There’s a reason she’s called the Queen of Soul. I'm not a big fan of soul but damn, this is a great record.

She has a great voice. I just don't think i'd listen to this again.

Some killer songs on this album, standards, wedding songs, feel good songs. This is one that I rate higher than a scale of if I'd put it on again, because I probably won't, but it's really good.

6/25/2022 - ALBUM #149 Today's Album: "Lady Soul" by Aretha Franklin - All of the years and years of praise and acclaim Aretha Franklin has gotten for her music still doesn't adequately describe just how celebrated her talent should be. This is an album that delivers on all fronts, to the point where I firmly believe if you isolated the vocals from this album, it would still be better than a vast majority of albums, but the fact that the soulful R&B instrumentals adequately back up Aretha's vocals is what really sells this record for me. I really love the flow of this record too, with a great mix of upbeat soul tracks and slower R&B ballads and the songwriting chops on display make every track feel like a unique expression of Aretha's soul while still maintaining a consistent quality and tone. The track A Natural Woman stands out as such a lovable and relatable track, with just such a stellar chorus. I also really enjoy the opener Chain of Fools for how upbeat and fun it is, welcoming the listener into the project. The tracks Good to Me as I Am to You and Ain't No Way are heartbreaking tracks about wanting to love someone and not having your love received or reciprocated is such a great premise for a track and I think both execute it very well. I am a tad disappointed in the closer of this album, being just an extended reprise of the intro song and having a super cheesy fade out, but I do think if you end the album on Ain't No Way, it feels like it has a really great and complete sequence of songs. Overall, this is a really soulful album with a ton of fun, upbeat tracks as well as some mellower cuts. Give this one a listen if you like an artist that can absolutely kill it on the mic. Highlights: Chain of Fools, People Get Ready, Niki Hoeky, A Natural Woman, Since You've Been Gone, Good to Me as I Am to You, Come Back Baby, Groovin', Ain't No Way. Score: 8/10 an incredibly soulful album from one of the best vocalists ever known

A powerhouse singer with a killer rock and soul band backing her. Great songs too.

Like WOW. She is just such a legend with a voice like no other. Easy 5 for me!

"Chain of Fools"... is there a better song in the realm of soul music? Oh yea, maybe it's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", which is only four songs later on this same record. JEEEZ. I also really liked track 4, "Niki Hoeky", which surprisingly had the lowest amount of plays on the album on Spotify. The bass line pushes the track forward so well. After starting with a bop it really just continues. This album slaps you so hard all you can say is "thank you may I have another." Everything is so well done.

Hmmm. Accidentally seeing this was ranked among the all-time god-tier albums hasn't helped me here - I went in expecting a few more really classic songs, I guess. Still, Aretha was obviously an absolute force of nature as a singer and she sounds on top form. When the music gets all slow and soulful on songs like People Get Ready, Ain't No Way and Natural Woman, it's an almost religious experience.

One of the most intense album ever

Malright

I mean... five stars. How do you argue with this? Even the no-name songs, they still have Aretha singin' on 'em.

I really like this album - good energy, great musical performances and astute song selection. But - and this may be heresy to some - I'm likely in a minority of one when I say that I don't particularly like Aretha Franklin's voice. Maybe because it played John the Baptist to a slew of wailers and caterwaulers, but it grates on me a little. Still - a fine record.

Queen of Soul, indeed. Her effort into her recordings/performances are such that she's seemingly fearless. She hits her notes to the maximum that she can, as though if she tried any harder she would miss it. This tenacity and passion does come through in listening to her sing and there is so much to respect here. "People Get Ready" is an old gospel favorite, heard time and again with multiple covers, spun for the good news. Aretha Franklin's contribution stand the test of time, and this is a clear candidate for 1001.

Can't fault it.

Great Morning Start!

Never quite hits the five star despite a few stone cold classics

Best Song: (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. The most impressive vocal performance on the album, paired well with powerful but sweetly romantic lyrics. Worst Song: Niki Hoeky. Just felt like more of a standard R&B song that didn't take advantage of Franklin's vocal abilities. Overall: Obviously she has a strong and icon voice, and there is an offering of great R&B cuts here, but it also feels a bit more upbeat and (dare I say) disco-adjacent than the soulful stuff I was expecting.

This is just bliss. Hearing songs I've never heard before that are phenomenal. The best example is Good To Me As I Am To You. That song has everything! Aretha blows every other singer into the weeds. Then it's followed up by Come Back Baby which has that classic groovy bass that signified the late '60s/early '70s.

decent.

You can just tell from her voice that she's had so many dicks rammed down her throat. Impressive.

Probably not an intergalactic paedo

The Soul GOAT. Or whatever a female goat is I guess. A doe is it? We'll go with that. The Soul DOE.

I enjoyed this. There were some classic tracks although I prefer some other versions of the songs but there’s no disputing that she had a soulful, powerful voice. High 3*

Probably slightly buoyed by a poor run recently. This was enjoyable enough.

I think I just heard the best version of People Get Ready. Ain't No Way is the deepest cut with the biggest emotional punch.

Wow, nothing but bangers on this one!

The big note in People Get Ready…GTFO. Instant 5 stars. Instantly in love. Everything on this album is CRACKIN’!

Wow. Pleasantly surprised, there was so much gold on this. Great vibe, excellent musicianship and powerful voice.

Chain, Chain, Chain...... what a start to a classic album, Aretha really was the queen of soul even in 1968. Beautiful songs on this, I believe to be, one of her best records. Really showing her gospel roots that lead to her brilliant soul career. Favourite Tracks the aforementioned "Chain Of Fools" her cover of Curtis Mayfields "People Get Ready" is the definitive version I think. "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" So many classic soul songs on this album. Love it and Justifiably on this list. Top marks from me!

beautiful

Trop bon, ce genre d’album c’est. Raimemnt de petites perles dans cette liste et ca vaut la peine a 100%

Amazing voice. Classic tunes. Great band and backing singers. (3.7/5)

Lady Soul is the first whole album I've listened to from Aretha Franklin. I knew two tracks from this album ("Chain of Fools", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"). Overall, this album was a fun listen. The music felt upbeat and lively. I particularly liked the horns on several of the tracks, but especially on "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone". I would recommend listenting to this album.

Her voice is so incredibly emotive and powerful that I would listen to her sing nearly anything. I still hate "Chain of Fools", though. 4.5/5 --> 5.

what a voice ay

It’s good for what it is.

GOAT

That voice......................... Amazing. Not my genre of choice but still enjoyed it. Fav songs: Money Won't Change You, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman), Good to Me as I Am to You, Come Back Baby Least liked songs: Niki Hoeky, People Get Ready Initial rating: 4/5

-Every nice soul/R&B with a powerful voice to give it some energy -"Chain of Fools," "Money Won't Change You," and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" were all very strong -She really gets to belting it out in "Good to Me as I am to You" -Also quite a few cool bass lines and other instrument parts throughout. I like the brass sections as well

Not a bad bop. Wailed along to natural woman whilst making a brew.

Aretha is amazing. Classic songs. Great soul

Enjoyed much more than I expected to.

How can you not love the queen of soul? Great album. 4 stars.

great album by Aretha Franklin.

aretha! how wonderful she is on this album. some aretha classics here, and they are noteworthy and legendary--absolutely worthy of praise! but the other songs that weren't hits are just as good. it takes a rare album to accomplish that. her voice was perfect as it was, but it was also perfect for soul. aretha and this album have upheld in the test of time. a charming record i would love to come back to.

This album is fantastic from start to finish. There is a great mix of upbeat songs and slower ballads. Aretha commands every note of every song with her one-of-a-kind voice, in a way that only Aretha can do. Her impeccable abilities are so dynamically on display here, flexing crystal clear high notes, rumbling low notes, and everything in between. A special shout-out to (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. This song sends me every time. This is easily one of the greatest songs of all time, and the way she owns every moment and every emotion of this song deserves acknowledgement. I don't even know what else to say that hasn't already been said. Aretha is a one-of-a-kind legend and the queen of soul, and this album is just one reminder among many as to how she snatched that crown.

Klok van een stem, maar niet 100% mijn muziek

5.0 + Wonderful. So much power in Aretha's voice and she tempers it so masterfully with that spark of joy and love. This is a record that showcases all of her talents. Despite being featured in a litany of tampon advertisements, "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" still sounds beautiful as ever. "People Get Ready" feels timely as ever. I even like the alternate version of "Chain of Fools" with the extended guitar intro.

Some big song on that one! I can get down to some Aretha!

Amazing

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.

What do you say about perfection?

03/19/2022 Giving this anything less than a 5 is a straight-up war crime.

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.

HELL YES. Chain of fools is a bop. What a talented queen

Aretha's a great singer but half the tracks are pretty simply put together which does detract from the engagement.

10/5…They don’t call her the “Queen of Soul” for nothing…fantastic..loved her since day one….this album is grade A prime

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.

decent album great voice she is called the queen of soul for a reason

Steht für sich.

Soul

Bombastic and big- fun and funky grooves. Didn’t listen the whole way intently so could go again

Sounds like something kanye would sample

Good stuff, good voice

pretty good imo

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.

People get ready

show some respek

This is an outstanding album, Aretha Franklin at her peak. The songs are rich, soulful and beautifully arranged, and Franklin herself has never sounded better. When she sings, you feel it in your bones. Easy 5. Fave Songs: Ain't No Way, Chain of Fools, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Good to Me as I Am to You, People Get Ready, (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone

Great stuff 👍

One of the best singer of the history. Like a lot Soul music, moreover if it is sung by Aretha.

she has an amazing voice of course but her style of music has never really appealed to me. she has a flow of words that’s beautiful but just not my fave.

Outstanding. A quick 30 minute primer into one of the greatest singers of all-time. Many hits and a few I'd never heard before. "Niki Hoeky" in particular is a banger. But they're all good - literally. It's Aretha, and prime Aretha. A great variety of up-tempo and more soulful/mellow. Just listen, buy it, save it, all of the above. 9/10 5 stars.

Great variety in sound, vocals and instruments in glorious harmony, fun and heartfelt

classic

не лучший альбом из всех, что я слышал; но слушается с удовольствием. а ещё очень классные рекомендации споти были после прослушивания.

What a beast of an album from a legend of a talent. Aretha always demands my attention and this album won my heart. So good.

belting tunes, production and voice

Most of the absolute classics on this one. The arrangements do tend to get a bit repetitive, but even then I wish some of the tracks were longer here - Franklin knows how to write a damn catchy verse.

10/10, Aretha Franklin is the best favorite track is probably Ain’t No Way

This album is a really nice album to listen to. Its easy on the ears, upbeat lyrics and most of all, its got a good tune. This is a great album to wake up to in the morning ensuring your happy starting your day. Enjoyed it a lot.

Great album, great singer, great songs.

Awesome Aretha!

Provavelmente, um dos melhores

Great easy music to put on.

Aivan upea klassikko. Soulin kultaa. 4/5 Ei suurempia perusteluja. Hieno.

Mjaa, ihan hyvä lauluääni, mutta r&b / soul ei oo kyllä mun juttuja. Chain of Fools oli ihan menevä, mutta eipä muuten tuntunut missään.

Alussa tuntui, että onko taas näitä klassikoita, joista en ihan saa kiinni, mutta puolivälissä lämpenin ja lopulta tuntui loppuvan liian aikaisin. Arethan energia ja tulkinta on kyl mielettömän vahvaa, kun sen antaa tempaista mukaansa. En osannut sitä aiemmin yksittäisten biisien perusteella niin arvostaa.

Chain of Fools on kova veto ja muutenkin hyvä levy!

It was fine. A bit all over the place and I’ve heard these songs so much they didn’t really make an impression.

Every single song is excellent.

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.

Perfect

60s music was really good, wasn't it? This is powerful but effeminate without ever being cloying.

perfection

It’s Aretha, of course it’s a 5 star. I would give it a 10 if I could!

Quite a pleasant album, gives me flying tiger vibes.

It's Aretha, is there really much else to say?

Dank album and such an incredible voice. I was amused to learn that what I thought was 'ch-ch-change' was actual "chain chain chain". TIL! Aretha is a Queen and this would be 5 stars if I was personally more of a soul fan.

So many hits on this one, yet Aretha manages to make each and every one sound new. That stunned me; This certainly deserves its place on the list. The thing that feels a little lacking is nuance in song form or vocal approach. But as an album playing to Franklin's strengths, it works very well.

Just amazing 🤩

Awesome

A true American icon.

Great Album!

Aretha Franklin in her usual blues/gospel mode. Solid enough, but lacks variation. 3/5.

OK. Chain of Fools is a jam, of course. Otherwise, competent but conservative.

Some absolute hits. It is hard not to enjoy Aretha.

This would get 5 stars for Natural Woman alone. My only complaint is it's TOO SHORT

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.

Unbeatable voice

Schön. Aber viel Geschreie.

I didn't think I'd heard this before but knew every song, knew every word. I honestly thought it was a greatest hits. My only minus would be it does feel like it is a collection of songs rather than a cohesive album.

Aretha Franklin was obviously an amazing singer with a very powerful voice, but I do feel that the melody is lost at times. I like the uptempo songs but some of the slower numbers did not really resonate with me. Instrumentally there is a focus on the bass lines which are very groovy. I listened on headphones and I liked the stereo separation but I reckon I would have enjoyed it more played loud on a hi-fi!

Quality from Aretha

Great soul music, made me feel like a natural listener.

Awesome voice, truly the queen of soul. Even manages to carry some of the less good tracks with ease

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

Aretha Franklin is in that small number of iconic artists about whom whatever I might say or write feels redundant. In her case, it's for very good reason. What else can I say about the Queen of Soul? This is brilliant, beautiful, and I love it. That's plenty.

The singles from this album are absolutely amazing. Great vocals, guitars horns. Most of the other songs are pretty unremarkable

Liked it more than I anticipated I would. Fun and iconic songs. Doesn't overstay it's welcome. 4/5

fine album, not really my thing but some hits and decent covers

Lovely voice great wintry album - and some classic songs to boot.

I really enjoyed listening to this. I will be adding this into my regular rotation!

Loved to be able to just disappear into the music for a bit

Didn’t actually listen to this, but it’s Aretha, so she gets a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Aretha is incredible. I was in a bad mood and cheated her out of a perfect score from the group when I only gave a 4 on the last album. It can't make up for it, but this is a 5 for sure. wall-to-wall winners on this one.

Absolutely fantastic!

Boggling amount of iconic soul classics packed into one relatively brief album

Pretty Classic for Aretha

Excellent album

Amazing album ! Listened to it 3 times

“American history wells up when Aretha sings” - President Obama

Gosh this is GOOD MUSIC. So classic, such talent in the voice, and some genre defining stuff here. Love it. 4*

1968. A Natural Woman, Since You've Been Gone

Powerful & Smooth from start to finish

Gotta give it up

All hail Lady Soul. It's just that simple.

Her voice soars on every song.

It's a 60's/70's Aretha Franklin album. You don't need to listen to it to know it will be a 5. But I did, and it is.

What a voice. Settles in nicely, perfect background music.

8/10 includes 'people get ready' Superb.

Some of these were okay, but it got old

I thoroughly enjoyed this album. So soulful. I enjoyed every minute of it. Especially (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone.

#/5 -

the name is as apt as i've ever seen. there's a lot to love on this album, and i love all of it. i only hope aretha's legacy is as big as her passion.

That's 'Retha Franklin, the queen of soul! Personally, I feel like the instrumentals (and recording quality) don't quite hold up to her fantastic voice, but it's still plenty to carry the album.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. It's bluesy and soulful and Arethas voice is amazing.

Mukavaa kuunneltavaa. R&B:stä en tykkää, mutta mustien naisten soul uppoaa jo paljon paremmin. Minun korvaan ei ollut mitään megahittejä, mutta yleisellä tasolla laatu oli tasaisen hyvää. Tykkäsin!

Näköjään näitä ennen LEKA-ryhmää arvostelemiani levyjä alkaa tulemaan uudestaan. Edelliskerralla arvosanana oli kakkonen, tosin vaikea sanoa miksi koska tällöin en vielä harrastanut arvostelujen kirjoittamista. Valitettavasti siedätyshoidosta huolimatta allergiani näitä ~60(?)-luvun amerikkalaisia soulartisteja kohtaan ei ole parantunut. Periaatteessa aidokasta laulamista, joka kuitenkin pilataan överiksi vedetyllä kikkailulla ja määkimisellä. En vaan osaa.

Soulful

Hmm. Dieser screamy Lady Soul ist einfach nicht meins. Sorry 1.0

Ich saß genervt vom Zeitverzug in der Regionalbahn. Aretha auf den Ohren hat meine Laune ein wenig aufgehellt, aber leider immer noch nicht ausreichend genug, um mich in Bonn angekommen strahlend den Tag umarmen zu lassen.

An absolute classic, brilliant

What a brilliant album and absolute classics. Arethra did cover some of these though and I feel she gets the all the credit, 4 stars

Beautiful

Smooth, polished soul, instant standards, and the voice of Aretha. Beautiful.

What an awesome voice, and a great album with a number of her key hits on it.

Good

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.

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).

I mean it’s Aretha!!

I know very little about Aretha Franklin which is probably to my shame I guess. Chain of Fools is one of those I've obviously heard before without giving it much thought, but man it's good. Those tremolo guitar bits are killer. Just been letting this wash over me a bit I guess, it's a great album. Incredible voice and the songs and arrangements are pretty much A+. Good start.

Everyone a banger

Aretha on the top of her game. Enough said

Chain of Fools!

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"

Makkelijk weg te luisteren, maar mist ook enige impact.

Tof om een keer te horen en zit ook goed in elkaar, maar soul is toch niet echt mijn ding.

Fijn hoor die Aretha!

Aretha is een queen.

Very good

Баба, поющая соул.

13th September 2021 Listened in the car on the way to get my hair cut at jess's. Very timely given there is a biopic currently out about Aretha starring Tiffany haddish. Some absolute classics combined with some gorgeously soft and mellow songs. She's the OG queen.

It never ceases to amaze me how one voice can be so powerful and yet so subtle. This album goes by really quick, but each song shows off Aretha's incredible voice and range 4/5

Classic Aretha songs…. 2 thumbs up

Queen of jazz, blues and just great love ballads. 🥰you years ago and still rank you in my top 20 best female artists. “You make Feel, Sweet Baby, Chain of Fools are classics

Such a beautiful voice. Each song had its own flair and for only being 30 mins long, I wonder what Drake or Kanye would think about this? I thoroughly enjoyed this entire album and especially chain of fools and natural woman.

Now we're talkin'! Aretha Franklin, I wondered when we'd get an album from her on the list. This is one of two that I have on vinyl, and I'm fairly certain the other one will pop up on here too. Her vocal talent is still one of one, and there are some legendary songs on here. Only thirty minutes too, no fat to trim. Love this one. Favorite tracks: Natural Woman, Chain of Fools, Come Back Baby, Good to Me as I Am to You, Groovin'. Album art: Nothing special, but I've seen this a lot so it's recognizable. The blue and orange title strip is nice, but yeah there's not much here to speak of. 4.5/5

Loved it!!

a real classic

She made me wanna make an apology for all the men that did her wrong.

Pretty good! 2RS

The 12th album from Aretha Franklin was released in 1968, and was her third album to top the R&B charts. The R&B and soul music album contained some of her more popular hits - helping it sell over a million copies. Aretha is a fantastic singer and some of her songs are fun to listen to - it's just such a shame I don't like R&B...

Solo por ser Aretha

i love aretha <33

Tolles Album, aber nicht so zusammenhängend wahrzunehmen, deshalb nur 4

Guter Soul ohne Frage. Kommt für mich leider im Ego Trip nicht in die engere Auswahl

Really enjoyed this album!

not rly into this type of music atm

What a voice and though it’s something I would never think to listen to, there are plenty of tracks I liked.

A lovely dose of soul

Tremendous. Really enjoyed listening to this.

Meh

Awesome

loved it

Great soul music from the queen of it. Some songs you've heard plenty but don't get tired of. But the album cuts are great also.

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.

it's aretha bitch

Fantastic album . Strong from beginning to end. 5 🌟

Potente poderoso portento vocal.

reinaaaaaaaaaaaa

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"