Reviews (page 7 of 14)
Aretha Franklin is one the best vocalists to ever do it and this record just shows that. She sounds spectacular throughout and it’s just a beautiful listen!
No such think as bad Aretha
Influential and outstanding. Hard to beat her singing even now, but she has the same problem as Sinatra where her compilation albums are going to be infinitely better than any of her normal albums just due to the amount of tracks she has.
Very nice album, it creates good athmosphere and is just very nice having it in the background while doing other things. Some songs are quite jammy and others are pretty chill, but overall a great album.
5!
I have disliked the sounds of soul my whole life - I can take a song or two, but as a gente, no thank you.
You know an album is going to be utter class when it opens with a pure classic such as "Chain of Fools" So many peak Aretha moments on here
Soul, 1968 -> 3
Solid. Love me some old school MoTown. 4.5⭐️
Classic R&B/soul for sure.....just not a lot of replay-ability for me. 4.5
Pretty nice to listen to.
Great voice, legend of music, but not my style of music.
So good
I completely understand how this is an iconic album, i have had this on repeat. The uplifting tones, the angelic like voice .
Makes you want to dance. 4 out 5 stars
A very good album! I would definitely listen to that one again. Could be great on vinyl, I think.
a 3.5 if i could, didn't amazing love it enough for a 4 but was better than just casual background music. such an amazing voice, hoping there's some music from her in here. added Chain of Fools to liked!
oh yeah sing it girl
Very good.
Great album. It showed off Aretha’s pipes on some soulful songs.
Great voice and a short album. Sign me up.
This is tough. Do I rate it as I imagine it felt back when I came out? Cause then it would be a 5. Do I rate it in its modern context where it is no longer as revolutionary as it was in the late 60’s? I can’t ignore the flow of time and history so imma go with a 4. Obviously incredible voice, the arrangements are well done, but they’re very simple which makes sense to let Aretha’s voice shine, but I dunno I find that a little boring.
great showcase of her voice. pitch, delivery, emotion are all spot on. 4.5 stars
Great
big soul mama!
Great vocals Nice soul production
Fantastic album, fantastic voice. This was a winner from start to end. 5
beautiful, soul crushing, stunning voice.. Aretha Franklin really is the Queen of Soul What a genuinely lovely album, full of unbelievable vocals, guitar and bass..I waited for some good jazz/soul/blues and finally my wish came true:) I was not disappointed I have to say
Her voice is incredible with passion in the soulful delivery
Aretha Franklin is so fucking good
Amazing
Just a classic, generally considered one of her best. What a voice and oozing confidence following the previous two albums going into the R&B charts at no.1. Despite most of these songs not being penned by her, she fully embodies them making them her own.
Powerful
This album is the literal sweet-spot for the type of soul I love. Nearly every song is a classic and even the few that aren't are still bangers. Aretha truly is Lady Soul.
Great voice. Lot’s of memories.
Perfection
That voice and those bass lines
So freaking good. Only complaint is that technology of that era doesn't capture the full range of Franklin.
Was good, but nothing was especially notable to my 21st century ears.
Very very nice. ain't no way ahh album
Very strong. A couple of ballads but these work as they punctuate an album that is largely energetic and fun (in sound if not always lyrically)
Decent, but more mentions of god than I'd like.
50% funky, 50% soul. Aretha es icónica y este disco me hace sentir groovy y poderosa al mismo tiempo.
This is excellent all the way through. Sing along to the ones you know, marvel at the ones you don't.
This is a fun listen. Love the funky wah wah guitar on Chain of Fools. Some of my favourite r and b songs on this too. People Get Ready always gets me in the feels.
The best at her best.
Legend. This deserves to be on the list
The Queen of Soul on display! Had heard some of these songs before but not all
Absolutely amazing. Sort of a greatest hits.
Okay, this album is so ridiculously catchy, groovy, and beautiful that I can't really fully put it into words. There were moments while working that I had to fully stop what I was doing and just sit and appreciate the music for a second... it's THAT good. Aretha was truly on another level.
Holy Crap, what a voice. Every song on this album is a banger. Love this!
Listened via YouTube music in the truck and on IPhone headphones. So many classics on one album. She is the queen and everyone is just doing poor imitations.
I guess it's great but I'm kind of sick of all those songs
Aretha Franklin's voice is truly incredible. This album really is fantastic.
Aretha is unparalleled on this release.
Exceptional, as the one before
This was fantastic, her voice is obviously incredible but it just has the uplifting and joyful vibes that great soul music can bring at its best. Loved it
One of the greatest singers of all time, no question.
This is amazing - legendary and incredible
Aretha Franklin was a once in a century talent.
All-time fav song: Chain of Fools It's Aretha Franklin. She's the forever great grande dame diva, so of course this album is amazing. Her ability to interpret songs is bar none.
I like the songs but it wouldn't be something I go back to, although she is a legend. It's a 2.7.
Queen of soul
Stemme for ein generasjon, nyyydelegt
Fantastisk. En ekstremt bra vibe te sitronpastaen vår🥰🥰
Voice of an angel. One of my go-to’s. Love everything about it.
Was it just me or was the mix off on a lot of these songs? Felt like I was listening to a band spread out all across a giant stage, everyone standing like 50 feet away from each other. The bass was all in my left ear and the drums all in the right. Obviously, aretha has generational pipes
When I go on vacation, I often miss about half of the albums that mint for our group. I find it extremely challenging to catch back up (which Ive come to grips with as its not the point of the group or even being a fan of music). Recently, I dug back and saw that I missed this one and felt like I needed to prioritize it Aretha birthed a golden album here. 30 mins of sass and class. More late 60s perfection (a hill ive died on 300 times now) Ive been digging it for over a week now and have kept nearly every song for my 1001 albums playlist
How can you not love Aretha. So much energy, such PIPES. Makes me feel like a natural woman
And just like that, we're back! Loved every second of this. Feels like sonically so much in common with the swamp rock of CCR, and active around the same time, so am kind of surprised to learn they never crossed paths musically. Slot this in the same tier and vibe as Elvis and Dusty. Elvis and Aretha didn't cross, but she and Dusty did. These are fun: A chance meeting and a memorable compliment: Dusty Springfield recounted a moment where Aretha Franklin, upon exiting an elevator, touched her shoulder and said "Girl," which Springfield considered a great compliment. "Son of a Preacher Man" connection: This iconic song was initially written for Aretha Franklin, but she turned it down. It was then given to Dusty Springfield for her album "Dusty in Memphis". Later, Aretha Franklin recorded her own version after hearing Dusty's successful interpretation. Dusty Springfield herself reportedly preferred Franklin's version, even adopting some of her phrasing when singing the song live. Springfield was a strong advocate for Black American soul artists and Franklin even nicknamed her the "Queen of blue eyed Soul".
Ok
This is okay. I should care more for her, but I don't.
The title says it. Great Voice, lyrics cheesy at times. The songs are so short, it feels like a snippet tape, sometimes. Fav: (You make me feel like) A natural woman
Pa meni dobar album, mislim da zaslužuje biti tu. Previše sam puta čula ove stvari od djetinjstva pa dosad, pa mi je možda zbog toga teže nekim objektivnijim uhom poslušati. 3/5, 6/10
Nice
this was EXACTLY what i needed at like 5pm after a long friday work shift.... beautiful voice aretha has, feat the better version of a bunch of people have covered. what a queen <3
This girl is an absolute queen, such a dynamic and incredible voice of hers backed by such brilliant musicians. Loved it, and that Chain of Fools song is so good.
Classic! Impossible not to like this. Can't not think of Aunt Selma and Jub-Jub when I hear "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."
Amazing.
Enfin une femme. Et quelle femme! C'est toute une voix. You make me feel like a natural woman, toujours un classique. Je ne connaissais pas vraiment les autres, mais Chain of Souls était solide. Un album qui s'écoute bien et qui coule. Paul a bien aimé aussi. Ça semble avoir rendu le tummy time plus tolérable. .
💁🏿♀️🙆🏿♀️👸🏿🫦💗
J'accumule les 5 étoiles... Il en est ainsi.
Elle a une très belle voix, mais ça ne me fait pas vibrer du tout. Dieu ait son âme. Pour Natural Woman, je préfère la version reprise (ou originale?) de Carole King sur Tapestry. J'ai un biais très fort contre les interprètes qui ne sont ni auteurs ni compositeurs. J'essaye de vaincre ça en thérapie.
C’est bon, mais en terme de comparatif Soul, j’ai trouvé Superfly vastement supérieur. On peut pas nier la voix forte d’Aretha, pas contre! Chain of fools, bon ver d’oreille!
There's a great video of Aretha being asked by a reporter for her views on various other young singers. When Taylor Swift's name is mentioned, all she does is comment on what great gowns she wears. If anyone else did this it could come across as catty, but this is Aretha, she can say whatever she damm likes.
Queen of Soul…an absolute classic
1001 ALBUMS YOU MUST HEAR BEFORE YOU DIE #8 Ah yes, Aretha Franklin, A singer who I'm not too familiar with, only really knowing "Respect", but have heard the name thrown around a lot in terms of the best female singers of all time, and thanks to the 1001 Albums Generator, I have been bestowed with the with "Lady Soul", her 1968 record. And Aretha is definitely deserving of the title "Queen of Soul", her voice is powerful, yet beautiful, and the instrumentals really fit her vocal style. Even if it was a little short, I still really enjoyed this. Overall, this is a great record, it's a nice short n sweet experience that has aged amazingly. Aretha Franklin is truly the Queen of Soul. Overall Score: 80 / 100 Favorite Tracks: A Natural Woman, Groovin', Ain't No Way.
Wow, people really go nuts for Aretha I guess. I think this is fine, just not really my kind of music. She's a fantastic singer of course, hits some crazy notes. But i'm going back to Iron Maiden :P.
I've always loved Aretha Franklin, I mean how can you not? Her voice is amazing. This album is just pure Aretha, the vocals are perfect, the band is perfect for the vocals, lyrics are locked in. It's just a great album. If you ever come across someone that hasn't listen to her before just play this album for them.
This is #day305 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here we are with another record that's a classic 2 or 3 out of 5 for me. I mean, I can appreciate the voice, and I kind of understand the legacy, but it's one of those albums I probably wouldn't have listened to if not for this challenge. Also, I don't like soul music/kind of singing. Maybe I'm soulless? It was fun to learn that Cissy Houston (mother of Whitney Houston) and her group, the Sweet Inspirations, are credited as background vocals on several tracks, though. Looking forward to #day306.
A legendary voice. Can't deny she sounds great, but not what I would choose to listen to ever.
Chain of Fools: Fun kinda catchy, relistenable Money won't change you: Good upbeat People Get Ready: chill listen nice guitar part Niki Hoeky: Catchy good background listen A Natural Woman: Slow and Chill Since you've been gone: catchy and fun sounding guitar Good to me as I am to you: amazing vocals slow, chill Come back baby: kinda boring Groovin: kinda boring but jazzy Ain't no way: slow and chill
Una bomba, genial, sublime. No es mi estilo pero se aprecia su señoría. Nota: 3.7
Surprised how much I liked it.
Absolute gem of a record, all songs are great, production is on point. Will keep it in my rotation.
Meh. She’s great at what she does. I’m just not into it.
6. Aretha: Lady Soul- wow! I so wish current music allowed for us to hear how great singers reach to hit notes. Autotune has taken that away. With Aretha, it just makes you lean in and go with her. Aretha has so much power and she knows it. She uses pauses and space like the best jazz musicians and then just blows you away. She’s completely in charge of every song. No throwaways on this album. I loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
it was ok
bq
An excellent album form the "Queen of Soul". Probably one of the best singers I've heard, and with great instrumentation make every track a groovy listen. Not much else to say except it's just plain good. Notable Tracks: People Get Ready, Niki Hoeky, Good To Me As I Am To You, Groovin'
Lowkey zoned out listening to this and dont rmb much but it was cool and i liked it
Very good soul album. Aretha is a legend.
Prachtig album. Misschien wel het beste van Aretha Franklin. Na N.W.A. (het album van gisteren) veel te luid door de living te knallen, was dit ook wel een welkom gegeven voor de sfeer thuis. Merci, Aretha! 4.2
What is there to say that hasn't already been said so many times? Aretha Franklin is simply the best to ever do it. The Queen of Soul, she comes at each song with an easy intensity that makes you feel as if she has always been doing this at the level she does it. The emotion, the power, the intensity that flows through her voice is unmatched by any other singer. It sounds effortless, natural for her to do it. Nobody did it like her. As an album, this does suffer somewhat from feeling more like an amalgamation of songs by Aretha and less like a cohesive album. These songs could've been recorded over a couple of years and thrown together like a compilation album. I don't really know how these songs tie together except that they each show off her incredible vocal talent. I guess when you're Aretha Franklin, that's enough. What more do you really need? The instrumental arrangements are stellar though. You have a couple of options when arranging and selecting songs for an album that revolves around showcasing the singer's talents. You can have the arrangements be sparse and out of the way, clearing the stage for the singer to shine. Or you can have them match her intensity, meeting her energy and adding to it, building on the already strong talent. This album smartly went with the latter, and it so much better for it. The entire thing feels energetic and fun, and the instrumentals compliment her vocals perfectly. At times, it's absolutely electric. Overall, this album is an excellent showcase for the talents of one of the world's most gifted singers. Aretha Franklin was one of the most complete and talented singers of her time, and this album serves as a wonderful tribute to that immense talent. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Chain of Fools, Money Won't Change You, (You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman, (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone, Good to Me as I Am to You, Come Back Baby
fínasti stórsöngur, 3,5.
Pretty good, of course her voice is amazing. Not my go to type of music and I'll probably never listen again but still enjoyed it
One of the greatest voices of all time, and good tunes … but it doesn’t really excite me. It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t particularly love it.
Ohhh yeh
Insanely good. Wow. “Ain’t No Way” is right!
Good stuff
prettttttttty gooooooood
SLAYYY
Honestly I was expecting something a little more upbeat but this was more mellow and smooth, so not really up my alley. Nothing offensive though at least.
This album is so sexy that I can overlook the hard-panned production. Favourite tracks: Chain of Fools, Niki Hoeky, Groovin', Natural Woman (mono)
Großartiges Soul-Album.
It's very good. Slightly old-fashioned now, but still got a little fire in the belly. Classy arrangements, great vocals.
It’s a classic! Love it
Quality from start to finish
She’s amazing.
Where would we all be without a Urethra? Franklin owhere. Great pipes. Ha ha, I'm pissing myself!
Ain’t no Way this record can get less than 5 stars. It’s the voice. Literally nothing bad here. Not my personal preference, but no denying this is a great record.
3.2 Starts off strong, first few (God one aside) are bangers, but then tails off. I think I can't do too much of these in a row tbh. But appreciate it's importance.
Great vocalist with some nice backing instrumentals. 7/10
Come on. It's Aretha. It's beautiful. It's soulful. It's excellent.
Simply the best female singer - ever.
Solid OG pop music. What a great voice
Nicht mein Genre!
***a good album
Regarded as maybe the greatest singer of all time. This album makes that almost impossible to argue.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Super cool, c'est la boss ! 3/4 likes. Come back baby!!!
The voice of an angel
Terrific. I can’t say that I listen to a lot of soul music. Listening to this entire album may change that. Awesome band and backing vocals. LOVE that the instruments are mixed up. All bangers.
Once in a generation soul singer, some amazing backing tracks, only thing I think you can dock it for is a lack of variety. It’s not lighting my world on fire, but it might be hard to expect that from a 60s album.
Aretha is awesome and so is this album!
Great album
An absolute powerhouse! Perfect album length. Classic Aretha
What a voice!
Aretha, aretha, aretha. Schön d Frau Seele da bide 1001 begrüesse z dörfe. Long souly short - de gläubigi touch ignoriert und rein musikalisch - e wunderbari beriecherig! Denn no e woman of colour wo sich ide 60er jahr het chöne duresetze, d Aretha muss power ha! S buchgfühl brodlet vlt ned ganz so starch wie bi anderne Albe aber qualitative chani da ned weniger wie 5 Franklin Roosevelt’s geh!
Lady, isch leider zu souly. Chund biz altgebacken übere. Ischs wahrschindli au. Aber leider zu viel zwang und zwenig freud zum lose
name seitmer was gloset hanis no nie isch spassig gsi chan nüm meh schribe scusa scusa scusa
queen of soul bechund kategorisch nöd weniger als 4, 5 isch im hüütige mood maybe chli krass drigrätscht drum einigemer eus uf 4 brava aretha! <3
So great. Few singers deserve 5 stars like she does.
Aretha Franklin is an amazing singer, and the instrumentation is great enough to where it keeps every song interesting
Just an incredible listen from start to finish. One for the collection for sure
Some familiar songs in there
One hell of a singer. Few ladies could belt out like she could.
It's good, but not my type of music
This was enjoyable.
The queen of soul, gotta check out more of her music
I remember when Franklin died. That was when I knew nothing about her. "Lady Soul" is an exceptional album. There isn't a bad song on it. This album continues my great run. 4 stars for "Lady Soul".
What a voice
This was a lovely listen, could’ve gone again when it was finished
Incredible Aretha, with the instrumentation to back it up. Will be listening to this again. -Chain of Fools -People Get Ready -(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
Surprised about how much i enjoyed the album. I don't usually listen to old soul music but i really enjoyed the angelic vocals and calm but grand sounding horn instruments and piano in the background. The backing vocals where also great and added some much needed depth into the sound. Some songs did sound a little bland still and like they didn't bring much new to the table. The themes of love and femineity where pulled of ok but i enjoyed hearing it regardless. Her voice was just wow and it one of the best soul albums. noteworthy tracks: A natural women Groovin' aint no way
Banger
Can see why this is a classic, she has an incredible voice
super good
This was great - what an amazing voice!
While I question the algorithm at times (after 450 days of no Aretha, I get two Aretha albums in one week, and a Lady Day album between them), I will not complain too much about listening to Aretha again. Perfect voice, perfect songs. Natural Woman very well could be the greatest recording of all time tbh.
For the entirety of my life until now, I've thought she was singing "Change change chaaaaange... Change in you" or something like that. And then I saw the song's title and realized what was going on. Being a human is amazing. "Ain't No Way" had an organ, not a theramin, right? What's that high pitch? Is that singing? Is that a voice? Is that a human voice?
Holy shit, that band.
What's not to like in this one?
Ikke så mye å si. 5/5
classic
Aretha. Respect. 5⭐️
Hell of a Lady
Much more consistent album than I Never Loved a Man The Way I Loved You. Damn good jams start to finish.
Wow.
A wonderful soul record from Lady Soul herself.
Aretha Franklin is not the Queen of Soul for nothing.
The voice! But also a great band and backup singers. Nice to hear more than just the big hits. Gospel, soul, and R& B cornerstone
It was ok
Easy 4 stars
Quite short spanning only 30 minutes though ten songs I suppose it is a typical LP for the decade and origin, although I would’ve expected two more. Aretha’s voice gives a different style to classics, no version better than the other. Great use of background vocals, created a mix of her voice and instruments included. Standouts: Chain of Fools, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Come Back Baby and Sweet Sweet Baby. Honorable mention: People Get Ready and Good to Me As I Am to You. Rating: 8.0/10, really enjoyable songs I rank this really high overall.
Absolutely gorgeous.
Aretha Franklin is a national treasure and is so incredibly talented. It's a joy to listen to her music. This album was really good and is one of the best from the genre.
Soulful album by one of the best vocalists in history.
The Good: The Queen of Soul The Bad: The album being called Lady… thus confusing us… The Ugly: This being the second album of Mrs Franklin where several tracks are repeated on the album, without it making sense… Some classic tunes here, but one of the greatest voices of the 20th century. I really have nothing to say… just listen to the album and enjoy, I guess! 4 1/2* upgraded for balance
A delight from start to finish. Natural Woman and Chain of Fools are the big stars, but Good to Me as I Am to You knocked me sideways — she’s serving soul on a silver platter. She's a goddess, a girl boss, a superhero in heels. And Groovin’? It’s so smooth it could probably broker world peace.
God i wish every fucking album was 30m and sounded like this (jk)… but for real love at first listen
3.5
Timeless…
I LOVE the Lady of Soul!
It has a couple great classics.
Chain chain chain the songs together! Iconic in it's genre, but little bit dated for my taste.
Very emotional album, didn’t expect to like it as much I did but the honesty and age of this song gove it so much power
A solid soul album. 8.8/10 Best Track: "Chain of Fools"
SOUL.
Ontem e hoje, back to back soul. Obrigado 1001 albums generator ponto com! Isso é música. Quando penso música, eu penso nisso. Uma cantora infinitamente talentosa com uma voz de ouro e veludo. Uma banda fantástica com composições maravilhosas e delicadas. Um disco coeso, que não desperdiça sequer um segundo, que não desperdiça o plástico no qual foi preensado. Isso é música. Um LP de respeito. A regra é simples. O disco não tem defeitos, então não tem outra nota que posso o dar. Ain't No Way... que arranjo maravilhoso. A melhor música desse disco e uma das melhores que ouvi esse ano. 5/5
Fantastic
Wonderful solid album.
Incredible!
Aretha may be one of the most influential vocalists of all time. She was the one who brought big gospel stylings into pop and became an early gold standard of powerhouse vocals. This is a good album, but it is the vocals, not particularly the songs, that are the star. Not to say there aren't any classics, like the Carole King one. Other than that, it's not too dissimilar from Aretha's other albums of the era. Key tracks: Chain of Fools (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
Absolutely wonderful, Aretha Franklin has the most incredible voice.
Hard not to like – the voice being what it is, which is fantastic – even if some of the arrangements and playing feel a bit muddled and/or overdone. All the known cuts deliver the goods – "Chain of Fools," "Natural Woman," "Groovin" and "People Get Ready." That soaring coo in"Ain't No Way" is definitely a sound of the era. Clapton solo cool and understated. One can't say as definitively as the editors do that this record is superior to the previous two, but okay – they are a continuum of comparably high quality.
Hit after hit with effortless vocals from the queen of soul. Flawless
Magnífico
Such a powerful voice and album. Listened to the same songs again from the extended edition because it was so good
Soul is not my thing, but I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would.
Good singing where the band has as much as fun as the singer. I wonder if her music changed much in the later decades.
ok
A cornerstone of soul music.
The GOAT!
Damn she actually was the Queen of Soul.
I didn’t expect so many song I already knew on this album :)
Baš mi je drago kaj sam preslušala ovaj album. Ranije sam čula par hitova, ali se nikad nisam natjerala da preslušam cijeli. Inače nije moj đir, ali mi je baš dobar vajb. Jedino kaj mi ne paše je lagana stilska monotonost, pogotovo na prvih nekoliko pjesama. Dala bi mu 4,5 da mogu.
solidno, pristojno. nije moj đir, ali stvarno nemam nikakvih zamjerki. za 1968. odlično
Groovy. I hadn't heard most of the songs on this album. Great voice.
Nice album
Perfect for a Friday! All hits, no misses on this album.
Unreal pipes on ol' Aretha
Wonderful
Starkes Ende
Me gustó este álbum. Varios clásicos en el disco, algunos demasiado alegres y simples en la composición para mi gusto. La voz de Aretha es muy clara e identificable. La grabación tiene ruido de fondo, pero en cierta manera le suma a la mística de una grabación de la época.
Vocals are amazing. Chill album to listen to.
This is peak r&b Aretha, her third Atlantic soul album after her run of relatively unsuccessful Columbia jazz standards records. She’s really hit her stride now. Like so many soul singers before her, a train in the Pentecostal church proves an amazing academy in improvisation and melisma with spirit. Along with Aretha Now later the same year it’s a contender for her best album. She makes the Carole King/Gerry Goffin/Jerry Wexler song Natural Woman sound like it was written for her. There are a couple of songs on here she co-wrote and they’re very good. She was already on top form by this point in her career; now that she’s found her genre, she’s unstoppable. Lady Soul indeed!
Absolutely stunning vocals, nothing more to be said there, loved hearing the full album since I’m only really familiar with her hits. Floored by aint no way, the fullness of Aretha’s voice with the delicate opera vocals of Cissy is pure perfection
Just a great album. Unrivaled vocal talent, excellent songwriting, and a stellar band behind her. Nothing boring, though Chain of Fools and A Natural Woman are the singles off the album for a reason. Deserves the accolades.
Unbelievable. “People Get Ready”, “Groovin’”, “Ain’t No Way”, stood out above the others and the others were phenomenal. I haven’t really listened to Aretha in a while and it was a stark reminder of the extreme talent and personality and soul that went into this record.
🐐
Don't typically listen to soul but always enjoyed it. Great album with some classics
30 minutes of just absolutely gorgeous soul tunes. More than one stone cold classic song on here.
one of the greatest albums of all time
The only downside is the very short running time. I think this album really shows her incredible vocal range. She conveys different emotions at different times in every single track. The music itself is one of the best examples of the Muscle Shoals sound.
First listen
Magnificent
Classic Soul. Aretha never fails to deliver. I think I like her version of "Groovin'" better than the Young Rascals.
everything about this is amazing - singing, songs, production and band. While Aretha's vocals are the story here, the bass playing is particularly excellent.
Again, no need to listen to this. Great album with amazing image. Love it to bits
Sensational, funky, heartfelt.
Not my go to genre of music, but relaxing and soothing none the less. Guitar sounded warm and I found myself mesmerized by his voice. Felt like i was near a campfire or on a porch on a summer night and my grandpa is singing to me
Aretha is a certified bad bitch
Great album
Nowhere near the quality of the other Aretha album I've had on the Project. Still sensational, from a vocal perspective, but it feels a little bit lazy and phoned in at times. You Make Me Feel is the exception, such power and emotion.
Really good, a few less memorable tracks
Goatrethra Franklin
Aretha Franklin is one of the great vocalists of the 20th century and she showcases that talent well in Lady Soul. I'm pretty new to listening to soul music outside of a few ubiquitous classics, so it may just be a feature of the genre, but a lot of the time, her vocals seemed more focused on showcasing her virtuosity, with quick runs up and down her range, rather than creating a cohesive whole with the instruments. Favorite song: Groovin'
Aretha's voice is undeniably spectacular on Lady Soul. It's no wonder Natural Woman is one of her biggest hits. I hadn't heard many of the other songs on this album, and I'm glad I finally gave it all a listen. I never really go out of my way to listen to soul, and I don't think I will after listening to this album, but I did enjoy listening to Aretha's full vocal spectrum put on display. Her power and her emotional range are evident throughout. Ain't No Way proved to be the perfect ending for an album, featuring a softer vocal expression and arrangement that makes the listener really feel like things have finished. Credit where credit is due, Aretha Franklin is an amazing talent, and the album is a fine example of soul at its commercial peak. I wish there were more than 5 ratings, because it feels wrong giving Lady Soul only a 3, but I'm really just not a fan of the genre. It's also music produced for a huge label (Atlantic), and the commercialized feel comes through on this album.
Chain chain chain …. Ain’t no way , a natural woman some great songs in here . Solid 4
Buy this one
Goeie klassieker - wat een stem
So much of this is canon, I find it easy to miss how much brilliance and labour went into the making.
What can I say? Incredible this was an actual album and not a best-of. What a time to be alive
Aretha's voice is not of this world. It exists on a higher plane, we're just blessed that we get to hear it.
Several timeless hits here from the Queen of R&B. Rounding up.. 4.5/5
This album demands R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
All in on this one. Several classics, a bunch of lesser known songs that go hard… I don’t know what else Aretha can give you on this one.
God dammit she is great! Not sure I can say anything that hasn’t been said but I loved this. Of course she can sing and this felt so authentic…hit all the right moments. Baby baby sweet baby.
Cathartic getting this day after Joni Mitchell. If Joni was the vasectomy, Aretha is the ice pack on your nuts. 4.25/5
Unfortunately in one ear out the other
The Queen of Soul.... that voice
Mmm good stuff.
Dang, alright. Didn't expect to groove to this as much as I did but this is a good batch of songs. Great vocals, surprisingly excellent backing band (I want to fist bump the bass player especially) and some tasty drums for me to dig my brain into. Will relisten.
absolute banger of an album. aretha can sing and has one of the most iconic voices of all time. incredible bass lines.
Dit is een legende, maar het raakt me vanavond niet. Ik denk dat het voor mij teveel in de categorie "cliché" terecht is gekomen?
An iconic genius at her absolute peak. Classic after classic after classic. My only regret is that she didn't record it at Stax.
Une voix divine, qui ne pèche jamais par excès. Inégalée
not my taste but good!
Such powerful soul music - well-known songs include Chain of Fools and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. A variety of rich and dark songs mixed with faster and lighter melodies - all with Aretha's powerful voice. Wonderful album.
Listened through, good album, wouldn't listen through again, the hits are hits for a reason. Best songs: Natural woman Chain of fools
Nearly all her hits on one record. Great voice, love the music, but just a fan of hers. Not a huge fan, just a regular fan. Great record.
Chain of Fools 3.8 Money Won't Change You 3.6 People Get Ready 3.3 Niki Hoeky 3.4 (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman 3.4 (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone 3.3 Good to Me As I Am To You 3.3 Come Back Baby 3.4 Groovin' 3.4 Ain't No Way 3.5 Score: 3.44
4/5
Uh, really does nothing for me. Can't deny that there's passion in her voice, though. ⭐⭐⭐
Went in thinking I wasn't really in the mood for Aretha Franklin but then listened to 'Aretha Now' right after this one.
8/10 yeah, not something I would have sought out, but I really liked it 3-28-2025
Powerful voice, soulful lyrics. Good stuff
Sean Tanos Today at 11:13 AM This is a tough one for me. Is Aretha a wonderful vocalist? Yes. Does this album contain big hits? Yes. Could it stand on its own now 60 years later? Yes to that too. It meets the criteria for a 5 star album, but I didn't enjoy it. I actively dislike the opening track on the album (Chain of Fools), and Natural Woman is so overplayed and corporatized that I can't enjoy it either. I can see the lasting legacy of the album though, and appreciate that it's my own biases bringing this album down.
It's crazy to me that music from 1968 can still hold up today. Aretha Franklin is truly one-of-a-kind. Literally every song on this album is awesome. Even "Niki Hoeky" which is the least listened to song from this album is still fantastic. Subjectively, would I return to this album? Maybe? Maybe not? It's not something I'd listen to every day. Objectively, it meets all the criteria of being a 5 star album. Every song is good, great stand-out singles, highly influential, there's really nothing wrong with this album.
Lady Soul is Aretha Franklin in full command of her powers, delivering a collection of songs that blend gospel, soul, and R&B with total confidence. The album opens strong with Chain of Fools and doesn’t let up, featuring classics like Ain’t No Way and the timeless (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. The Muscle Shoals rhythm section keeps things tight, while Aretha’s voice soars, growls, and glides with unmatched emotion. Every performance feels lived-in and deeply felt, even on the lesser-known tracks. While a couple of songs don’t quite match the brilliance of the hits, the overall quality and emotional range of the album make it one of her strongest. It’s rich, powerful, and undeniably soulful, with Aretha turning every line into something personal. Lady Soul may not be perfect front to back, but it’s packed with iconic moments and shows exactly why she earned the title Queen of Soul.
Just an excellent record from one of the best of all time.
I’ve never listened to an Aretha Franklin album but this I enjoyed.
What a voice! There were a few songs that I recognised on here. The others were a joy to discover A very nice album 4 ⭐️
Solide esto, solide tabarnak
Outre les deux hits légendaires, j'ai l'impression que la majorité des chansons auraient aussi pu devenir légendaire. Le summum du son soul, gritty, tight. Toujouts un peu méchant, comme une bête qui s'est fait dressée, mais juste un peu. Même les balades ont un impact, une certaine urgence. Excellent.
J'ai manqué de temps pour réécouter trois ou quatre fois cet excellent album. À cause de cela, je dois mettre 4 étoiles au lieu de 5. Désolé!
Aretha aurait pu travailler en démolition et faire tomber des gratte-ciel avec sa voix. Super arrangements. Super vibe. Super album. Mention honorable au bassiste (vraiment proéminent dans le mix) qui est en feu pas mal tout le long mais aussi vraiment pas tight à 1m05s dans Chain of Fools.
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!!!
sooo cool
There is no way I will give it below 5 stars. 🤩
Classic soul/R&B by a classic voice. Great to really focus on these tunes and appreciate the artistry here.
What strikes the most every time I listen to this album, well after admiring Aretha’s other worldly vocal performances of course, is how impressive the collection of session players, songwriters and production team is. At this point everyone knew what Aretha could do, the job was to provide the best situation for her to transcend to a level of vocal superiority that few will ever hold a candle to. The team knew the assignment and did the damn thing! This is an easy 5.
I probably shouldn't have followed up Imperial Triumphant's new album with this. This is filled with classic hits from a legend. Nothing to say about it but 4.
Sublime, powerful voice. Some absolute classics here, as well as some tracks that were new to me. Not a bad song in the bunch.
This is another 'they don't make em how they used to' type deal. Aretha seems to sing hard things effortlessly. The backing band is killiee also. What an incredible contrast between this and today's pop music. She sounds good across multiple genres on the album.
It's pretty nice for ancient music
Im just not a fan of the genre
Well this is an easy one to crank out. A punchy play time under 30 minutes. Singular rambunctious soul, immediately infectious urge to dance, and energized do more reviews!
Hey this lady can really sing. I think she may be going places.
- ..... 5 just for "Chain of Fools" .... -
Another great soul album from the 60s. I always love them.
It's old. It's soul. I don't get the hype. I feel like a broken record, but: it's good, but not for me.
Really good classic R&B. If this genre was a little bit more in my personal wheelhouse it might be a 5, but it's very good and there are some landmarks on it like "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" and "Chain of Fools."
It was alright and she’s a great singer but still left me a bit disappointed. 3 stars
A classic, I grew up listening to this album in my grandmas house every dang day.
Aretha cookin’ 🔥
5/5. Although "Never Loved..." is more popular, I do believe this is overall a better and more soulful album. She feels confident here and with a solid backing vocal chorus and band, you can tell she is in her own. Plus the song selection here is shorter but she is allowed to go all out on each one, so the longer ones feel that much more full. I think this is a pretty perfect album, short and sweet with more soul than it should be allowed to contain. Best Song: Chain of Fools, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, People Get Ready
Never felt boring, great for driving.