Reviews (page 8 of 14)
Chain of Fools - 7/10: I really like the instruments/beat (whatever you call it) and her vocals. Money Won't Change You - 6/10: Same as the last one. People Get Ready - 6/10: It isn't bad, I'm just not a huge fan of slower songs. Niki Hoeky - 6/10: I like the intro. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - 6/10: I like the instruments/beat on this song, as well as her vocals. (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone - 8/10: I love her vocals on this song and the little breaks (idk what to call them). Good To Me As I Am To You - 7/10: I just really like the way the song sounds. Come Back Baby - 8/10: I like the intro and just the instruments/beat in general. Groovin - 6/10: Not bad, just not my favorite. Ain't No Way - 8/10: I really like the lyrics and her vocals. Overall Score: 68/100 Overall Rating: 7/10: I've never really listened to Franklin, but I really enjoyed this album. I love her vocals and she has great range. I also love the music/instruments/beat on most of the tracks. I am surprised that I enjoyed it so much, but I did really enjoy it.
Love chain of fools and (you make me feel like) a natural women are my favorites.
Groovy, feel good, classic album. Aretha’s voice is otherworldly. Loveee the trumpets throughout
A classic soul album, with Aretha's amazing vocal performances. It's groovy, moving and in a way, soothing.
So beautiful
Very good overall! I added 3 songs to my everyday playlist... Would potentially go back and relisten to the full album again!
great album
The queen herself. Some good old soul rhythms with attitude.
Not enough to convince me that I really love Soul. But wow. Music is good and her singing is killer!
Album 1 of 2026!
Soooo good. Will be listening again.
Like stright up majestic Not what I usually listen, but this first ones, are really energetic and I like them Not a fan of slow ones
Album 4 Top 3 favorites off the album: People Get Ready, Good to Me as I Am to You, Groovin' Oh, Aretha Franklin, my beloved. Is there really anything to be said? A fantastic voice, an album that makes you get up and dance, it's always a treat to listen to her. In the interest of saying something else, the bass across this album is delicious. If loving lower voices is a crime, lock me up and throw away the key. The horns are also clean as hell. I loved the funk in some of these tracks! I'm used to hearing more of her soul stuff, so that was neat! A very satisfying listening experience. I always smile when songs just fade out at the end. It's always amused me for some reason, practical though it is. A lot of smiling this album. Anyway, I think my soul ascended. That's all for now, folks!
Legendary album from the queen
Classics from a master. Best song: (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
Great stuff! Hadn't heard this whole album before, but Niki Hoeky was a great new find. All hail the Queen of Soul.
Ein kraftvolles Soul-Album mit ikonischen Songs wie „Chain of Fools“ und „(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman“. Arethas Stimme glänzt, die Arrangements sind stimmig. Ein Klassiker – nur wenige Titel bleiben weniger im Gedächtnis.
Aretha Franklin was such a powerhouse. Lady Soul is all killer, no filler, and is a masterclass in soul music. If you don’t enjoy this, consider your privilege of hearing revoked.
just a nice one to come back to. aretha never fails me. my top three favs are people get ready, good to me as i am to you and groovin'
I definitely prefer I Never Loved a Man..., but this record is no slouch at all. 4/5
lady's got pipes my queen niki hoeky is way funkier than should be allowed you just wanna crank the volume
New to me. Lovely feel to the album, with some top notch names in the credits (Carol King, Eric Clapton, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield etc) 1. Chain of Fools 2. You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman 3. Ain’t No Way (backing vocal wow!)
Aretha's most celebrated album, I believe. The Queen of Soul in great form here, everybody will know at least 3 songs I suspect - Chain of Fools, You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman and People Get Ready. All classics of the genre, but closing track Ain't No Way is also particularly tender. Although at one point it sounds like she says "With your tiny balls in my hands!" (it's actually 'if you're tyin' both of my hands'). Not sure I'd go the full 5 but all pretty powerful stuff.
Прикольно, очень хороший соул. Мои любимые треки: people get ready, niki hoeky, “…” A natural woman, groovin’, chain of fools
Can't go wrong with Aretha Franklin 4.25-4.50/5
80
Komplett beim Duschen und ready machen gehört - perfekt für nebenbei/Hintergrund und cozy.
tan groovy, tan tranquilizante
Really liked this album for easy listening - don't have to be super tied into the lyrics and can just let Aretha's voice wash over you. Reminds me of sipping coffee on a Sunday morning. Standouts for me were Chain of Fools, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, and Groovin'.
Lovely as always
Live laugh love Aretha Franklin. A classic for sure, though I feel not every track is very memorable on its own. Favorite Tracks: Chain of Fools, A Natural Woman, Ain't No Way
An absolute classic. What a voice!
15 December - Aretha: Lady Soul Was al bekend met (you make me feel like) a natural woman. Cain of fools Good to me as I am to you - insane opening met bass. Voelt de soul. Begrijp volledig dat zij voorganger is van soul en zo veel muziek hierop gebaseerd is
Only 10 songs here, but it does include Chain of Fools and Natural Woman A real pleasure to hear these classics again I'm going to sneak some of these onto the playlists my daughters listen to, and I'm interested to get their reactions!
Objectively, she is The Woman
Noice!
I've never listened to this album, but I knew one or two songs (8). It's Aretha, she's the greatest, what else do you expect?
Great singing, great music. Lead singles Chain of Fools and You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman. Strong song choice in the supporting tunes, especially People Get Ready which is given a compelling arrangement.
Legendary singer
Arethalla on todella muhkea ja rouhea ääni. Levy lähti heti hyvin liikkeelle, minulle tutummalla The Commitmentsinkin coveroimalla ”Chain on Fools”-biisillä. Tykkäsin levystä, hyvää musaa.
One of the GOATs. Clearly incredible singing, my only critique is that the sound is a bit too monotonous, which lands the album a 4.
A Natural Woman is one of my favorite songs! Lots of hits in this one.
классный альб 7-8 из 10 где то может любимая песня aint no way
Good to Me as I am to you is an epic song on this album full of hits from the queen of soul
Does what it says on the tin, but still manages to outshine its expectations
For two minutes and forty five seconds I DO feel like a natural woman.
Blistering vocals. Easy to see why she's the gold standard all the rest are measured against.
Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: 🎤👩🏾🎤⬛ Production: 🕰️🫤👌 Music: 🔥👏💖 Rating: 💎💎💎💎(💎)/5
Classic soul album. *Heard before
A great album. A lot of soul.
How can you go wrong with Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin was outta control eh
Classic album that has stood the test of time. I have nothing negative to say about this.
Good album - great voice
Unbelievable vocals, need to listen to more Southern soul albums
Impossible to not like this. Favs: Chain of Fools (You Make Me Feel Like) Natural Woman (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone
Great album. It's full of classics.
Incredible voice from an iconic performer. This has some of her most well-known hits on it. Very good album.
* love the way suspicious mind fades out then fades back in, it's like the opening of Dune **also I don't know if I think Here, My Dear is as goood as What's Going On, it's a cool sci fi funk Odyssey, but there ARE some classics on WGO. Anyway it's definetly worth listening as much as What's Going On or Let's Get It On! **I feel bad for rating Maiden that low but well... ****might have rated Hot Rats too high, it's higher than a 4 for sure, but do I like it as much as Entairtenment! Let's say? (No) Or the other album I did rate a 5? (Not really! But it's close) *****Who care anyway... I mean yeah, chain of fools and natural woman are fantastic obviously Ain't no way is great, short n sweet!
Beautiful 30 minutes. No notes
Everyone who worked on this is really talented. You probably should be if you're working with Aretha Franklin. Sort of a "no duh" heater. Favorite Tracks: People Get Ready, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Good to Me As I Am To You
The title of the album is 100% correct
Aretha's incredible vocal range and ability are expressed in a way that does not seem like over singing; righteous flamboyance, if you will. The instruments and background vocalists accompanying her voice are well arranged and support her voice well, and the rhythm and melodic elements of the album as a whole are nicely put together. A classic. Key Songs: "Ain't No Way", "People Get Ready", "Good to Me as I am to You"; but take your pick honestly
You know it takes a hell of a lot of talent that a rating of four feels sacrilege, but let me explain. I think that a chunk of the songs do sound a little samey, which feels more like the genre’s fault rather than Aretha’s. Other than that, it’s Aretha. There was nobody else like her and her talent obviously carries through here. I think I like the hits on here than the ones on I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You. Favorite track: (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Other hits: Chain of Fools, Money Won’t Change You, Ain’t No Way, (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You Been Gone, Good to Me as I Am to You
Good
7/10
So much soul! Awesome! But... I think where you rank this may depend on your genre preference. I like soul, but it's not in my top three genres. As such, I'm going to give this four stars, but if soul and R&B are more your thing, this is definitely five stars. (And when it comes up, I'll probably give Aretha's album, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, five stars. Heck, "Respect" alone could vault an album to five stars :)
This album is an absolute gem. Cover to cover, classic warmth of mo-town, heartache, and a timeless sound. holy moly, golly gosh.
Damn!
Aretha is a goddess. No other notes
Who doesn't love Aretha? This album is great, and had a few covers on it I had never heard her do before ("People Get Ready" and Groovin'") Highlights: "Chain of Fools", "Sweet Sweet Baby" and Ain't No Way"
what a voice. Couldnt fault the album really only reason not 5 is because Im not that fussed on soul.
Generational talent. Generational bangers. What a voice! Loved her from the Fox97 and Blues Brothers. Better than I expected and figured the album would be great.
Arethra Franklin is God.
All time great. No filler, and at least 2 unassailable classics.
The greatest of all time, no doubt about it, but it's just not my scene.
Classic songs by a classic artist
Very nice 4/5
Solid. Didn’t like some instruments distribution on some songs (only left or right headphones). Hard to not like Aretha Franklin song. Definitely some songs that I liked more than others but everything song was enjoyable.
she cooked
People Get Ready, A Natural Woman, Ain’t No Way are my favourites here. I did get a bit bored while listening, but these tracks lifted me out. Also, personal preference but as iconic as Aretha is I’ve always preferred Otis Redding. 7/10
Classic album from the Queen of Soul. Has me reminiscing of Sunday afternoons when my Mom had the house filled with the sound of V103 playing the "dusties".
спасибо что женщины делают музыку
Brilliant album, some great songs. This has made me want to watch the Commitments again... 4.2
Best Song: (You Make me Feel) Like a Natural Woman This is another where all I can say is, "this is good." Is it something I will listen to often? Nope. Every once in awhile? Maybe. I get why it was added to the list and it isn't assaulting to the ears or anything but it sounds dated and isn't really my thing. Can Aretha Franklin sing? I mean c'mon!!!!! 4/5.
Voice of an angel? Nah. Angels wish they could sing like Areth.
That voice! She’s incredible.
In a bad mood? Give this a try. If this doesn't cure what ails you there may be no saving you.
Interrssante
Overall: 7/10 Aretha is a legend. I don't think I need to tell you she has an incredible voice. The songs here were all good choices for her and I enjoyed pretty much all of them. At the same time, they all sounded a little too similar at times. Still a really good album. Fav Song: Groovin'
So many hits. Just really strong album
Banger
tätähän tämä on, kuuntelisi vaikka joka päivä. Tämän tason tuotantoa tuohon aikaan. Kerralla purkkiin vaan. prkl
Great, Aretha classics. Such a great voice and awesome sounding production for the era. I’m not the biggest soul person but I still loved this.
What a powerhouse! A lot of hits on this album. (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone stood out among the other hits. 4.5/5
Fantastic. Her voice is so great. Money won't change you, good to me, and chain of fools stand out.
A solid album. Easy listening. Incredible voice
Good singer.
Pure class! Classy music from a classy lady.
Iconic voice. 3 knock out songs and a few decent ones sprinkled in-between. 4/5.
Aretha never ceases to amaze me. Her voice is an instrument and blends beautifully while also taking lead.
Glücklicherweise in den Herbstferien auf diese schöne Sache gestoßen. Von Aretha Franklin am Schreibtisch bedudeln lassen. Schönes Album. Chain of Fools kennt man natürlich, hätte ich gar nicht so benennen können.
Oooouuh, mama! Ça slap!
Very fun but kinda repetitive
Кайфыч
Lowkey resonant.
Smooth, cathartic and beautiful
Great from front to back.
Legendarisk röst och bra låtar!
Klass!
She is very good! Her voice is amazing and the songs are great.
What a powerful woman and a great artist.
It was good the first time around and grew on me, the singer is very good at loud/quite harsh/soft which is control I admire
Could have got 4 for natural woman alone
Yes, that s it and I remember my parents, politic and so on@!@
Didn't know the genre was called Soul. I like it
Money won't chabge you è una hit. Ascoltato con molto piacere
There's no denying Franklin's incredible voice and musical stylings that are still being copied and iterated on fifty years after this album debuted. Still, I personally admire Aretha Franklin a lot more than I want to sit down and listen to Aretha Franklin
Not much wrong here… (4.5)
A classic that never misses. It’s one of those albums I don’t put on often enough, but if it were the only record at a vacation home for a week, I’d be perfectly fine with it. From her voice to the backing musicians, it perfectly captures what was great about that era of music. (4.5 all day long)
The Queen of Soul with some of her signature classics.
Second Aretha album from the generator and once again she proved she's the queen 4/5
Aretha was a powerhouse!
Cover 5 Mini rant: a lot of stupid, generic covers. There's nothing particularly wrong with this cover, it's just whatever. It's not meant to be art, and, it seems, not meant to attract attention or evoke anything. Clearly, it's just a statement: "This is an Aretha Franklin album." So boring. Anyway, this album opens with a great song, if not a little short and repetitive. Another mini rant: 99% of the time, I don't care for "Bonus" or "Deluxe"versions of albums, especially digital versions. Almost always they just throw in demos or live versions of the same songs that aren't good enough for their own separate album. I'd prefer a whole live album or a demo-only version album (if that's what I was looking for). Adding this stuff onto an album doesn't make it better or new. I often don't feel I'd miss out on anything. I might listen to them once or twice (if I'm not paying attention), but am rarely surprised. They're whatever tracks. Thrown on so the album doesn't look like just another reissue, but to no real affect. Money grab. That's it. If course, but we'll deluxe. But many. This album doesn't follow a theme, at least not the order of songs. So there's no overall story, which is pretty much on par for a lot of albums. Throw in a bunch of songs in whatever order. These are great songs, though. Having a theme and some sort of logical order of songs makes the listening, for me, flow better. Going from Chain to Money to People to Niki just seems slapdash. Unto themselves, the songs are excellent. Together, they're a playlist of random songs by the same artist. If feel like she knew she was Aretha so no other thought needed to be done when making an album. It just had to be her. Which, as far as sales went when this first came out, was probably true. And to be honest, I don't always take that into account when reviewing an album, unless the disregard for the order or theme, or lack thereof, becomes an obvious issue. It became an issue for me with this album, almost immediately, so I wasn't looking to have issues. It just became immediately obvious upon the first transition for song one to song two and then continued throughout the album. Again, I love this album but I can't give it a perfect score as a whole. If an album is not considered a single work of art, then I can't give it five stars. But this is so close. 4.5/5.
This album really sounds like it’s sung from the heart
This was a lovely listen. A few great songs ( Chain of Fools, A Natural Woman. Ain't no way) and nothing sub-par. The production is rough but in a lovely way. Hearing the mic distort when Aretha belts out a high note is lovely and warm. I can't say it's an album I'd come back to, those songs were the standouts, but a strong 4
She could sing the phone book and it would be amazing.
Pleasant to listen to! Chain of Fools and You Love Me Like a Natural Woman are my faves.
I like the sound of the instrumentals better on this one compared to the previous Aretha album we got. But the highlight remains her voice. She did not steal that title.
It's good, but I feel like I've heard this album one too many times. 4/5
Niki Hoeky Natural Woman Vinyl Worthy
Excelente álbum. De no interesarme el género, este me lo pondría en mi casa para ambientar.
Some classics, a little filler but, overall, beautiful.
Beautiful wonderful stuff through and through. Carries a lot of feelings and just wonderful grooves. A real treat after Mellancollie and the infinite sadness.
Very good soul album, features Eric Clapton on guitar for a song
Trying to catch up so saying very little. Wow! Amazing voice never realised she had been that good. 4
A sensational vocal performance and some great tunes. This caught me on a good day and the songs lifted my mood even higher!
Don't got a ton to say other than this is damn good soul/blues. Couple classic tracks like Chain of Fools and (You Make Me Feel) Like A Woman. Groovin' and Ain't No Way are fantastic closers as well. Aretha was just the best at what she did, and that's just how it is.
8/10 Favorite: Chain Of Fools
I don't think the original recording is mixed particularly well or this would be 5 stars.
Wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. Something about it is so soothing. Really nice album, will probably listen again.
Yeah not my typical type of listen but that slapped. Good onya, Aretha.
It's great, I get why they call it soul. There's just something so uplifting about it and it hits hard even though it's much less of an "artsy" songwriter type album than most of my favourites. The singing sounds great and so do the instrumentals, love all the brass. 4.25 stars
Everytime I think of Aretha I always think about her incredible voice and singing talent, and perhaps especially how hailed she has been for it. It is hard to look at her music objectively because of that. Regardless, I think this is a really solid record. 'Chain Of Fools', '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman', and 'Ain't No Way' are timeless tracks, and probably some of her best work. The other tracks are very good as well. Generally I find all the lyrical content about god a bit hard to relate to, but I mean it's soul so it kind of belongs here I guess. I can't really say I find it to be a very progressive either, much content seem to be about how a womans duty is to please her man somehow, but maybe I'm missing a deeper meaning. Overall, this felt packed with just enough good songs to turn it into a really solid record. When it comes to Soul, I don't doubt this is one of the better ones.
Will listen to again. She’s definitely THE lady of soul
CHAIN CHAIN CHAIIINNNN
Great listen! Not a ton to go on here, but I enjoyed the lesser-known songs by Aretha, and never really felt like it went in a bad direction. Solid 4/5
Queen. 4.1
Dope
Holy vocals, Aretha can belt a hell of a tune. This was a delightful dabble into old soul music, I thoroughly enjoyed this album from top to bottom.
It's Aretha fucking Franklin - Banger
Mom-core
Lady Soul has to be the most fitting album name.
I didn't expect to get much out of this at all, but I'm pleased to say that I did. Some people just have an aura, and Aretha Franklin sure as hell does. Really enjoyed the playful bass licks throughout this, and it turns out I wasn't entirely unfamiliar with Aretha Franklin as I did recognise a handful of tracks, without knowing of the artist. An empowering and passionate, yet quite intimate listening experience. I'll be exploring further.
This was perfectly wonderful but I would've appreciated some more hits.
I hate to say it, but overplayed.
What can I say? She really was the queen of soul.
Clear why she's one of the great. Aoibh enjoyed dancing around the kitchen to her
Great grooves and bass lines. I wasn't groovin' with "Groovin'" at first but she won me over by the end of the song. One of the great singers of our time and it doesn't get much better than "Chain of Fools".
Like it
Really solid album from start to finish. I mean it is the queen of soul what more is there to say. 7/10
Chain of fools: 8 [Lyrics 9/10 + Instrumental 10/10] Money won't change you: 7 [Lyrics 6/10 + Instrumental 10/10] People get ready: 8 [Lyrics 7/10 + Instrumental 10/10] Niki Hoeky: 6 [Lyrics 7/10 + Instrumental 8/10] A natural woman: 9 [Lyrics 9/10 + Instrumental 10/10] Since you've been gone: 10 [Lyrics 9/10 + Instrumental 10/10] Good to me as I am to you: 8 [Lyrics 8/10 + Instrumental 10/10] Come back baby: 8 [Lyrics 5/10 + Instrumental 10/10] Groovin': 10 [Lyrics 10/10 + Instrumental 10/10] Ain't no way: 9 [Lyrics 9/10 + Instrumental 10/10] Amo la instrumental del album. "Niki Hoeky" tiene una letra tan rara y divertida que es adictiva. Obviamente no podemos saltarnos la famosisima canción de "A natural woman" está hecha con mucho cariño y respeto, pensaba que nadie le quitaría el top hasta que apareció "Since you've been gone", no entiendo por qué no fue el siguiente single o hit! "Some people want but they don't wanna give" siempre hay alguien así y en "Good to me as I am to you" no solo suelta facts.. también lanza un falsetto en el 2:59 que te da un subidón. Super chill "Groovin'". La primera vez que escuché la canción de "Ain't no way" fue una cover de Demi Lovato, me encantó, la versión original también me ha gustado, especialmente un verso que dice <Stop tryin' to be someone you're not> creo que aplica muy bien a lo que es la gente hoy en día. Top 3: A natura woman, Since you've been gone, Groovin' Least fav: Niki Hoeky Me he saltado las últimas 4 canciones (del Bonus Selection) porque son las mismas pero en versión mono, el álbum me ha gustado mucho, he disfrutado como una bebé la instrumental, es perfecto tanto para escucharlo activamente un día lluvioso de otoño con un té y mantita hasta para tenerlo en segundo plano mientras haces cositas. Su voz es preciosa. Son 14 canciones y dura 44 minutos Score: 8.3 Lo recomiendo? Por supuesto.
TWELFTH studio album! Such a unique and powerful sounds with endless groove and soul. ‘Chain of Fools’ and ‘Natural Woman’ obvious stand outs but each song has great lyrics, feel and depth. ‘Since you’ve been gone’ too. And quite a novel thing for brackets first in titles. A wonderful album and look forward to more.
I totally respect Aretha Franklin as an absolutely amazing singer and pioneer in soul music, and I do love some of her songs, but the soul sound sometimes grates on my ears after a while. I thought this album was pretty good, but I was done by the end (or maybe slightly before the end, if I'm being honest). For these reasons, I'm giving it four stars.
1-7.5/10 2-6.7/10 ts tuff 3-6.4/10 ma talent kobitka 4-5/10 5-5.5/10 6-5.5/10 7-5.8/10 8-5.6/10 9-5.5/10 10-6.6/10 Ale fajny album, przyjemny i słychać że kobieta ma talent ale nie myśle że będę tego słuchał na co dzień. 7.2/10 fav track- chain of fools
That 🎙️
Wow. Just wow
Bow down
A national treasure. 'Natural Woman' is a song that gets better over time and even more iconic once you see her performing it live at the Kennedy Center in a giant fur coat that she proceeds to take off at the end. Aretha's Gold is a desert island album pick for me and this one is amazing (but doesn't quite hit like her compilation).
This rules. Probably her most consistently good full album. I will say two things. One, it’s recorded/produced like dogshit, considering it was 1968, not 1958. Two, I sometimes find her voice kind of screechy.
A joy to my ears, just not for every situation, so had to deduct 1 ⭐️
every song is spectacular. aretha's voice is just so incredible - in the running for the best ever. teetering on a 5 but i think i like the songs as singles, or listening to one side at a time, as opposed to the entire collection at once. incredible songs - not necessarily a compelling album imo.
Lifted my spirits on a rainy Monday morning. Packed with lots of brilliant tracks but as a record it lacked a unifying emotional throughline.
Classic stuff. The sheer weight and power of Aretha's legacy guarantees this four stars.
I feel that anytime to listen to some Aretha Franklin is almost always fits the occasion. You want to mellow out? She's there. You want to dance or boogie? She's there. You want to cry? Her voice is there. This album is also pretty good in an era when albums weren't the thing or idea they are now. I really love her voice. It just is so soulful and warm to hear her sing the songs that she gave to the world. She really is probably the songbird of her era and an American icon. Favorite Tracks: Chain of Fools, Money Won't Change You, People Get Ready, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone, Ain't No Way Rating: 4.5/5
Cool to hear all these songs together
Queen B slays all
didn’t like it as much as i thought i would but still such a vocally powerful album
Easy to like. Wonderful voice and just classic music.
Smooth Aretha vocals as expected
4/5
its alright
Classic songs, amazing voice nothing not to like here. Didn’t need to listen to the mono versions. Gonna give this a 4 because of the legendary status. Ain’t no way was a stand out for me.
I love Motown, Stax and Muscle Shoals music. I'm deeply fascinated by the house bands of the era, like Muscle Shoals rhythm section, The Swampers, The Funk Brothers, The Big Six, The Mar-Keys, The Wrecking Crew and so forth. While this is a nice album, one I've heard many a time in bits and pieces, it's not the best stuff in the genre, nor in Aretha's own catalogue.
a classic! really good album
Not as strong as other Aretha Franklin albums in my opinion, but still a gem
Aretha!
CHAIN CHAIN CHAAAAAAIIN
such a lovely album!!!! I liked every song!!! 8/10
Classic soul music
WHAT A VOICE!
Tolle starke Stimme dieser Frau und die Songs waren cool
Gewaltige Stimme, schöne Musik.
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!
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.
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
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.
oh yeah sing it girl
Very good.
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!
Her voice is incredible with passion in the soulful delivery
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
Great voice. Lot’s of memories.
So freaking good. Only complaint is that technology of that era doesn't capture the full range of Franklin.
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)
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.
Legend. This deserves to be on the list
The Queen of Soul on display! Had heard some of these songs before but not all
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
One of the greatest singers of all time, no question.
Queen of soul
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."
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.
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.
A legendary voice. Can't deny she sounds great, but not what I would choose to listen to ever.
Una bomba, genial, sublime. No es mi estilo pero se aprecia su señoría. Nota: 3.7
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'
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
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!
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.
Great vocalist with some nice backing instrumentals. 7/10
Solid OG pop music. What a great voice
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!!!
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.
Great album
An absolute powerhouse! Perfect album length. Classic Aretha
What a voice!
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
Aretha Franklin is an amazing singer, and the instrumentation is great enough to where it keeps every song interesting
One hell of a singer. Few ladies could belt out like she could.
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
super good
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?
What's not to like in this one?
classic
Aretha. Respect. 5⭐️
Hell of a Lady
A wonderful soul record from Lady Soul herself.
Aretha Franklin is not the Queen of Soul for nothing.
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.
Timeless…
I LOVE the Lady of Soul!
It has a couple great classics.
A solid soul album. 8.8/10 Best Track: "Chain of Fools"
SOUL.
Wonderful solid album.
Incredible!
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.
ok
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.
Groovy. I hadn't heard most of the songs on this album. Great voice.
Nice album
Unreal pipes on ol' Aretha
Vocals are amazing. Chill album to listen to.
🐐
Don't typically listen to soul but always enjoyed it. Great album with some classics
Classic Soul. Aretha never fails to deliver. I think I like her version of "Groovin'" better than the Young Rascals.
Aretha is a certified bad bitch
Great album
Really good, a few less memorable tracks
Buy this one
Goeie klassieker - wat een stem
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.
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.
4/5
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.
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.