Favourites: Remote Control (beautiful chord progression), Liar (lovely bridge). Like the drumming (a lot of flams). Reminds me of The Who and other British rock bands, but the sound is more sparse/less abrasive, and simpler—a lot of major chords. By "Career Opportunities" the constant high-energy got a bit tiring. Love the sudden flanger in "Cheat". "Police and Thieves" is a nice change in pace. The bass on the verse is delicately pretty. "Garageland" was not too amazing, but it was a fine way to end the album—not underwhelming. Overall, most of the songs are fine-good, with quite a few noteworthy musical moments and catchy melodies and riffs. The lyrics are cool.

The opening track was very energetic in a raw, exciting way (especially Louis' interaction with the gang vocals in the end). I like his odd, almost conversational singing style, and the big band arrangement is amazing, matching. "(Nothing's Too Good) For My Baby" is a nice contrast, but keeps the energy up (it is softer, but faster); Keely Smith's voice blends perfectly with the style. 'Yip, yip, yip, yip'. Sick double-time section in "Body and Soul", some horn arrangements reminded me of "The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady". Nice blend of vocal and instrumental songs. Overall, the album is very nice, but there are a few songs which are not quite as memorable, and sometimes they do blend into each other. However, since it is relatively short, it does not get repetitive.

"Blame It On Cain" was the first song I cared about. I was not impressed by the previous ones, which made me wonder why this album is even here (it is not bad, but it's not remarkable either). Sounds like a mix of Ween and Billy Joel. "Alison" is pretty. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" was fun, kind of groovy. The vocals in "Less Than Zero" annoyed me a bit. "Mystery Dance" was way too Elvis-y; I don't think it fit. Also that ending was whack. "Pay It Back" is fun and groovy too, but a bit too 'silly'. "I'm Not Angry" is probably the best song so far. I like the epic rock style (with the synth and the whispers), I think it fits the silliness better—it's not so much out there. "Waiting For The End Of The World" is sick, especially the clav and the drums. "Watching The Detectives" was fine, but a weird way to end the album [?]. Overall, even though I see how this could have been influential or popular at the time, most of the songs sounded quite boring, dated and forgettable. I wouldn't mind listening to it, but I also don't want to listen to it again—honestly could've died without this one. Maybe the best songs could become guilty pleasures, but probably nothing more than that. "one of the best debut albums in music history" ?!

The album has a great, iconic vibe. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" had a pretty interesting string part. The arrangements are very competent (pretty much perfect) throughout the album, and the mix is extremely clear. The riffs in "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" were very sick. The fact that almost all of the songs end with fade-outs was kind of repetitive. Also, even though all the songs are quite short, sometimes they felt drawn-out — maybe it's just because I'm tired while listening to it(?). "Ain't No Way" is a beautiful way to end the album—except for the fade-out. :( Aretha's singing was expressive and tasteful, and, along with the carefully composed accompaniment, gives the album a very high-quality sound. However, the thing with the fade-outs and the fact that I did not really care for a few songs means that I don't see myself re-listening to the whole thing, but probably I'd listen back to a few songs individually.

The introductory interaction with the audience and the fanfare is fun. "I'll Go Crazy" has a very tight groove; I like the backing vocals. I like how the bass in "Try Me" drives most the song. Very smooth transitions between songs. The horn arrangement sounds great, and very rhythmically tied together. The very fast "I Don't Mind" backing vocals give a nice contrast to the slower track. The little instrumental transitions help keep the energy up, and make everything seem like a continuous song/experience. The repeating groove in "Lost Someone" was amazing, and almost spiritual. The audience interaction was genius. The medley that followed was perfect. "Night Train" is a perfect conclusion to the album—it's the most James Brown groove ever. Overall, the album is an incredible experience. All songs transition into each other without becoming repetitive or blending into each other in a bad way. At the same time, the energy is always kept up either thanks to the band or James' singing and the audience. Of course, James Brown is also iconic.