Artist: Otis Redding
Album: Otis Blue
Year: 1965
Here we go, another soul album. I haven't found one I really liked outside of the first Ray Charles album. Most have been passable, take-it-or-leave-it affairs for me.
Otis Blue is a real stunner of an album. This guy's got the smoothness of Ray Charles mixed with the energy of Sam Cooke (his mentor). He can really sing, and there's real emotion behind his voice. Nice.
An album's only as good as its songs, and this one has a ton of worthy cuts. A cover of Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" is spectacular, "I've Been Loving You Too Long" is probably my favorite here, and renditions of "My Girl," "Wonderful World," and The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" are superlative.
I still have to say that this is music that I respect more than like. I really highly doubt that once this 1001 album challenge is over with that I'll be reaching for soul albums often, if at all. It just doesn't appeal to my intellectual side enough to hold my interest. But of the soul singers, this guy Otis is right up there among the best.
Rating: Worth repeated listens
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