Artist: Aretha Franklin
Album: Lady Soul
Year: 1968
So this is Aretha, Round 2. I thought Round 1 was pretty good, not exactly my cup of tea, but really quite good for the style.
At first, I forgot I had stopped listening to Laura Nyro and begun listening to Aretha. I don't know if that's an insult to Aretha, or some kudos for Laura, but I think there is some comparison to be found between the voices. Aretha's voice is no doubt more classical and pristine, and the music here is far less idiosyncratic than Nyro's, but there's a certain joyous no-holds-barred approach to singing that the two artists share. Or maybe it's that the centerpiece of this album "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman" was a slice of Nyro-esque Brill Building pop. Regardless, I thought it was interesting to compare the two.
So. Lady Soul. This is a real powerhouse of an album. Great singer, great song selection to showcase the voice. "Chain of Fools" is a great start to the album, and I like the version of "People Get Ready" on here, a slower version than the Curtis Mayfield original. There's some filler to be found here ("Niki Hoeky," "Come Back Baby") that adds little to the proceedings but length, but this is not exactly an album that overstays its welcome at 28 minutes in length. And I rather dislike the version of "Groovin'" on here. Much better when the Young Rascals did it.
I guess I feel the same about Aretha as I do about, say, Adele. Great set of pipes, no doubt a world-class talent, but there isn't much of a hook to bring me back aside from that. The music is just a bit too normal for me, and as usual, soul music isn't really my style. So it goes...
Rating: Worth a listen
No comments:
Post a Comment