The Soul Album – OTIS REDDING****

Just One More Day/Its Growing/Cigarettes & Coffee/Chain Gang/Nobody Knows You (When Your Down & Out)/Good To Me/Scratch My Back/Treat Her Right/Everybody Makes A Mistake/Any Ole Way/634-5789

The Soul Album was the fourth LP from Southern soul giant Otis Redding. Like previous releases it is a combination of original compositions, covers and stompers. (US:54 UK:22)

"Like its predecessor, the legendary Soul Album makes for another half hour of prime cut Southern soul. A hugely consistent LP bringing together originals and covers, slow grinding wailers and gutbucket stompers."

"Any of Otis Redding recordings are lessons of soul music and this one is no different. The versions of Sam Cooke's Chain Gang and the bluesy Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out are highlights in an excellent album."

"Otis Redding's The Soul Album is remarkably consistent, with every single song creating a foothold in your Southern soul collection. Otis is equally convincing on his originals as he is on his trademark re-works of soul and rock classics. My personal favourite tracks are the beautiful Good To Me, the red-eyed 2 am plea of Cigarettes & Coffee and the bluesy and bouncy Scratch My Back."

"The Soul Album gets stronger and stronger as the album plays on, and the second side of this album just may be one of the strongest sides of any Otis album, which is saying a lot."

"Otis Redding albums are hard to review. How many times can I use the words 'brilliant', 'one-of-a-kind', 'amazing', etc, until they lose all meaning? The Soul Album is an absolute gem in the Otis Redding collection, and I'll leave it at that."

"The Soul Album is often overlooked when examining Redding's output. No singles were culled from its content, but this does not diminish the quality of the excellent songs it contains. The original material reveals the strength of the singer's partnership with guitarist Steve Cropper, and the cover versions show Redding's gift for reinterpretation. Sam Cooke, The Temptations and Wilson Pickett are each acknowledged in turn, while Otis also takes shots at two contemporary hits, Roy Head's Treat Her Right and Slim Harpo's Scratch My Back. The Soul Album is as strong as any other records issued by the singer during his short lifetime."