The Queen Alone – CARLA THOMAS***

Any Day Now/Stop Thief/I Take It To My Baby/I Want To Be Your Baby/Something Good (Is Going To Happen To You)/When Tomorrow Comes/I’ll Always Have Faith In You/All I See Is You/Unchanging Love/Give Me Enough (To Keep Me Going)/Lie To Keep Me From Crying

The Queen Alone was the first album from the Queen of Memphis Soul, Carla Thomas, after her memorable partnership with Otis Redding. The first side is uptempo, the second moody and powerful. (US:133)

“Initially, I was a bit disappointed, as the album seemed to lack some of the spark and charm that is so present on her major singles. Upon repeated listening, though, I've come to really enjoy it. The first half, while more uptempo, is actually the weaker. It's the back half, where Carla really starts to croon, that showcases the album's strengths. It's moody and powerful; the vocals and horns punctuate the songs meaningfully.”

“The album gets more enjoyable upon each subsequent listen, and each track seems to be better than the previous one. However, I Will Always Have Faith In You is hands down the high point of the album.”

“Unfortunately, as much as I've already harped on this, Thomas' voice simply isn't adequate. Her sense of rhythm is as shaky as her vibrato, and she throttles her tone as soon as the going gets dramatic.”

"I Will Always Have Faith In You is majestic, composed, and graceful in a manner befitting her titular moniker, and a true gem of a song. That marked highlight aside, though, there's simply not enough here to cohere. Thomas can straddle the line between pop and soul all she wants, but until she's acquires a consistent voice and stable of material, her work will continue to be spotty at best.”

“One of her strongest albums, The Queen Alone isn't the work of someone who took a Memphis only approach, but of someone who was well aware of what others were up to. What's surprising is the fact that this album contains only two minor hits: the playful Something Good (Is Going To Happen to You) and the idealistic, gospel-influenced ballad I'll Always Have Faith In You. Drawing on both Southern and Northern soul, Queen Alone is a pleasant reminder that they were equally attractive options.”