Oh Me Oh My (I'm A Fool For You Baby)/Day Dreaming/Rock Steady/Young Gifted & Black/All The Kin's Horses/A Brand New Me/April Fools/I've Been Loving You Too Long/First Snow In Kokomo/The Long & Winding Road/Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)/Border Song
The song Young Gifted & Black symbolised a more politically assertive period for USA black politics. It was written by Nina Simone and is regarded as an anthem of black liberation. A cover version by the Jamaican duo Bob & Marcia was a top five hit in the UK. The album includes the US No.5 hit single Day Dreaming. (US:11)
“Aretha Franklin made Young Gifted & Black during the midst of her most creative years. The album contains her trademark soulful singing, a few moving love songs, one gritty original, and some cover versions. There are also some social overtones as well. As the title implies, these were uplifting times for blacks in America. Black pride symbolized an emerging nation working toward changing traditional attitudes.”
“Aretha’s artistic abilities are evident throughout the album. If it doesn’t rank with her greatest, it is still very satisfying to hear. The first five songs alone are worth the price of admission and with Young Gifted & Black, the title says it all.”
“It's not without its faults, and I can't buy the argument that it's her best album, but there are some great tunes here, and the whole thing is a very efficient fusion of soul, pop, funk and gospel. For my money, Elton John's Border Song, formerly a decent rock song with gospel influences, becomes an absolute powerhouse.”
“I love this album because of the beautiful choice of songs and the blend of gospel infused soul music mixed with some of her most sophisticated pop songs. Aretha is in fine vocal form, sharp, clever and versatile; you don't experience the gritty hoarse notes that are evident on some of the earlier releases.
“It's a shame about the two soppy ballads, because this could have been even better. It's got all the great tunes and top-notch singing that goes into a great Aretha record, as well as a lot of diversity. And some great covers.”
“This is one of Aretha's better albums and one of her few post-60s albums to get close to her heyday with her first albums for Atlantic some years before. What lifts the album the most, rather surprisingly, is Aretha's own writing contribution, the sublimely languorous Day Dreaming, the storming ska-funk of Rock Steady, and All The King's Horses, a stately ballad.”
No comments:
Post a Comment