117. Aretha Franklin | Aretha: Lady Soul (1968)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Chain Of Fools
2. Money Won't Change You
3. People Get Ready
4. Niki Hoeky
5. (You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman
6. (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone
7. Good to Me As I Am to You
8. Come Back Baby
9. Groovin'
10. Ain't No Way

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Aretha: Lady Soul is an energetic album. The songs are soul, naturally. Aretha Franklin sounds great. The music is great, too. The bass creates nice grooves and is really dynamic at the same time.

For some reason though, great music and great singing don't combine to make a great album. One reason is that most of the songs are too short. Another reason is that the songs, while great individually, don't connect together very well.

I wish I could like this album more, but it just doesn't keep me interested all the way through. The first half of the album is certainly better than the second half. So, I recommend listening to the first half. But, since it's short enough, you might as well listen to the second half as well. The stand out songs are: Chain of Fools, Money Won't Change You, People Get Ready, Niki Hoeky and (You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

106. Aretha Franklin | I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Respect
2. Drown in My Own Tears
3. I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)
4. Soul Serenade
5. Don't Let Me Lose This Dream
6. Baby, Baby, Baby
7. Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)
8. Good Times
9. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
10. Save Me
11. A Change Is Gonna Come

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I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You is a passionate album. The songs are soul. It's been a while since there's been a singer who invests so much emotion in the songs—and boy are these refreshing. 

Usually vocalists are accompanied by a competent band that lets them shine. Aretha has an outstanding band with a great rhythm section—see if you can keep from tapping your feet—and she's got some wonderful backup singers. But that's not what makes her great; she'd be great even without a band. 

This is a great album. It is consistent all the way through, yet there's a lot of variety. Without a doubt, this album is worth owning. It doesn't distract if you want to have it as background music, and≠ it's compelling enough to listen carefully to.

There's not a bad song on this album and typically I'd list them all, but the real stand outs are Respect, I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You), Do Right Woman, Do Right Man, Save Me and A Change Is Gonna Come.

★★★★★★★★★★