Audio CD review:
Otis Redding - The Soul Album

Otis Redding - The Soul Album

Band: Otis Redding Title: The Soul Album Rating: Release Date: 1991-06-11 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Just One More Day - Otis Redding, Redding, Otis 2: It's Growing - Otis Redding, Robinson, Smokey 3: Cigarettes and Coffee - Otis Redding, Thomas, Eddie 4: Chain Gang - Otis Redding, Cooke, Sam 5: Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out - Otis Redding, Cox, James 6: Good to Me - Otis Redding, Redding, Otis 7: Scratch My Back - Otis Redding, Moore, James [Blues 8: Treat Her Right - Otis Redding, Head, Roy 9: Everybody Makes a Mistake - Otis Redding, Floyd, Eddie 10: Any Ole Way - Otis Redding, Redding, Otis 11: 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.) - Otis Redding, Cropper, Steve

MY FAVE Used to play them back to back, over and over. This and 'Otis Blue' were my favorites. Glad to have it on cd. Wonderful Find What a surprise to find it here and it was everything I thought it would be. I was unable to find this CD either online at other sites or in the local music stores. Great!!. Good but not the best. His covers doesn't as great as on Otis Blue album. This album may be disappointment for fans who loves albums like Otis Blue or Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul Buy Now! Redding has credit in 3 songs, but no his best. But in comparison with contemporary stars (Mariah Carey, Destiny's child) this is great album. Scratch My Back K. Otis Could do no wrong!no other voice like him ! I saw him live Twice!in U. I still talk about his performances today! . A reviewer mentioned Scratch My Back was by the Miracles . . . But i'm only familiar with the version credited to James Moore A. K. A Slim Harpo, who recorded for J. D. Miller in Crowley Louisiana and had his stuff initially released on The Excello label out of Nashville. Scratch' was a considerable hit for Slim, Who I believe passed in 1970 just as HIS career was taking off too! Sad stuff. But thankfully they left us with the MUSIC!. Untoppable soul What it does include is nice *mono* remastering by ace Bill Inglot, taken from the original master tapes. This is a small-frills reissue that includes no bonus tracks or alternate takes. It also includes a nice reproduction of the original album front and back (the latter in almost life size). The interior of the CD booklet gives release info (label, date, chart info) as well as a list of the musical support. Musically, Redding proves himself over and over to be perhaps the greatest soul singer of all time (though Ray Charles during his Atlantic period might give him a run for the money). The eleven tracks on this disc (about 32 minutes) find Redding reaching to the depths of his emotions for vocals that no one else could ever rival. Everything his vocal chords touch becomes *his*. Covers of hits that are unforgettable in their original version (e. g. , Sam Cooke's "Chain Gang", Wilson Pickett's "634-5789") become something entirely different when Redding turns his attentions to them. The band (including Booker T. , Isaac Hayes, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson Jr. , Sammy Coleman, Wayne Jackson, Bowlegs Miller, Andrew Love, Charles "Packy" Axton and Floyd Newman) provides some really incredible backing. Booker T's organ and Steve Cropper's guitar, in particular, create an incredible atmosphere, punctuated beautifully by the horn section. There is a cohesiveness between Redding's vocals and the musical background that is not evident in lesser soul recordings. There is a sort of empathy between the players and the vocalist that is jazz-like and rare. From the slower, soulful ballads such as "Just One More Day", the wrenching "Cigarettes and Coffee", and "Good To Me" through the medium paced blues of "Scratch My Back" through upbeat pieces like "It's Growing", Redding never misses a beat. His vocals are a revelation every time you listen to the disc. You can see a complete list of all Otis Redding discography, or go back to the Otis Redding tabs