Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul

better than i expected

What a legend. Like Buddy Holly, it’s sad to think of the decades of music we missed out on because of his untimely death.

Absolutely iconic. A definitive recording from one of the best to ever do it.

And, a note to everyone complaining about there being ‘too many covers’ on this album … please listen to the blues a bit more often before unleashing your omniscient opinions. Every blues song is essentially a cover, hell - every blues verse is essentially a cover, and it’s less about the lyrics and more about the singer’s delivery and the musicianship. Nobody does it with more feeling, energy and musicality than the King of Soul. Add Booker T and the M.G.’s and you got a recipe for success. Call me Luniz, ‘cuz “I got 5 on it”.

It's Otis Redding. Its Booker T and the MGs. It's Soul Music. It's a 5. No notes.

However...

Even better than this is the Monteray Festival set, where he sings 5 songs and tears the Roof of in 20 minutes. People talk about Hendrix at Monteray, but Otis was just as good.

Beautiful, soulful voice! Incredibly smooth and soothing. Some of the best soul hits sung in an amazing manner. I admit, it got a bit monotonous but I loved it a lot. Especially because I never heard his versions of these songs, I only knew the originals, and I liked hearing a different approach.

In a lot of ways, I'm not all the way there with Soul music. I am in a place where a lot of the genre (from the '60s especially) is music that I can intellectually appreciate, but just can't connect deeper with. Although, there are some moments I've found that break through this. Especially with some of the artists in the '70s. But Otis Redding really got me with this one. I don't really know exactly what makes this feel different, the songs just work for me here. Although the one thing I can point at as a specific draw to me is a big one; Otis Redding's singing. He is pretty much digging in as deep as possible at all times on Otis Blue. It really feels like he's conjuring the sort of fervor usually reserved for religious sermons. It makes the joy, the sadness and the spirit of Soul connect with me. He's just bringing something so visceral. And as I said, it helps that he's bringing fantastic songs here. Respect, Down In The Valley, and Shake are just a few of the really incredible performances across this thing. And the cover of Satisfaction is also excellent. This is just, to me, a nice tight package, embodying the best of what Soul can be.

semks hehe

izdvojio bih »wonderful world« kao najbolju stvar, premda sam je čuo u nečijoj tuđoj (boljoj) izvedbi

a ni pomalo neobična izvedba »satisfaction« nije bila nimalo loša, zašto ne?

trojčica za solidnost i nevanrednost 👍🏻

Just a damn solid record from Otis. Unfortunately not the one with Sitting on the Dock of the Bay, but it does have a great rendition of My Girl.

Not sure on it being included due to mostly being a covers album, but good nonetheless.

4.3/5

Probably the strongest voice I've had on this list so far with a very good list of songs. I can't believe it's his only one on the list!

Classic beauty

The tone of Blue vacillates between soulful, solemn, spirited and sometimes even sexy. I didn't realise so many of the songs were covers, so am relieved that Respect is his own, a song which looms larger than Otis Redding himself.

En type album man alltid kan sette på og det bare funker. Syns det er kult hvor kompakt og varmt det høres ut, og punchen i blåsen. Låtutvalget er også helt tipp topp

If I inherited this as part of my grandparents’ record collection, I’d be thrilled to throw it on from time to time. I wouldn't seek it out, however. It's very well made, but it just falls flat for me.

Every soul album prior to the 70s has the same formula of writing the big singles, and then packing the rest of the album with a bunch of filler (maybe a cover or too here and there). So when the generator gives a record like this, do you rate it off the singles or look inward at the filler? The filler wasn't even that inconsistent though, and actually ranks well among the hits. Great singing along with nice songwriting and arrangements with the orchestras and band make the album absolutely listenable, but I don't hear anything out of the ordinary from this respective genre. Quality soul and blues.

I keep this short. Otis is Soul music. Perfect phrasing, an expressive voice, pure feeling, not a single note out of place, plus a tight band, and every song is sung as if it came straight from the bottom of his soul. Otis even manages to breathe real soul into the Stones' rubbish ‘Satisfaction’. Soulful perfection.

Jamais écouté avant.

Top : Down in the Valley
Flop : You Don't Miss Your Water

Oris for POTUS

4.5
Would be a 5 if most songs weren't covers i think

I feel like I've been learning that, while I appreciate the importance and the influence of blues and soul singers, I just don't really care to listen to them. This album isn't bad, there's nothing I dislike about it, it just doesn't really excite me all that much and I'm unlikely to ever return to it.