3+3

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5.

I’ve heard a few Isley Brothers tracks in my life, and I’ve probably heard far more than I know on account of how many times they’ve been sampled (a specific thanks to Kendrick, at the very least). This is the first time I’ve heard a full Isley Brothers album, and… yeah, they’re about as good as I was hoping for. Their musicianship is excellent & the soundscape we’re dealing with here in 1973 feels way ahead of schedule. The only thing that needed a bit of work is their ability to wrap up tracks a little more quickly & just a little less lyrical repetition – those are the main reasons I’m at a 4.5 as opposed to a flat 5. The entire package here, however, is far too good to not earn the bump up. To be transparent, the bump is almost entirely in the excellent guitar playing throughout the cover of “Summer Breeze”. That track was awesome as fuck.

I do have a few other smaller nitpicks. I wish “Listen to the Music” were played a little more straight like the original Doobie Brothers version with just a funkier lean, as opposed to the attempt to make it a little more soulful & groovier. The urgency in the original track is part of what makes it work, because it’s an open plea to do so. When you take away that urgency, you take away some of the potency of the track. I think some of the other covers do lose some of the intent of the original in there; “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” feels a bit more desperate to my ears than what James Taylor probably intended, for example. “Sunshine (Go Away Today)” is probably the closest to the original here, though I think the focus does get shifted away from the desire for self-agency in the original track & is pointedly a bit too defiant towards ‘the man’ (the government). It attacks him more than it lifts up the desire to be free, and I think that feels a bit off.

However, if we focused just on the intent of each track as opposed to combining it with the sense of musicianship at hand here, that wouldn’t be super fair, I think. I totally get why this has far more 4 votes on the site than 5’s, and perhaps on a slightly more anal day for me, I’d be down there too. However, given that I really found myself drawn to most of the funk in the instrumentals & I was easily sold by his vocal passions (even on those covers), I’d be kind of a fool to not go up. It’s a super fun album, and it’s an easy bump up to a 5 for me.

It’s funny that the previous album I had was Fatboy Slim because these are the real Funk Soul Brothers. It’s impressive that this is their eleventh record. It’s so easy to listen to.

This is some funky, smooth as butter tunes. Me likey a lot.

Man, what a stacked album! I had heard of the Isley Brothers before, but couldn't name a track from them... turns out most of the tracks on this album I've heard sampled in electronic or hip-hop albums before. Incredible stuff. The whole album is really good, but then there's absolute bangers like That Lady, Summer Breeze, and Highway of My Life.

Close to being a four, especially with Summer Breeze pts. 1 & 2

Very good soul/r&b music. Feels like the definition of sex music

good

Absolutely perfect. Utterly adored

Shit slaps

People in funk, soul, and R&B were cooking in the 70s and 80s, and the Isley Brothers were no exception to that. This album feels more accessible than Funkadelic and resembles Stevie Wonder's golden period. There were some songs that sounded super close to disco but not really. Even so, this record has all the things I love: grooves, catchy melodies, and harmonies.

I mean, c’mon!! So good!

Wow!

This is what I’m here for…

What a joy to discover an album with some known songs and then the rest of the album is just brilliant.

What an absolute gem. Just perfect for a lazy Sunday morning - which by chance it is!

Easy 4

By the 11th album you're supposed to be doing "An Isley Christmas" or "The Isley Brothers Sing the Music of Pat Boone". You're certainly not meant to be going this hard!

Great guitar and harmony vocals in some very funky tracks. Their cover of "Listen to the Music" is clearly superior to the original and the guitar solo on, of all things, Seals and Crofts "Summer Breeze" will melt your face off.

I really enjoyed this, actually listened to it twice! I mean, as a friend of mine put it, if buddy's gonna play a strat against a bare chest, you know it's gonna be good shit.

Funky, aber auch groovy

Voljela bih da mi se više sviđa vokalna izvedba ali me to dosta kočilo, ok album svakako.

So fucking good. That Lady and Summer Breeze are the clear standouts here but all of these songs are funky as fuck. I definitely have to listen to more of the Isleys because everything I've heard from them is absolutely top notch stuff.

Fav Songs: That Lady, Summer Breeze, Sunshine (Go Away Today), What It Comes Down To

Least Fav: If You Were There (Still a very good song)

9.3/10

It was good, actually. 4-ish.

mid

Bops be boppin'