MOJO Top 70 SOUL albums

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  • disco_chedisco_che 1,115 Posts
    They should have left aside that Donna Summer and include "War & Peace" by Edwin Starr instead. That album is a monster. I recently heard it again after years and it's much better than I remembered.

    The list apperas a little forced to me. In many cases it seems they just wanted to include certain artists and didn't care to much which album to pick. "Light Of the World" by Kool & the Gang - it could be almost any of their albums from that period.
    Also as ODub said, the decision to only include one album per artists blurrs the relevance of that list to a certain degree. Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Curtis should all have more than one album in that list.

    The inclusion of Esther Phillips is questionable. I like "From A Whisper..." but never heard that primarily as a soul album.

  • Off the wall and no thriller? WTF

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    willie_fugal said:
    not sure which makes less sense:

    that there's exactly 1 Parliament album on the list or that that album is Motor Booty Affair...

    BAN

  • disco_chedisco_che 1,115 Posts
    4YearGraduate said:
    Off the wall and no thriller? WTF

    Thriller = 80s

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Okay, so only one album per artist was selected...but still, where the hell is Al Green's I'm Still in Love with You? Same could be said for Marvin Gaye's I Want You.

    Props to the list though for including Allen Toussaint's Southern Nights.

  • am i blind or is there no Eddie Kendricks on that list?

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    one of those Wilson Picketts on RCA might have been stronger than In Philadelphia

    That's some cold shit. Wilson was definitely NOT on his game on those RCA sides. That was obviously a genius in decline.

    I see nothing wrong with Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia, myself. It proved that the MFSB guys could get gritty when they wanted to (also see: Bobby Rush's Rush Hour).

    overall it???s getting too close to disco for me on a lot of those LPs

    I'm with you. I understand that their definition of classic soul might be a little more wide open than mine, but I'd sooner close the book when Donna Summer is part of that discussion.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Now lets get to the record bragging part of the equation???.who amongst you has ALL 70 in the crates (extra points if you got doubles) hehehehe

    I have 33 of those LP's. I know for sure I wouldn't want all the albums on that list, but that's more about personal taste than actual merit.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Bassie:
    Even though It Hurts So Good was an excellent Millie Jackson album, I'm guessing they went for Caught Up because it was conceived as an album, not just a random collection of songs...and it did change the direction of Millie's career, same way that What's Going On? did for Marvin or Where I'm Coming From did for Stevie...

    No Swamp Dogg on that list...

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    holmes said:

    some stuff that could probably go:

    Jacksons

    Ill say that Destiny is a great Jacksons album and MJ was killing it from a vocal standpoint, but i would prefer to see the J5-Motown stuff over the Epic shit cause it was closer to the sterilized idea of SOUL.

    But Push Me Away is SOUL.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    for the record Donna Summer can sing her ass off.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    batmon said:
    for the record Donna Summer can sing her ass off.

    Jim Nabors can "sang" his ass off too, but I'm not seeking out any of his records.

    Maybe if she'd recorded with the Muscle Shoals house band rather than a disco producer in Germany, I'd take her more seriously???
    (LOL)

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    pickwick33 said:
    batmon said:
    for the record Donna Summer can sing her ass off.

    Jim Nabors can "sang" his ass off too, but I'm not seeking out any of his records.

    Maybe if she'd recorded with the Muscle Shoals house band rather than a disco producer in Germany, I'd take her more seriously???
    (LOL)

    Is Thelma Houston and Teddy Pendergrass Dont Leave Me this way unsoulful?

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    The_Hook_Up said:
    my bad, Ann is the only one from 69


    The_Hook_Up said:
    Reynaldo said:
    Strider79it said:

    Marlena Shaw - Spice of Life
    1969

    there are few from 69 on the list though...Ann Peebles for one

    The Ann Peebles LP they selected, Straight From The Heart, is actually from 1971.

    Everything I saw on that list is from the 70's...nothing from 1969, nothing from 1980.

  • pickwick33 said:
    batmon said:
    for the record Donna Summer can sing her ass off.

    Jim Nabors can "sang" his ass off too, but I'm not seeking out any of his records.

    Maybe if she'd recorded with the Muscle Shoals house band rather than a disco producer in Germany, I'd take her more seriously???
    (LOL)

    I know disco probably isn't your bag but that disco producer from Germany is Giorgio Moroder and he's a freaking genius!

    And whoever said Syreeta sucks...that just makes me sad...love me some Syreeta (RIP)

    also..don't forget that Mojo is a "rockist" publication...why even discuss their lists? I'm frankly amazed they have 24 karat black in there!

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    batmon said:
    pickwick33 said:
    batmon said:
    for the record Donna Summer can sing her ass off.

    Jim Nabors can "sang" his ass off too, but I'm not seeking out any of his records.

    Maybe if she'd recorded with the Muscle Shoals house band rather than a disco producer in Germany, I'd take her more seriously???
    (LOL)

    Is Thelma Houston and Teddy Pendergrass Dont Leave Me this way unsoulful?

    Teddy P.'s version is definitely soulful.

    Thelma? I won't say she isn't soulful, but it is moving too close to disco for my tastes.

    My anti-Donna comment up above, BTW, was fairly good-natured trash talking...she's talented, if that's what you're into. (And I'm not, but that's another story.)

    What really gets me is when people expect you to like something just because they can sing, or play, or arrange, or what have you. As if we're supposed to overlook that fact that the songwriting sucks, or that it may not be your thing in general. I could say that an Eric Clapton album isn't killing me, and somebody will say, "...but he can PLAY! His guitar tone is amazing!" I could say that I am not a big Anita Baker fan, but invariably someone will say "What's wrong with you? She can sing."

    That's the equivalent of saying they're "ugly but they sure can cook." Or they're "homely but have a nice personality." Gotta have the whole package.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    pickwick33 said:
    batmon said:
    pickwick33 said:
    batmon said:
    for the record Donna Summer can sing her ass off.

    Jim Nabors can "sang" his ass off too, but I'm not seeking out any of his records.

    Maybe if she'd recorded with the Muscle Shoals house band rather than a disco producer in Germany, I'd take her more seriously???
    (LOL)

    Is Thelma Houston and Teddy Pendergrass Dont Leave Me this way unsoulful?

    Teddy P.'s version is definitely soulful.

    Thelma? I won't say she isn't soulful, but it is moving too close to disco for my tastes.

    My anti-Donna comment up above, BTW, was fairly good-natured trash talking...she's talented, if that's what you're into. (And I'm not, but that's another story.)

    What really gets me is when people expect you to like something just because they can sing, or play, or arrange, or what have you. As if we're supposed to overlook that fact that the songwriting sucks, or that it may not be your thing in general. I could say that an Eric Clapton album isn't killing me, and somebody will say, "...but he can PLAY! His guitar tone is amazing!" I could say that I am not a big Anita Baker fan, but invariably someone will say "What's wrong with you? She can sing."

    That's the equivalent of saying they're "ugly but they sure can cook." Or they're "homely but have a nice personality." Gotta have the whole package.

    Yeaj im just needling u. I wouldnt place Donna Summer on an 70 all-time SOUL albums list myself.
    But i will not TOTALY separate some the art that Disco and Funk artists made from SOUL.

  • disco_che said:
    4YearGraduate said:
    Off the wall and no thriller? WTF

    Thriller = 80s

    my bad, i thought it was of all time.

  • BreezBreez 1,706 Posts
    I'm sure that 99.9% of the Strut disagrees with the list. You gotta realize though that lists like this are usually all "safe" picks. These lists usually go off of sales, awards and stuff of that nature. They will always mention the big sellers as opposed to the best music. You can't win when it comes to these type of lists.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    4YearGraduate said:
    disco_che said:
    4YearGraduate said:
    Off the wall and no thriller? WTF

    Thriller = 80s

    my bad, i thought it was of all time.

    Off The Wall > Thriller

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    batmon said:
    4YearGraduate said:
    disco_che said:
    4YearGraduate said:
    Off the wall and no thriller? WTF

    Thriller = 80s

    my bad, i thought it was of all time.

    Off The Wall > Thriller

    AND HERE WE GO AGAIN!

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    mannybolone said:
    batmon said:
    4YearGraduate said:
    disco_che said:
    4YearGraduate said:
    Off the wall and no thriller? WTF

    Thriller = 80s

    my bad, i thought it was of all time.

    Off The Wall > Thriller

    AND HERE WE GO AGAIN!

    Haha....

    Off The Wall - Disco/Funk/Pop/Soul
    Thriller - Pop/Funk/Modern Soul

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    HarveyCanal said:
    Okay, so only one album per artist was selected...but still, where the hell is Al Green's I'm Still in Love with You? Same could be said for Marvin Gaye's I Want You.

    Props to the list though for including Allen Toussaint's Southern Nights.

    I don't personally agree with this, but I've seen "Call Me" end up as the default "best Al Green album ever" choice on any list that asks the question. I'm with you - I like "I'm Still In Love With You" better.

  • Anyone ride for Millie jackson's s/t (debut?) before she adopted the raunchy shtick?

  • I must of been thinking of " This is Ann Peebles"


    pickwick33 said:
    The_Hook_Up said:
    my bad, Ann is the only one from 69


    The_Hook_Up said:
    Reynaldo said:
    Strider79it said:

    Marlena Shaw - Spice of Life
    1969

    there are few from 69 on the list though...Ann Peebles for one

    The Ann Peebles LP they selected, Straight From The Heart, is actually from 1971.

    Everything I saw on that list is from the 70's...nothing from 1969, nothing from 1980.

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    The_Hook_Up said:
    Anyone ride for Millie jackson's s/t (debut?) before she adopted the raunchy shtick?

    I most definitely do. Child of God gets much play at my night.
    One of the best flyers I ever made used the image from the back of the sleeve.

    I think SoulonIce is a fan of the record too.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Now that's the Ann Peebles album you never see, not even in most printed discographies.

    I was thinking Part-Time Love was her first album until I saw the LP you mention at somebody's apartment.

    I must of been thinking of " This is Ann Peebles"


    pickwick33 said:
    The_Hook_Up said:
    my bad, Ann is the only one from 69


    The_Hook_Up said:
    Reynaldo said:
    Strider79it said:

    Marlena Shaw - Spice of Life
    1969

    there are few from 69 on the list though...Ann Peebles for one

    The Ann Peebles LP they selected, Straight From The Heart, is actually from 1971.

    Everything I saw on that list is from the 70's...nothing from 1969, nothing from 1980.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    mannybolone said:
    HarveyCanal said:
    Okay, so only one album per artist was selected...but still, where the hell is Al Green's I'm Still in Love with You? Same could be said for Marvin Gaye's I Want You.

    Props to the list though for including Allen Toussaint's Southern Nights.

    I don't personally agree with this, but I've seen "Call Me" end up as the default "best Al Green album ever" choice on any list that asks the question. I'm with you - I like "I'm Still In Love With You" better.

    My problem with Call Me is that Al started to get into a rut with this LP. A lot of rock critics at the time implied that this long-player is basically I'm Still In Love With You, Part Two. I'd have to agree. As fine as this album is, the songs do tend to run together and sound alike.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Breez said:
    You gotta realize though that lists like this are usually all "safe" picks. These lists usually go off of sales, awards and stuff of that nature. They will always mention the big sellers as opposed to the best music. You can't win when it comes to these type of lists.

    Is that so?

    So exactly where was 24-Karat Black a big hit, on the planet Pluto?

    Exactly when did the RIAA certify Headless Horsemen Of The Apocalypse as a gold record?

    While these albums are known amongst soul junkies, I doubt if sales was the sole criteria for the list.

  • DocMcCoyDocMcCoy "Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
    haze25 said:
    I didn't know the strut had so much hate for that Syreeta album, i like her first 2 records alot.






    peace,xavier

    That second Syreeta album was a much bigger hit in the UK than in the US. There are a few good tunes on there, but it's not a patch on her first.

    This list is pretty weak, though. MOJO dropped the ball with this.
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