Live In Europe - Otis Redding

Advantages: superb, timeless songs
Disadvantages: no more recordings / performances from Redding

...A great party record, this one - plenty of cracking dance tunes, and a decent quota of slow tunes for later on. It's also some of the best quality soul music ever produced, and all of it produced during a very short period of time - during the mid-60s, until Redding died in a plane crash in 1967, aged just 26. Redding himself wrote many of the songs, songs as good as: # "These arms of mine" - his first single to chart, in 1963, it's a simple ballad, almost 50s crooner style. It's just a love song, about a guy pleading to his girl, but oh so persuasive. # "Respect" - Aretha Franklin recorded the definitive version, but it's definitely worth hearing the Otis original. # "Love man" - It might sound like a macho boast but I'm not so sure. When Otis stammers "cau cau cau cause I'm a love man" it sounds more like a man who... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A laid-back album with consistent track quality.
Disadvantages: None

...There are a lot of CDs of great music by The Man, but if you want an overview of the type of stuff he sang other than "Dock of the Bay" - then this CD is for you! This music was released in 1968 as an album and I later bought the CD for the little-known track "You Made a Man Out of Me", but found that I enjoyed the ten other tracks as well, including the laid back "I've Got Dreams to Remember" and "A Fool for You". The accompanying booklet says that the selections contained on this album were never released prior to 1968 (with the exception of "The Happy Song"). They were recorded during the spring, summer and fall of 1967 and comprise some of the last recordings made by Otis Redding.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: The definitive voice of soul
Disadvantages: cant see any!

...for me otis blue comfortabaly sits within the top ten albums of all time. most of the tracks on the cd are cover tunes, but with otis reddings trademark style and supreme talent they all sound like they could have been one of his! there are songs by a range of artists from sam Cooke numbers to the rolling stones! The three originals show Otis in top songwriting form with "Respect" "Ole Man Trouble," and the exceptional ballad "I've Been Loving You Too Long." The Big O is of course backed up by the always impressive Stax house band Booker T. & The MG's, augmented by horn players from the Mar-Keys and Isaac Hayes on keyboards (who often played with the group whenever Booker T. was away at school). Without question, this is an essential Otis Redding CD, a classic Stax release, and a milestone of the soul genre in the 1960's. "... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful