More of the Music of Aretha Franklin
Reviews and Commentaries for the Music of Aretha Franklin
We pulled together enough clean copies for a big shootout years ago and most of them sounded the way you’d expect — thin, bright, and grainy. The best copies did a much better job of communicating the music, giving you the kind of life and energy this music needs to work its magic.
There’s a touch of grit and grain at times, but that’s unavoidable unless you get a smeary later pressing that robs the instruments and vocals of their texture. I couldn’t stand to listen to a copy like that — I’ve heard plenty — so I’ll take the grit and the grain with my 60s soul and call it a day.
Tons of great material on here, including Aretha’s fun version of the Stones’ Satisfaction and the rockin’ classic 96 Tears.