Curtis Mayfield: Classic or Dud?

(Dave Q's comment will forever change the way I hear, etc.)

as someone else said, if you can find the demo versions of a lot of his songs on superfly and the curtis album (i got mine on a 3 cd cheapo box set love peace understanding), theyre a lot more understated than the finished versions. he didnt pretty them up with strings and extra ornamenation.

And also because the break down is great.

I completely agree with all the praise too. I'm fairly new to Curtis; started listening to him because of the high praise Robbie Robertson (among many others) gave him as both a guitar player and songwriter.

I don't have near enough of his material - Impressions or solo.

(CM is totally classic obv)

Curtis > Roots > Superfly > Short Eyes > Back To The World > Curtis Live > Got To Find A Way

-- Phil A. (spleetl...), May 8th, 2001.

and they cryout how ilm used to be better than now...

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:59d9kentgq7m

Curtis > Roots > Superfly > Short Eyes > Back To The World > Curtis Live > Got To Find A Way

Are you honestly saying There's No Place Like America Today isn't among his top SEVEN records?

There's No Place Like America Today is probably my favorite album of his, actually. And I think Back to the World is quite underrated.

Back to the World has a much better A side than B side.

I've never heard There's No Place Like America Today.

As a songwriter, guitar player, producer, and beautiful cat who brought his own funk and timeless positive message from a real place, a stone classic.

In order of preference:

There's No Place Like America Today 75
Back To the World 73
Sweet Exorcist 74
Got To Find A Way 74
Let's Do It Again 74
Give Get Take Have 76

However, I do have an early-80's album he did for the long-gone Boardwalk label, titled something like LOVE IS THE PLACE. Can't lie -it's from '81 or '82 and it sounds it, this ain't no retro project, but for what it is, it's not bad at all. The only real standout is "Just Ease My Mind," which should have been comped on that box set of black country singers that Warners released years ago. Seriously, this is Curtis gone country & western, and he OWNS it.

Track down a copy and hear it for yourself - because it was recorded well after his prime years, this album is always cheap as dirt in the used stores. "Just Ease My Mind," by itself, is worth the $1.

incredibly beautiful record, so much attention to detail. 1969, their 12th album in 6 years! in certain ways, "Young Mods" feels like the blueprint for what Curtis would do in the early and mid '70s as a solo artist but it still has those sweet harmony Impressions vocals. kind of an awesome, sweet, even somewhat sad juncture. the album is moody, reflective, joyous, sometimes airy, sometimes right to the point (a good mix of psych-funk flourishes and syrupy soul), room to breathe and room to grieve, AKA exactly what you'd expect from Curtis at his best

definitely appreciate that shout. in hindsight, the last 2 or 3 albums he did with the group are the staging area for curtis' solo albums. that one (young mod) has songs that curtis kept in his solo sets for years afterwards.

The Doo Doo Wop is soo fucking strong in here

otm

Jesus, when the horns finally make their entrance near the end of Billy Jack. Funkiest moment in history?

a joyous moment for sure

o man. any love for got to find a way? mothers son, people! the guitar playing!
― gaz (gaz), Monday, November 3, 2003 3:30 PM (twenty-one years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Been listening to this a ton lately. I think it's incredible, in a quartet of top-shelf albums along with Curtis, Superfly, and There's No Place Like America Today. Yet it seems to have a firm reputation as a second-tier work (at best). I don't get it!

all of the albums between superfly and there's no place like america today are very classic. he never hit the crossover audience as hard after his first few albums, but the quality of the music never wavered. sweet exorcist and back to the world are anyone else's best album.

and yeah, "mother's son" completely smashes. here's its counterpart from sweet exorcist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X3-DqUve08

"kung-fu" (1974)

was just listening to sweet exorcist and yeah it's a total masterpiece

I actually think Sweet Exorcist IS a second-tier album--though yes, a second-tier Mayfield album is still better than almost anything, and "Kung Fu" is great

It took me forever to fill the gap between BTTW and TNPLAT (both of which I adore), but Sweet Exorcist and Got To Find a Way are both great imo. If you have to rank things, sure, I'm not putting them above any of the preceding solo albums but Austin is ultimately otm, it should be known as one of those sustained run like Stevie, etc.

Sweet Exorcist is maaaybe a little less strong than GTFAW, but it's also a rarity: a back-loaded album. "Power to the People" is fantastic — is this the first official release of this song? I know it well from the beautiful demo version on my CD of Curtis; was he really sitting on it for 5 years? is this John Lennon's fault? — "Kung Fu" is classic, "Suffer" is lovely, and "Make Me Believe in You" rules, omg those strings, pulling off the trick of being tight & epic.

I haven't listened past TNPLAT yet but plan to, though I only know Young Mods and This Is My Country from the Impressions and I suspect that's a mistake: I briefly dipped into Check Out Your Mind! and it sounded great.

hey rob, you know it’s a firm agree from me across the board. thanks for the shout. your revive here prompted me to put heartbeat on the turntable the other day. it's alright, at best. if you like fred wesley, he's on it. it mostly reminded me --and i hate to say it-- thar after short eyes it's very clearly diminishing returns. discussion surely to be had about why, but as expected, i prefer his quiet storm ballads in the 'later years.' the duets album with linda clifford is a solid second tier recommendation in that respect. america today was truly the peak.

this illustration from the inner sleeve of short eyes is a f'kn trip!
https://i.imgur.com/p7VWXDa.jpeg
according to discogs, the credited zadok is the same artist that later worked with peter gabriel.

impressions' curtis years some of the best music ever imo. especially those last few. but i'm biased as hell, so of course i would say that!

yeah Short Eyes is the one post-America that I plan to listen to for sure. but I threw on Keep On Pushing earlier while making lunch, and now I'm thinking it would be more fun to live with the Impressions for a bit first.

btw Austin been meaning to thank you for bigging up Willie Wright on the Terry Callier thread. I was getting into TC this summer and then listened to the Wright album after reading the thread. Telling the Truth immediately became a serious obsession, which I passed onto a friend right before he took a road trip to Provincetown <3

ahh, wish i could take credit but willie wright was an ilm discovery for me too! not to threadjack, but any curtis fans reading this in the future are absolutely recommended willie wright. terry callier too; 70s alternasoul fans unite!

surely this is one of his best tunes? been going back to it a lot lately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi6RMO1lmRo

the impressions ― "so unusual" (1967)