44. Solomon Burke - Rock 'n' Soul (1964)




















Track Listing

1. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)
2. Cry to Me
3. Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)
4. If You Need Me
5. Hard, Ain't It Hard
6. Can't Nobody Love You
7. Just Out of Reach
8. You're Good for Me
9. You Can't Love 'Em All
10. Someone to Love Me
11. Beautiful Brown Eyes
12. He'll Have to Go

Review

The original cover of this album is in the lower left of the picture.

The King of Rock 'n' Soul, Mr. Solomon Burke. Yeah, he's good, actually in some bits he is amazing. He brings the soul that we've heard before here with Sam Cooke and such and adds to it a definitely rock vibe. There's some amazing use of guitars for example, while keeping the soul going.

Some of the tracks here you'll definitely know, like Cry to Me or Just out of Reach others will be pleseant surprises. But in all cases pleseant, there is not track out of place or on the "crappy" side here. Frankly, however, I would prefer to be reviewing a live album. I don't know Burke live, but if a live session brought about such a transformation to Sam Cooke, I wonder what it could do to Burke. This studio album is much better than anything that Cooke ever recorded on a studio, it lacks however when compared to the sheer energy of Live at the Harlem Square Club.

This isn't of course to say that this is a tame album, anything but, actually, but there is something missing here. Whatever is missing is not enough to make this an album that you can not listen to. Some tracks here shine, like Cry to Me, but others seem not to follow in terms of quality, although they do fit the album. This is not an Elvis-style haphazard affair.

Most definitely give it a listen, you can't stream it or anything, so you'll have to buy it from Amazon UK or US .

Track Highlights

1. Cry To Me
2. Just Out Of Reach
3. If You Need Me
4. Beautiful Brown Eyes

Final Grade

7/10

Trivia

As of October 2002 Burke was the father of 14 daughters and 7 sons with 64 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Several of his children and grandchildren have had successful careers in various facets of the music industry, though none as much so as their patriarch.

Boy... his filofax must be busy...

http://www.thekingsolomonburke.com/