Reviews (page 12 of 13)
That was a quick one! James Brown is great but I wouldn't listen to this live album again.
I like some James Brown here and there, but he gets old after a whole album. Also, it kinda defends itself as a live album, but not enough.
A short and sweet record. I enjoyed most of the performances from the band and James Brown, too. I think this record suffers from too much filler, and it being a live recording is to blame. The background noise, the audience, and the short set make it harder for me to rate higher. Favourite Track(s): Medley Least Favourite Track(s): Think
cant say this was a strong live album that caught me, when I usually enjoy live albums
2.5 - Meh
It’s what you’d expect.
It was fine. Didn’t know James Brown did more Motown before his big hits, this was showed me more of his Influence, esp seeing how early on he was Doing music. Won’t listen again but didn’t regret it.
Was ok. Listened a few times. Wouldn't particularly listen again.
Nix für mich
Great singer, not a huge fan of this live music, better ways to experience James Brown.
Eh. A lotta Ramblin for me. Probably more fun to watch than to just hear. 2.5
I did not use a private session for this one. I can understand the appeal of seeing him live as he was quite the performer, something was lost going to an audio only format. I expected more soul and horns, but got some fifties crooner, which wasn't bad.
4/10 Very underwhelming jazz record. Most of the music felt droning with occasional lyrics or the fangirls yelling. Not much to get out of it unfortunately for James Brown. I’m sure he’s talented, but this was not the album to showcase it.
Pros: great voice, swagger, and soulful music Cons: domestic violence, poor treatment of those around him, drug use. Hard to give a good rating based on how much of a piece of trash he was.
OK, nothing overly special. 2.5/5
I don't know about this one. It's certainly an powerful live performance and it makes sense that it's included over any of Brown's studio recordings, but something about it just doesn't resonate with me. It really does feel like a relic of a bygone era.
eh
eh
I love james brown's music, but this is tricky , the band are racing through the tunes as if they went to leave early, the ballads are boring and it's another live album . 2
Too much screaming from future grandmothers and great grandmothers to really enjoy the album. Plus, it’s only a half an hour long. Unless James Brown’s set was a part of an all day show at the Apollo, I would have felt that I wasn’t getting value for my money.
★★½
I know he’s the Godfather of Soul and this is a great example of this but it’s just not an album I’d choose to listen to.
First album! It was okay, I listened once while at work. I enjoyed reading the Apple Music listening notes to understand the importance of this album. 2 stars ⭐⭐
I enjoyed this fine, but not a tenth as much as the audience apparently did. It's James Brown, I got what I expected.
Not a big James Brown fan, let alone live haha
If this wasn't a live version with screaming girls I would rate this so much higher but as it is not great ruins several songs.
Mest ropase tyckt ja
Not as fiery and rambunctious as you'd expect from a James Brown live album. Although usually ranked as one of the best live albums of all time, I don't find too much variety on here. Brown is going through the slower, soul hits well enough, though there is nothing on here that knocks me off my feet. Best Tracks: - Medley - Lost Someone Worst Tracks: - Night Train Rating: 3.5/10
Eher nicht meins
Soul is a bit boring. This is ok.
Какие-то кричалки и церковные проповеди
My very first introduction to james brown
What do I even say. Jaut not my type I suppose.
Heard various James Brown songs before but never an album. Quite fun but at the same time nothing special 2/5
Zzzzzzzz 4/10
I’m sure it’s sacrilege or whatever but I’ve never been a huge James Brown fan - once you’ve heard one funky bop you’ve heard ‘em all, I reckon. No doubt he was a force of nature as a performer though, so including a live album of his seemed like a smart move. I’m still not a huge fan though; musically it just doesn’t do much for me. Plus the sequencing is all over the place (one song dragged out over 10 minutes, then 8 crammed into 6 minutes?! Madness!) The energy from the stage and the audience is good, but it didn’t move me the way that, say, Sam Cooke’s live album from this era did. 2.5 stars
You can tell the crowd loved it. High energy performance, he did great, but the music sucks
I dojnt like this stuff but its listenable, albeit not enjoyable
It’s so hard to judge old music because I really have no understanding of the context. This album was enjoyable, and I get why James Brown was famous 60 years ago, but I got a little bored at some points - there’s no reason “Lost Someone” needed to be 11 minutes long on the album. If it’s live, no problem, but it’s just too repetitive to listen to in isolation. That being said, I wish there was generally more time on this album, as long as there was enough unique content to fill it.
I like James Brown but I don't get how this is as highly rated as it is
James Brown is great and I would have loved to have seen him live in his heyday … But this album isn’t great.
I enjoyed the horns and the swing style of a good portion of the tunes. I like Brown’s later work better though. These songs just did not do it for me. 4/10
**An ok album. Too much screaming for me, but understand that it’s James Brown style.
May be a classic in due to historical context, but I don't find it all that amazing to listen to. It is still OK though.
Thought this would be better. Good moments but I wanted the James Browne we see in Rocky strutting around singing I Feel Good.
It was fine but I'm not going to listen to it again
The screaming is fun but a bit much. When i went to see Red Hot Chili Peppers at hyde park in...05?06? something like that - James Brown was booed off the stage.
Meh, was expecting so much more from this. The screaming ladies save it from a 1 star
Not enough energy for me
p63. 1963. 2 stars. Not a fan of live albums, especially ones that have overdubbed applause. Good sound, but didn't hit the sweet spot for me.
Way too much filler and enthusiasm for me
Il y a des disques, des monuments, des piliers, des trucs qui figurent en gras dans toutes les encyclopédies du rock, de la soul, de la musique populaire, de la vie, de l'univers et du reste. Le "Live At The Apollo" de James Brown, est de cette trempe-là. Un disque tellement légendaire que le simple fait de le posséder dans sa discothèque semble vous conférer un brevet de bon goût, une sorte de certification "connaisseur" à accrocher au-dessus de la cheminée. Le livre "1001 Albums" le place là, en bonne position, et qui suis-je pour contester l'Histoire ? Personne. Juste un type qui, après une énième écoute, se dit que l'Histoire, parfois, c'est un peu chiant. Voilà, c'est dit. J'entends déjà les puristes : "Comment ça, chiant ? C'est l'énergie brute ! La naissance de la soul ! Le Godfather en pleine possession de ses moyens !". Oui, oui, je sais tout ça. J'ai lu les mêmes bouquins que vous. Je l'ai même vendu quand je bossais au magasin, en le recommandant chaudement comme un "indispensable". Mais l'honnêteté, merde ! C'est le but de ce blog. Et en toute honnêteté, ce disque est une épreuve. Je vais être clair : je ne remets pas en cause James Brown. Le bonhomme est un génie absolu, un titan dont l'ombre plane encore sur tout ce qui bouge, du funk au hip-hop en passant par le rock le plus basique. Prince, Michael Jackson, Public Enemy... tous lui doivent quelque chose. Son influence est aussi indiscutable que la connerie humaine. Mais ce disque... ce "Live At The Apollo" de 1962... est-ce vraiment le meilleur moyen de s'en rendre compte ? J'en doute fortement. Pour moi, cet album est le parfait exemple du "il fallait y être". J'imagine sans peine la folie furieuse dans la salle ce soir-là, à Harlem. La sueur, les cris, la transe. Brown qui se donne comme un damné, le groupe qui envoie la purée avec une cohésion de régiment prussien sous amphétamines. On l'entend, cette ferveur. On la sent presque physiquement. Le problème, c'est qu'une fois transposée sur une galette de vinyle (ou un CD, ne soyons pas sectaires), cette énergie brute se transforme en un brouhaha parfois difficilement audible. Ça braille, ça crie, ça souffle dans les cuivres, la foule hurle à s'en péter les cordes vocales. La prise de son est... disons, "authentique". Pour être moins poli, c'est un bordel sans nom. On a l'impression d'écouter le concert depuis les toilettes, avec la porte entrouverte. Les medleys s'enchaînent à une vitesse folle, les morceaux sont à peine esquissés avant de passer au suivant. On ne savoure rien. On subit une décharge électrique de 30 minutes qui, au lieu de vous réanimer, vous laisse juste avec un mal de crâne et l'envie de mettre un truc un peu plus... carré. Et c'est là que le problème. Moi, du haut de mes 55 balais, ce que j'aime chez James Brown, c'est la précision chirurgicale de sa machine funk. C'est le groove implacable des J.B.'s des années 70, ces rythmiques tellement parfaites qu'on pourrait régler une horloge atomique dessus. C'est "Sex Machine", "The Payback", "Funky Drummer". Des titres où chaque coup de caisse claire, chaque note de basse, chaque riff de guitare est à sa place, au millimètre près. Le chaos organisé. Ici, dans l'Apollo, on n'en est pas encore là. On est dans le R&B survitaminé, dans la performance pure, dans le show. Et le show, ça se regarde. Ça ne s'écoute pas forcément en boucle dans son salon. C'est un document, un témoignage historique inestimable, je veux bien le concéder. C'est la photo d'un artiste en train de devenir une légende. Mais un album que je vais me repasser pour le simple plaisir de la musique ? Non. Quand un client entrait dans la boutique et me demandait LE disque de James Brown, je lui tendais une compile de ses années Polydor. Le Star Time, par exemple. Là, tu as tout : la sueur ET le son. L'énergie ET les chansons. Le "Live At The Apollo", c'était pour le puriste, le collectionneur, le mec qui voulait se la toucher en disant "moi, j'ai les racines du truc". Grand bien lui fasse. Alors oui, c'est dans le livre. Et il doit y être, pour l'Histoire. Pour comprendre d'où vient cette force de la nature. Mais ce projet, c'est "1001 albums à écouter avant de mourir", pas "1001 cours d'histoire à ingurgiter". Et pour moi, ce live est un cours magistral un peu trop poussiéreux. Je reconnais l'importance du professeur, mais j'avoue avoir regardé ma montre plus d'une fois pendant la leçon. Pour le document, pour l'énergie palpable et pour ce que ça représente, je lui accorde un 2/5. Mais si vous voulez vraiment savoir pourquoi James Brown est Dieu, allez plutôt chercher du côté de ses forfaits studio des années 70. Là, vous entendrez non seulement un homme crier, mais aussi une machine groover. Et la différence est de taille.
I'll be honest, I've never been a huge James Brown fan.. I respect the fact that he was one of the last people to see Apollo Creed alive, and has some undeniably good songs. None of those tracks were on this album however. This album is exactly the James Brown I think of when his name is mentioned. Not the cool, soulful, and dare I say it semi-coherent artist that showed up to make "The Boss" and "Living in America".. No, instead you get this screeching lunatic that looks more like a Madame Tussauds waxwork of someone's Auntie, than an RnB star. A guy who comes crashing onto tracks with near incomprehensible vocals. At some points it genuinely feels like bad scat music.. at other points he just sounds like an actual spastic. (Listen to him shout "All Aboard" at the start of Night Train and tell me I'm wrong). Going back to the point about scat music, the irony is that had this actually have been scat I'd have probably enjoyed it more, because after several minutes of incoherent jivey squawking, accompanied by the wet pantie brigade in the front row drowning out any remaining chance of a decent listening experience, I couldn't help but think the sound of heavy, wet shit getting carelessly slopped against a concrete wall would have provided a comparatively blissful release from the relentless rectal pebble-dashing this album was for me. 2 stars overall, only because I know I'm in the minority when it comes to James Brown, so there's a chance it's a me problem more than anything else (it's not.) That and the fact the album was probably hampered by the incessant crowd noise.. which again is technically JB's fault for being such a provocative wailing godauntie of soul. Throw the damn towel, I'm done.
boring, but wasnt shit i suppose
I hate a live album, especially from way back. At least newer live albums benefit from better sound. I wasn't there. I couldn't see James's glistening sweaty brow, or whether he was wearing a magnificent robe, or whether he was sacking one of his musicians for bending a note.
James Brown: Åpner munnen Publikum: ÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆ Det er i hvertfall et livealbum med skikkelig live stemning, og jeg tviler ikke på at det var en fantastisk kul konsert å være på. Han synger jo vanvittig bra, og det er kule rytmer. Men jeg synes ofte det er vanskelig å like live-album, får mye mindre dybde i musikken hvis det gir mening. Og skjønner virkelig ikke hvorfor Lost Someone tenkte å fylle halve albumet, den er ikke spesielt bra
Still haven’t had a live album in this project that has been worth the time. This period of James Brown just isn’t as iconic as his later 60s/early 70s output.
Inte min stil, icke live-vesionen kanske är nice att ha på där hemma
Some of the girls in this audience need to chill out before they hurt themselves. Tight instrumentals but none of the songs are particularly memorable.
I typically love funky stuff but I didn't love the live aspect of this album. James Brown isn't really my favorite either.
Pretty good. Im not a huge funk guy, but I can appreciate the greats
Don't care for the album
None of the hits 😢
I wasn't really feeling the heat. It was an OK listen but even as short as it was, I was ready for it to be over. 2.5/5
I can appreciate it, but its not my thing
This was disappointing. Yes, a lot of energy, but the songs are pretty weak and the backing band seems to rely on just a couple of riffs too often.
Lots of energy (and screeching) from The Apollo. Live albums seem to have an easier time making the 1001 list and this one’s a good example. I think this album does a good job capturing the 1963 event which is likely why it made the list. And James didn’t change his sound much over the years. The time in prison slowed his career, kinda never heard from him once he went in. He’s better in small doses, I give Live At The Apollo (2.5*s)
James Brown is fine but this album is very underwhelming. It sounds a bit tinny and the live format really takes away from the production value. Even with the screaming fans, this setlist does little to capture his energy and it just doesn't work. Why are there so many live albums on this list anyway? Meh 1.75.
Another live one from the list. I don't think these should count since they are really compilations of hits. Maybe there should be a list of 1001 live shows you should have been at. As for JB, does get down a bit here but hadn't really busted it out yet. The Apollo is a famous joint but I bet better shows have passed through. Really confused as to why this album made Christgau's top albums of the 70s when the concert/album release was in the 62/63. Screaming girls, alright back up band, and a few owws from the GF of soul put this one at 1.63.
While I'm only familiar with a handful of his hits, James Brown is an icon of stage presence and performance showmanship. Unfortunately a lot of that doesn't translate through on an album, especially this selection from his early career. Overall it wasn't 30 minutes wasted, but I'm scratching my head as to why I needed to hear this before I die. I think my time would have been better spent watching some performances of James Brown on Youtube. This albums really seems like a "you had to be there". 1.86 stars
Not my jam
Okay.
Do you like short songs? If so then this is the album for you! The songs have a nice beat, and rhythm to them. I also think that his voice is okay, but I really don't like it. The instruments are good too. I don't like how it sounds old though. So that is why I recommend that you do not listen to this album.
I like the beat of the songs in the album, but there aren't many actual lyrics. Overall I don't like this album much but I would recommend for people who like older style songs.
Never loved live records. This one desk capture the larger than life experience, but forms come close to a great album per se for me
Lots of screaming & squealing.
Not my thang
I like a few songs but not enough to sit through a live album. Still not a bad listen.
I know a few James Brown songs, but I’ve never listened to any of his full albums. When I saw this album on the list, it piqued my interest quite a bit. However, most of the live albums on this list have been pretty underwhelming to me, and I don’t think I’m familiar with any of these songs, so this album might be a bit of a coin flip. Well, this was incredibly underwhelming. I’ll give James Brown credit, he certainly knows how to work a crowd, and this album does evoke that visual of him dancing around, and singing into his microphone wile sweat pours down his face, but musically, this album was pretty boring and forgettable. James Brown and The Apollo are both legends, but their reputations far outshine the end result of this album. “Lost Someone” was shockingly the best song on the album, and the thing that makes it stand out is Brown’s crowd work. For an album with so many musicians, the music was pretty hollow, and I felt like there was no energy to the sound. And with that many instruments, the music still managed to sound pretty flat and empty. The crowd work was the best part of this album, but other than that, there’s not much to hear on this one.
Mehh
goofy ah
This was really good, can't say I understand the low scores
A live album that’s so aggressive, it feels like being yelled at by someone who doesn’t know when to quit. According to my boredom vs. time analysis, it peaked around the 3rd track. By song six, audiences reported symptoms of auditory fatigue.
"Lookin' cool Joker!" ahh performance :joy: Maybe a 2.5? It's not bad. Would go crazy as faded out background music in a pool hall or semi-fancy restaurant lmao
2.75 This seems more like a "you had to be there" type of thing than a must hear album.
This stirs the argument again of whether live albums should be included on this list. This one has a a bit too much whooping and hollowing for my liking which detracts from the actual merit of the music. James Brown is a well loved and respected musician and rightly given the title Godfather of Soul. That said he has never made an impression on my musical taste buds. I admire this album from afar but like James Brown himself and despite his exceptional talent, does nothing for me. 2/5 12/10/24
I guess you had to be there
Short and sweet,bit of a cash in
Where are the hits? This was a ton of band hits with some same sounding signs in between.
Not that into James Brown in general. Can only listening to so many shrieks before it gets repetitive. The band is top notch though. 2.5/5 Stars
1963. On first listen, I thought “Great, it’s like Sandlot music.” Undoubtedly talented, but I still huffed and puffed at the generic “60s” do-op sound. Then, I got to the backend of the album and the track “Lost Someone” just hit me. And it carried on and on. And the following tracks ran with that soulful energy and kept me close. This is another time and place album, which would have been a blast to see live, although I don’t think I’d ever sing along. Still, the horns and bass on those final tracks give this album a bit more shine than I originally would have scored it. So this is James Brown. Favorite track: Lost Someone
Not really my thing
This one could not grab me unfortunately. I think some of the energy is lost in me, due to all the background cheering and live noises.
Not a fan. Not my style but kinda ok.
Would be awesome to have been there, but weird listening to recorded concerts like this
sooooooooo boring
I went into this album expecting a 2 star record and I have to say I wasn’t swayed from that assessment. Live albums and I have a hard history together. I can probably count on 1 hand thee amount of LIVE ALBUMS I enjoy (two of which are by Nirvana) This record is 8 tracks. 1 which is basically an intro. So that’s 7 songs of music and they fair pretty average to poor. Best track is “Try Me” which has a sorta “Earth Angel” feel. It also doesn’t have an over bearing James Brown voice. “I Don’t Mind” is another good slow jam The biggest issue with this Live record Is the mixing of Mr. Browns vocals. They are way too loud in the mix. When he gets Screaming and yelling it almost hurts the ears. Obviously he has a powerful voice but sometimes less is more. The crowd is very loud as well. They have those Beatlemania type girl screams (without the great songs to back it up) Now this album could have been saved by a decent live album of some late 50s early 60s style of music but is let down by the 10 and half minute dirge that is “Lost Someone”. “Lost Someone” is a nothing song and I swear is only here to increase run time of this concert. This track might have been a nice fun slow jam Live, and if you were at the show this probably was amazing to see in person. However on an album it’s nothing spectacular and goes on far too long. It’s a perfect mixture of James Browns screeches and the audience doing the same, YES it’s all TOO MUCH (make sure volume isn’t up all the way) If Living in America is like this with James Brown then Kick me out of the Apollo Theatre and let me be like Apollo Creed after Drago knocked the life out of him 2/5 My Star Rating 1* - Not Good 2* - Has Merit 3* - Would listen again, Pretty good 4* - like it/ Love it 5* - Love It & is for Sure a Classic album
I wasn't a fan. I get that he was an important artist and paved the way for soul music, but it's not for me. Hoping one of his studio albums will change my mind.
OK
Meh. 2. Its a fast listen but still a bit of a slog. I wish I could relate to those folks swooning and fainting when he sung, b.c. I just felt neutral. He walked so Beyonce and Mnek could run though.
Not for me
VERY short album. The live concert audio was not great. Always a showman
Not as good as later James Brown
James Brown is amazing but this is the first live album I've heard on this list where the live element has worsened the experience. Low 2.
I’m not sure live recordings of dubious quality are good for anyone.
An amazing talent to be sure, but I just don't imagine myself coming back to this at all
Not sure how I feel about this live album. It had moments of being fun but def nothing special. Rounding down.
It’s all good, but none of his awesome, famous songs. His early work just isn’t as catchy.
i like james brown! but the crowd needs to get it together. 2.5
Fully support everyone listening to James Brown, but why are we listening to this James Brown album. This crowd does not have enough energy. I guess at least it happened before the explanation could possibly be that everyone was on their phones recording instead.
I love the music of James Brown and I'm sure this was a legendary concert, but I did not enjoy listening to this recording. There are much better versions of the songs they were playing.
Not for me.
I don't know what the point of this is. I guess the music is great and all, but most of it is this weird start and stop to interact with the crowd, that doesn't really work when you are listening to an album. Probably great live, as an album it's like 10 minutes of actual music.
Det swinger! Men det er fanme gammelt 🙄
Never could get into James Brown and his music. I found it tedious. 2/5
Inget ont om JB, men det här var en spelning som jag inte tyckte fungerade särskilt bra som liveskiva. Halvdassigt ljud och hans showande och tjejernas skrikande stör mig bara tyvärr.
#263. Hey look, it's the number 1 R&B star of 1962! 2/5: I don't care.
objectively great but not my thing I suppose
Version live pas ouf. J'aime moins que d'habitude JB.
maybe if i was a 14 year old girl 50 years ago LOL not bad but not for me
Jäi laimeaksi näin 60v tapahtuman jälkeen. Osittain pisteitä laskenee levyn kuuntelu pyöräilyn aikana ja siitä aiheutunut taustamelu syö entisestään tunnelmaa pois.
Hukkui taustalle ajaessa. Muuten ok
Not awesome
Hacía tiempo que no me tocaba un directo. Año 1963 a ver. Ufff cómo suena desde "Introduction" Pero no están sus éxitos, así que aunque es algo a escuchar una vez creo que hay trabajos que lo representan mejor.
I’m sure he was great love. This couldn’t capture the energy.
2.5
Meh.
I know live albums aren’t necessarily the best showcase for an artist’s music, but I didn’t enjoy this at all
Not a fan of a live album. His voice is good but that doesn't take away from the crowd noises that annoy me
It's probably better at the gig, like a lot of live albums. Listening to it each song just merges into the other one.
Don’t really like most live albums cause of the sound of the crowd
This record is a time capsule. As a live recording in the early 1960s, it captures James Brown before he was the incredible funk legend, and while he was still doing a bit of classic 1950s duo wop similar to Smokey Robinson, the Penguins, or Little Anthony. Still plenty of funk in here, but I was surprised that it wasn’t a full on funk record. Fun to listen to, though.
Not as good as the Jerry Lee Lewis recording we had a couple of weeks ago and I wasn’t a massive fan of that. Guess this was the record that ‘made’ JB, hence its inclusion, suspect there’s better in his discography
Was really looking forward to listening to this as I’d heard it’s a classic live album, but ultimately couldn’t wait for it to end. Obvs he’s got a great voice, but that was all this is, the backing band felt non-existent. I always thought he was supposed to be legendary live, but I got no energy from this - maybe that’s the recording or I’m just not getting the pure soul element. Also the crowd screaming didn’t seem linked to the music, guess he’d just shoved his crotch in the general direction of some underage girl. Anyway, this isn’t a patch on that other wrong’un Jerry Lee’s live album we rated the other week.
Wanted to like it and started off doing so but it couldn’t keep my attention.
Live albums shouldn't be on this list!!!!
Sounds very old-school. Lots of different instruments used. Good music but didn't catch my interest.
Were all of James Brown’s concerts a half hour long? By the time I was in the groove it was half over. JB was a rocking performer, but live albums are generally awful. This one wasn’t too bad for being live, but still…
Screamy
This was fine. Certainly no Sam Cooke at the Harlem, that’s for sure. Some good energy. The announcing of the setlist before they played anything was interesting to say the least.
Enjoyed his voice…. And the crowd participation in Lost Someone… first time I really listened to this and some songs.
Virkelig energisk sæt og Djeims har en fed stemme, men øh...man sku nok ha været der. Og jeg følte ikke rigtig at jeg var der.
I think the choice of backing vocals from a bunch of screaming 14-year-old girls high on sugar were a miss-step by the great James Brown.
Gefällt mir nicht so wegen der Live-Aufnahme mit viel Gejohle, was meines Erachtens die Musik stört.
Didn't do much for me. Night Train and I'll Go Crazy were the best tracks.
not my thing
Not as James Brown as I was expecting
ladies love it
I can't get on board with a live album that's only 31 minutes but still managed to cram a 10 minute repetitive track in the middle, that seems to mainly consist of screaming over the same riff being played endlessly. I was expecting something more funky but it's slow jazzy / R&B that I found to drag Also the generator gave me back to back live albums which I'm not a fan of generally
... Kinda meh?
Eh... Just not my cup of tea
Hate old “live” albums
I’m sure if I was there it’d be electric
Gonna go with what I feel is the general 1001 consensus with this one. As an album, it’s not particularly great, and its influence clearly far outpaces the musical content itself on this album. At times the band isn’t super tight, even. Clearly I’m just not hearing what every other screaming girl at the show that night heard, which was a step change in music, a very important one, but one that nonetheless sounds normal and even boring to a listener today. Though my mind was gonna get blown, I left kind of underwhelmed! I don’t remember sitting through a James Brown album, though, so it was worth it for that. 2/5. Great musician, clearly electric, not a good album.
I love James Brown, but I struggle with live albums. Rarely the live component improves the listening experience for me and this wasn't one of those times. There's a visual component necessary for me to enjoy a live album.
altes Amerika
Soul
James Brown's importance to soul, Rock and Roll, R&B, and even modern pop are undeniable. However, this album isn't the best to illustrate his significance as, with most live albums, the production is not great.
Schreeuwerig druk gedoe. Zowel Chames zelf als de wijven in de zaal. Enorm weinig zin in deze maandag. Gelukkig is het maar een half uurke. Niet per se slecht, maar wel slechts 2 sterren van deze zure recensent.
he's a legend
A bit too shouty for my taste
Pre-Funk era, I guess? This live recording sounds like it was a great gig - I mean, really great. The energy and performance is top tier, and the audience wailing and screaming throughout confirm it. This will get a lower rating from me for being not my cup of tea, and, whilst I appreciate it, i'm not intending to revisit it again.
not really fan of any live albums
Extremely underwhelming.
its old, but really good performance. I might put it in the background from time to time
Not really my thing, but nice enough background music.
Fine for what it was but it didn't "move me" like I imagine it did others at the time of its release.
I have only heard the usual 'classic' James Brown songs and it was really interesting to hear these songs I didn't know and also in such a raw and real setting. I enjoyed the album much more than I thought I would as James Brown's big sound is not what I normally enjoy. This was more low-key soul and I really liked it. It is not an album I would choose to put on again in the future, but would not complain about hearing it again. I can appreciate the concept of 'Soul' as it definitely reflected Gospel influences in my mind and the idea of religious fervour at times.
Not my vibe.
The audio quality is not very good. There's a great deal of screaming, which I found irritating. It's not an album I'd revisit. Maybe there's another James Brown album in the collection that I might prefer.
I'm sure that James Brown is good, but I just don't like gospel-like singing.
This album highlights one of my biggest problems with live recorded albums. Girls screaming. I hate it so much and it ruins the songs instantly for me. Other than that this album was very basic and was pretty forgettable.
The song ‘Love Someone’ is 10 minutes and extremely repetetive
It was ok but I wouldn't listen to it again.
I learned a while back that just because someone is considered a legend and highly influential, doesn’t mean I have to like them. So here goes. I don’t like James Brown.
while i do like james brown studio recordings, i just can’t get into his live songs. the songs tend to be redundant and he came across as a crazy person on the stage. he tries WAY too hard. twas grating at times.
You’d have to pay me actual money to suffer thru this. I’ll give it a pity two.
Why are there so many live albums? Great songs but drowned out by audience screams
Dá não!!!!
Not interested in live albums generally This is fine Will never ever listen to it again 2/5
Another live record? There's a lot of energy and vibe captured here, but also perhaps too much. There is a lot of screaming. A lot of unrefined energy. There's a 10 minute track of James riffing over a repetitive blues riff and hyping the crowd to scream for him - which is great if you're there but I'm not there. I'm not here for any of this. Am I going to listen to this again? NO. Do I know why this is on the list? No. It could be left off. But I could listen to it. Solid 2/5 from me.
Behh
Meh. I'm guessing I would enjoy this a lot more if I could see what he was doing. I don't think his singing is that great on this album.
Eh
Great range in voice, but this was a very boring listen.
мех
This album sounds very dated. Much of it seems like a holdover from the 50s. I’d like to think I like James Brown but I don’t really know.
Aburrido
Personally not my style. Enjoyed some of the moments throughout
Typically not a fan of live albums. Music is solid, but vocals/screeching are not my favorite, and the crowd noise/screams is/are distracting. Largely repetitive as well. Fav tracks: N/A
From listening to this, I can't work out what all the fuss was about. I know he was known as the godfather of soul music, but this, nah. It was followed on YouTube by Get Up Offa That Thing. Now that was more like it, but that is more funk than soul, and we all know that George Clinton was Godfather to that. All in all not for me, very low 2
Screaming in audience do not add anything whatsoever. He's got a great voice and by the sounds of things is a great performer. Not a fan of the music tho. Probably like a 3/10 for me
definitely not my thing
This was okay. Didn’t enjoy this live album as much as the Sarah Vaughan record. 2.5/5
A live album of songs I’ve never heard before - poor thing never stood a chance
- Some live jazz, as we usually get - As usual, great background music, but nothing I would go back to - Appreciate the short length tho
This album hits pretty good if you know what I’m saying. It sure does pack a big punch for such a little package if you’re picking up what I’m dropping down. It’s like a lead pipe to the head if you feel me.
The highlight of this album came when farting during a trumpet interlude of one of the songs. Very largely forgettable otherwise
Its hard not to appreciate the showmanship of James Brown however this did absolutely nothing to cure my disdain for live albums, if it were to be subtitled 80% of the text would be 'inaudible chatter' occasionally interspersed with a cacophony of felines at the wailing wall during one of the slowest half hours of my life
It was dull. No real form or substance. Certainly something that would have worked if you could see him on stage.
Older vibe. Great music just not one I can fully appreciate. The combination between rock and jazz is very on brand for the time. Definitely a lot more rock/jazzy style and has a lot of similarities to music nowadays. Clearly a massive inspiration
Not my thing at all, impressive vocals.
First listen Saved 2/8 Top track: I'll Go Crazy
Again - live albums should not be on the list. This isn't 1001 performances you should have been to. I'm sure JB put on a hell of a show that night. The crowd seemed into it, and I would have loved to have been there. But, as an album, it poor audio quality and I just feel like I'm missing the real show (which is not his vocals).
Not a fan of live albums, but heard James Brown could really pull them off. Maybe he could in person, but it doesn’t translate on the album as some other artists are able to. It’s not the worst live album, but a live album nonetheless. 2/5
I like James brown, but hate live albums
It was alright, but there was just a lot of screaming and cheering by the end that was just not interesting to listen to.
Last James Brown album we had, I remember thinking (and maybe writing) that it would've been better live. Now that we're here, I find that it didn't do as much as I hoped. The fangirls shouting is more annoying than anything, and the songs are just drags on more than a regular album. James is undeniably at least as good a singer live as he is on the album, but other than that that there's nothing that stands out here. I seriously don't understand why this live album, if you had to pick any, ended up on this list.
I dunno, this was just a forgettable live album for me. Not much more to say honestly. 2 feels a bit harsh since it wasn't bad it just didn't do anything for me.
It automatically gets a lower rating because of the background noises. It's tiring...
Groovy, but not really memorable.
Мужик орет знатно
Насколько же легко проносится эта музыка... и насколько же она круче звучала бы, если бы её отреставрировали и пересвели. Нет, конечно, это добавляет определённого "лампового" оттенка и подчёркивает время создания записи. Но... ну... не знаю, мне показалось, что левый канал например сильно перегружен. Но как же парень чувствует... иногда даже чересчур. Когда его вокал срывается в крик - иногда становится некомфортно. Я понимаю, да, это эмоция, проникновение в душу, все дела, но чувак, давай ты не будешь долбиться в мои уши, чтобы достигнуть моей души? Он классный. Но звучит плохо.
Absurdly theatrical - this was clearly an event to see, not to listen to. Musically, it's not much to remember. A really good rythym section and horns, but vocals are too busy with histrionics and playing to the audience to be bothered with melody.
This genre I'm supposed to like, but idk, it sounded meh.
Waaaaah!
I didn't care for this, but it was over quickly enough.
This is gay Score: 40 Art: 100 Fantastic album art
James Brown is one of the titans of American music, just immense. But this kinda ain't it. The sound quality kinda saps the energy, making this somehow sleepy. A touch too much screeching, both from JB and the crowd. Just a forgettable experience from one of music's most unforgettable acts.
2.5
A poor effort from James
Hmm not for me 2/5
Live albums are never as good as one made in a studio, are they?
I love JB and you can hear him working out what he will be here but it’s rushed.
I wanted to like this more :(
Quite short album and includes many slower songs, while I personally like his faster songs more
This is another record I'm not sure I think I'm able to fully appreciate, if you like James Brown and classic RnB then of course this is essential but personally I can only really get into his music when I can see him perform it directly. It doesn't help that the mixing on this is pretty terrible? AFAIK the master tapes were lost for a while so it took ages for this to get remastered beyond 60's vinyl quality, and it really shows in how empty and tinny the mix feels. But the man's a crazy good performer, and the moments you get where you can hear the audience going apeshit are fantastic (especially the 'say it a little louder' part on Lost Someone). Honestly I wish the album leaned into the crowd interaction more because it never failed to put a grin on my face. Its definitely worth the listen but its not one of my favorite live albums, nor something I'll likely come back to. Also I have to give a shout to that album art, absolutely fantastic atmosphere created by that painting. Highlights: Lost Someone, Medley: Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone
wasn't bad but live.. fuck off
Not bad, but not my cup of tea
Pretty good, although not my thing
Based on the success of the last live album, I gave this one a shot since it's Mr Brown, but this fell below expectations. This goes back into the live albums category. James was performing but it felt very repetitive, and even on the song I was looking forward to the most, Sex Machine, he kept repeating things over and over. I know people do that when they are live to get the crowd going, but that, to me, doesn't need to be an album on this list.
Unexpectedly boring.
Genres: R&B, soul Formed: mid to late 50’s Run time: 11 songs, 31 min, 33 sec James Brown a.k.a. "The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business", "Godfather of Soul", "Mr. Dynamite", and "Soul Brother No. 1". Spotify: Least popular song: 285k plays Most popular song: 730k plays. James Brown was an amazing, entertaining singer with boundless energy on stage. This album captures none of that. While there is a hint of what’s to come, there are none of his trademark hits. Listen Again?: No My Rating: **
An okay album that I would prefer to hear as a studio album compared to a live version. Like most songs or albums the live version takes away from some of the best sounding parts of the song and adds crowd noise that makes the album less enjoyable. This album is no different. I like James brown. I like these songs but I don’t enjoy the live album aspect. 4.6/10
Decent background music but nothing special 🤷♀️
Not as good as I expected.
I thought I liked James Brown, but thoroughly disliked this one.
James brown is good and worth a listen but this album is a pain to listen to as half of it is screaming fans. Enjoyed lost someone but it seems to be the only version of that song. He has 4 different songs called lost someone.
Clearly legendary and seminal, but in actual fact, it is pretty dull and samey and not really in the groove that made him a legend
Not my thing. Never was. Just don’t get the vibe or hype of JB
I enjoyed this, but reluctant to place a 30 minute live album, ten minutes of which was one song, among the greatest of all time. A fun listen.
Good singer, nice use of the instruments but the fact that it’s live detracts a bit from the score for me
Wanted more than it gave. One and done.
It's just kinda okay. I understand it's essential, but it doesn't really move me at all. It's a pretty good performance, his voice is great, the band is tight but it doesn't present much that really perks my interest. There's far more interesting stuff on this list when it comes to reviewing and discussing music. 2.5.
äh, inte så kul väl
So I could just say: I don’t mind. I listened to this a few hours ago, and I remember almost nothing. It made such little impact on me that I just don’t care and I don’t mind. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. I was just indifferent. I know the big James Brown hits which I’m happy to sing along to and dance to. But I’m just as happy to live without them. I’m also very happy to live without this album. Mercifully it was short. It’s probably worth a 2.5 - but that ain’t an option so this is probably meaner than I intended.
The audience sounds like fun and I bet the energy was great at the Apollo on this night. But this just came across as flat for me. Might be that I'm returning to life post bout with COVID and my sense of taste is off but I'm not feeling the greatness that is James Brown on this one.
Mjeh.... Æji, leiðist hann pínu.
definitely a cool piece of history and im glad i listened to it, but it’s not really my cup of tea
Meh, nice drums
Really not a fan of live albums. I could see why this is a must listen to, but nothing really stuck out that made making it live any more important to it's musicality. Just a lot of screaming. My favorite song was the middle part of the medley for the fact that people would just let the man sing. Obviously he's having fun with the crowd, having them participate, but it's not that fun for the actual listener. Seems like I'd prefer an album by Brown that isn't live, huh?
2. Feels dated and flat for a live performance. No real standouts or reasons to recommend.
Pretty funny hearing James do a little "yeah" and letting the crowd scream it back. Otherwise, not something that really drew me in
fiilistelyä ja ajankuvaa, ihan kiva
Tämä levytys onnistuu luomaan illuusion loistavasta keikasta, vaikka äänitys kuulostaakin ohuelta ja soitto kiirehtivältä. Brownin äänen avautuminen konsertin aikana muodostaa myös oman narratiivisen sävynsä. Ja vaikken näkisi kuuntelevani samaa keikkaa kovinkaan usein, en myöskään tule täysin unohtamaan tämän levyn olemassaoloa.
Never a big JB fan. Too much screaming
A lot of the songs sound the same and there was too much shrill screaming for me to actually enjoy this album.
Sigh, two live albums in a row. The music is really pretty boring. Could very well be a 3 without the annoying live bla bla or if it were at least mixed much better, with clearer and less background instrumentation and less dominant crowd cheering.
Não funcionou para mim por não estar envolvido com o clima de show.
The audience are clearly along for this soul train ride but I just couldn't get on board I'm afraid.
Live albums zijn irritant
Brown nog voordat ie funky ging. Het is meer R&B en laat dat nou net niet in mijn straatje liggen. Sorry James!
Ik had verwacht dat dit me beter zou bevallen. Ik trek dat gekrijs niet.
Nice to hear some James Brown that aren't the same old overplayed cliche tunes. Still not very interesting however
i couldn't get excited about this. i think 1001 albums chooses exceptionally good live albums and i could see how this one made the cut. i'm not sure if it's because i know of the allegations of james brown or it's the fact i didn't really know the songs. typically when i do listen to live albums, i already know the artist and the songs well. i didn't have that connection with james brown's music this time around. the audience was so lively! and brown really got the crowd going. i didn't initially recognize "night train," but i do know that song from back to the future! i liked hearing brown's rendition and his own lyrics.
I am not usually big on live albums. I feel like a certain magic of the live performance tends to get lost in translation most of the time. Unfortunately, I felt like this album fell prey to that. I wasn't really able to FEEL the energy of the room and the performances. Not to mention, I'm already not really a fan of James Brown or his music, so I feel like this live album was probably an uphill battle.
Meh
Naja, hat schon bekannte eingängige Stücke, aber James Brown ist für meinen Geschmack zu schreiend und machomässig unterwegs. Ist nicht wirklich mein Geschmack.
Не любитель такого джаза
Just not a fan of live albums in the main unless they're of bands that i'm super familiar with. James Brown's back catalogue more familiar than some, but still lacked that connection to enjoy the live album
Lots of characteristic howling, and a big band sound. The audience were clearly loving it, but it didn't really float my boat. It was fine, but didn't grab me and seemed a bit samey. 2/5.
I feel sorry for the cleaner who had to mop the floor that night, must have been sticky from all the dripping vaginas. I also feel sorry for the artist whose album didn't make this list due to a reasonably unremarkable live album (band aside, who sounded very tight).
This probably deserves three stars, but I'm giving it two out of sheer spite for the ten minute song that didn't need to be that long. Gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed.
Not really my cup of tea.
Mid
I just finished listening and the whole time I felt like I should have enjoyed it more than I did. Live albums can be hit or miss, and unfortunately, despite his energy, the quality and the audience (plus my general feelings about the music itself), this wasn't great for me.
Never been a huge James Brown fan. Listened to one other live (at the Garden '67) which I hated. This one was much more enjoyable. Got the grit, the horns, the singers. All that said, it just is not my thing. Fav song: Lost Someone.
Not bad but also not great, a bit same same really thoughout the album.
I wanted to like this, but I didn't. The band were great, James Brown was alright, the audience screams were grating. Odd way to end a live album with a dead close, no applause, just ends.
it wasn't my style. probably wouldn't listen to it again.
This is the sixtees music I don't like. Slow, without much melody.
Is it controversial to say I am unmoved by James Brown? I am sure this album is an attempt to capture some of that live magic and I’m sure that was undoubtedly the case to see him live. But on wax, his voice is garbled and indistinct and - excellent musicianship from the band aside - the whole exercise sounds flat: which it surely can’t have been. Maybe you just had to be there…
Thought I was going to hear some funk, but this is pre-funk Brown. Good R&B, with some hints of the horn dominance to come, but not a single "hit me" to be found.
I like James Brown, but didn't especially love this particular album
nice blues, stupid bitches screaming in live performance ... james 5/5 audience 0/5
meh
This probably deserves three stars, but I'm giving it two out of sheer spite for the ten minute song that didn't need to be that long. Gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed.
Live album. While the interaction with the audience is to be remarked, I'm not a fan of the music on its own. For a live album, the album is surprisingly short, I would have expected more from such a high profile artist. Honestly I find it hard to rate objectively, this is not my style, and while I can clearly picture this as a great background for a lot of calm situations, this doesn't strike me as a great render for a live show. Were I in the audience, I would have found the show quite underwhelming overall, outside of some passage where the author ponders to its audience, causes some hysteria, and shows his vocals talent (which are not to be underestimated).
I get the feeling that Brown wrote the totally over the top intro himself, he always seemed to be his own biggest fan. I like the music he comes with, but his rambling on is really annoying.
James Brown has some good songs. This album does not have really that many good songs.
I wanted to like it, but it’s too old and tinny.
Bit meh actually. Was hoping for more.
Levyn alussa ollut esittely sai korvat hörölle, nyt saattaa olla kovaa meininkiä tulossa! Live-setti lähtikin vauhdikkaasti liikkeelle, mutta sitten meno äityikin liian siirappiseksi. Olisin toivonut enemmän revittelyä ja halunnut tykätä enemmän. Hyvinhän James esiintyi ja tulkitsi, mutta biisit eivät nyt oikein osuneet.
_Live at the Apollo_ Wow what a short album! James Brown competes with punk acts on short song length. I wasn’t expecting so many “slow” songs, but that is because the only experience with James Brown are all the songs of his which are used in movies. I appreciated the audience participation
I think that JB's most influential works came later in the sixties and early seventies. If you're in a bar/club or listening to an old school set you won't hear many of these 50s inspired songs, maybe with the exception of Night Train.
I know that I should liked it more than I liked, but this live album was....just ok, nothing special. it's not up to James Brown
I can only listen to so much Blues. It gets me down
It was ok
Classic
The band was probably a 4/5 and 50% of JB's singing was 3/5 but the other 50% was incoherent screaming that really didn't sit well with me. That coupled with the way too forward high pitched wailing of the girls was just all a total turn off. Close to a one for me but the band saved it.