Aretha Franklin Albums (33)
What The Critics Say
The obvious title here would have been Wreatha Now, but Aretha opted to follow in the footsteps of at least 20 other artists by going with This Christmas as the title of her first Christmas album. Apart from the Donny Hathaway/Nadine McKinnor-written title track, a duet with her son Edward that is both sweet and playful (at one point, Aretha interjects, "Eddie, you mustn't upstage mom with those high notes"), the disc is filled mostly with the spiritual and relatively serious side of holiday material. The likes of "Silent Night," "Ave Maria," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," and "Angels We Have Heard on High" are given the kind of treatment only Aretha could grant, though it should be noted that there are moments where you might feel stuck inside the Aretha Melismatorium. It's not all reverence and reflection: best of all is a reading of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" that can only be termed "personalized." ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
'Jazz Moods: 'Round Midnight'
Release Date 4/19/2005
Tracks 14
Label Sony
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What The Critics Say
With a stellar career that spans several decades, genres and hits, it's easy to forget that Aretha Franklin had her moment in the sun as an outstanding vocalist in the jazz arena. This edition in Sony's Jazz Moods series seeks to bring that avenue of her career back into the spotlight, as it has been largely overshadowed by her soul and gospel works. Culled from various sessions between 1962 and 1969, the queen of soul covers such standards as "What a Difference a Day Makes," "God Bless the Child" and "Misty" as if they were tailor-made for her instantly identifiable voice. At 14 songs with very few of them considered anthems, it is not an overview of Franklin's brilliant career, but it is an excellent survey of an era sorely overlooked. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
During the five years that separated So Damn Happy from her previous album, A Rose Is Still a Rose, Aretha Franklin made the celebrity-gossip pages many more times than she earned airplay on the radio. Neatly side-stepping her problems with the law (including the mysterious circumstances that surrounded the fire at her home), Aretha's return to the studio illustrates that her power lies not in managing her career but in putting across any song that comes her way. Recording mostly in Detroit with a small group, she tempered the hip-hop inclinations of A Rose Is Still a Rose to deliver a refreshing (though admittedly sterilized) update of her '70s records. Various producers and songwriters -- including Troy Taylor, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, and Jam & Lewis -- give her backgrounds composed of earthy, acoustic-driven soul, similar to contemporary records by India.Arie or Jill Scott. Most of the songs, led by "The Only Thing Missin'," the title track, and "Holdin' On," are up to a high level, catchy and easy to understand (all the better to simply luxuriate in Aretha's powerful voice). Also, two mild concessions to the hip-hop world end up paying off: guest Mary J. Blige arranged the backing vocals for two songs, both of which reach a level not seen since the days of the Sweet Inspirations, while producer Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence delivered an organic arrangement for a song called "Wonderful" that evokes the glory days of '70s soul more than any other song here. Aretha shouldn't need to resort to overkill to proclaim her joy at making music; the songs on So Damn Happy are all the proof her fans need to understand that her talent remains undiminished nearly 50 years after her debut as a secular act. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
'A Rose Is Still a Rose'
Release Date 3/10/1998
Tracks 11
Label Arista
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What The Critics Say
For much of the '90s, Aretha Franklin acted as if she couldn't even care about appealing to a younger audience. She rarely recorded, and when she did, it was usually slick adult contemporary material. That's what makes the fresh A Rose Is Still a Rose such a surprise. Although it certainly has its share of predictably glossy ballads fit for adult radio (usually produced by Narada Michael Walden or Michael Powell), the most notable element of the album is that Franklin collaborates with fresh talent, all of whom are either prominent rap figures or at least fluent in hip-hop. That's not to say that A Rose Is Still a Rose is a rap album -- it simply illustrates that the album sounds contemporary, which is the last thing most observers would have expected from Franklin in 1997. That in itself is heartening, but that doesn't necessarily mean everything works. Lauryn Hill's "A Rose Is Still a Rose" is a perfect match, lyrically and musically, but it only shows how shallow Puff Daddy's writing really is on "Never Leave You Again." Still, Dallas Austin's "I'll Dip," Jermaine Dupri's "Here We Go Again" and "Every Lil' Bit Hurts," and Daryl Simmons' "In the Morning" and "In Case You Forgot" all work, and Franklin's original "The Woman" is arguably her most soulful performance in years. These make the awkward moments forgivable because they find Franklin sounding vital, which is something that has not happened throughout the '90s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'What You See Is What You Sweat'
Release Date 1/1/1991
Tracks 10
Label Arista
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What The Critics Say
This hot 1991 release includes "Everyday People," "Mary Goes Round," "Ever Changing Times," and her electrifying version of "I Dreamed A Dream," from the Broadway show Les Miserables, which she has adapted as an unforgettable tribute to Martin Luther King. ~ Ladyslipper, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Having scored in the recent past with producer Narada Michael Walden and some star duets, Franklin and Arista turned out another album with the same approach but less successful results. The title duet with Elton John went Top 20, but its followup, "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" was an embarrassing failure for both Franklin and the previously pop-perfect Whitney Houston. The rest was even less distinguished, including a song with The Four Tops and Kenny G and a remake of the old hit "Think." ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Actually credited to "Reverend C.L. Franklin and Aretha Franklin," this album was recorded live -- very live -- in church. The Reverend Franklin takes most of the leads on traditional gospel songs, with keyboard accompaniment, shouting and singing, although his daughter also has a couple of spotlights. The music is moving, and the audience is moved: one or two of them scream uncontrollably. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
'One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism'
Release Date 1/1/1987
Tracks 15
Label Arista
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What The Critics Say
Fifteen years after Amazing Grace, her groundbreaking gospel record, Aretha Franklin returned to the church yet again, and though the results couldn't top the wall-to-wall power and spirit found on her first, the double-album One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, it's still a worthy document of what the church meant to her. The roster of invited guests was enough to get gospel fans excited, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Jasper Williams, and Rev. C.L. Franklin (her brother, who delivered the invocation), plus Mavis Staples, Joe Ligon (from the Mighty Clouds of Joy), and her sisters, Carol and Erma. Slotted next to sanctified standards like "Surely God Is Able" and "The Lord's Prayer," were several great selections from the pop repertoire, including a scorching version of "Higher Ground." Staples stops by for an ebullient run through the latter-day standard "Oh Happy Day," and the performance closes with a touching finale, "Packing Up, Getting Ready to Go," featuring Staples and Ligon, plus Carol and Erma Franklin. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After nearly a two-year hiatus from the charts, the Queen of Soul returned in style with three Billboard R&B Top Ten singles, including the number one smash hit "Freeway of Love." With its festive rhythm arrangement and electric sax solo by Clarence Clemons, Aretha Franklin injects her lively vocals. It held the number one spot for five straight weeks. The title track, "Who's Zoomin' Who," has a more soulful bounce, including Franklin's delivery. Its sputtering bassline and chiming keyboards are augmented by Franklin's soulful delivery; her improvising ad libs are laudable to say the least. The single peaked at number two for four consecutive weeks. She had another Top Ten hit with "Another Night," a mid-tempo number with a light rock feel. It was a number nine hit. Her duet with Eurythmics, "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves," faltered at number 66. This album has a slight pop texture. Narada Michael Walden is credited with the majority of the production on this sound outing. ~ Craig Lytle, All Music Guide
'Aretha Sings the Blues'
Release Date 1/1/1985
Tracks 14
Label Columbia
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What The Critics Say
Although not a blues singer in the strictest sense, Aretha Franklin's glorious voice could never make anything dull, especially not blues classics. These songs didn't attract a lot of attention when they came out in the '60s, with a couple of exceptions. Since Columbia issued all these anthologies, there has been a great debate raging as to whether or not it was a marketing failure or a production failure preventing Franklin from achieving more success at the label. The question won't be answered by this release. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
