Aretha Franklin – Sparkle
In conversation with Ruthie yesterday, Aretha’s name came up a couple of times. Obviously, it was about the voice but it was also about her approach to the piano.
Whilst hanging out in the living room playing this crazy pirate board game with the wife and family (and fielding the unfortunate dismay of my 10-year old, who was losing badly), this one came on. Not really a piano tune, but it presented itself in the shuffle.
Ruthie on the phone yesterday; Aretha on the stereo tonight. It’s all connected (though I’m fishing for a connection to the pirate game).
I like her voice I wish I had all her albums
This is the Aretha I love (the who Sparkle album is quite lovely. It’s the one with Giving Something He Can Feel On It, right?). I can’t stand screaming Aretha, when she goes all Patti LaBloodyBelle on us. Screaming Aretha was great comedy in the Blues Brothers. Understated Aretha, however, is everything conventional wisdom says it is.
I agree, AMD. I love the comedic effect of the screeching Aretha but, when it comes to real listening, it’s all about the subtleties. Played though it may be, ‘Natural Woman’ is still a masterpiece. And it drives me mad to hear these classless, over-blown, breathy, pyrotechnic “New Soul” singers go wailing about the upper registers and then claim Aretha as “their biggest influence”.