127. Ray Charles, "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music"

 


No question this is considered one of the most important albums of all time across so many spectra.  It's really the first time a black artist got complete creative control.  It opened up country music to a new audience, and is at least partially responsible for what had been a niche genre breaking into wider popularity.  And its social impact cannot be overstated; as the Civil Rights Movement was growing in importance and racial tensions rising, Charles was breaking down racial barriers that had established firm lines of separation between "white" and "black" music.

So I appreciate all that, and still find this album a bit of a bore.  

The album is a collection of country and folk songs, all remade into the Ray Charles Sound - that R&B/soul/jazz hybrid with lush strings and choral backup, with Charles' undoubtedly powerful and emotive voice as the centerpiece.  The songs aren't really recognizable as "country," per se, given that Charles completely reworks them into his own Ray Charles sound.  

Just compare Hank Williams' original "You Win Again"


With Charles' version from this album.

I mean, it's great, but see what I mean?  It's not really "country" any more, except in maybe the vocal melody.  

So I love Ray Charles' voice - I mean, you'd have to be some kind of moron not to - but the songs with these arrangements and the syrupy strings and Christmas carol backing vocals I just don't care for.  I know this is basically a third rail album and once again I am outing myself as a Philistine and music ignoramus by saying anything bad about it but there you go.  It was a groundbreaking album and deserves every single accolade it gets but it's a snooze.  

This rateyourmusic.com reviewer pretty much sums it up for me (and I was surprised by how many reviewers on that site had similar feelings - we are not alone!!!):

I think the song selection and the emotive performances Ray Charles himself gives on this album is top tier stuff, but the orchestral arrangements and the really cheesy choir will always firmly date these recordings to the early 60s (aka the worst section of the 60s). Which is honestly a terrible shame cause I think if those elements were either toned down or removed this would be a stone cold classic. For instance, I can hear the raw pure emotion that Ray puts into his reading of "You Don't Know Me" and I think on his own terms it's one of his best performances, but every time I start getting sucked into it I'm brought out of the moment by that corny choir who sound like they were plucked out of the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer TV Special and it all feels so artificial to me. 

Pretty much.

Is this album in my personal Top 500? Sorry, Ray.

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