Curtis Mayfield There's No Place Like America Today LP (Turquoise Vinyl)

Curtis Mayfield was an American soul, rhythm and blues and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is highly regarded as a pioneer of funk and of politically conscious African-American Music. He was also a multi-instrumentalist who played the guitar, bass, piano, saxophone, and drums.

There's No Place Like America Today was released in 1975 and peaked at #120 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, as well as on NME's list of the 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time.

The title is intended in an ironic way, as illustrated not only by the cover - a grim parody of late-'40s/early-'50s advertising imagery depicting white versus black social reality - but the grim yet utterly catchy and haunting opening number, 'Billy Jack.' A song about gun violence that was years ahead of its time, it's scored to an incisive horn arrangement by Richard Tufo. 'When Seasons Change' is a beautifully wrought account of the miseries of urban life that contains elements of both gospel and contemporary soul. The album's one big song, 'So In Love,' which made number 67 on the pop charts but was a Top Ten soul hit, is only the prettiest of a string of exquisite tracks on the album, including 'Blue Monday People' and 'Jesus' and the soaring finale, 'Love to the People,' broken up by the harder-edged 'Hard Times.'