Her Best - The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection

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Total Tracks: 20   Total Length: 60:17

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John Morthland

eMusic Contributor

John Morthland has been writing about music since the days of electronically rechanneled stereo and duophonic sound. His name has darkened the mastheads of Roll...more »

11.16.10
Getting deep inside each song to make it her own
1997 | Label: Geffen

Etta's Chess catalog puts her contemporary output, with its vocal overkill and obnoxious lead guitar, to shame. Working with Chicago blues bands, Muscle Shoals soul units, string sections and everything in between, she cut aching ballads ("At Last," "I'd Rather Go Blind") and breakneck rockers ("Tell Mama," "Pushover," "In the Basement"), even standards ("Sunday Kind of Love"), vocally pushing each to its emotional edge without ever going overboard. She threatens, caresses, cajoles, preaches, growls, soothes, begs, seduces, flaunts, pampers and reads the riot act, getting deep inside each song to make it her own.

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etta james best 50

eloise8

LOVE THIS ALBUM

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