The Dictionary of Soul has more punch and grit than most of the 1966 soul records I have heard. Be they of a more country or gospel or rock bent, the various modes make the album a kind of summary of the soul genre. Watching and rousing his tight band, the Mar-Keys, Otis sounds like he’s having fun. His vocals are warm and direct; and fast or slow, he keeps the vamping to a minimum. What can I say? This is the Otis Redding sound, a righteous model of compression.
Joe Keaton
Weird tales for the late crowd. And riffs on pop culture.
