Customer Reviews

Totally Unrestricted! The Millie Jackson Anthology

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While you might expect Millie Jackson's work to sound very dated this long after release, I found almost the opposite to be true. Yes, there is a decidedly 70's feel to many cuts here - a vibe that generally works to her advantage. But material that was tinted by "raciness" at the time of its release feels very tame by contemporary standards and it turns out that Jackson's infamous salaciousness was NOT the only appeal; most of these songs stand up on their own even without controversy or scandal to sell them. What's more, the collection has been very well selected and one realizes for perhaps the first time how varied her output was and how versatile a singer she could be. (Since most of her individual albums were heavily "themed," this versatility has never really been showcased before.) Yes, she frequently liked to play the role of the shameless "other woman" and yes, she sounds a lot like Gladys Knight. But she also has a distinctive style and makes some very interesting choices. She's as risky as she is risque.

The collection also steps carefully through her '80s material, which degenerated over time into bad self-parody. Some will no doubt consider this too much Millie, or be put off by the of-their-era "raps" and arrangements in several cuts here. But overall, this is an enjoyable, illuminating, and certainly definitive career retrospective.

This is the best compilation of Millie's work so far. Totally old school, blues, and deep rhythm and blues. She's got it all, and if you buy this CD, your'e sure to hear it all. Gangsta rap aint got nothin' on this woman. She lets it all hang out.

Sure, there are a few songs that were left out ("Put Something Down On It") and some others that should have been left out ("I'm Through Trying to Prove My Love to You"); but this is a great collection of Millie's songs. The packaging is great, too: the booklet includes an essay, complete track information, and a discography. There is only one track ("Symphony") from her live albums and nothing from her "Just a Lil' Bit Country" album, but otherwise this is a good representation of her 1972-1983 Spring records career.

forget about the rawness of her material just focus on her voice.everything with her goes hand in hand.she has always told it like it is and wasn't fronting.that's what seperates her from many who do it only for shock value but can't carry a tone.she is a very real artist.this set showcases her great talent breakway,angel in your arms,hurt so good.she has always been to the point and real with her feelings.a true artist.and person.

Before Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and Missy Elliot, there was Millie Jackson. She was actually rapping before all of those ladies i just mentioned. Except one thing, Millie could sing along with talking trash. I really love hearing this lady perform. She's as real as real can get far as talking about relationships between men and women. This is a sho nuff must have to go in your archives. You won't find a better collaboration of songs by this soulful artist.

I miss blues singers like millie you think lil kim, and trina are explicit they took notes from millie here she talks about all kinds of things even oral sex, and how young girls fall for older men, millie gets deep and personal can you handle this.

It was like listening to Millie from her beginning. The CD brought back memories. I really enjoyed it. Millie has her sassy ways in her songs.

Thanks

On vocals alone, Millie Jackson stands along with the great female soul singers of the '70s, i.e., Freda Payne, Laura Lee, Helen Reddy.

Except, Millie had great albums. Her thematic '70's albums stand up with Frank Sinatra's same sort of '50's albums. Frank had a trilogy of LPs of love lost and wistful yearning. Millie had a trilogy of love lost pissed off and getting next and boyfriend get real or go away.

"Caught Up", her album of songs of lust, cheating, passion, and the consequences is a song cycle truer than a pink penned diary, "Still Caught Up", is as scary as a subpoena. "Feelin' Bitchy" is a classic piece of '70s otherside/nasty and truer than even Carly Simon could imagine.

Millie had a few skirts of top 100 hits, nothing that hemmed her in. It wasn't until Spring records in the mid '70s allowed her to do what she did best. Millie sang/spoke long introductions to songs, a tradition best explemplified by Lou Rawls on "Dead End St. She was profane, nasty and said things that girls felt/knew and winked at. The guys just got hot and thought MAN! I wish I knew that...

This two CD set has bunches of Millie's early songs, all nice to hear for her terrific soulful voice. The best parts are the songs from her mid to late 70's lps. Here is the amazing "Feelin' Bitchy" and her version of "Angel in Your Arms".

This is essential!

now that i have i listin to millie jackson for the time in years i want to buy the cd