Album of the Day

Before his death in a 1967 plane crash, Otis Redding had recorded enough material for several posthumous releases, and LOVE MAN is the third of these. The material here might not have seen release before the 1969 Atco collection, but that doesn't mean it's sub-par; Redding's protean talent (and that of backing band Booker T. and the M.G.'s) beams from every one of these dozen songs. Originals make up the bulk of this set, with “Direct Me” “I'm A Changed Man” and the title track among the highlights, but even the covers (“A Lover's Question”) have an energy and commitment few singers of any era could equal. Released 50 years ago this month, Top Ten R&B album LOVE MAN is another jewel in the crown of the King of Soul.