AllMusic

Otis Redding

Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul

September, 1965

Deep Soul

The singer and songwriter's third album, and his first fully realized one, presents his talent unfettered, his direction clear, and his confidence emboldened, with fully half the songs representing a reach that extended his musical grasp. More than a quarter of this album is given over to Redding's versions of songs by Sam Cooke, his idol, who had died the previous December, and all three are worth knowing.

- Bruce Eder

Consumers

All My Friends Are Dead

January 22, 2002

Alternative Pop/Rock

Cut in an 8-track studio in a single evening before the band fled Phoenix, AZ for the promised land of Los Angeles, All My Friends Are Dead is an amazing blast of teenage rage from the all-too-short lived Consumers. Suggesting the point where first generation punk rock began to evolve into hardcore, this music is reckless but taut, the sound of youth determined to burn out before fading away became an issue.

- Mark Deming