Night Beat (studio album) by Sam Cooke

A great vocal performance that is massively let down by the poor quality of the songs. Sam Cooke's voice really dominates this record and he demonstrates why he is one of the best vocalists of all time. The control he has over his voice is amazing and it is a once in a lifetime voice which we will never hear again. Everything on this album other than the vocal is just mediocre or poor. The songs are simple with quite bland instrumentation across basically the whole record. Making it really difficult to get into the music at all unless you are solely focusing on the voice. I really struggle to pick out a track that would be worthwhile listening to outside of the album. It also lacks energy and feels very lacklustre in their performances. Overall, this is a very disappointing record for a vocalist as good as Sam Cooke and I think there is a huge amount of room to improve and to build upon the music.

From Jboy56 04/02/2022 12:26

A great album from a great voice. I especially dig the blues numbers.

From 2nd-Impressions 12/06/2020 23:19

57/100

Best track: I Lost Everything
Worst tracks: Nobody Knows, Lost and Lookin, Please Don't Drive Me Away

From OldToad 07/12/2019 00:49

There's a myth that the pre-Beatles early 60s were a barren time for rock and pop, with only sugary kid stuff. Sam Cooke is one of the counter-examples. A rock and roll artist from that era making music for adults--very rare. Also, most of them were singles artists; their albums don't stand up. This guy made coherent albums listenable as such. Such a mature, masterful artist for the time.

Love Sam Cooke's voice! Earliest great album I've ever heard. Mean Old World and Shake Rattle 'n' Roll are the beat songs on the album

Many consider this to be Sam Cooke's crowning achievement, and it's truly hard to argue that point. 8/10!

From buzzdainer 07/23/2016 16:42

This collection of songs--mostly covers--is Sam Cooke's guide to redemption: a carefully sequenced, soulfully crafted, soothing embrace for the lonely and down and out. Often overshadowed by the classic singles in Cooke's oeuvre such as "A Change Is Gonna Come," this album focuses on blues standards, though the strongest songs here are Sam Cooke's own original compositions, particularly the hard-boiled, downtrodden "Mean Old World."

Almost unbearably perfect. Sam Cooke's voice may be the sweetest we've ever heard. It's easier to appreciate his voice on this album than on the greatest hits albums most people know him from.

A lot of guys sabotage perfectly good relationships because they're afraid of commitment. Cowards!
I sabotage them so that I can put on THIS - the best breakup album of all time.

"A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" that seamlessly cycles through all the stages of grief and loss. By the end, after many tears and even more shots, he's got you back out on the dance floor (or, at least out of bed) ready to tear it up. The doctor is in!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Heartbreaking_Work_of_Staggering_Genius

"Night Beat" from 1963 is considered one of Sam Cooke's best albums. Since the album does not contain any of Cooke's hits or best known songs, the cause of the album's reputation is rather achieved through its overall casual late-night blues mood.

Cooke has written three of the twelve songs, and all three are among the album's strongest. Best known is probably "Mean Old World", which has both elements of blues and pop. "You Gotta Move" is also great with its light arrangement that allows room for a fine acoustic guitar.

A young Billy Preston also helps to put his stamp on "Night Beat" - listen for example to his somewhat unconventional organ playing on "Little Red Rooster"

The traditional "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" is also given a refreshingly simple arrangement, again, the acoustic guitar clear in the soundstage.

Some of the songs are perhaps a little too neatly arranged to be really interesting, but of course all numbers are well produced with Cooke's voice as the focal point.