Blowin' in the Wind: The Gospel Soul of Etta James

AMG Review of Blowin' in the Wind: The Gospel Soul of Etta James

Johnny Loftus
All Music Guide

Blowin' in the Wind: The Gospel Soul of Etta James harkens back to Etta James' gospel upbringing, with big, bold arrangements that move along to the accompaniment of a full gospel choir. While James' vocals are strong throughout, the collection does, at times, sound a little phoned-in, but this is mostly because its instrumentation is satisfactory at best. There's really none of the performer's trademark grit here (although given its subject matter, maybe that's a good thing). Traditional gospel standards, like "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," "Old Time Religion," and the medley "Amen/This Little Light of Mine" fare best. Overall, the collection is soulful and uplifting, even if it's not the best thing James has ever released.