• Features
  • Reviews
  • New Music
  • Interviews
  • Polls
  • About
  • Search
Menu

Albumism

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Celebrating our love affairs with albums past, present and future

Albumism

  • Features
  • Reviews
  • New Music
  • Interviews
  • Polls
  • About
  • Search

100 Most Dynamic Debut Albums: Curtis Mayfield’s ‘Curtis’ (1970)

September 7, 2017 Patrick Corcoran
Curtis Mayfield Curtis debut album

Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 100 Most Dynamic Debut Albums Ever Made, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods. Click “Next Album” below to explore each album or view the full album index here.

CURTIS MAYFIELD | Curtis
Curtom (1970) | Listen Below
Selected by Patrick Corcoran

BUY ON AMAZON
[As an Amazon affiliate partner, Albumism earns commissions from qualifying purchases.]

After years of writing and performing with The Impressions, it came as no surprise to anyone in 1970 that Curtis Mayfield’s eponymous debut solo album was thoroughly brilliant. Predating both Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On (1971) and Isaac Hayes’ Shaft (1971), Curtis managed to be as wholly funky, lyrically pointed and socially conscious as both of them. Mayfield’s greatest skills as a lyricist were in being able to talk directly to all people—casting responsibility on all of us for the state of the world—without ever seeming to preach or talk down to anyone (see album opener “(Don’t Worry) If There’s Hell Below We’re All Gonna Go”).

Yet alongside the somber message-driven funk of “We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue,” are reminders of Mayfield’s embarrassingly enormous skillset: “The Makings Of You” has the sweetest soul melody outside of Philadelphia’s ‘70s golden period and “Give It Up” relates the breakdown of a marriage replete with unkept promises and unfulfilled possibilities. The centerpiece though is the magnificently positive and sweat-inducing brilliance of “Move On Up” —once you hear the whole 8 minutes and 52 seconds, transcendence is a distinct possibility.

A great debut album? How about one of the greatest albums of all time.

NEXT ALBUM >

LISTEN:

Tags Curtis Mayfield, Debut Albums
← 100 Most Dynamic Debut Albums: Nas’ ‘Illmatic’ (1994)100 Most Dynamic Debut Albums: Maxwell’s ‘Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite’ (1996) →

Featured
Descendents’ ‘I Don’t Want To Grow Up’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary
Descendents’ ‘I Don’t Want To Grow Up’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary
The National’s ‘High Violet’ Turns 15 | Album Anniversary
The National’s ‘High Violet’ Turns 15 | Album Anniversary
Grace Jones’ ‘Warm Leatherette’ Turns 45 | Album Anniversary
Grace Jones’ ‘Warm Leatherette’ Turns 45 | Album Anniversary

©2025 Albumism | All Rights Reserved. Use of any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. The content on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Albumism.