19 October 2018

Etta James "At Last!" (1960)

At Last!
[debut]
release date: Nov. 15, 1960
format: cd (1999 remaster / vinyl (2018 reissue, blue vinyl)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,45]
producer: Phil Chess, Leonard Chess
label: Chess / MCA // WaxTime In Color - nationality: USA

Studio album debut by the 22 year old Etta James originally released on Argo Records. The original album was a ten-track album with a running time just above 29 minutes. The 2018 vinyl reissue (on WaxTime In Color) comes with the four bonus tracks that have been released with the album since 1999 when the first remastered 'expanded' edition came out on Chess / MCA, and it has a total running time just above 40 minutes.
This is such a wonderful and mindblowing debut. It's a must-have in any album collection.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 5 / 5, Pitchfork 9 / 10 stars ]