One of Aretha's most committed-sounding albums--which, of course, is really saying something--the 1970 Spirit in the Dark remains among the high points of her Atlantic work. The breakup of her marriage may be an unspoken theme, but just as striking is her reinvention of well-known songs and motifs, even more dramatic here than usual. Both dovetail in her take on "The Thrill Is Gone," which climaxes on a surprising interpolation of the phrase "free at last." --Rickey Wright