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“Aretha Sings the Blues.” Aretha Franklin. Columbia. These songs were recorded during Franklin’s Columbia years (1960-67), when various producers were trying to tone down her raging gospel/R&B; style and turn her into a pop balladeer. Syrupy arrangements mar many tracks. However, her remarkable talent, which was to blossom at Atlantic Records in the late ‘60s, is quite evident on “Trouble in Mind” and “Muddy Water,” two of the three bluesy live cuts. The CD features four extra songs not on the LP version, including “Evil Gal Blues” and “This Bitter Earth,” that are forgettable. 1/2