Al Green - Lay It Down
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Free Music Notes for Lay It Down
Free Music Review: Al Green in a soulful "Grammy" groove~Bravo Al!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Right off the top with "Lay It Down" it is clear Al Green found his groove in this new collection of soulful songs sung with passion & depth that is his trademark! "You've Got The Love I Need" flourishes with strings, choir and great guitar licks surrounding a smooth & prime vocal from the legendary singer blending fine with an inspired vocal from guest Anthony Hamilton and this winner has that hit sound but today radio plays only the "wannabes" & is not in to the real thing but great thing is this stunner won well-deserved Grammy Awards anyway...too bad though for that talent starved radio audience! Sublime love is celebrated in another new Green classic "No One Like You" and quality of vocals are timeless & in addition to that great rangy voice, Al Green co-wrote most songs in this tremendous set and continues to be prolific in this area as with writing credits for "I Can't Stop" and "Everything's OK" filled with great new songs that would have scored highly in better musical times than this bleek and musically bankrupt time zone! Bluesy and soulful duet "Take Your Time" with Corinne Bailey Rae is fine & engaging while the super-fine "Too Much" is smooth & soulful. "Stay With Me (By The Sea)" featuring John Legend is another soulful gem in a program where all songs are winners! Al Green is a timeless legendary giant who continues turning out sublime classic sets for all to savor and enjoy who love and embrace the finest music has to offer...Bravo Al Green and can't wait for the next!!!Free Music Review: Everything old is new again..
Hit: 5 Stars
Reverend Al Green's back and he's sounding as good as ever. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and James Poyser of the Roots produced "Lay it Down" and they're not messing with a good thing. They don't try to change up Green's backing arrangements or vocal stylings too much so this CD sounds like a 1970's classic Al Green recording.
Plus, they add some amazing new school performers to the mix, including John Legend, Corrine Bailey Rae, and Anthony Hamilton. The Dap Kings' horn section heard on both Amy Winehouse's and Sharon Jones' recent CD is here and adding amazing backing.
It's hard to name a favorite in this 11-song CD, but here are a few standouts:
"You've got the luv I need," is going to be used by men everywhere as a marriage proposal. Bet they stand a better chance of the ladies saying yes with Al on their side. Anthony Hamilton's pretty incredible as a backup--he almost steals the show, but is a consummate performer enough not to.
"Take Your Time" with Corrine Bailey Rae is a sweet, soulful number that plays just like the title promises.
"Stay with me (By the Sea)" adds John Legend into the mix.
Al Green really would not have to make another CD ever to keep his standing as one of the finest soul singers in the business, but I for one, am very glad he did. He's an excellent performer and it's good to see him still out there.
Rebecca Kyle, May 2008
Free Music Review: Still laying it down
Hit: 5 Stars
The Reverend Al Green's latest is an 11 track CD co-produced by Ahmir ?uestlove Thompson of The Roots. Still in excellent vocal form, it is an album steeped in seventies soul; that lovely falsetto, stabbing horns, and lilting percussion, and sounding untouched by time. Despite ?uestlove's Hip hop roots (pardon the pun), the album sounds like it was recorded in the seventies.
He gets help from some of the current stable of Neo Soul vocalists on a few tracks; Anthony Hamilton on the tender opening Gospel-tinged title track "Lay it down", and "You've got the love I need", UK songstress Corinne Bailey Rae's jazzy vocals on the slow burning "Take your time", and John legend on the absolutely stunning "Stay with me (By the sea)" (lovely delicate vocals from the pair and great ethereal harmonies). The last pair are my favourites.
The lilting "Just for me" reminds me a bit of his classic "Let's stay together", "No one like you" is a beautiful ballad with sprinklings of horns and organ, "What more do you want from me" is a bit more upbeat, the piano ballad "Too much", the laid back semi acoustic ballad "All I need", the sunny, upbeat "I'm wild about you", and closing also on an upbeat note is "Standing in the rain" (with gritty vocals).
This album is great with excellent musicianship (great harmonies, guitars, horns and percussion), real soul music in an era where there are loads of pretenders to the throne.
Free Music Review: The Soulful Al Green
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been waiting on an Al Green recording like this for many years now. When I placed cd in the player I knew immediately I had it. This is vintage Al Green at his best. I forsee a Grammy Award nomination at the end of the year and most likely a winner. This absolutely is a great body of work from an entertainer who has one of the most gifted voices in musical history. Al Green's - Lay It Down - has "Big Hit" written all over it. Al You have struck "Gold" again and maybe "Platinum". All Al Green fans old and new you must step-up and purchase this one. The following artist add a special musical spice to this record: Corinne Bailey Rae - The Dap-Kings Horns - Anthony Hamilton - John Legend - Ahmir "?ueslove" Thompson. You can't go wrong on this one. Thanks Al for giving the people what they have been longing for, for a very long time.Free Music Review: The Reverend is Back!
Hit: 5 Stars
After all these years, the Reverend Al Green has returned to his roots. He has rediscovered the
R 'n' B style that made him so famous in the 1970's. This is his third attempt during the past
5 years, and this time he nails it. Great performance, masterful production and a great
list of songs that will take you back 30 years. The production is flawless allowing Green to do what he does best, sing the ballads. The mixture of the horn section along with the base lines
reestablishes Green as one of the truly great soul singers. Every song beckons the
listener to a sexy, soulful flavor. Standouts are the title track, Just For Me,
Take Your Time and All I Need.Any Green fan would do well in purchasing this return to the classic Al Green. Great CD.