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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a real Soul album by the No 1 Soul Man, 24 Jun 2008
Since the first time I heard Al Green (on "Tired of Being Alone", around 1970) I have regarded him as the paramount Soul man, His partnership with Willie Mitchell in the 70's produced some of the most consistent and superb music of that or any other era, and which came to define Soul for many. Soul went out of fashion around the time Al "retired" to his Memphis church, and he has struggled to reach anything approaching those dizzy heights since his return to secular music.
He is not alone in that. Nor is it unique to hitch up with current star names. There have been many attempts by 60's and 70's artists to recreate their success, and the fact that only a few have pulled it off tells you that it takes more than an up to date who's who. What it does take is that those involved have respect - for both the artist and for the work he did, and the ability to draw on that, bring it up to date and avoid cliche. They have managed it on "Lay It Down".
Here they provide what Al Green had in the 70's - a framework where his vocal can run in and out as he pleases, where he can swoop and soar and ad lib as the mood takes him and where his voice is, at times, just another instrument. As for individual tracks, the title track has a beautiful chorus across which Al whoops and wails and "Just For Me" could have lifted the rhythm track from "Let's Stay Together" (but it didn't).
Anyway, you get the picture - this is a real Soul album, from the master of the genre, which stands comparison with Al Green's classic 70's albums - yes it is that good. All of those involved on "Lay It Down" deserve enormous credit for creating a truly superb album - if you love Soul, what are you waiting for, just buy it
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still Fabulous, 28 April 2008
Only artists as great as Al Green can make a deliberate move back to their "sound" after 30 years and make it fresh and a joy to listen to.
This album is a delight and recaptures the mood of his great days and even without the guest appearances by todays sweet soul stars Corrine Bailey Rae, John Legend and Andrew Hamilton this is a memorable album that will bring great pleasure to those who fell in love with - and to - Al Greens distinctive songs of love in days gone by.
The guest slots are excellent and if they bring new fans to the music of one of the great stars of Soul music then more of the younger generation will appreciate how far much of todays "soul" and "r'n'b" has strayed from its roots and rarely for the better.
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11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lay It Down - Al Green , 28 April 2008
Soul legend Al Green is rightly feted as music deity, his soul kissed gospel tinged vocals eclipsing a seemingly impossible marriage of the sensuous and the spiritual. In an era which brought us some of the best singers and musicians ever, Marvin (Gaye), Stevie (Wonder), Curtis (Mayfield) as well as James (Brown) and Sly, Al Green stood as an equal with these musical geniuses.
I haven't bought an Al Green record in aeons, my perception rightly or wrongly being of a faded star doing the rounds. Sure he can still reach the high notes and the right notes but back to his best? Come on.
?uestlove, drummer for the band The Roots has seemingly found a new life as the producer du jour, now that his band only occasionally reaches the golden heights of earlier years. His production duties with the new era of Black music geniuses, Common, Erkyah Badu and above all D'Angelo heralds a solid and often spectacular body of work. If there is a common denominator it is a trademark, analogue dull thump of a drum. I cannot think of a better way of describing the sound but it is prevalent in work by all the aforementioned musicians. And this is no bad thing as this deliberate, warm, low key analogue sound perfectly frames the music - where lyrics, song structure and good musicianship rise above the new 'music culture' of instant (free) downloads, celebrity over being an artist and branding over a long-term career. And all this perfectly illustrates the new album by Al Green.
Album opener and title track "Lay It Down" sets a gritty, low to the floor - dare I say it - 'rootsical' sound (pun intended). Second track "Just For Me" takes this a tad further with bright, sparky horns and those delicious high notes of Mr Al Green. The album slowly unfolds over eleven (relatively) short tracks following a theme of fuzzy keyboards (by ace player James Poyser), gently plucked guitar, touching bass and background vocal harmonies. This is an old fashioned soul album, in the mould of all the greats, and it is no worse for that. The common thread of sweet, Seventies soul which runs through the album could be mistaken for sameness but repeated plays bring unexpected delights - a deep, aquarius organ riff in "Stay With Me" or some beautiful strings orchestrated by Larry Gold in "All I Need". Simply this album is stunning and the best straight forward, back to the bone soul album, well, since Amy (Back to Black's The Dap Kings also feature here). Brilliant.
Sanjiv Ahluwalia
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