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The big question that greets listeners encountering Al Green's third Blue Note album, Lay It Down, is: what happens when you put that amazing soul-drenched voice in the hands of hip-hop producers Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots and James Poyser, and add a slew of superstar guests? Answer: a killer Al Green soul album. Thompson and Poyser weren't interested in straying far from the classic sound Green and producer Willie Mitchell created at Hi Records in the 1970s, but they did want to place it in a more contemporary -- albeit analog -- setting. Green cut his previous offerings for the label -- 2003's I Can't Stop and 2005's Everything's OK -- with Mitchell, and the results were good, not great, albums because Green's sound was simply re-created nostalgically. Even though Thompson and Poyser have been very creative here with their nuanced percussive, textural, and dynamic touches, Lay It Down is more of a classic-sounding Green record than either of its predecessors. The producers are at the core of a studio band (on drums and various analog keyboards, respectively) that also includes Mighty Clouds of Joy guitarist Chalmers "Spanky" Alford (in whose memory the album is dedicated), bassist Adam Blackstone (Jill Scott), and the Dap-Kings Horns. There are some beautifully arranged strings by Larry Gold in places as well. Lay It Down is a slow-burning, solid groover of a soul record; its dynamics and textures shift subtly and purposely to keep Green's voice at the center of its sound.
Condition:Brand new factory sealed.
TRACK LISTINGS
1 Lay It Down / Anthony Hamilton 4:30
2 Just For Me 3:58
3 You've Got The Love I Need / Anthony Hamilton 4:14
4 No One Like You 4:31
5 What More Do You Want From Me 4:13
6 Take Your Time / Corinne Bailey Rae 4:37
7 Too Much 3:29
8 Stay With Me (By The Sea) / John Legend 3:23
9 All I Need 3:41
10 I'm Wild About You 4:51
11 Standing In The Rain 3:08
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