Some legends die young. Others fizzle out into a mix of quiet obscurity and semi-retirement or, even worse, ironic self-parody. But then there are the few musical heroes whose souls fade naturally like a favorite pair of jeans. And if anybody lingering from the 1970s has still got soul, lord knows, his name is the Rev. Al Green.
The knees have worn a little thinner, and the seams will never return to the store-bought crispness they once held, but overall, Green is no worse for wear. Apparently, life at 62 is no less sexy than it was at 32.
Here it is, folks, the soundtrack to all your summer copulating: Lay It Down. Green’s latest album finds the elder-spokesman of getting down and funky in fighting, no, loving, form. Green sounds as if he has stepped straight out of a ’70s time capsule, plaid-patterned suit and all.
Everything clearly bears Green’s stamp of approval, but a lot of the execution comes courtesy of producer Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson, drummer of The Roots and Philadelphia’s current music genius in residence. With distinct admiration for the work of Willie Mitchell, Green’s longtime go-to guy behind the boards, Thompson and co-producer James Poyser (Erykah Badu, Common) keep the arrangements classically organic and appropriately soulful.
They push Green’s remarkably preserved voice front and center in the mix, delicately integrating strings, brass and guest singers without intruding on the intimacy. The title-track album opener (featuring Anthony Hamilton) sets the rapturous tone with the backing singers booming what could very well be Green’s entire musical mantra summarized: “Lay it down/ Let it go/ Fall in love.”
The sermon fits as well now as it did then. Whatever Green lacks in songwriting, he has always made up for with burning conviction. His lyrics become all the more believable in their passionate delivery.
“The smile on your face/ Your lips on mine” and “a love divine” would be considered cliché coming from almost any other singer. But Green propels these lines into his upper-falsetto on “Too Much,” unleashing his mixed pain and joy on the stock phrasings. “I’m Wild About You” is not exactly a mind-blowing declaration either, but Green sells every last groove. Sometimes it really is the singer, not the song.
Not to mention, the guy’s accompaniment is not exactly shabby. Thompson and Poyser bring a lot to the table musically, culling a high-profile supporting cast to round out the Lay It Down session players. Green is not the only one on board with an impressive set of pipes.
John Legend complements his musical idol beautifully while trading vocals on the lights-down-low number, “Stay with Me (By the Sea).” British singer Corinne Bailey Rae joins in the background after taking a seductive turn on the lead for “Take Your Time.” Her request, “I want to take a little time/ Just to fall in love again,” seems so little to ask from such a sultry narrator.
With all the smooth R&B going down, it is a relief to hear some much-needed punch and sass on the album, courtesy of Amy Winehouse’s Dap-King Horns section. The group’s contributions on Lay It Down’s two strongest tracks, “You’ve Got the Love I Need” and “All I Need,” bring it all back home to Green’s heyday at Hi Records.
No one has to tell Green it is his show to steal. He just jumps in and takes the reins, riding an endless wave of enthusiasm all the way through to the Motown/Stax-inspired finale, “Standing in the Rain.”
On the closer, Green belts, “Write this down if you can/ I’m a cold hard working man.” And with the hardest working man in show business no longer alive, (James Brown, one of Green’s greatest influences), Green may just inherit the title.
Blame it on the intoxicating magic of love and bongos – Lay It Down breezes by incredibly quickly for a full 45-minute LP. A true sum of its parts, the album is airtight. There really are no weak moments, not an ounce of filler snuck in.
At the same time, Lay It Down does not offer any radical reworking of Green as an artist. Despite recruiting a younger crew, outside Green’s working circle, Thompson and Poyser play to the singer’s strengths. They have aimed to create the ultimate Al Green album, something representative of his mid-’70s stride.
There is no new angle, and that is exactly why Lay It Down finds success. Why destroy the winning formula?
While so many of his contemporaries preached to an increasingly turbulent America through socially minded R&B, Green stuck to what he knew best – sweet, funky love. Today, our country is no less turbulent, but Green just keeps on laying it down like he always has.
Thankfully, some things never change.
zherrm@umd.edu
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
